If you have a weight problem but it just won’t go away, no matter how many calories you cut or exercise you do, it could be the fault of being hypothyroid.

There are 27 million Americans with thyroid disease and women are 7 times more likely than men to have it. Hypothyroid is the most common thyroid disorder and most widely misdiagnosed by physicians.

Hypothyroid is a condition where the thyroid gland, a small butterfly shaped organ located at the base of the neck, does not produce enough thyroid hormone to function properly.

The thyroid takes in iodine and combines it with tyrosine, an amino acid that then converts it into the hormones T3 and T4. If your thyroid is normal, 80% will be T4 and 20% T3. Both of these hormones travel through the bloodstream, converting calories and oxygen into energy. If this process doesn’t work properly, then the calories and oxygen cannot convert the energy properly and you have weight gain or inability to lose weight.

You might be suffering in other parts of your general health and well-being without understanding the connections between these conditions. You might be feeling sluggish and fatigued with a desire to nap all the time, depression and sadness,always feeling cold, especially your hands and feet, hair loss, brittle nails, low sex drive, high cholesterol levels that do not respond to proper diet or medications, heavier than normal and painful menstrual cycles that last longer than normal. These are just some of the symptoms that signal a thyroid disorder.

Unfortunately, these symptoms are also indicative of other conditions. Childbirth can often trigger thyroid disorders but the symptoms are dismissed by doctors as a result of having a new baby. Sometimes thyroid disorders can cause women to begin early menopause but then the thyroid disorder gets lost in the treatment of these other conditions.

If you suspect that you might have thyroid disease, schedule a visit with your doctor and ask to have your TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) level checked. A normal TSH level for most Americans is .5 to 5.5. If you have a level of 5.6, you are considered hypothyroid.

If you are having trouble losing weight after doing all the right things, be assertive about finding the solution for your problem. Don’t give up; weight gain is a sign of a lot of problems besides just not eating right and exercising.

Eunice Coughlin is the founder of http://www.healthy-living-for-moms.com Her web site is dedicated to helping moms of all ages and stages enjoy a physically and spiritually healthy life with their families.

What It Is

In Homeopathy, extremely dilute preparations are given to a patient to spur the patient’s immune system into action and re-balance the body’s “vital force”. The preparations are extremely dilute–often going well beyond Avogadro’s Limit–but are “succussed” or rapped firmly onto a padded surface to, as Homeopaths believe, send healing vibrationationl energy throughout the remedy.

Homeopathy works on 3 basic principles: The Law of Similars, The Minimum Dose Principle and The Single Dose Principle. Homeopaths take great pride in working with the body’s natural defenses and not, as they see it, against it as mainstream medicine does.

What It Can Do For You

Dr. Andrew Weil writes about his successful experience with Homeopathy and he’s not the only one putting stock into this relatively new medical system. In 1991 Internal Medicine World Magazine wrote an article on 6 HIV-positive patients who became HIV-negative after undergoing homeopathic treatment.
Despite the evidence that Homeopathy shouldn’t work it has worked for thousands of believers and for every known ailment.

Finding A Qualified Practitioner

There is currently very little regulation of homeopathy in the U.S. and no one organization distinguishes itself as a leader in the field. If you’re interested in trying homeopathy yourself, bypass the ready-made health-food store remedies and seek the advice of a homeopath with a mainstream medical background.

What The Critics Say

Critics of homeopathy point to the extreme dilutions as proof that, statistically, many of the bottles of “remedies” won’t contain even a single molecule of the “active” ingredient. Any cures are logged under the “Placebo” heading and generally dismissed.

My Opinion

Though I currently hold entry-level certification in homeopathy I remain respectfully skeptical. My own experience with it has been limited to two attempts to treat seasonal allergy symptoms. Neither was successful.

