Nobody wants to get sick. However, most of us do get sick. It may be due to several reasons and the ailments may range from common cold to severe diseases like cancers. Now, it is a common phenomenon that, some people get sick more often, while others get sick less often. While you may find it, queer, it is actually the involvement of a number of factors, which are responsible for this phenomenon.

The following are some of these factors, which are responsible for this phenomenon:

1. Immune system

Your immune system is a major factor, which is responsible for deciding the state of your health. If you get ill quite often, then it might be due to a weak immune system. As it is, the immune system of our body has a very important role to play in our lives. Whenever some external particles or microbes enter our body, which can pose a threat to our health, then in that case, the immune system of our body reacts to it. Fever, coughing and sneezing are simple examples of the reaction of our immune system in response to external factors, which pose threat. In order to improve upon the immune system of your body, you should improve upon the intake of foods rich in vitamin C, such as lemon, oranges, tomatoes, and Indian gooseberry, which is one of the richest sources of Vitamin C.

2. Exposure to environmental pollution

If you are working in a highly toxic environment, then you are more likely to get sick. It is therefore; better to take up proper precautionary measures, in order to keep your self in good health. Apart from that, your home could be a breeding ground for dust mites and other microbes. It is therefore, required to keep your house clean, as the dust mites are a major factor for weakening your immune system.

3. Exposure to toxins by way of foods

Apart from all the above factors, another factor, which can prove to be a very important factor in causing sickness, is release of toxins inside your body via food. As it is, it is better, to avoid junk foods, soft drinks as well as other such foods. It is worth noting that, junk foods and soft drinks have little or no nutritional value and quite often are loaded with elements, which are not good for your health. Carbonated drinks release a lot of carbon dioxide inside your body. The higher the carbon dioxide level inside your body, the lower is the effectiveness of your immune system. Therefore, you need to see to it, that you get all the nutrition that your body needs. A balanced diet, along with proper nutrition can be very effective in reducing the chances of toxins.

4. Allergies

A person may suffer from a number of allergies and may never know about it. In most of the cases allergies to several factors remain undetected. This leads to lack of proper health and frequent exposure to sickness.

Apart from all, the above factors, a number of other factors may be involved. The above steps can prove to be quite effective in keeping you in good health.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cherry_Harris

Diseases are a lot like breakups: they are better prevented than cured. That said, when it comes to your body, you really should do everything you can to keep your body healthy.

This doesn't mean, however, that you go around depriving yourself of your pleasures. A steak will always taste tastier than broccoli, but it doesn't mean you can eat steak everyday and not suffer from high levels of bad cholesterol.

The key to keeping yourself healthy without depriving yourself of fun is to keep everything in moderation, and incorporate some healthy habits in your daily life.

Here are the top five habits for healthy living:

1. Drinking Enough Water Properly

Do you know how many liters of water you need to drink EVERYDAY? You answered correctly if you said three liters. It sounds like a lot but it really isn't much when you consider that our body is composed mostly of water. Water is also important for transporting nutrients throughout the body, as well as in keeping your skin hydrated.

How do you drink water? Spread your water drinking throughout the day. Immediately after waking up, drink two cups of water to awaken your body and to clean your bowels. Thereafter, drink half a cup of water every ten minutes. Avoid drinking water 30 minutes before meals and one hour after meals. Drinking too soon before and after a meal will dilute your digestive juices and can cause indigestion.

2. Eating Right

How do you eat right? By not skipping meals. Did you know that skipping meals actually causes your body to cope by slowing its metabolism, i.e., conserving calories by storing fat? Skipping meals also causes food cravings that cause food bingeing later in the day.

3. Eating More Fruits, Veggies And Fiber

Part of eating right is actually eating healthy foods. And by healthy, we mean eating more fiber and more fruits and vegetables. Eating nutrient-filled food ensures that your body gets all the nutrients that it needs. You don't have to turn your back on that medium rare steak, but keep it in moderation.

