Herbal Health

January 16, 2011

HEART PROBLEMS: HEAT EXHAUSTION AND HEAT STROKE

Heat exhaustion is another term for dehydration. People come close to the point of collapse in warm weather from overexertion because they do not consume enough fluid and salt. Signs of heat exhaustion are rapid pulse, perspiration, increased respiratory rate, dry tongue and imminent collapse. No athlete has ever been forced to leave the field due to over hydration. According to marathon runner Robert De Castella “If you are thirsty; it is too late”.
Home Remedies
The victim of heat exhaustion needs cool water and salt. By the time dramatic symptoms draw attention to the heat exhaustion victim, fluid requirements will be at least three liters. Each liter of fluid should contain a third of a tea spoon of salt. Shortly after the correction of any fluid and salt imbalance the victim will be almost back to normal. It is worth remembering that soldiers planning to patrol on a hot day in Australia plan to consume 8 liters of water each day. A good sign of dehydration is dark urine. A well hydrated person will pass copious quantities of clear urine and that should be the goal of water consumption. Anything less than clear urine on a hot day; means water consumption is not enough.

Heat Stroke
Heat stroke takes dehydration one step further. The body is so deficient in water for cooling purposes that the tissues over heat and cook. Runners that die from heat stroke literally coagulate the protein of their muscles and brain. Cooked muscles look like well done steak. All that surgeons can do in the presence of such injury is to slice or amputate the dead flesh away. With heat stroke the victim usually collapses. The body is dry and hot. The tongue is bone dry and there are no tears in the eyes.
Home Remedies
Victims of heat stroke need urgent medical attention. In the mean time they need to be cooled down. Use fans, pools of water or buckets to cool the victim down. Don’t try to give fluids by mouth. This is not advisable in an unconscious patient and efforts must be concentrated on cooling and getting to medical assistance.

*6/131/5*

December 26, 2010

RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS (RA): WAYS TO MANAGE DEPRESSION

Do not isolate yourself from others. Withdrawing from friends and activities because of depression will only increase your sense of loss and loneliness. At first it may seem easier to isolate yourself because by doing so you can avoid questions, unwanted advice, and assorted comments from others. You may even convince yourself that it is your arthritis that is holding you back. You may be picturing yourself as a wet blanket – a person who is no longer any fun to be with – and make excuses to friends. These friends may begin to feel as if you don’t want to see them. Be as honest with them about your feelings as you want to be, but don’t avoid them. You will still enjoy their company and they, yours. Good friends are good medicine to combat depression.
Pursue something you enjoy doing.
Think of activities that have lifted your spirits in the past. Getting involved in something that you once had fun doing is a good way to remind yourself of who you are, and enjoying an activity is a good way to ease your mind of other troubles and relieve stress. Write down twenty things that you enjoyed doing in the past, and then try doing some of them.
Focus on today. Learning and practicing stress reduction and relaxation techniques that focus on the mindfulness of the present rather than regrets of the past or worries of the future may also be a tremendous help.
Focus on a positive attitude. Objectively stand back and listen to each negative thought as though someone else were expressing it. Allow yourself to get annoyed at the negative thoughts, and then modify them into something positive. Sometimes focusing on a positive attitude can turn a half-step backward into two steps forward.
Improve self-esteem. Many people feel depressed about their physical appearance or changes in their capabilities. Keep in mind that not all of these changes need be negative. Appropriate exercise, often with new sports such as swimming, will improve your physical condition. Learning new skills, making new acquaintances, learning a new hobby, or attaining new goals will remind you that you are still a bright, innovative person, capable of growth and change. Do what it takes to remain a productive and fulfilled person whose self-esteem continues to grow and improve.
Help others. There is nothing more rewarding than helping another person. Focusing on someone else’s problems can help you forget yours. When you view your life through their eyes you will see that you have much to offer other people.
Exercise. Doing exercises as prescribed is an excellent way to relieve your mind of negative thoughts. People often feel better with regular exercise. Athletes have known this for a long time – they actually feel depressed when they don’t exercise routinely. Don’t leave exercise to chance: incorporate it into your routine.
*57/209/5*

December 19, 2010

NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY: CELLULAR MECHANISMS

Neuroprotection
Carro et al found that physical activity reduced the vulnerability to brain damage in models of neuronal injury involving different types of etiopathogenic mechanisms relevant to human disease. Physical Inactivity may increase the susceptibility to neurodegenerative processes attributable to insufficient brain uptake of serum IGF-I.

