Top Tips on How to Stay Healthy

Physical fitness is not the sole basis of being healthy; being healthy means being mentally and emotionally fit. If you want to be a well-rounded, healthy individual, here is a couple of staying healthy tips that may help you do just that:

Maintain an exercise routine

No, you do not have to force yourself into intense workouts at the gym if you do not want to. You can stick to easy floor exercises or simply keep yourself moving by doing some house chores. What is important is that you continue exercising. Give at least thirty minutes a day to workout and/or exercise at least three to five times a week.

Have a routine; see to it that you have enough physical activity each day. Remember, the more you keep moving, the more calories you burn; the higher your metabolism will be-and the higher the metabolism, the better physical fitness.

Be conscious in your diet

To stay healthy, you need to keep eating healthy. Add more fruits and vegetables in your diet and less of carbohydrates and unhealthy fat. Avoid eating junk food and sweets. Avoid skipping a meal-this will only make your body crave for more food the moment you resume eating. And the tendency is, one will stuff himself with whatever food that is there-and this practice can be very unhealthy.

Remember to burn more than you eat. If you are eating more, you need to move more. This practice will help you lose weight and keep a fit body. If one wants to simply maintain his/her current weight, match the amount of your workout with your food intake.

Engage in the things you are passionate about

Every now and then, to keep the stress and the demands of life from taking over you, take a break to do something you love doing. Play some instruments, draw some pictures, read novels, watch a few episodes of your favorite show, bake, cook-just do whatever it is that will make your spare time much more enjoyable and productive as well. Giving time for hobbies will help you unwind, relax and boost your self-confidence.

Surround yourself with positive energy

In order to have a sound mental and emotional state, you must surround yourself with positive energy. Yes, not all problems can be avoided. But it does not mean one cannot face such obstacles with an optimist outlook. Surround yourself with encouraging friends and people that will provide you with constructive criticisms every once in a while to help you improve. Make it a habit to always look at the brighter side of life. Even if you find yourself in the worst situation, there is always an upside to it-something good and positive. Dwell on these things instead.

Keeping the healthy lifestyle is not that difficult, nor does it require a lot of work. Just keep doing what you do and apply the staying healthy tips listed above-surely you will be a well-rounded individual in no time.

If you are looking for information on staying healthy tips click on the link. Or you can visit http://www.benefitsofahealthylifestyle.com/ for more information.

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Foam Sclerotherapy and Stroke: The Facts

In a clinical audit in the United Kingdom of 7,027 patients who had undergone 11,537 foam sclerotherapy procedures, no cases of stroke were reported.

· In France alone, 1.5 million sessions of sclerotherapy are performed each year. Around the world, it is quite likely that millions of sclerotherapy treatments are performed each month.

· In a prospective registry of 12,713 sclerotherapy procedures in France, no cases of stroke were reported.

· Only 13 cases of stroke after sclerotherapy have been published in the world despite the huge number of these procedures being performed around the world each day. Some involved liquid sclerotherapy (4 cases), not just foam (9 cases). The majority (10 out of 13) made a complete recovery. Of the 3 cases of stroke after sclerotherapy that did not make a complete recovery, 2 occurred after liquid sclerotherapy.

· Stroke is a much greater risk after any operation under general anaesthetic including surgical vein stripping than after Foam Sclerotherapy.

· In my opinion, Foam Sclerotherapy is very safe. In fact, I believe it is much safer than traditional operations under GA such as stripping which are usually recommended by most vascular surgeons for the removal of varicose veins.

Ultrasound-guided Foam Sclerotherapy

Injection treatments have been used for many years to treat varicose veins. Two recent developments now allow us to use an injection technique to treat varicose veins that was previously only treatable by surgery. These are the use of ultrasound to guide the injection and the preparation of the chemical as foam. Over the last 10 years or so, the use of foam injection was spread widely in France, Spain and Italy and more recently the technique is being used in the USA. The treatment can be performed as a "walk in, walk out" or "lunch hour procedure".

What is foam Sclerotherapy?

The solutions that are injected are exactly the same as those which are already used to treat varicose veins. These are mixed with air to create foam, which looks a little like hair mousse, or shaving foam. Many medical and scientific studies have confirmed that Foam Sclerotherapy has an excellent safety record and that it produces excellent results in the treatment of vein reflux and varicose veins.

Who is suitable for Foam Sclerotherapy?

Most people with small or moderate sized varicose veins can be treated in this way. People with severe vein reflux are usually best treated by Laser or VNUS Closure FAST to obtain a more rapid improvement. People with large varicose veins lying close to the skin are also better treated by Microphlebectomy to avoid the brown discolouration of the skin which may occur after foam Sclerotherapy.

Key features

· Ultrasound guided sclerotherapy is a new method of treating varicose veins

· There is no need for an operation under general anaesthetic

· The treatment involves injections under local anaesthetic

· A treatment session is complete in about 45 minutes

· The treatment is carefully monitored using ultrasound

· A firm compression bandage must be worn for a week afterwards

· The cost of treatment are much lower than for surgical methods

· Minimal or no time off work

How does the foam work?

After injection, the foam pushes the blood out of the way and completely fills the vein. The lining of the vein is instantly removed by the foam (this doesn't hurt) and the vein responds by shrinking and the vein walls stick together. The channel through the vein is sealed and over the course of a few months the vein is completely absorbed by the body's healing processes.

