Dr Igbinovia Imuentinyan, a consultant at Wuse General Hospital Abuja told newsmen that the lack of physical exercise had been identified as one of the causes of pile.
He explained that pile, also known as hemorrhoid, is common among overweight people who seldom exercise, while people with irregular eating habits whose diet is deficient in essential fibres can develop hemorrhoids.
Pile is a roundish swelling which can be found inside or outside the anal canal, and can either be dry or bleeding.
“Fat people are predisposed to having pile because of constipation and straining during bowel movement which causes the pile to protrude,’’ he said.
According to him, bleeding pile which is located at the internal lining causes itching, body weakness and anaemia if the bleeding is excessive.
Imuetinyan said that bleeding pile was more prevalent in pregnant women because the pressure of the foetus causes the pile vessels to enlarge and could further be placed under pressure during childbirth.
“Pile experienced during childbirth is temporal and can be treated by sitting in warm salt water for at least 10 minutes in the morning and evening for two to three weeks.’’
Imuetinyan stressed the need for regular exercises involving abdominal muscles such as sit-ups which help to improve circulation in the anal region, thereby aiding easier bowl movement.
He said that consuming vegetables, fruits and lots of water could soften stool, making it easier to empty the bowels without strain.
However, in extreme cases, pile can be treated surgically to cut off the affected tissues.
2011年9月29日星期四
2011年9月28日星期三
Britain's "Embarrassing Bodies" brings medical reality TV
We're so down for watching reality TV medical shows. Give us a half-ton man or some guy whose hands resemble trees and we're a happy clam. So we were thrilled when our editor passed along a link to a series of British shows called "Embarrassing Bodies."
With a title like that, you can only imagine. Before you click the link and watch the video clips, be forewarned: There are graphic images -- albeit in a medical context -- some of which are much more explicit than what we're used to seeing in the U.S.
The show is pretty much what you'd imagine: People with embarrassing health issues seek treatment. Besides "Embarrassing Bodies," there's also "Embarrassing Teenage Bodies" and "Embarrassing Bodies: Kids."
When we watched some of the clips, we thought the show toggled between voyeuristic and informative, and we weren't alone. We asked Dr. Camelia Davtyan, a clinical professor of medicine at UCLA, what she thought. "There were a lot of good visuals," she said, "and a lot of what I saw was certainly useful as far as getting the graphic details if someone is interested. But it depends how you look at it. It may go a little too far to try to make it interesting." Like, oh, say, footage of some guy's really big hemorrhoids or a woman's awful nail fungus or actual surgical procedures.
But Davtyan agreed that the show may be a catalyst for people with similar potentially embarrassing health issues to seek a doctor's help. "That's part of what we're teaching in medical school," she said, "that the human body is the human body, and it has a lot of variations and illnesses. From the beginning we make (students) sensitive to the fact that many patients don't forward information." Doctors want patients to know that they won't be judged for revealing uncomfortable matters and there could be solutions to the problem.
Davtyan also said that, although the site provides helpful health-related links, they are British-based and may provide different information from what's available in the U.S. Also, take the tips posted by regular blokes in the forums with a large grain of salt. If you're looking for medical advice, go see a doctor.
With a title like that, you can only imagine. Before you click the link and watch the video clips, be forewarned: There are graphic images -- albeit in a medical context -- some of which are much more explicit than what we're used to seeing in the U.S.
The show is pretty much what you'd imagine: People with embarrassing health issues seek treatment. Besides "Embarrassing Bodies," there's also "Embarrassing Teenage Bodies" and "Embarrassing Bodies: Kids."
When we watched some of the clips, we thought the show toggled between voyeuristic and informative, and we weren't alone. We asked Dr. Camelia Davtyan, a clinical professor of medicine at UCLA, what she thought. "There were a lot of good visuals," she said, "and a lot of what I saw was certainly useful as far as getting the graphic details if someone is interested. But it depends how you look at it. It may go a little too far to try to make it interesting." Like, oh, say, footage of some guy's really big hemorrhoids or a woman's awful nail fungus or actual surgical procedures.
But Davtyan agreed that the show may be a catalyst for people with similar potentially embarrassing health issues to seek a doctor's help. "That's part of what we're teaching in medical school," she said, "that the human body is the human body, and it has a lot of variations and illnesses. From the beginning we make (students) sensitive to the fact that many patients don't forward information." Doctors want patients to know that they won't be judged for revealing uncomfortable matters and there could be solutions to the problem.
Davtyan also said that, although the site provides helpful health-related links, they are British-based and may provide different information from what's available in the U.S. Also, take the tips posted by regular blokes in the forums with a large grain of salt. If you're looking for medical advice, go see a doctor.
2011年9月27日星期二
24 Hours in the ER First Look
Synopsis: Every day 60,000 people walk into an ER department in the UK. Around 350 of them are treated at King’s College Hospital, London. With a staff of 140, it is one of the busiest ER departments in the country. The hospital is a major trauma centre, which means it sees some of the most serious cases in London, ranging from stabbings and shootings to car crashes and major accidents. But it’s also a community hospital with its fair share of boils, cut fingers, hemorrhoids and splinters.
With unprecedented access to the hospital, the production team rigged over 14 miles of camera cable with 70 remote cameras strategically placed around its major trauma department. The installation had to cause the minimum disruption to patients and staff. Filming took place 24 hours a day for 28 days, capturing 4200 hours of footage. One hundred and sixty-eight people worked on the production team. The result is a raw, revealing and captivating narrative that captures life in the trauma ward, from the perspective of both patients and the medical staff, in a way that has never been done before.
With unprecedented access to the hospital, the production team rigged over 14 miles of camera cable with 70 remote cameras strategically placed around its major trauma department. The installation had to cause the minimum disruption to patients and staff. Filming took place 24 hours a day for 28 days, capturing 4200 hours of footage. One hundred and sixty-eight people worked on the production team. The result is a raw, revealing and captivating narrative that captures life in the trauma ward, from the perspective of both patients and the medical staff, in a way that has never been done before.
2011年9月26日星期一
Letting big brother name the new baby
Choosing a name for your unborn baby is one of the fun, creative things that go along with the swollen ankles, heartburn and hemorrhoids of pregnancy. It was for me, at least. I had a list of favorite names that I would pull from that was depleted around baby #3. Totally understandable when you are given the job of naming six children.
So, why not have your older children help?
In TODAY Moms, they are discussing Letting older siblings name the baby: Is it a do or a don’t?
I never thought to do this, but it was probably best. My children aren’t shy about their plans to name my grandchildren after bounty hunters from Star Wars.
But this concept of letting an older sibling name the new baby is near and dear to my heart. When my sister was preparing for her third little girl, her oldest daughter Selah who was three years old at the time, was obsessed about the “purple baby” in mommy’s tummy. Apparently, this baby had an aura and it was purple. We thought it was cute. But really, Selah? You can’t name a baby Purple!
But it is a perfectly acceptable middle name.
My niece is named Stella Purple. She also goes by the name Purple or Stelly P. I think it’s adorable because it just fits her. Purple is a beautiful color. She got lots of little purple outfits when she was a baby. Purple is a sign of royalty and let me tell you, this sassy little thing likes to think she’s in charge and she’s not afraid to tell you so. And how cool is it to know your big sister named you?
Personally, I think people are a little too stuffy with names. Who wants to be named after your great great great great grandmother’s sister on your father’s side? Not me. But I confess, I draw the line at Jango Fett.
So, why not have your older children help?
In TODAY Moms, they are discussing Letting older siblings name the baby: Is it a do or a don’t?
I never thought to do this, but it was probably best. My children aren’t shy about their plans to name my grandchildren after bounty hunters from Star Wars.
But this concept of letting an older sibling name the new baby is near and dear to my heart. When my sister was preparing for her third little girl, her oldest daughter Selah who was three years old at the time, was obsessed about the “purple baby” in mommy’s tummy. Apparently, this baby had an aura and it was purple. We thought it was cute. But really, Selah? You can’t name a baby Purple!
But it is a perfectly acceptable middle name.
My niece is named Stella Purple. She also goes by the name Purple or Stelly P. I think it’s adorable because it just fits her. Purple is a beautiful color. She got lots of little purple outfits when she was a baby. Purple is a sign of royalty and let me tell you, this sassy little thing likes to think she’s in charge and she’s not afraid to tell you so. And how cool is it to know your big sister named you?
Personally, I think people are a little too stuffy with names. Who wants to be named after your great great great great grandmother’s sister on your father’s side? Not me. But I confess, I draw the line at Jango Fett.
2011年9月25日星期日
Jason Christ's medical marijuana business thrives as most others close
It’s been a rough few months for Montana’s medical marijuana industry. Some businesses got hit with federal raids in March. Others shut down after an exacting new state law went into effect in July.
Some of those who stayed in business destroyed most of their plants. Nearly all of the state’s registered caregivers – now termed providers – dropped from the rolls, as did nearly one cardholder in five.
The situation was the focus of a conference in Helena last week, “Medical Marijuana: Thoughtful Questions, Responsible Answers,” that brought together members of the industry, law enforcement and legislators. Noticeable by his absence was Jason Christ of Missoula, once one of the medical marijuana industry’s most outspoken – and, some say, outrageous – advocates.
But in the midst of the fallout, Christ may be having the last laugh.
Christ once claimed credit for the nearly tenfold increase in medical marijuana cardholders in a 15-month period, and is blamed by many for the backlash against Montana’s 2004 voter-approved law legalizing medical marijuana.
In a recent legal filing, Christ referred to that view, saying he’s been portrayed as having
“ ‘ruined’ medical marijuana for the rest of America.” Nonetheless, despite a tangle of civil cases involving Christ and his business, he’s maneuvered largely unscathed through medical marijuana’s legal maze.
That’s because Christ’s business doesn’t grow marijuana, nor provide it. The company that started off as Montana Caregivers Network and that has morphed through a number of names into Care+ simply arranges appointments for would-be patients with doctors who can examine them and, if they see fit, write recommendations for medical marijuana. He runs a similar business in Arizona.
“What Mr. Christ apparently is doing is organizing these clinics. … Nobody in the state has jurisdiction over the clinics,” said Lavelle Potter, compliance specialist for the state Board of Medical Examiners.
While legal, the practice skirts the intention of state legislators who spent more than a year crafting curbs on a program that ballooned after a 2009 U.S. Justice Department memo saying the feds wouldn’t prosecute people complying with state medical marijuana laws.
The new Montana law, approved by overwhelming majorities in the House and Senate and enacted without Gov. Brian Schweitzer’s signature, would have spurred an automatic review by the state for any physician recommending medical marijuana for more than 25 patients in a year. However, that provision was among several blocked by a Helena district judge the day before the new law went into effect.
Missoula Rep. Diane Sands is no fan of the new law, or of the resulting confusion. Nor is she a fan of Christ’s business.
“He’s such a devious and smart little guy in figuring out ways around any requirements,” said Sands, D-Missoula. “It is frustrating to watch the intentional disregard for the concern by elected officials for reasonable health care priorities to ensure that people accessing legal medicine have the quality of heath care they deserve.”
Christ made for an easy target, what with his attention-grabbing tactics like the “cannabis caravans” that signed up hundreds of patients at a pop, a website that as recently as July promised “we are seeing patients for their mmj cards by the hundreds,” and a series of interviews during which he made a point of smoking the pot he says he uses for intestinal disorders and hemorrhoids.
