Alternatives to Face Lifts? Courtesy Kamau Austin

An overview of the various other methods available

Facelifts have emerged as a common cosmetic surgical procedure. It promises to remove the ravages of time from our faces.

As we grow older the muscles of our face lose their elasticity. This creates wrinkles - lines and folds of skin on our faces.

Wrinkles are some of the most visible signs of aging. As a cosmetic procedure, facelifts are increasingly being used to tighten saggy skin and get rid of wrinkles.

After a facelift the face looks more youthful and more alert. Facelifts can be conducted on the whole face but sometimes only a partial procedure.

It may be recommended for the brow area or the lower face. Another alternative is to get just the neck area tightened.

The results of a facelift are expected to last from 7 to 10 years. However, you should be aware that this procedure may have no effect on certain areas. For example, the fine skin lines around the mouth area.

Facelifts are a costly cosmetic plastic surgery procedure. Apart from the considerable financial burden, the recovery time involved in this procedure is considerable (almost 4 weeks).

Scarring of the face as a by-product of the operation is a risk. Although a good surgeon can reduce the risk and appearance of the operation.

Recoveries from plastic surgery in some instances can be long, and painful. The patient may have to suffer a strict regimen of antibiotics and strong painkillers.

In our next post in this series we will explore repeated procedures and plastic surgery.

Osteoarthritis -- How is it Affecting the Aging US Population? Part 3 and Conclusion by Kamau Austin

In our first 2 posts in this series we discussed a very prevalent condition that people suffer from in their middle age even if they take good care of themselves called Osteoarthritis or OA. We illustrated some symptoms people with OA experience from the condition.

In today's post we now focus on how minerals can affect OA.

Minerals like calcium and vitamins like C and D are essential in the formation of strong bones. New research is being conducted to find out whether a lack of these elements can contribute to the development of OA as the person grows older.

Some genetic and heredity conditions relating to the skeletal framework may also play role in the onset of OA -- bone dysplasias and charcot joints. Some physicians also point towards the Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.

If an injured joint has not been properly aligned, the risk of OA increases for that particular joint. There are a couple of occupational factors too which contribute to OA.

Any joint, which is being repetitively used or overworked, is susceptible to OA disease. This is because these tasks also over tax the muscles.

Overtaxing a particular muscle which protects a joint also increases the risk of OA.

Pain is one of the primary symptoms of this disease. The frequency and level of this pain may increase over a period of months, even years.

While it impairs free movement, the condition might also worsen with enforced activity. Doctors strongly advise rest in such cases as the pain usually subsides after a period of inactivity.

OA symptoms also include certain stiffness in the joints in the mornings. However, it does not usually last for more than half an hour. The joint will also feel stiff after a long period of rest but this stiffness would most likely go away after a few minutes.

Exercises, like weight lifting and that intent on strengthening the muscles will also help. Treatment with drugs can only help to relieve the pain. You might also want to apply cold packs to the inflamed joint. Surgery is absolutely the last resort. It includes options like partial or complete joint replacement - these are relatively safe procedures.

The implications of this disease on the ageing US population are quite immense. It was predicted that on the year 2003, almost 70 million Americans suffered from OA and other related disorders.

This number is expected to drastically go up as the 'baby boomer' generation grows older annually. OA has been the cause of 32 million physician visits and has resulted on the hospitalization of over 2.3 million patients.

There isn't any universal cure for Osteoarthritis. However proper supplementation provides a ray of hope in the care of OA. Natural products such as Phosoplex™ available from Amazon or from This Health and Fitness Shop, can actually help to support healthy cartilage, relieve pain and provide lubrication to your joints.

Do You Want or Need a Black Doctor?

I remember when I was younger you more than likely had a family doctor. These days with health insurance being the pain in the but that it is you have to pick your doctor out of a book.

This has left a situation where you are usually saddled with a doctor who doesn't know you and many times have no personal relationship with you or your family. African American experience the frustration and more dealing with the medical industry and doctors.

What if...