4. Fasting

Usually associated with food deprivation, the word "fasting" often sends down chills down anyone's spine. As terrifying as it may sound, fasting is actually a natural therapy method that, when done properly, allows the body to expel toxins over a short period of time. The body's digestive system actually has two main functions: (a) absorbing nutrients and (b) expelling waste.

Over time, our body accumulates waste, because our digestive system cannot handle both functions at the same time. Fasting allows our body to heal itself by allowing the body to take a break from the "absorbing" function. It should be stressed, however, that fasting should be done with a specialist's guidance, otherwise, fasting could harm you. You could take a class at one of those naturopathy schools before doing fasting on your own.

5. Supplementing Your Diet

With today's busy lifestyle, sometimes it's next to impossible to get all the necessary nutrients that our body needs everyday. To this end, you should supplement your diet with vitamin supplements.


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Have you ever wondered "what causes IBS anyway?" Well I'm sure doctors have given you the run-around prescribing drugs that are not curing the cause of IBS. Well today I'm going to explain to you how to cure IBS for good by eliminating the real causes for why it exists in the first place. In virtually every case of IBS if you follow my 3 suggestions your IBS will begin to improve within days.

3 Steps to Healing IBS

#1 - Avoid all processed foods: Processed foods lack vital nutrients, fiber and actually contain a great deal of artificial ingredients and flavours which have been proven to actually inflame the digestive tract and cause all the symptoms of IBS! What this is really coming down to is that most people with IBS don't have a disease but have an allergy or sensitivity to the food they're eating every day.

#2 - Elimination Diet: You need to go back to the basics and do what is known as an elimination diet. This is an eating plan by which you remove all highly irritating foods such as wheat, dairy, corn, soy and sugar from your diet. Every few days to weeks you re-introduce a food that has been eliminated, essentially you're watching for the response your body has to the food once it has been taken out for a period of at least 1-3 weeks. Often the very foods you eat on a daily basis will be the very cause of your IBS.

#3 - Candida: This is a yeast that exists in approximately 90% of the population a portion of which experience IBS as a result of it. In fact a colon over-run with fermenting yeast is extremely common in those with IBS. The solution is a process of cleanses that remove the overgrowth of yeast from your body, clean out your colon while also reducing inflammation and eliminating the very factors that trigger the inflammation to begin with.

Those who do a thorough candida elimination program can expect to not only cure IBS but many other health problems they're currently experiencing. Many times people begin to feel alive for the first time as they experience the benefits of complete health.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ryan_Shea

Historically, most humans in the world used to pass their evenings together around a fire. While this is still the case in many places, for many cultures the fire has been replaced by the television set. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, Western societies were generally structured such that the young and the elderly, the sick and the healthy, all lived together, taking care of one another. But as societies became increasingly stratified, these connections dwindled. The extended family home gave way to the home of the nuclear family. How have these changes affected the quality of health care?

Today, in Western industrial societies, most young children pass their time in childcare outside the home. Many people living with chronic illnesses or cognitive disabilities pass their days far away from their loved ones and family members. Likewise, the vast majority of seniors reside in an institutionalized assisted living situation rather than with their extended family. In Central Europe, one in every two people ends their life outside the home. These trends are perplexing, considering that in-home care is more cost effective than institutionalized care and science tells us that those who receive care in their homes are more likely to have better health care outcomes.

Anthropologists who specialize in the study of aging adults, for example, tell us that seniors who remain in their own homes with the assistance of in-home health care have the best of both worlds. Their research shows that people who remain in their own homes during their elder years are happier, healthier and more active than their counterparts who enter assisted care facilities or nursing homes, while at the same time enjoying the benefits of in-home help with tasks that have become difficult, such as housecleaning, meal preparation, transportation and keeping track of medications.

On average, their cognitive abilities also remain intact longer, as they go about their usual daily activities and make decisions about what they will do each day, from what they eat to what they wear. Elders who remain in their own homes with the assistance of in-home health caregivers stay more engaged with their families and with their long-time friends and neighbors, which stimulates the parts of the brain involved with memory, communication and a sense of identity. Depression is far less likely among this group.

