When I Finally Admitted I Was Depressed And Cured It.

Winter has always been a difficult time for me in Michigan, with its many gray days, and not much sunlight. I awoke, feeling heavy, sluggish, and still exhausted. I wanted to pull the covers back over my head and return to my secure sleep state. I sensed something was wrong but really didn't seem to care what it was. I knew I did not want to face another grueling day, outside the world of sleep. I felt scared, but didn't know why. I dragged myself, out of bed, and into the bathroom. I could not decide whether I wanted to shave or shower first, then I made that extremely difficult decision to shower. Typical thoughts that would run through my head every morning, would I ever get over this feeling? Why was I feeling like this all the time? Maybe this is normal and I will eventually get over it?

Finally, I was fully awake small tasks seemed monumental, drudgery and overwhelming but I pushed on. I started my day by looking for faults in everything but myself. I was very short tempered with those closest to me and I didn't even realize it, then out the door to work I go. The rest of the day, at work, I felt numb people were talking to me, asking questions, but nothing was getting thru. On the outside I put up a great front so no one could see, but I was trapped inside a deep dark world, a personal hell.

I was forgetting things very easily, even if I wrote them down. Organization, no matter how I organized things, didn't seem to matter, because I was depressed and felt hazy. I couldn't decide exactly what to start on because it all seemed overwhelming. When I did start something it was like climbing a mountain and I couldn't see the top. Sometimes I felt a sinking feeling or a sense of little hope for anything. I felt like no one knew what I was going through or could help me. I would easily get angry and irritated at everything and everyone. There were times of Panic/Anxiety attacks in the middle of the night, those were not fun.

My typical day was like that movie "Ground Hog Day" with Bill Murray where he had to keep repeating the same day over and over till he got it right. What I found out later was that somewhere, I allowed myself to tumble into a state of depression and had not realized it or even truly acknowledged it. When I did finally acknowledge I was depressed and needed to do something it took me along time to find the right solutions by trial and error. The only person that can drag you out of depression is you, but I have to tell you the big secret to my success was the pharmaceutical grade St. Johns Wort that I took for about 6 months. If you need to know more about what I was taking come to my forum I go into more detail there.

Now I am doing great, I have focus, drive, energy and care what happens to myself and others. I jump out of bed, can't wait to face all of the issues at hand (They are issues now, before they were monumental problems). I don't have the emotional tendencies that I had before. I am by no means walking around with "rose colored glasses", but more like a clear view now without the numb hazy feeling.

Depression is an emotionally draining journey that many will go through in their lifetime, but depression does not have to rule your life there is plenty of help available. Answers and treatments will vary from person to person what works for one person may not work for another. Allowing the state of depression to control you and be the norm will negatively affect you and others. Depression drags you down to depths that you feel you don't have the energy to accomplish anything or even beat depression itself, a vicious cycle. Depression appears to cause many physical illness's that can be over come with treatment. It's time now, for you to pull out of the emotional numbness and rollercoaster that you step on to, but can't remember where.

Being able to feel normal and handle life is your right. When people look at others that are cool and calm they appear to have everything under control that might not be the case, because many of us can put of a really good front. Putting up a good front is ok for a while, but you need to address the disorders. "Depression slowly erodes your will and breaks down any attempt at your happiness for a normal life this is not what anyone wants.

Finally, I want all of you to know that depressed people are highly intelligent, loving and sensitive people that have a lot to contribute to the world, but they need to realize that they are depressed, admit it and find a solution.

- Thomas Fullerton

http://www.toolsfordepression.com/phpBB2

About The Author
Thomas Fullerton is a unique individual with experiences in many area of business and in life. Experience came very young with his talents in music to running a Cider Mill and Apple Orchard at age 11. He continues to excel.
pd@toolsfordepression.com

An Overview Of Hair Transplant

Advertisements in magazines and newspapers taken out by hair loss products and treatment centers often depict a person with a full crop of hair after the treatment. They claim miracle cures and fixes with a high chance of success. However, in reality, not everyone of you will find that you are able to get back the hair that you lost.

For those in this situation and cannot bear the thought of going out hair loss, then there is always the surgical route by way of hair implants. Even Elton John had hair loss transplant done many years ago!

