About Health

Stone massage

Stone massage is a form of bodywork that involves the application of heated or cooled stones (thermotherapy) to the body during deep tissue massage.

The use of materials of different temperatures on the body to bring about healing is an ancient technique. Stones have been used in many cultures, such as in the Native American sweat lodge, to adjust the temperature of the healing environment. Traditional lomilomi (Hawaiian massage) goes further and applies heated stones directly to the body.

Although stones have been used for many years as an adjunct to bodywork, their use was formalized in 1993 by Mary Nelson-Hannigan of Tucson, Arizona.

Strep throat

Strep throat is a contagious infection caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pyogenes.

Strep throat primarily affects children, especially those between the ages of five and 15. Adults whose immune systems have been weakened by stress or other infections are also at risk.

Most sore throats are associated with viral infections such as the common cold or the flu. Strep throat is responsible in only about 10%–15% of cases.

Stress

Stress is an individual’s physical and mental reaction to environmental demands or pressures.

When stress was first studied, the term was used to denote both the causes and the experienced effects of these pressures. More recently, however, the word stressor has been used for the stimulus that provokes a stress response. One recurrent disagreement among researchers concerns the definition of stress in humans.

Is it primarily an external response that can be measured by changes in glandular secretions, skin reactions, and other physical functions, or is it an internal interpretation of, or reaction to, a stressor; or is it both?

Stroke

Stroke is the common name for the injury to the brain that occurs when the flow of blood to brain tissue is interrupted by a clogged or burst artery.

Arterial blood carries oxygen and nutrition to the cells of the body. When arteries are unable to carry out this function due to rupture, constriction, or obstruction, the cells nourished by these arteries die.

The medical term for stroke is the acronym CVA, or cerebral vascular accident. It is estimated that four of every five families in the United States will be affected by stroke in their lifetime, and it is the top cause of adult disability worldwide.

Substance abuse and dependence

Substance abuse is the continued compulsive use of mind-altering substances despite personal, social, and/or physical problems caused by the substance use.

Abuse may lead to dependence, in which increased amounts are needed to achieve the desired effect or level of intoxication and the patient’s tolerance for the drug increases.

Substance abuse and dependence cut across all lines of race, culture, education, and socioeconomic status, leaving no group untouched by their devastating effects. Substance abuse is an enormous public health problem with far-ranging effects throughout society.

Sound therapy

Sound therapy refers to a range of therapies in which sound is used to treat physical and mental conditions. One of these therapies is music therapy, which can involve a person listening to music for conditions such as stress and muscle tension.

Music is one component of this therapy. Others use sound wave vibrations to treat physical and mental conditions. In general, this therapy is based on the theory that all of life vibrates, including people’s bodies. When a person’s healthy resonant frequency is out of balance, physical and emotional health is affected.

Treatment by sound waves is believed to restore that healthy balance to the body. Healing is done by transmitting beneficial sound to the affected area. The healing sound may be produced by a voice or an instrument such as electronic equipment, chanting bowls, or tuning forks.

The South Beach diet is a three-phase, carbohydrate-restrictive diet. It emphasizes foods that are low on the glycemic index (GI) and low in saturated fat, such as lean meats, vegetables, cheeses, nuts, and eggs.

Unlike other carbohydrate-restrictive diets, such as the Atkins and Zone diets, the South Beach diet promotes “good” carbohydrates, such as whole grains and fruit.

The creator of the South Beach diet, Dr. Arthur Agatston, is considered a leading cardiologist and is the director of the Mount Sinai Cardiac Prevention Center in Miami Beach. Originally, he had intended to design an eating plan to improve the cholesterol and insulin levels of his patients.