Moving to an assisted living facility or nursing home is a traumatic event for most elders, who must part with many of their cherished possessions and become oriented to a whole new way of life in a new place. The unfamiliar setting and the challenges of adapting to scheduled meals and activities can overwhelm seniors, who often react by slipping into a passive state of depression and dependency.

An older person or couple who can stay in their own home, with the assistance of an in-home caregiver, continue to feel independent and in control of their lives, which boosts their self-esteem. Studies show that a sense of control of one's life is an important factor in preventing depression. Elders in their own homes are more likely to keep up with world events through newspapers and television, use the telephone to stay in contact with friends and family, enjoy their long-time hobbies and even take up new activities.

So why is care so often taken outside the home? The way industrial societies are structured plays a huge part. As German sociologist Reimer Gronemeyer explains: "Those societies that see themselves as productive societies tend to 'marginalize,' or even to suppress...elderly citizens and their interests because their needs could be perceived as an unacceptable pressure on the budget." While medical developments have dramatically increased the life expectancy in industrialized societies, with people over 65 constituting the fasted growing segment of the U.S. population, these societies have not yet adapted to embrace family models that account for this increase.

The problem may lie in how these societies conceive of personhood. This question is one of the most telling tools by which anthropologists can make cross-cultural comparisons. Is the value of a human life based on how much a person produces or on how that person treats others? Likewise, for Gronemeyer, the manner in which a society "responds to the weak, needy and fragile members within its own structures measure[s] the sense of humanity of any society."



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brandon_J._Thomas

Coughing helps to keep the mucus out of the lungs so you can console yourself as you cough throughout the night that it is having a beneficial effect. After three or four days the symptoms start to improve. This improvement is virtually inevitable - whether you have dosed yourself with penicillin, hot whiskey or just nothing. So just because your neighbor swears that swallowing six antibiotic capsules cured her cold in three days, don't rush to stock up on antibiotics - her cold would have got better in three days even if she had flushed the six capsules down the toilet and drank six cups of hot water instead. If by some chance the symptoms of your cold do not improve in three or four days, it is wise to seek medical advice. A "Cold" that lasts a week or more is more likely to be Allergic Rhinitis (due to dust or other irritants) or a secondary infection.

Sometimes harmful aggressive bacteria may attack the lining of your nose or throat after it has been damaged by the cold virus. This is what is known as Secondary Infection, and produces its own symptoms on top of the cold. The nasal discharge can thicken and become colored. If the cough becomes deep-seated, with yellow or green (purulent) sputum, or there are breathing difficulties, then a doctor should be consulted in case a chest infection is developing. Bacteria are responsible for this type of damage, and antibiotics may now become necessary to support the body's own antibodies.

An antibody is a small entity that roams around the body in the bloodstream like a soldier on patrol. On finding an intruder (like a cold virus), it will attack and try to kill this foreign germ. If there are enough antibodies to kill all the intruders, the individual may never even know that his or her body had been invaded by foreign germs. On the other hand, if the invading germs outnumber the body's antibodies, the person starts to feel unwell as his body's defense services are fighting a losing battle. As time passes, however, the body produces more and more antibodies. Reinforced by these new recruits to its fighting force, the body will be able to destroy all the enemy invaders - and the individual starts feeling better again.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sunjeewa_Wijesinghe

The obvious preventive measure is to avoid the company, especially in a confined space, of those already suffering from colds. This is easy for doctors to say, but difficult to practice in our daily lives.

As to how one catches a cold after getting wet is difficult to explain. However, most of us know from our own experience that after a drenching, or the wearing of damp clothes, or after walking about under the fan with wet hair and bare-bodied after a cold bath on a wet day, how easy it is to catch a cold. It follows that such practices should be avoided whenever possible.

If despite all your efforts you still catch a cold, what then?

