It is recognized that the biggest cause of premature death in America for both men and woman is smoking. Over 440,000 adults are dying prematurely every 12 months as a direct result of smoking cigarettes.

It is well publicized in the media and through health education programs that a person who smokes is putting themselves at almost a 10 times greater risk of contracting lung disease, emphysema, COPD, pneumonia, bronchitis, heart diseases etc. There is also an increased chance that a person who smokes will get cataracts, as well as peptic ulcers. These risks are even greater if the smoker is exposed to other risks factors at work including coal dust, asbestos or other microscopic particles.

Many smokers who are well aware of the risks associated with their addition will continue to smoke despite these risks because they think that smoking provides them some kind of benefit such as relief from stress and anxiety, increased pleasure or cutting appetite. Because of these perceived benefits they feel that quitting would require too great an effort and would just be too difficult to do.

Any smoker who does finally mange to break the habit and stop smoking will benefit from a longer life expectancy no matter what age they are when they decide to quit, they will also experience a greater sense of wellbeing and no longer be treated like a social pariah. It is simple truth that the younger a smoker is when he or she quits the greater the benefits will be to their health and longevity, but even taking all these factors into count it really is never too late to stop smoking. is never too late to quit!

A lot of smokers will admit that they suffer from “smokers cough”, a persistent rattley cough that never goes away, listlessness, sleep problems, wheeziness and shortness of breath. The fear of death is arguably the greatest reason people cite for wanting to stop smoking. It can often take several attempts before the habit of smoking is finally broken although of course there are the minority of lucky smokers who manage to quit at their first try. Most smokes take at least 6 tries before finally succeeding in breaking their nicotine habit for good

The actual process of stopping smoking is really a learning curve as you pick up on which methods are more helpful than others, which methods don’t help you personally at all, what events push you back into smoking and also which aids seem to suit you the best by helping you the most. This learning curve can prove to be time consuming and will require some effort and hard work combined with determination on the part of the person trying to quit smoking. However as long as you learn from the mistakes you may make and of course avoid repeating those mistakes on your next try, then each attempt to quit will inexorably bring you closer to your goal of being someone how has not only stopped smoking for good but also taken their initial steps towards regaining their health, lengthening their life expectancy and taking back control of their lives.

One final tip - avoid consuming alcohol whilst you are attempting to quit smoking, booze will inevitably lower your willpower, lower your determination and raise your chances of breaking your hard earned process and lighting up a cigarette and putting you right back where you began!

Allergies is the most common and probably the most complex cause for red eye symptoms. In general allergies are poorly understood, for example we can not fully explain or cure many allergy induced disorders such as asthma, rosacea or chronic urticaria.

We can be allergic to almost anything, for example some researchers believe Rosacea is caused by an allergy to microscopic mite (Demodex folliculorum) that lives in the hair follicle. Knowing that eyes also provide a broad surface area for the collection of any airborne allergens it would not be surprising that some hidden allergy may be responsible for the adverse reaction, as people may experience allergic reactions limited solely to ocular tissues.

Perennial allergic conjunctivitis may last throughout the year and although itching is the key symptom for diagnosing ocular allergy disorders it is often absent in allergic conjunctivitis. Some types of allergies, for example hay fever, make the eyes itchy, while others may merely produce a chronic redness. It’s not only invisible microscopic particles that are all around us and abnormal immune system that may cause red eye symptoms, hidden food allergies may also create an allergic reaction of the eyes with usual symptoms such as itchy or red eyes.

The first line treatment is identifying allergens and avoiding them. The most popular medicines used in ocular allergy treatment are artificial tear drops (such as systane, theratears or refresh endura) and Patanol which is a combination of anti histamine and mast cell stabiliser. People who do not respond well to first line treatment may be prescribed with Alrex, which is a corticosteroid approved by FDA for the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis. Long term use of corticosteroids have serious side effects such as elevated eye pressure or a possible development of cataract, therefore some specialists use Restasis (cyclosporin) for long term anti inflammatory effect, especially when dry eye symptoms are observed. A new possible trend in allergic eye inflammation treatment may be anti - immunoglobulin E medicine (such as Xolair), which is currently only approved for asthma.

