 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Archive for the ‘Health Issues’ Category
Mon, September 29, 2008 8:52 am By James Coolridge  Printer friendly version
 Email to a friend
 Junk food refers to fast foods which are easy to make and easy to consume. They are zero in nutritional value .They contain only fats and carbohydrates causing ill effects on the health of the consumer. The taste is the most attractive feature in junk foods. Find out the harmful effects and ways to avoid junk food.
Harmful effects of eating junk food:
Deficiency of vigor:
Junk foods restrain any nutrients that are beneficial to the human body. One disadvantage of consuming junk food is that it contains high amount of oil and fat. These foods are full of harmful carbohydrates, fats and cholesterol that do not provide any positive energy, causing weakness in the body. This is known as a short-term adverse effect resulting from eating junk foods.
Poor Concentration:
When a person consumes junk food in excess, a major portion of blood in the body is diverted to the intestine. As a result, the person feels drowsy and suffers with reduced concentration. These are traced to affect in immediate and medium term periods. Over sustained periods of junk food eating, blood circulation drops due to fat accumulation. Lack of vital oxygen, nutrients and proteins particularly can decay your brain cells temporarily.
Causes Heart Diseases:
Junk food diet is a major cause of heart diseases. This is due to the fact that junk food contains excessive amount of low-density lipoproteins and cholesterol that get deposited on the inner linings of blood vessels. This result in formation of plaques and the heart is required to put an extra effort for pumping blood through the arteries. This causes two damages to heart - heart fatigues by the continuous extra effort it makes and it suffers oxygen supply.
Causes obesity:
Junk food makes you put on weight. People who have obesity or morbid obesity are those who have a preference for junk food and snacking. Eating junk food can make you prone to diabetes, because it contain too much of sugar. Packed junk food contains preservatives and coloring, both of which contain carcinogenic substances.
Causes ageing:
In the long run, junk food truly fastens the effects of aging. People show symbols of old age faster because of continuously eating junk food. Continuous eating of junk food exposes the body to long periods of bad nutrition. The result is release of free radicals which are the chief reason responsible for aging effect.
How to Avoid Junk Food:
Awareness on junk food facts should be laid more stress on. Here are some useful tips to avoid junk foods.
• Controlling children from eating junk foods with the help of Schools administration along with parents to educate children about junk foods in schools. Pack healthy snacks that they can bring to school which includes fruits, and juices.
• Keeping good food nearby and having meals right on time may help in this direction. Substitute food preferences with healthy ones like pure fruit juice or ice water with lemon slices or mineral water instead of soft drinks, light ice cream, yogurt instead of the regular ice cream; low fat-low sugar foods, low fat milk and milk products, wheat bread, whole grain biscuits or any high fiber containing food, etc.
• Do away with the junk food inside your home - refrigerator, pantry, kitchen, and even inside the bedrooms. Discourage mindless munching of food while engaged in a non-active activity like watching television.
• Have healthy snacks available such as nuts, 100% fruit juice, and whole grain cereals.
• Fry food with vegetable or low fat oil or grill it.
These are a few guidelines which can help you to be away from its harmful effects. Eat healthy, stay healthy.
Tags: avoid, junk food, harmful effects
Fri, September 19, 2008 1:36 pm By James Coolridge
 Snoring is caused by vibrations of the relaxed throat tissues and is often the precursor or companion of sleep apnea. Although effective medical treatment for sleep apnea exists, the public does not recognize the dangers. New research suggests there is a strong link between loud snoring and both heart disease and strokes. They concluded that heavy snorers were significantly more likely to have a heart attack or stroke compared to the rest of the population. Compared to the rest of the population, loud snorers had a 34% increased risk of having a heart attack, and a 67% greater chance of suffering a stroke.
Causes of snoring:
If your airway becomes small enough, your soft palate and uvula begin to vibrate when you inhale and exhale. These vibrations are the cause of the sound most people call snoring. This is very much like a reed musical instrument. Obesity, increased fat on the back of the neck, drinking alcohol, family history, obstruction in nose and lazy palate all lead to snoring.
Social effects:
Researchers have also found that snoring strains interpersonal relationships as household and bed partners lose sleep. Snoring is known to cause sleep deprivation in both snorers and people around them. Snorers also complain about the social embarrassment that occurs when they are on business trips or on holidays. It also causes daytime drowsiness, irritability, poor concentration and decreased sex drive. Snoring may seem a minor problem, but various scientists have found that marital relationships improved significantly, after snoring was surgically treated.
