What is panic disorder? The symptoms are almost the same for kids as they are for adults. Children and adolescents with panic disorder have repeated periods of intense fear and panic that appear to come from nowhere and for no good reason. Other symptoms include a racing heartbeat, a feeling of shortness of breath and sometimes a fear of going crazy. These symptom episodes are called panic attacks and can last from a few minutes to several hours.
They usually occur without warning. Additional symptoms can include:
An episode of intense fear that something terrible is happening or is about to happen,
Racing heartbeat; intense palpitations, sometimes wrongly labeled as a heart attack,
Dizziness or lightheadedness,
shortness of breath or smothering sensations,
Trembling, shaking, panicky sensations,
Feeling of being outside of reality, a foreboding eeriness and feeling of danger,
A fear of dropping dead, losing control, or going crazy.
More than 3 million Americans will suffer from the symptoms of panic disorder at some point in their life. It frequently has its onset during adolescence, although occasionally it begins during childhood. Genetics might play a role because there are times it seems to run in families.
Panic disorder and its very troubling symptoms can devastate ones sense of well-being and quality of life. These predatory-like attacks can interfere with your child or teenagers relationships, ability to focus and concentrate and ability to be mobile and go places with their friends. Kids with untreated panic disorder may begin to feel nervous or fearful much of the time, even during those times when they do not experience symptoms.
Often, sufferers start to avoid situations where they fear an attack may occur and do not want to go places where help may be inaccessible. For example, your child may be hesitant to attend school, go on normal social outings or be separated from you.
As symptoms worsen, he or she may even be afraid to leave home. Agoraphobia is the diagnosis used when a panic disorder sufferer feels so terrified of having an anxiety attack in public, that he or she does not want to leave the safety of home.
This is a very hard way to live: Kids with panic disorder can also develop severe depression and may be at risk for suicidal behavior. Even more worrisome, is that in order to decrease anxiety, some teens with this disorder will resort to medicating themselves with alcohol or drugs.
Your kid will be starting life way behind his or her peers if the panic disorder is not recognized and treated. However, it can be difficult to diagnose in children. Unfortunately, this may lead to excessive visits to doctors and multiple orders for tests which are expensive and sometimes, painful.
The good news is, however, that when properly diagnosed, panic disorder usually responds well to treatment. If any of your kids have symptoms of panic attacks he or she should first be evaluated by your family physician or pediatrician. If no physical illness or condition is found, then you should obtain a comprehensive evaluation by a clinical psychologist or other mental health professional.
There are various treatments that can be utilized effectively. For example, specific medications may stop or reduce the intensity or frequency of panic attacks. Psychotherapy may also help your child; you and other members of your family learn ways to reduce the stress or tension that might otherwise trigger an attack.
Through cognitive behavioral counseling, your child can also be taught new ways to control the anxiety or panic attack symptoms when they occur. Kids and teens often respond well to a combination of medication and counseling.
As a parent, it is your responsibility to see that your child is evaluated, properly diagnosed and treated appropriately. Remember that panic attacks can be effectively treated and their early treatment can prevent more severe complications, such as agoraphobia, depression, plummeting self-esteem and substance abuse.
Dr Shery is in Cary, IL, near Algonquin, Crystal Lake, Marengo, Woodstock and Lake-in-the-Hills. He provides day and evening appts and accepts all insurance. Call 1 847 516 0899 or learn more at: http://www.carypsychology.com
Friday, February 22, 2008
The Spectrum By Dean Ornish: How To Reverse Heart Disease
Can chronic disease be reversed?
Absolutely.
Today, I'm going to introduce you to my friend and colleague,
Dr. Dean Ornish. Thirty years ago, he bravely made the radical
suggestion that heart disease, cancer, and other chronic
illnesses can be reversed with diet and lifestyle changes.
That's reversed -- not just prevented or treated.
In his breakthrough book, Reversing Heart Disease, Dr. Ornish
explained just how this is possible: Eat a high-quality diet,
get regular exercise, manage stress, and connect to a community
-- and you can actually unclog your arteries.
In fact, he proved that his program works better than
conventional approaches like drugs or surgery -- and without
dangerous side effects.
Now Dr. Ornish has published a new, even more compelling book,
The Spectrum -- and it's filled with scientific details about
why the program works and how to make it your own.
What's the secret?
Nutrigenomics.
That's the name for the way that food talks to your genes and
controls your health. When your genes are expressed well, you're
healthy. Disease occurs when your genes are expressed poorly.
And the quality of the food you eat has huge effects on your
health.
It matters whether you eat whole, real food, or processed,
high-sugar, and high-fat food, for example.
