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Treatment & Solution for Coronavirus / স্ট্রোকে উচ্চ মৃত্যুহার আধুনিক জীবনযাত্রার সঙ্গে স্ট্রোকের সম্পর্ক কতটুকু?

« on: November 10, 2021, 05:43:27 PM »

স্ট্রোকে উচ্চ মৃত্যুহার

আধুনিক জীবনযাত্রার সঙ্গে স্ট্রোকের সম্পর্ক কতটুকু?

ড. আশেক মাহমুদ

স্ট্রোক কোনো সংক্রামক নয়, বৈশ্বিক মাত্রার অসংক্রামক রোগ। আমেরিকান হার্ট অ্যাসোসিয়েশনের রিপোর্টে উল্লেখ আছে, ২০১৯ সালে সারা বিশ্বে ১০১ মিলিয়ন মানুষ স্ট্রোকে আক্রান্ত হয়, এর মধ্যে ৩ দশমিক ৩ মিলিয়ন বা ৩৩ লাখ মৃত্যুবরণ করে। বাংলাদেশের চিত্রও ভয়াবহ। বিবিএস রিপোর্ট বলছে, ২০১৯ সালে ৪৫ হাজার ৫০০ জন স্ট্রোকে মৃত্যুবরণ করে, আর ২০২০ সালে একই রোগে মারা গেছে ৮৫ হাজার ৩০০; এর মানে গত বছরের চেয়ে দ্বিগুণ। অথচ তথ্যমতে, এ পর্যন্ত করোনায় মারা গেছে ২৭ হাজার ৮০০ জন। এখান থেকে প্রশ্ন জাগে, ১. কেন স্ট্রোকে এত মানুষ মারা যাচ্ছে? ২. করোনাকালে স্ট্রোকে মৃত্যুহার কেন দ্বিগুণ হলো? ৩. এটি কি শুধুই মস্তিষ্কের জটিলতা থেকে উদ্ভূত? ৪. পারিবারিক ও সামাজিক জটিলতার সঙ্গে স্ট্রোকের সম্পর্ক আছে? ৫. লাগামহীন মূল্যস্ফীতি, দারিদ্র্য ও পুঁজিবাদী ব্যবস্থার সঙ্গে স্ট্রোকের সম্পর্ক কতটুকু?

এতগুলো প্রশ্নের জবাব পেতে দরকার অনেক গবেষণা। তবু স্বল্প পরিসরে এ সম্পর্কে কিছু কথা বলার চেষ্টা করব। আমরা প্রথমে ধরেই নিই যে স্ট্রোক এক ধরনের শারীরিক রোগ। প্রাথমিকভাবে এটি শারীরিক রোগ, সত্য। চিকিৎসাশাস্ত্র বলছে, স্ট্রোক সম্পূর্ণই মস্তিষ্কের রক্তনালির জটিলতাজনিত রোগ অথবা মস্তিষ্কের রক্তবাহী নালির দুর্ঘটনাজনিত রোগ; যেকোনো বয়সেই স্ট্রোক হতে পারে। এর মানে মস্তিষ্কে রক্ত সঞ্চালনের স্বাভাবিক প্রক্রিয়ার ব্যাঘাত হলে স্ট্রোক হতে পারে বা স্ট্রোক সীমার কাছে যেতে পারে। এখান থেকেই প্রশ্ন, রক্ত সঞ্চালনে দুর্ঘটনা দিনে দিনে কেনই-বা বেড়ে চলছে? সড়ক দুর্ঘটনা বেড়ে চলছে অতিমাত্রায়, তার কারণও পরিষ্কার। কিন্তু রক্ত সঞ্চালনে দুর্ঘটনা বৃদ্ধির কারণ জানাটা অতিজরুরি। কেননা আমরা নিজের চোখে রক্ত সঞ্চালন দেখতে পাই না, কান পেতেও শুনতে পারি না সঞ্চালনের শব্দ। তবে চিকিৎসাবিজ্ঞান বলছে, স্ট্রোকের জন্য প্রধানত দায়ী উচ্চ রক্তচাপ, রক্তে খারাপ মানের কোলেস্টেরল বৃদ্ধি, ডায়াবেটিসজনিত রোগ, ধূমপান, শারীরিক স্থূলতা, দুশ্চিন্তা বা টেনশন ইত্যাদি। এ থেকে প্রথমেই বোঝা যায়, এটি শারীরিক রোগ। কিন্তু রক্তপ্রবাহের স্বাভাবিকতা বাধাগ্রস্ত করার পেছনে যে আমাদের বিভিন্ন অভ্যাস জড়িত তা স্পষ্ট।