Snoring prevention:
Snoring also usually gets worse with advancing age. Snoring is very prevalent, and although people joke about it, it can cause serious problems. Here are suggested some lifestyle changes and natural snoring remedies.
• Change your sleeping position.
At first, snoring occurs when you are lying on your back and the tongue falls back, increasing airway obstruction. If you are a snorer like this, sleeping on your side will usually help you stop snoring. You can also try raising the head of your bed four inches, by placing blocks or a wedge under the head of the mattress. Snoring can occur when you are sleeping on your side or with your head raised. Eventually, snoring can go on all night and in all positions. This means it is time to observe your lifestyle.
• Lose your body weight.
Overweight people often have bulky neck tissue. If you are overweight, losing a modest amount of weight - even 10% of your body weight, can help you stop snoring.
• Avoid alcohol and sedatives.
Anything that causes sedation, such as sleeping pills or alcohol, can also cause snoring because they suppress your urge to breathe. If you snore because you have a couple of drinks or a sedative at night, either cut back or stop it altogether.
• Inhale steam before bed.
Nasal congestion can often cause snoring. You can try to reduce night-time congestion by deeply breathing steam through your nose before bedtime. Steam vaporizers are very effective at doing this.
There are several viable treatment options. A variety of oral appliances are available to control snoring and act as “volume control.” Medication, behavioral therapy, surgery and anti-aging medication are a few of your options. If you snore, See a sleep apnea doctor as soon as possible and avoid the potential health risks associated with snoring.
So, snoring is not a minor problem especially if you snore a lot. The effects from snoring can be devastating in terms of health and relationship. Snoring doesn’t mean that you will suffer from a heart disease, but it does mean that you are at a higher risk than non-snorers. Stay snore free and Stay healthy.
Tags: Health, Lifestyle, Snoring, Heart
Thu, September 18, 2008 1:03 pm By James Coolridge
A brain tumor is a collection of several damaged cells, which later on multiply beyond control inside the brain. Also known as a neoplasm or lesion, a brain tumor is broadly categorized into two categories; Primary and Secondary ( also called as Metastatic) Brain Tumors. The secondary brain tumors are generally cancers, which develop in other body parts, except the brain, but later on spread to the brain. Commonly Lung and Breast cancers are of this category. So far as growth of the tumor cells is concerned, Malignant brain tumors grow very rapidly and intrude on other cells, while Benign brain tumors usually do not grow rapidly. However, Benign tumors can also be life-threatening at times.
 But do not lose your heart, there are more reasons to be hopeful. Substantial progress has been noticed in the diagnosis of brain tumors. Research and development in this field suggest that certain kinds of primary brain tumors are found in children, whereas the secondary kind of brain tumors are mostly found in adults between the age group of 40 to 60. The occurrence is relatively more in case of men.
As the tumor cells inside the brain grow, they interfere with other normal brain cells, irritate or even destroy them. This causes certain symptoms such as bad vision, headaches, movement problems, pain or numbness, paralysis, seizures, speech problems, vomiting and weakness. The patient may experience some feeling of tiredness or fatigue, loss of memory and mental weakness. However, it is very strange to know that about one-third of the people with brain tumors do not feel any initial symptoms.
Medical sciences have developed certain high end techniques to detect and confirm brain tumors at the initial stage. These are Biopsy, Computerized Tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Positron Emission Tomography scanning (PET). All these techniques do not require surgery, hence are painless. Treating Brain Tumors now-a-days has become considerably simplified as medical technologists around the world have developed new revolutionary methods of medical processes and machineries. Various healtcare professional, such as Neurologists, Neurooncologists, Neuropsychologists, Neurosurgeons, Physical Therapists, Radiation Oncologists, Speech Therapists, Speech-language Pathologists and Social Workers together find out the best solution to deal with the case. Radiation Therapy or Radiotherapy, Whole Brain Radiation Therapy (WBRT), Stereotactic Radiosurgery, Brachytherapy and Chemotherapy are the modern methods developed to treat brain tumors, which are applied depending on the location and size of the tumor and the nature and intensity of the case.
Though heart-breaking and discouraging, modern day diagnosis and treatment methods have generated certain level of hope for brain tumor patients and their family members. The growth and development in the world of medical sciences and technology is inventing new methods of treatment. So just do not lose your heart, still there is hope for a better world. An early detection and the earliest treatment can certainly avoid the life-threating consequences of brain tumors.
