• Home Remedies
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    5 Home Remedies For Mouth Ulcers

    Mouth ulcers can be quite painful and depending on their specific location in the oral cavity, often interfere with your ability to eat and speak. At first, they may appear like a single sore only or in clusters. But, eating certain types of foods can make the condition worse. They may also be found in the soft palate or in the tonsil areas. When they begin to pain,  you look for the remedies to heal them.

    Given here are home remedies for mouth ulcers that help heal ulcers quickly. Let us have a quick look. But, first let us explore the reason behind the development of these nagging mouth sores.

    What Causes Mouth Ulcers?

    Any injury like biting the cheek may result in canker sore that pains. When your immune system attacks the healthy cells in your oral cavity instead of harmful microbes then too you are likely to develop these mouth ulcers. Besides, if your diet lacks vitamins, folic acid, iron, B12, zinc etc. you are likely to develop mouth ulcers. Certain types of food allergies (eggs, nuts, coffee, strawberries, etc.) can also result in mouth ulcers. Sometimes emotional stress and hormonal changes, bacterial infection, poor blood circulation or damage done to the gum may also cause canker sores.

    Tips for quick pain relief

    • If the mouth ulcer is causing a lot of pain, gently rub a small ice cube over the spot or rinse your mouth with ice-cold water.
    • You could also chew on a clove bud (lavang) and direct the juice generated to the area where the ulcer is located.
    • To prevent the ulcerated area from getting infected, make it a point to rinse your mouth with a little salt water.

    Remember, this won’t make the ulcer disappear, but it can help reduce the pain.

    While the above are short-term tips to give you relief from ulcer pain, the below-mentioned ingredients are remedies that will help you get rid of them.

    1. Honey

    Honey is a natural humectant – that is, it helps retain moisture and prevent dehydration. It also helps reduce scarring and hastens the process of new tissue growth. This, along with its anti-microbial effect ensures faster healing of the mouth ulcer. Tip: Dab a little honey onto the mouth ulcer or mix in a little turmeric to make a paste that can be applied on the affected area.

    2. Tulsi

    Leaves of tulsi plant have amazing medicinal properties and one of the important actions of tulsi is as an adaptogen – a substance that aids the body to adapt to stress. Tip: Chew a few leaves of tulsi along with some water about three to four times every day. This will help in getting rid of ulcers faster and also have a preventive action against their recurrence.

    3. Coconut

    Dry coconut, coconut oil and coconut water are three products of the coconut tree that are very useful in treating mouth ulcers. Tip: Drinking tender coconut water helps to cool the body. Applying a little coconut oil directly onto the mouth ulcer or chewing some coconut (fresh or dry) helps reduce pain and inflammation and hence, ulcers heal faster.

    4. Poppy Seeds

    Poppy seeds or khus-khus  are said to have a cooling effect on the body. According to Ayurveda, too much heat in the body manifests as mouth ulcers and therefore, poppy seeds are a good remedy to overcome this problem. Tip: Mix some sugar to crushed khus-khus seeds and consume this mixture for instant relief from ulcers. Read more about .

    5. Tumeric

    External application of turmeric solution helps cure mouth sores. Turmeric is a natural antiseptic and a great cooling agent. The suspension of turmeric is used for gargling if the sores are in the throat region.

    Other cooling agents

    In keeping with the logic that mouth ulcers are due to excess body heat, other substances with cooling properties can help get rid of them. For example, you could apply a little ghee directly to the ulcerated area, or drink a glass of buttermilk two or three times every day. Castor oil also has wonderful cooling property; apply a little oil to your scalp and the soles of the feet, allow the oil to soak in for a few hours and then wash with warm water.

    Word of caution: Mouth ulcers left untreated generally go away in a week or so; with these home remedies, you can expect faster relief. However, if you notice an ulcer in the mouth that is persistently present although it does not cause you any pain, do not neglect it or try to treat it with home remedies beyond a few days. Make it a point to see a doctor soon because often, a painless mouth ulcer is one of the earliest signs of oral cancer.

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  • Diet and Fitness Disease and Care
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    10 Exercise Tips for People With Diabetes (Type 2)

    Exercise is safe and highly recommended for most people with type 2 diabetes, including those with complications. Along with diet and medication, exercise will help you lower blood sugar and lose weight.
    However, the prospect of diving into a workout routine may be intimidating. If you’re like many newly diagnosed type 2 diabetics, you may not have exercised in years.
    If that’s the case, don’t worry: It’s fine to start slow and work up. These tips will help you ease back into exercise and find a workout plan that works for you.

    1. Make a list of fun activities

    You have lots of options, and you don’t have to go to a gym. What sounds good? Think about something you’ve always wanted to try or something you enjoyed in the past. Sports, dancing, yoga, walking, and swimming are a few ideas. Anything that raises your heart rate counts.

    2. Check your blood sugar

    Ask your doctor if you should check it before exercise. If you plan to work out for more than an hour, check your blood sugar levels regularly during your workout, so you’ll know if you need a snack. Check your blood sugar after every workout, so that you can adjust if needed.

    3. Carry carbs

    Always keep a small carbohydrate snack, like fruit or a fruit drink, on hand in case your blood sugar gets low while exercising.

    4. Ease into it

    If you’re not active now, start with 10 minutes of exercise at a time. Gradually work up to 30 minutes a day.

    5. Strength train at least twice a week

    It can improve blood sugar control. You can lift weights or work with resistance bands. Or you can do moves like push-ups, lunges, and squats, which use your own body weight.