The frank answer is that there is no cure for the common cold. Antibiotics can kill bacteria - but are ineffective against viruses. In some cases, taking antibiotics can actually make things worse because they kill harmless bacteria which are helping to limit the spread of harmful viruses.

The treatment of a cold is simply aimed at making the symptoms better. Even when one is in good health, the nose and nasal sinuses are producing about a liter of a colorless liquid called mucus every 4 hours. Most of this mucus trickles harmlessly down the back of the throat into the stomach. The amount of mucus that is produced increases greatly during a cold; as a result, the nose gets blocked, the throat feels uncomfortable and a ticklish cough is inevitable.

It is tempting to use a nasal decongestant (in the form of drops or spray) to get some relief. Undoubtedly, these work - but the problem is that they can produce a rebound effect which can actually increase congestion. The best thing to do is to rest as much as possible and stick to plenty of hot drinks (tea, coriander water, milk etc.), hot salt water gargles to soothe the throat, analgesics like aspirin or paracetamol to ease headaches and joint pains, with perhaps a little of your favorite cough mixture - and wait patiently for the agony to end.



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"Ah, it's only a cold, your colleague will say, as you sit at your desk with a handkerchief to your nose." Only a cold it may be, but you can be sure that everyone in the office will keep well away from you so that they don't catch the cold from you. If only we could all avoid those running noses and tickly throats! Unfortunately, all of us (including doctors) are susceptible, and in fact there is very little that we can do to avoid catching a cold.

Most coughs and colds are due to a tiny germ called the Rhinovirus; a cold starts when this virus lodges in the nose and throat. When it does enter the body, the body's own defense mechanisms may well deal with the invader before it can get a hold, and the person may never even know that the germ had been there. If however the body's defenses are not up to scratch, the intruder becomes well established, spawns a family of a few million descendants at the back of your throat - and soon you are down with all the uncomfortable symptoms of a cold.

The basic truth, then, is that the first line of defense against the cold germ is your own state of health. Antibodies (unlike antibiotics) cannot be bought in bottles from the pharmacy - they have to be produced by the body only. Plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh air and exercise - it is these that build up the body's resistance.

For many years, Vitamin C was thought to ward off colds - but the evidence for this is still controversial. Anyway, a few extra bananas, oranges, mangoes and apples will give your body extra Vitamin C - so, until the controversy is settled, why not help yourself to the pleasures of fresh fruit?



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A sore throat is typically caused by a virus like the common cold, flu or Epstein Barr. In some cases it can be caused by bacteria like strep or mycoplasma. A recurrent painful throat is more likely to be caused by allergy, acid reflux, overuse of the voice, sinusitis or an underlying chronic infection.

Typical symptoms like pain and inflammation of the throat may be accompanied by hoarseness of the voice, swollen glands, fever, chills, headache, respiratory symptoms and in some cases digestive upsets.

Conventional sore throat treatment

Most doctors will recommend rest, painkillers and plenty of fluids to treat this ailment. If they suspect it has a bacterial cause, then antibiotics may be prescribed.

Natural sore throat treatment

Fortunately there is a host of natural remedies that you can usually find in the home to treat this condition.

Sea salt and cayenne pepper gargle

To cleanse the throat and ease the pain, gargle with a quarter of a teaspoon of salt in one quarter cup of warm water. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to help numb the nerves of the throat. Gargle every hour or as needed.

Apple cider vinegar remedy

Mix one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with one teaspoon of honey (preferably Manuka honey) in 1/3 cup of hot water. Sip slowly as required.

Turmeric remedy

Mix a teaspoon of turmeric to a teaspoon of honey and sip slowly.

Hot lemon tea

Make up a hot lemon tea - simply add the juice of half a lemon to a cup of hot water. For added punch, add some grated ginger, garlic and cayenne pepper.

Ice cube melt

If your throat is so bad that it is hard to swallow, then place an ice-cube in your mouth and let it melt. This can numb the pain temporarily and will keep you hydrated.