But he’s assumed a much lower profile in the last few months. While his website still touts traveling clinics and tele-clinics, there is no mention of marijuana. Care+, it says, offers “an herbal remedy,” as well as yoga, lifestyle changes and weight-loss programs.
Instead of giving interviews, Christ recently sought to bar public access to court proceedings and records in a lawsuit and also a criminal case involving an intimidation charge against him.
Christ did not respond by press time Saturday to telephone and email requests seeking comment for this story.
In the meantime, those in the Montana industry have refocused their wrath on the federal government, castigating what they see as its whiplash turnaround from 2009.
Federal offices executed search warrants at 26 sites around Montana in March, on the same day as a legislative debate over medical marijuana law. Other states with medical marijuana laws also saw raids, but Montana was the hardest hit, said Morgan Fox, spokesman for the national Marijuana Policy Project, an advocacy group.
“States that have worked out programs and that were able to establish clear guidelines for their medical marijuana industries don’t see raids,” he said.
Kevin Kerr of the Montana Cannabis and Hemp Foundation, a downtown Missoula dispensary, said he blames both the federal and state governments for the mess that is medical marijuana policy in Montana today. The feds, because the raids seemed to counter their 2009 memo, he said. And the state because this year’s new law seemed to circumvent the will of the voters who approved marijuana for medicinal use in 2004.
Some of those who stayed in business destroyed most of their plants. Nearly all of the state’s registered caregivers – now termed providers – dropped from the rolls, as did nearly one cardholder in five.
The situation was the focus of a conference in Helena last week, “Medical Marijuana: Thoughtful Questions, Responsible Answers,” that brought together members of the industry, law enforcement and legislators. Noticeable by his absence was Jason Christ of Missoula, once one of the medical marijuana industry’s most outspoken – and, some say, outrageous – advocates.
But in the midst of the fallout, Christ may be having the last laugh.
Christ once claimed credit for the nearly tenfold increase in medical marijuana cardholders in a 15-month period, and is blamed by many for the backlash against Montana’s 2004 voter-approved law legalizing medical marijuana.
In a recent legal filing, Christ referred to that view, saying he’s been portrayed as having
“ ‘ruined’ medical marijuana for the rest of America.” Nonetheless, despite a tangle of civil cases involving Christ and his business, he’s maneuvered largely unscathed through medical marijuana’s legal maze.
That’s because Christ’s business doesn’t grow marijuana, nor provide it. The company that started off as Montana Caregivers Network and that has morphed through a number of names into Care+ simply arranges appointments for would-be patients with doctors who can examine them and, if they see fit, write recommendations for medical marijuana. He runs a similar business in Arizona.
“What Mr. Christ apparently is doing is organizing these clinics. … Nobody in the state has jurisdiction over the clinics,” said Lavelle Potter, compliance specialist for the state Board of Medical Examiners.
While legal, the practice skirts the intention of state legislators who spent more than a year crafting curbs on a program that ballooned after a 2009 U.S. Justice Department memo saying the feds wouldn’t prosecute people complying with state medical marijuana laws.
The new Montana law, approved by overwhelming majorities in the House and Senate and enacted without Gov. Brian Schweitzer’s signature, would have spurred an automatic review by the state for any physician recommending medical marijuana for more than 25 patients in a year. However, that provision was among several blocked by a Helena district judge the day before the new law went into effect.
Missoula Rep. Diane Sands is no fan of the new law, or of the resulting confusion. Nor is she a fan of Christ’s business.
“He’s such a devious and smart little guy in figuring out ways around any requirements,” said Sands, D-Missoula. “It is frustrating to watch the intentional disregard for the concern by elected officials for reasonable health care priorities to ensure that people accessing legal medicine have the quality of heath care they deserve.”
Christ made for an easy target, what with his attention-grabbing tactics like the “cannabis caravans” that signed up hundreds of patients at a pop, a website that as recently as July promised “we are seeing patients for their mmj cards by the hundreds,” and a series of interviews during which he made a point of smoking the pot he says he uses for intestinal disorders and hemorrhoids.
But he’s assumed a much lower profile in the last few months. While his website still touts traveling clinics and tele-clinics, there is no mention of marijuana. Care+, it says, offers “an herbal remedy,” as well as yoga, lifestyle changes and weight-loss programs.
Instead of giving interviews, Christ recently sought to bar public access to court proceedings and records in a lawsuit and also a criminal case involving an intimidation charge against him.
Christ did not respond by press time Saturday to telephone and email requests seeking comment for this story.
In the meantime, those in the Montana industry have refocused their wrath on the federal government, castigating what they see as its whiplash turnaround from 2009.
Federal offices executed search warrants at 26 sites around Montana in March, on the same day as a legislative debate over medical marijuana law. Other states with medical marijuana laws also saw raids, but Montana was the hardest hit, said Morgan Fox, spokesman for the national Marijuana Policy Project, an advocacy group.
“States that have worked out programs and that were able to establish clear guidelines for their medical marijuana industries don’t see raids,” he said.
Kevin Kerr of the Montana Cannabis and Hemp Foundation, a downtown Missoula dispensary, said he blames both the federal and state governments for the mess that is medical marijuana policy in Montana today. The feds, because the raids seemed to counter their 2009 memo, he said. And the state because this year’s new law seemed to circumvent the will of the voters who approved marijuana for medicinal use in 2004.
2011年9月22日星期四
Two prayer requests you never hear on a Sunday morning
Prayer requests are handled differently in different churches. Some are printed in the bulletin. Sometimes the minister reads the requests. Some people share prayer concerns during the service. Some churches gather around you for the “laying on of hands.”
Regardless of the tradition, there are two prayer requests that have never been nor will ever be uttered during the Sunday morning service. The first is “I have hemorrhoids.” Don’t even think about the “laying on of hands” in this scenario. The other is asking for prayer because a loved one is an alcoholic or drug addict.
I mentioned that to a pastor and his answer was, “Yes, I have heard that prayer asked” but always in the privacy of the pastor’s office. Never before the rest of the congregation.
Substance abuse, whether it is alcohol or drugs, carries an “ocean” of shame for the non-addict with a loved one caught in this problem. To admit one has a family member or loved one with this problem is almost to say, “I’m damaged goods because my loved one is an addict. I failed at being a good parent” or “I failed at choosing the right mate.”
What do you do? Permit me to speak to you – the non-addict.
I am responsible “to” others, not “for” others. (Did you catch the difference? If not, go back and read it again.) When I speak at a church, I am responsible to be there, to be there on time and to have something from God’s word to challenge the congregation. I am responsible “to” you. I’m not responsible “for” you. I can’t control whether you are taking notes on my sermon or working on your grocery list. That is your decision, not mine.
Every addict needs someone in his life to keep him from facing the consequences of his addictive behavior. That non-addicted person confuses love with enabling. I’ve had too many conversations with parents who ask the following about their 23-year-old, young adult child: First, should I bail him or her out of jail? Second, should I replace his or her car when he or she totaled it during the last drinking binge?
The answer is NO. Instead of replacing the car, I counseled one family to buy their love one a bike. While biking to work, the addict would have to ponder the question, “Was that fifth can of beer worth it enough to bike to work instead of driving?”
The family never called me back. I’m sure they replaced the car.
Think of the typical cowboy movie where the bad guy gets shot, falls off the roof and dies. In reality, if that did happen, the director would be arrested for murder. Instead, the actor is confident to fall off the roof because the director has placed a big, blue “air pillow” next to the saloon. After the actor lands on the blue pillow, he hops off, crew members move the pillow, and he lies down and does his death-and-dying scene. That’s what you and I see while watching the movie.
Every addict has a big, blue, air pillow in his or her life, someone who will prevent the addict from facing the consequences of his or her behavior. If you decide to move the pillow and allow your loved one to land hard on the ground, they will stand up and curse you out.
Normally, that’s enough for you to apologize and return the pillow to its rightful place (note my sarcasm). After all, you hate conflict. But if you do that, your loved one will never change.
Change comes only when you move the pillow, and say, “I’m going to honor your decision to drink and drive and wreck the car and get arrested.”
Since I am not going to bail you out of jail or buy you another car – or allow you to use mine (and here is the key phrase) – what are you going to do about it? When your loved one finishes cursing you out, telling you he or she hates your God and wishing he or she was never born, call me at 704-333-HOPE, ext. 202. I’ll support you for taking the first step of moving your loved one from a life of insanity to a life of serenity.
I’ll be back in two weeks. Until then, live well, my friends.
Regardless of the tradition, there are two prayer requests that have never been nor will ever be uttered during the Sunday morning service. The first is “I have hemorrhoids.” Don’t even think about the “laying on of hands” in this scenario. The other is asking for prayer because a loved one is an alcoholic or drug addict.
I mentioned that to a pastor and his answer was, “Yes, I have heard that prayer asked” but always in the privacy of the pastor’s office. Never before the rest of the congregation.
Substance abuse, whether it is alcohol or drugs, carries an “ocean” of shame for the non-addict with a loved one caught in this problem. To admit one has a family member or loved one with this problem is almost to say, “I’m damaged goods because my loved one is an addict. I failed at being a good parent” or “I failed at choosing the right mate.”
What do you do? Permit me to speak to you – the non-addict.
I am responsible “to” others, not “for” others. (Did you catch the difference? If not, go back and read it again.) When I speak at a church, I am responsible to be there, to be there on time and to have something from God’s word to challenge the congregation. I am responsible “to” you. I’m not responsible “for” you. I can’t control whether you are taking notes on my sermon or working on your grocery list. That is your decision, not mine.
Every addict needs someone in his life to keep him from facing the consequences of his addictive behavior. That non-addicted person confuses love with enabling. I’ve had too many conversations with parents who ask the following about their 23-year-old, young adult child: First, should I bail him or her out of jail? Second, should I replace his or her car when he or she totaled it during the last drinking binge?
The answer is NO. Instead of replacing the car, I counseled one family to buy their love one a bike. While biking to work, the addict would have to ponder the question, “Was that fifth can of beer worth it enough to bike to work instead of driving?”
The family never called me back. I’m sure they replaced the car.
Think of the typical cowboy movie where the bad guy gets shot, falls off the roof and dies. In reality, if that did happen, the director would be arrested for murder. Instead, the actor is confident to fall off the roof because the director has placed a big, blue “air pillow” next to the saloon. After the actor lands on the blue pillow, he hops off, crew members move the pillow, and he lies down and does his death-and-dying scene. That’s what you and I see while watching the movie.
Every addict has a big, blue, air pillow in his or her life, someone who will prevent the addict from facing the consequences of his or her behavior. If you decide to move the pillow and allow your loved one to land hard on the ground, they will stand up and curse you out.
Normally, that’s enough for you to apologize and return the pillow to its rightful place (note my sarcasm). After all, you hate conflict. But if you do that, your loved one will never change.
Change comes only when you move the pillow, and say, “I’m going to honor your decision to drink and drive and wreck the car and get arrested.”
Since I am not going to bail you out of jail or buy you another car – or allow you to use mine (and here is the key phrase) – what are you going to do about it? When your loved one finishes cursing you out, telling you he or she hates your God and wishing he or she was never born, call me at 704-333-HOPE, ext. 202. I’ll support you for taking the first step of moving your loved one from a life of insanity to a life of serenity.
I’ll be back in two weeks. Until then, live well, my friends.
2011年9月21日星期三
Do you really want to leave your conference?