Tags: Brain Tumors, Detection and Treatment of Brain Tumors, Primary & Secondary Brain Tumors, Biopsy, CT, MRI, PET
Thu, September 11, 2008 8:31 am By James Coolridge
 Now days, the use of modern gadgets and electronic appliances in our day-to-day activities has increased in such a manner that our life has become measurable without them. While, these high end electronic gadgets and appliances have made our life comparatively easy and hassle-free, at the same time they bring serious health hazards and threats to human existence. Let us delve in to in details regarding such effects of waves of electronic items in our rooms.
All most all of the electronic appliances and gadgets have small instruments and parts inside them that generate an electromagnetic field around them. This electromagnetic field has a certain level of effect on the other materials surrounding it. These electromagnetic waves emitted by these appliances affect both living and non-living objects in different intensities. Cellular phones have become bare necessities of people these days, but these appliances are associated with a high degree of risk with them as well. The electromagnetic wave emitted by mobile phones can affect on our neural system to a greater extent. These waves also put dangerous impact on different organs of human body. Human brain, kidney and hearing organs are largely affected by the electromagnetic waves emitted by these cell phones.
Similarly, microwave ovens, OTG etc also are connected to a remarkable level of radiation hazard that put impact on the activities of our human body. Microwave ovens generate electromagnetic as well as heat waves of very high intensity that cook the food, boil water and defrost other food items. These electromagnetic and heat waves of very high intensity develop a range around itself that has certain level of impact on the human tissue. These waves are especially very dangerous to new born babies, who are very much sensitive towards the radiation effects.
The effects of waves of electronic items become more intense when more than such items are there in the house. The electromagnetic waves and hazardous radiations emitted by the individual electronic items influence the activities of each other and at times they super impose with each other to generate electromagnetic waves of higher energy.
The modern day electronic appliances and gadgets influence both directly and indirectly our physical and mental health. Many times they become the cause of various disorders, diseases and stigma. No doubt these electronic appliances have brought all the comforts and made human life go easy, but at the same time passively they are causing serious heath threats for human existence. So be a bit vigilant in the use and dependence on these modern electronic gadgets. Remember to follow all the safety measures and precautions while you use these modern machines.
Tags: effects of waves of electronic items on human beings, Radiation Hazards, Effect of cell phones on Human health
Sat, September 6, 2008 7:17 am By James Coolridge
 Smoking is a practice where a substance, most commonly tobacco, is burned and the smoke tasted or inhaled. This is primarily done as a form of recreational drug use, as combustion releases the active substances in drugs such as nicotine and makes them available for absorption through the lungs. Tobacco smoking is today by far the most popular form of smoking and is practiced by over one billion people in the majority of all human societies.
The effects of tobacco on health are significant, depending on the way the tobacco is used (smoked, snuffed or chewed) and the amount. Major health effects of smoking, the most common use of tobacco, include an increased risk in lung cancer and cardiovascular disease. A person’s increased risk of contracting disease is directly proportional to the length of time that a person continues to smoke as well as the amount smoked. However, if someone stops smoking, then these chances gradually decrease as the damage to their body is repaired.
Some diseases associated with smoking are
• Many forms of cancer, particularly lung cancer, cancer of the kidney, cancer of the larynx and head and neck, breast cancer, bladder, esophagus, pancreas, and stomach.
• Cardiovascular disease
• Respiratory ailments
• Birth defects of pregnant smokers’ offspring
• Cataracts that may cause blindness
• Cognitive dysfunction
• Impotence
There are two factors that will determine your success in quitting smoking for good. They are:
• Will - You must have the desire to give up your habit of smoking and create a strong will to avoid a smoking relapse.
• Mindset – You must learn about the effects of smoking, understand its consequences and face the fact that you need to stop smoking and follow, finish and maintain a quit smoking plan.
HOW TO QUIT SMOKINKG
• Cut back on cigarettes gradually. Ways to cut back gradually include: plan how many cigarettes you will smoke each day until your quit date, making the number you smoke smaller each day
• Believe in yourself. Believe that you can quit.
• Write down why you want to quit (the benefits of quitting)
• Talk with your doctor about quitting. Support and guidance from a physician is a proven way to better your chances to quit.
• Begin an exercise program. Exercise is simply incompatible with smoking.
• Find something to hold in your hand and mouth, to replace cigarettes.