The treatment

Treatment is performed in a treatment room and not an operating theatre. The patient rests comfortably on an examination couch. A small amount of local anaesthetic is used to numb the skin of the leg and a small needle is inserted into the refluxing vein that is feeding the varicose veins. The position of the needle is carefully monitored using ultrasound so that feeder veins are closed. Foam is then injected and its progress into the feeder veins and varicose veins is care-fully monitored with ultrasound. The whole treatment usually takes no more than 45 minutes. Finally a firm bandage is applied to the leg. The aim of this is to keep the veins compressed so that they do not fill with blood when the patient stands up. The bandage is usually worn for a week followed by an elastic compression stocking for a further week. When the bandages are removed at the follow-up appointment it is usual to find that all the varicose veins have been sealed. The leg may be a little bruised at this stage, although this is usually fairly minor. If any varicose veins have not been completely treated in the first session, they are injected and bandaged to complete removal of all veins. If varicose veins are present in both legs, the treatment is given to one leg at a time with an interval of 1 to 2 weeks.

Dr Gajraj is the founder and director of The VeinCare Centre. He was an NHS consultant vascular surgeon in Somerset. He was trained at St George's Hospital and St Thomas's Hospital in London and has treated patients with vein conditions for over 20 years. He has published scientific research on varicose veins and other vein problems. He is a member of the Vascular Society of Great Britain and Ireland, a member of the Venous Forum of the Royal Society of Medicine and Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons.

The VeinCare Centre was founded to provide the public and referring doctors with the best advice on all aspects of vein treatment. All our staff are highly qualified and have a particular interest in varicose veins and the treatment of related conditions such as spider veins and thread veins.

For more information about Foam Sclerotherapy Treatment please visit http://www.theveincarecentre.co.uk. If you're worried about your veins or if you are wondering whether ultrasound guided foam sclerotherapy would be suitable for you, please do get in touch on 0800 698 3467 or email haroun.gajraj@googlemail.com. We are happy to offer simple advice by telephone and email for free and without obligation.

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What Treatments Are Available for Varicose Veins?

There isn't yet a perfect treatment for varicose veins. A perfect treatment would remove all the varicose veins completely to give you the blemish free legs you had when you were younger, the varicose vein would never return and there would be no side effects or complications from treatment. If the assessment is based on a comprehensive ultrasound scan and the treatment is performed under ultrasound guidance, the majority of people get an excellent result and are very pleased.

The four main treatment options are:

· VNUS Closure Fast and Endo-venous laser (EVL) - these involve the use of fine catheters placed inside the vein to heat it and seal the varicose veins

· Injections of solutions called sclerosants into the vein which start a healing process in which the vein shrinks and disappears

· a non-thermal medical adhesive called Sapheon Venaseal™. A fine catheter is inserted into the refluxing vein and medical "superglue" is administered inside the vein causing it to permanently close

· microsurgical removal of veins called Microphlebectomy

VNUS ClosureFast

VNUS ClosureFast is the latest "State of the art" treatment for varicose veins. It produces rapid results and an excellent cosmetic outcome. The treatment is usually carried out under local anaesthetic as a day case or "walk in, walk out" procedure. This means that charges are reduced, time off work is minimal and therefore the treatment is highly cost effective. Your suitability for VNUS ClosureFast is assessed by a comprehensive ultrasound scan.

After numbing the skin with local anaesthetic (similar to a dentist's injection) and cleaning the skin with antiseptic, a fine needle is inserted into the refluxing veins under ultra-sound guidance and then a fine catheter is passed up the vein. At all times, the exact position of the catheter is monitored by ultrasound. The precision radio frequency energy (a little like microwaves) seals the vein instantly and the catheter is gently withdrawn along the length of the unhealthy vein. The whole process is checked at every stage by ultra-sound to ensure excellent results.

After the procedure, a high quality medical graduated stocking is worn for 7 days continuously and thereafter during the day for two more weeks. Walking and normal activities are encouraged. Most people can get back to normal activities such as work and driving in a day or two. Simple painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen are only rarely required.

With VNUS ClosureFast treatment, the veins with faulty valves are sealed under local an-aesthetic without surgery. The highly targeted energy gets your leg looking and feeling better fast.

· Treatment in less than 2 hours

· Local anaesthetic, day case or "walk in walk out" treatment

· Little or no time of work

· No painful cuts or scars in the groin

· No painful stripping

· Rapid return to normal activities including driving

· Excellent cosmetic results with no ugly scars

· Low risk of recurrence

The treatment is carried out under the "watchful eye" of the ultrasound equipment to ensure successful closure of the faulty veins. As there are no surgical cuts, there is virtually no risk of infection, which can occur occasionally after traditional operations

Endo-Venous Laser (EVL)

This procedure uses the precision of laser energy and is performed under local anaesthetic. A fine catheter is inserted into the affected veins under ultrasound guidance using a small needle. The laser fibre is positioned in the groin at the root of the reflux.

The position of the laser fibre is checked using ultrasound. Using laser energy the vein is heated and sealed. Surgical cuts in the groin are avoided and there is virtually no risk of infection or wound healing problems. There is no stripping out of the vein and so bruising and pain is minimal.

· Minimally invasive non-surgical treatment

· No painful cuts or scars in the groin

· No painful stripping

· Rapid return to normal activities including driving

· Excellent cosmetic results

· Relief of symptom

· Low recurrence of vein problems

The specialists at The VeinCare Centre are able to advise you about your suitability for VNUS ClosureFast and Endo-Venous laser following your ultrasound scan. Not all clinics are able to offer both treatment options.

Few clinics are able to offer all four treatment options. At The VeinCare Centre, your needs are assessed and a tailored treatment plan is formulated for you. This may consist of more than one option to get the best result. For example a combination of VNUS ClosureFast followed by injections may appropriate for you. In such cases, the pros and cons will be discussed in detail and you will have access to all the latest treatments.

At each stage you will receive written information about the recommendations including the costs and you will be given time to make your decision based upon this information.

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