5 Effective Treatments for Alopecia

 Featured photo credit: Caroline Speranza via flic.kr

We may call hair loss alopecia when we want to be formal and scientific, but let us be straight. Losing your hair sucks. As someone who has had hair loss starting in his early 20s and has a family history of early hair loss, it is tough to see how your friends and family react sometimes. And while hair treatments can help your fight against alopecia, your hair is fighting a battle against Father Time. He always wins.

That sense of desperation creates a rich feeding ground for charlatans and crooks, and so some people do waste their money on unreliable treatments. But some remedies, both natural and chemical, can help the fight against hair loss. Here are a few tips which can make you look your best.

1. Think about nutrition

If you have ever lost a lot of weight at a time, you may have noticed significant hair loss. The Lindora Clinic notes that hair loss is a common side effect to periods of massive weight loss. This is because your body redirects nutrients away from nonessential functions like your hair and towards essential functions like your organs. A lack of protein, in particular, will create hair loss, as that is essentially what your hairs are made of.

Consequently, the first step towards treating hair loss is to eat right. A protein and iron-rich diet will provide the nutrients you need to stimulate your hair, so load up on fish, leafy greens, and chicken. These foods offer other health benefits and can help you slim down without starving yourself and cutting off the nutrients from your hair.

2. Minoxidil

You probably know this as Rogaine, but this drug does work and is one of only two drugs actually approved by the FDA to fight hair loss (the other drug, finasteride is alright). As WebMD notes, “Minoxidil belongs to a class of drugs known as vasodilators. Minoxidil solution and foam are used to help hair growth in the treatment of male pattern baldness. It is not used for baldness at the front of the scalp or receding hairline in men. The foam and 2 percent minoxidil solution is also used to help hair growth in women with thinning hair.”

But minoxidil will only keep your hair growth up for as long as it is administered. When you stop using it, all the hair which you will grow up to that point will fall off and possibly more.

If you want to use minoxidil, use the 5 percent treatment two times per day once in the morning and evening. Take care to really massage it in your head when it is dry and let it sit for a bit.

3. Oil massages

If you are interested in something more natural, then various oils such as coconut or castor oil massaged into your scalp can help your hair growth. These massages help for two reasons. First is that these oils can improve the blood circulation to the affected areas. More blood in your scalp means more nutrients to your hair that will help keep them healthy. Many of these oils also contain minerals and nutrients of their own which can improve your hair health when massaged in.

The second is the massage itself. Stress is one of the key factors behind hair loss and a good massage can relieve any tension you have. Other methods of relieving stress such as deep breathing or meditation are also excellent options.

4. Hair Transplants

Hair transplants are the most drastic but generally the most effective means of battling hair loss. While hair transplants have been around since the 1950s, advances in medicine have made the procedure less intrusive and do a better job at hiding the transplant.

In a hair transplant, a surgeon moves hair follicles from one part of your hair to the other and transplant them into the bald area. The transplanted hair will fall out quickly, but stimulates natural hair growth.

If you are interested in a hair transplant, you have to understand what it entails. First, a hair transplant will cost thousands of dollars and most insurers will not cover that expense. There are also additional medical risks such as an itchy scalp or swelling, as well as the fact that the transplant will fail a small percentage of the time.

Take care to discuss this surgery with a professional certified by the International Society for Hair Restoration Surgery before going under the knife.

5. Visit your doctor

Most of the time, hair loss is embarrassing but harmless. But sometimes, it can be an indication that something is wrong with you. Some examples of diseases which can be associated with hair loss include lupus, thyroid disease, and even HIV. For younger people, hair loss can also be associated with anorexia given the aforementioned link between hair and weight loss.

If absolutely nothing is working to fix your hair and you have other symptoms, you might want to visit your physician. He can confirm that nothing is wrong with you and can recommend other treatments which can help grow your hair back. More Info: lifehack.org

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Why We Need Professional Counseling

The world we live in today comes with a lot of pressure from all aspects of life; it could be work, family, health, the environment, politics and even problems from around the world. Whether you admit it or not, we often succumb to these pressures and wish that there was someone who could shoulder the burden for us. The best among us have to qualms sharing their problems with friends, family or even strangers. Unfortunately, there is another category of people who would rather take their problems to the grave than give an inkling to their suffering. This article may help change your mind.

