As a general rule, it is; but you do want to make sure you take certain precautions, and pay attention to signs and symptoms of specific cold-weather dangers.

Additionally, there are likely better and safer options than exercising outdoors during very cold temperatures.

Three primary dangers of cold weather exercise are:

Of course an anaphylactic response to a certain food is a very serious health problem. But food intolerances can also cause you a lot of suffering. You can experience headaches, fatigue, stomach pains, breathing difficulties, achy joints and muscles — you name it. Whatever your symptoms and health issues, a food intolerance could potentially be the trigger.

While many doctors may consider a food intolerance as a psychosomatic problem — more based in the mind than on any real physiological change in the body — the concept has been around since the ancient Greeks. The Greeks recognized that some unpleasant symptoms could be specifically linked to the ingestion of certain foods. One of two things can happen to trigger these symptoms: either a message gets sent to your immune system to produce antibodies as a potential defense; or a much slower response takes place in the gastrointestinal system. The first is considered an allergy; the second, food intolerance.

There are different components in a complete yoga system governing individual wisdom, spiritual belief and ethical behavior. Out of all of them, it is the physical practices of “hatha” yoga that have caught on most successfully in the West. Almost all of the types of yoga we recognize are geared toward improving the body. Relaxation and reducing stress are involved in the practice as well, but many people are focused on fitness and flexibility.

There are many styles of hatha yoga: slow and gentle, exercises using props, power yoga, and a new trend in the yoga world where participants do yoga in a room as hot as 105 degrees F. (The latter is known as “bikram” yoga and it would probably be best to wait until

For example, as NaturalNews previously reported, scientist William B. Grant, PhD, of the Sunlight, Nutrition, and Health Research Center (SUNARC), is researching a link between a lack of vitamin D and Alzheimer’s disease and other vascular dementias (http://www.naturalnews.com/026392_V…). And now comes word from two new studies that restful sleep and exercise 

The details: This was a small study that looked at just 15 adults who sat through four 20-minute training sessions on mindfulness meditation. However, before and after the training, the participants’ brains were scanned using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Lack of oxygen, caused by poor breathing or breath obstruction, is one of the hidden, yet most direct, causes of headaches. That’s why relief from head pain may be only a few breaths away.

Oxygen is the most vital element you need to live. Without air, we die fairly quickly. Indeed, life begins with a breath and a cry and ends with a final exhalation. Yet, while the atmosphere offers us an ample oxygen supply, we neglect to put it to best use. We rarely fill our lungs. We take quick short breaths and compromise our health.

The Chinese have a proverb, which, loosely translated, says: When you’re born, you intuitively inhale deeply from your stomach; at middle age, you breathe from the middle of your chest; as you approach the end of life, your breath is restricted to your throat.

In other words, the less full and more superficial our breathing, the closer to death we seem to be. We should breathe from our stomachs, expanding and contracting the abdomen, which facilitates a full and complete breathing cycle. It draws fresh air to the bottom of the lungs and expels stale air from the same depths.

Oxygen Deprivation Causes Headaches

Often people experience difficulty breathing fully, due to impaired sinuses. Also known as the paranasal sinuses, our sinuses are connected to our nasal cavities, and include the maxillary, frontal, ethmoid and sphenoid sinuses. When we have a cold or allergies, the sinuses become inflamed, the sinus tissues swell and breathing becomes congested. Virtually everybody has experienced this. Additionally, accidents involving head trauma can occlude the sinuses, and cause long-lasting or even permanent obstruction.

You can hear them coughing or wheezing. They are fighting to breathe regularly. These allergies or inflammations are being caused by abnormal production of antibodies (immunoglobulin E). Our immune response system can either produce too much TH1, which causes inflammation. On the other hand, too much TH2 can start allergies. There are a lot of medicinal drugs that can help alleviate patients from asthma attacks. Still, these medicines are not quite effective to regulate production of both TH1 and TH2.

Just recently a group of scientist from Mount Sinai School of Medicine has stated that herbal medicines that are used in Chinese Traditional Medicines may regulate the function of the human’s immune system. It can either be taken as pure mixture of Chinese herbs or mixed with Western medicines.

There are actually 5 Chinese herbal mixtures that have shown a positive result in treating asthma. One of them is ASHMI (Anti-Asthma Herbal Medicine Intervention) this formulation includes three herbs and had been tested in the US.

Another formulation that is great for treating asthma is MMMDT (Modified Mai Men Dong Tang) which is composed of five herbs. The study shows that if MMMDT is combined with asthma therapy, it can improve the lungs. It was also proven that this medication has a more positive result than the method of asthma therapy plus placebo.

The third one is DCT (Ding Chuan Tang) which is composed of nine herbs. This can be a great therapy for asthma patients it can provide a relief in providing stability for the airways. STA-1 is another medication that has 10 Chinese herbs in it. it has provided great improvements on asthma patients. Then lastly is Sophora Flavescens Ait this can help reduce the need for inhaling corticosteroids and beta-agaonists.

ASHMI has been proven to have greater results. Asthmatic patients have regained normal cortisol level. If compared to prednisone the end results have concluded that asthmatic patients have gained weight and have improved in overall status.

