Archive for the ‘Health’ Category

Menstrual Cramps-how to control period pain

Sunday, September 4th, 2011

Most women experience some degree of menstrual cramps at some point. Cramps can be mild to severe. Endometriosis, fibroid tumors, ovarian cysts, and other conditions may be a contributing factor.Around 80 per cent of women take something for painful periods at one point or another. A dragging and aching feeling in the abdomen, lower back and into the thighs is sometimes experienced before your period and is thought to be due to pelvic congestion. The cramping is usually the worst symptom.
Feminax is a combination of paracetamol and codeine for pain relief and hyoscine for stomach cramps.The following steps may allow you to avoid prescription medications:
Apply a heating pad to your lower abdomen (below your belly button). Be careful NOT to fall asleep with the heating pad on. Do light circular massage with your fingertips around your lower abdomen. Drink warm beverages.
Eat light but frequent meals. Follow a diet rich in complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, but low in salt, sugar, alcohol, and caffeine. Keep your legs elevated while lying down, or lie on your side with your knees bent. Zinc, calcium, and B vitamins obtained in food and supplements have been found to reduce cramps, bloating and other symptoms.Herbal remedies such as Viburnum prunifolium, Scutellaria spp., and Cimicifuga raemosa have an antispasmodic effect that may reduce some menstrual cramps.A warm bath filled with aromatherapy or a heating pad on your lower abdomen and back is often helpful for relieving menstrual cramping.

how to protect from dengue fever

Friday, April 1st, 2011

Dengue is a mosquito-borne infection that in recent decades has become a major international public health concern. Dengue is found in tropical and sub-tropical regions around the world, predominantly in urban and semi-urban areas. Dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF), a potentially lethal complication, was first recognized in the 1950s during dengue epidemics in the Philippines and Thailand. Today DHF affects most Asian countries and has become a leading cause of hospitalization and death among children in the region. Dengue fever is a flu-like illness spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. Dengue hemorrhagic fever is a severe, often fatal, complication of dengue fever. Dengue fever usually starts suddenly with a high fever, rash, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, and muscle and joint pain. The severity of the joint pain has given dengue the name “breakbone fever.” Nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite are common. A rash usually appears 3 to 4 days after the start of the fever. The illness can last up to 10 days, but complete recovery can take as long as a month. Older children and adults are usually sicker than young children. Most dengue infections result in relatively mild illness, but some can progress to dengue hemorrhagic fever. With dengue hemorrhagic fever, the blood vessels start to leak and cause bleeding from the nose, mouth, and gums. Bruising can be a sign of bleeding inside the body. Without prompt treatment, the blood vessels can collapse, causing shock (dengue shock syndrome). Dengue hemorrhagic fever is fatal in about 5 percent of cases, mostly among children and young adults. There is no specific treatment for dengue. Persons with dengue fever should rest and drink plenty of fluids. They should be kept away from mosquitoes for the protection of others. Dengue hemorrhagic fever is treated by replacing lost fluids. Some patients need transfusions to control bleeding.

How to live a healthy lifestyle

Monday, March 21st, 2011

You are tired of looking and feeling the way you do. Your body is not right and it’s keeping you from functioning as well as you would like too. The way you are living now and your habits are the reasons you are not feeling and looking as healthy as you should. It is time for you to make some changes in your life to live a better life to become a more healthier person. How do you change your life around to look and feel better?Improve your eating habits. Be aware of the serving size, type of food you eat and how you cook and eat your food. Reduce the amount of fried foods and eat more fresh fruits, grains and vegetables. It is better to steam or grill your food, as this will prevent the destruction of the natural vitamins and minerals in the food. This method of cooking will also keep the calories low and will help you control, maintain and keep you within your healthy diet plan.Visit your dentist twice a year for cleanings and any other dental work you need. Brush and floss your teeth twice a day to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Taking care of your teeth can maintain a healthy body too. If you are a smoker try to quit smoking. Smoking is definitely not good for your lungs and can make you unhealthy in the long run. Try to drink alcohol in a moderate way. Drinking all the time is not good for your body and definitely don’t do any form of drugs. Getting the correct amount of sleep at night will help to keep you healthy also. Everyone should get at least six hours of sleep a night, but if at all possible try to get a full eight hours. Being well rested will not only make you feel good, but it will have you looking good.