Lisa Barger is a traditionally trained naturopath specializing in illness prevention counseling. Ms. Barger holds certification in Ayurveda, Iridology, Homeopathy, Traditional Chinese Medicine and American Herbology. For more information about Ms. Barger’s private practice or to take a free online natural health class please see our web site at http://www.LisaBarger.com

Many times, people have asked, “Why should I waste time and money getting a degree for a medical billing specialist since I could do the job without a degree?”

The answer to that question would be that you should get your degree, as it is not a waste of time or money. Medical billing specialists are skilled workers and they have attended and successfully graduated college to carry out their duties. It is a common myth that an education is not needed since ads often trick people into thinking they can make thousands with no experience. That’s not true in any case.

Medical Billing Specialists have acquired such skills as:

• Filling out several types of complex insurance claim forms,
• Comprehending insurance guidelines, procedures and claims submission process,
• Analyzing Explanation of Benefits (EOB) forms to guarantee that insurance companies have properly assessed and paid for charges,
• Following-up with insurance companies as well as with patients to make sure that bills are not paid late, and
• Creating accounts receivable reports for clients.

Medical Billing and Coding

It is, in fact, necessary that you enroll yourself into a program so that you can learn all the above-mentioned skills. Because billing greatly depends on codes entered into the system, medical coding and billing are connected in teachings at most any school.

Mesothelioma is a deadly cancer of the lungs and the abdominal cavities. Unlike other diseases, the cause of mesothelioma is not natural. In most of the cases, it is a cancer of lungs inflicted on the human beings by the modern economic factors, which are also credited to bring prosperity to the corporate world.

The disease has left many dead and many more fighting for the failing health. The common symptoms related to the disease are breathlessness, dry cough and pain in the respiratory tracts followed by vomiting. The prime Cause of mesothelioma is the exposure to asbestos.

Asbestos is a natural fibrous material that was widely used in various industries and building materials because of its stability and heat resistant properties. However, asbestos is also a deadly contaminant and responsible for serious diseases such as asbestosis, mesothelioma cancers and lung cancer. Most of the diseases are caused by inhalation of asbestos fibers that could settle in the internal body organs and cause serious diseases. Mesothelioma and other asbestos related diseases can lie dormant in the body for decades before diagnosis. The worst part is that after diagnosis the patient has hardly any left for fighting these diseases.

Asbestos has extensively been mined in South Africa and exported to UK & US factories for reprocessing. For many years, the industrialists enjoyed the benefits of asbestos as a cheap substitute to wood in Building Material Industry and an integral part of Brake Lining material used extensively in vehicles during the World Wars. Asbestos was also widely used as an Insulation material in the buildings and industries in the US and Europe.

The victims of mesothelioma can file lawsuits for seeking compensation against the companies responsible for asbestos exposure. They can seek compensation for medical expenses, loss of income, lost earning capacity, pain and sufferings. The family members and relatives of the people who die because of mesothelioma cancers can also file lawsuits for compensation to recover the loss of consortium care. A dozen of companies who made an exit from the business decades ago are still fighting the huge compensation bills pending against them for causing a major biological disorder. The courts have ordered huge amounts as compensation in most of the mesothelioma lawsuits.

Kirsten Hawkins is a asbestos and mesothelioma specialist from Nashville, TN. Visit www.asbestosblog.org/ for information on asbestos reform, mesothelioma lawsuit news, and more.

The most common type of breast cancer in women that is noninvasive is referred to as DCIS, which stands for Ductal Carcinoma In Situ. The term “in situ” refers to cancer cells that have not moved out of the system in which they began to grow. With DCIS the cancer cells develop in a milk duct in the breast and are found before they have a chance outside of the duct. DCIS is the noninvasive version of Ductal Carcinoma and is usually discovered during the course of a regular mammography because it can show up as specks of calcifications. If these specks appear, then the next step is a biopsy.