    6. Make it a habit

    Exercise, eat, and take your medicines at the same time each day to prevent low blood sugar, also called hypoglycemia.

    7. Go public

    Work out with someone who knows you have diabetes and knows what to do if your blood sugar gets too low. It’s more fun, too and working out with friends can be an important motivator.

    8. Be good to your feet

    Wear athletic shoes that are in good shape and are the right type for your activity. For instance, don’t jog in tennis shoes, because your foot needs a different type of support when you run. Check and clean your feet daily. Let your doctor know if you notice any new foot problems.

    9. Hydrate

    Drink water before, during, and after exercise.

    10. Stop if something suddenly hurts

    If your muscles are mildly sore, that’s normal. Sudden pain isn’t. You’re not likely to get injured unless you do too much, too soon so don’t over exercise.

     
    10 Health Benefits You’ll Get
    Remember how much exercise does for you, including:

    • Helps your body use insulin, which controls your blood sugar
    • Burns extra body fat
    • Strengthens muscles and bones
    • Lowers blood pressure
    • Cuts LDL (“bad”) cholesterol
    • Raises HDL (“good”) cholesterol
    • Improves blood flow
    • Makes heart disease and stroke less likely
    • Boosts energy and mood
    • Tames stress

    How Does Exercise Affect Blood Sugar?

    When you exercise, your body needs extra energy from blood sugar, also called glucose. When you do something quickly, like a sprint to catch the bus, your muscles and liver release glucose for fuel.

    The big payoff comes when you do moderate exercise for a longer time, like a hike. Your muscles take up much more glucose when you do that. This helps lower your blood sugar levels.

    If you’re doing intense exercise, your blood sugar levels may rise, temporarily, after you stop.

     
    SOURCES:
    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: “Physical Activity and Health: A Report of the Surgeon General.”
    American Diabetes Association.
    Castaneda, C. Diabetes Care, December 2002.
    National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: “What I need to know about Physical Activity and Diabetes.”

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  • Health Tips
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    11 Tips for Preventing Heart Disease

    Scientists now know a great deal about what you can do to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. Follow these essential steps to protect your heart. Although taking these measures doesn’t guarantee that you won’t ever have a heart attack, it should definitely improve your odds.

    1. Don’t Smoke

    Smoking is the worst thing you can do to your heart (and to nearly all your organs and those of people around you). No level of smoking is safe, and the risk of heart attack rises with every cigarette smoked daily. As soon as you quit you reduce your risk of heart attack, though it takes several years to undo most of the cardiovascular damage. Avoid secondhand smoke, too

    2. Monitor Your Cholesterol

    Your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol should be less than 130 mg/dL, though optimal is less than 100—and less than 70 if you are at very high risk for a heart attack or stroke, according to American Heart Association guidelines. HDL (“good”) cholesterol should be at least 50 for women and 40 for men. Diet and exercise can help. Total blood cholesterol should be less than 200, though if you exceed that because your HDL is high, while your LDL is under 130, this is less of a concern. Triglycerides (blood fats) should be less than 150 mg/dL, optimally less than 100 mg/dL.

    3. Watch for Hypertension

    Know your blood pressure and keep it under control. High blood pressure (hypertension) is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke. Blood pressure measurement is the cheapest, simplest and perhaps most important of all medical tests. Even small changes in your average blood pressure, up or down, can affect your cardiovascular risk. Diet and exercise can help you keep prehypertension from developing into full-blown hypertension, or at least delay it by many years.

    4. Control Blood Sugar

    People with diabetes are at greater risk for heart attack and stroke than people without it. Even having slightly higher than normal blood sugar levels—a condition known as prediabetes—increases coronary risk. If you have prediabetes or diabetes, be particularly careful about controlling your blood sugar through diet, weight loss, exercise and medication if necessary.

    5. Eat For Your Heart

    Adopt a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains and low-fat dairy products. The high intake of fiber from plants, especially soluble fiber, is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Also, eat oily fish two or three times a week for their omega-3 fats, and choose small portions of lean meats. Avoid trans fats (from partially hydrogenated oils). However, do eat moderate amounts of healthy, unsaturated fats, such as nuts and vegetable oils, especially in place of saturated fats (notably animal fats). Limit sugary foods and refined carbohydrates, such as white pasta.

    6. Cut Back on Sodium

    The recommended daily limit is just 1,500 milligrams (the amount in about two-thirds of a teaspoon of salt) for people over 50, all blacks and those with hypertension, diabetes or kidney disease—that’s most adults. Others should aim for less than 2,300 milligrams to reduce the risk of hypertension and stroke. That’s a tall order, and can be accomplished only by cutting way back on processed foods, restaurant meals and fast foods.

    7. Stay Active

    Exercise protects against coronary artery disease by helping the heart work more efficiently, reducing blood pressure, raising HDL cholesterol, decreasing the tendency of blood to form clots, moderating stress, helping the body use insulin and helping people maintain a healthy weight. Sedentary people who begin a regular program of exercise can reduce their risk of a heart attack. Walk briskly or do other aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes most days; more is even better.

    8. Maintain a Healthy Weight

    Being very overweight increases your risk for cardiovascular disease, as well as hypertension and diabetes, which further increase the risk. If your weight is creeping up, cut calories and develop good exercise habits. Research suggests that being merely overweight (as opposed to obese) does not raise the risk of dying of cardiovascular disease, particularly if you are over age 70. But do your best to keep your weight in a healthy range. Losing weight and then sustaining weight loss may require more than the recommended 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days.

