Compassionate Touch and Alzheimer’s
Before we consider compassionate touch or massage, and Alzheimer’s disease, we need to know what Alzheimer’s disease actually is. It is a neurological disorder characterized by a loss of memory, speechlessness and paralysis. It is a progressive disease that destroys parts of the brain, and is therefore incurable.
Compassionate Touch and Deciding on Massage Approach
For the person suffering from Alzheimer’s disease who has lost memory, your compassionate touch may be the one thing with which he or she connects. Hold your loved one’s hands, give a gentle massage to his or her feet, legs, or arms. Even if the one suffering from Alzheimer’s does not recognize you and cannot communicate verbally, this is one way of reassurance and love. Alzheimer’s massage decreases physical agitation and improves sleep patterns in people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
A 26-minute video available on www.terranova.org – “Compassionate touch: benefits and effects in Alzheimer’s care” – shows the use of attentive touch and gentle massage in caring for and relating to people with Alzheimer’s disease. Massage is therapeutic and its application in Alzheimer’s disease has shown reduction in behaviors such as wandering, aggression and agitation.
The stimulation provided by massage helps Alzheimer patients to communicate physically. The direct physical contact provides the Alzheimer sufferers to relax, and so reducing the anxiety associated with it. The compassionate touch therapy through massage offers immense relief and aids the drug therapy, which the sufferers of Alzheimer’s disease may have been prescribed with. The massage therapy can be effective in two ways: it can induce relaxation by alleviating some of the anxiety associated with Alzheimer’s, and it can stimulate the nervous system that is in decline because of the disease.
The elderly sufferers of Alzheimer’s generally experience a loss of sensitivity to touch and the compassionate touch of massage can help to re-invigorate it. Alzheimer’s massage can have other benefits as well. In addition to helping eliminate or reduce anxiety, massage can also decrease the amount of pain experienced by Alzheimer’s sufferers. Compassionate touch is an expression of intimacy and emotional connectedness and if carried out by family members, can elicit increased contact and improved communication.
The relations between compassionate touch and Alzheimer’s is only being realized now. Alzheimer’s massage benefits the sufferers not only by relieving pain, but also by their over-all protection. Building the nervous system’s response to stimuli enables the elderly Alzheimer’s patients to resist physical and mental decline.
Please visit treat-alzheimers.com Facts on Alzheimers for more useful information on Alzheimer’s disease, signs, symptoms, treatment, medication, memory loss, and other related facts.
Indigestion with Acid
General indigestion is typically caused by eating too quickly, especially when the food is high in fat. Indigestion can be felt as a burning sensation in the upper portion of the stomach, general nausea, bloated, heartburn, and among others a bitter taste can result in the month from stomach acid that is coming up into the esophagus. The most commong way to relieve indigestion is to take indigestion tablets, that battle to neutralize the extra acid, so that the indigestion can be eliminated.
Acid indigestion on the other hand, is similar to ‘general indigestion’ above, however it involves an excess of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. if Acid indigestion is experienced frequently it can wear on the duodenum and the lining of the stomach, both which are aggravating and can lead to conditions such as ulcers, which can be life threatening. It is important to know that acid indigestion is different from heartburn, which is the aggravation more specifically of the esophagus.
Acid indigestion is most commonly attributed to eating foods that have too much fat in them, but can also be do to too much spice, or an excess intake of caffeine or alcohol, smoking, overeating, or simply just eating too late in the evening (like right before going to bed).
Antacids can help to relieve the problem short term, however, it is known that a dependence can develop on these over the counter remedies, and isn’t recommended as a long term solution. Be smart with your dietrary habits as your life is depending on you!
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Elliptical Trainer Clothing – Dressing For Success
Many people fret over what to wear when exercising. All things being equal, this is perhaps the easiest part of putting your exercise program together. It’s true that different athletic activities have their own dress and gear requirements. Football and baseball each have their own types of uniforms and equipment. So do you need to have different workout clothing and footwear when exercising on an elliptical trainer than when running on a treadmill?
There are two components to workout attire – clothing and footwear. Since you will typically be using your elliptical trainer indoors, a hat is purely optional. If you’ve decided to setup your elliptical trainer in the great outdoors, then please take the proper precautions to protect yourself against the sun’s harmful rays. This means head covering, sunglasses, and sunscreen.
Clothing should be comfortable. It should not be tight or restrictive in any way and should absorb sweat from your body. This will keep you cool and also prevent bacteria buildup on your skin, which can cause acne.
Forget about special “sweat” suits that claim to make you sweat away pounds while you exercise. They’ll just make you uncomfortable and distract from your workout. A cotton tee shirt and loose fitting gym shorts will do just fine in most cases. During the colder months a pair of fleece sweat pants and a sweatshirt will keep your joints and muscles warm while you exercise. Even during the summer months you should avoid drafts and strive to keep your muscles and joints warm. Avoid using a fan to keep yourself cool. It’s better to dress in lighter clothes if it’s hot.
You don’t have to spend a small fortune on the latest high-tech or celebrity-endorsed athletic shoes. But it is important to purchase a quality pair of shoes that will provide adequate cushioning to your feet and not fall apart in a few weeks. Since your feet don’t leave the foot pedals of an elliptical trainer there’s little friction generated to wear the soles and heels down. A mid-range pair of running shoes or cross trainers will get the job done. This is where things are a little bit different between a treadmill and an elliptical trainer. And please, don’t ever use an elliptical trainer while wearing street shoes or even worse, going bare foot!