Heat bag

Place a heated wheat bag or hot water bottle over your throat and neck to ease discomfort and to increase circulation to the area.

Essential oils

Aromatherapy oils like tea tree, lavender, eucalyptus and thyme are useful adjuncts if there are respiratory symptoms like a runny nose, cough or lung congestion. These oils can be added to hot water and inhaled or added to a bath or humidifier.

Garlic

Garlic is a well known anti-microbial often recommended as an effective sore throat treatment. I tell my patients to eat at least a clove of garlic a day - preferably raw or added to soups, teas or dressings.

Chicken soup

Chicken soup is a famous sore throat treatment used to bring relief from congestion and discomfort. Scientifically chicken soup has been shown to be high in the amino acid cysteine which helps thin mucous and expel it from the body. So dig up grandmother's old recipe, cook it up and enjoy!

Vitamin C

A popular sore throat treatment is vitamin C. Most homes will have a supply of vitamin C tucked away somewhere. Take at least 3-5 gram a day to strengthen your immunity.

Naturopath Elizabeth Noble BSc. Dip Nat Ther, has over 16 years experience in helping thousands boost their immunity and regain their health. She specialises in treating patients with immune disorders like recurrent infections, Epstein Barr virus and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Elizabeth's sore throat remedies include the use of vitamins, minerals and herbs, an immune-boosting diet, cleansing the body, aromatherapy, massage, graded exercise and stress reduction.



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Hemorrhoids are composed of tissue cushions engulfed with blood vessels located where the anus and rectum connect, similar to varicose veins.

There are a number of causes for bleeding hemorrhoids:
• Serious constipation.
• Poor muscle tone and extensive pressure on rectal veins.
• Excessive consumption of alcohol and caffeine.
• Pregnancy
• Hypertension in the portal vein

Anyone experiencing bleeding hemorrhoids needs to seek medical help. The doctor will be able to detect if the hemorrhoid(s) is internal or external, or if the problem is related to some other issue. Bright red blood normally indicates a hemorrhoid. If it is darker in color, the blood is being released higher in the colon and could indicate more serious problems. The doctor may order a colonoscopy to discover the cause.

Keep in mind though, some changes need to be made; otherwise there is a good chance the patient will continue to deal with the condition.

1. Increase dietary fiber intake. Fiber acts as a broom to sweep the colon of fecal matter. Fresh fruit and vegetables are a delicious way to add fiber to the diet on a daily basis. Whole grains are also a good source. Substitute whole wheat or multigrain breads and pastas for those composed of highly processed white flour and consume a good percentage of your daily fruits and veggies raw, without peeling them.

2. More water - good hydration will add moisture to the bowels, making it easier to pass fecal material and contribute less irritation to the colon's vessels.

3. Exercise - regular exercise aids the body in moving waste matter through the colon.

Odds are the problem is nothing more than a crack in the rectum or a fissure, both of which are easily treated. With good diet, exercise and a bit of medical advice, it is normally easy to overcome bleeding hemorrhoids.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Henry_McAllen

What exactly is a 'thrombosed' external hemorrhoid? In the simplest of terms, it is an external hemorrhoid in which there is a blood clot. Okay, so just exactly how does a blood clot wind up inside your skin? It's truly more common than would be thought. Blood that sits around and does not move will clot and venal blood through the lower body require a combination of muscular actions to return to the heart. When a person does not move much, blood can stay put for hours or days and blood that does not move clots. Though they can occur at most any time in life, thrombosed external hemorrhoids tend to prey on young adults and pregnant women.

Anyone who develops a thrombosed external hemorrhoid (TEH) will know about it. (Thrombosis is a fancy expression for blood clot.) What distinguishes the TEH is the color. Think black and blue - highlighted with dark purple and deep red. Not a pretty sight!

How do you treat one of these things? Sometimes a TEH will heal itself. It is best, however, to consult a doctor. In the event your doctor's appointment is delayed, here are some suggestions to help during the waiting time.