    9. Go Easy on Alcohol

    Moderate drinking—no more than one drink a day for a woman, two for a man—may reduce the risk of heart attack. (One drink is defined as 5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor.) Alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer and some other cancers and poses other serious health risks, so weigh these along with the potential benefits. You can reduce your risk of a heart attack without drinking alcohol, of course.

    10. Ease Depression and Stress

    Do what you can to treat depression and reduce stress. Being chronically depressed may increase your risk for a heart attack. Do not think that it is normal to feel low or miserable most of the time. Seek professional help. Depression can be successfully treated with psychotherapy and/or medication. Lifestyle changes, such as getting regular exercise, can also help. If you have a demanding job or life that gives you little sense of control and causes you chronic unhappiness, it’s important to find ways to reduce your levels of stress

    11. Know Your Family History

    A history of premature cardiovascular disease in your immediate family (for example, a heart attack in your father or brother before age 55, or in your mother or sister before age 65) raises your risk substantially. You can’t change that, but it should make you pay special attention to your other risk factors and encourage you to take more aggressive steps to control them

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  • Diet and Fitness
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    3 Eating Habits That Cause Bloating, Indigestion and Acid Reflux

    The food coma is something we all experience now and again, but if you’re experiencing it every time you go out to a restaurant or every weekend, then something’s got to change. It’s not normal to feel sleepy, sluggish and bloated after every meal.
    But what about when it’s not? What if you’re eating healthy, not overeating and yet you still feel sluggish and bloated afterwards? That’s where digestion comes in. Unfortunately most of us aren’t even aware that the eating habits we’ve developed as a society are causing us to feel this way.
    Here are the top 3 unhealthy eating habits experts recommend avoiding in your next meal:

    1. Eating lots of starch and protein together
    Steak and mashed potato, Burger and fries, Eggs Benedict; All the glorious combinations that make us want to pass out on the couch after. Eating large amounts of starch (e.g. bread, pasta, rice, potatoes) and protein (e.g. fish, chicken, beef, eggs) at the same time can cause indigestion and acid reflux.
    This is because protein has a much slower rate of digestion, and starches digest much faster into simple sugars. Technically speaking, starches should be saying “hasta la vista” to the stomach pretty quickly and entering the next stage of digestion in the small intestine. But because they’re all mushed up with the protein in the stomach, they have to hang around and wait for hours until the protein finishes digesting too.
    And when starches hang around too long, they ferment release gas which causes us to belch every so frequently.

    Solution:
    Eat your starch first, follow it up with protein afterwards. Don’t sweat it if you’re having a small portion of starch alongside your protein, the key is not to overdo the rice and potatoes. P.S. you can eat your veggies with starch and protein, either combo works well!

    2. Having ice-cold water with your meal
    When it comes to temperature of drinking water at a meal, opt for room temperature instead of cold. Ice-cold water constricts blood vessels, so it hinders the body’s ability to digest food and absorb nutrients.
    Ice-cold water will also solidify any fats that are being eaten making them difficult to digest as well. Plus, your body’s energy is going to get diverted from trying to digest food to trying to regulate your body’s temperature. So much unnecessary exhaustion.

    Solution:
    Think Japanese. Order some hot water (with lemon, optional) or green tea before the start of your meal and slowly sip on it to prime your gut for optimal digestion. Always tell the server “no ice” and “room temperature”.
    Keep in mind that these tips are for optimal digestion. If you suffer from weak digestion, these are far more applicable to you than someone who rarely suffers from feeling bloated or sluggish after a meal. These tips are also more crucial when you have a big brunch or celebratory meal coming up basically, when you know a food coma is just around the corner.

    3. Drinking lots of water with your meal
    Feeling confused already? Water is wonderful. And it’s great to have with your meal in small sips, for the purpose of helping the food along the digestive tract. But drowning your meals with multiple glasses of water is just going to give you indigestion and make you feel bloated afterwards.
    When food enters your stomach, a substance called hydrochloric acid (HCL) is secreted from the stomach lining to help begin the process of digestion. HCL is super acidic —& after all, it needs to be in order to break big chunks of food into tiny, absorbable nutrients. So if you start chugging back water with your meal, you’re going to dilute the hydrochloric acid and thereby dampen its efforts.
    If it helps to paint a picture, imagine a pool of water in your stomach with bits of food floating around, the acid just kind of fizzing out trying to do its job. Feeling gross and bloated already? Good, don’t do it!

    Solution:
    Drink lots of water either an hour before or after your meals. Only sip on a glass of water throughout your meal.

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  • Medical Updates
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    5 Commonly Used Medicines And Their Side Effects

    All medicines, including those available without a prescription, can still have annoying or harmful side effects. Here are a few of the more common ones.

    1. Codeine and constipation

    While there are now restrictions on the sale of codeine, it’s still a very common active ingredient in over-the-counter medicines . Constipation is a very common side effect of codeine.

    The constipation is due to its effect on the gastrointestinal tract. It increases the tone and reduces the motility in many parts of the gastrointestinal tract. Since this reduces gastric emptying, reduces the rate of movement of food in the gastrointestinal tract, and produces smaller harder stools, defecation can become more difficult or less frequent than usual. Sometimes codeine constipation can become quite severe.