খাদ্যাভ্যাসের কথা তো আসবেই। শিশু তরুণ-তরুণীদের কাছে ফাস্টফুড খুবই প্রিয়। এ খাবার অতি বেশি ফ্যাটযুক্ত ও ভাজা-পোড়াসমৃদ্ধ, তবে পুষ্টিসমৃদ্ধ নয়। ঘরের খাবারের চেয়ে এসব খাবার কেন এত প্রিয় হয়ে গেল? এর প্রথম কারণ আধুনিকতার মিশেল আছে ফাস্টফুডে। ইউরোপ আমেরিকার কোম্পানিগুলো ফাস্টফুডকে বৈশ্বিক খাবারে পরিণত করেছে। কেএফসি, ম্যাকডোনাল্ডসের খাবার অর্ডার পেলেই পৌঁছে যায় বাসায়। স্কুল-কলেজের সামনে এসবের সারি সারি দোকান। এদিকে বিজ্ঞান চলে গেছে বিজ্ঞাপনের হাতে। বিজ্ঞান বলছে স্বাস্থ্যকর খাবার খেতে; উল্টোপথে বিজ্ঞাপনে চলছে ফাস্টফুড, কোল্ড ড্রিংসের রমরমা প্রচার। টিভি, ফেসবুক, ইউটিউবে ভেসে ওঠে এসবের ছবি। এর মানে খাদ্যাভ্যাস তৈরি হয়েছে পুঁজিবাদী আধুনিকতার অবয়বে। এ কারণে স্ট্রোক উপযোগী খাবারের পুঁজিবাদী প্রভাব থেকে পাশ্চাত্যও মুক্ত নয়। আমেরিকান হার্ট অ্যাসোসিয়েশনের রিপোর্ট সে বার্তাই দিচ্ছে। রিপোর্টে বলা হয়েছে, ২০১৯ সালে স্ট্রোকে আক্রান্ত ও মৃত্যুর হার বেশি মাত্রায় দেখা যায় অধিক আয়ের দেশগুলোয়। যেমন উত্তর আমেরিকা, পূর্ব ইউরোপ, মধ্যপ্রাচ্য, দক্ষিণ আফ্রিকা ও দক্ষিণপূর্ব এশিয়ার দেশগুলো। এর মানে পুঁজিবাদী ভোগবাদী সমাজে স্ট্রোক মহামারী আকার ধারণ করেছে। শিক্ষার হার আর আয়ের মাত্রা বেশি হলে স্বাস্থ্য সচেতনতা বৃদ্ধি পাবে—আমরা তো এ ধারণাই করতাম। অথচ কেনার সামর্থ্য আর শিক্ষার হার বৃদ্ধি কেন স্ট্রোক ঝুঁকি কমাতে পারছে না? 

আমাদের দেশ কি তাহলে সেই পথেই হাঁটছে? গত এক বছরে ৮৫ হাজার স্ট্রোকে মারা যাওয়ার সংবাদ বলেই দিচ্ছে আমরা এক জটিল পরিস্থিতিতে বসবাস করছি। এ কথা নিঃসন্দেহে বলা যেতে পারে, করোনা পরিস্থিতির সঙ্গে স্ট্রোকে মৃত্যুর হার দ্বিগুণ হওয়ার মধ্যে একটা আন্তঃসম্পর্ক আছে। তথ্যের অভাবে এর কারণ সম্পর্কে নিশ্চিত করে বলা যাচ্ছে না, তবে একটা সাধারণ ব্যাখ্যা দেয়া যেতে পারে। করোনাকালে লকডাউন সাধারণ চলাচলে ব্যাঘাত করেছে, লাখো শ্রমিক কাজ পাননি, বেসরকারি প্রতিষ্ঠানের লাখো শিক্ষক কর্মকর্তা চলমান আয় থেকে বঞ্চিত ছিল। আমাদের সামাজিক প্রেক্ষাপটে পুরুষের দায়িত্ব পুরো সংসারের ব্যয়ভার মেটানো। সেই পুরুষের আয়ের পথ বন্ধ বা বাধাগ্রস্ত হলে সংসার চালানো মুশকিল হয়ে যায়। এ বাধাগ্রস্ততাই রক্ত সঞ্চালনের স্বাভাবিক গতিকে বাধাগ্রস্ত করে। কেননা সংসার চালানো যখন কষ্টকর হয় তখন দুশ্চিন্তা ভর করাটাই স্বাভাবিক।