Ductal Carcinoma In Situ is referred to as a Stage 0 cancer, but it is taken very seriously by doctors. Treatment for DCIS is usually much more aggressive than it’s in situ cousin, LCIS (or lobular neoplasia). Even though it is a serious condition, there is plenty of time to educate yourself and weigh all your options concerning treatment and possible reconstruction. There is close to a 100% rate of success in treating DCIS with the standard medical treatment.

DCIS usually appears in two different forms, which describe how the cancer looks on pathological examination under a microscope. The comedo type will express dead cells out of it, much like a pimple or zit on the skin, hence the name comedo.

The non-comedo DCIS types are 1) solid where the DCIS cells fill in the milk duct all the way, 2) cribiform DCIS where the cells do NOT completely fill in the duct, in fact there will be some areas of empty space between the cancer cells and 3) papillary and micropapillary DCIS in which the cells are sparse, like cribiform, but have a pattern to them.

The comedo type is considered to be more aggressive than that of the non-comedo types. By looking under a microscope, a pathologist can tell the difference between the two based on the number of dead, or necrotic, cells in the middle of the milk duct. Have large amounts of dead cells in a cancerous area means that the cancer can be faster growing.

Even though DCIS is considered to be a pre-cancer or Stage 0, the treatment options are very similar to invasive ductal carcinoma. Depending on where the area of DCIS is located and how many areas there are, a patient will have a choice between a lumpectomy and mastectomy. As with Stage 1 and higher cancers, further treatment will be decided based on the size of the area or tumor, the pathologic grade, HER2 status, lymph node involvement and the hormonal status. Family history and other related risk factors should also be taken into consideration when deciding on treatment options.

While a diagnosis of DCIS can be frightening, it is certainly a very treatable condition. Fortunately by catching the cancer before it has broken out of the ductal system and made its way into the fatty breast tissue or lymph system, the chance that the disease has spread is very very small.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Breast Cancer

The method know as 3d ultrasound scanning is used when a woman is in early pregnancy, it provides 3d images of the unborn baby. Most times these images are collated and joined together and animated to make a 4d scan.

Three dimensional scans works in a similar manner to the normal ultrasound methods except that the ultrasound scanning pulses are sent from multiple directions. The ultrasound pulses can be redirected back then captured to provide info to construct a 3-dimensional image in in the same way as 3d pictures. 3 dimesional ultrasound was devised by stephen smith and olaf von ramm.

It’s important to understand that sonologists around the world have always conjured 3d pictures of anatomy or pathology in their minds whilst doing 2d scans. However, until recently it was impossible to do this type of reconstruction on on info using ultasound scanning. With the advent of 4d scans for the first time allowed us a view into the thinking of a sonologist and allowing us to reconstruct the images on the ultrasound machine.

3d imaging should utilize ultrasound energy following the same limits as conventional 2d ultrasound to create the 3d images. There is no data to suggest harm due to 3d ultrasound, its use in none essential situations should be undertaken with an understanding of the risks that exist.

In spirituality, there are number of exercises available that help enhance the mental concentration. These exercises help reduce the flow of negative thoughts, which in turn lessens the mental confusion. When these extra exercises are done along with the Muraqaba (Sufi meditation) the mind gains the needed mental focus ahead of time and the positive effects of Muraqaba emerge earlier as well.

Although there are plenty of these exercises available, here we are going to discuss breathing, as its success rate is also great.

Breathing

In the emotional ups and downs and in the overall nervous system, breathing has a very essential role. During different emotional states, the rate of respiration fluctuates. In tragic circumstances breathing could become a challenge as people often feel difficulty in breathing after hearing tragic news. On the other hand, during anger the rate goes up. During peaceful moments the style of breathing becomes totally different. During this state, breathing becomes balanced and its rate goes down. However when something suddenly comes as a shock then we all simply gasp for air.

Spiritual abilities and breathing are closely inter related. According to spiritual science, breathing has two sides, ascending and descending. Inhaling is ascending movement while exhaling is descending. During the ascending mode, the person is closer to his or her spiritual state and in the descending mode moves towards the gravity. We are more close to our spiritual state when the inhaling is prolonged and the breath is retained longer then usual.