    2. Topical corticosteroids and skin reactions

    While topical steroids can greatly reduce inflammation and itching, they can also have significant side effects on the skin. While most of these side effects are seen with long-term use, some may pop up in just a few days of use. Side effects include:

    • Steroid rosacea: this can be a fairly common side effect, especially for people who are prone to rosacea (inflammatory skin condition often resulting in redness of the face).
    • Skin atrophy: repeated use of topical steroids can cause thinning of the epidermis and the skin appears lax, wrinkled, and shiny.
    • Allergy: It’s believed about 5% of people with dermatitis will show allergic symptoms to topical steroids. Those who have chronic skin conditions and use multiple prescription or over-the-counter topical steroids are at higher risk of developing allergies.

    3. Ibuprofen and worsening of asthma

    According to some reports about 20% of adults with asthma – and 5% of asthmatic children – have what is called aspirin-induced asthma. In extreme cases, such attacks have been reported to be fatal.

    Some asthmatics develop potentially severe asthma symptoms if they take aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen. As a rule of thumb, asthmatics are advised to use paracetamol. If ibuprofen is taken, asthmatics should be aware of any effect it has, and, if they feel any worsening of asthma symptoms steer clear of using it.

    4.Antihistamines and drowsiness

    Antihistamines are commonly used to treat allergies, rashes and motion sickness. But with many people, particularly kids and the elderly, there will be some affect on the central nervous system as well – usually in the form of drowsiness.

    Children taking antihistamines may seem sleepier and more fatigued than usual. But they can have the opposite effect and make the child agitated or hyperactive until the medicine’s effect has worn off.

    5. Nasal drops and rebound nasal congestion

    The active ingredients in some nasal sprays – like oxymetazoline – may reduce nasal congestion almost immediately but there’s a catch. You should not use this medicine continuously for longer than seven days because the medicine can become less effective if used excessively. Nasal congestion can come back – an effect called “rebound congestion” – when you stop using the medicine after using it for too long, many times resulting in addiction of these drops.

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  • Diet and Fitness Health Tips

    This Is What Your Acne Reveals About Your Health

    In Chinese Medicine, it’s believed that acne that flares up on different parts of your face represents health problems on diffrent parts of your body. Kind of like, this part of your face corresponds to this organ. Therefore a good indication of which organs need attention and care is to simply look where your acne is.

    Upper Forehead

    Affects: Digestive System and Bladder

    When you’ve got poor digestion going, the body will have troubles breaking down food and there may be a large buildup of toxins. Be sure to drink plenty of water to flush out toxins and keep an eye on your diet by eliminating foods with high fats and sugars, as well as eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. Some of the best antioxidant rich foods or drinks include green tea, lemon water and berries.

    Lower Forehead

    Affects: Heart

    Your heart is a massive organ that pumps blood all over your body. If it’s stressed out due to poor diet, inactivity and various mental and physical stresses, then not only are you likely to get pimples on your lower forehead, your entire body will be doomed if you don’t fix the problems. Having a healthy heart means to do regular exercises to strengthen the heart, as well as eat a healthy diet, and keeping stresses low.

    Ears

    Affects: Kidneys

    When kidneys are not taken care of, you’ll find these large, painful pimples on your ears that refuses to leave no matter what. Kidney troubles are often caused by not drinking enough water and taking in too much salt and caffeine, so be sure to drink plenty of water in a day, cut down on the salt and caffeine and cleanse your kidneys with diuretics such as parsley and water.

    Eyes, orbital area and between the Eyebrows

    Affects: Liver

    Oiliness, redness, flakiness and pimples between the eyebrows can indicate that your liver may have been overworking and need a cleansing. Cut back on fatty, sugary, greasy and rich foods, alcohol and diary, particularly if you’re lactose intolerant. Avoid eating late at night as well. Your liver will spend an extra amount of effort processing saturated fats, so try not to go over with them. Some of the best foods to cleanse your liver include garlic, grapefruit, green tea, carrots, beets, leafy green vegetables, lemons and limes.

    Upper Cheeks

    Affects: Lungs and Respiratory System

    Stresses to the lungs is likely to cause flare ups in the upper cheeks and even break your capillaries. These stresses include smoking, asthma, allergies, lung infections and living in a polluted area. The best thing to do is to avoid smoking as much as you possibly can, especially through passive smoking, which could be even worse than actually smoking.

    Lower Cheeks

    Affects: Gum or Teeth Problems

    Gum or teeth problems may contribute to acne in the lower cheeks area. Be sure to avoid eating artificial sugar or softdrinks. Keep your teeth in great condition by exercising them regularly through biting down on them. Be sure to floss and brush your teeth each day without brushing them so hard that it breaks your enamels.

    Sides of the Chin

    Affects: Hormones and Genitals

    This may affect a lot of girls. When sides of the chin often flare up, it’s a sign of hormonal imbalance, often caused by menstruation. Sometimes, even emotional or physical stress can cause hormonal imbalances. Be sure to de-stress yourself and get plenty of sleep. Cut down on all the bad foods and focus on a healthy diet rich in vitamins and minerals. Be sure to take lots of essential fatty acids such as Omega 3. There are also herbs that can help balance hormones such as licorice, schisandra, holy basil, maca, burdock, red raspberry leaves, rhodiola and milk thisle. Green tea is also a brilliant anti-androgen.

    Centre of the Chin

    Affects: Small intestines and stomach

    This is also caused by poor diets and food allergies. Be sure to eliminate those bad foods (because every part of the body hates it, not just your intestines). Also, be sure to include plenty of fibre in your diet.

