The pharmaceutical industry prefers researchers not to look in detail at the postmarketing situation. Once a drug is on the market, we are all supposed to be interested in something else. We should just assume the drug has solved whatever the problem was. There’s no need to follow up by measuring how well the drug is actually performing. Except that’s the kind of thinking that delayed the recall of the Cox-2 Inhibitors when there should have been better safety monitoring to show this class of drugs caused heart problems. Worse, this type of resistance to research runs through most different industries as the delayed recall of Toyotas aptly demonstrates. Which brings us to 2010 Sleep in America, a poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation. This is a regular snapshot of sleeping habits across America. It’s good this research is done, but it’s on the margin with only a thousand or so participants. There should be significantly more participants if the scaling up of the numbers across the general population is to be reliable. As it is, we should not generalize too much from the results. The first finding is that, on average, we seem to be sleeping about two hours less than we did forty years ago. For some reason not properly explained, the study assumes we should all aim for about eight-and-a-half hours of sleep every night. The current crop of respondents reports sleeping between six and seven hours a night. To keep the accuracy of this report in perspective, there’s good medical evidence that lack of sleep undermines the body’s immune system making us more prone to illness, encourages obesity, increases blood pressure, and raises the risk of heart disease. What is less clear is the point at which these adverse health consequences kick in. It could be between six and seven hours a night, but there is no evidence to support this proposition. About a quarter of the respondents admit to missing work or appointments because they felt too tired. The same percentage admitted they were too tired to have regular sex. When asked to explain why sleep was more difficult, many referred to increased financial worries during the recession. Personal stress levels were higher with relationship problems. There were also lifestyle choices like watching TV in bed which delayed or disturbed sleep. In racial terms, Asians have the longest sleep patterns and blacks sleep less than whites and Hispanics. Overall, the report makes interesting reading but, until more people are included in the poll, it is difficult to generalize to the population at large. That said, some of the conclusions are intuitively correct. If about 25% of people are finding their lives adversely affected by insomnia, it helps explain why ambien is such a popular drug. As the sleeping pill with the best reputation for safety and effectiveness, it seems to be the drug of choice to get enough sleep. But it does remain something of a mystery why people make it difficult for themselves. About three-quarters of the respondents watched TV immediately before attempting sleep and then expressed surprise they did not immediately fall asleep. The reality is that, unless you resort to ambien, it’s better to relax the mind, say, by listening to gentle music. Moving the TV out of the bedroom and avoiding exciting late-night programs is basic common sense. Going to sleep at the same time every night is a good habit. Living your life around the TV schedule is a bad habit.
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Ambien is being overprescribed
Common Side Effects of Using Birth Control Pills
Centuries ago, women really did not have a say about whether they want to have a baby or not. Nowadays, however, women have the capacity to plan their lives, careers and family with the help of contraceptives, particularly birth control pills — which is considered as a contraceptive that is around 92% to 99.75% effective. Statistics show that this oral contraceptive is still the number one choice of women. However, birth control pills do not work to prevent sexually transmitted diseases, reproductive tract infections and AIDS/HIV.
Although The Pill can be considered as an effective way to control birth, a lot of women are still afraid to use it because of perceived side effects. Moreover, oral contraceptives are not for everyone. Women who are above 35 years old, smokers, and have liver diseases, heart problems, inexplicable vaginal bleeding, history of stroke or heart disease and cancer should not take pills. And of course, women who think that they are pregnant should absolutely not take contraceptive pills.
Side Effects Of Taking Birth Control Pills
As mentioned earlier, there are quite a number of women who are afraid to take oral contraceptives because of side effects. They feel that their protection against unwanted pregnancy does not outweigh possible adverse effects that may be brought about by using The Pill.