Now, I’m sure everyone out there who knows the difference between a pig skin and a pork rind has heard that our beloved Aggies are attempting an end-around and trying to join the Southeast Conference. Apparently, A&M has gotten fed up with playing against Longhorns, Bears and Cowboys and now want to try their luck against Tigers, Gators and Bulldogs.
For nearly a century, the Aggies have been playing in the Southwest Conference and the Big 12 (+/- a few), and now they want to break tradition and join the big boys in the SEC. Don’t ask me why they want to do this, unless they like getting their butts whupped every Saturday, but if they want to go, let ’em!
Don’t get me wrong; I don’t hate A&M like some folk around these parts. I do like the Longhorns more than the Aggies, but I enjoy watching A&M on TV. It’s a great school and has a pretty good football team. Texas A&M is rich in tradition and has loyal fans stretched all over the Lone Star State. A&M is well-known across the nation for their traditions, like the “12th Man,” the “Wrecking Crew” and their bonfires. The rivalry between the Aggies and Texas Longhorns has been going on since 1894, and that traditional Thanksgiving game may soon become a distant memory. Thanksgiving just won’t be the same without watching the ’Horns and Aggies while trying to digest 10 pounds of turkey and a bucket of dressing.
Another Aggie tradition that I like is after a score, the fellas get to kiss their dates. I’m not sure how long this tradition has been going on, but I read somewhere that back in the ’50s, it was suspended when the school banned livestock from the stands at Kyle Field. Soon after that, A&M allowed girls into their school. My research may not be real thorough, but this sounds feasible to me.
So, if the Texas A&M Aggies do decide to break tradition and head off to the SEC, maybe I should warn A&M players, coaches, students and alumni that they may encounter some rather boisterous, unruly fans in certain stadiums throughout the southeastern United States. If you thought those kids up in Lubbock were rowdy, wait until you enter Neyland Stadium. Comparing the crowd at most SEC home games to the fans in some Big 12 stadiums is like comparing rabies to hemorrhoids. Sure, those Sooner fans may be a pain in the butt, but being surrounded by a horde of whiskey-swiggin’, orange-clad Volunteers can be downright frightening.
As a proud alumnus from THE UT, I was infused with orange blood the moment I walked on campus there in Knoxville, and I do believe that pint of blood had ample amounts of Jack Daniels mixed in. At my first home game, I learned the University of Tennessee also was rich in tradition. Running through the T. The Pride of the Southland Marching Band with its circle drills. “Rocky Top” being sung by 100,000 feral fans. Oh, what great traditions! And our rivalry with Alabama always brought out the best in us, greeting the visiting team with traditional cheers that kept Bear Bryant shaking his head in disgust.
If you Aggie fans are fortunate enough to visit Neyland Stadium in the near future, be warned that about 90,000 Tennesseans may invite your team to take a bite of their backsides, or they may just suggest you take a trip to Hades. Don’t fret none. Tennessee fans are actually right friendly as long as there’s booze in their well-stashed flasks. Are you guys sure you want to play there?
I just can’t figure out why A&M would want to join the SEC. The Aggies have played 4 bowl games against a SEC team since 2000 and didn’t win any of them. Aggie fans will have to travel long distances to watch away games, and you just can’t find good Mexican food in Florida or Alabama. I am also a bit worried about the safety of A&M’s mascot, Reveille. This cute little collie is fine sharing the field with a steer or a covered wagon, but in the SEC she will have to walk among gators, tigers and vicious razorbacks, not to mention one blue-tick hound up in the Smokies who’s a bit randy. Yep, Reveille may need to be kenneled for road trips.
Perhaps the Aggies should change their mascot once they join the SEC. They could have an old army mule. Nothing will mess with a stubborn mule, plus it will cause Tennessee fans to revise their cheer to prevent any confusion on what to bite. Another appropriate mascot for A&M would be a wild horse who likes to jump fences and search for greener pastures.
Personally, I’d like you Aggies to stay put. Don’t break tradition and continue one of the greatest rivalries in college football. Instead of ripping apart the Big 12, help rebuild it. Invite TCU to join your fraternity. You two were playmates back in the Southwest Conference, and now they have a better, stronger team with a large fan base. You don’t need to travel to Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama to get a butt-whuppin’. You can get that right here in Texas.
For nearly a century, the Aggies have been playing in the Southwest Conference and the Big 12 (+/- a few), and now they want to break tradition and join the big boys in the SEC. Don’t ask me why they want to do this, unless they like getting their butts whupped every Saturday, but if they want to go, let ’em!
Don’t get me wrong; I don’t hate A&M like some folk around these parts. I do like the Longhorns more than the Aggies, but I enjoy watching A&M on TV. It’s a great school and has a pretty good football team. Texas A&M is rich in tradition and has loyal fans stretched all over the Lone Star State. A&M is well-known across the nation for their traditions, like the “12th Man,” the “Wrecking Crew” and their bonfires. The rivalry between the Aggies and Texas Longhorns has been going on since 1894, and that traditional Thanksgiving game may soon become a distant memory. Thanksgiving just won’t be the same without watching the ’Horns and Aggies while trying to digest 10 pounds of turkey and a bucket of dressing.
Another Aggie tradition that I like is after a score, the fellas get to kiss their dates. I’m not sure how long this tradition has been going on, but I read somewhere that back in the ’50s, it was suspended when the school banned livestock from the stands at Kyle Field. Soon after that, A&M allowed girls into their school. My research may not be real thorough, but this sounds feasible to me.
So, if the Texas A&M Aggies do decide to break tradition and head off to the SEC, maybe I should warn A&M players, coaches, students and alumni that they may encounter some rather boisterous, unruly fans in certain stadiums throughout the southeastern United States. If you thought those kids up in Lubbock were rowdy, wait until you enter Neyland Stadium. Comparing the crowd at most SEC home games to the fans in some Big 12 stadiums is like comparing rabies to hemorrhoids. Sure, those Sooner fans may be a pain in the butt, but being surrounded by a horde of whiskey-swiggin’, orange-clad Volunteers can be downright frightening.
As a proud alumnus from THE UT, I was infused with orange blood the moment I walked on campus there in Knoxville, and I do believe that pint of blood had ample amounts of Jack Daniels mixed in. At my first home game, I learned the University of Tennessee also was rich in tradition. Running through the T. The Pride of the Southland Marching Band with its circle drills. “Rocky Top” being sung by 100,000 feral fans. Oh, what great traditions! And our rivalry with Alabama always brought out the best in us, greeting the visiting team with traditional cheers that kept Bear Bryant shaking his head in disgust.
If you Aggie fans are fortunate enough to visit Neyland Stadium in the near future, be warned that about 90,000 Tennesseans may invite your team to take a bite of their backsides, or they may just suggest you take a trip to Hades. Don’t fret none. Tennessee fans are actually right friendly as long as there’s booze in their well-stashed flasks. Are you guys sure you want to play there?
I just can’t figure out why A&M would want to join the SEC. The Aggies have played 4 bowl games against a SEC team since 2000 and didn’t win any of them. Aggie fans will have to travel long distances to watch away games, and you just can’t find good Mexican food in Florida or Alabama. I am also a bit worried about the safety of A&M’s mascot, Reveille. This cute little collie is fine sharing the field with a steer or a covered wagon, but in the SEC she will have to walk among gators, tigers and vicious razorbacks, not to mention one blue-tick hound up in the Smokies who’s a bit randy. Yep, Reveille may need to be kenneled for road trips.
Perhaps the Aggies should change their mascot once they join the SEC. They could have an old army mule. Nothing will mess with a stubborn mule, plus it will cause Tennessee fans to revise their cheer to prevent any confusion on what to bite. Another appropriate mascot for A&M would be a wild horse who likes to jump fences and search for greener pastures.
Personally, I’d like you Aggies to stay put. Don’t break tradition and continue one of the greatest rivalries in college football. Instead of ripping apart the Big 12, help rebuild it. Invite TCU to join your fraternity. You two were playmates back in the Southwest Conference, and now they have a better, stronger team with a large fan base. You don’t need to travel to Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama to get a butt-whuppin’. You can get that right here in Texas.
2011年9月20日星期二
So who did win that Republican debate, anyway?
Political debates are good for the candidates and especially good for the country. They throw political advertising into the shade for shedding light onto solid ground for making sound decisions. In fact, it might behoove us to eliminate political advertising altogether and merely run a series of debates whereby we vote from home until they are all eliminated.
But seriously, I enjoyed that debate last week and wrote the winner a letter, which I shall publish here…
Good morning, Herbert Cain, and congratulations. You, Sir, won the hearts and minds of more Americans than any other Republican candidate for president in last week's debate. However, I posit as full disclosure, that this conviction is based solely upon my personal opinion and comes with a caveat from Mark Twain. “Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority it is time to pause and reflect.”
You, Mr. Cain brought to the table the best and brightest idea for fixing our dispirited economy, the 9-9-9 tax plan, a plan to replace our existing tax code with a nine percent tax on corporate and personal income, and, the implementation of a nine percent national sales tax.
But more importantly, Mr. Cain, you answered the question, “What would you bring to the White House as President?” with these poignant words, “I would bring a sense of humor, because America is too uptight.” You're right, Mr. Cain, and it's precisely because we've got our knickers in a knot that we cannot resolve our differences and get moving again in a natural gait.
We as a nation have become so galvanized by our political zealotry that we have lost the ability to laugh at ourselves. We have become so solemnly righteous that reaching across the isle is no longer a consideration, and having a drink with the opposition at the end of the working day is an impossibility.
Every candidate eluded to the “American Way,” but you, Sir, were the only one who mentioned the elixir -humor. Humor is to politics what Preparation H is to hemorrhoids, and America right now has a serious case of hemorrhoids.
All of the Republican candidates are capable people, and perhaps therein lies the pitfall of the Republican Party. Capable people tend to believe that all Americans should be capable, and would be capable if not taxed or regulated. When capable people get together they are apt to form a Tea Party. When less capable people get together they are apt to from, well, a union.
It is all very predictable and amusing, and yet you, Sir, are the only Republican candidate for president who sees the humor in it all.
But seriously, I enjoyed that debate last week and wrote the winner a letter, which I shall publish here…
Good morning, Herbert Cain, and congratulations. You, Sir, won the hearts and minds of more Americans than any other Republican candidate for president in last week's debate. However, I posit as full disclosure, that this conviction is based solely upon my personal opinion and comes with a caveat from Mark Twain. “Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority it is time to pause and reflect.”
You, Mr. Cain brought to the table the best and brightest idea for fixing our dispirited economy, the 9-9-9 tax plan, a plan to replace our existing tax code with a nine percent tax on corporate and personal income, and, the implementation of a nine percent national sales tax.
But more importantly, Mr. Cain, you answered the question, “What would you bring to the White House as President?” with these poignant words, “I would bring a sense of humor, because America is too uptight.” You're right, Mr. Cain, and it's precisely because we've got our knickers in a knot that we cannot resolve our differences and get moving again in a natural gait.
We as a nation have become so galvanized by our political zealotry that we have lost the ability to laugh at ourselves. We have become so solemnly righteous that reaching across the isle is no longer a consideration, and having a drink with the opposition at the end of the working day is an impossibility.
Every candidate eluded to the “American Way,” but you, Sir, were the only one who mentioned the elixir -humor. Humor is to politics what Preparation H is to hemorrhoids, and America right now has a serious case of hemorrhoids.