Glucosamine

Tuesday, November 30th, 2010

Glucosamine is part of the structure of the polysaccharides chitosan and other is chitin, Glucosamine is a substance that occurs naturally in the body. Glucosamine is substrate of the GAG matrix. Glucosamine is good for the osteoarthritis pain both humans and pets. Another popular form of glucosamine is known as hydrochloride or glucosamine HCL .Glucosamine is made from the amino acid Glutamine which plays a role in protein synthesis and is responsible for the growth of bone, hair, skin and cartilage, tendons, ligaments, nails. Glucosamine can also help to manage arthritis pain, joint casings, tendons and other connective tissues, repairing joints that have been damaged from osteoarthritis. A particular dosage of glucosamine salt is 1,500 mg per day. There are many types of glucosamine which are glucosamine sulfate, glucosamine hydrochloride, and N-acetyl-glucosamine. Glucosamine sulfate might not work properly for those people who have long-standing osteoarthritis, or for people who are older or heavier in weight. Glucosamine sulphate must contains Potasium chloride, Gelatine, Natural food colouring E171, Magnesium stearate. The recommended usage of glucosamine sulphate is 2 capsules a day. People with shellfish allergies should consult their doctor before using Glucosamine Sulphate 1500mg product. You need to know the True Strength of the product. The less active amounts of glucosamine you get, the slower your relief will be. There are so many different forms and types and brands of glucosamine are available on internet. So if you think to buy Glucosamine, Pharmas.co.uk is the best place and stable source of glucosamine. Pharmas also provides a high purity and free shipping on all internet orders.

Benefits of yoga

Thursday, November 4th, 2010

yoga-benefitsYoga means “union” and aims at the realization of the unity of our whole being. It is a Hindu discipline aimed at achieving a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility. In the West, the term is most commonly understood as the physical exercises that are practiced as part of this discipline.Human health & fitness depends not only on the adequate supply of nourishing elements but also on the internal secretions of the endocrine glands. In maintaining health & fitness , yogic exercises have been found to be excellent exercises . The pituitary and the pineal glands are best taken care of by Sirsasana. So far as the adrenals are concerned, Bhujangasana, Dhanurasana, Uddiyana and Nauli are capable of preserving your health and fitness. On one hand, it is used to treat people with conditions like high blood pressure and arthritis. On the other hand, it is also used to treat psychological disorders like anxiety disorder, rage control issues and depression. A number of studies have proven beyond doubt that yoga can be effectively used to address these physical and psychological problems and the medical community is beginning to make use of it.

Stomach ulcer: symptoms, cause, treatment, prevention ideas

Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010

A stomach ulcer (also called a peptic ulcer) is a small erosion (hole) in the gastrointestinal tract. The most common type, duodenal, occurs in the first 12 inches of small intestine beyond the stomach. Ulcers that form in the stomach are called gastric ulcers. An ulcer is not contagious or cancerous. Duodenal ulcers are almost always benign, while stomach ulcersmay become malignant. Ulcers can also be caused by anti-inflammatory medicines. Although most people take these medicines without problems, long-term use may damage the stomach lining and cause ulcers. Anti-inflammatory drugs include aspirin, ibuprofen (one brand name: Motrin), naproxen (brand name: Aleve), ketoprofen (brand names: Actron, Orudis KT) and some prescription drugs for arthritis. Injury of the gastric mucosal lining, and weakening of the mucous defenses are also responsible for gastric ulcers. Excess secretion of hydrochloric acid, genetic predisposition, and psychological stress are important contributing factors in the formation and worsening of duodenal ulcers.Several other medicines can be used to help treat ulcers. Two types of medicines (H2 blockers and proton pump inhibitors) reduce the amount of acid that your stomach makes. They usually help people start to feel better within 3 days. Antacids neutralize acid that the stomach makes. A medicine called sucralfate coats the ulcer to protect it from the acid so it has time to heal.

How to Prevent HIV/AIDS

Thursday, May 6th, 2010

You can’t get AIDS by being near or touching someone who has AIDS. HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is spread through the blood. HIV does not travel as tears, air, or sweat. If you find a used needle on the ground, don’t touch it. Especially if you have an open cut. The blood from the needle might have HIV in or on it. You can kiss a person infected with HIV on the cheek, but you shouldn’t do any big, deep kissing since small amounts of HIV have been found in saliva.
You can get AIDS by:blood transfusions ( not very common anymore).having unprotected sex with someone who has AIDS. finding a used needle on the ground, picking it up, and getting the infected blood into an open wound. getting blood from someone else’s cut who has AIDS, into yours. now the time to prevent the aids.Advocate sex education in schools. Studies have shown that such education does not encourage increased sexual activity and does in fact encourage abstinence.
Implement programs such as substance-abuse prevention and self-esteem discussions, as well as after-school programs for youth to alleviate the boredom or restlessness that may lead to a higher rate of sexual activity and lower rate of condom use.Encourage open discussion between parents and adolescent children about condoms – the sooner the better. Openness with adolescents prior to their first sexual experience has been shown to encourage lifelong condom use.Include youth in planning any HIV prevention programs for adolescents. They can be powerful resources for teaching empowerment and outreach.Provide easy access to condoms for adolescents – they need to be able to put into practice what they learn.Target the roots of the problem, such as drug abuse, sexual promiscuity and even the boredom and restlessness associated with dropping out of school that may lead to higher rates of sexual activity.

