FitSugar

Relax Already: Take a 90 Second Vacation

FitSugar — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:00:00 -0800

If stress finds its way into the end of your day, and all you want to do is get away from it all, sit on the beach,and feel sun on your skin and the warm sand on your toes. Then go ahead and imagine it.

Just 90 seconds of visualization can work wonders, lowering your stress level. Closing your eyes and picturing a serene and beautiful place - for me it's the beach, but for you it could be the mountains or the hammock in your backyard - can wipe away stress. A minute and a half of imagining yourself in a calm and soothing place can actually lower your heart rate and blood pressure. It can also increase circulation and your digestion.

When stress gets the better of you, go ahead and daydream. It will help your stress level and ultimately your health. Think of it as a minivacation.

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Your Brain’s Default Setting Is Daydreaming

FitSugar — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 04:00:00 -0800

It looks like a wandering mind is the human brain's default setting.

Researchers are unraveling the complexities of the brain and the latest findings show that with no specific task at hand we simply daydream. Not that all the thoughts are of a dream date with McDreamy, they are a little more like "to do" lists. That is why the scientists have labeled this thinking pattern "stimulus-independent thought." How very dry.

So write your "to do" list down so you can spend your daydream time on other more fanciful things.

Source

Speak Up: Tips on Falling Asleep

FitSugar — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:27:24 -0700

My bed and me are usually best friends, and when it's time to get into my PJs and retire for the night, I usually have no trouble falling asleep. Occasionally though, I lie in bed tossing and turning and worrying about my coughing daughter down the hall, stressing about tomorrow's to-do list, or daydreaming about what I'll make for the dinner party I have planned for the weekend. The next thing I know, I look at the clock and an hour has gone by.

I'm sure you can relate to having a tough time getting your shut-eye, so please share your tips below on what helps you fall asleep and stay asleep.

10 Ways to Pass the Time on Cardio Machines

FitSugar — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 05:52:00 -0700

If you can't get outside for a run or bike ride, using a cardio machine is a wonderful alternative. Since the weather is always perfect indoors, you never have an excuse not to work out. It can be agonizingly boring though, so here are some suggestions from FitSugar readers to help beat the boredom and make your cardio machine time more enjoyable.

Kimpossible and laellavita suggest doing interval training. Switch between moderate running and sprinting to keep your mind busy. This is also my favorite way to work out on a cardio machine.
You can also do intervals with the incline, as suggested by syako. Pump up the incline for a few minutes, then lower it for a few minutes.
FitSugar reader tangentlines suggests reading big novels to pass the time, but if you don't like flipping pages, shiningeyes suggests listening to audiobooks.

To hear the other great ideas, read more.

Listen to music on iPods or MP3 players. If you like more of a mix, there's a Pandora application on the iPhone that kyui707 recommends. It creates a music station for you based on music you like, and since you never know what's coming next, it's a great way to get you moving.
If you're bored with music, KMattes recommends listening to podcasts. You can download them from iTunes on just about any topic from wedding planning to cooking to fitness.
If you like watching TV, littlekaren suggests hitting the gym during times when your favorite shows are on. If you have a machine at home, kris0bot says to DVR TV shows and save them for when you exercise.
If there's a shelf on your machine, kakyke recommends watching TV episodes, like Grey's Anatomy or Lost, online on your laptop. Or you can watch movies.
If you're working hard and really pushing yourself, misskacie says it doesn't allow her the comfort to get bored. So pump up the intensity level.
Work out with a friend - mek123 says talking makes the time go by quickly.
Many readers such as darc5204 recommend daydreaming or deep thinking while on a cardio machine. You can distract yourself by working through a problem or making plans.

Source

Class Act: Yoga Nidra (Yoga Sleep)

FitSugar — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:30:00 -0700

If you're stressed out, wound up, or feeling down, then you're in desperate need of Yoga Nidra. It's the definition of deep relaxation.