All of the Republican candidates are capable people, and perhaps therein lies the pitfall of the Republican Party. Capable people tend to believe that all Americans should be capable, and would be capable if not taxed or regulated. When capable people get together they are apt to form a Tea Party. When less capable people get together they are apt to from, well, a union.
It is all very predictable and amusing, and yet you, Sir, are the only Republican candidate for president who sees the humor in it all.
2011年9月19日星期一
Virginia City and Nevada City, Montana
On May 26, 1863, while the great armies of the Civil War slaughtered each other with calculated fury back East, six gold prospectors camped a dozen miles west of Montana’s Madison River beside a creek in a draw between the Gravelly Range and Tobacco Root Mountains, way out there in the middle of nowhere. Having escaped their own capture by Crow Indian warriors, and now headed for the gold camps at Bannack, one of those miners, Bill Fairweather, scooped a little dirt into Henry Edgar’s pan hoping to find some tobacco “money” in the form of gold. It payed off and what followed was nothing short of mayhem.
Within a year 10,000 - 30,000 people, depending on your source, packed into a string of nine communities along a 14-mile stretch in and around Alder Gulch and exploited one of the richest gold deposits in North America. Many got rich. Most didn’t.
Evolving from crowded tent camps, wickiups and log shacks to resplendent Victorian residences and looming commercial establishments, this lawless, roaring cauldron of money-grubbers and hucksters, ditch-diggers and gold-panners, merchants and madams and evil gun-slinging road agents put the “Wild” in the “Wild, Wild West” and put Virginia City, and Nevada City a mile and a half down the road, on the map and in Montana’s history books.
Drive a dozen miles west of the beautiful, small town of Ennis and step back in time because Virginia City is the best preserved gold mining town from the 1860s in the Rocky Mountains. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and preserved with loving care and abject devotion, the twin cities are astonishingly authentic and a fantastic place to visit.
These are not idle words. A “living” ghost town with 150 year-round residents today, back in the 1860s Virginia City boasted over 1,100 buildings compared to 230 major structures still standing. It had the first newspaper, telegraph and public school in Montana, and was the capitol of the Montana Territory from 1865 until 1875 when placer gold played out and most everyone moved on to more fertile grounds. A third of Virginia City’s population were hard-working Chinese; they didn’t all wash laundry and serve Kung Pao Chicken but labored in the mine fields, re-working old claims and breaking their backs like the rest in order to survive and hopefully thrive.
Sundays in Virginia City were indistinguishable from the rest of the week as boozing, bartering and brawling roared full-throttle. Known far and wide as the “Social City,” the locals were partiers, celebrating seemingly non-stop with balls and galas and square-dances and shindigs and hoedowns and similar foot-stomping gyrations. The women weren’t all sluts and whores and gold-digging leeches, either. Some could read and formed literary circles and took baths, and some thought themselves better than others and embarked on missions to “reform” those beneath them and spruced up their town of 5,000 with the trappings of relative civility.
Located 90 road miles from Yellowstone National Park and situated on the infamous Bozeman Trail, Virginia City became a regional marketplace, a major hub and transit corridor through the 1880s. It continues to feel remote notwithstanding the many buildings and 70,000 tourists and history buffs that trickle through every year.
It was due to this convenient remoteness and tremendous wealth that flowed out of Alder Gulch that its history is drenched in blood. With no state-sanctioned courts or statutes to speak of, the region was lawless, and not in a good way. Between the booze and the guns and all that greed that brings out the worst, and the chaw, and the stink and the stench and the smoke, and the muddy manure, it was a nasty life by most accounts, certainly by 21st- century standards.
They mine humans and their dollar bills today. Virginia and Nevada cities provide all the amenities the visitor should expect. From rustic lodging to upscale bed and breakfasts, cheap grits to fancy dining, you’ll be treated well. But don’t be mistaken; it’s not just a bunch of old buildings on display. There’s plenty to do and see. Gathered between those musty, dark walls are historic artifacts and collectibles galore. The Nevada City Music Hall has the largest collection of music machines, gaviolis and player-pianos in the world, or at least North America. You can jar your teeth and rattle your hemorrhoids on a bumpy ride on the iconic horse-drawn stagecoach, or take in a naughty theater show at the opera house. Or, try your hand panning for gold or digging up rubies. Better yet, hop on the fully restored 1910 Baldwin steam locomotive that rolls back and forth between Virginia City and Nevada City.
And if you’re still bored, why not lick an ice cream cone sitting on a bench near one of those old weathered livery stables and daydream back in time to the noise and the crowds and the guns and horses and the main street muck, and explain to me how Bill Fairweather, who scooped-up that first pile of gold-laden dirt, died a penniless alcoholic at the age of 39 when so many others became so filthy, stinking rich off his discovery. Explain that.
Within a year 10,000 - 30,000 people, depending on your source, packed into a string of nine communities along a 14-mile stretch in and around Alder Gulch and exploited one of the richest gold deposits in North America. Many got rich. Most didn’t.
Evolving from crowded tent camps, wickiups and log shacks to resplendent Victorian residences and looming commercial establishments, this lawless, roaring cauldron of money-grubbers and hucksters, ditch-diggers and gold-panners, merchants and madams and evil gun-slinging road agents put the “Wild” in the “Wild, Wild West” and put Virginia City, and Nevada City a mile and a half down the road, on the map and in Montana’s history books.
Drive a dozen miles west of the beautiful, small town of Ennis and step back in time because Virginia City is the best preserved gold mining town from the 1860s in the Rocky Mountains. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and preserved with loving care and abject devotion, the twin cities are astonishingly authentic and a fantastic place to visit.
These are not idle words. A “living” ghost town with 150 year-round residents today, back in the 1860s Virginia City boasted over 1,100 buildings compared to 230 major structures still standing. It had the first newspaper, telegraph and public school in Montana, and was the capitol of the Montana Territory from 1865 until 1875 when placer gold played out and most everyone moved on to more fertile grounds. A third of Virginia City’s population were hard-working Chinese; they didn’t all wash laundry and serve Kung Pao Chicken but labored in the mine fields, re-working old claims and breaking their backs like the rest in order to survive and hopefully thrive.
Sundays in Virginia City were indistinguishable from the rest of the week as boozing, bartering and brawling roared full-throttle. Known far and wide as the “Social City,” the locals were partiers, celebrating seemingly non-stop with balls and galas and square-dances and shindigs and hoedowns and similar foot-stomping gyrations. The women weren’t all sluts and whores and gold-digging leeches, either. Some could read and formed literary circles and took baths, and some thought themselves better than others and embarked on missions to “reform” those beneath them and spruced up their town of 5,000 with the trappings of relative civility.
Located 90 road miles from Yellowstone National Park and situated on the infamous Bozeman Trail, Virginia City became a regional marketplace, a major hub and transit corridor through the 1880s. It continues to feel remote notwithstanding the many buildings and 70,000 tourists and history buffs that trickle through every year.
It was due to this convenient remoteness and tremendous wealth that flowed out of Alder Gulch that its history is drenched in blood. With no state-sanctioned courts or statutes to speak of, the region was lawless, and not in a good way. Between the booze and the guns and all that greed that brings out the worst, and the chaw, and the stink and the stench and the smoke, and the muddy manure, it was a nasty life by most accounts, certainly by 21st- century standards.
They mine humans and their dollar bills today. Virginia and Nevada cities provide all the amenities the visitor should expect. From rustic lodging to upscale bed and breakfasts, cheap grits to fancy dining, you’ll be treated well. But don’t be mistaken; it’s not just a bunch of old buildings on display. There’s plenty to do and see. Gathered between those musty, dark walls are historic artifacts and collectibles galore. The Nevada City Music Hall has the largest collection of music machines, gaviolis and player-pianos in the world, or at least North America. You can jar your teeth and rattle your hemorrhoids on a bumpy ride on the iconic horse-drawn stagecoach, or take in a naughty theater show at the opera house. Or, try your hand panning for gold or digging up rubies. Better yet, hop on the fully restored 1910 Baldwin steam locomotive that rolls back and forth between Virginia City and Nevada City.
And if you’re still bored, why not lick an ice cream cone sitting on a bench near one of those old weathered livery stables and daydream back in time to the noise and the crowds and the guns and horses and the main street muck, and explain to me how Bill Fairweather, who scooped-up that first pile of gold-laden dirt, died a penniless alcoholic at the age of 39 when so many others became so filthy, stinking rich off his discovery. Explain that.
What Do Bears Have To Do With Toilet Paper?
A few weeks ago, Procter & Gamble celebrated National Toilet Paper Day at an event featuring its Charmin brand mascot, Leonard the Bear. When did bears get to be associated with bathroom hygiene?
Over the last few decades. The preponderance of bears on toilet-paper packaging—along with angels, babies, and puppies—derives from the dominance of the major players in the bath-tissue industry. Procter & Gamble, Georgia-Pacific and Kimberly-Clark together control about two-thirds of the market, and their brand icons—the Charmin bear, the Angel Soft baby, and the Cottonelle puppy—showed up in the United States over a 15-year span beginning in the late-1980s.
The first commercial brands of toilet paper emerged 100 years earlier, at a time when the product was rarely associated with specific images. In the 1880s, most were sold as "medicated paper" for treating hemorrhoids or other health problems, and decorated with wordy display copy reminiscent of the labels on Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap.
The Scott Paper Company became the first to offer toilet paper on a roll in the 1890s, and its products were marketed under private labels that each had their own advertising scheme. Many used words and pictures to connote luxury, as in The Waldorf and The Statler, two brands named after fancy hotels. Some showed images of ladies in ball gowns or gentlemen riding in horse-drawn carriages.
By the 1920s, the Scott Company had created its own genteel paper-products spokesman named Mr. Thirsty Fibre. Created in the mold of dapper brand icons such as Mr. Peanut and Rich Uncle Penny Bags (or Mr. Monopoly, as he's now known), Mr. Thirsty Fibre resembled a fuzzy, angry Abraham Lincoln—a gaunt man in a top hat and tails, brandishing his fists at moisture.
A few other manly toilet-paper icons populated the early years of the product, like the grizzled seafarer from packages of Life Guard, but the industry soon adopted a more lady-like approach. The Charmin brand got its start in 1928 with a woman's cameo silhouette on the package—a "charming logo" that connoted femininity and elegance. (Virile cleaning-product icons like Mr. Clean and the Brawny Lumberjack wouldn't show up for another few decades.)
In 1953, Charmin further softened its image by placing a baby alongside the woman. In 1956, the Charmin Lady was bounced altogether, leaving the baby to fend for itself as the brand icon. (She lives on overseas: A modern version of the cameo silhouette now decorates Soft n' Pretty toilet paper in Trinidad and Tobago.)
Over the last few decades. The preponderance of bears on toilet-paper packaging—along with angels, babies, and puppies—derives from the dominance of the major players in the bath-tissue industry. Procter & Gamble, Georgia-Pacific and Kimberly-Clark together control about two-thirds of the market, and their brand icons—the Charmin bear, the Angel Soft baby, and the Cottonelle puppy—showed up in the United States over a 15-year span beginning in the late-1980s.
The first commercial brands of toilet paper emerged 100 years earlier, at a time when the product was rarely associated with specific images. In the 1880s, most were sold as "medicated paper" for treating hemorrhoids or other health problems, and decorated with wordy display copy reminiscent of the labels on Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap.
