What Is Autism Disorder?

It is hoped by many parents of autistic children that once the causes of autism are discovered, this condition will be curable and perhaps even prevented. Unfortunately medical research has been unable to isolate the primary cause of autism amongst children. Perhaps in the future autism disorder will be associated with a specific gene abnormality or a group of interrelated factors within a child's genetic makeup.

As things stand today, autism disorder cannot be prevented nor is there a cure. Given this reality, the very best thing we can do as a society is to be supportive of children and adults with autism and be willing to do what we can to make them feel comfortable and accepted. An important starting point is to identify what is factual information and what are myths about the causes of autism disorder.

Myth 1: Poor parenting causes autism in children. This is totally false. There is no valid research to support this claim about poor parenting skills leading to children developing autism disorder.

Myth 2: Autism is caused by poor eating habits. Once again there is no medical evidence to show that autism disorder is brought about by what you eat. Some autistic children do have food allergies or benefit from vitamin supplements however these are conditions that may be accented by having this disorder and certainly not the cause according to current research and theory.

Myth 3: Vaccinations cause autism. Currently there is on-going research into these claims, however without any concrete evidence to show a clear link between vaccinations and autism, it is still much safer to protect your child against disease and illness with a vaccination than it is to put them at risk by not having vaccinations due to fears it may lead to autism.

The exposing of the above myths surround autism begs the question as to "what is the cause of autism in children and adults"? Here are some facts about autism disorder:

* Current research and theory around autism focuses on strong links between autism disorder and the way the brain operates. For example, there is evidence to support the fact that autistic people have larger brains and their brains appear to be "hard wired" differently than a normal brain. Without getting into specific details, for the purpose of this article, it is sufficient to say that these brain differences exist in many areas of the brain and therefore can be viewed in simplistic terms as an overall brain malfunction is somehow bringing about the autism disorder in the individual.
* Another characteristic of many autistic children and adults are health problems brought on by an immune deficiency. As with vaccinations, this is another area of ongoing research. Cases of autism are often found to exist within the family tree of the parents plus there have been instances of parents having more than one autistic child. Immune deficiency problems combined with the occurrence of autism within family trees have some people thinking that finding a cure of autism may be through genetic research.

Without a doubt, autism disorder is a very complex problem that will require much more research which will hopefully provide us with better treatment alternatives in the future and perhaps one day, even a cure. In the meantime, parents and society in general, need to become better educated about autism disorder. The more we know about autism, the better we can help and support those individuals who are afflicted with this condition.

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5 Ideas to Buy Your Best Home Treadmill

Treadmills have been going our lives for many years and they are continuously being developed by all kinds of manufacturers. You can find it in the market from 100 dollars or so with basic functions to several thousands of dollars with many advanced features. It might be difficult for you to choose which the best for your home treadmill is.

Before buying a treadmill, you may have to know what the purpose you are to buy it or what your needs are on a tread. Is the treadmill for your family or only for yourself? Are you tall enough to buy a treadmill with longer deck or just a common one to get into shape? What is the budget for your treadmill? These all should be clarified before your next action.

This article will not focus on your needs and budget but give you 5 basic ideas how to choose your best home treadmill or what are the factors you may have to consider over before you are trying to buy a treadmill.

Here are the 5 basic ideas.

1. It is all about the motor

Unless you prefer a manual treadmill without motor on it, the motor is the most important and expensive part on an electric treadmill. It usually ranges between 1.5HP to 3.5HP or more and the most popular range is 2.0HP to 3.0HP for general use. If you are an athlete or you are extremely heavy, you may have to pursue the motor with higher horse power.

The most motors in the market are with continuous-duty feature. That means it can be running continuously for hours without a stop to get it cooling. Also some motors labeled with DC, which means direct current (DC) electricity, provide more silent than the AC motors.

The motor warranty time links to the quality of the motor. Think it over by yourself, if the motor has a life time warranty, it means the manufacturer is confident on its quality. If it was easy to be broken, the life-time warranty would cost the manufacturer more to repair than the profit they earn on this product.

2. The cushioning is associated with your health

We know the strong point running on a treadmill compared to running outside is the cushioning system. A good cushioning system highly protects your feet, knees and joints from injuries. Also it contributes sound reduction and makes the whole treadmill quieter.

I heard a people bought a cheaper treadmill without good cushioning and jogged on it. After several months, her hips were damaged so hardly that she felt painful even when she was walking. That's the example we are trying to avoid. If you like running on a treadmill, this feature is essential for you to consider.

3. A good service and warranty will protect your investment

Like I said above, the warranty stands for the quality of the product, which means the producer guarantee the parts are seldom got problem during the promised terms while properly using it. The motor and frame warranty are the most important in the warranty policy of the product. Don't buy it if they are less than 5 years. For the other parts, for example, electronics and labor, they generally have at least one year warranty.