Neurogenesis
Voluntary running on wheels by mice increased neural cell proliferation and survival by producing a net neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, which was associated with a better learning performance. By comparison, physical inactivity is related to a lower level of learning performance and fewer brain cells in rats.

Neurotransmitters
Endurance-trained, adult rats showed a reduction in high-affinity choline uptake and an increase in muscarinic quinuclidinylbenzilate binding in the hippocampus, compared with their age-matched sedentary controls. It is possible, then, that physical inactivity leads to a reversal of these mechanisms.

Neurotrophic factors
Voluntary running was associated with an increase in the level of the activated transcription factor, CREB phosphorylation at Ser-133, in the rat hippocampus for at least 1 week, but not after 1 month. Phosphorylated МАРК (both p42 and p44) was increased for at least 1 month. Shen et al interpreted these observations to be consistent with the view that the relatively long-lasting activation of these signaling molecules modulates the regulation of neurotropin genes, and thus contributes to the beneficial effects of physical exercise on brain function.
Voluntary running exercise has been shown to increase the number of new neurons in the adult hippocampus. Because peripheral administration of IGF-I also resulted in increases in the number of new neurons in the hippocampus of hypophysectomized rats, Trejo et al speculated that circulating IGF-I might be mediating the stimulatory effects of exercise on the number of new hippocampal neurons in normal adult rats. They observed a complete inhibition of the exercise-induced increase in the number of new neurons in the hippocampus when IGF-I antiserum was infused into rats undergoing exercise training. They interpreted this finding to be a result of the antibody blocking the entrance of circulating IGF-I into the brain.
Sedentary animals showed reduced brain uptake of serum IGF-I compared with exercising animals. Neurons accumulating IGF-I exhibit an enhanced spontaneous firing and a protracted increase in sensitivity to afferent stimulation.
Finally, the expression of fibroblast growth factor-2, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor in the brain was decreased in sedentary rats, as compared to physically active rats.
*1/282/5*

December 12, 2010

PREVENTING COLDS

Researchers have identified a number of substances in common foods that can help to ward off infectious illnesses. To maximize your resistance, include these foods in your daily diet: any member of the cabbage family—broccoli, cauliflower, mustard greens, kale, Brussels sprouts, and all forms of cabbage; garlic and onions; citrus fruits, berries, tomatoes, and peppers; and zinc-rich foods like wheat germ, whole grains, seafood, and meat.
DON’T SMOKE
Of course, this is a good idea even if preventing colds is not your concern. Smoking paralyzes the cilia, the tiny hairs that line the respiratory tract and are a first-line defense against infection. The cilia help to sweep out debris, including virus-contaminated mucus. Passive smoking, too, can increase your risk of infection. Infants and young children exposed to passive smoke are more likely to develop pneumonia and asthma.
REDUCE STRESS
Have you ever noticed that you’re most likely to come down with a cold when you’re about to leave on a trip or vacation, or when you’re rushing to meet a deadline, or when you’re cramming for a big exam? Dr. Sheldon Cohen, a psychologist at Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh, showed that people who test out as having the highest stress level are twice as likely to catch a cold as those on the lowest end of the stress continuum. So, relax! Try to reduce your stress level through regular exercise, meditation, yoga, T’ai chi, listening to relaxation tapes or sedating music, or any other harmless activity that can calm you down.
Learn to pace yourself. Keep balance in your life, allowing ample time for pleasure, regular aerobic exercise, relaxation, friends, fun, changes of scenery, and vacations from work or daily routines.
*13\296\2*