As of now you cannot buy these herbs directly from pharmaceuticals. You can avail of this from a Chinese drugstore. Another option is to go a licensed acupuncturist and ask for prescription for Chinese herbs. Again, Chinese herbal medications are quite safe and effective. The power of the herbs can be quite an impressive one.

Remember, people with asthma experience symptoms of an attack when the airways tighten, inflame, or fill with mucus. Common asthma symptoms include but not limited to: Coughing, especially at night, Wheezing, Shortness of breath and Chest tightness, pain, or pressure. Asthma in children is on the rise, but with proper treatment for symptoms of asthma, kids and adults can live a healthier life.

Airway

The first step in animal CPR (like human CPR), after determining that the animal is non-responsive, is to obtain an open airway. You should not continue past AAirway, until this step has been achieved!

1. Carefully pull the tongue straight out of the animal’s mouth to open the airway

WARNING: even an unresponsive dog may bite by instinct!!

2. Make sure that the neck is reasonably straight; try to bring the head in-line with

the neck.

WARNING: Do not over-straighten the neck in cases where neck/head trauma exists

3. Attempt 2 rescue breaths, by closing the mouth, and performing mouth-to-nose

ventilations. If they go in with no problems continue to B-Breathing.

4. If not, reposition the neck and try step 3 again.

5. Visibly inspect the airway by looking into the mouth, and down the throat for foreign objects occluding the airway. Unlike human-CPR, rescuers may reach into the airway and remove foreign objects that are visible

6. If you still can’t breath into the animal,proceed to the Heimlich maneuver

Heimlich

If you were unable to clear an object from the airway in A-Airway, you will need to

do the Heimlich Maneuver:

1. Turn the animal upside down, with its back against your chest

2. Hug the animal with your fist in your hand, just below the rib-cage (for cats, just squeeze 1 hand in the same place)

3. With both arms, give 5 sharp thrusts (bear hugs) to the abdomen. Perform each thrust as if it is the one that will expel the object

4. Stop, check to see if the object is visible in the airway, if so, remove it and give 2

mouth-nose rescue breaths. If the breaths do not go in, go back to step 1

IMPORTANT: Do not proceed with CPR, even if the animal goes into cardiac

arrest. You must clear the airway first.

Breathing

After achieving a patent airway, one must determine whether the animal is breathing, and whether this breathing is effective:

1. Carefully pull the tongue straight out of the animal’s mouth to open the airway

WARNING: even an unresponsive dog may bite by instinct!!

2. Make sure that the neck is reasonably straight; try to bring the head in-line with the neck.

WARNING: Do not over-straighten the neck in cases where neck/head trauma exists

3. Breathe at 12 breaths per minute (1 every 5 seconds) With each breath just make the chest rise (do not overinflate, expecially on a small animal)

IMPORTANT: If the breaths do not go in, stop and return to Airway!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AFrUiRIeVo

Researchers found that among nearly 500 Canadian adults who said a doctor had diagnosed them with asthma, objective lung-function testing ruled out the lung disease in 150, or 30 percent.

When the investigators looked at risk factors for misdiagnosis, obesity in general did not play a clear role. However, among patients who had sought emergency care for breathing problems in the past year, obese men and women were four times as likely as their normal-weight counterparts to be misdiagnosed with asthma.

The study, reported in the journal Chest, could not ascertain the reasons for patients’ misdiagnoses or for the higher risk among obese adults who sought urgent care.

But past research has indicated that spirometry, a standard test of lung function, is not used as often as it should be in diagnosing asthma, said Dr. Smita Pakhale of the Ottawa Hospital in Ontario, Canada, who led the new study.

Asthma should be diagnosed based on both symptoms and lung-function testing, and underuse of the latter could be a factor in some of the incorrect diagnoses in this study, Pakhale told Reuters Health — though, she added, that is just speculation.

Pakhale also pointed out that obese adults are at heightened risk of a number of health problems that could cause asthma-like symptoms such as breathlessness and chest tightness. Those include low fitness levels, acid reflux and heart disease.

Pakhale said that people who are told they have asthma after seeking care at an emergency room or walk-in clinic should be sure to follow up with their primary care doctor. That way, she said, they can get any additional evaluation or testing that may be needed — which may uncover the actual cause of the symptoms, if it is not asthma.

The study included 496 randomly selected adults from eight Canadian cities who said a doctor had diagnosed them with asthma. Roughly half were obese and the rest were normal-weight.

Overall, lung function testing confirmed the asthma diagnosis in 70 percent of study participants. Of these men and women, 14 percent and 15 percent of obese and normal-weight people, respectively, had sought emergency care for breathing problems in the past year.

Of study participants who turned out not to have asthma, 21 percent of obese individuals had sought urgent treatment for respiratory symptoms in the past year. That figure was less than 10 percent among normal-weight men and women.

When Pakhale’s team considered other factors, including socioeconomics, obese study participants who needed emergency care were four times more likely to have been misdiagnosed with asthma as their thinner counterparts.

The researchers also found that the time since diagnosis mattered: study participants who had been diagnosed in the past few years had a higher likelihood of misdiagnosis than those who had been told they had asthma “many” years ago.

It’s possible, Pakhale speculated, that increased asthma awareness among the general public and doctors — possibly via the recent proliferation of asthma-medication ads — could have something to do with that finding.

