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Importance Of Hoodia Gordonii Cactus
October 26th, 2008Hoodia Gordonii is a cactus like plant that grows in the South African deserts. Hoodia Gordonii is not actually a cactus, but looks very much like a cactus. The Hoodia Gordonii cactus has been found to act as an appetite suppressant, and therefore has recently been promoted as an herbal supplement used to promote weight loss.
But when did it all begin? Why are we just hearing about the Hoodia Gordonii cactus now? The answer to these questions lies in the fact that there is still little known about this rare and hard to produce plant.
It was discovered by an anthropologist in the 1930′s as the people of Kalahari consumed parts of Hoodia Gordonii cactus during long journey across the desert to smother their appetite and thirst. It was the method to survive long periods without food. The nature by way of the Hoodia Gordonii cactus helped people to cross the desert unharmed.
Many scientists got interested in the plant when the news of the effects of the Hoodia Gordonii plant on the appetite spread. They found it to be a potential for developing herbal weigh loss supplement from the cactus. Hoodia was used on animals to test its properties by a number of scientists during the sixties. They came to the conclusion that Hoodia Gordonii did have the ability to curb thirst and hunger.
Not much has been done on this subject after that. Some scientific study was done on humans by a maker of Hoodia Gordonii diet pills later but not much has been reported on this. It is difficult to say how the Hoodia Gordonii cactus helps in curbing a person’s hunger. There are no studies also which suggest that there is any negative impact of the plant on humans.
For these reasons, the Hoodia Gordonii cactus has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use as a weight loss supplement. When more studies have been completed and more is known about the plant and how it works, it may be determined that we have found the best weight loss promoter in the world.
There is another big problem as it is very difficult to get this plant as it does not grow everywhere. The cactus needs a climate which is very hot with a little bit of humidity, which is common in South African deserts. There is not very good chance of getting this supplement easily and will also cost a lot.
What Is Degenerative Arthritis
October 24th, 2008Degenerative arthritis is also known as Osteoarthritis, and is a form of arthritis caused by the breakdown of cartilage of one or more joints. Cartilage is the dense connective tissue that protects the joint between bones and serves as a cushion to keep bones from rubbing together.
Statistics show that degenerative arthritis affects nearly 20 million Americans. Experts believe these numbers will double or perhaps even triple, over the next decade due to the explosion of Baby Boomers turning to senior citizens.
Degenerative arthritis tends to occur as we age. It affects more men before the age of 45, and more women after the age of 55. It occurs more frequently in females and in the U.S. all races are equally affected.
Degenerative arthritis typically affects the hands, feet, spine, and large weight-bearing joints including the hips and knees.
Degenerative arthritis is divided into two main kinds, secondary and primary. One is more likely to get primary degenerative arthritis when the age increases and the cartilage starts wearing off. As it is seen in many people the condition is very serious as the cartilage breaks down completely resulting in rubbing between the bones which leads to inflammation, joint pain and swelling.
An individual can suffer from secondary degenerative arthritis as the consequence of some other medical condition like diabetes, gout or hormone disturbances. It is also possible to get degenerative arthritis if a person is overweight has had a number of surgeries or has some congenital abnormality.
Degenerative arthritis is a disease of the joints and does not affect other body organs. The most common symptom of degenerative arthritis is joint pain accompanied by swelling or redness and warmth.
As a matter of fact signs of degenerative arthritis may differ from person to person and some may get incapacitated by the symptoms and others may not suffer as much. It is possible that you get the symptoms daily or once in a while.
At this time, there is no specific treatment for degenerative arthritis. Some people find relief from various modalities including rest, exercise, weight reduction, physical and occupational therapy, and certain medications. Medication may be used topically, taken orally, or injected into the joints to decrease joint inflammation and pain.