The nidra class is devoted to bringing you into complete stillness and calmness while still being aware. You come into a comfortable Savasana pose (sometimes a teacher may encourage you to use blankets and pillows to make you feel comfy, cradled, and fully supported). The teacher may talk you through a meditation, use guided imagery, or she may use musical instruments or music to bring you into deep relaxation. Your job is to lengthen each inhale and exhalation, to be aware and in control of your breath, and to allow the stillness to take over your mind and unwind your nervous system. It's common for beginners to accidentally fall asleep, but once you practice Yoga Nidra more often, you'll become better at bringing yourself into a beautiful marriage of relaxation and awareness. It's normal to daydream a little, to experience a sense of weightlessness or floating above the ground, and many people will say they feel like the 45 or 60 minute class flies by within minutes. After the class, you'll emerge feeling refreshed and serene.

Call a yoga studio in your area to see if they offer this type of class. If you cannot find a class, you can try on your own with a book or CD.

Epilepsy

admin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:51:25 -0700

Illustrations

Brain structures

Limbic system

Treatment of epilepsy

Central nervous system

HEALTH GUIDE REFERENCE FROM A.D.A.M

Definition

Epilepsy is a brain disorder involving repeated spontaneous seizures of any type.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Seizures ("fits," convulsions) are episodes of disturbed brain function that cause changes in attention or behavior. They are caused by abnormally excited electrical signals in the brain.

Sometimes seizures are related to a temporary condition, such as exposure to drugs, withdrawal from certain drugs, or abnormal levels of sodium or glucose in the blood. In the repeated seizures do not happen again once the underlying problem is corrected, the person does NOT have epilepsy.

In other cases, injury to the brain (for example, stroke or head injury) causes brain tissue to be abnormally excitable. In some people, an inherited abnormality affects nerve cells in the brain, which leads to seizures. In these cases, the seizures happen spontaneously, without an immediate cause. This IS epilepsy.

Some seizures are idiopathic, which means the cause cannot be identified. These seizures usually begin between ages 5 and 20, but they can happen at any age. People with this condition have no other neurological problems, but sometimes have a family history of seizures or epilepsy.

Disorders affecting the blood vessels, such as stroke and TIA, are the most common cause of seizures after age 60. Illnesses that cause the brain to deteriorate and dementia such as Alzheimer's diesease, can also lead to seizures.

Some of the more common causes of epilepsy include:

Problems during the development of the baby in the womb.
Brain injury
- Early seizures (within 2 weeks of injury) do not necessarily mean that chronic (ongoing) seizures (epilepsy) will develop
- Most common in young adults
- Seizures usually begin within 2 years after the injury
Genetic conditions present at birth.
Infections
- Acute severe infections of any part of the body
- Brain abscess
- Brain infections like meningitis and encephalitis
- Chronic infections (such as neurosyphilis)
- Complications of AIDS or other immune disorders
- May affect people of all ages
- May be a reversible cause of seizures (epilepsy may stop)
Injuries near the time of birth (seizures usually begin in infancy or early childhood)
Metabolic abnormalities (problems with body chemistry) may affect people of any age and may be a result of
- Kidney failure, uremia (toxic accumulation of wastes)
- Liver Failure
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Phenylketonuria (PKU) -- can cause seizures in infants
- Other metabolic diseases, such as inborn error of metabolism
Tumors and brain lesions (such as hematomas or abnormal blood vessels)
- May affect any age but are more common after age 30
- May lead to generalized tonic-clonic seizures
- Partial (focal) seizures most common to start with

About 0.5% of the population has epilepsy. Approximately 1.5-5.0% of the population may have a seizure in their lifetime. Epilepsy can affect people of any age.

Risk factors include a family history of epilepsy, head injury, or other condition that causes damage to the brain.