Courtesy of Reuters

Gasping for breath.  Patients suffering from asthma appear to be gasping for breath. Actually, they have more difficulty in breathing out than breathing in, and this is caused by spasms or sudden involuntary muscular contractions of the smaller air passages in the lungs.

Asthma Causes

Asthma is caused by a variety of factors. It may be due to an allergy caused by weather conditions, food, drugs, perfumes, and other irritants. Allergies to dust are the most common.

Asthma Cures

Asthma treatment using Honey

Honey is one of the most common home remedies for asthma. It is said that if a jug of honey is held under the nose of an asthma patient and he inhales the air that comes into contact with it, he starts breathing easier and deeper.

Asthma treatment using Figs

Among fruits, figs have proved very valuable in asthma. They give comfort to the patient by draining off the phlegm. Three or four dry figs should be cleaned thoroughly with warm water and soaked overnight.

Asthma treatment using Lemon

Lemon is another fruit found beneficial in the treatment of asthma. The juice of one lemon, diluted in a glass of water and taken with meals, will bring good results

Asthma treatment using Indian Gooseberry

Indian gooseberry has also proved valuable in asthma. Five grams of gooseberry mixed with one tablespoon of honey forms an effective medicinal tonic for the treatment of this disease. It should be taken every morning

Asthma treatment using Bitter Gourd Roots

The roots of the bitter gourd plant have been used in folk medicine for asthma since ancient times. A teaspoon of the root paste, mixed with an equal amount of honey or juice of the holy basil leaves, given once every night for a month, acts as an excellent medicine for this disease.

Asthma treatment using Drumstick Leaves

A soup prepared from drumstick leaves, and taken once daily, has been found beneficial in the treatment of asthma. This soup is prepared by adding a handful of leaves to 180ml of water and boiling it for five minutes. After being allowed to cool, a little salt, pepper, and lime juice may be added to this soup.

Asthma treatment using Ginger

A teaspoon of fresh ginger juice, mixed with a cup of fenugreek decoction and honey to taste, acts as an excellent expectorant in cases of asthma. The decoction of fenugreek can be made by mixing one tablespoon of fenugreek seeds in a cupful of water. This remedy should be taken once in the morning and once in the evening.

Asthma treatment using Garlic

Garlic is another effective home remedy for asthma. Ten garlic cloves, boiled in 30 ml of milk, make an excellent medicine for the early stages of asthma. This mixture should he taken once daily by the patient. Steaming ginger tea with two minced garlic cloves in it, can also help to keep the problem under control, and should be taken in the morning and evening.

Asthma treatment using Bishop’s Weed

The herb bishop’s weed has been found valuable in asthma. Half a teaspoon of bishop’s weed should be mixed in a glass of buttermilk and taken twice daily. It is an effective remedy for relieving difficult expectoration caused by dried-up phlegm. A hot poultice of the seeds should be used for dry fomentation to the chest twice daily. The. patient can also inhale steam twice a day from boiling water mixed with carom seeds. It will dilate the bronchial passages.

Asthma treatment using Safflower

Safflower seeds are beneficial in the treatment of bronchial asthma. Half a teaspoon of powder of the dry seeds, mixed with a tablespoon of honey, can be taken once or twice a day in treating this disease. This acts as an expectorant and reduces the spasms by liquefying the tenacious sputum. An infusion of five grams of flowers mixed with one tablespoon of honey, taken once daily, is also useful in this disease.

Diet for Asthma

The patient should avoid common dietetic errors. Ideally, his diet should contain a limited quantity of carbohydrates, fats and proteins which are ‘acid-forming’ foods, and a liberal quantity of alkali-forming foods consisting of fresh fruits, green vegetables, sprouted seeds, and grains. The patient should avoid foods which tend to produce phlegm, such as rice, sugar, lentils, and yoghurt. He should also avoid fried and other difficult to-digest foods, strong tea, coffee, alcoholic beverages, condiments pickles, sauces and all refined and processed foods.

Fasting and exercises

The patient should also follow the other laws of nature. Air, sun, and water are great healing agents. Regular fasting once a week, an occasional enema, breathing exercises, fresh air, a dry climate, light exercises, and correct posture go a long way in treating the disease.

As inflammation causes the airways to become narrower, less air can pass through them, both to and from the lungs. Symptoms of the narrowing include wheezing (a hissing sound while breathing), chest tightness, breathing problems, and coughing. Asthmatics usually experience these symptoms most frequently during the night and the early morning.

Asthma is Incurable

Asthma is an incurable illness. However, with good treatment and management there is no reason why a person with asthma cannot live a normal and active life.

An asthma episode, or an asthma attack, is when symptoms are worse than usual. They can come on suddenly and can be mild, moderate or severe.

What happens during an asthma attack?
• The muscles around your airways tighten up, narrowing the airway.
• Less air is able to flow through the airway.
• Inflammation of the airways increases, further narrowing the airway.
• More mucus is produced in the airways, undermining the flow of air even more.

Asthma Attacks Vary
In some asthma attacks, the airways are blocked such that oxygen fails to enter the lungs. This also prevents oxygen from entering the blood stream and traveling to the body’s vital organs. Asthma attacks of this type can be fatal, and the patient may require urgent hospitalization.

