For the more than 121 million people worldwide suffering from depression, medicating their disease with prescription drugs has almost become commonplace. In fact, the American Journal of Health reports that there are more than 2.7 million prescriptions written for antidepressant drugs each year in the United States alone.

When depressed patient’s consult with a doctor or mental health professional, oftentimes the first treatment option they are presented with is an anti-depressant medication. This is an alarming trend; one that is especially scary as the side effects of these medications become more apparent and publicly documented.

The latest issue raised by the scientific community questions the effect anti-depressants have on our overall emotional state. These drugs may actually affect us in ways other than simply relieving feelings of depression.

In their new book, evolutionary anthropologist Helen Fisher of Rutgers University and psychiatrist J. Anderson Thomson of the University of Virginia propose that anti-depressants not only curb our depression, but they also blunt our other emotions, including feelings of passion and love.  Read more...

Many people have a real fear of needing a root canal. Based on old procedures and poor pain control patients often suffered for days before they found relief after the dental process was completed. But today root canal procedures have better testing support and better imaging during the procedure, which helps to decrease the complications. And, there are better pain control methods that decreases, and in some cases totally eliminates, the need for narcotic analgesics. Patients do feel some tenderness in the area of the mouth and a small amount of discomfort but the days of ice packs and narcotics for pain relief are generally gone.

So what are the symptoms of needing a root canal? First, you should know that only a dentist can accurately determine whether or not a root canal treatment is necessary or appropriate solution for your problems. Your dentist will also evaluate the overall condition of the actual tooth in question and weigh the ability to maintain the tooth against the cost and time involved in saving it.  Read more...

Homeopathic remedy relieves symptoms associated with minor skin irritations and rashes such as eczema to promote skin strength, health & functioning

Skin Dr. is a natural, safe, effective herbal and homeopathic remedy that is a combination of selected herbs and biochemic tissue salts known for their ability to cleanse and purify the entire system, support healthy lymphatic functioning and treat the symptoms of a range of skin conditions, including psoriasis, eczema, acne, dandruff, cradle cap, herpes blisters, as well as itchy skin conditions like chicken pox and allergic rashes. Taken internally, Skin Dr. helps to balance and hydrate the skin, improve the supply of oxygen at cellular level, promote skin healing and remove dead and infected cells. Skin Dr. treats your skin from the inside out! Formulated by a clinical psychologist, Skin Dr. is pharmaceutically manufactured to the highest standards.  Read more...

Chronic pain affects approximately 48 million people in the U.S. and current medications are either largely ineffective or have serious side effects. But researchers from Columbia University Medical Center have discovered a protein in nerve cells that acts as a switch for chronic pain, and have applied for a patent to develop a new class of drugs that will block chronic pain by turning this switch off. The discovery is published on the website of the journal Neuroscience, and will appear in the publication's August issue.

Most prior attempts at alleviating chronic pain have focused on the "second order" neurons in the spinal cord that relay pain messages to the brain. It's difficult to inhibit the activity of these neurons with drugs, though, because the drugs need to overcome the blood-brain barrier. Instead, the CUMC researchers have focused on the more accessible "first order" neurons in the periphery of our body that send messages to the spinal cord.  Read more...

It is embarrassing to have warts and even more embarrassing getting caught purchasing over-the-counter remedies for warts. Using natural remedies that you can find around your home is less embarrassing and work just fine.

Do you know what warts are? Warts are small benign growths that appear on the skin typically on the hands or feet but can also appear on the elbows, fingers, forearms, face, knees, and skin around your nails. Typically they appear on skin that receives constant friction or skin that has received trauma, or abrasions.

You can also get warts on the larynx (voicebox) and when this happens you will notice hoarseness of voice. These warts are called "common warts" and are usually small, flat or raised, dry or moist, and may have a rough or a pitted surface that is the same color as the surrounding skin or maybe a little darker.  Read more...

Cellulite is that unsightly orange peel appearance you find on upper legs, thighs, stomachs and upper arms of women. Caused by the inappropriate storage of fat from microvascular damage and increased fluid and lymphatic retention. Almost a right of sisterhood, cellulite treatments and therapies are sought by women around the globe. Open a womens magazine or walk into a spa and youll find anti-cellulite creams that promise to reduce the cottage cheese looking skin that causes distress to so many.

Most anti-cellulite creams have either caffeine or aminophylline (both dehydrating) and retinal or DMAE as special ingredients to help the appearance of cellulite. Anti cellulite creams will claim to improve the appearance of cellulite but cant claim to reduce it or get rid of it because they cant.

In theory the caffeine, or aminophylline, will dehydrate the skin making it tighter and firmer. This will decrease the appearance of the cellulite, at least temporarily. Unfortunately the effect goes away when the user stops applying the anti cellulite cream.  Read more...

Adapted from The Great American Detox Cookbook, by Alex Jamieson (Rodale Press, 2005).

INGREDIENTS

* 4 cups water
* 3 slices fresh ginger, cut to the thickness of a quarter - warming, immune enhancer
* 1 1-inch piece licorice root - antiviral, antibacterial, fights depression
* 1 1/2-inch piece cinnamon stick - warming, digestive support, useful for diabetes
* 1 tablespoon organic orange rind - sweet
* 1 tablespoon dried parsley - digestive aid
* 1 teaspoon dried lemon balm - relaxing, aromatic
* 1 clove - warming, digestive aid

1. In a pot, bring the water to a boil. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients.

2. Steep 5 to 15 minutes. Strain and drink twice a day.

Makes 4 cups.