Real skin care beyond beauty treatments

The skin is perhaps is the most pampered part of the human body, a least, for most women. From soaps to lotions to whole body scrubs — women spend thousands of dollars each year just to achieve that smooth, clear, flawless look. They want smoother skin and finer pores. Even if they have to spend a fortune, these women repeatedly go to their favorite salons to get rid of their dark spots, acne scars, and fine lines. Some try all the latest skin treatments hoping that the next one would really make them look whiter and rosier. While most women visit their dermatologist for purely aesthetic reasons, there is quite a number of women who need medical care for their skin. Skin infections account for many of the visits of women to the local dermatologist. But what is a skin infection?A skin infection is an invasion and growth of pathogenic microscopic organisms. The infecting organism or pathogen interferes with the normal functions of the skin. Skin infections can be divided into following classes or types based on the source of infection:l Fungal - Common types of fungal infection include tineal versicolor, yeast infection, ringworm, jock itch, and athlete’s foot.l Bacterial - Bacterial infections include folliculitis, furunculosis, impetigo, erysipelas, hidradenitis suppurativa, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, cuts, scrapes, etc.l Viral - Common viral infections include chicken pox and measles.Non-pathogenic organisms that normally live on the surface of healthy skin can become pathogenic under certain conditions. Any one who has a break in the skin is at risk of getting a skin infection. Diabetic people are also at greater risk of infection since the poor blood flow to the skin does not allow for faster healing of wounds. Skin damaged by scratching and sunburn can also be exploited by organisms that are actively searching for a host. It is also important to have information about the microscopic particles that actually cause the infection. l Virus- a submicroscopic particle consisting of a core of nucleic acid surrounded by protein that can grow and reproduce by infecting other organisms. l Bacteria – are uni-cellular organisms that come in spherical, rod, and spiral shapes. l Fungi (fungus) – are heterotrophic organisms that have a cell wall. These organisms were originally considered as plants with no chlorophyll. In general, humans have a high level of innate immunity to fungi and most infections are mild and self-limiting. Humans are usually resistant to certain fungi due to the following reasons:1. The pH content of the skin, mucosal surfaces and body fluids help prevent fungal infection.2. The fatty acid content of the skin helps fungi from living on the skin surface.3. Cilia of respiratory tract helps prevent fungi from entering the body.The presence of microscopic organisms merely shows that skin care is truly skin-deep. It is not enough to just focus on the smoothness, clearness, or rosiness of skin. The viruses, bacteria, and fungi that are ever-present need to be controlled so as to prevent skin infections that not only ruins a woman’s beauty but also poses health risks.

It is recognized that the biggest cause of premature death in America for both men and woman is smoking. Over 440,000 adults are dying prematurely every 12 months as a direct result of smoking cigarettes.

It is well publicized in the media and through health education programs that a person who smokes is putting themselves at almost a 10 times greater risk of contracting lung disease, emphysema, COPD, pneumonia, bronchitis, heart diseases etc. There is also an increased chance that a person who smokes will get cataracts, as well as peptic ulcers. These risks are even greater if the smoker is exposed to other risks factors at work including coal dust, asbestos or other microscopic particles.

Many smokers who are well aware of the risks associated with their addition will continue to smoke despite these risks because they think that smoking provides them some kind of benefit such as relief from stress and anxiety, increased pleasure or cutting appetite. Because of these perceived benefits they feel that quitting would require too great an effort and would just be too difficult to do.

Any smoker who does finally mange to break the habit and stop smoking will benefit from a longer life expectancy no matter what age they are when they decide to quit, they will also experience a greater sense of wellbeing and no longer be treated like a social pariah. It is simple truth that the younger a smoker is when he or she quits the greater the benefits will be to their health and longevity, but even taking all these factors into count it really is never too late to stop smoking. is never too late to quit!

A lot of smokers will admit that they suffer from “smokers cough”, a persistent rattley cough that never goes away, listlessness, sleep problems, wheeziness and shortness of breath. The fear of death is arguably the greatest reason people cite for wanting to stop smoking. It can often take several attempts before the habit of smoking is finally broken although of course there are the minority of lucky smokers who manage to quit at their first try. Most smokes take at least 6 tries before finally succeeding in breaking their nicotine habit for good

The actual process of stopping smoking is really a learning curve as you pick up on which methods are more helpful than others, which methods don’t help you personally at all, what events push you back into smoking and also which aids seem to suit you the best by helping you the most. This learning curve can prove to be time consuming and will require some effort and hard work combined with determination on the part of the person trying to quit smoking. However as long as you learn from the mistakes you may make and of course avoid repeating those mistakes on your next try, then each attempt to quit will inexorably bring you closer to your goal of being someone how has not only stopped smoking for good but also taken their initial steps towards regaining their health, lengthening their life expectancy and taking back control of their lives.

One final tip - avoid consuming alcohol whilst you are attempting to quit smoking, booze will inevitably lower your willpower, lower your determination and raise your chances of breaking your hard earned process and lighting up a cigarette and putting you right back where you began!

As many people age, cataracts, or clouding of the normally clear lens of the eye, are an increasingly common problem. Symptoms of cataracts include: blurred vision light sensitivity double vision in one eye poor night vision color distortion glare Southwest Eye Institute offers state-of-the-art cataract correction to help patients regain the freedom of clear vision. Our Surgeons use the latest technique in performing cataract surgery. Using only a topical anesthetic to numb the eye, the surgeon creates a small incision and uses high-energy sound waves to break the cataract into microscopic particles which are then removed from the eye. To compensate for the removal of the eye’s natural lens, an intra-ocular lens (IOL) is implanted into the eye. After using this special small incision, the eye remains tightly sealed by the natural outward pressure within your eye and no stitches are usually required. The cataract removal technique Southwest Eye Institute uses is often preferred to traditional methods because patients are more comfortable during and after the procedure. Because this new technique uses eye drops to numb the eye, usually the need for an anesthetic shot, stitches, or a post-surgery patch is eliminated. Another advantage is that most patients notice a rapid visual improvement with this technique. Whether it’s LASIK, CK, PRK, Cataract Surgery or another state of the art eye care procedure, we’ll find the best vision correction option for you. Ask for No Stitch, No Patch, No Needle Rapid Recovery Cataract Surgery.   At the SWEI it is the norm!