Some factors may present a risk for more seizures in a person with a previously well-controlled seizure disorder:

Certain prescribed medications
Emotional stress
Illness, especially infection
Lack of sleep
Pregnancy
Skipping doses of epilepsy medications
Use of alcohol or other recreational drugs

Symptoms

The severity of symptoms can vary greatly, from simple staring spells to loss of consciousness and violent convulsions. For most people, each seizure is similar, while some people have many different types of seizures that cause different symptoms each time. The type of seizure a person has depends on a variety of things, such as the part of the brain affected and the underlying cause of the seizure.

An aura consisting of a strange sensation (such as tingling, smelling an odor that isn't actually there, or emotional changes) occurs in some people prior to each seizure. Seizures may occur repeatedly without explanation.

Note: Disorders that may cause symptoms resembling seizures include fainting, transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) or stroke, rage or panic attacks, migraine headaches, sleep disturbances, and other disorders that cause loss of consciousness.

SYMPTOMS OF GENERALIZED SEIZURES

Generalized seizures affect all or most of the brain. They include absence seizures (also called petit mal seizures) and tonic-clonic seizures (also called grand mal seizures).

Absence seizures:

Minimal or no movements (usually, except for "eye blinking") -- may appear like a blank stare
Brief sudden loss of awareness or conscious activity -- may only last seconds
Can happen over and over
Occurs most often during childhood
Decreased learning (child often thought to be day-dreaming)

Tonic-clonic seizures:

Affects a major part of the body
Breathing stops temporarily, followed by sighing
Confusion following the seizure, lasting minutes to hours
Incontinence of urine (loss of bladder control)
Loss of consciousness
Rigid and stiff
Tongue or cheek biting
Weakness following the seizure (Todd's paralysis)
Whole body, violent muscle contractions

SYMPTOMS OF PARTIAL SEIZURES (SIMPLE AND COMPLEX)

Partial seizures may be complex or simple. Partial seizures affect only a portion of the brain.

Symptoms of simple partial (focal) seizures may include:

Abnormal sensations (feelings)
Dilated pupils
Feeling as if you've been in this situation before (deja vu) or never been in this situation before (jamais vu)
Hallucinations
Muscle contractions of a specific body part
Nausea
Skin flushing
Sweating

Symptoms of partial complex seizures may include:

Any of the above symptoms, along with altered consciousness or memory
Automatism (automatic performance of complex behaviors without conscious awareness)
Changes in personality or alertness, with confusion

Signs and tests

To be diagnosed with epilepsy and seizure disorders, the person must have had spontaneous, recurrent seizures with no immediate cause. A physical examination (including a detailed neuromuscular examination) may be normal, or it may show abnormal brain function related to specific areas of the brain.

An electroencephalograph (EEG), which is a reading of the electrical activity in the brain, may show various types of seizures. In some cases it may show the location of the abnormal part of the brain where the seizures start. EEGs can often be normal in between seizures, so it may be necessary to do prolonged EEG monitoring.

Various blood tests and other tests to rule out temporary and reversible causes of seizures, may include:

Blood chemistry
Blood sugar
CBC (complete blood count)
CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) analysis
Kidney function tests
Liver function tests
Tests for infectious diseases

Tests for the cause and location of the problem may include:

EEG
Head CT or MRI scan
Lumbar puncture (spinal tap)

Treatment

For treatment of seizures, please see Seizures - first aid.

If an underlying cause for recurrent seizures (such as infection) has been identified and treated, seizures may stop. Treatment may include surgery to remove a tumor, an abnormal or bleeding blood vessel, or other brain problems.

Medication to prevent seizures, called anti-convulsants, may reduce the number of future seizures. These drugs are taken by mouth. The type of medicine you take depends on what type of seizures you are having. The dosage may need to be adjusted from time to time.

Some seizure types respond well to one medication and may respond poorly (or even be made worse) by others. Some medications need to be monitored for side effects and blood levels.

It is very important that you take seizure drugs on time and at the correct dose. Most people taking these drugs need regular checkups and regular blood tests to make sure they are receiving the correct dosage. No one should stop taking or change seizure drugs without talking with their doctor first.