Here are some of the side effects that women believe can be caused by taking oral contraceptives:
Increase Risk Of Certain Types of Cancer
If there is one thing that really prevents a lot of ladies out there to try taking pills, it is the fear of increasing their risk of having cancer, particularly in the breasts, ovaries and other reproductive organs. Some decades ago, it is believed that contraceptive pills increase the likelihood of women getting gynecological cancers for about 40%. In reality, however, the oral contraceptives that are available nowadays actually help in preventing cancer, particularly those related to the female reproductive system. To be on the safe side, it would be better for you to seek medical advice before using oral contraception, especially if you have a family history of cancer.
Unwanted Weight Gain
According to studies, the average weight increase of women who are taking oral contraceptives is about 3 kilograms in a period of one year. However, this slight weight gain can also be due to normal aging process, slow metabolism and even lack of exercise. Although the weight gain caused by pills is only minimal, there are women, especially those that are in their 20s, who do not want to take the risk of ingesting something that may contribute unwanted pounds. Probably, this is due to the popularity of being skinny.
Bloating And Fluid Retention
Women who are using contraception will attest that there is a link between The Pill and water retention. It seems that high doses of estrogen in birth control pills can really cause weight gain due to retention of fluid. If the contraceptive that you are using has a high dose of estrogen, you might want to try one that has a lower dosage.
If you are experiencing swelling of the arms and legs, as well as abdominal cramping, chest pains, extreme headaches, and eye problems, then it may be wise to visit your doctor immediately because what you are experiencing might be extreme side effects from contraceptive pills.
For women who are experiencing water retention due to menopause, monthly period, or normal use of birth control pills, one way of getting rid of the swelling is taking natural supplements such as Expelis, which is designed to eliminate excess fluid in the body safely. For more details, visit http://www.expelis.com/.
Janet Martin is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premier online news magazine. http://www.thearticleinsiders.com.
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Easy Weight Loss Tips
Losing weight is a very challenging task. Many people who try to lose weight have been undergoing many weight loss programs. Weight loss programs and diet tips are most likely your best option for a faster weight loss. You may try some weight loss tips that can help you achieve a physically fit body.
There are weight loss tips that enable you to learn how to step down on those weight loss equipment slowly and steadily. You will also undergo a training program for a low fat eating plan and practice a healthy way life.
Exercise and proper diet is the best alternative in losing weight. One of the keys for weight loss is to know the right weight loss tips accompanied by a proper exercise program.
There are no magic solutions or diet supplements that can reduce your weight in an instant. Motivation and dedication are also important aspects when you engage yourself in a weight loss and diet program.
If you are experiencing weigh loss problems, whether it is an extra 15 pounds or an extra 40 pounds, you should realize that it is important to reduce those extra pounds. You need to lose weight to avoid and prevent diseases and heart problems.
Here are some weight loss tips that will help you to lose weight easily.
1.You should have a positive approach towards your goal to lose weight. You need great amount of perseverance and consistency in order to follow your exercise routines and diet programs. This is very important for you to succeed. You are the only one who can convince yourself to look better and physically fit.
2.Eat low fat food and healthy foods in your diet. It is advisable that you also include foods that are rich in carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. These foods are considered high in bulk. This means that you would feel full even with few calorie intakes.
3.When you are feeling hungry, drink plenty of water. Water can help you lessen your cravings. It is recommended that you drink at least eight glasses of water everyday.
4.Even if you are eating foods that are low in fat, make to check on your calorie intake. Calories can add up to your weight, and there are fat free products and low fat products out there that would allow you to gain more weight.
5.Walking is an effective way of exercise. Walking has been proven to effectively burn the unwanted fats in the body. Leg muscles are also toned up when you do a lot of walking. It also strengthens the bones and helps you improve and develop a positive concept on your weight loss exercise program.
6.Engage yourself in daily activities to keep your body always active. You can enroll in an intense work out training program or aerobic workout sessions.
When setting your goal in achieving your ideal weight, you should be realistic on the weight that you want to achieve and maintain.
Always remember that having a healthy lifestyle is the best weight loss tip many experts advise. Nothing is better than having a physically fit and a healthy body.
Dave Poon is an accomplished writer who specializes in
the latest in Dieting. For more information
regarding Weight Loss Tips please drop by at http://www.loseweightcontrol.com/