If you’ll be exercising on your home elliptical trainer, then fashion isn’t a high priority unless it’s important to you. However, if you want to dress to impress at the health club, then the sky’s the limit when it comes to choosing fashionable workout gear. The important thing is that you stay motivated to keep going with your exercise program.
Rich Rojas writes unbiased ellipticalhome.com elliptical trainer reviews and articles on health, weight loss, and fitness at ellipticalhome.com ellipticalhome.com
Ayurveda and Three Basic Principle Energies of the Body
The study of Ayurveda identifies three basic principle energies of the body. The energies are present in everyone and everything. These energies are Vata (pronounced: vu tha), pitta (pronounced: pith tha), and Kapha (pronounced: cu pha). These principles can be related to the basic biology of the body.
Vata is the subtle energy associated with movement of Space and Air. It governs various aspects of human body such as breathing, blinking, muscle and tissue movement, and pulsation of the heart. In balance Vata allows one to be creative and flexible. When out of balance, Vata produces fear and anxiety. Few more characteristics of people who have predominantly Vata constitution are
Creativity and mental quickness,
Highly imaginative,
Quick to learn and grasp new knowledge but also quick to forget,
Sexually easily excitable but quickly satiated,
Slenderness; lightest of the three body types,
Talk and walk quickly,
Tendency toward cold hands and feet, discomfort in cold climates,
Excitable, lively, fun personality,
Changeable moods,
Irregular daily routine,
Variable appetite and digestive efficiency,
High energy in short bursts; tendency to tire easily and to overexert,
Full of joy and enthusiasm when in balance,
Respond to stress with fear, worry, and anxiety, especially when out of balance,
Tendency to act on impulse,
Often have racing, disjointed thoughts,
Generally have dry skin and dry hair and don’t perspire much,
Typical health problems include headaches, hypertension, dry coughs, sore throats, ear-aches, anxiety, irregular heart rhythms, muscle spasms, lower back pain, constipation, abdominal gas, diarrhea, nervous stomach, menstrual cramps, premature ejaculation and other sexual dys-functions, arthritis.
Most neurological disorders are related to Vata imbalance.
Pitta expresses as the body’s metabolic system which is made up of Fire and Water. It governs digestion, absorption, assimilation, nutrition, metabolism and body temperature. In balance pitta allows one to be understanding and intelligent. When out of balance, pitta arouses anger, hatred and jealousy. Few more characteristics of people who have predominantly Pitta constitution are
Medium physique, strong, well-built,
Sharp mind, good concentration powers,
Orderly and focused,
Assertive, self-confident, and entrepreneurial at their best; aggressive, demanding, pushy when out of balance,
Competitive, enjoy challenges,
Passionate and romantic; sexually have more vigor and endurance than Vatas, but less than Kaphas,
Strong digestion, strong appetite; get irritated if they have to miss or wait for a meal,
Like to be in command,
When under stress, Pittas become irritated and angry,
Skin fair or reddish, often with freckles; sunburns easily,
Hair usually fine and straight, tending toward blond or red, typically turns gray early; tendency toward baldness or thinning hair,
Uncomfortable in sun or hot weather; heat makes them very tired, Perspire a lot,
Others may find them stubborn, pushy, opinionated,
Good public speakers; also capable of sharp, sarcastic, cutting speech,
Generally good management and leadership ability, but can become authoritarian,
Like to spend money, surround themselves with beautiful objects,
Subject to temper tantrums, impatience, and anger,
Typical physical problems include rashes or inflammations of the skin, acne, boils, skin cancer, ulcers, heartburn, acid stomach, hot sensations in the stomach or intestines, insomnia, bloodshot or burning eyes and other vision problems, anemia, jaundice.
Kapha is the energy that forms the body’s structure that is bones, muscles, tendons and provides the bonding material that holds the cells together which is formed from earth and water. Kapha supplies the water for all bodily parts and systems. It lubricates joints, moisturizes the skin, and maintains immunity. When in balance Kapha is expressed as love, calmness and forgiveness and when out of balance, Kapha leads to attachment, greed and envy. Few more characteristics of people who have predominantly Kapha constitution are
Easygoing, relaxed, slow-paced,
Affectionate and loving, Forgiving, compassionate, nonjudgmental nature
Stable and reliable; faithful,
Physically strong and with a sturdy, heavier build,
Have the most energy of all constitutions, but it is steady and enduring, not explosive,
Slow moving and graceful,
Slow speech, reflecting a deliberate thought process,
Slower to learn, but never forgets; outstanding long-term memory,
Soft hair and skin; tendency to have large “soft” eyes and a low, soft voice,
Tend toward being overweight; may also suffer from sluggish digestion,
Prone to heavy, oppressive depressions,
More self-sufficient, need less outward stimulation than do the other types
A mild, gentle, and essentially undemanding approach to life,
Sexually Kaphas are the slowest to be aroused, but they also have the most endurance,
Excellent health, strong resistance to disease,
Slow to anger; strive to maintain harmony and peace in their surroundings,
Not easily upset and can be a point of stability for others,
Tend to be possessive and hold on to things, people, money; good savers.
Don’t like cold, damp weather,
Physical problems include colds and congestion, sinus headaches, respiratory problems including asthma and wheezing, hay fever, allergies, and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).
Sekhar Kodaipati is freelance writer and is renowned for his ability to research and write detailed articles. To learn more on articlestonurture.com/ayurveda.html/1 Ayurveda and articlestonurture.com free articles, free content visit Articlestonurture.com Articlestonurture.com