    Chest and Neck

    Chest areas acne are usually caused by stress, so be sure to figure out what’s stressing you out and try to eliminate that stress. It’s also important to be comfortable in your outfits.

    When areas around the neck flare up, it’s often caused by your body fighting off infections. Be sure to support your body by resting, eating a healthy diet and drinking plenty of water.

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  • Disease and Care
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    Surprising Risk factors of Kidney Stones

    What makes people at risk of developing kidney stones? Here are some surprising risk factors you should know to get rid of it early. Prevention is always better than cure.

    1. Too little citrus
    Less intake of citrus fruits and vegetables can contribute to formation of kidney stones. Since citrus fruits has citrate, it may lower your susceptibility in forming kidney stones. Start right by adding a squeeze of lemon or lime to your water and get benefits from consuming citrus fruits. However, it is better to increase intake of fruits and vegetables to prevent kidney stones.
    Magnesium plays a vital role in lowering the risk for developing kidney stone. Hence, eating more veggies to get enough magnesium as it plays a vital role in your body’s absorption and assimilation of calcium. Inadequate magnesium in the body could make excess calcium to become toxic and contribute to health conditions like kidney stone.

    2. Too much spinach
    Spinach is high in oxalates. These chemicals bind with calcium and should be excreted via your urinary tract. Increased concentration of oxalates can retain in your urine and form kidney stones. So eat spinach in moderation.

    3.Insufficient amount of calcium
    Consuming low calcium diet are prone to develop kidney stones than those who consume more calcium. Eating calcium-rich food is a lot essential than consuming calcium supplement which is reported to increase risk of developing kidney stones by 20 percent.

    4. Excessive iced tea intake
    Since black tea is an abundant source of oxalate, overconsumption of it may increase the risk of stone formation. Recently, the New England Journal of Medicine reported an old man who drank 16 eight-ounce glasses of iced tea daily was brought to the hospital due to kidney failure and was found to have abundant calcium oxalate crystals in his urine.

    5. Migrane medication
    Taking migrane medication topiramate adds up to the pH levels in your urinary tract, leading to higher risk of kidney stone formation.

    6. Overuse of laxative
    Too much use of laxative interferes with your body’s ability to absorb and utilize nutrients, and may lead to electrolyte imbalance which makes it as another risk for developing kidney stones. Laxative abuse can also cause dehydration.

    7. Family History
    If you have a family history of kidney stones, you have high chances in getting it. The inability to absorb oxalate may be an inherited trait.

    8. Excess intake of processed salt
    Too much sodium intake increases the amount of calcium secreted by your kidneys which may accelerate your risk for kidney stone. Remove processed foods in your diet because there are many processed salt stored in that type of food.

    9. Consuming soda
    Drinking soda adds to risk factor for developing kidney stones since it has phosphorus acid that makes your urine acidic. A study from South Africa shows that drinking soda aggravates conditions in your urine that adds to the development of calcium oxalate kidney stone problem.
    In addition, sugar including fructose found in most soda can contribute to kidney stones as sugar upsets the mineral relationships in your body by interfering with calcium and magnesium absorption. Even children at a young age of 5 who consume unhealthy sugars and soda can develop kidney stones. Sugar is seen to increase kidney size and produce pathological changes in your kidney like formation of kidney stones.
    Ditching soda is helpful in lowering stone formation risk. In a study, those who had kidney stones eliminated soda from their diet lowered their risk of recurrence by about 15 percent.

    10. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
    If you are suffering from IBD, including Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, you are at an increased risk of kidney stones. This condition accelerates your risk of becoming dehydrated, a major risk factor for kidney stones.

    11. Recurrent Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
    Recurring UTI can be a sign of kidney stone as stones may block the flow of urine leading to UTI. Frequent UTI without known cause must be checked for possible kidney stones.

    12. Obesity
    Obese women who consume more than 2200 calories per day are prone to develop kidney stones by up to 42 percent. Excess weight may lead to changes in urinary tract, promoting the formation of kidney stones.

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  • Disease and Care
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    Myths Vs Facts about Vitiligo

    Recent developments in the field of dermatology has enabled doctors to cure vitiligo, a common skin disease that produces white patches, to a great extent.

    Second only to leprosy, in courting ostracism and social rejection, vitiligo has probably the most myths and unscientific theories associated with it. We hope that by educating people about the disorderies we can begin to change the public perception.

    Here are some common myths surrounding vitiligo and an attempt to debunk them:

    Myth 1: Vitiligo is caused by the wrath of God for our wrong doings. Other superstitions suggest certain types of deodorant set off vitiligo or that you can get it by patting dogs with white spots on their head.

    Fact: Factually, none of these superstitions are true because if at all any of this was true then almost everyone on this earth would have had atleast one white patch on their skin.

    Therefore, notions like these are baseless and arise from a lack of understanding of the disease. Scientifically, it has been found that vitiligo is caused by the destruction of melanocytes, the pigment producing cells of the skin. When these stop functioning, no pigment is produced and hence the skin in that area becomes white in colour.

    Myth 2: Vitiligo is a result of wrong combination of foods, like, drinking milk shortly after eating fish brings on the disease.

    Fact: In reality, vitiligo has no connection with diet. It is unreasonable to deprive patients of sour foods like curd, lemon, pickles and tomatoes in the hope of decreasing the severity of the disease.

    However, factors which are believed to aggravate vitiligo are injuries — new patches appear where skin is subject to friction of trauma like scratches, burns, cuts, emotional stress, pregnancy and pressure sores.