Professional counseling

Even the boldest people in the society are often quick to dismiss the notion of seeking professional help to deal with certain matters. The idea of sitting in a counselor’s office going through the chapters of your life seems like a strange notion, and some people will even call it cowardly. They prefer to drown out their sorrows in a bottle of their favorite liquor and dance the night away hoping that their worries will find another victim. Well, victim or not, we all need to let off steam at some point in our lives. While some of us need it need more than others, there is no victim in the counseling room, only a winner determined to stay sane. So, what type of problems can counselors solve?

Common problems solved by counselors

Professional counselors do more than getting into your business; they listen with the intent to unearth the source of your issues in a bid to help YOU, deal with your issues better. After a round of counseling sessions, the patient signs off equipped with tools to cope with the particular issues. The most common problems that call for professional help are as follows:

1. Drug addiction and alcoholism

Many additions that plague today’s society ranging from television, the internet, gambling, food additions, etc. However, alcohol and drug dependency is top of the list of addictions that many citizens grapple with from day to day. Alcohol addiction can stem from childhood problems, the pressures at work, bad relationships with family or spouses, significant losses, etc. Whatever the source of the dependency, alcohol and drug addictions have ruined lives and shattered families for generations. If you need a chemical substance to cope with everyday responsibilities, seek professional help before you begin a downward spiral that leads to bigger problems such as failing health and even death. You may ask, why do people get addicted or hooked? The lucky among us can enjoy a sundowner every day or drinking binges while on vacation and still, resume our normal lives. Count your lucky stars because not everyone can manage this. A therapist with experience in this field will be the first to admit that treating alcoholism is an arduous journey that cannot guarantee results. It is common for patients to get ‘cured’ only to fall right back after a couple of months or years. The rule to surviving alcoholism is taking it one day at a time and staying away from triggers.

2. Stress and depression

Mental disorders are a common problem in society, but we tend to downplay them to avoid opening the proverbial Pandora’s box. We face everyday stressors such as work, family, business, endless bills, etc. While a little bit of stress is essential to keep up on our toes, too much of it can easily progress to something bigger. Mental health is a vital part of our general well-being, and it is for this reason why professional counselors will recommend distressing now and then. Take a few moments from your day to appreciate yourself and the amazing things you are trying to accomplish. This little break will not only relieve stress but also boost your enthusiasm to tackle tasks that lay ahead. Most people often interchange the term stress and depression. While the two may stem from similar issues, they are completely different animals. Depression is much more advanced and requires professional counseling to manage. Find the best therapist for you and stick to the program.

3. Relationship problems

This type of problem is all so familiar to many of us who have gone through bad relationships with lovers, siblings, parents, coworkers, neighbors and even the mailman! As professional counselors will tell you, our tendency to fall into a series of poor relationships can stem from our childhood. Your therapist will ask “What happened to you as a child?” If you are the recipient of this question, you may be tempted to think that the doctor is fishing for material to fill up the hour for billing purposes. Who can blame you? Your counselor is right to ask this question because our childhood has a lot do to do with how we relate to people in our adult life. More Info: lifehack.org

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8 Proven Tips for Sleeping Better

Featured photo credit: imsa.edu via sites.imsa.edu

The role of sleep in our lives is more well-recognized than ever before. Our cells literally undergo repair and our brain recharges while asleep. And without an adequate night’s rest, we simply aren’t our best the next day. If you’re having trouble getting enough sleep at night or simply want some easy rules to stick to, here are 8 things you can do immediately with ease.

1. Create a Bedtime Routine and Schedule

Consistency is a powerful tool when it comes to sleep, and performing a daily ritual before you lay down can make a huge difference in sleep quality. Your ritual could include taking a hot bath, doing yoga, meditating or reading a book. As long as you perform the task every day at about the same time, your brain will begin to associate that particular activity or ritual with sleeping.

2. Keep Your Bedroom Dark

Light has a strong effect on your body’s circadian rhythm, and the absence of light typically tells your body and brain that it’s time to power down. You can, therefore, trigger sleepy feelings by making your bedroom as dark as possible.

If streetlights or other light sources are visible from your bedroom window, make sure that your curtains are thick enough to block them. Even small lights, such as LEDs on your computer or other electronic devices, can keep you awake, so consider covering them with electrical tape.