September 21, 2010

FORMAL NETWORKS TO GET HELP: OPTICIAN, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST AND PHУSIОTHERAPIST

Optician
This is another important service because it is vital to keep one’s eyesight as good as possible, especially if suffering from a tendency to confusion. It is also important to pick up early such conditions as cataract and glaucoma (opacities in the eye and increased pressure respectively). If glasses are needed the person may be eligible for vouchers towards the cost, and the DSS should be approached. Some opticians will visit the person at home but may charge. In cases of difficulty contact the local FHSA.
Occupational therapist
Occupational therapists specialize in assessing the handicapped of all ages and advising and teaching them and their carers on the practical ways of coping with the disability. Many specialize in the needs of elderly people. Some work in hospitals, others are employed by the local authority and work in the community. All like to visit the person at home, where they can advise on adaptations, aids and equipment, especially in the areas of dressing, washing, toileting and kitchen work. Some have had special training in dealing with the elderly mentally confused. If the person concerned is not in hospital then occupational therapists can be contacted via the social services department or general practitioner.
Phуsiоtherapist
Physiotherapists are therapists concerned with helping mobility. They also specialize in pain relief (muscle and joint related) as well as special exercises for certain conditions (lung diseases, etc.) They work in hospitals and in the community; some specialize in the needs of elderly people where they have expertise in dealing with strokes, arthritis, unsteady walking and Parkinson’s disease.
*70/128/58

Buy generics without a prescription

HAY FEVER

Hay fever is like asthma; but in the nose. Reacting to allergens the nose becomes obstructed, discharges copious quantities of liquid secretions into the environment and in severe cases becomes completely obstructed.
There is no cure for hay fever and the 20 per cent of the population who suffer from this condition ensure a ready market for a constant stream of antihistamines, churned out by the big pharmaceutical companies. A recent development in the management of hay fever is the appearance of a new generation of antihistamines, which effectively counteract the dramatic affects of histamine without producing sedation. Teldane, Hismanal and Claratyne are brands of the new non-sedating antihistamines.
A safer method for the control of chronic hay fever is the use of inhaled nasal steroids. Products such as Beconase and Aldecin have been used continuously for over ten years. No significant, long term side effects have been reported.
Those yearning for complete relief of hay fever without ongoing medication may find a course of desensitizing injections provides long lasting remission. Desensitization is very effective if people with hay fever have a reaction to only one substance and the substance can be identified and carefully injected.
Medical authorities in certain northern European countries view desensitization with concern, as injecting people with substances they are allergic to can produce dramatic allergic reactions and sudden death. People with severe hay fever will probably think a trial of desensitization is well worth the risk.
*69/131/5*