Good luck in your efforts to quit smoking. It’s worth it!
Tags: Smoking, health hazards, quitting
Fri, September 5, 2008 6:52 am By James Coolridge
 Damage inflicted on the body as the direct or indirect result of an external force, with or without disruption of structural continuity is said to be an injury or wound. In other words it is the damage or harm caused to the structure or function of the body caused by an outside agent or force, which may be physical or chemical.
Injuries can be minor like a nick or major like bullet shot wounds, which may prove to be fatal. Burns, fractures, wounds, bites, toxic inhalation etc. are all common examples of injury.
Sprains and injuries are a normal part of life. If neglected might lead to infections and wounds may become septic. Hence, they should be treated immediately
HOME REMEDIES FOR SPRAINS
• Massage the area of sprain with mustard oil and then sprinkle some turmeric powder on it.
• Put 1 tablespoon of black coffee in a bandage and bandage the foot sprain.
Sprains usually occur because of excessive stretching or tearing of a ligament, which is one of those tough bands of elastic-like tissue attached to a joint.
Skin wounds or injuries, like cuts, abrasions, and punctures, are often marked by bleeding, swelling, pain, and if infected, by pus formation. Bacteria and foreign elements that penetrate the skin through the skin tear can cause infections and hamper the body’s capability to heal the wound.
REMEDIES FOR WOUNDS
A powerful natural antifungal and antibacterial remedy, grapefruit-seed extract can be used to reduce pain and promote the healing of skin wounds.
Application of old coconut oil (not fresh oil) heals wounds and burns quickly.
Ground or chewed and then applied to a wound, dandelion and chickweed leaves have been known to heal skin cuts and punctures.
Camphor (‘Kapur’ in Hindi) is powdered, pasted in ghee and applied over the affected area to relieve pain and inflammation.
Famous for its disinfecting properties, tree-tea oil applied three times day can help kill germs, dissolve pus, and heal skin wounds.
A most popular remedy to arrest bleeding in fresh wounds is to plug the site with some turmeric (haldi) powder. Quick lime can also be added to turmeric to hasten the effect.
Paste the leaves of Bael (Bel) leaves without adding water. Apply this on pus-oozing wounds to get relief.
Boil aloe leaves and take the fleshy part of the inside of the leaves to use as a poultice over wounds.
However before following any of the remedies you should consult your physician. And it mandatory to consult your doctor if the wounds are major, near joints or the groin, contains a foreign object, or is not healing promptly.
Tags: injury, remedies, wounds, Sprains
Thu, September 4, 2008 6:36 am By James Coolridge
Persons suffering from anorexia may refuse to eat and suffer from insomnia. In course of time, emaciation becomes severe.
 People with anorexia often deny having a problem; the truth is that anorexia is a serious and potentially deadly eating disorder. More importantly, it is also a psychological disorder. Anorexia is a condition that goes beyond out-of-control dieting. Fortunately, recovery is possible. With proper treatment and support, you or someone you care about can break anorexia’s self-destructive pattern and regain your health and happiness.
The key features of anorexia are:
• Refusal to sustain a minimally normal body weight
• Intense fear of gaining weight, despite being underweight
• Distorted view of one’s body or weight, or denial of the dangers of one’s low weight
Major risk factors for anorexia
• Body dissatisfaction
• Dieting
• Low self-esteem
• Perfectionism
• Childhood sexual abuse
• Family history of eating disorders
Symptoms
• Weight loss (achieved via restricting food or purging it): A person with anorexia will lose weight because, by definition, she refuses to maintain or achieve a body weight of 85% of the expected weight for her age and height.
• Interruption of the menstrual cycle.
• Bone loss (osteoporosis)
• Extra sensitivity to cold
• Bloated stomach after eating (since the stomach loses its ability to deal with a normal quantity of food at one sitting)
• Fine hair growth on the skin in response to the body’s need for warmth
• Yellowed skin
• Thinning hair
• Dizziness or fainting
• Brittle nails
• Constipation
• Dry skin
• Low blood pressure
• Dehydration
FEW HOME REMEDIES
o Eating about 2-3 fresh oranges daily increases appetite
o Garlic is considered the wonder drug that increases appetite
o Eating raw tomatoes is also effective
o Consume at least one apple on a daily basis.
o Take 1 cup water and boil 2-3 cloves in it. Strain and then add on the juice of ½ a lime to this and drink 2 times a day, for a week.
o Warm water enema and application of ice bags on the stomach.