3. Get More Exercise During the Day

You’ll likely have a harder time getting to sleep if the majority or your day is spent doing sedentary activities, such as sitting behind a desk for 8 hours. Try to spend at least 15 minutes every day walking or exercising. Activities that increase your blood pressure and heart rate for a short time use up energy reserves, helping you feel more tired at the end of the day.

4. Only Use Your Bed for Sleeping

If your bed is used for other activities, such as reading during the day or watching movies with your family, it’s often more difficult to associate the space with sleep. You should also avoid snacking or hanging out in bed, no matter the time of day.

5. Clear Your Thoughts Before Laying Down

“Concentrating on things” is the top reason people have trouble sleeping, according to the CDC, behind only “remembering things.” The mind can be difficult to shut down, so instead of laying awake worrying about the future or ruminating on the past, set aside a few minutes before bedtime to sort out your thoughts.

This could mean making a list of tomorrow’s tasks or jotting down what’s on your mind, both the good and the bad, in a notebook or journal. When you integrate the practice of writing down your thoughts and fears into your bedtime routine, you may find that you fall asleep more easily and wake up less often.

6. Change Your Eating Habits

Along with your mind, your diet may be contributing to inadequate sleeping patterns. While laying off caffeine halfway through the day may be a no-brainer when it comes to getting more sleep, you may need to alter your eating habits as well.

By integrating more fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains into your diet and reducing sweets and high-calorie convenience foods, it may become much easier to fall and stay asleep. You should also avoid going to bed on either a stuffed or empty stomach.

7. Shut Down Your Screens Earlier

Many people unwind by watching a favorite TV program or surfing social media, but this habit can lead to restless nights. At least one hour before bedtime, turn off your screens and leave them off.

Additionally, resist the temptation to pick up your phone during the night. The bright screen may trigger feelings of wakefulness, even in the middle of the night.

8. Find Better Ways to Wake Up

Finally, you may need to alter the way you wake up in order to get better sleep. Fully committing to the day as soon as your alarm goes off may seem nearly impossible, but it can make a huge difference when it comes time to sleep.

Avoid hitting the snooze button, no matter how tired you are. Five or 10 more minutes of sleep isn’t going to make you feel more rested, and you may have even more difficulty waking up after the second alarm. Once you’re out of bed, open the curtains. Sunlight tells our interior clock that it’s daytime, making it easier to wake up and get going. More Info: lifehack.org

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4 Surefire Ways to Reduce Your Annoying Belly Fat

Are you sick of your belly fat?

Excess belly fat can be annoying. It can cause your clothes to stick in all the wrong places, and make sitting in certain positions quite uncomfortable. If you’ve ever been frustrated with your shape, you aren’t alone.

The dangers of an apple shape

Belly fat isn’t just irritating. It is also linked with an increased risk of disease. Scientists refer to those who carry a lot of weight around their midsections as having an “apple” shape. It turns out that a large waistline is associated with an increased rate of disease. Specifically, carrying fat around your stomach elevates your risk for heart disease.

If you’ve tried and failed numerous times to make lasting changes to your shape, know that there is hope! The following four methods form a holistic approach that when combined will make blasting your annoying belly fat a breeze.

Step 1- Focus on aerobic exercise rather than abdominal training.

If you are trying to lose fat from your stomach, you might conclude that your focus should be on abdominal training exercises. However, research shows that aerobic exercise such as swimming and running is actually much more effective at reducing levels of belly fat. There is no evidence that training your abdominal muscles will, by itself, have any effect on waist measurement or levels of stomach fat.

Step 2- Eat more protein and fewer carbohydrates.

The saying “Great abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym” has become well known in fitness circles for a good reason! If you want to reduce your belly fat, you will need to reduce your overall body weight by adopting a healthy diet coupled with a good exercise routine. One simple dietary adjustment you can make is to eat more protein and fewer carbs. Carbs are broken down more quickly relative to protein-rich foods, which means you will become hungry faster and less likely to make sensible food choices. Base your meals and snacks around lean proteins together with vegetables, with modest amounts of wholegrain carbohydrates as a side dish rather than the main component of a meal. For example, a good dinner option is a portion of lean fish, vegetables drizzled with olive oil, and a small portion of potatoes. Instead of carb-heavy snacks such as crackers, chips, or sandwiches, try fruit with a portion of protein. Apple and cheese slices are an appetizing option.

