Why are Prescription Drugs Cheaper in Canada?

If you go online, you probably see advertisements for lower-priced prescription drugs from Canada. When you do some “comparison shopping” using Canada 411 resources for your information, you most likely notice a difference, and you may wonder why this is.

There are a number of reasons why prescription drugs are cheaper in Canada. One of the differences is the difference in the economies. If prescription drugs weren’t cheaper, the people in Canada couldn’t afford to buy them.

Canada 411 can give you more information on the differences in their Gross Domestic Product and the U. S. Gross Domestic Product. Prices for other goods besides prescription drugs also tend to be cheaper in Canada. Automobile prices are one example of this. The fact that it’s cheaper to make products in Canada can also account for the lower prices of prescription drugs.

These are just a few reasons why prescription drug prices are lower in Canada. Again, if the difference is rather large, then people in the U. S. may be inclined to either visit Canada if they live close enough to do so, or order their prescription drugs online to take advantage of the cheaper prices.

Canada also has access to Asian and alternative medicines, and some people may use Asian practices such as acupuncture, acupressure, and other alternative medicines considered to be homeopathic; that is, using naturally-occurring drugs in small enough doses to be safe (St. John’s Wart for depression and black cohosh for symptoms of menopause are two examples of homeopathic medications) in conjunction with their prescriptions.

This may allow them to get better results from the prescription medication or even reduce the amount of prescription medication they need. Americans can take advantage of Asian and alternative medicines and treatments available in Canada as well as saving money on prescription drugs. Canada 411 can provide information on places where Asian and alternative medicines and treatments can be obtained.

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Magnetic Therapy

Magnetic therapy is a form of alternative medicine that is used to reduce inflammation and heal injured bones and soft tissue. It is also used to treat pain. Magnetic therapy is considered safe to use for most individuals. Patients that should be cautious with using this type of therapy include pregnant women and individuals who have an implanted electrical devise within their body. The types of magnets used in this type of therapy may be applied directly to specific points of the body or be a part of a bandage type apparatus that is worn by the patient. Some individuals wear a magnetic bracelet as a form of therapy.

The human blood protein that carries oxygen within the body has been reported to be impacted by the use of magnets dependent upon the strength of the magnet used. Studies have reported some positive effect from the use of magnets. There has been no meaningful evidence that proves that magnets possess the healing powers they are presented to have. Even without the proof that justifies the use of magnets they remain highly popular. Purchase of bracelets, earring’s, necklaces, magnetically supplemented mattress pads, and magnetic shoe insoles continue to increase.

With the hope of a cure and the testimony of many magnetic therapy will remain a consideration of an alternative form of health care. Sufferers of pain related to injury and diabetes continue to seek out a cure for their condition and magnetic therapy is often considered and used. Some report a positive effect and others show no signs of improvement.

Research and studies into the effectiveness of magnetic therapy have been inconclusive. In the United States there are regulations that prohibit using medical claims to market magnetic devices. Sales of magnetic therapy devices have exceeded one billion dollars which makes it a very profitable business.

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Music Therapy

Listening to music is an integral part of many of our lives. It soothes our soul when the work day has been long. It gives us energy when our spirits or physical being is tired. It is tied to our most important rituals such as marriages and funerals. What most people do not realize though is music heals.

Music therapy is a legitimate medical treatment for a variety of ailments and has been around for nearly fifty years. It is administered by credentialed professionals, who have been referred by your doctor. It is well researched and recommended for stroke victims, epilepsy patients, and Alzheimer’s patients.

Stroke

A 2008 Finnish study published in the February 20th issue of the Brain involved 54 patients,who had various types of strokes. One group was given audio books to listen to for a few hours of the day, the control group received the standard treatments, and a third group listened to music for a set time. The group that listened to music had significant improvement in focusing attention and concentration.

Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which a person’s brain has an electrical storm. Dr. Sidorenko did a study, where they assessed the effectiveness of Medical Resonance Therapy Music done on severe epileptic patients in which medication was not being effective. He found that the frequency and severity of the attacks were reduced as much as 75 percent.

Alzeheimers

Alzeheimers is not only devastating to the person that has the disease, but also to the ones closest to them. The ailment breaks the relationship between partners as
the patient loses the ability to interact with their spouse and loved ones. At the University of Queensland a project by Dr. Felicity Baker sent music therapists to the home and trained the spouse how to use music and dance to facilitate conversation. This provided a means of interacting and maintaining relationships.

Music therapy does much to improve a patient’s quality of life.

Resources

http://www.musictherapy.org/

http://www.epilepsy.com/

http://dementiaweekly.com/

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Video and Computer Games That Treat Illnesses in Children

Before you ban your child from playing video or computer games you might want to take a look at the latest research.

Obesity has been declared a major health issue in the United States. Obesity in children has risen dramatically in recent decades. In a study found in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine the issue of obesity is being treated with video games. For example, the video game”Escape from Diab” was designed and used to treat
children with type 2 diabetes. Management of diabetes takes major behavior changes which are always difficult. Children in the study played the game and learned what needed to be done to control their diabetes. The study showed that children increased their fruit and vegetable consumption by 2/3 servings daily in the period of time they were exposed to the game.