Epilepsy that does not get better after two or three seizure drugs have been tried is called "medically refractory epilepsy." Some people with this type of epilepsy may benefit from brain surgery to remove the abnormal brain cells that are causing the seizures. Others may be helped by a vagal nerve stimulator. This is a device that is implanted in the chest (similar to a heart pacemaker). This stimulator can help reduce the number of seizures, but rarely stops the seizures completely.

Sometimes, children are placed on a special diet to help prevent seizures. The most popular one is the ketogenic diet. A diet low in carbohydrates, such as the Atkin's diet, may also be helpful in some adults.

People with epilepsy should wear medical alert jewelry so that prompt medical treatment can be obtained if a seizure occurs.

Support Groups

The stress caused by having seizures (or being a caretaker of someone with seizures) can often be helped by joining a support group. In these groups, members share common experiences and problems. See epilepsy - support group.

In addition to groups that meet face-to-face, there are many discussion groups and bulletin boards on the Internet where people with epilepsy can find support.

Expectations (prognosis)

Some people with certain types of seizures may be able to reduce or completely stop their seizure medicines after having no seizures for several years. Certain types of childhood epilepsy goes away or improves with age -- usually in the late teens or 20s.

For some people, epilepsy may be lifelong condition. In these cases, the seizure drugs need to be continued.

Death or permanent brain damage from seizures is rare, but can occur if the seizure is prolonged or two or more seizures occur close together (status epilepticus). Death or brain damage are most often caused by prolonged lack of breathing, which causes brain tissue to die from lack of oxygen. There are some cases of sudden, unexplained death in patients with epilepsy.

Serious injury can occur if a seizure occurs during driving or when operating dangerous equipment. For this reason, people with epilepsy whose seizures are not under good control may not be able to do these activities.

People who have infrequent seizures may not have any severe restrictions on their lifestyle.

Complications

Difficulty learning
Inhaling fluid into the lungs, which causes aspiration pneumonia
Injury from falls, bumps, or self-inflicted bites during a seizure
Injury from having a seizure while driving or operating machinery
Many epilepsy medications cause birth defects -- women wishing to become pregnant should alert their doctor in advance in order to adjust medications
Permanent brain damage (stroke or other damage)
Prolonged seizures or numerous seizures without complete recovery between them (status epilepticus)
Side effects of medications

Calling your health care provider

Call your local emergency number (911) if this the first time a person has had a seizure or a seizure is occurring in someone without a medical ID bracelet (instructions explaining what to do). In the case of someone who has had seizures before, call the ambulance for any of these emergency situations:

This is a longer seizure than the person normally has, or an unusual number of seizures for the person
Repeated seizures over a few minutes
Repeated seizures where consciousness or normal behavior is not regained between them (status epilepticus)

Call your health care provider if any new symptoms occur, including possible side effects of medications (drowsiness, restlessness, confusion, sedation, or others), nausea/vomiting, rash, loss of hair, tremors or abnormal movements, or problems with coordination.

Prevention

Generally, there is no known way to prevent epilepsy. However, proper diet and sleep, and staying away from illegal drugs and alcohol, may decrease the likelihood of triggering seizures in people with epilepsy.

Reduce the risk of head injury by wearing helmets during risky activities; this can help lessen the chance of developing epilepsy.

References

Foldvary-Schaefer N, Wyllie E. Epilepsy. In: Goetz, CG, ed. Textbook of Clinical Neurology. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap 52.

Krumholz A, Wiebe S, Gronseth G, et al. Practice Parameter: evaluating an apparent unprovoked first seizure in adults (an evidence-based review): report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Epilepsy Society. Neurology. 2007;69(21):1996-2007.

Spencer SS. Seizures and epilepsy. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap 426.

Tomson T, Hiilesmaa V. Epilepsy in Pregnancy. BMJ. 2007;335(7623):769-73.

Review Date: 5/29/2008

Reviewed By: Daniel B. Hoch, PhD, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

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