The Scott Paper Company became the first to offer toilet paper on a roll in the 1890s, and its products were marketed under private labels that each had their own advertising scheme. Many used words and pictures to connote luxury, as in The Waldorf and The Statler, two brands named after fancy hotels. Some showed images of ladies in ball gowns or gentlemen riding in horse-drawn carriages.
By the 1920s, the Scott Company had created its own genteel paper-products spokesman named Mr. Thirsty Fibre. Created in the mold of dapper brand icons such as Mr. Peanut and Rich Uncle Penny Bags (or Mr. Monopoly, as he's now known), Mr. Thirsty Fibre resembled a fuzzy, angry Abraham Lincoln—a gaunt man in a top hat and tails, brandishing his fists at moisture.
A few other manly toilet-paper icons populated the early years of the product, like the grizzled seafarer from packages of Life Guard, but the industry soon adopted a more lady-like approach. The Charmin brand got its start in 1928 with a woman's cameo silhouette on the package—a "charming logo" that connoted femininity and elegance. (Virile cleaning-product icons like Mr. Clean and the Brawny Lumberjack wouldn't show up for another few decades.)
In 1953, Charmin further softened its image by placing a baby alongside the woman. In 1956, the Charmin Lady was bounced altogether, leaving the baby to fend for itself as the brand icon. (She lives on overseas: A modern version of the cameo silhouette now decorates Soft n' Pretty toilet paper in Trinidad and Tobago.)
2011年9月18日星期日
Hemorrhoids
A precise definition of hemorrhoids does not exist, but they can be described as masses or clumps ("cushions") of tissue within the anal canal that contain blood vessels and the surrounding, supporting tissue made up of muscle and elastic fibers. The anal canal is the last four centimeters through which stool passes as it goes from the rectum to the outside world. The anus is the opening of the anal canal to the outside world.
Although most people think hemorrhoids are abnormal, they are present in everyone. It is only when the hemorrhoidal cushions enlarge that hemorrhoids can cause problems and be considered abnormal or a disease.
Although hemorrhoids occur in everyone, they become large and cause problems in only 4% of the general population. Hemorrhoids that cause problems are found equally in men and women, and their prevalence peaks between 45 and 65 years of age.
The arteries supplying blood to the anal canal descend into the canal from the rectum above and form a rich network of arteries that communicate with each other around the anal canal. Because of this rich network of arteries, hemorrhoidal blood vessels have a ready supply of arterial blood. This explains why bleeding from hemorrhoids is bright red (arterial blood) rather than dark red (venous blood), and why bleeding from hemorrhoids occasionally can be severe. The blood vessels that supply the hemorrhoidal vessels pass through the supporting tissue of the hemorrhoidal cushions.
The anal veins drain blood away from the anal canal and the hemorrhoids. These veins drain in two directions. The first direction is upwards into the rectum, and the second is downwards beneath the skin surrounding the anus. The dentate line is a line within the anal canal that denotes the transition from anal skin (anoderm) to the lining of the rectum.
Technically, the differentiation between internal and external hemorrhoids is made on the basis of whether the hemorrhoid originates above or below the dentate line (internal and external, respectively).
As discussed previously, hemorrhoidal cushions in the upper anal canal are made up of blood vessels and their supporting tissues. There usually are three major hemorrhoidal cushions oriented right posterior, right anterior, and left lateral. During the formation of enlarged internal hemorrhoids, the vessels of the anal cushions swell and the supporting tissues increase in size. The bulging mass of tissue and blood vessels protrudes into the anal canal where it can cause problems. Unlike with internal hemorrhoids, it is not clear how external hemorrhoids form.
Although most people think hemorrhoids are abnormal, they are present in everyone. It is only when the hemorrhoidal cushions enlarge that hemorrhoids can cause problems and be considered abnormal or a disease.
Although hemorrhoids occur in everyone, they become large and cause problems in only 4% of the general population. Hemorrhoids that cause problems are found equally in men and women, and their prevalence peaks between 45 and 65 years of age.
The arteries supplying blood to the anal canal descend into the canal from the rectum above and form a rich network of arteries that communicate with each other around the anal canal. Because of this rich network of arteries, hemorrhoidal blood vessels have a ready supply of arterial blood. This explains why bleeding from hemorrhoids is bright red (arterial blood) rather than dark red (venous blood), and why bleeding from hemorrhoids occasionally can be severe. The blood vessels that supply the hemorrhoidal vessels pass through the supporting tissue of the hemorrhoidal cushions.
The anal veins drain blood away from the anal canal and the hemorrhoids. These veins drain in two directions. The first direction is upwards into the rectum, and the second is downwards beneath the skin surrounding the anus. The dentate line is a line within the anal canal that denotes the transition from anal skin (anoderm) to the lining of the rectum.
Technically, the differentiation between internal and external hemorrhoids is made on the basis of whether the hemorrhoid originates above or below the dentate line (internal and external, respectively).
As discussed previously, hemorrhoidal cushions in the upper anal canal are made up of blood vessels and their supporting tissues. There usually are three major hemorrhoidal cushions oriented right posterior, right anterior, and left lateral. During the formation of enlarged internal hemorrhoids, the vessels of the anal cushions swell and the supporting tissues increase in size. The bulging mass of tissue and blood vessels protrudes into the anal canal where it can cause problems. Unlike with internal hemorrhoids, it is not clear how external hemorrhoids form.
2011年9月15日星期四
What are hemorrhoids?
A precise definition of hemorrhoids does not exist, but they can be described as masses or clumps ("cushions") of tissue within the anal canal that contain blood vessels and the surrounding, supporting tissue made up of muscle and elastic fibers. The anal canal is the last four centimeters through which stool passes as it goes from the rectum to the outside world. The anus is the opening of the anal canal to the outside world.
Although most people think hemorrhoids are abnormal, they are present in everyone. It is only when the hemorrhoidal cushions enlarge that hemorrhoids can cause problems and be considered abnormal or a disease.
Although hemorrhoids occur in everyone, they become large and cause problems in only 4% of the general population. Hemorrhoids that cause problems are found equally in men and women, and their prevalence peaks between 45 and 65 years of age.
The arteries supplying blood to the anal canal descend into the canal from the rectum above and form a rich network of arteries that communicate with each other around the anal canal. Because of this rich network of arteries, hemorrhoidal blood vessels have a ready supply of arterial blood. This explains why bleeding from hemorrhoids is bright red (arterial blood) rather than dark red (venous blood), and why bleeding from hemorrhoids occasionally can be severe. The blood vessels that supply the hemorrhoidal vessels pass through the supporting tissue of the hemorrhoidal cushions.
The anal veins drain blood away from the anal canal and the hemorrhoids. These veins drain in two directions. The first direction is upwards into the rectum, and the second is downwards beneath the skin surrounding the anus. The dentate line is a line within the anal canal that denotes the transition from anal skin (anoderm) to the lining of the rectum.
Technically, the differentiation between internal and external hemorrhoids is made on the basis of whether the hemorrhoid originates above or below the dentate line (internal and external, respectively).
As discussed previously, hemorrhoidal cushions in the upper anal canal are made up of blood vessels and their supporting tissues. There usually are three major hemorrhoidal cushions oriented right posterior, right anterior, and left lateral. During the formation of enlarged internal hemorrhoids, the vessels of the anal cushions swell and the supporting tissues increase in size. The bulging mass of tissue and blood vessels protrudes into the anal canal where it can cause problems. Unlike with internal hemorrhoids, it is not clear how external hemorrhoids form.
Although most people think hemorrhoids are abnormal, they are present in everyone. It is only when the hemorrhoidal cushions enlarge that hemorrhoids can cause problems and be considered abnormal or a disease.
Although hemorrhoids occur in everyone, they become large and cause problems in only 4% of the general population. Hemorrhoids that cause problems are found equally in men and women, and their prevalence peaks between 45 and 65 years of age.
The arteries supplying blood to the anal canal descend into the canal from the rectum above and form a rich network of arteries that communicate with each other around the anal canal. Because of this rich network of arteries, hemorrhoidal blood vessels have a ready supply of arterial blood. This explains why bleeding from hemorrhoids is bright red (arterial blood) rather than dark red (venous blood), and why bleeding from hemorrhoids occasionally can be severe. The blood vessels that supply the hemorrhoidal vessels pass through the supporting tissue of the hemorrhoidal cushions.
The anal veins drain blood away from the anal canal and the hemorrhoids. These veins drain in two directions. The first direction is upwards into the rectum, and the second is downwards beneath the skin surrounding the anus. The dentate line is a line within the anal canal that denotes the transition from anal skin (anoderm) to the lining of the rectum.
Technically, the differentiation between internal and external hemorrhoids is made on the basis of whether the hemorrhoid originates above or below the dentate line (internal and external, respectively).
As discussed previously, hemorrhoidal cushions in the upper anal canal are made up of blood vessels and their supporting tissues. There usually are three major hemorrhoidal cushions oriented right posterior, right anterior, and left lateral. During the formation of enlarged internal hemorrhoids, the vessels of the anal cushions swell and the supporting tissues increase in size. The bulging mass of tissue and blood vessels protrudes into the anal canal where it can cause problems. Unlike with internal hemorrhoids, it is not clear how external hemorrhoids form.
2011年9月14日星期三
Look for high-fiber cereals
As we all know, breakfast is often called the most important meal of the day and cereal is one of the most popular breakfast foods in the world.
There are so many options when it comes to cereals, you're probably wondering which ones to choose. There are more than 450 varieties of breakfast cereals. Some cereals are sweet and others are healthful. Varieties include those that are high in fiber, high in iron, high in protein, gluten-free and sugar-free.
Many cereals are trademarked and include large companies such as Kellogg's, General Mills, Malt-O-Meal, Nestlé, Quaker Oats and Post Foods. There are equivalent products often sold by other manufacturers, such as Kashi, and as store brands.
Cereal is one way to add fiber to your diet. High fiber cereals no longer taste like straw as they might have a decade ago. Dietary fiber is an essential nutrient that is required for proper digestion of foods and proper functioning of the digestive tract. Fiber adds bulk to your food, helping you feel full. Fiber also can help lower cholesterol, improve blood pressure, lower the risk of heart disease and some types of cancer, and helps with weight control. A deficiency of fiber can lead to constipation, hemorrhoids and elevated cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
Americans fall short of consuming the recommended 25 grams of fiber daily and miss out on the many benefits high fiber can provide.
Some cereals that are high in fiber include Kellogg's Bran Buds and All-Bran, and General Mills' Fiber One.
But you don't have to eat cereal to get your fill of fiber. Other sources of fiber include dried herbs and spices, peppers, sesame seeds and tahini, cocoa powder and dark chocolate, roasted soybeans, sunflower seeds, nuts, sun-dried tomatoes and beans.
You can fill up with high- fiber foods that include bread, apples and broccoli, which are diverse and nutritious.
But if you have a high body-mass index, foods such as flax seeds, sesame seeds, nuts, dark chocolate and sunflower seeds are high in calories and should be eaten in moderation.
Keep in mind that an excess amount of fiber can sometimes lead to a bowel obstruction, diarrhea or even dehydration, so if you increase your fiber intake, you should also increase the amount of water you drink.
There are so many options when it comes to cereals, you're probably wondering which ones to choose. There are more than 450 varieties of breakfast cereals. Some cereals are sweet and others are healthful. Varieties include those that are high in fiber, high in iron, high in protein, gluten-free and sugar-free.