Dyslexia is a major obstacle to learning how to read efficiently. The American Psychological Association states that dyslexia can be undone. One way this is being done is through a video program called Fast Forword (http://www.scilearn.com/) This game was based on a 2003 study using MRIs by Elise Temple, PhD., John Gabrieli, PhD., Dr. Tallal and others. The game after several months of use changed the brain and lessened children’s dyslexia. This study found increased use of multiple brain regions during language processing, as well as significantly improved language and reading skills.

The Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology in its November/December issue highlighted a study by Christine Hanson and Synthia Puffenburger which tested a game that was designed to improve the working memory in children with ADHD. Working memory is important for academic success. One fourth to one third of the children showed significant progress in their working memory after using the program for a month and a half.

Recent research studies are proving daily that games can be a useful treatment for some of our most complex diseases and syndromes, particularly in children.

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TCM is not Just Turner’s Classic Movie

TCM is known as Traditional Chinese Medicine. That phrase usually conjures up visions of a half dressed person with needles sticking out of various parts of their body. There is a more to TCM than acupuncture. TCM has thousands of years of history for some of its remedies, and it also includes the use of herbs, massage, exercise and diet.

It is widely known that many Western drugs come from plant extracts. Research has all has proven diet and exercise have an impact on health. It is no less in TCM. TCM has a holistic approach and involves a philosophy. Practitioners of Chinese medicine view the mind, body, and spirit as a whole. Treatments address all three of those areas. Health is viewed as a balance between the general principle of Yin and Yang.

What is Yin and Yang? Yin is considered female energy and is found in the solid organs such has heart, liver, or lung. Yang is considered male energy and is found in hollow organs such as intestines, gall bladder, and stomach. Illness and disease is thought to happen when the two get out of balance. TCM seeks to restore the balance. In addition, to Yin and Yang there is the idea of Qi (pronounce chee). Qi is about energy, and how your energy moves throughout your body and is used. If Qi is blocked, then illness or disease can result.

Diagnosis of an ailment involves an interview, pulse exam,and tongue examination. The interview has questions about dreams, sleep, food, and stress. Pulse exams look for six pulses in each arm. Each kind of pulse gives information about the health of the body. The tongue is considered a reflection of the vital organs and systems of the body. How the tongue looks determines the state of that part of the body.

As more Western research is done on the Chinese remedies, studies do show there is a basis in truth.

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Do Coffee and Cigarettes Just Naturally Go Together?

Tobacco smoke in an Irish pub before a smoking...
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Some would say yes, that you simply cannot have one without the other. These, however, may be the ones who are the most affected by cigarette smoking restrictions or even outright bans in workplaces and other public areas. For them, the decision may be between having coffee or a cigarette, as it may be very difficult for them to do both.

For these people, an electric cigarette may be the answer. An electric cigarette does not produce real tobacco smoke that contains the tars, nicotine, and other chemicals that are found in regular tobacco products, nor is there the lingering odor of cigarette smoke. Further, an electric cigarette does not produce any ash and the “smoke” that is produced is simply exhaled water vapor.

If smokers are in the workplace, they may ask their supervisor if smoking an e-cigarette in designated non-smoking areas is allowable. They can explain that the “smoke” is simply water vapor, perhaps scented with menthol or other flavorings.

They can also explain that the water vapor is not the same as “secondhand smoke” that is produced by a regular cigarette. There are no tars or other chemicals, and the nicotine liquid itself has been filtered through the water vapor.

If the e-cigarette smoker is told that it is all right to smoke an e-cigarette in designated non-smoking areas, and if co-workers do not object (some may be sensitive to even the “smoke” caused by the water vapor), then the pairing of coffee and a cigarette can occur again. If, however, the answer is no, or there is objection from co-workers, the e-cigarette user may have to make the decision of which one is more important—the cigarette or the coffee.  Hopefully they all choose the coffee, as it is nowhere near as dangerous as a regular cigarette!

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Home Remedies “Wives” Tales as Alternative Medicine

Two lemons, one whole and one sliced in half
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Have you ever had the hiccups and received unsolicited wives’ tale remedies from everyone around you on how to get rid of them? Something to the effect of “stand on your head for 30 seconds or drink a glass of water while holding your breath and plugging your nose are some of the many shout-outs heard between your body’s painful and obnoxious gulps of air.

Home remedies, more commonly called wives’ tales, have been used as an alternative to medicine for minor ailments for decades. What works for one person, may not work for another, so the remedies often change with time and among family traditions.

Consider these possible alternative solutions the next time you have a little problem:

Put lemon juice, lime juice or sour milk on a wart to get rid of it.
Make a paste of baking soda and water to take the pain out of stings and the itch out of bites.
Eat peanut butter to cure a headache.
Gargle warm salt water to relieve the pain of a sore throat.
Round the corners of your toenails when you cut them to prevent ingrown toenails.
To completely remove a tick, cover it in petroleum jelly to suffocate it and then pull it out.