In The Spectrum, Dr. Ornish tells you how and why choices like
these can make a difference in whether we're healthy or sick.
But it isn't a one-size-fits-all approach.
Dr. Ornish believes -- as I do -- that the future of medicine
is personalized medicine. And in The Spectrum, he explains how
to match your genes and your health needs by customizing your
diet and lifestyle.
If you were a 25-year-old athlete with no family history of
heart disease, your approach would be different from a
65-year-old man who has type-2 diabetes and has had two heart
attacks.
He also shows us that there's a spectrum of choices for being
healthy and feeling great. There are no "good" or "bad" foods --
it's the overall way that we eat and live that matters.
Dr. Ornish gets past all of the nutrition confusion out there
and tells you the truth: that our genes were meant to be fed a
diet of whole, unprocessed foods.
A Groundbreaking Pioneer
He didn't know it, but Dr. Ornish was the first researcher and
practitioner of functional medicine, more than 30 years ago.
He was the first person to suggest that addressing the roots of
illness not only helps prevent disease, but reverses it -- and
more effectively than conventional treatment.
That's just what functional medicine is. It's a system that
addresses the underlying causes of illness by understanding the
interaction between your genes and your environment.
And it's what Dr. Ornish talks about in The Spectrum.
His roadmap for good health shows us how to increase energy,
lose weight, improve mood, feel more connected to your own
life's purpose and meaning, and even have better sex.
It's a recipe for feeling your best.
I have a lot of respect for Dr. Ornish. He wanted to make his
program accessible for everyone, but for that to happen, it has
to be reimbursed by insurance.
So he asked Medicare to fund a demonstration project based on
the research in major medical he'd already published in major
medical journals.
But it wasn't so easy.
They told him that, before they'd find the project, he needed
approval that it was safe.
Of course, Dr. Ornish's lifestyle plan is much safer than heart
surgery or angioplasty or medications with severe, damaging side
effects -- and much less expensive.
Still, he needed a letter from the National Heart, Lung and
Blood Institute saying it was safe to eat fruits and vegetables,
walk, meditate, and quit smoking!
But he persevered and his program is now approved. Dr. Ornish
is also creating an international research collaboration to
grain even more understanding about why food is the best
medicine.
And his book isn't just helpful, it's enjoyable.
He shares his story with wit and humor, keen intelligence, and
lots of tools for successfully implementing his ideas.
These tools include clear nutrition guidance, guided
meditations by his wife Anne (with an additional DVD included),
an exercise prescription, and more than 100 wonderful, delicious
life-giving recipes by a master chef.
So I urge you to get your hands on The Spectrum now and see
what you think. It truly is life-changing.
About The Author: Mark Hyman, MD is a pioneer in functional
medicine, practicing physician and best-selling author. A sneak
preview of his book "The UltraSimple Diet" is available. See The
UltraWellness Blog for more on Heart Disease:
http://ultrawellness.com/blog/
Absolutely.
Today, I'm going to introduce you to my friend and colleague,
Dr. Dean Ornish. Thirty years ago, he bravely made the radical
suggestion that heart disease, cancer, and other chronic
illnesses can be reversed with diet and lifestyle changes.
That's reversed -- not just prevented or treated.
In his breakthrough book, Reversing Heart Disease, Dr. Ornish
explained just how this is possible: Eat a high-quality diet,
get regular exercise, manage stress, and connect to a community
-- and you can actually unclog your arteries.
In fact, he proved that his program works better than
conventional approaches like drugs or surgery -- and without
dangerous side effects.
Now Dr. Ornish has published a new, even more compelling book,
The Spectrum -- and it's filled with scientific details about
why the program works and how to make it your own.
What's the secret?
Nutrigenomics.
That's the name for the way that food talks to your genes and
controls your health. When your genes are expressed well, you're
healthy. Disease occurs when your genes are expressed poorly.
And the quality of the food you eat has huge effects on your
health.
It matters whether you eat whole, real food, or processed,
high-sugar, and high-fat food, for example.
In The Spectrum, Dr. Ornish tells you how and why choices like
these can make a difference in whether we're healthy or sick.
But it isn't a one-size-fits-
Dr. Ornish believes -- as I do -- that the future of medicine
is personalized medicine. And in The Spectrum, he explains how
to match your genes and your health needs by customizing your
diet and lifestyle.
If you were a 25-year-old athlete with no family history of
heart disease, your approach would be different from a
65-year-old man who has type-2 diabetes and has had two heart
attacks.
He also shows us that there's a spectrum of choices for being
healthy and feeling great. There are no "good" or "bad" foods --
it's the overall way that we eat and live that matters.