You should always avoid taking excess of alcohol and refrain from smoking, as these are the agents that increase your chances of suffering from anorexia.
So to do away with this disorder, you should follow a good diet chart that includes every nutritious food and avoid taking unnecessary stress and tension. For, proper cleansing of your digestive tract is the only solution to free yourself from anorexia. Regular exercising also helps a great deal in curing anorexia.
Tags: symptoms, causes, remedies, Anorexia
Mon, July 21, 2008 10:12 am By Brett Roberts
 People, who are confronted with permanent back pain, will tell you that they take some form of medication. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are often prescribed by doctors to people who have back pain problems. These medications are muscle relaxant so that the muscles can relax and stop the tension.
If the muscle relaxers are not showing the expected results, people opt for physical therapy. They often start physical therapy while still taking the prescribed medicines.
Different techniques are adopted by different physical therapists. Some opt for ultrasound, while others may go for ice, heat or electrical stimulation. A therapist looks which technique yields the best results uses for the best method for the patients with particular back pain problem.
During the process of electrical stimulation, a weak electrical current is sent from a unit through the skin in to nerve pathways. This method has become popular and many have seen positive results. However, electrical stimulation doesn’t work for all kinds of back pain.
Surgery is the last resort for back pain treatment. Laminectomy, laminotomy and intradiscal electrothermal therapy are the common surgical options for back pain treatment. Laminectomy is a type of surgery where a part of the vertebra, the spinal column bony part, is removed. In electrothermal therapy, a needle is inserted into the disc through a catheder.
When it comes to making a decision about what treatment you should get for your back pain, it is better to consult your doctor. Your doctor’s advice is most important.
Tags: pain, remedies, doctor, back
Sun, July 20, 2008 10:12 am By Justin Palmer
 Diabetes is a condition characterized by unusual and high levels of glucose in the bloodstream. Insulin, produced by the pancreas, is used by the body to lower blood glucose levels. If a person suffers from diabetes, the pancreas doesn’t generate enough insulin. Insulin is used by the body to lower blood glucose levels.
Excess urination is a common symptom of diabetes because large quantity of sugar is accumulated in the urine. As result, the person urinates frequently. The person even wakes up in the middle of his deep sleep during night to urinate which often disturbs his sleep.
Excess weight is another common symptom of diabetes. The condition of overweight makes your tissues more resistant to the action of insulin, which in turn increases your blood sugar level. Fatty tissues increase your cells’ resistance to the action of insulin.
Type 1 Diabetes is often termed as Juvenile Diabetes. This disease affects children and young adults under the age of 30. Type 1 Diabetes may stop when the pancreas produce insulin. People suffering from Type 1 Diabetes may encounter heart diseases, kidney damage and even blindness. This is one of the biggest concerns.
Type 2 Diabetes affects almost 90% of people with Diabetes, making it the most prevalent form of Diabetes. The body of people suffering from Type 2 Diabetes may not produce enough insulin. Even if insulin is produced in the body, the people suffering from Type 2 Diabetes can’t use it well.
People with diabetes often encounter fluctuations in their body weight. Since they lose sugar through frequent urination, they lose calories. As a result, they loose weight drastically.
Treatment of diabetes starts with a healthy diet and regular exercise. The diet of a person suffering from diabetes should be low in refined sugars, fats and animal products. Trans- fats found in deep-fried and fast food should be strictly excluded from his diet. The treatment should also include regular monitoring of the blood glucose levels.
Proper medical guidance and self-care can go a long way towards combating Diabetes and managing your health condition.
Tags: Diet, diabetes, blood, sugar, sucrose, ailment, medication
Sun, June 22, 2008 12:22 pm By James Coolridge
There have been a lot of campaigns that has been done by governments, NGOs and other bodies against drugs and drug abuse. But sadly enough, the statistics shows that the number of people falling prey from drugs is ever on the rise. And the age bracket which is maximum at risk is between 13 to 25 years. Interestingly, this is the time when people are in their youth and spend a considerable time and money to look good. Be it grooming products or fashion items, we leave no stone unturned to appear our best. But do you know, that drugs, which supposedly give you the “highs” is a slow killer and can depreciate not only your health but also your looks.
Don’t believe me? Watch this video of some drug addicts in America and their before-after pictures.
| | | | |
Posts RSS
Comments 
RSS