Cheap Generic Medications without A Prescription

June 2, 2010

ENJOYING A HEART-HEALTHY DIET: CASE HISTORIES

When it comes to making some changes in your diet, only you can make the decision to make that commitment. Some men and women have a difficult time taking the first step. Take the case of Dr John Smith. That’s not his real name, and in a moment you’ll see why I don’t want to identify him. I met Dr Smith at a Heart Association meeting in Dallas. After I interviewed him regarding his research, we chatted a while about our own lives. The subject of our cholesterol came up and it turned out his cholesterol level was dangerously high, sometimes nearly 7.8.
But Dr Smith did little about it. Seems he was so busy with his research, his patient load, and trying to achieve tenure at the university that he had no time for his own health. Asked what he had for dinner, he replied that he and his family ordered pizza quite often. His wife also was a physician and neither had much inclination to prepare food.
OK, I said, how about ordering the pizza without cheese, and then spreading some low-fat or non-fat cheese substitute on when it arrived. A minute or two in the oven and the pizza would be ready to eat. Well, he replied, that would be a lot of effort. He’d have to stock the cheese, make a special request over the phone, and he didn’t think he’d want to do that.
Hmmm, 1 thought, coming up with another suggestion. How about ordering the pizza with half the cheese, and getting all vegetable toppings? No, Dr Smith said, rather sadly shaking his head, that, too, would be too difficult, since his wife and children refused to eat a lower-fat diet.
Getting a bit exasperated, I said he could get half the pizza with half the cheese. Uh, no, he said, then he would have to somehow decide which half was which and, even then, it would take a special order. Besides, most of the time the kids ordered the pizza.
Needless to day, Dr Smith can’t find any time to do any exercise either. He was under enormous stress because of concerns over his tenure, but took no steps to alleviate that stress. And he was carrying about 9 kilograms of extra weight around his waist. To make matters worse, Dr Smith had a family history of heart disease. I wish him a lot of luck, but it’s going to take more than that. It’ll probably take a heart attack to get his attention. I hope he survives.
The next story is just as sad. I’ve heard it from at least two dozen women since writing The 8-Week Cholesterol Cure. Those women were trying to help their husbands get better after their heart attacks. That meant preparing more fish, more poultry and more low-fat foods in general. But instead of thanks those women got complaints. “Why the hell don’t we have steak any more?” “I’m tired of cereal. I want some bacon and eggs.” “Margarine just doesn’t taste as good. Get some real butter.” Many of the wives had tears in their eyes as they told their tales of woe.
Often cliches hold a lot of truth. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. Same with those husbands. I often tell such women to get some clothing catalogues and some cruise brochures and put them on the cocktail table. When asked by their husbands what those are all about, I tell the women to simply say they’re figuring out what to do with the insurance money.
Too harsh? Actually that usually gets a laugh, since I deliver that advice with a smile on my face and tongue in cheek. But the fact remains that no one can lead another’s life. You can’t force someone to take the steps necessary for cardiac recovery or any other aspect of health.
But for every negative story, I can tell a dozen positive ones. Take the example of Sam Horwitz. Sam is a very successful businessman who must travel and attend dinners frequently. He finds no problem in requesting a fish alternative at banquets and is almost never turned down. He has his travel agent automatically order a low-cholesterol meal on all his flights. Sam knows which restaurants serve a wide variety of foods he and his wife can enjoy. And through such efforts he has lowered his cholesterol from the 6.5 range to well under 5.2. He’s confident that he won’t ever have another heart attack.
Sam is typical of young, dynamic men who have taken charge of their own destinies. They won’t let that heart attack get in the way of living a full, rewarding life. And they know they have to take certain steps to provide the protection they want.
Keith Ingram, on the other hand, shows us how older individuals can also make remarkable recoveries. Even after having a bypass, performed by the eminent surgeon Dr Michael DeBakey, Keith didn’t do much to change his lifestyle. But then he was told that his disease had progressed to the degree that even another bypass was deemed inadvisable. “My doctor told me I wouldn’t survive it,” Keith said. At the age of 67 he couldn’t enjoy his retirement, lived the life of a cardiac cripple because of angina pains, and made life a living hell for his wife Lucille.
Then Keith took charge. He changed his diet almost overnight, getting fid of most of the fat, and adding a lot of soluble fibre. Despite the angina, Keith forced himself to walk, a little mote every day. To get his cholesterol down sufficiently from the horribly high point of 8.8, he took the prescription drug colestipol and took niacin daily. Knowing that he was doing something for himself, his attitude slowly changed for the better.
When I met him, Keith was 69, walking briskly five kilometres every day, with a normal blood pressure and a cholesterol reading under 5.2. His doctors are amazed. The angina pains are gone and he now lives his life to the fullest.
*117\85\2*
Cardio & Blood/ Cholesterol