Asthma attacks can be mild, moderate, severe and very severe. At onset, an asthma attack does allow enough air to get into the lungs, but it does not let the carbon dioxide leave the lungs at a fast enough rate. Carbon dioxide – poisonous if not expelled – can build up in the lungs during a prolonged attack, lowering the amount of oxygen getting into your bloodstream.

With experience you will learn to keep away from things that irritate your airways, know when to take your medication, and better control your asthma. Effective asthma control allows you to take part in normal everyday activities.

Consequences of Not Controlling Your Asthma
If you don’t control your asthma you will miss school or work more often and you will be less likely to be able to take part in some activities you enjoy. In the USA and Western Europe, asthma is one of the leading causes of school absenteeism.

According to recent estimates, asthma affects 300 million people in the world and more than 22 million in the United States. Although people of all ages suffer from the disease, it most often starts in childhood, currently affecting 6 million children in the US. Asthma kills about 255,000 people worldwide every year.

Children at Risk
Asthma is the most common chronic disease among children – especially children who have low birth weight, are exposed to tobacco smoke, are black, and are raised in a low-income environment. Most children first present symptoms around 5 years of age, generally beginning as frequent episodes of wheezing with respiratory infections. Additional risk factors for children include having allergies, the allergic skin condition eczema, or parents with asthma.

Young boys are more likely to develop asthma than young girls, but this trend reverses during adulthood. Researchers hypothesize that this is due to the smaller size of a young male’s airway compared to a young female’s airway, leading to a higher risk of wheezing after a viral infection.
Allergies

Almost all asthma sufferers have allergies. In fact, over 25% of people who have hay fever (allergic rhinitis) also develop asthma. Allergic reactions triggered by antibodies in the blood often lead to the airway inflammation that is associated with asthma.

Common sources of indoor allergens include animal proteins (mostly cat and dog allergens), dust mites, cockroaches, and fungi. It is possible that the push towards energy-efficient homes has increased exposure to these causes of asthma.

Tobacco Smoke

Tobacco smoke has been linked to a higher risk of asthma as well as a higher risk of death due to asthma, wheezing, and respiratory infections. In addition, children of mothers who smoke – and other people exposed to second-hand smoke – have a higher risk of asthma prevalence. Adolescent smoking has also been associated with increases in asthma risk.
Environmental Factors

Allergic reactions and asthma symptoms are often the result of indoor air pollution from mold or noxious fumes from household cleaners and paints. Other indoor environmental factors associated with asthma include nitrogen oxide from gas stoves. In fact, people who cook with gas are more likely to have symptoms such as wheezing, breathlessness, asthma attacks, and hay fever.
photo of city from high in the air

Pollution, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, ozone, cold temperatures, and high humidity have all been shown to trigger asthma in some individuals.

During periods of heavy air pollution, there tend to be increases in asthma symptoms and hospital admissions. Smoggy conditions release the destructive ingredient known as ozone, causing coughing, shortness of breath, and even chest pain. These same conditions emit sulfur dioxide, which also results in asthma attacks by constricting airways.

Weather changes have also been known to stimulate asthma attacks. Cold air can lead to airway congestion, bronchoconstriction (airways constriction), secretions, and decreased mucociliary clearance (another type of airway inefficiency). In some populations, humidity causes breathing difficulties as well.
Obesity

Overweight adults – those with a body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 30 – are 38% more likely to have asthma compared to adults who are not overweight. Obese adults – those with a BMI of 30 or greater – have twice the risk of asthma. According to some researchers, the risk may be greater for nonallergic asthma than allergic asthma.
Pregnancy

The way you enter the world seems to impact your susceptibility to asthma. Babies born by Caesarean sections have a 20% increase in asthma prevalence compared to babies born by vaginal birth. It is possible that immune system-modifying infections from bacterial exposure during Cesarean sections are responsible for this difference.

When mothers smoke during pregnancy, their children have lower pulmonary function. This may pose additional asthma risks. Research has also shown that premature birth is a risk factor for developing asthma.

Stress

People who undergo stress have higher asthma rates. Part of this may be explained by increases in asthma-related behaviors such as smoking that are encouraged by stress. However, recent research has suggested that the immune system is modified by stress as well.

Genes

It is possible that some 100 genes are linked to asthma – 25 of which have been associated with separate populations as of 2005.
lab test

Genes linked to asthma also play roles in managing the immune system and inflammation. There have not, however, been consistent results from genetic studies across populations – so further investigations are required to figure out the complex interactions that cause asthma.

Mom and Dad may be partially to blame for asthma, since three-fifths of all asthma cases are hereditary. The Centers for Disease Control (USA) say that having a parent with asthma increases a person’s risk by three to six times.

Genetics may also be interacting with environmental factors. For example, exposure to the bacterial product endotoxin and having the genetic trait CD14 (single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) C-159T) have remained a well-replicated example of a gene-environment interaction that is associated with asthma.
Airway Hyperreactivity

Researchers are not sure why airway hyperreactivity is another risk factor for asthma, but allergens or cold air may trigger hyperreactive airways to become inflamed. Some people do not develop asthma from airway hyperreactivity, but hyperreactivity still appears to increase the risk of asthma.