how to control kidney stones

Saturday, April 24th, 2010

Most kidney stones less than 6mm in size that is 70-80% of stones can be treated conservatively. If pain, nausea and vomiting, infection can be controlled, most of these stones will pass spontaneously. Patients need to be able to stay well hydrated while trying to pass a kidney stone. An attempt to control pain is with narcotic and anti-inflammatory medication. Use of the anti-inflammatory may decrease the amount of narcotic needed to control the pain,Drinking large volumes of water each day will dilute the mineral or stone-forming salts in the urine. Many experts advise people who are prone to kidney stones to drink 12 eight-ounce glasses of water a day. Stones cannot form in urine that is diluted. Some researches have indicated that intake of vitamin B6 in excess quantities by women, tends to cause kidney stones. Women require only 2 mg of vitamin B6 every day and this quantity must not exceed unless prescribed by a physician. Diet rich in sodium and high oxalate content foods such as chocolates, tea, green leafy vegetables will raise the risk of kidney stone formation in women as well as men. Such type of foodstuff should be taken in appropriate quantities to maintain the oxalate levels in the body.Even with careful regulation of water intake and diet, stones still may form. But there are some medications that can help prevent this.
These medications can reduce the level of stone-forming chemicals such as uric acid, calcium, oxalate, or cystine in the blood. They also can inhibit an enzyme required by the bacteria that cause struvite stones to form. Other medications can be used for relief of pain from kidney stones.

how to control acidity

Thursday, April 22nd, 2010

Acidity is related to heartburn and gas formation in stomach. In acidity, acid reflux or gastroesopohageal reflux disease, or more commonly known as urdhva gata amalpitta in ayurveda, there is a movement of gastric juices (carrying acid) from the stomach into the lower esophagus (food pipe). This is a condition which is caused when acidic contents in stomach (hydrochloric acid) move upward into the esophagus and making it dysfunctional. Understanding the right treatment at right time and causes of any disease, like acidity or acid reflux, is very helpful for effective treatments. In ayurveda it is considerd to be caused by the aggarvation of pitta dosha that is responsible for burning sensation caused in the chest region. Using ayurvedic medicines that can suppress acid formation under the recommendation of healthcare professionals is very effective in treating acidity.
Ayurvedic medicines like Kamdudha Rasa plain are effective in treating acidity. Avipattikar hurna can be taken with water before your daily meal. It is good for your bowel movement and is effective in heartburn treatment or acidity. Narikel lavan is also a good remedy to cure hyperacidity.
Too much addiction to strong foods such as tea and coffee may cause acidity. This is also true for other addictions such as smoking and alcohol. Do not consume sour foods as they already have acidic contents. Acidic foods to avoid are pickles, curds, tamarinds, vinegar, etc Coconut water is good for reducing acidity in the stomach. Among vegetables white pumpkin, bitter gourd, cucumber, green banana and banana flower are effective. Cow’s milk is preferable to buffalo’s milk.

Brain Tumors Prevention Tips

Tuesday, April 6th, 2010

A brain tumor is an abnormal mass of tissue in which the cells grow and multiply without restraint, apparently unregulated by the mechanisms that control normal cells. One factor that distinguishes brain tumors from other tumors is that they arise in the skull, an organ encased by bone, and there is very little room for expansion with the skull. They are also among the few types of tumors that generally do not tend to metastasize or spread to other parts of the body. There are many unproven causes and risk factors that are being studies. Cell phone use and the consumption of aspartame are two very controversial topics that some believe may cause brain cancer. there are some tips of prevention.Know that those who have a family history of cancer, those with auto-immune diseases and those who have been exposed to radiation may be at increased risk of brain tumors.Know that patients who have had melanoma, lung, breast, colon or kidney cancer are at risk for metastasized, or secondary, brain cancer.Surgery is the chief form of treatment for brain tumors that lie within the membranes covering the brain or in parts of the brain that can be removed without damaging critical neurological functions.Steroids and anti-convulsants (to stop seizures) are the most common medications used for brain tumor patients. Steroids are given to reduce inflammation of tissues and control swelling of the brain, particularly before and after surgery.Chemotherapy works to destroy tumor cells with drugs that may be given either alone or in combination with other treatments. The prognosis for patients with a brain tumor is as individual as the patients themselves. Your doctors will help you understand the possible consequences of your specific tumor.