Friday, September 18, 2009

Why gray?

When you were 30, and you noticed in his gray hairs, they do not particularly bothered. You just pulled them all. And now you look at yourself in the mirror and can not believe my eyes.

How did this happen?

At some point the body stops producing melanin, the pigment that determines the color of hair and defines who you are - red, brown, brunette or blonde. The same pigment determines the color of your skin. The more of this substance in the body, the darker skin and hair.

Each hair grows from a bulb, which is something like a tube. Hair follicles contain certain number of cells that produce melanin - melanocytes.

As we age, our body produces less and less melanin, and the hair turns gray, more and more. In the end, they become completely white, as the body completely stops the production of melanin. Become even gray hairs on the body.

Separate hair on his head sedeet not immediately. In the hair has its own life cycle. Hair grows a few years, then within a few months as it rests, and finally fall. This process occurs throughout life, whether you have gray hair or not. But when the bulb produces a new hair, it may be less melanin than before, and the hair will grow gray.

Therefore man can not turn gray overnight. Usually, the hair completely white-haired, it takes about 10 years. Although the first gray hairs can appear as early as adolescence, most of us are beginning to turn gray at 35 - 50 years. This is largely determined by heredity.

It is not clear why the body stops producing melanin. Not been proved that stress or trauma can make your hair turn white. Nevertheless, identified some factors affecting the production of melanin:

· Lack of vitamin B12 in your diet

· Thyroid disease (thyroid gland is responsible for the use of energy in the body)

· Bourneville's disease (tuberous sclerosis)

· Vitiligo (when the disease melanocytes are destroyed or missing)

Men turn gray sooner than women, and white - earlier than Asians or African Americans. Smokers turn gray before nonsmokers. First, usually turns white whiskey, then the process extends to the crown.
How would you or treat their gray hair, gray hair - normal, age-related changes.
Rx Washington

A survey for an old father

If you are an old dear to the health of your father, convinced him to get tested for prostate cancer. It is for him one of the most important!

While we all know the importance of such surveys, statistics show that most men older than 50 years (that is, those who are at risk) are afraid to learn about prostate cancer and refused medical supervision.

According to surveys, 74% of men in risk groups suggest that fear of side effects, svzannyh with treating this type of cancer (impotence, diarrhea, constipation, change in body weight), forcing other men to abandon the survey, and only 9% admitted that it stops themselves.

Approximately one in five of those who did not undergo an annual survey, attributes this fear to know that he has cancer, and treatment can have side effects. After interviewing their wives found that fear factor really plays a big role: about one third of women admitted that inaction husbands stoking fears of a possible disease.

Meanwhile, a survey is necessary, because prostate cancer is easily cured if it is detected at early stages. Can not refuse treatment because of the restrictions that it imposes! In addition, scientists continue to study prostate cancer and look for more benign methods of treatment.

Prostate cancer is the second most common after skin cancer. In men it is the second in frequency of fatalities cancer.

Diagnosis of prostate cancer

The risk of developing prostate cancer increases after 50 years. Over 80% of cases recorded in patients over 65 years.

There are different opinions about the effectiveness of surveys on prostate cancer. Some believe that they do not reduce mortality from prostate cancer. According to another view, shared by authoritative organizations throughout the world, such screening saves people's lives.

The direction of this survey gives a therapist.

Rectal finger examination

Rectal examination in the course of regular medical examinations used to diagnose prostate cancer in men older than 50 years and younger, at risk. To identify the compressed or enlarged sections of the prostate gland doctor inserts a finger into the anus in a glove, lubricated with gel. The prostate is located next to the rectum, so many emerging tumors can feel for her during rectal examination. This type of survey is unpleasant enough, but fast.

Test for prostate specific antigen (PSA)

With the PSA test measured content in the blood of a specific protein produced by cells of the prostate gland. This test is recommended once a year to pass men over 50 and young people who are at risk.

PSA test results listed in nanograms per milliliter or ng / ml.

The normal rate - less than 4 ng / ml. Values from 4 to 10 ng / ml are considered borderline, and more than 10 ng / ml - elevated. The higher the level of prostate-specific antigen, the higher the probability of disease.

PSA test - a tool of primary diagnosis. Its level may rise in the presence of not only malignant, but benign tumors of the prostate gland. At the same time, and in cancer PSA level may be within normal limits.

PSA test is also used to monitor the condition of patients who had prostate cancer in the past. Increased PSA levels may serve as an early sign of tumor recurrence and the signal to start re-treatment.

Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)

TRUS is appointed if there are deviations in the results of finger rectal examination or PSA test. In the rectum through the anus insert the tube. Ultrasonic waves can form on-screen image of the prostate gland.

Simultaneously with the TRUS biopsies are sometimes given a suspicious area of the prostate. The study is usually conducted in the clinic and takes less than 30 minutes.
Rx South Dakota

When weaker senses

Aging affects the entire body, including sense organs. Vision, hearing, taste, smell and touch are beginning to weaken. How fast and far-reaching of these changes will largely determine the future life.

Vision

Around 30-40 years old pupils are beginning to narrow, and the lens of the eye becomes denser and loses its transparency. This reduces the amount of light reaching the retina. To see well, eyes 60-year-old man to 3 times more light than the eyes of youth. Typically, the first symptom of the changes is the deterioration of vision in the dark. In this case, may have to give up driving at night.

The muscles that help to focus the eye, gradually begin to lose their elasticity. After 40 may not be able to focus on close objects and the need for reading glasses.

Glaucoma and retinal dystrophy - the main causes of blindness in old age. With both diseases, to some extent can be combated. So after 40 years is particularly important to regularly visit an ophthalmologist.

Hearing

About a third of Americans older than 60 years and half of Americans over 85 suffer some degree of hearing loss.

The main cause of hearing loss - damage to the delicate hairs of the inner ear, which send signals to the brain. Loud noises, inner ear infection and fever of accelerating this process. First, usually deteriorates the ability to hear high-pitched sound, as well as the ability to follow a conversation in the presence of background noise.

Education in the ear plugs sulfur - another reason for the deterioration of hearing. As we age, degenerative changes occur in the sweat glands, namely, their isolation makes ear sulfur soft. Denser earwax can block the transmission of sound waves, and the sounds will seem muted.

"Ringing in the ears appears when the hairs in the inner ear are damaged and the brain sends electrical signals that are interpreted as sound.

Taste and smell

Very often we confuse the taste and smell. Approximately 80 percent of the problems that we feel connected with taste, in fact, belong to the sense of smell.

Taste - some of the most powerful. Man is born with about 10 000 taste buds on your tongue. After 50 we start to lose some of them. As a young man distinguishes five different tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and astringent (minds). With age, the sweet beginning to be felt more strongly acidic and slightly weaker.

Sense of smell helps to distinguish smells. Try to smell chocolate. The taste is sweet and slightly bitter, but she has absolutely no smell.

Approximately 30% of people aged 70-80 years have problems with smell. Loss of smell may be total or partial, may also change the perception of smells. For example, a person can feel horrible smell, when in fact it does not, or strawberries may suddenly lose its flavor. Sometimes this leads to depression.

Return the sense of smell or taste in most cases impossible. The risk increases if a person smokes or not caring for their teeth. Polyps in the nose can also block odors. Worsen the ability to receive medications, head injuries and some diseases.

Touch

With age, skin becomes drier, thinner and less elastic, and placed it in the nerve cells - are less sensitive. Could change the sensitivity to changes in temperature. Various diseases, such as the deterioration of blood circulation or nerve damage from diabetes also lead to a deterioration of touch.
Rx Alabama