Dermatological surgeons are the best people to consult with regards to hair transplant, as they will be taking into account of the reasons behind the hair loss, the severity of it, and also work out the natural hair line. They will also consider your expectations, situation and lifestyle.

This procedure has been in place since the 1950s but has advanced considerably. Smaller plug grafts are used with microsurgery, thereby making transplants a much more realistic solution to a new head of hair.

The process of hair transplanting refers to the process of relocating of permanent hair from the lower back and sides of the head, being transplanted into areas of thinning and balding along the top and towards the front of the head. After a short period of time, the hair that is transplanted grows.

The old method of plug grafting involves the transfer and relocation of plugs of about twelve hair roots. Nowadays mini-grafts are used. These help to create a more natural hair line and nicer looking appearance. By using the combination of mini and micro grafts, it is possible to obtain exceptional results that are hard for anyone to detect that hair transplant has been done.

During the old plug grafting procedure, as many as 600 grafts can be removed from any one patient, although it is recommended that only 50 grafts should be taken in any one treatment session. An instrument called a trephine is used which has a circular cutting edge and the grafts it can take vary from 2mm to about 5mm in diameter. Nowadays though, the donor tissue is removed with a knife that produces long thin strips, although it would seem that single-strip harvesting now appears to be the superior method.

All these procedures are done under a local anaesthetic on the scalp. A strip of scalp is then removed about half to one inch wide and about four to five inches long. This is then divided up into individual grafts. Some grafts are to contain one or two shafts and others about three to eight shafts. The grafts are then implanted into tiny punctures into the skin in the required spaces.

The hair that exists on the back of the head where the donar strip is taken from will hide the resultant scarring.

You will normally need about three hair transplants to achieve a good head of hair. Obviously, this is going to be more costly than using lotions and potions. It can also be a lot more dramatic as you can suddenly appear with a lot more hair after the hair transplant treatment. However, your dermatological surgeon can help plan such that the appearance of the hair on your head is more gradual.

About The Author
Kathlene Capelle writes on female hair loss, male hair loss, cause of hair loss, hair loss remedies, hair loss prevention, hair transplants and natural hair loss treatments. Her site also has hair care recipes that you can prepare from your own home. Please visit her site at http://www.hair-loss-remedy-central.com.

How to Elimate Dry Skin Naturally

Everyone wants smooth, glowing beautiful skin! How many of us can say that we actually posses it? We purchase countless products, undergo expensive treatments and still suffer with dry, flaky or "ashy" skin. In order to see a long lasting change, you must examine your lifestyle. Take time to consider what impact your diet, sleeping habits, activity and skin care routine have on your skin.

1. Be sure to include fresh fruit, nutritious vegetables, whole grains and clean water in your daily diet. Your skin is a living organ. Give it what is needed to stay healthy.

2. Start the day with invigorating stretches. Learn basic yoga and practice it for 10-30 minutes each morning.

3. Cleanse your skin with cold-processed soaps. They contain plant oils that nourish the skin cells. Avoid products with Sodium Laurel Sulfate or other harsh detergents.

4. Exfoliate skin weekly to remove dead skin cells and toxins. Use a scrub with plant-based ingredients to restore moisture and elasticity.

5. After the bath or shower, moisturize the entire body with a mineral oil-free product. Be sure to read labels. Even some "natural products" contain mineral oil. It is a cheap by product of petroleum and does not contribute the health of your skin.

6. Monitor the water temperature when bathing, extremely hot temperatures can be drying as well.

7. Use proper sun protection and limit your exposure to direct sunlight.

8. Retire by 10:00 pm each evening. This allows your body time to heal itself and restore all organ systems. In turn, promoting good skin health.

By following this holistic approach you should experience a significant difference in the health of your skin.

About The Author
Chanelle Washington, BSN is a Certified Holistic Practioner. She is an honors graduate of Temple University and member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society for Nurses. She is an informative speaker, inspiring author and owner of Indigofera " Plant Based Body Care Collection". Contact her at www.indigofera.com.
skincare@indigofera.com

What to do For Enlarged Prostate or for Prostate Cancer

By age of 50, most men will already have an enlarged prostate and three of these men will have cancer cells forming in their prostate. Prostate cancer is the main cancer found in men and by age 75 three out of four men will have prostate cancer.