Many cereals are trademarked and include large companies such as Kellogg's, General Mills, Malt-O-Meal, Nestlé, Quaker Oats and Post Foods. There are equivalent products often sold by other manufacturers, such as Kashi, and as store brands.
Cereal is one way to add fiber to your diet. High fiber cereals no longer taste like straw as they might have a decade ago. Dietary fiber is an essential nutrient that is required for proper digestion of foods and proper functioning of the digestive tract. Fiber adds bulk to your food, helping you feel full. Fiber also can help lower cholesterol, improve blood pressure, lower the risk of heart disease and some types of cancer, and helps with weight control. A deficiency of fiber can lead to constipation, hemorrhoids and elevated cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
Americans fall short of consuming the recommended 25 grams of fiber daily and miss out on the many benefits high fiber can provide.
Some cereals that are high in fiber include Kellogg's Bran Buds and All-Bran, and General Mills' Fiber One.
But you don't have to eat cereal to get your fill of fiber. Other sources of fiber include dried herbs and spices, peppers, sesame seeds and tahini, cocoa powder and dark chocolate, roasted soybeans, sunflower seeds, nuts, sun-dried tomatoes and beans.
You can fill up with high- fiber foods that include bread, apples and broccoli, which are diverse and nutritious.
But if you have a high body-mass index, foods such as flax seeds, sesame seeds, nuts, dark chocolate and sunflower seeds are high in calories and should be eaten in moderation.
Keep in mind that an excess amount of fiber can sometimes lead to a bowel obstruction, diarrhea or even dehydration, so if you increase your fiber intake, you should also increase the amount of water you drink.
2011年9月13日星期二
Over-the-Counter Treatments for
Although most cases of hemorrhoids are generally not serious, the rectal itching, irritation, and burning can seriously interfere with enjoying your daily activities.
You can usually treat hemorrhoids with over-the-counter medications available without a prescription at your local pharmacy, but sorting through a vast selection of hemorrhoidal preparations can be confusing. In addition, not all medications are safe or effective for all people. Before trying an over-the-counter hemorrhoidal medication, ask your pharmacist or doctor to recommend the right treatment for you.
Most hemorrhoidal medications are preparations that contain a variety of active ingredients to provide short-term relief of hemorrhoid symptoms. These products are applied directly to the anal or rectal area and come in different forms, including creams, gels, foams, suppositories and pads. Hemorrhoidal preparations may include protectants, constricting medications, hydrocortisone, numbing medications, witch hazel, and combination products.
Fiber is a substance found in beans, fruits, vegetables, and whole grain breads and cereals. Fiber keeps stools soft, making bowel movements more comfortable and less irritating to your rectal area. A high-fiber diet is a healthy, natural, long-term way to prevent and reduce the symptoms of hemorrhoids. However, many people find it difficult to get enough fiber through their diets.
You can usually treat hemorrhoids with over-the-counter medications available without a prescription at your local pharmacy, but sorting through a vast selection of hemorrhoidal preparations can be confusing. In addition, not all medications are safe or effective for all people. Before trying an over-the-counter hemorrhoidal medication, ask your pharmacist or doctor to recommend the right treatment for you.
Most hemorrhoidal medications are preparations that contain a variety of active ingredients to provide short-term relief of hemorrhoid symptoms. These products are applied directly to the anal or rectal area and come in different forms, including creams, gels, foams, suppositories and pads. Hemorrhoidal preparations may include protectants, constricting medications, hydrocortisone, numbing medications, witch hazel, and combination products.
Fiber is a substance found in beans, fruits, vegetables, and whole grain breads and cereals. Fiber keeps stools soft, making bowel movements more comfortable and less irritating to your rectal area. A high-fiber diet is a healthy, natural, long-term way to prevent and reduce the symptoms of hemorrhoids. However, many people find it difficult to get enough fiber through their diets.
2011年9月12日星期一
Tips to help ease hemorrhoid pain
Hemorrhoids happen because of weak veins that swell due to pressure. The blood pools and causes veins to engorge; this can be caused by many situations, among them obesity, pregnancy, lifting heavy objects, straining on the toilet, coughing, sneezing, standing or sitting for long periods of time. People who eat a high fiber diet and stay well hydrated are less likely to suffer with hemorrhoids, whereas people who eat processed foods will eventually feel it in the end.
The primary difference is pain. With internal hemorrhoids, there is no pain because the swollen veins are higher up in the rectum where there are no nerves. There may be no symptoms at all, or you may have bleeding after a bowel movement. For some, bleeding may be the first and only sign. Others may experience a thin stool and the urge of not being finished yet. External hemorrhoids hurt like crazy and, if untreated, can thrombose, meaning they can turn purplish-blue and bleed. They can itch, burn and irritate.
Also, two herbs have a long history with regard to hemorrhoids. Butcher's Broom contains ruscogenin, which helps tighten blood vessels. Horse Chestnut contains aescin, which tones vein walls. Aloe vera juice may help constipation.
Please see a specialist to ensure that pencil-thin stools, bleeding or other symptoms are related to hemorrhoids, rather than something more serious.
The primary difference is pain. With internal hemorrhoids, there is no pain because the swollen veins are higher up in the rectum where there are no nerves. There may be no symptoms at all, or you may have bleeding after a bowel movement. For some, bleeding may be the first and only sign. Others may experience a thin stool and the urge of not being finished yet. External hemorrhoids hurt like crazy and, if untreated, can thrombose, meaning they can turn purplish-blue and bleed. They can itch, burn and irritate.
Also, two herbs have a long history with regard to hemorrhoids. Butcher's Broom contains ruscogenin, which helps tighten blood vessels. Horse Chestnut contains aescin, which tones vein walls. Aloe vera juice may help constipation.
Please see a specialist to ensure that pencil-thin stools, bleeding or other symptoms are related to hemorrhoids, rather than something more serious.
2011年9月8日星期四
Removing cloak of silence best way to deter suicide
It's one of the last truly taboo topics, the shameful secret that few want to talk about -- and that silence can inadvertently lead to people taking their own lives.
Mental health advocates say that while the recent highly publicized suicides of several prominent sports figures have shone a spotlight on the issue, the lack of frank public discussion about causes and prevention is leaving those at risk for suicide and their loved ones as much in the dark as ever.
"We are trying to encourage informed and sensitive conversations on the topic of suicide," said Tim Wall, executive director of the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention. "There is so much secrecy and shame that often surrounds this issue that it can be a difficult conversation to have."
Wall believes people shy away from the topic because "it feels scary ... I think it's not knowing the words, not knowing what to say when somebody has died by suicide. What do you say to the family? So there's embarrassment, there's shame, there's an awkwardness."
There's also the fear that talking about suicide might plant the idea in a vulnerable person's head, but "that is a myth," he said from Winnipeg. "In fact, talking about suicide directly to someone actually lowers their risk for suicide.
"It's only by talking about it in an informed way that we can prevent suicides. We need to have those conversations."
With that goal in mind, the association and other groups are mounting a concert Saturday in Ottawa to mark World Suicide Prevention Day. The concert, featuring Canadian singer-songwriter Susan Aglukark and Irish rock band Friends of Emmet, will support local suicide-prevention programs as well as national advocacy organizations.
Scott Chisholm, founder of the Collateral Damage Project and one of the concert organizers, said the event is meant to raise awareness and get people talking openly about the issue.
"People need to understand that it can happen to anybody, any time. Nobody's immune to it and we need to talk about it if we're going to do something about it," Chisholm said from Thunder Bay, Ont. "We need to make it people's issue before it becomes their issue."
Close to 4,000 Canadians die by their own hands each year. Canada's suicide rate, as measured by the World Health Organization, is 15 for every 100,000 people. But the Canadian Mental Health Association says rates are even higher among certain groups, such as youth, the elderly and Aboriginals, with the incidence for males four times higher than that of women.
In Canada, suicide accounts for 16 per cent of deaths for those 16 to 44, says the CMHA. It is the second leading cause of death after accidental injury for 10- to 25-year-olds; 73 per cent of hospital admissions for attempted suicide are among those aged 15 to 44.
Two years ago, Chisholm began collecting the stories and photos of survivors -- the loved ones of people who had taken their own lives. "Collateral Damage: Images of Those Left Behind by Suicide," will be a book of portraits, a website and gallery exhibition.
The project, he said, is a way of coming to terms with his father's suicide at age 47 and a means of counteracting the stigma surrounding the act, which is considered a grave sin by most religions and was a criminal offence in Canada until 1974.
As a 17-year-old high-school student, Chisholm said he was left to grieve and ponder "why" in the isolation born of the hush-hush nature that encircled his father's death.
"My teachers didn't know what to do. They had no tools, they'd never been trained about suicide, and all that they had was their fear and myth and anxiety," recalled Chisholm, one of five siblings. "And with that, they did nothing. So they put up this wall that wouldn't allow me anybody to talk to."
His father had been in and out of the hospital, but the children were told he was being treated for hemorrhoids, recalled Chisholm, who believes his dad was an alcoholic and likely suffered from severe depression.
"But one thing I know, he would do anything for his kids. My feeling is that he thought he was a burden to us and that we'd be better off without him. It's a common theme I hear."
He said one man contacted him to say he had lost his job and had planned to kill himself to avoid being a burden to his four daughters. But a newspaper article he'd read about the emotional devastation experienced by Chisholm's sister, just 11 when their father died, stopped him cold.
The man took it to heart and instead sought help, said Chisholm. "We now can say there's four teenaged girls out there who have no idea about (their father's intention) because we chose to talk about it."
Chisholm said he hopes the Collateral Damage project will give pause to those struggling with depression, other mental health disorders or despair-ridden lives and show them that suicide isn't the only way out -- either for themselves or their families and friends.
"It rips apart families," he said, adding that loved ones are often consumed by guilt over not having recognized the warning signs or failing to get the person help. "It makes us question our relationships, the meaning of them. What is it that could drive somebody to get to that point?"
Aglukark has also experienced the loss of loved ones to suicide, among them three cousins and two close friends.
Mental health advocates say that while the recent highly publicized suicides of several prominent sports figures have shone a spotlight on the issue, the lack of frank public discussion about causes and prevention is leaving those at risk for suicide and their loved ones as much in the dark as ever.
"We are trying to encourage informed and sensitive conversations on the topic of suicide," said Tim Wall, executive director of the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention. "There is so much secrecy and shame that often surrounds this issue that it can be a difficult conversation to have."
Wall believes people shy away from the topic because "it feels scary ... I think it's not knowing the words, not knowing what to say when somebody has died by suicide. What do you say to the family? So there's embarrassment, there's shame, there's an awkwardness."
There's also the fear that talking about suicide might plant the idea in a vulnerable person's head, but "that is a myth," he said from Winnipeg. "In fact, talking about suicide directly to someone actually lowers their risk for suicide.
"It's only by talking about it in an informed way that we can prevent suicides. We need to have those conversations."
With that goal in mind, the association and other groups are mounting a concert Saturday in Ottawa to mark World Suicide Prevention Day. The concert, featuring Canadian singer-songwriter Susan Aglukark and Irish rock band Friends of Emmet, will support local suicide-prevention programs as well as national advocacy organizations.
Scott Chisholm, founder of the Collateral Damage Project and one of the concert organizers, said the event is meant to raise awareness and get people talking openly about the issue.
"People need to understand that it can happen to anybody, any time. Nobody's immune to it and we need to talk about it if we're going to do something about it," Chisholm said from Thunder Bay, Ont. "We need to make it people's issue before it becomes their issue."