You could at least close the cultural divide with the medical establishment with being able to find a black doctor? How would this help you feel more comfortable when seeking medical attention?

Actually if you are African American and need medical attention there maybe a national network of doctors who can be there for you when you call. Take a look at the website below

Enter www.blackdoctor.org Making Black Health a Community Affair

Chicago, IL - Most African Americans can identify with the difficulty of finding a Black doctor in their neighborhood. Or even how hard it is to get health advice from someone they know, who understands their culture and lifestyle. Well, now there's help. BlackDoctor.org has a nationwide free referral service that lets consumers find qualified Black doctors in their area. They can look up doctors on the BlackDoctor.org website or by calling BlackDoctor.org's toll free number.

"Good-Bye to choosing random doctors out of your insurance handbook. BlackDoctor.org provides a credible and trusted resource for African-Americans to get healthy lifestyle information. We are a WebMD for Black consumers," states entrepreneur and CEO Reginald Ware.

Each week BlackDoctor.org showcases the latest health articles as well as fun, useful information, including an assortment of 14 health calculators. There's an "Ovulation Estimator," which tells women the best time to try to get pregnant, a "Calorie Calculator"- letting one know personally how many calories to intake to gain or lose weight, a "Lose One Pound Calculator"- letting people know depending on height & weight how long and what activities they must do to lose weight, and a "Smoking Cost Calculator" which lets one know how many dollars they are really spending on cigarettes, just to name a few. BlackDoctor.org also offers important information on everything from fitness tips to weight loss advice, to in depth coverage on 100 different diseases and conditions.

A very interesting article on BlackDoctor.org quotes Dr. Sandra L. Gadson, president of the National Medical Association (NMA) discussing the disturbing health status of the Black male. The article states, "The life expectancy at birth for black males in the U.S. (68.8) is lower than that for males in Iran (69.0), Colombia (69.3), and Sri Lanka (71.5)-populations identified by the United Nations as having "medium human development. In fact, the average life expectancy for black males is much closer to that of Viet Nam, El Salvador, and Iraq than it is to the life expectancy of white males in the U.S."

BlackDoctor.org also features new groundbreaking developments, i.e. the country's first Soul Food Pyramid, developed by Roniece Weaver, executive director of Hebni Nutrition Consultants and diet & nutrition editor of BlackDoctor.org. Also included are numerous message boards/blogs-where visitors can get free medical advice and talk to others who share interests and concerns about various diseases, etc. BlackDoctor.org also has a weekly newsletter called "Housecalls' where people can get timely, targeted information right in their email box.

All the services on BlackDoctor.org are absolutely free. For more information about BlackDoctor.org, please visit the website at www.BlackDoctor.org

Osteoarthritis -- How is it Affecting the Aging US Population? Part 2 by Kamau Austin

In our first post in this series we explored one of the most prevalent forms of arthritis called Osteoarthritis. It will affect more and more maturing people throughout the world (especially the west) as those populations age.

We also gave an idea of what osteoarthritis is and why it can be so debilitating. In this blog today we wanted to focus on the symptoms of Osteoarthritis.

One of the major symptoms of this disease is the swelling of the joints due to result of water retention. The cartilage in your joints may retain water. This brings about changes in the bone underlying the cartilage (called the subchondral bone).

This is especially noticeable the joints which bear the weight of the body, for example knees and hips. OA results from an inflammation of the joints; this is also called joint incongruity.

This is a particularly painful condition which hampers the movement of the afflicted joint to a large extent. Physicians predict a very strong connection between OA and heredity.

Obesity is another major risk factor which contributes to this disorder. This is because the weight bearing joints (knees, hips) of an overweight person would have to function under greater pressure.

As the body grows older, the cartilage component of our skeletal framework gradually loses its ability to repair itself. Thus, OA has come to be largely associated with aging. Some scientists predict that nutrition (or lack of it) may also be a contributing factor. Supplements like Phosoplex are gaining popularity with helping to offset this condition.

In the next post in this series we will discuss how the lack of certain minerals can predispose us to Osteoarthritis. Until then stay fit and healthy.