The facts are pretty clear, if you are a male you will have to deal with BPH, enlarged prostate, or prostate cancer.

So how do you know if you have BPH or prostate cancer? Well, here are a few of the symptoms:

" getting up at night to urinate
" having difficulty urinating
" not completely emptying your bladder
" having pain during sex
" having pain when urinating

Medical test that you can get for enlarged prostate or prostate cancer.

" PSA, prostate specific antigen, which gives a good indication of your prostate health
" PAP, prostate acid phosphatase, a test that is more accurate than PSA, but many doctors don't use it or are unfamiliar with it.
" Sonogram is a safe and accurate way to check your prostate
" MRI, magnetic resonance imaging, is also accurate but is the most expensive test.

There is other tests that doctors like to make and that is,

Biopsy of the prostate - Don't have it done. It's very harmful to the prostate and should never be done.

The ideal way to take care of prostate health issues is to change or improve you diet and lifestyle. Here are some area that you need to look at to make changes.

" diet
" supplement
" fasting
" hormone balancing
" eliminate addictive substances - smoking, alcohol, coffee, non-herbal tea)
" exercise
" stress, anxiety, and emotional issues

The first thing you need to do is start using a supplement that will start to heal your prostate condition. Then you need to change your diet. Here I will tell which supplement to buy immediately and in another article I will outline a good diet to follow.

Go out and immediately but a supplement that contains Beta-sitosterol. You will find beta-sitosterol in saw palmetto and pygeum africanum, but these herbal plants have very little beta-sitosterol. This make them useless for prostate health. You need 325 to 610 mg per day and these herbal products 30 mg or less.

A good beta-sitosterol to buy is the NSI Phytosterol Complex with Beta-sitosterol -- 240 Tablets. This is only $20.00 plus shipping.

You will find this product contains the following ingredients:

Betasitosterol
Stigmasterol
Campesterol
Brassicasterol

All of these chemicals are called Phytosterol, which are consider the fat inside a plant. These sterols have an anti-inflammatory property and help to buildup your immune system. They have been found effective in reducing the inflammation of the prostate, BPH, lowering cholesterol, and aiding in many other illnesses.

Take the first step in keeping a health prostate and avoid having to deal with enlarged prostate or prostate cancer. Look for more of my articles on prostate health.

About The Author
Rudy Silva is a natural nutritionist. For more information and tips on a prostate diet that helps prostate cancer or an enlarged prostate go to: http://www.enlargeprostateinformation.com.

Beat The Heat And Survive The Summer

The "Dog Days" of summer are almost upon us and record temperatures are sweeping the country. Unfortunately we have the highest number of elderly and medically fragile people in history, and an aging infrastructure that is feeling the strain of heavy electrical use as our senior citizens struggle to stay cool.

We're here to give you tips and tricks to help you beat the heat should you be susceptible to extreme temperatures, or should your power be out. Here's a short list of suggestions:

1. Drink plenty of cool water to keep yourself hydrated and reduce your body's core temperature. (Warm water won't do this, and cold water might be a shock to sensitive systems.) Drink regularly, every hour, even if you don't feel thirsty. Avoid soft drinks and alcoholic drinks that are actually diuretic and rob your body of the water it desperately needs.

2. Eat small, light, non-spicy meals. Eating heavy meals cranks your metabolism and can raise your body temperature. Also, digestion robs you of energy. Since the heat is already robbing you of some energy, you don't need to add to this drain by taxing the digestive system. However, don't skip meals since it's food that replenishes the electrolytes you lose through sweating and increased water consumption.

3. Some sources suggest you wear "light colored, loose fitting clothes." However, that's only if you're going outside. If you go outside, go with that rule and also wear a loose fitting hat or carry an umbrella for shade. Forget the fashion rules, follow the heat rules. (By the way, royal blue and/or white are the best colors to wear for their heat reflective qualities. Ever wonder why most tarps and boat awnings are blue? This is why.) For indoors though, forget all those rules and go with the "bare as you dare" notion. The more exposed skin you have the more efficient your cooling-by-sweating process can work. Also, be sure to tie up long hair, and if you have a beard, consider shaving in order to remove all that facial insulation.