Atopy

Atopy – such as eczema (atopic dermatitis), allergic rhinitis (hay fever), allergic conjunctivitis (an eye condition) – is a general class of allergic hypersensitivity that affects different parts of the body that do not come in contact with allergens. Atopy is a risk factor for developing asthma.

Some 40% to 50% of children with atopic dermatitis also develop asthma, and it is probable that children with atopic dermatitis have more severe and persistent asthma as adults.

NEW YORK – Use of herbal remedies results in poorer quality of life and increased frequency of symptoms in asthma patients, according to a study published this month in Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI).

“Results indicate patients using herbal remedies are less likely to take their prescribed medications,” said Angkana Roy, M.D., lead author, Department of Pediatrics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York. “These patients report worse asthma control and poorer quality of life than patients who follow medication plans. Underuse of prescribed medication is one of the main factors contributing to poor outcomes in asthma patients.”

The study tracked 326 asthma patients over a 33-month period. Of those, 25 percent reported herbal remedy use and lower adherence to use of prescribed inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). Patients using herbal remedies were younger, more likely to have been hospitalized or intubated for asthma, have concerns about possible adverse effects of ICS and have difficulty following a medication schedule.

“Patients interested in herbal remedies need to use them to complement treatment and not as an alternative, or they will not maximize their health and may actually hinder it as this study shows,” said Leonard Bielory, M.D., ACAAI Integrative Medicine Committee chair. “Remember, asthma is a serious disease and needs to be treated that way. Always ask your allergist about medication concerns and discuss use of herbal remedies.”

Consumers and patients can take a simple online test to gauge their asthma symptoms and obtain a personalized plan on how to get relief at http://www.AllergyAndAsthmaRelief.org.

“Anyone with asthma should be able to feel good, be active all day and sleep well at night,” said Dr. Bielory. “No one should accept anything less.”

PITTSBURGH – If you get seasick easily, you may prepare for boat rides with pressure-point bracelets, ginger, or a prescription skin patch. Now there’s one more remedy: timing your breathing to counteract the nauseating motion. The technique presumably works because it helps control gravity sensors in the abdomen–a lesser-known input to our fine-tuned balance system.

The brain is traditionally thought to sense body position in three ways. The inner ears sense motions of the head; the eyes see where the head is; and tiny sensory organs in muscles and tendons sense where the rest of the body is. More recently, researchers have realized that sensors in many other parts of the body also play a role: in the abdomen, the lower organs, and even blood vessels. As long as all of these sensors send matching signals to the brain, we feel oriented. But if one or two don’t match up, the brain gets confused and we become nauseated.

Scientists knew the most sickening motions closely match the rate of natural breathing; they also knew that people naturally tend to breathe in time with a motion. In fact, Navy seamen in World War II discovered that they could use certain breathing tricks to combat motion sickness. But no one had ever tested whether breathing out of time with a motion could prevent nausea.

Researchers from Imperial College London enlisted 26 volunteers to sit in a tilting, rocking flight simulator and coordinate their breathing in various ways with the motion. The tests lasted up to 30 minutes, or until subjects felt moderately sick. The natural tendency was for volunteers to inhale on every backward tilt, in rhythm with the rocking. But if the subjects exhaled on every backward tilt, they didn’t get sick as quickly. They felt even better if they breathed slightly faster or slower than the cyclic heaving of the chair; using that technique, the time until onset of nausea was 50% longer than during normal breathing.

So why do these tactics work? Abdominal sensors are known to send motion signals to the brain more slowly than those in the inner ear because they’re farther away from the brain and because abdominal organs have more mass, which means they resist movement a tiny bit longer. The time lag between the two types of sensors creates a mismatch that builds up in the brain and makes us gradually sicker, the researchers say. But if the diaphragm opposes gravity-induced stomach motions with controlled breaths, there is less sensory conflict and less nausea. “This technique is very good for mild everyday challenges,” says medical research scientist Michael Gresty, a member of the study team. “It’s completely safe, and it’s not a drug.” The results appear in the December issue of Autonomic Neuroscience.

“It’s a carefully designed study that shows there’s some modest effect of controlled respiration on motion sickness,” says neuroscientist Carey Balaban of the otolaryngology department at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. But, he says, more controlled experiments are needed to confirm the proposed mechanism.

TORONTO – Giving coffee to babies won’t keep them awake as in case of adults, in fact the hot beverage would have a long-lasting and detrimental effect on little ones’ sleep and breathing patterns in adulthood, says a new study.

Breathing problems are the leading causes of hospitalization and death in premature babies. These babies are therefore often given caffeine because of its qualities as a respiratory stimulant.

Up till now, the long-term effects of this treatment in humans have not been examined.

However, in the Journal of Physiology, Gaspard Montandon and colleagues showed that the use of caffeine in neonates can cause serious alterations in the sleeping patterns of adult rats as a result of its effect on the developing respiratory system.

Sleep abnormality is a significant indicator for ill health and reduced life span.

When the caffeine-treated rats reached adulthood, their sleeping time was reduced, the length of time they took to reach the first stage of sleep was increased, and their non-REM sleep was fragmented. Breathing at rest was higher than in rats not treated with caffeine.