• A sitz bath can offer great relief for a thrombosed external hemorrhoid. Sit in one or two inches of the hottest water you can comfortably tolerate for about twenty minutes two or three times a day.
• For additional relief, after the sitz bath, sit on an ice pack wrapped in a towel. Switching from heat to cold will help get the blood flowing again and help with inflammation.
• Ibuprofen, if tolerated, helps with the pain and also offers anti-inflammatory assistance.

Keep in mind, though a thrombosed external hemorrhoid can make life miserable, they can be controlled. Once you understand how they develop, you are then in a position to take steps and avoid the situation.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Henry_McAllen

Hemorrhoids (sometimes referred to as 'piles') occur when the blood vessels in and around the anal area swell and become inflamed. When straining is involved with a bowel movement, increased pressure placed on blood vessels within the rectum results in the development of internal hemorrhoids.

Internal hemorrhoids are located inside the anus and generally do not cause pain. They are graded from 1-4, depending on their size.

Grade 1 - these are very small and found within the lining of the anus. They are very common, though they cannot be seen.

Grade 2 - large than 1, but still within the anus. In some cases these hemorrhoids will be pushed out during a bowel movement; however, afterwards they return to the inside.

Grade 3 - referred to as prolapsed hemorrhoids, they will protrude outside the anus and usually decrease in size naturally. Normally they can be pushed back inside with gentle fingertip pressure.

Grade 4 - require treatment by a doctor. These hemorrhoids cannot be pushed back in and will remain outside the anus permanently.

Though hemorrhoids are capable of occurring at any time in life, pregnant women and the elderly are more often plagued with the condition. The symptoms demonstrated with internal hemorrhoids will vary, but the most common include itching and a burning sensation, blood on tissue and rectal discomfort. Thankfully the condition normally is not serious and treatment is often successful.

Though hemorrhoids can be uncomfortable, there are a number of things you can do to help the situation:

Avoid constipation. A high fiber diet, along with an adequate fluid intake (preferably water) will help eliminate hemorrhoids.

A warm sitz bath will ease burning, itching and pain, in addition to helping shrink swollen veins.

Limit salt intake and avoid foods that contribute to itching, such as hot spices and carbonated drinks.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Henry_McAllen

So why do we get hemorrhoids in the fist place? And if we do have them is there a hemorrhoid home treatment that is effective, as opposed to the normal commercial stuff that's out there, that really doesn't get to the root cause of hemorrhoids.

The answer in short is yes there is a hemorrhoid home treatment, which is very effective, but more on that later, first let's take a look at why we get hemorrhoids.

A lot of people think that it's just their lot to have been born with them or something; well that's just not the case.

After a lot of intensive research in the alternative therapies field it's thought that the majority of cases, of hemorrhoids are caused by imbalances in out bodies caused by modern day pollutants, along with processed foods, which our bodies are not designed to take in high volumes of.

Now there's possibly not a lot you can do about the pollutants around us, but you sure can do something about the amount of processed foods you ingest.

But:

Before we move on I think it's worth pointing out that not all processed foods are bad here's a couple of examples: pasteurized milk, or homogenized milk, and frozen vegetables, whilst fresh is best, freezing does retain the essential vitamins and minerals, I'm sure you get the point.

The ones to steer well clear of are foods with large quantities of sugar, sodium, and saturated fats.

These would include foods such as:

1. White bread or pasta made with white flour

2. Refined sugars

3. Canned foods with lots of sodium

4. High fat convenience foods

5. Cakes and cookies

6. Processed meats

7. Breakfast cereals with added sugar

So when all this processed/refined food is ingested, it can cause constipation making stools harder, and so much more difficult to pass, this along with irregular bowel movements, and other reasons can be seen as the the "root causes" for hemorrhoids.

So I'm sure you are beginning to see that there is a hemorrhoid home treatment available, but you most likely need to clear your refrigerator out.

Of course you could always just use the commercial lotions and potions that are on the market to give you a quick relief fix. But you know this only works for a limited time.