Step 3- Make sure you are not constipated.

Sometimes a distended belly is actually a sign of constipation rather than an excess of stomach fat. Follow these tips to prevent constipation and maintain great bowel health. Watch out for foods that encourage bloating in some people such as beans, lentils, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, and grains such as wheat and barley.

Step 4- Avoid drinks sweetened with sugar.

We all know that sugary drinks cause tooth decay but they also encourage the development of belly fat. Eating sugar in foods is bad enough, but ingesting it in the form of liquid is even worse. When you drink a sugary drink, your brain does not register the calories you have taken in, which means that you can consume hundreds of calories that do not fill you up yet still contribute to the development of excess fat. This means that you end up taking in a higher number of calories overall.

Take the four steps above and you can look forward to a flatter belly within weeks! It’s important to remember, however, that you will need to make these steps into ongoing practices if you want to keep your hard-earned changes. Commit to overhauling your lifestyle and you will soon see the benefits.

More Info: lifehack.org

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4 Eating Habits That Help You Relieve Annoying Migraines

Migraine can change your brain

Migraine suffers know what real agony is. Besides the excruciating, pounding headaches, victims must endure the nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light and sound that most often accompany these headaches. All productivity ceases. To make matters worse, a new study discovered that migraines—specifically ones with aura—can permanently alter the structure of your brain.
Researchers from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark found that those who had migraines with aura showed a 68% increased risk of white matter brain lesions, compared with those who did not have migraines. This terrifying figure prompts us to face the problem of migraine squarely.

Only relying on migraine drugs may backfire

Taking drugs or painkillers is the usual way to deal with annoying migraines. However, most medications available in the market come with side effects, making the dilemma that much harder. In a recent study published by the journal Headache, two-third of the subjects reported symptoms like sleepiness, fatigue, racing heartbeat and difficulty thinking after taking prescribed medications. So is there a more effective way to relieve migraines than taking drugs? I am glad you asked.
The all-natural solution to preventing most migraines begins with your diet. Learning how to relieve and prevent migraines via your diet involves paying closer attention to what you consume and making a few simple lifestyle changes.

1. Be careful with foods with hormones

Be careful when choosing meats–especially beef and dairy products that contain hormones. Try to choose organic, fresh cuts of meat and avoid phosphoproteins. A group of phosphoproteins in milk called “casein,” which comprises nearly 80 percent of all the protein in milk, is a major trigger of migraines and other types of headaches. Doctors often seek to eliminate all sources of casein in a migraine patient’s diet. It is commonly listed as “sodium caseinate”, “calcium caseinate” or “milk protein” on many food labels.

2. Avoid foods loaded with simple carbs and processed sugar

Reactive hyperglycemia or a spike in glucose in the bloodstream occurring after you eat has been deemed one of the most surprising causes of migraines according to CNN Health. Excessive amounts of simple carbohydrates such as white sugar and pasta, can cause migraines. When you eat simple carbs, your blood sugar rises and your body then produces extra insulin to break down the sugar. This causes your blood sugar levels to drop dramatically. That spike and plummet of blood sugar can lead to headaches.

3. Stay hydrated but avoid stimulating drinks

It is common knowledge that dehydration can cause headaches and greatly exacerbates the condition in those who frequently experience migraines. Practitioners recommend that you drink plenty of hydrating fluids- especially water- and limit the amount of alcohol consumed. They also warn that you should avoid large amounts of tea, coffee, soda, and other beverages containing copious amounts of sugar and caffeine which can be triggers.

4. Consume cold food and beverages slowly

Ah yes…the dreaded brain freeze. We’ve all experienced it. It turns out that it is an actual medical condition. It’s called a “cold stimulus headache.” It is characterized by pain in the middle of the forehead or behind the eyes and nose lasting for less than five minutes after rapidly consuming cold food or drink. What’s even more surprising is that some researchers believe that this phenomenon can actually trigger a migraine, so try to take it slow or drink your beverages with less ice.
Research is definitive; migraine sufferers are more likely to have changes in their brains than are people who didn’t have migraines. By making a few simple dietary changes and being cognizant of your eating habits, you can greatly reduce the number of migraines experienced and minimize changes to the brain. More Info: lifehack.org

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