Dr. Ornish gets past all of the nutrition confusion out there
and tells you the truth: that our genes were meant to be fed a
diet of whole, unprocessed foods.
A Groundbreaking Pioneer
He didn't know it, but Dr. Ornish was the first researcher and
practitioner of functional medicine, more than 30 years ago.
He was the first person to suggest that addressing the roots of
illness not only helps prevent disease, but reverses it -- and
more effectively than conventional treatment.
That's just what functional medicine is. It's a system that
addresses the underlying causes of illness by understanding the
interaction between your genes and your environment.
And it's what Dr. Ornish talks about in The Spectrum.
His roadmap for good health shows us how to increase energy,
lose weight, improve mood, feel more connected to your own
life's purpose and meaning, and even have better sex.
It's a recipe for feeling your best.
I have a lot of respect for Dr. Ornish. He wanted to make his
program accessible for everyone, but for that to happen, it has
to be reimbursed by insurance.
So he asked Medicare to fund a demonstration project based on
the research in major medical he'd already published in major
medical journals.
But it wasn't so easy.
They told him that, before they'd find the project, he needed
approval that it was safe.
Of course, Dr. Ornish's lifestyle plan is much safer than heart
surgery or angioplasty or medications with severe, damaging side
effects -- and much less expensive.
Still, he needed a letter from the National Heart, Lung and
Blood Institute saying it was safe to eat fruits and vegetables,
walk, meditate, and quit smoking!
But he persevered and his program is now approved. Dr. Ornish
is also creating an international research collaboration to
grain even more understanding about why food is the best
medicine.
And his book isn't just helpful, it's enjoyable.
He shares his story with wit and humor, keen intelligence, and
lots of tools for successfully implementing his ideas.
These tools include clear nutrition guidance, guided
meditations by his wife Anne (with an additional DVD included),
an exercise prescription, and more than 100 wonderful, delicious
life-giving recipes by a master chef.
So I urge you to get your hands on The Spectrum now and see
what you think. It truly is life-changing.
About The Author: Mark Hyman, MD is a pioneer in functional
medicine, practicing physician and best-selling author. A sneak
preview of his book "The UltraSimple Diet" is available. See The
UltraWellness Blog for more on Heart Disease:
http://ultrawellnes
Tuberculosis Risk In Male Smokers With High Vitamin C Intake May Be Increased By Vitamin E
Tuberculosis Risk In Male Smokers With High Vitamin C Intake May Be Increased By Vitamin E
Six-year vitamin E supplementation increased tuberculosis risk by 72% in male smokers who had high dietary vitamin C intake, but vitamin E had no effect on those who had low dietary vitamin C intake, according to a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition.Previous studies had suggested that vitamin E might improve the immune system. In animal studies vitamin E seemed to protect against various infections.
BIOTRONIK Home Monitoring For Patients With Cardiac Devices Launched In India
BIOTRONIK, the pioneer in remote monitoring technologies for patients with cardiac devices, has launched its revolutionary Home Monitoring� system in India. This wireless telecardiology solution was introduced on February 12th with the implant of BIOTRONIK's newest pacemaker, Cylos DR-T with Closed Loop Stimulation (CLS), at the Escorts Heart Institute & Research Center in New Delhi.
Understanding Atherosclerosis
It's the leading cause of heart disease and stroke: atherosclerosis--a disease characterized by the thickening of arterial walls, restricting blood flow like a narrow pipe. Preventing and reversing this disease is still largely a puzzle to scientists working to put all the right pieces into place and form a complete picture of health for millions of patients who suffer its devastating effects worldwide.
Six-year vitamin E supplementation increased tuberculosis risk by 72% in male smokers who had high dietary vitamin C intake, but vitamin E had no effect on those who had low dietary vitamin C intake, according to a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition.Previous studies had suggested that vitamin E might improve the immune system. In animal studies vitamin E seemed to protect against various infections.
BIOTRONIK Home Monitoring For Patients With Cardiac Devices Launched In India
BIOTRONIK, the pioneer in remote monitoring technologies for patients with cardiac devices, has launched its revolutionary Home Monitoring� system in India. This wireless telecardiology solution was introduced on February 12th with the implant of BIOTRONIK's newest pacemaker, Cylos DR-T with Closed Loop Stimulation (CLS), at the Escorts Heart Institute & Research Center in New Delhi.
Understanding Atherosclerosis
It's the leading cause of heart disease and stroke: atherosclerosis--a disease characterized by the thickening of arterial walls, restricting blood flow like a narrow pipe. Preventing and reversing this disease is still largely a puzzle to scientists working to put all the right pieces into place and form a complete picture of health for millions of patients who suffer its devastating effects worldwide.
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