4. Though "bare as you dare" is the way to go indoors in limited AC, most of us would prefer to have good air conditioning. If yours is out, or if power sources are uncertain, go someplace that has AC like the mall or other places that don't mind people coming in and hanging around a while. Also, you can "AC pool" with friends just like you'd car pool. Go to a friend's house who has a good AC system.

5. Failing to find another source of AC, and considering that the power might be out, here are a couple more tips. First, stand-alone floor unit air conditioners aren't that expensive and can run off regular household current without the need for the special 220 volt outlets. This means that they can be operated using the smaller gas-powered electric generators. Can't afford a generator? You can probably afford a power inverter which can sometimes be found for under twenty dollars. They plug into your car's cigarette lighter and, using an extension cord, can power an appliance like your stand-alone AC, or at least some fans. Speaking of your car, if nothing else, if your car has AC you can ride around during the hottest hours of the day, providing you can afford today's gas prices. If absolutely nothing else, go to your nearest "dollar store" and see if they have any of those little battery-powered fans.

6. Can't afford a stand-alone AC but you have a generator? Your generator or power inverter can also power your fridge and/or freezer where you should have two-liter plastic bottles full of water filling up every empty space in both the fridge and freezer parts. Having cold water is a great thing. You drink cool water and use cold water to soak towels to wrap around your neck, wrists, and ankles where the veins and arteries are closest to the surface. This is one of the best ways to reduce your body temperature. Also, setting up a few of the frozen two-liter bottles in front of a fan can blow a nice cool breeze your way. (Write us at info@disasterprep101.com and we'll email you instructions for a homemade AC unit that uses these two-liter plastic bottles.)

7. Now that we've talked about keeping you cool in the heat, let's backtrack a bit and talk about reducing the heat you might experience. Naturally, the first rule is "block the sun." Do what you can to reduce the sunlight that hits your house or comes in through the windows. Keep the shades drawn, and you might even consider hanging a white sheet or blue tarp as an outside awning on the side(s) of the house that catch the most sun. These tarps are also effective if placed on the roof as they'll reflect the sun's rays.

8. Next in cooling the house come ventilation and insulation. If you have an attic, and the power is on, you should have a vent fan that keeps air flowing through the attic. Along with that, we suggest you have roof vent turbines, or a ridge vent (your home supply store can tell you all about these). In extremely hot weather, you might set a garden sprinkler on your roof and let it run for the hottest couple of hours of the day provided your area is not on water restriction. As for "insulation" one way to insulate parts of the house is to close off seldom-used rooms (especially those on the sunny side of the house), and close off their AC vents if any. This blocks heat and also reduces the area that your limited AC has to cool.

While we're here, we'd be remiss in our duties if we failed to give you the symptoms of sunstroke and heat exhaustion, both of which require medical attention:

Heat Exhaustion: Symptoms include heavy sweating, and skin may be pale, cool, or flushed. The victim will also exhibit a weak pulse, with fainting, dizziness, nausea, or vomiting.

Sun Stroke (sometimes called heat stroke): Symptoms are high body temperature, hot, dry, red, skin (usually with no sweating), rapid shallow breathing, and a weak pulse. Sun stroke is the more dangerous of the two.

The most immediate first aid for either of these is to get the victim into a cool spot, and reduce their body temperature with ice-cold wet towels around the neck, wrist, and ankles. You can also put them in a bathtub of cool water. Don't use cold water in the tub as that will shock the system. Regardless of your first aid measures, you should seek immediate medical assistance.

Remember, hot weather is nothing to ignore, even if you're not among the elderly or medically fragile. Heat can affect everyone. Play it safe, stay cool, avoid exertion, and stay healthy. Also, when considering heat safety, don't forget your pets.

About The Author
Paul Purcell is an Atlanta-based security analyst and preparedness consultant and is the author of "Disaster Prep 101" (http://www.disasterprep101.com.) Copyright 2006 Paul Purcell. Permission is granted to reprint this article provided all portions stay intact.