    Myth 3: Vitiligo patients are inferior in their physical or mental capabilities.

    Fact: Please remember, vitiligo is restricted exclusively to the skin. Therefore, it has no connection with, or does not affect or influence any other body part, organs or intelligence level.

    Myth 4: Vitiligo is a type of leprosy and is contagious.

    Fact: Vitiligo is in no way related to leprosy. It is not contagious and therefore, cannot spread from one person to another via touch, saliva, blood, inhalation, sexual intercourse or sharing of personal items (drinking bottle, towels).

    Myth 5: Vitiligo is related to other skin disorders such as albinism and skin cancer.

    Fact: There are clear distinctions between each of these disorders, none of them being related to vitiligo.

    Individuals with albinism are born with little or no melanin in their skin, whereas vitiligo onset occurs during one’s lifetime as the melanocytes become damaged. Also, vitiligo rarely encompasses the entire body like albinism.

    While skin cancers arise from mutations in DNA, the genetic information within skin cells cause them to behave abnormally and grow uncontrolled unlike vitiligo, which is a completely separate skin disorder, occurring through different mechanisms.

    Myth 6: Vitiligo is untreatable.

    Fact: Medical science has given us an entire armament to battle the disease — treatments like immunomodular drugs, steroids, Ultraviolet A and the newer narrow band Ultraviolet B are available. In addition, various surgical options like punch grafting and split thickness grafting, can be done.

    The latest technique is melanocyte transfer, in which only melanocytes from normal skin are harvested and inoculated into the vitiliginous patches.

    Treatment is no doubt difficult and slow and not all patients respond alike; however, it is more important to treat the stigma than the disease as the mental impact is far more than the effect on physical well-being.

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  • Disease and Care Health Tips
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    Cancer and its Potential Warning Signs that People Too Often Ignore

    Health experts emphasize the importance of paying attention to warning signs and symptoms that could indicate undiagnosed cancer. If cancer is the cause, early detection by doctors greatly improves the chances of successfully treating the condition.

    Though the signs and symptoms described below do not necessarily indicate cancer, do not ignore them. If you experience any of these symptoms, analyze your symptoms and get an appointment with a doctor soon.

    There are more than 200 types of cancer. The most common types include lung, prostate, breast, ovarian, bladder, colorectal, kidney (renal), pancreatic, and endometrial cancers as well as melanoma and leukemia. The survival rate for most of these cancers, especially lung cancer, is often quite poor because more often than not, they are not diagnosed until they are already in an advanced stage, making them harder to treat.

    Here are some warning signs of cancer that you need to be aware of and address appropriately if you experience them.

    1. Unexplained weight loss

    Unexplained weight loss is often one of the first noticeable signs of cancer. It is particularly common in people suffering from solid tumor cancers like breast and lung cancer.

    Weight loss often occurs when a cancer spreads to the liver and impairs its functioning, especially related to regulating appetite and removing toxins. Weight loss can also be an early sign of colon or other digestive cancers.

    Unexplained weight loss is so common that:

    • as many as 40 percent of cancer patients report unexplained weight loss at the time of diagnosis, and
    • unexplained weight loss and cachexia (general ‘wasting’) are experienced in up to 80 percent of cases of advanced cancer.

    If you have not been trying to drop some pounds by exercising and watching your diet but you are losing weight anyways, consult a healthcare provider. Losing 10 pounds a month or up to 10 percent of your weight in a span of six months can be cause for concern.

    2. Frequent fevers or infections

    Though a fever may simply indicate that your body is fighting an infection, a persistent or prolonged fever can be a sign of a cancerous condition, such as lymphoma. Leukemia, a cancer of the blood cells, can also cause symptoms like frequent infections, fevers, fatigue, aches, and other flu-like symptoms.

    3. Weakness and fatigue

    Weakness and fatigue that does not diminish, even when you get more sleep and rest, should be evaluated by a doctor. It can be a sign of a variety of cancers, so you and your doctor will need to consider other symptoms as well.

    4. Wheezing or shortness of breath

    Though wheezing and shortness of breath can be caused by a variety of conditions, these symptoms can be associated with lung cancer too. When a tumor in a lung presses against and narrows an airway, it may lead to wheezing – a whistling sound that occurs during exhalation due to constricted airways.

    5. Chronic cough and chest pain

    At times, symptoms of cancers like leukemia and lung tumors can mimic a bad cough or bronchitis. The problem may persist or come-and-go in repeating cycles. There may also be chest pain extending into the shoulder or down the arm. Consult a doctor if you experience any of these symptoms.

    Also, get yourself checked by a doctor if you have a cough and hoarse voice for more than six weeks, especially if you smoke or have smoked in the past. Occasionally, a hoarse voice may be a symptom of laryngeal, thyroid, esophageal, or lung cancer.

    6. Bloating

    Unexplained abdominal bloating continuing on-and-off over a long period of time may be sign of ovarian cancer. Bloating accompanied by pelvic pain, swelling in the abdomen, and feeling full may be another tip-off to this condition. Similarly, pain or bloating in the stomach after eating can be a sign of stomach cancer.

    7. Chronic heartburn

    Heartburn is usually a symptom of acid reflux disease, but if it is persistent, it may be associated with Barrett’s esophagus or esophageal cancer.

    A study published in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology in May 2012 found that inflammation of the tissue lining in the esophagus caused by chronic heartburn may increase the risk of esophageal cancer.