ENJOYING A HEART-HEALTHY DIET: MOTIVATION AND COMMITMENT

Diet remains the basis of any cholesterol-cutting program. But it’s up to you. Will you make the commitment to a real change in your diet?
All I ask is that you give it a real chance. A low-fat diet can be absolutely delicious, and there’s no reason at all to feel deprived. If you saw the way my family and I eat you’d never know we were doing anything special; that’s because the foods we enjoy have been prepared with the fat taken out but with the fun and flavour left in. We all love dining out in restaurants. When there’s something special to celebrate, I can feel just as festive in ordering a lobster or king crab as in having the steak.
Perhaps at this point in your recovery you’re saying to yourself that food is one of your life’s pleasures, and you just don’t want to give it up. Well, you don’t have to give up all your favourites. You just have to make some simple modifications.
It’s unfortunate that so many heart patients feel so sorry for themselves and that they use food as a consolation prize. It’s even more unfortunate that they can’t recognise their own self-destructive behaviours when bingeing on fats. Think about what you’re really saying when you dig into that bacon and egg breakfast: “I’m not feeling well, and I’m not feeling good about myself, so I’m going to eat this food which is certain to make my condition worse rather than better.” Yes, you might enjoy that meal. You’ll have a certain amount of instant gratification. But consider the long term.
Feeling really good is the ultimate pleasure! You just don’t know that yet, because you haven’t given it a chance. I used to think that taking Alka Seltzer was a natural thing to do after a big meal. Bouts with indigestion were common. I’d lie in bed feeling lousy, never thinking that it was that huge meal dripping in butter and cream that was the culprit. You’ll feel better in just days by deciding today to toss out the fatty foods and concentrate on a light approach to eating.
People ask me all the time if I don’t miss certain foods that I’ve given up since my second bypass surgery in 1984. Sure, I’d really like to eat a bacon and egg breakfast. Today I stick with egg substitute and Canadian bacon. There’s just no substitute for sunnyside-up eggs and three or four strips of crisp bacon. But I’ve never given in to the temptation in all these years.
Why not? There’s no breakfast in the world that could compare with another day of life and living. I wouldn’t trade seeing a beautiful sunset for those sunnyside-up eggs. There’s no hot fudge sundae that could tempt me to miss one of my daughter’s birthday parties or my son’s baseball games. Every time I enjoy one of those special moments, I strengthen my resolve to stick with my diet.
Now, you might ask wouldn’t it be all right to have a special treat just once in a while? Would that breakfast really do that much damage? Probably not. But here’s the problem with having this or that “just once in a while”. Today you have a piece of chocolate because you haven’t had one in a month. Tomorrow you have a slab of steak because it’s been so long since the last time. Then it’s a lovely dessert. And a corned beef sandwich. And on and on and on. Add up all those “once in a whiles” and you have an “all the time” cheat.
Sometimes it’s just a lot easier to make big changes rather than little ones. Compare this with the decision to quit smoking. One of the most masochistic things I ever did was to try to smoke just a few cigarettes a day after smoking two packs daily for years. I was in a constant state of withdrawal. Ask any former smoker and he or she will tell you the same thing. The same applies to exercise. Do it just now and then, and you’ll never really get into it. But make the decision to do some physical exercise regularly and it becomes a part of your life.
Heart-healthy eating is, indeed, a part of my life. And I’m not alone. I’ve spoken with literally hundreds of men and women who’ve made the same changes in their own lives. Everyone who’s given it a fait chance says that it’s amazing how little you miss certain foods. That’s because you’re concentrating on all those foods that are good for you. You can’t order everything on the menu, so make your selections from the low-fat offerings.
Take the right mental approach to your decision to eat heart-healthy foods. Make it a hobby, trying to find new restaurants and new products in the supermarket. There are non-fat ice-creams, and non-fat cheeses; the list keeps getting bigger and bigger.
When I made the decision that the entire family would benefit from a healthier diet, I discussed the matter with my son Ross, who was only seven years old at the time. I explained that there would be some foods and restaurants that would be off the “approved” list, but that it would get easier and easier as time went on. The reason, I said, was that more and more people were realising the value of eating low-fat foods, and that the food industry would respond by providing more products that we could enjoy without the fat. That was in 1985, and my predictions have certainly come true. Moreover, we continue to see new and wonderful offerings all the time. No doubt about it, it’s getting easier all the time.
But whether it’s easy at certain times or difficult at others, the effort will be worthwhile. Every time you eat a bowl of oat bran cereal, every time you order the fish or chicken rather than the steak, every time you have frozen yoghurt instead of ice-cream, try to picture your coronary arteries. Visualise them getting cleaner and cleaner. “Feel” the blood coursing through your arteries without blockage.
Make an effort to think about all the wonderful, positive things in your life. Your children and grandchildren. Sports and hobbies. Nature and wildlife. Holidays and travel. Your career. Making love. Feeling love for all those around you. Then associate those good things in your life with your new dietary habits. Soon you wouldn’t trade those moments for a hot fudge sundae any more than I would.
I promise that within days you’ll feel better. And within eight weeks you’ll experience significant improvements in your cholesterol levels and your attitudes. That’s about the amount of time needed to show a change. When you go into the doctor’s office for that next cholesterol check and he or she tells you with a broad smile that your efforts have paid off, you’ll be on your way to a lifetime of healthier eating. Nothing succeeds like success.
So here’s my challenge: give it a try for at least eight weeks. Make a teal effort to get the fat and cholesterol out of your diet. Don’t cheat for that full eight-week period. You’ll feel a whole lot better. You won’t need those antacids. You’ll start to see some weight loss. And then you’ll see your results on the cholesterol test. 1 really doubt that after all that you’ll ever want to go back to your old ways of eating.
Bon appetit!
*116\85\2*
Cardio & Blood/ Cholesterol