Close to 4,000 Canadians die by their own hands each year. Canada's suicide rate, as measured by the World Health Organization, is 15 for every 100,000 people. But the Canadian Mental Health Association says rates are even higher among certain groups, such as youth, the elderly and Aboriginals, with the incidence for males four times higher than that of women.
In Canada, suicide accounts for 16 per cent of deaths for those 16 to 44, says the CMHA. It is the second leading cause of death after accidental injury for 10- to 25-year-olds; 73 per cent of hospital admissions for attempted suicide are among those aged 15 to 44.
Two years ago, Chisholm began collecting the stories and photos of survivors -- the loved ones of people who had taken their own lives. "Collateral Damage: Images of Those Left Behind by Suicide," will be a book of portraits, a website and gallery exhibition.
The project, he said, is a way of coming to terms with his father's suicide at age 47 and a means of counteracting the stigma surrounding the act, which is considered a grave sin by most religions and was a criminal offence in Canada until 1974.
As a 17-year-old high-school student, Chisholm said he was left to grieve and ponder "why" in the isolation born of the hush-hush nature that encircled his father's death.
"My teachers didn't know what to do. They had no tools, they'd never been trained about suicide, and all that they had was their fear and myth and anxiety," recalled Chisholm, one of five siblings. "And with that, they did nothing. So they put up this wall that wouldn't allow me anybody to talk to."
His father had been in and out of the hospital, but the children were told he was being treated for hemorrhoids, recalled Chisholm, who believes his dad was an alcoholic and likely suffered from severe depression.
"But one thing I know, he would do anything for his kids. My feeling is that he thought he was a burden to us and that we'd be better off without him. It's a common theme I hear."
He said one man contacted him to say he had lost his job and had planned to kill himself to avoid being a burden to his four daughters. But a newspaper article he'd read about the emotional devastation experienced by Chisholm's sister, just 11 when their father died, stopped him cold.
The man took it to heart and instead sought help, said Chisholm. "We now can say there's four teenaged girls out there who have no idea about (their father's intention) because we chose to talk about it."
Chisholm said he hopes the Collateral Damage project will give pause to those struggling with depression, other mental health disorders or despair-ridden lives and show them that suicide isn't the only way out -- either for themselves or their families and friends.
"It rips apart families," he said, adding that loved ones are often consumed by guilt over not having recognized the warning signs or failing to get the person help. "It makes us question our relationships, the meaning of them. What is it that could drive somebody to get to that point?"
Aglukark has also experienced the loss of loved ones to suicide, among them three cousins and two close friends.
2011年9月7日星期三
Risk for HPV May be Higher than Reported
It has long been reported that the risk of HPV progressing to a significant level of precancerous and subsequently cancerous lesion are very low. I have long been concerned regarding just how accurate this information may be.
The rates of cervical cancer over the past half a century have dropped dramatically as a result of cervical screening programs which can identify abnormalities in advance of their becoming cancerous. As a direct result of these programs, high-grade lesions (CIN2, CIN3 and CIS also known as carcinoma in situ) are routinely treated and removed in an attempt to eliminate the potential for cancer.
HPV however, like many other contagious conditions, is not a reportable infection like chlamydia or hepatitis. There is the potential for far more of these lesions to exist because there also is no repository from which to study and track the numbers of these high-grade lesions.
However HPV is known to cause multiple other cancers aside from cervical. One of the most significant is anal cancer. While this cancer has an extremely high cure rate if identified and treated early in its course, all too often it is misdiagnosed as bleeding hemorrhoids thus delaying a true diagnosis for months or even years.
Just like cervical HPV, anal HPV progresses from small changes within the cells and over time increasingly abnormal changes which eventually will result in cancer.
For the most part, HPV and the associated conditions have long been “women’s diseases” while recent studies in both North and South America have shown that 50 percent of men have HPV. Obviously this information is something which the public needs to know and for which men need to take responsibility since they can transmit the virus to women.
In recent studies referenced by Dr. Joel Palefsky, one of the leading HPV researchers and infectious disease specialists in the United States, anal HPV infection was shown to be present in 60 percent of normal healthy women, while only 50 percent were shown to have cervical HPV infections. This indicates that anal HPV infection is more prevalent than previously thought.
The rates of cervical cancer over the past half a century have dropped dramatically as a result of cervical screening programs which can identify abnormalities in advance of their becoming cancerous. As a direct result of these programs, high-grade lesions (CIN2, CIN3 and CIS also known as carcinoma in situ) are routinely treated and removed in an attempt to eliminate the potential for cancer.
HPV however, like many other contagious conditions, is not a reportable infection like chlamydia or hepatitis. There is the potential for far more of these lesions to exist because there also is no repository from which to study and track the numbers of these high-grade lesions.
However HPV is known to cause multiple other cancers aside from cervical. One of the most significant is anal cancer. While this cancer has an extremely high cure rate if identified and treated early in its course, all too often it is misdiagnosed as bleeding hemorrhoids thus delaying a true diagnosis for months or even years.
Just like cervical HPV, anal HPV progresses from small changes within the cells and over time increasingly abnormal changes which eventually will result in cancer.
For the most part, HPV and the associated conditions have long been “women’s diseases” while recent studies in both North and South America have shown that 50 percent of men have HPV. Obviously this information is something which the public needs to know and for which men need to take responsibility since they can transmit the virus to women.
In recent studies referenced by Dr. Joel Palefsky, one of the leading HPV researchers and infectious disease specialists in the United States, anal HPV infection was shown to be present in 60 percent of normal healthy women, while only 50 percent were shown to have cervical HPV infections. This indicates that anal HPV infection is more prevalent than previously thought.
2011年9月6日星期二
10 tips for a healthy hiney
Q: What are the best treatments for hemorrhoids, both the internal sort and the external? I ask because my wife and I suffer with these. Lucky us.
A: In the United States, approximately half of all people will suffer from hemorrhoids at some point in life, usually between the ages of 20 and 50. It's not necessarily a problem of the elderly or constipated, it can happen to anyone, even people who are healthy, who happen to sit for very long periods of time. Hemorrhoids — whether internal or external — happen due to weak veins that swell because of pressure. If these weak veins occur on the legs, we refer to them as "varicose" veins. The blood pools, and causes veins to swell and engorge; this can be caused by many situations, among them obesity, pregnancy, lifting heavy objects or boxes, straining on the toilet, coughing, sneezing, standing or sitting for long periods of time. People who eat a high-fiber diet and stay well hydrated are less likely to suffer with hemorrhoids, whereas people who eat processed foods will eventually feel it in the end.
Before I offer suggestions, I will first describe internal and external. The primary difference is pain. With internal hemorrhoids, there is no pain because the swollen veins are higher up in the rectum where there are no nerves. There may be no symptoms at all , or you may have bleeding after a bowel movement. For some, bleeding may be the first, and only, sign of internal hemorrhoids. For others, you may have a thin stool, and the urge that you are not finished yet. External hemorrhoids hurt like crazy and if untreated it can thrombose, meaning it can turn purplish-blue and bleed. They can itch, burn and irritate the anus, and you can feel them easily. No matter the type, don't sit excessively, or let your butt fall asleep on hard chairs.
A: In the United States, approximately half of all people will suffer from hemorrhoids at some point in life, usually between the ages of 20 and 50. It's not necessarily a problem of the elderly or constipated, it can happen to anyone, even people who are healthy, who happen to sit for very long periods of time. Hemorrhoids — whether internal or external — happen due to weak veins that swell because of pressure. If these weak veins occur on the legs, we refer to them as "varicose" veins. The blood pools, and causes veins to swell and engorge; this can be caused by many situations, among them obesity, pregnancy, lifting heavy objects or boxes, straining on the toilet, coughing, sneezing, standing or sitting for long periods of time. People who eat a high-fiber diet and stay well hydrated are less likely to suffer with hemorrhoids, whereas people who eat processed foods will eventually feel it in the end.
Before I offer suggestions, I will first describe internal and external. The primary difference is pain. With internal hemorrhoids, there is no pain because the swollen veins are higher up in the rectum where there are no nerves. There may be no symptoms at all , or you may have bleeding after a bowel movement. For some, bleeding may be the first, and only, sign of internal hemorrhoids. For others, you may have a thin stool, and the urge that you are not finished yet. External hemorrhoids hurt like crazy and if untreated it can thrombose, meaning it can turn purplish-blue and bleed. They can itch, burn and irritate the anus, and you can feel them easily. No matter the type, don't sit excessively, or let your butt fall asleep on hard chairs.
2011年9月5日星期一
Arts & Culture Soul food
Now that spring is finally here, there is definitely room for improvement in your pantry. Some spring cleaning of sorts, starting on the outside and ending inside the body and the soul. I can only imagine that the cereals and flours in your food pantry are all bleached and super white, the sugar is white, oh let's not mention the tonnes of salt crowding out everything.
Just about everything else is some combination of chemical laden, highly-refined, and nutritionally barren. Ouch, the poor organs have to endure this kind of empty and dangerous way of eating. Blame it on winter? I don't know about that.
Take heart the good news is that eating is right within everyone's reach because natural and organic ingredients are increasingly available in supermarkets, food co-ops, and the good old farmers' markets in villages and towns alike. And please don't be shy to drop a new ingredient into your grocery basket this time around. Adventure is what keeps us alive, especially with food. Someone once said that there is no better pleasure than food. I agree 200 percent, gosh I love good food!
There are simple and different ways to bravely start swapping those more healthful better tasting ingredients into your everyday cooking. I am always amazed at how limited most diets are, so much so you can easily tell what they had for lunch and what they will have for dinner. Geez how boring is that? No wonder the kids find the meals from next door more exciting.
Okay, let me keep you suspended. sHere are five simple ways to revamp your pantry and your diet;
*Expand your food pantry with whole and natural flours (whether it's maize, wheat or rice flour), oils, fats, sweeteners, and spices. You are better off mixing your own spices because then you are sure they have fillers and additives.
Stay away from those common ones that every Motswana thinks are the staples - you know what I'm talking about, the usual suspects such as barbecue, chicken, fish spice etc.
* Think outside the box and experiment with alternative local and exotic grains and cereals such as quinoa, teff, and amaranth. Did you know that certain species of amaranth grow wild here in Botswana, and most of us grew up knowing valuable nutritious crop to be a weed and with amaranth you also eat the green leafy part as a vegetable? Now how's that for a super food.
* People, people, people please understand the importance of eating from a colourful plate. It's a very logical rule; more colours mean more variety, which means more nutrition across all food groups, especially the essential vitamins, minerals and those phytochemicals, which are the buzz word nowadays.
* Start playing a food police - in a good way - with your family and self by getting acquainted with powerful, nutrient-rich superfoods. Most beans, fruits, especially berries, leafy and cruciferous vegetables, nuts, herbs and spices are the important categories of super foods.
While at it remember other foods high in fiber. No fiber, no digestive and gut health - in normal speak that spells out constipation, hemorrhoids, potential colon cancer and sluggishness. Who needs that?
*Branch out from using white sugar just like you did with wheat and from table salt to sea or rock salt. But make sure that the salt is fortified with iodine i.e. iodated for better thyroid gland health, brain development, and prevention of birth defects.
The more you stick by these suggestions the better you will start enjoying meal preparation, and better health through optimum nutritious ingredients.