In his review of the study, F1000 Faculty Member James Duffin of the University of Toronto says the results “raise concerns about the long-term consequences of neonatal caffeine administration on brain development and behavior.”

For some people, pain can be relieved without using medicine. They use relaxation, imagery, distraction, and skin stimulation. You may need the help of health professionals to learn to do these for yourself. Friends or family members can help with some of them. The techniques are also useful along with pain medicines. Information about nondrug treatments for pain also may be available at a local hospice, cancer treatment center, or hospital pain clinic.

How Does Relaxation Work?

Relaxation relieves pain or keeps it from getting worse by reducing tension in the muscles. It can help you fall asleep, give you more energy, make you less tired, reduce your anxiety, and make other pain relief methods work better. Some people, for instance, find that taking a pain medicine or using a cold or hot pack works faster and better when they relax at the same time.

Are There Any Basic Guidelines for Using Relaxation Techniques?

    * Understand that your ability to relax may vary from time to time and that relaxation cannot be forced.

    * Remember that it may take up to 2 weeks of practice to feel the first results of relaxation.

    * Try several relaxation methods until you find one that works for you.

    * Stick with the same method so that it becomes easy and routine for you. Use it regularly for at least 5 to 10 minutes twice a day.

    * Check for tension throughout the day by noticing tightness in each part of your body from head to foot. Relax any tense muscles. You may use a quick technique such as inhale/tense, exhale/relax, described below.

    * If you have any lung problems, check with your doctor before using any relaxation technique that requires deep breathing.

Is There Any Special Position I Should Be in When I Am Doing Relaxation Exercises?

Relaxation may be done sitting up or lying down. Choose a quiet place whenever possible. Close your eyes. Do not cross your arms and legs because that may cut off circulation and cause numbness or tingling. If you are lying down, be sure you are comfortable. Put a small pillow under your neck and under your knees or use a low stool to support your lower legs.

How Do I Use Relaxation?

There are many methods. Here are some for you to try:

Visual concentration and rhythmic massage:

    * Open your eyes and stare at an object, or close your eyes and think of a peaceful, calm scene. With the palm of your hand, massage near the area of pain in a circular, firm manner. Avoid red, raw, swollen, or tender areas. You may wish to ask a family member or friend to do this for you.

Inhale/tense, exhale/relax:

    * Breathe in (inhale) deeply. At the same time, tense your muscles or a group of muscles. For example, you can squeeze your eyes shut, frown, clench your teeth, make a fist, stiffen your arms and legs, or draw up your arms and legs as tightly as you can.

    * Hold your breath and keep your muscles tense for a second or two.

    * Let go! Breathe out (exhale) and let your body go limp.

Slow rhythmic breathing:

    * Stare at an object or close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing or on a peaceful scene.

    * Take a slow, deep breath and, as you breathe in, tense your muscles (such as your arms).

    * As you breathe out, relax your muscles and feel the tension draining.

    * Now remain relaxed and begin breathing slowly and comfortably, concentrating on your breathing, taking about 9 to 12 breaths a minute. Do not breathe too deeply.

    * To maintain a slow, even rhythm as you breathe out, you can say silently to yourself, “In, one, two; out, one, two.” It may be helpful at first if someone counts out loud for you. If you ever feel out of breath, take a deep breath and then continue the slow breathing exercise. Each time you breathe out, feel yourself relaxing and going limp. If some muscles are not relaxed such as your shoulders, tense them as you breathe in and relax them as you breathe out. You need to do this only once or twice for each specific muscle group.

    * Continue slow, rhythmic breathing for a few seconds up to 10 minutes, depending on your need.

    * To end your slow rhythmic breathing, count silently and slowly from one to three. Open your eyes. Say silently to yourself: “I feel alert and relaxed.” Begin moving about slowly.

Other methods you can add to slow rhythmic breathing:

    * Imagery.

    * Listen to slow, familiar music through an earphone or headset.

    * Progressive relaxation of body parts. Once you are breathing slowly and comfortably, you may relax different body parts, starting with your feet and working up to your head. Think of words such as limp, heavy, light, warm, or floating. Each time you breathe out, you can focus on a particular area of the body and feel it relaxing. Try to imagine that the tension is draining from that area. For example, as you breathe out, feel your feet and ankles relaxing; the next time you breathe out, feel your calves and knees relaxing, and so on up your body.

Relaxation tapes:  We recommend Barry Eisen’s C/D’s (www.barryeisen.com).  These recordings provide step-by-step instructions in relaxation techniques.

Will I Have Any Problems With Using Relaxation Techniques

Some people who have used relaxation for pain relief have reported the following problems and solutions to them:

    * Relaxation may be difficult to use with severe pain. If you have this problem, use a quick and easy relaxation method such as visual concentration with rhythmic massage or breathe in/tense, breathe out/relax.

    * You may have a feeling of “suffocation.” If so, take a deep breath.

    * Sometimes breathing too deeply for a while can cause shortness of breath. If this is your problem, take shallow breaths and/or breathe more slowly.

    * You may fall asleep. If you do not wish to fall asleep, sit in a hard chair while doing the relaxation exercise or set a timer or alarm.

    * You might get feelings of depression or withdrawal. Sometimes being relaxed makes you aware of problems you have been worrying about subconsciously. If this happens, talk to someone who can help you sort out your feelings.