The service is also a part you need consider. Assuming you call the service number and ask for some help, but nobody answers the phone. What's your feeling on the product? So it is a good idea to call the service number or the technical number and ask some questions on the product before buying. In this way, you can test the sale service or their technical support is good or bad.

4. Always search the treadmill with quality brand name

A brand is the identity of a specific product, service, or business. A brand name is usually registered as a trademark by the owner or his company. It can be added much values by the advertisement, the quality of the product and the good experience of the users. A good brand name is not only well-known in the industry but also has a great reputation on its products. So choosing the treadmill with quality brand name is a must.

Moreover, you also need to see if the product which you are buying is still supported by the producer. Sometimes, a certain product will be out of market or be replaced by an advanced product although it has a good brand name. Nobody likes buying an outdated product which will not be supported anymore. You can check this information from the website of the manufacturer.

5. Check the product reviews from the real buyers

We all know Amazon is the largest online merchandise market in the world. It is also a good place to check the product reviews from the real users. For each product, including treadmills, there is an overall review ranking which maximum is 5 stars. You may only focus on at least 4 star ranking products with at least 10 reviews. The more reviews it has, the more popular the product is.

From the user reviews, you can not only check the good points of the product but also the week points. You may list all the weak points on a piece of paper and research them one by one and see if the weak point is a big issue on your needs.

Based on the above 5 tips, it is easy for you to find the best home treadmill to satisfy your needs. After buying the treadmill, you can start your workout plan to burn your fat or get in shape. It will be your best investment to benefit your health in your whole life.

Google is the best tool to search any exercise machine and its reviews. For example, you can search Sole F80 Treadmill Review in Google by typing the product name "Sole F80 Treadmill" plus the word "review", you will get a list of the review on the product.

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Are We Missing Something?

I have been asked quite often, "What is asthma?" Asthma is a disease of the airway.
It is characterized by inflammatory hyper-responsiveness with clinical manifestation of shortness of breath and wheezing. It is also sometimes associated with coughing and feelings of chest tightness. Asthma has become one of the fastest growing causes of medical disability and morbidity for all ages but especially for the young in industrialized countries.

Asthma may manifest as an acute attack or chronic exacerbations. The attacks are often triggered by:

1) exposure to irritants such as smoke, pollen, and cold air
2) allergens such as dust, mold, animal dander, air pollution, and petrochemical products 3) bronchial or sinus infection.

Acid reflux, viral infection, congestive heart failure, foreign bodies and drug reaction are also common conditions associated with recurrent asthma. However, there is a large portion of people suffering from no obvious triggering agents or infections. These individuals are not responding to conventional therapy.

Standard treatment for asthma typically consists of bronchodilators such as albuterol and corticosteroids in the forms of oral, nasal or intravenous preparations. There are many other forms of medications for asthma including cromolyn sodium, leukotriene antagonists like Singulair, theophylline and the new generation of long acting bronchodilators. Despite aggressive usage of multiple medications for the management of asthma, more than 15 million Americans are suffering. Over 5000 people die from severe asthma attacks every year. The total medical costs related to asthma are estimated at over 14 billion dollars. The overall rate of asthma and the resulting financial burden have been rising for the last 30 years. Are doctors missing something?

According to James Braly, M.D., expert on food allergies, wheat, milk and eggs are among the most likely foods that will trigger an asthma attack. Corn, soy and peanuts are also common food allergens that can exacerbate asthma. Food coloring and preservatives are also unsuspected triggering agents. Food allergy tests and a rotation diet of foods are essential parts of managing asthma. Some of the natural remedies for asthma include nettle (Urtica dioica), mullein, licorice root, cayenne pepper and intestinal cleansers to remove the mucous build up in the small and large intestines. Hydration with plenty of water is essential. Avoiding mucous forming foods, especially all grains and dairy products, is also critical to the proper management of asthma.

Other therapies to consider include acupuncture, acupressure message therapy, spinal adjustments by an experienced chiropractor, and the Buteyko Method for controlling asthma. The Buteyko Method was developed by Konstatin Pavlovich Buteyko from Russia. It includes training in a technique for deliberate shallow breathing and carbon dioxide regulation. It is worthwhile to investigate.

In summary, asthma has become a very common debilitating medical epidemic in the United States for all ages with increased morbidity and mortality. A significant portion of asthma sufferers do not respond to conventional medical treatments. The more medical doctors use bronchodilator medications or corticosteroids, the more side effects and mortality occur.

It is time for us to reevaluate asthma medical management. It is time for medical doctors to ask the question, "Are we missing something?" We must look far beyond common infections and allergens. Consider hidden parasite infestations or dental infections. Consider other forms of alternative medical therapies as mentioned above. Sometimes, the response can be dramatic and almost miraculous.

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