What about all the things you were told not to do as a child because it might have ill effects on your body. Some of them might be true and some might simply be a means of making you listen. Consider the following:

Don’t slouch in the chair or you’ll be come a hunchback.
Reading in low light can ruin your eyes.
Sucking your thumb can give you buck teeth.
If you swallow a piece of gum, it takes seven years to digest it.

While none of these wives’ tales are necessarily right or wrong, you should be careful what you put on your body and what you consume as an alternative cure to an ailment. If in doubt, it’s better to consult your doctor or, in the case of hiccups, wait it out.

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Linking Your Health To Your Chinese Personality

The next time you fall ill, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to check if your personality had something to do with it. According to traditional Chinese medicine, personalities give important clues to the state of one’s physical health and tendency to fall ill. A personality-based assessment is becoming increasingly common in many alternative modern health medicine techniques.

As per Chinese thinking, every person has five elements in their birth chart. The relative weight of each element will determine the personality, and since all elements are present, a person will always have a mixed personality. The five elements are Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth. Each element has its good and bad sides.

Metal is the element that signifies righteousness and intellectual sharpness. Metal persons are detail-oriented perfectionists, and pursue their goals with single-minded devotion. Since Metal types are prone to respiratory illnesses and eczema, they are advised to take up aerobic exercises. Water types are known as deep thinkers, and are generally considered to be far ahead of their time. Such persons tend to be philosophical, and enjoy solitude and tranquility. They are likely to develop problems of the kidney and bladder if they do not have an adequate liquid intake or socializing opportunities.

Wood persons have Type A personalities, and are high on vitality, energy, and ambition. They are extremely driven and focused, and quite likely to assume positions of leadership or athletic supremacy. Wood personalities are therefore prone to stress and tension related ailments, and would do well to learn meditation.

Fire persons are the life of any group they’re in, and are fun, sociable people who love to read and travel. They are extremely gifted communicators. Fire types can maintain their health by taking time to nurture themselves, and limiting the intake of spices. Earth persons are compassionate nurturers, who are also natural peacemakers owing to their empathy. They are likely to suffer from weight gain, food allergies, and fatigue, and must learn to maintain the right balance in their food habits and emotions.

Knowing your personality type is the first step to making traditional Chinese medicine work effectively for you.

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Benefits of Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese Medical practice where fine needles are inserted into specific parts of the body for the purpose of curing an illness. When the needles pierce through the body, they release blocked energy which is responsible for causing imbalances in health. This alternative medicine technique has been practiced in China for thousands of years and has been used to effectively treat health problems.

During an acupuncture session, the patient will lie flat on the table while the practitioner will insert needles into the body at various points. These points are gateways for the body’s energy flow. Acupuncture points redirect the energy to areas that are deficient. The needles inserted will be at an angle of 15 degree to 90 degrees. These needles can be manipulated by hand and they will be twisted depending on what the practitioner considers as right. Other motions that can be used include vibration, heating, cooling, and gentle electrification.

What can acupuncture help to treat? Acupuncture can strengthen the body’s immune system. This makes the body strong and also resistant to various illnesses such as infections, flu, and cold and so on. It can be used to treat psychological disorders such as phobias, eating disorders, anxiety, addictions and so on. Studies show that depression can be cured through acupuncture.

After surgery, acupuncture is highly effective in increasing vitality and body energy. Those with hypertension will find acupuncture to help them to control the problem and also give better energy levels. Today, everyone is interested in looking slim, but losing weight is not an easy task. Acupuncture is highly effective in bringing down weight by suppressing the appetite.

Those who have to take drugs for fighting off pain will find acupuncture to help reduce the need to take them frequently. It improves body circulation and in doing so energizes the body and strengthens it to fight off diseases. It has been noted that where various health medicines have failed to give adequate treatment, this form of Chinese medicine has proven to be quite effective.

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“Quick fix” medicines in the alcohol rehab center industry

When did it become standard practice for health professionals to issue prescriptions for the symptoms of an ailment rather than addressing the actual problem?

It seems that Americans have become inured to the concept of the “source” ailment. They are quick to recognize and treat symptoms, but overall, the underlying problems are overlooked. Hence, over-the-counter medicines are used at frightening rates to “fix” health issues—but what is really fixed?

Pills for everyday symptoms—headache, sneezing, cough, fever, allergies, fatigue, and so on—have become commonplace. If you have an ailment and can’t make it to your doctor right away, chances are good that you can run to the supermarket and get something to tide you over for a while. When you do get to the doctor, he or she will prescribe another medication. You will stand in another line, to see another druggist, to take yet another pill.

Good health is a precious commodity, and it is fortified by good living, good exercise, and good food. Unfortunately, society approves of pharmaceuticals as the general be-all and end-all of health maintenance, and the dollars spent annually on prescription drugs prove it. Health professionals have been taught that most ailments can only be addressed with drugs, to the point that a well-rounded diet of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and lean meats has been ruled out as a solution to anything.

Medicines have their place in helping people recover. In an alcohol rehab center or a drug rehab center, pharmaceuticals used to manage withdrawal symptoms make a great deal of sense. Pharmaceuticals have their place in situations of trauma and severe disease. However, the general belief  that disease is best assuaged by drugs is startling, especially when the most basic tenets of healthy living are pushed aside.

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