Trichotillomania as defined by A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia as a hair pulling, impulsive control disorder where significant hair is lost, due to repeated urges to pull or twist the hair until it breaks off. The symptoms of this disorder usually appear around seventh and eighth grade, and before the age of 17. The conditions may be exacerbated during this time period because teens are trying to fit into social situations the best they can, have anxiety, or have feelings of excessive sadness. Most people living with trichotillomania are unable to stop the hair pulling behavior, even as their hair becomes thinner or stops growing. Some psychotherapists say that physiotherapy may be beneficial for people living with trichotillomania, but science has yet to find a complete cure.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and acupuncture can contribute an important part of the treatment plan for a patient recovering from a stroke. Use of a range of conventional and traditional treatment provides the patient with the greatest chance for recovery of function, minimization of disability, and can also reduce pain and help the patient cope with frustration and other adverse emotional reactions to their illness. TCM approaches may also be used to lessen the side-effects of conventional medicines which may include lethargy and nausea.

Not many diet infomercials excite me nowadays. Probably because I have learned that there really is no short cut or miracle supplement people can eat, chew, and drink or rub on that will melt fat and get rid of body weight. Well, not in the most optimally healthy manner, anyways. Or is there? Maybe if there was a weight loss aid out there that people can sprinkle on their fried, fat and fast food that would just help people drop 30lbs in six months. . . Wait. What’s the 1-800 numbers on that infomercial again? I have just got to learn more about this amazing product!

I never really paid attention to the amazing luxury of toilet paper until I traveled abroad to Asia for a few years and realized that to most of the Chinese people, if you are out in public and need to use the restroom, you better be prepared and equipped with (1) money to use public restrooms and (2) your own toilet paper. In Japan and other parts of the world, they have bidets and wash cloths to hygienically clean yourself after bowel movements. I think it is very important to bring attention to the topic of toilet paper because it not only may be a cause of skin rashes and inflammation (as a symptom of an allergic reaction to the dyes, fragrances and preservatives used in the manufacturing of the toilet paper), the soft, white and plush tissues are a detriment to our environment, as well.

It should not surprise any woman that 9 out of every 10 of us have had Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) symptoms which may include: aches, pains, emotional stress, abdominal bloating, acne, anxiety, backache, breast swelling and tenderness, cramps, depression, intense food cravings, dizzy or fainting spells, fatigue, headaches, nausea, insomnia, altered sex drive, swelling of the fingers and ankles, and personality changes such as drastic mood swings, outbursts of anger, violence and sadness (yes, an extensive and exhaustive list)! But keep your chin up ladies and walk away from those donut holes and fried onion rings! There are many great natural ways to beat the PMS blues; including changing the foods we eat. From a nutrition stand point, the foods we consume, and (on a greater holistic scale) our general lifestyles have tremendous effects on whether or not women experience those monthly symptoms and the severity, as well.

Acupuncture is beneficial for everyone. You do not need anything wrong with your health in order to receive acupuncture.

Acupuncture’s notoriety is for the treatment of musculo-skeletal pain. At treatment centers such as Elements in Harmony, the focus on Balance Method acupuncture is practiced. Their patients feel a 10-100% improvement of pain within six seconds of needles being placed in the body. Acupuncture intentions are for long-term results and people who use acupuncture have a high success rate in the prevention of surgery. Some of the types of pain that the Elements in Harmony Clinic encounters are:
•Sciatica/low back pain
•Frozen shoulder
•Trigger finger
•Knee pain
•Neck and shoulder pain and tightness
•Carpel tunnel syndrome
•We also strengthen the body for pre-operative conditions and assist with speeding up the recovery process after surgery.

Since the early Babylonian days, circa 5000 BC and Egyptian empires circa 3150 BC, people have been healing and living well with fermented foods. With names such as fermented and cultured, many foods that bathe and marinate in bacteria that are reproduced on the foods, are extremely good for you! Though this does not sound the most squeaky-white-floors-clean, these beneficial bacteria in turn, convert carbohydrates to either alcohol (beer, wine, yeast leavened bread) or to organic acids (cheese, yogurt, tempeh). When certain foods soak in their own bacterial juices for a long period of time (weeks at a time), the bacteria actually enhances an already highly nutritious food, creating good for you probiotics, vitamin b’s and digestive enzymes, to name a few. Let’s look into ways fermented foods are good for the body and some of the best fermented foods to eat.

9 out of every 10 women have had Premenstrual Syndromes (PMS) which may include: aches, pains, emotional stress, abdominal bloating, acne, anxiety, backache, breast swelling and tenderness, cramps, depression, intense food cravings, dizzy or fainting spells, fatigue, headaches, nausea, insomnia, altered sex drive, swelling of the fingers and ankles, and personality changes such as drastic mood swings, outbursts of anger, violence and sadness that can lead to depression. But keep your chin up ladies and walk away from those donut holes and fried onion rings! The foods we eat and our general lifestyles have great effects on whether or not we experience those monthly symptoms and how severe we feel them, as well.

Even though summer is wrapping for most of us with little children or educators going back to work for the fall, and vacationers taking advantage of the sun and beaches before white pants become a lesser trendy wardrobe staple, the strong sun, hot temperatures and humid atmosphere still lingers around. Especially to those who are busy with children or pets, multi-tasking several “to-do” items off our never ending list, we may find ourselves more tired, drained, sun beaten, hot and yes, dehydrated! If you are thirsty, common sense tells you to get a drink. Did you know that dehydration has already begun to set in by the time your brain sends the signal that you need a drink. That is why it is so important to get your fill of clear liquids (water is best) prior to physical activity. This goes (especially so) for your little ones, too! It is critical to overall good health to drink water regularly throughout the day, even when the sun is not shining outside and the season is not summer. Causes of dehydration go far beyond hot-weather activity. When drinking water is a part of your daily routine, the risks for dehydration – a serious condition that can turn deadly, can be prevented. The Mayo Clinic reports that adults lose more than 10 cups of water in a given day, just by taking part in everyday activities, and failure to replace that water, may place your health at risk.

An estimated 15-20% of all Americans have Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or IBS. This chronic (long-term) and incurable condition which is also called spastic colitis, mucus colitis and nervous colon syndrome, is a gastrointestinal disorder that causes abdominal pain, bloating, mucous in stools, irregular bowel habits, and alternating diarrhea and constipation. The large variety of symptoms (sensitivity or intolerance to certain foods that cause digestive problems, alternating bouts of diarrhea and constipation, pain, diarrhea, constipation, bloating) can be controlled, but you have to eat the right foods.