If you have trouble using these methods, ask your doctor or nurse to refer you to a therapist who is experienced in relaxation techniques. Do not continue any relaxation technique that increases your pain, makes you feel uneasy, or causes any unpleasant effects.

What Is Biofeedback?

With the help of special machines, people can learn to control certain body functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension. Biofeedback is sometimes used to help people learn to relax. Cancer patients can use biofeedback techniques to reduce anxiety and help them cope with their pain. Biofeedback usually is used with other pain-relief methods.

What Is Imagery, and How Does It Work?

Imagery is using your imagination to create mental pictures or situations. The way imagery relieves pain is not completely understood. Imagery can be thought of as a deliberate daydream that uses all of your senses – sight, touch, hearing, smell, and taste. Some people believe that imagery is a form of self-hypnosis. Certain images may reduce your pain both during imagery and for hours afterward. If you must stay in bed or can’t go out of the house, you may find that imagery helps reduce the closed-in feeling; you can imagine and revisit favorite spots in your mind. Imagery can help you relax, relieve boredom, decrease anxiety, and help you sleep.

How Do I Use the Technique of Imagery?

Usually, imagery for pain relief is done with the eyes closed. A relaxation technique may be used first. The image can be something such as a ball of healing energy or a picture drawn in your mind of yourself as a person without pain (for example, imagine that you are cutting wires that transmit pain signals from each part of your body to your brain). Here is an exercise with the first image – the ball of energy. It is a variation of the technique credited to Dr. David Bresler at the Pain Control Unit, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

    * Close your eyes. Breathe slowly and feel yourself relax.

    * Concentrate on your breathing. Breathe slowly and comfortably from your abdomen.

    * As you breathe in, say silently and slowly to yourself:

      “In, one, two.” As you breathe out, say: “Out, one, two.” Breathe in this slow rhythm for a few minutes.

    * Imagine a ball of healing energy forming in your lungs or on your chest. It may be like a white light. It can be vague. It does not have to be vivid. Imagine this ball forming, taking shape.

    * When you are ready, imagine that the air you breathe in blows this healing ball of energy to the area of your pain. Once there, the ball heals and relaxes you.

    * When you breathe out, imagine the air blows the ball away from your body. As it goes, the ball takes your pain with it. (Be careful: Do not blow as you breathe out; breathe out naturally.)

    * Repeat the last two steps each time you breathe in and out.

    * You may imagine that the ball gets bigger and bigger as it takes more and more discomfort away from your body.

    * To end the imagery, count slowly to three, breathe in deeply, open your eyes, and say silently to yourself: “I feel alert and relaxed.” Begin moving about slowly.

Are There Any Problems With Using Imagery?

The problems are similar to the ones that may occur with relaxation techniques.

What Is Distraction, and How Does It Work?

Distraction means turning your attention to something other than the pain. Many people use this method without realizing it when they watch television or listen to the radio to “take their minds off” the pain. Distraction may work better than medicine if pain is sudden and intense or if it is brief, lasting only 5 to 45 minutes. Distraction is useful when you are waiting for pain medicine to start working. If pain is mild, you may be able to distract yourself for hours. Some people think that a person who can be distracted from pain does not have severe pain. This is not necessarily true. Distraction can be a powerful way of temporarily relieving even the most intense pain.

How Can I Use Distraction?

Any activity that occupies your attention can be used for distraction. If you enjoy working with your hands, crafts such as needlework, model building, or painting may be useful. Losing yourself in a good book might divert your mind from the pain. Going to a movie or watching television are also good distraction methods. Slow, rhythmic breathing can be used for distraction as well as relaxation. You may find it helpful to listen to rather fast music through a headset or earphones. To help keep your attention on the music, tap out the rhythm. You can adjust the volume to match the intensity of pain, making it louder for very severe pain. This technique does not require much energy, so it may be very useful when you are tired.

Are There Any Drawbacks To Using Distraction for Pain Relief?

After using a distraction technique, some people report that they are tired, irritable, and feel more pain. Some also find that other people do not believe they are in pain if distraction provides pain relief. If these are problems for you, you may not wish to use distraction or you may simply be careful about which distraction methods you use and when you use them.

What Is Skin Stimulation, and How Does It Work To Relieve Pain?

Skin stimulation is the use of pressure, friction, temperature change, or chemical substances to excite the nerve endings in the skin. Scientists believe that the same nerve pathways transmit the sensations of pain, heat, cold, and pressure to the brain. When the skin is stimulated so that pressure, warmth, or cold is felt, pain sensation is lessened or blocked. Skin stimulation also alters the flow of blood to the affected area. Sometimes skin stimulation will get rid of the pain, or the pain will be less during the stimulation and for hours after it is finished. Note: If you are having radiation therapy, check with your doctor or nurse before using skin stimulation. You should not apply ointments, salves, or liniments to the treatment area, and you should not use heat or extreme cold on treated areas.

Where Is Skin Stimulation Done?

Skin stimulation is done either on or near the area of pain. You also can use skin stimulation on the side of the body opposite to the pain. For example, you might stimulate the left knee to decrease pain in the right knee. Stimulating the skin in areas away from the pain can be used to increase relaxation and may relieve pain.