May 21, 2009

COMMON INFECTIONS OF CHILDHOOD: EAR INFECTIONS (OTITIS MEDIA) CAUSE AND INVESTIGATIONS: CAUSE AND INVESTIGATIONS

Cause

Otitis media is caused by infection of the eardrum by either a germ (bacteria) or a virus. Bacteria are responsible for about two-thirds of acute ear infections.

Usually an ear infection is accompanied by general signs of infection. Depending on the age of the child, these may include fever, irritability or drowsiness, loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting and sometimes diarrhoea, and headache.

While sometimes ear infections are ‘silent’ and do not cause any specific symptoms, usually the child will complain of earache or of a feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear. In babies there may be prolonged crying and pulling at the affected ear.

Ear infections may cause a temporary decrease in hearing, so that some children may have noticeable partial deafness during ear infections. Occasionally the eardrum may rupture (perforated eardrum), with a thick and sometimes bloody discharge. This results in relief of the pressure that has built up in the ear as a result of the infection, and eases the pain. The main complication of an acute ear infection is that it will turn into a ‘glue ear’ and affect the child’s hearing over a period of time. This may result in a delay in the child’s language, speech and communication skills.

Investigations

Apart from careful inspection of the child’s ear using an instrument called an otoscope, the doctor (usually a paediatrician or ENT specialist, although some general practitioners may also have this equipment) may perform a procedure called tympanometry, which measures how mobile the eardrum is and may assist in the diagnosis of whether the ear is normal. This is a painless procedure which takes a couple of minutes. If the child has had a number of ear infections, or if the doctor suspects there may be a chronic infection or a glue ear, then he may organise a hearing test. A formal hearing test should always be arranged if you suspect that the child has difficulty hearing.

*217\90\8*

May 19, 2009

MORNING SICKNESS AND WEIGHT GAIN DURING PREGNANCY

MORNING SICKNESS

Many women experience some nausea and even vomiting during the early stages of pregnancy. Morning sickness is actually a misnomer as nausea can occur at any time of the day or night. You may feel an aversion to certain types of foods and these are best avoided until the period of morning sickness passes. Make sure that you keep up your fluid intake and try to eat small amounts of food at frequent intervals. Do not take any anti-nausea medication as this can be dangerous for your baby whose vital organs are developing at this stage. Make sure you rest a lot, and eat as soon as you feel hungry. Having a cup of tea and toast before you get out of bed in the morning often helps prevent early morning nausea. Avoid greasy or sugary foods. If vomiting persists, or you are losing weight, consult your doctor.

WEIGHT GAIN DURING PREGNANCY

The usual weight gain during pregnancy is 12-15 kg. If you gain an excessive amount of weight, it will be difficult to lose once the baby is born. Try to maintain a healthy diet, and exercise regularly but moderately during pregnancy. If you have concerns about your weight during or after pregnancy, consult your doctor.

*50\90\8*

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