    Moreover, a study by researchers at Rhode Island Hospital discovered a pathway linking Barrett’s esophagus to the development of esophageal cancer. The research was published in the American Journal of Cell Physiology in 2013.

    8. Bowel problems

    If you notice a change in your bowel habits (toilet habits) that lasts four weeks or longer for no obvious reason, consult your doctor as it may be a sign of bowel cancer, especially in older adults.

    9. Difficulty swallowing

    Trouble swallowing, or the feeling that food is stuck in the throat or chest, that gets worse with time can be a symptom of esophageal or throat cancer. Symptoms of these cancers also include pain or a burning sensation when swallowing food.

    Esophageal cancer typically does not cause symptoms initially, so do not ignore these symptoms if they occur. Similarly, difficulty swallowing can be one of the first signs of lung cancer.

    10. Jaundice

    Jaundice is characterized by yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes. Though it is mostly considered a symptom of liver or gallbladder disease, it can also be caused by pancreatic cancer interfering with the bile duct and liver.

    11. Unusual swelling or lumps in the body

    Unusual lumps on the breasts, testicles, groin, neck, abdomen, underarms, or other parts of the body should be thoroughly checked by a doctor, especially if they last for three weeks or more.

    At times, an enlarged lymph node or lump under the arm can be a sign of breast cancer. Red, sore, swollen breasts may indicate inflammatory breast cancer.

    12. New or changing skin spots or moles

    Changes on your skin rarely cause pain and often pose little or no health concerns, but experts recommend screening for cancer when you see:

    • new growths, spots, or sores on the skin that won’t heal, or
    • changes in symmetry, border, color or diameter of an existing mole.

    13. Changes in nails

    Unusual changes in fingernails can indicate several types of cancers, such as skin, liver, or lung cancer. While each of the following changes can occur for many reasons, they could be warning signs of cancer.

    • Black or brown spots under your nails may indicate skin cancer.
    • Clubbing of the fingers or toes (enlarged ends of the nails) may be associated with lung cancer. Diseases that reduce the amount of oxygen in the blood cause this problem.
    • Pale or white nails may indicate poor liver functioning, which may be due to various diseases including liver cancer.

    14. Pelvic or abdominal pain

    Pelvic or lower abdominal pain, accompanied by pelvic heaviness, may be a symptom of ovarian cancer. It may also cause changes in bathroom habits. Generally, women are more at risk of developing ovarian cancer if they:

    • have never been pregnant,
    • have a family history of ovarian, breast, or colorectal cancer, or
    • have been diagnosed with breast, colon, rectum or uterine cancer.

    Plus, pain in the pelvic area may be a sign of uterine cancer or leukemia (when pain is due to an enlarged spleen).

    15. Unexplained pain lasting more than four weeks

    Though aches and pains tend to be vague, if you experience persistent unexplained pain or if it comes-and-goes over a period of four weeks or more, then it is better to get the problem checked by a doctor. Pain is often an early symptom of bone or testicular cancer.

    16. Abnormal bleeding

    Blood in your urine, though sometimes a symptom of a urinary tract infection, can be caused by bladder or kidney cancer. Similarly, blood in stools, though a common sight among those who have hemorrhoids, can be a symptom of bowel cancer.

    Bleeding between periods or after menopause may indicate endometrial or uterine cancer. In rare cases, vaginal bleeding may be due to vaginal cancer. Bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract may be a sign of colorectal cancer.

    Vomiting blood and coughing up blood may be signs of stomach or esophageal cancer and lung cancer, respectively. Excessive bruising and bleeding that does not stop could be signs of leukemia. While abnormal bleeding can be caused by other illnesses too, it still needs to be evaluated by a doctor.

    So, apart from getting your recommended health check-ups and cancer screenings, be sure to keep an eye on the symptoms mentioned above. Try to adopt the “better safe than sorry” approach and get these symptoms checked out by a doctor, particularly if you do not have health issues that would otherwise cause such symptoms.

     

    Sources:

    www.cancer.net/all-about-cancer/treating-cancer/managing-side-effects/weight-loss

    ajpcell.physiology.org/content/305/10/C1069

    www.cghjournal.org/article/S1542-3565%2812%2900052-3/abstract

     

     

     

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    10 lifestyle changes to lower your high blood pressure

    If you’ve been diagnosed with high blood pressure, you might be worried about taking medication to bring your numbers down. Lifestyle plays an important role in treating your high blood pressure. If you successfully control your blood pressure with a healthy lifestyle, you might avoid, delay or reduce the need for medication.

    Here are 10 lifestyle changes you can make to lower your blood pressure and keep it down.

     1. Lose extra pounds and watch your waistline

    Blood pressure often increases as weight increases. Being overweight also can cause disrupted breathing while you sleep (sleep apnea), which further raises your blood pressure.

    Weight loss is one of the most effective lifestyle changes for controlling blood pressure. Losing just 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) can help reduce your blood pressure. Besides shedding pounds, you generally should also keep an eye on your waistline. Carrying too much weight around your waist can put you at greater risk of high blood pressure.

    In general:

    • Men are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 40 inches (102 centimeters).
    • Women are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 35 inches (89 centimeters).

    These numbers vary among ethnic groups. Ask your doctor about a healthy waist measurement for you.

     2. Exercise regularly

    Regular physical activity — at least 30 minutes most days of the week — can lower your blood pressure by 4 to 9 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). It’s important to be consistent because if you stop exercising, your blood pressure can rise again.