Many make the argument that our bodies find it easier to utilise the whole foods that our species have been consuming for thousands of years.
Do you know that the body does not recognise as food some of the modern highly processed products and convenience foods that have been introduced into the food supply in the last half a century?
And worse still some of these "foods" are actually highly damaging transfats being an excellent case in point.
Transfats are the stuff margarine, and other solidified fats are made up of. Butter is natural so it is free of transfats. No wonder I have always loved my butter, in moderation though.
Another particular problem nowadays is many of the meat substitutes, which can be packed with salt,preservatives, artificial flavours, and genetically modified soy. So the key is to seek out foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. Live long and well with nature.
Just about everything else is some combination of chemical laden, highly-refined, and nutritionally barren. Ouch, the poor organs have to endure this kind of empty and dangerous way of eating. Blame it on winter? I don't know about that.
Take heart the good news is that eating is right within everyone's reach because natural and organic ingredients are increasingly available in supermarkets, food co-ops, and the good old farmers' markets in villages and towns alike. And please don't be shy to drop a new ingredient into your grocery basket this time around. Adventure is what keeps us alive, especially with food. Someone once said that there is no better pleasure than food. I agree 200 percent, gosh I love good food!
There are simple and different ways to bravely start swapping those more healthful better tasting ingredients into your everyday cooking. I am always amazed at how limited most diets are, so much so you can easily tell what they had for lunch and what they will have for dinner. Geez how boring is that? No wonder the kids find the meals from next door more exciting.
Okay, let me keep you suspended. sHere are five simple ways to revamp your pantry and your diet;
*Expand your food pantry with whole and natural flours (whether it's maize, wheat or rice flour), oils, fats, sweeteners, and spices. You are better off mixing your own spices because then you are sure they have fillers and additives.
Stay away from those common ones that every Motswana thinks are the staples - you know what I'm talking about, the usual suspects such as barbecue, chicken, fish spice etc.
* Think outside the box and experiment with alternative local and exotic grains and cereals such as quinoa, teff, and amaranth. Did you know that certain species of amaranth grow wild here in Botswana, and most of us grew up knowing valuable nutritious crop to be a weed and with amaranth you also eat the green leafy part as a vegetable? Now how's that for a super food.
* People, people, people please understand the importance of eating from a colourful plate. It's a very logical rule; more colours mean more variety, which means more nutrition across all food groups, especially the essential vitamins, minerals and those phytochemicals, which are the buzz word nowadays.
* Start playing a food police - in a good way - with your family and self by getting acquainted with powerful, nutrient-rich superfoods. Most beans, fruits, especially berries, leafy and cruciferous vegetables, nuts, herbs and spices are the important categories of super foods.
While at it remember other foods high in fiber. No fiber, no digestive and gut health - in normal speak that spells out constipation, hemorrhoids, potential colon cancer and sluggishness. Who needs that?
*Branch out from using white sugar just like you did with wheat and from table salt to sea or rock salt. But make sure that the salt is fortified with iodine i.e. iodated for better thyroid gland health, brain development, and prevention of birth defects.
The more you stick by these suggestions the better you will start enjoying meal preparation, and better health through optimum nutritious ingredients.
Many make the argument that our bodies find it easier to utilise the whole foods that our species have been consuming for thousands of years.
Do you know that the body does not recognise as food some of the modern highly processed products and convenience foods that have been introduced into the food supply in the last half a century?
And worse still some of these "foods" are actually highly damaging transfats being an excellent case in point.
Transfats are the stuff margarine, and other solidified fats are made up of. Butter is natural so it is free of transfats. No wonder I have always loved my butter, in moderation though.
Another particular problem nowadays is many of the meat substitutes, which can be packed with salt,preservatives, artificial flavours, and genetically modified soy. So the key is to seek out foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. Live long and well with nature.
2011年9月4日星期日
It's All About Preparation
One of the causes of hemorrhoids is increased intra-abdominal pressure - in other words, too much straining. With all the clenched assholes around USC and UCLA during their first games of the season, I certainly hope both programs have a healthy stock of Preparation-H.
USC’s case was self-inflicted. Quarterback Matt Barkley and receiver Robert Woods had chemistry from the start. On the Trojans’ first play from scrimmage against Minnesota, Barkley hit Woods on a two-yard pass. Of his record 34 completions, a record 17 was caught by Woods.
“I have a trust with him that he will be there every time,” Barkley said. “He runs smart routes with great athleticism. He knows where to be, and I know we can count on him.”
And Woods played his part of the lovefest. “They gave me some room to start, and Matt did the rest. He’s giving me a chance out there, and having a full year of experience to grow together really makes a big difference.”
So what happened? Barkley had 304 yards of offense with three touchdowns, and the Trojans only coughed the ball up once. So what gives? Why did they barely escape with a 19-17 win?
Head coach Lane Kiffin reinforced his utter disdain of kickers by giving freshman Andre Heidari only one extra point chance that he converted to end the first half. After quarterback Barkley drove the Trojans 66 yards in 13 plays to score a touchdown in their opening drive, Rhett Ellison couldn’t get into the end zone after some trickery.
“We’re trying to run and advantage play and their linebackers happened to step up and make the play to stop us,” Kiffin said.
After Barkley hooked up with Robert Woods 43 yards in the second quarter for their second touchdown, Barkley threw an incomplete pass on the conversion.
“It was just a bad throw, probably one of Matt’s only mistakes in the game,” Kiffin commented.
It wasn’t until Barkley and Woods hooked up for a touchdown for the third time that Heidari got to score a point for the Trojans.
This went on throughout the game. Leading 19-3 the Trojans opened the third quarter getting down to Minnesota’s 35-yard line. Instead of going for the 50-yard field goal or punting the ball, the Trojans went for it on fourth down. The snap went over Barkley’s head and was grabbed up by Minnesota 35 yards away. Oops. Three plays later Minnesota scores a touchdown and makes it 19-10.
USC’s case was self-inflicted. Quarterback Matt Barkley and receiver Robert Woods had chemistry from the start. On the Trojans’ first play from scrimmage against Minnesota, Barkley hit Woods on a two-yard pass. Of his record 34 completions, a record 17 was caught by Woods.
“I have a trust with him that he will be there every time,” Barkley said. “He runs smart routes with great athleticism. He knows where to be, and I know we can count on him.”
And Woods played his part of the lovefest. “They gave me some room to start, and Matt did the rest. He’s giving me a chance out there, and having a full year of experience to grow together really makes a big difference.”
So what happened? Barkley had 304 yards of offense with three touchdowns, and the Trojans only coughed the ball up once. So what gives? Why did they barely escape with a 19-17 win?
Head coach Lane Kiffin reinforced his utter disdain of kickers by giving freshman Andre Heidari only one extra point chance that he converted to end the first half. After quarterback Barkley drove the Trojans 66 yards in 13 plays to score a touchdown in their opening drive, Rhett Ellison couldn’t get into the end zone after some trickery.
“We’re trying to run and advantage play and their linebackers happened to step up and make the play to stop us,” Kiffin said.
After Barkley hooked up with Robert Woods 43 yards in the second quarter for their second touchdown, Barkley threw an incomplete pass on the conversion.
“It was just a bad throw, probably one of Matt’s only mistakes in the game,” Kiffin commented.
It wasn’t until Barkley and Woods hooked up for a touchdown for the third time that Heidari got to score a point for the Trojans.
This went on throughout the game. Leading 19-3 the Trojans opened the third quarter getting down to Minnesota’s 35-yard line. Instead of going for the 50-yard field goal or punting the ball, the Trojans went for it on fourth down. The snap went over Barkley’s head and was grabbed up by Minnesota 35 yards away. Oops. Three plays later Minnesota scores a touchdown and makes it 19-10.
2011年9月1日星期四
Medicated Hemorrhoid Treatment
If you find that you can’t control your hemorrhoids through natural means or with changing your diet, then you may need to resort to more drastic measures. This is especially true if you have a particularly bad case of hemorrhoids or if your symptoms are beginning to impact your day to day life. Over the counter hemroid medications such as Preparation H can be readily found at most drugstores. Another type of medicated treatment is available only from your doctor by prescription and is usually in a cream or a suppository form. Whether you would use a cream or a suppository is usually determined by whether your hemorrhoid is internal or external. Both the over the counter version and the prescription version contain similar ingredients but the prescription only version is much stronger. It has more corticosteroids which help with the pain, itching, and swelling. Common prescription medications include Anusol HC and Proctocort.
Most people will never require hemorrhoid surgery. Only when people have a lot of smaller hemorrhoids, a very large hemorrhoid or very painful symptoms is surgery ever required. Hemorrhoid surgery has also come along way with a lot of surgeries being done on an outpatient basis with a minimum of discomfort and fast recovery times. In the past, an actual cutting surgery was done to surgically remove hemorrhoids, this is a hemorrhoidectomy. Now days, hemorrhoidectomies have fallen out of favor and are only used in extreme cases. Most of the newer methods used today don’t involve any cutting, many of them involve cutting off the blood supply to the hemorrhoid so that the hemorrhoid dries up and naturally falls off, this is done with rubber bands, lasers, and staples.
Of all the categories, this is the most important because even if you are using the methods above, hemorrhoids is a conditions that is prone to flare ups. Usually if you have hemorrhoids, even if you control the symptoms or have them removed, they have a tendency to reappear. It’s our goal to prevent you from even having hemorrhoids in the first place, but if it’s too late for that, then we hope to help you prevent further flare ups. The single best way to prevent hemorrhoids is to avoid straining while using the bathroom and best way to do this is to eat a lot more fiber. Fiber will soften your stools and reduce straining. Both of these things will help reduce any current symptoms you may have and also prevent hemorrhoids right at the start. Losing weight, exercise, and avoiding prolonged periods of sitting can also help you prevent hemorrhoids. Obviously you can’t control all aspects that contribute to hemorrhoids such as pregnancy, aging, and genetics but we can try to better manage what is within our control.
Most people will never require hemorrhoid surgery. Only when people have a lot of smaller hemorrhoids, a very large hemorrhoid or very painful symptoms is surgery ever required. Hemorrhoid surgery has also come along way with a lot of surgeries being done on an outpatient basis with a minimum of discomfort and fast recovery times. In the past, an actual cutting surgery was done to surgically remove hemorrhoids, this is a hemorrhoidectomy. Now days, hemorrhoidectomies have fallen out of favor and are only used in extreme cases. Most of the newer methods used today don’t involve any cutting, many of them involve cutting off the blood supply to the hemorrhoid so that the hemorrhoid dries up and naturally falls off, this is done with rubber bands, lasers, and staples.
Of all the categories, this is the most important because even if you are using the methods above, hemorrhoids is a conditions that is prone to flare ups. Usually if you have hemorrhoids, even if you control the symptoms or have them removed, they have a tendency to reappear. It’s our goal to prevent you from even having hemorrhoids in the first place, but if it’s too late for that, then we hope to help you prevent further flare ups. The single best way to prevent hemorrhoids is to avoid straining while using the bathroom and best way to do this is to eat a lot more fiber. Fiber will soften your stools and reduce straining. Both of these things will help reduce any current symptoms you may have and also prevent hemorrhoids right at the start. Losing weight, exercise, and avoiding prolonged periods of sitting can also help you prevent hemorrhoids. Obviously you can’t control all aspects that contribute to hemorrhoids such as pregnancy, aging, and genetics but we can try to better manage what is within our control.
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