ArchiveS39

Melasma is a skin condition that mostly affects women. It's
been called the "mask of pregnancy" but these brown patches
that are very common on the upper-lip, cheeks or foreheadcan
strike even if you're not expecting a bundle of joy. In order to
lower the risk of melasma, a woman can stay out of the sun

and avoid oral contraceptives. Treatment of melasma includes:

bleaching creams, skin care products and peels that contain glycolic acid, skin peels and
sunscreens that extend into the UVA blocking range.

A diabetic foot ulcer is an open wound that most often occurs
on the bottom of the foot. Ulcers develop in approximately 15
percent of patients with diabetes. Of those who develop a
foot ulcer, six percent will be hospitalized due to infection or
other ulcer-related complication. Diabetes is the leading cause
of nontraumatic lower extremity amputations in the United

States. In addition, people who use insulin are at a higher risk of developing a foot ulcer,
as are patients with diabetes-related kidney, eye, and heart disease. Being overweight
and using alcohol and tobacco also play a role in the development of foot ulcers. Patients
who a reduced or complete lack of feeling in the feet due to nerve damage should have
their feet checked on a regular basis by a podiatric physician. The test is simple and
painless!

The Heart Scan is a non-invasive ten minute test. It's sort of
like a mammogram of the heart because it could catch heart
disease at a very early stage of the disease. Right now, the
test is not covered by insurance-it costs about five-hundred

and fifty dollars. Experts say it's recommended for folks

thirty-five years of age and up who have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes,
a history of tobacco use and of course if you have a family history of heart disease. But
keep in mind, the heart scan detects calcified plaques in the arteries of your heart;
however, soft plaques or non-calcified deposits are also a predictor of heart disease. No
non-invasive test, including the heart scan, can detect these plaques. So make sure
you're well informed about your health when it comes to heart disease.

This week, Chef de Cuisine Ken Migneault, from Nemacolin
Woodlands Resort & Spa, puts some of his garden herbs to

good use, in a Fine Herb Vinaigrette.

When it comes to peace of mind, I think we're all looking for a
little bit more of it. That's why on this week's reference desk
we take a look at this brand new book, The Sedona Method.
The book emphasizes the concept of moving forward and
transfomation. The book includes several exercises to help
readers take their mind off of negative thoughts -it's sort of a
learning experience on the art of growth. The Sedona
Method is a great resource when it comes to finding lasting
happiness and letting go of the bad-so you have plenty of
energy to reach for the good in life.