You know deep down that these creams, ointments, and suppositories don't work for any lasting period of time, they may take away the burning and itching for a quick fix, and of course the other down side is that, they also have side affects for some folks.

If these products worked and, where so good, answer this question: why are you always encouraged to purchase these products in multi packs? So stop the quick fix mentality and work on the root cause of the problem.

It's the root cause that needs to be resolved, first of all stop eating these bad processed foods, and switch to a hemorrhoid home treatment plan of action, and put all that embarrassing, bleeding itching and pain firmly behind you, once and for all.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Luke_Roberts

The web has revolutionized shopping - it has especially widened the selection of goods & services that are available to people that have access to the internet. Medical supplies have proven to be consistent online sellers during the last decade. But why?

People generally buy medical supplies online for two reasons...

1)They either hope to save money by shopping online or

2)They shop online because can't find the goods they need close to their house. These two reasons have created a boom in online sales of all sorts of products & medical supplies are no exception. Let's look at both of these factors in depth now...

First, as anyone who's done a lot of online shopping knows, sometimes you can find much better deals on the web (this is true of all sorts of products being sold online). Some web retailers don't have as much overhead as traditional retailers which can lead to significant cost savings for anyone who's looking to buy goods at discounted prices. Like all markets, people tend to gravitate toward products that have equal quality but lower prices.

The internet has become the great price leveler. In fact, it's power is so pervasive that there have been many reports of prices in the OFFLINE world being affected too. Think about it- if you can buy a certain item for a 50% discount online, how many products will offline retailers be able to sell? Probably not many because people just think to themselves: "Oh, I can buy that for 50% off online." This has caused many merchants to adjust their prices downward to meet the internet price. Consumers seem to be much savvier shoppers today & therefore retailers must 'meet or beat' the shadow of the internet prices that constantly follow them. This all ties into why medical supplies have become hot sellers online- the prices are often very good.

Second, many people shop online because they sometimes cannot physically find the products that they need near where they live. Today, roughly 1/2 the population lives in a rural environment & the selection of available goods may be limited in some of these places. As anyone who's lived in a rural environment can tell you, while living in the country is nice, it sometimes doesn't offer a lot of options for shopping. Therefore, online shopping can be a great benefit for people who have legitimate needs but want greater a selection of goods & services...combining the internet with UPS or FEDEX allows people to get any type of product they want in less than a week in most cases. Ask anyone more than 50 years old how big a deal this is...it's truly a revolution.

As you see from the above examples, online shopping is a two for one deal. It's a step in the right direction of solving the "no stores" problem of the country & it has allowed all of us to get better deals on things that we shop for every day...

It's a fact that the web has opened up a whole new world of shopping, no matter where you live medical supplies are only a few click away these days...


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robbin_Edyne

Whether they show symptoms or not, statistics show that the majority of people in the United States are infected with Herpes Simplex Virus I, or HSV-1 for short, the virus that causes cold sores. Many of these will suffer a single outbreak or none at all, while perhaps a quarter will suffer at least one major outbreak every year.

People who don't suffer from cold sores often underestimate their impact on the sufferer, forgetting that the impact is psychological as well as physical. However, while cold sores are a relatively common condition it is easy to overlook the dread they instil, particularly in younger people. They are of an age when looks are of paramount importance, and the appearance of an ugly cold sore that will last for some ten days before healing completely can happen at the most inconvenient of times - like just before a big date or a job interview.

Stress in undoubtedly a factor in a new cold sore outbreak occurring, but in the severely affected it can even be triggered by menstruation. Once the sore appears there are a choice of treatment options, both medicinal and natural, that will help it heal faster as well as reducing the pain and swelling.

However, the best approach is to try and prevent cold sore outbreaks from occurring at all.

The key to keeping your cold sores under control lies in the body's own natural defence mechanism, the immune system. The problem with HSV-1 is that it inhabits the nerve cells, below the surface of the skin and most of the time lies in a dormant state.



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