What Is Used To Stimulate the Skin?

Massage, pressure, vibration, heat, cold, and menthol preparations are used for skin stimulation.

How Do I Use Massage for Pain Relief?

For pain relief, massage is most effective when using slow, steady, circular motions. You can massage over or near the area of pain with just your bare hand or with any substance that feels good such as talcum powder, warm oil, or hand lotion. Depending upon where your pain is located, you may do it yourself or ask a family member or friend to give you a massage. Remember, having someone give you a foot rub, back rub, or hand rub can be very relaxing and may relieve pain. Some people find brushing or stroking lightly more comforting than deep massage. Use whatever works best for you. Note: If you are having radiation therapy, avoid massage in the treatment area.

How Do I Use Pressure?

Pressure can be applied with the entire hand, the heel of the hand, the fingertip or the knuckle, the ball of the thumb, or by using one or both hands to encircle your arm or leg. You can experiment by applying pressure for about 10 seconds to various areas over or near your pain to see if it helps. You can also feel around your pain and outward to see if you can find “trigger points,” small areas under the skin that are especially sensitive or that trigger pain. Pressure is usually most effective if it is applied as firmly as possible without causing pain. You can use pressure for up to about 1 minute. This often will relieve pain for several minutes to several hours after the pressure is released.

How Do I Use Vibration?

Vibration over or near the area of pain may bring temporary relief. For example, the scalp attachment of a handheld vibrator often relieves a headache. For low back pain, a long, slender battery operated vibrator placed at the small of the back may be helpful. You may use a vibrating device such as a small battery operated vibrator, a handheld electric vibrator, a large heat-massage electric pad, or a bed vibrator.

Which Is Better for Relieving Pain – Cold Or Heat?

As for any of the techniques described, you should use what works best for you. Heat often relieves sore muscles; cold lessens pain sensations by numbing the affected area. Many people with prolonged pain use only heat and have never given cold a try. Some people find that cold relieves pain faster, and relief may last longer.

What Are Some Comfortable and Convenient Ways To Use Cold or Heat?

For cold, try gel packs that are sealed in plastic and remain soft and flexible even at freezing temperatures. Gel packs are available at drugstores and medical supply stores. They are reusable and can be kept in the freezer when not in use. Wrap the pack with a layer of towels so that it is comfortable for you. An ice pack or ice cubes wrapped in a towel can be just as effective. To use heat for pain relief, a heating pad that generates its own moisture (Hydrocolater) is convenient. Gel packs heated in hot water, hot water bottles, a hot, moist towel, a regular heating pad, or a hot bath or shower can also be used to apply heat. For aching joints such as elbows and knees, you can wrap the joint in lightweight plastic wrap (tape the plastic to itself). This retains body heat and moisture. Note: Do not use heat or cold over any area receiving radiation therapy.

What Are Menthol Preparations?

Many menthol preparations are available for pain relief. There are creams, lotions, liniments, or gels that contain menthol. Brands include Ben Gay, Icy Hot, Mineral Ice, and Heet. When they are rubbed into the skin, they increase blood circulation to the affected area and produce a warm (sometimes cool) soothing feeling that lasts for several hours.

How Do I Use Menthol Preparations?

First, test your skin by rubbing a small amount of the menthol preparation in a circle about 1 inch in diameter in the area of pain (or the area to be stimulated). This will let you know whether the menthol is uncomfortable to you or irritates your skin. If the menthol does not create a problem, rub some more into the area. The sensation caused by the menthol gradually increases and remains up to several hours. To increase the intensity and duration of the menthol sensation you can open your skin pores with heat (e.g., shower, sun) or wrap a plastic sheet over the area after the menthol application. (Don’t use a heating pad because it may cause a burn.) If you’re afraid others will find the odor offensive, you can use the menthol product when you are alone, or perhaps in the evening or through the night. Note: Many menthol preparations contain an ingredient similar to aspirin. A small amount of this aspirin-like substance is absorbed through the skin. If you have been told not to take aspirin, do not use these preparations until you check with your doctor.

What Precautions Should I Take if I Use Skin Stimulation?

Heat and cold can easily damage your skin. It is easy to burn the skin with hot water from the tap or with settings too high on the heating pad. Extreme cold can also burn your skin.

    * Never use a heating pad on bare skin.

    * Never go to sleep for the night with the heating pad on.

    * Be very careful while using a heating pad if you are taking drugs or medicines that make you sleepy or if you do not have much feeling in the area.

    * Limit heat or cold application to 5 to 10 minutes.

    * Do not use heat or cold over any area where your circulation or sensation is poor.

    * If you start to shiver when using cold, stop using it right away.

    * Do not use cold so intense or for so long that the cold itself causes pain.

    * Do not use heat over a new injury because heat can increase bleeding. Wait at least 24 hours.

    * Do not rub menthol preparations over broken skin, a skin rash, or mucous membranes (such as inside your mouth or around your rectum). Make sure you do not get the menthol in your eyes.

    * Avoid massage and vibration over red, raw, tender, or swollen areas.

    * If skin stimulation increases your pain, stop using it.

    * As noted earlier, if you are undergoing (or have undergone) radiation treatments, do not use any skin stimulation method without first checking with your doctor or nurse.