    If you have slightly high blood pressure (prehypertension), exercise can help you avoid developing full-blown hypertension. If you already have hypertension, regular physical activity can bring your blood pressure down to safer levels.

    The best types of exercise for lowering blood pressure include walking, jogging, cycling, swimming or dancing. Strength training also can help reduce blood pressure. Talk to your doctor about developing an exercise program.

    3. Eat a healthy diet

    Eating a diet that is rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products and skimps on saturated fat and cholesterol can lower your blood pressure by up to 14 mm Hg. This eating plan is known as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet.

    It isn’t easy to change your eating habits, but with these tips, you can adopt a healthy diet:

    • Keep a food diary. Writing down what you eat, even for just a week, can shed surprising light on your true eating habits. Monitor what you eat, how much, when and why.
    • Consider boosting potassium. Potassium can lessen the effects of sodium on blood pressure. The best source of potassium is food, such as fruits and vegetables, rather than supplements. Talk to your doctor about the potassium level that’s best for you.
    • Be a smart shopper. Read food labels when you shop and stick to your healthy-eating plan when you’re dining out, too.
     4. Reduce sodium in your diet
    Even a small reduction in the sodium in your diet can reduce blood pressure by 2 to 8 mm Hg.

    The effect of sodium intake on blood pressure varies among groups of people. In general, limit sodium to less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) a day or less. However, a lower sodium intake — 1,500 mg a day or less — is appropriate for people with greater salt sensitivity, including:

    • African-Americans
    • Anyone age 51 or older
    • Anyone diagnosed with high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease

    To decrease sodium in your diet, consider these tips:

    • Read food labels. If possible, choose low-sodium alternatives of the foods and beverages you normally buy.
    • Eat fewer processed foods. Only a small amount of sodium occurs naturally in foods. Most sodium is added during processing.
    • Don’t add salt. Just 1 level teaspoon of salt has 2,300 mg of sodium. Use herbs or spices to add flavor to your food.
    • Ease into it. If you don’t feel you can drastically reduce the sodium in your diet suddenly, cut back gradually. Your palate will adjust over time.
     5. Limit the amount of alcohol you drink
    Alcohol can be both good and bad for your health. In small amounts, it can potentially lower your blood pressure by 2 to 4 mm Hg.

    But that protective effect is lost if you drink too much alcohol — generally more than one drink a day for women and for men older than age 65, or more than two a day for men age 65 and younger. One drink equals 12 ounces of beer, five ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor.

    Drinking more than moderate amounts of alcohol can actually raise blood pressure by several points. It can also reduce the effectiveness of blood pressure medications.

    6. Quit smoking

    Each cigarette you smoke increases your blood pressure for many minutes after you finish. Quitting smoking helps your blood pressure return to normal. People who quit smoking, regardless of age, have substantial increases in life expectancy.

     7. Cut back on caffeine

    The role caffeine plays in blood pressure is still debated. Caffeine can raise blood pressure by as much as 10 mm Hg in people who rarely consume it, but there is little to no strong effect on blood pressure in habitual coffee drinkers.

    Although the effects of chronic caffeine ingestion on blood pressure aren’t clear, the possibility of a slight increase in blood pressure exists.

    To see if caffeine raises your blood pressure, check your pressure within 30 minutes of drinking a caffeinated beverage. If your blood pressure increases by 5 to 10 mm Hg, you may be sensitive to the blood pressure raising effects of caffeine. Talk to your doctor about the effects of caffeine on your blood pressure.

     8. Reduce your stress

    Chronic stress is an important contributor to high blood pressure. Occasional stress also can contribute to high blood pressure if you react to stress by eating unhealthy food, drinking alcohol or smoking.

    Take some time to think about what causes you to feel stressed, such as work, family, finances or illness. Once you know what’s causing your stress, consider how you can eliminate or reduce stress.

    If you can’t eliminate all of your stressors, you can at least cope with them in a healthier way. Try to:

    • Change your expectations. Give yourself time to get things done. Learn to say no and to live within manageable limits. Try to learn to accept things you can’t change.
    • Think about problems under your control and make a plan to solve them. You could talk to your boss about difficulties at work or to family members about problems at home.
    • Know your stress triggers. Avoid whatever triggers you can. For example, spend less time with people who bother you or avoid driving in rush-hour traffic.
    • Make time to relax and to do activities you enjoy. Take 15 to 20 minutes a day to sit quietly and breathe deeply. Try to intentionally enjoy what you do rather than hurrying through your “relaxing activities” at a stressful pace.
    • Practice gratitude. Expressing gratitude to others can help reduce stressful thoughts.
    9. Monitor your blood pressure at home and see your doctor regularly

    Home monitoring can help you keep tabs on your blood pressure, make certain your lifestyle changes are working, and alert you and your doctor to potential health complications. Blood pressure monitors are available widely and without a prescription. Talk to your doctor about home monitoring before you get started.

    Regular visits with your doctor are also key to controlling your blood pressure. If your blood pressure is under control, you might need to visit your doctor only every six to 12 months, depending on other conditions you might have. If your blood pressure isn’t well-controlled, your doctor will likely want to see you more frequently.

     10. Get support

    Supportive family and friends can help improve your health. They may encourage you to take care of yourself, drive you to the doctor’s office or embark on an exercise program with you to keep your blood pressure low.

    If you find you need support beyond your family and friends, consider joining a support group. This may put you in touch with people who can give you an emotional or morale boost and who can offer practical tips to cope with your condition.

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