When respiration stops then our link to the body is disconnected. That is why in order to enter the sub-conscious senses, breathing does not have to be stopped, but it must be slowed down. A living example is dreaming or a state of deep trance. In these conditions, a person does respire however; the style of breathing is noticeably different from that of a normal breathing pattern. The rate of breathing is slower and the inhaling takes longer as well. Exhaling on the other hand is shortened. In other words, when we are under the influence of inner senses not only our breathing slow down but the duration of inhaling increases as well.

When this style of breathing is intentionally practiced then the subconscious state affects consciousness during the awakened state and its effects usually last longer.

PRACTICE-1:

• Sit in a squat position.

• Keep your back straight, however avoid having any part of the body tense.

• Exhale from both nostrils so that the lungs are free from air.

• Slowly inhale through nostrils.

• When the lungs the lungs become full, exhale through the mouth without holding it.

• During exhaling keep your lips round as if whistling, without holding it.

• This exhaling and inhaling constitute one cycle. At the beginning start with eleven cycles and gradually go up to twenty-one.

This exercise helps in controlling the movements of lung muscles and it increases the duration of inhaling. The rate of respiration during Muraqaba should be as low as possible. However, it is imperative that the rate of breathing should not be slowed intentionally. Otherwise, the focus would shift to the respiration instead of the Muraqaba. The best way to avoid that is to inhale and exhale slowly for a while before starting Muraqaba. That way the respiratory rate will drop automatically.

PRACTICE-2:

Sit in a squat position just like the practice-1 and put your forearms in the knees. Inhale slowly from both nostrils. When the chest is full of air then hold the breath for five seconds. Then exhale through the mouth similar to whistling style. After a few moments rest repeat the process for five times. Next day increase the total to seven until the total number of cycles reach eleven. At this point, increase the hold period from five to six seconds however the total number of cycles will remain eleven. When holding the breath for six seconds is not causing any mental or physical strain then increase it to seven seconds. Unless and until one reaches full command of the practice, keep the hold period to seven seconds. Gradually it should be increased to fifteen seconds, which the maximum allowed time for hold.

PRACTICE-3:

After sitting in the squat position as explained in the practice-1, closed the right nostrils using the right hand thumb and inhale through the left nostril for four seconds. Hold it for four seconds. Now using the last two fingers of your hand closed the left nostril while the right nostril is still closed with the thumb. In this way, the remaining two middle fingers will be resting between the eyebrows. At this point release only the thumb from the right nostril and exhale from that nostril for four seconds and without stopping inhale from it for four seconds. Again, hold it for four seconds and close the right nostril with the thumb. Then from the left nostril release those fingers and exhale for four seconds. This constitutes one cycle. After a few moments rest repeat it three times. Increase one cycle every day until you reach seven cycles.

When doing seven cycles and four-second routine becomes comfortable, increase only the hold time to six seconds while the number of cycles will remain at seven. When holding the breath for six seconds and total numbers of cycles is done with ease then increase only the hold time for two more seconds and keep it increasing until the hold time reaches sixteen seconds.

When the seven cycles and holding time of sixteen seconds get easy then increase the exhale time to eight seconds. Final figures should be four seconds inhaling, sixteen seconds holding and then eight seconds exhaling.
Continue practicing with these figures.

All respiratory exercises should be performed at least two and half-hours after a moderate meal. The best time for doing breathing exercises is pre-dawn. At that time not only we are mentally and physically alert but the ratio of oxygen in the air is also the highest. The electro-magnetic activity in the atmosphere is also at its zenith during that time.

The second best time for breathing exercises is before going to bed at night.

Sufi-Master Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi is the patriarch of the Sufi Order of Azeemia and the author of Muraqaba: The Art and Science of Sufi Meditation.

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