টেনশন বা দুশ্চিন্তা এখন পারিবারিক জীবন প্রক্রিয়ার অন্যতম উপাদানে পরিণত হয়েছে। করোনাকালে এমনিতেই কোটি কোটি মানুষের আয়ের স্বাভাবিক গতি মন্থর। এর সঙ্গে যুক্ত হয়েছে অত্যধিক মূল্যস্ফীতি। মূল্যস্ফীতি বাজার অর্থনীতিতে এমনই সংক্রামক হয়ে গেছে যে এটি দানবের মতো প্রত্যেকের ক্রয়ক্ষমতাকে গ্রাস করছে। যে অধিক ঘুষ খায়, মূল্যস্ফীতি তার কাছে তেমন কিছু না। কিন্তু এ দেশে ঘুষ খাওয়ার চাকরি করেই বা কতজন? এটা ঠিক যে হতদরিদ্র স্ট্রোক করবে না। কিন্তু যে আয়ের ধারায় চলছে, অতঃপর আয়ের পথ, সংসার চালানোর সুযোগ বধাগ্রস্ততা ভিন্ন রকম মানসিক চাপ এনে দেয়। সেই চাপ অফিসের কর্মস্থলে মাত্রাধিক কাজের চাপ আর কীভাবে আকাশচুম্বী আকাঙ্ক্ষাগুলো পূরণ করা যায়—এসব চিন্তায় অস্থির আজকের আধুনিক মানুষ। আধুনিক পুঁজিবাদী ভোগবাদী সমাজে যে মানুষ অধিক আয় আর ভোগের ব্যবস্থা করতে পারবে, সেই যেন কাঙ্ক্ষিত ব্যক্তি। যে মানুষ সেই পর্যায়ে যেতে পারে না বা যাওয়ার সম্ভাবনা দেখাতে পারে না, সেই মানুষকে পুড়তে হয় পীড়নের আগুনে। সেই পীড়ন থেকে হতে পারে রক্ত সঞ্চালনে দুর্ঘটনা। আমাদের দেশে বিবাহ বিচ্ছেদ যেভাবে বেড়ে চলছে, তাতে পীড়ন আর হতাশা আরো বেশি মাত্রায় উন্নীত হয়েছে।

একসময় এই বঙ্গে দুর্ভিক্ষে মারা যেত বহু মানুষ। এখন আর দুর্ভিক্ষ হয় না, দুর্ভিক্ষে মারাও যায় না। যে শ্রেণীর মানুষ দুর্ভিক্ষে মারা যেত, সেই শ্রেণীকে ঋণ দিচ্ছে এনজিও প্রকল্প। অতি সুদের ঋণ শোধ করতে না পারলে সে আত্মহত্যা করতে পারে, হতে পারে হূদরোগ বা স্ট্রোক। একসময় যে মানুষ চাকরি থেকে অবসর নিয়ে বাড়ি করত, এখন সেই মানুষ চাকরির শুরুতেই ঋণ নিয়ে বাড়ি বা ফ্ল্যাট কেনে, ঋণ নিয়ে গাড়িও কেনে। কারণ পুঁজিবাদী ব্যাংকিং চালু করেছে ঋণ ব্যবস্থা; কোম্পানি হাজির করেছে বিলাসসামগ্রী। ভোগবাদী এ ব্যবস্থার বার্তাই হলো, ভোগসামগ্রী নিয়ে বেঁচে থেকো আর টেনশনে থেকো প্রতিদিন। ভোগের এ প্রতিযোগিতা এতটাই সংক্রামক যে সামাজিক জটিলতা নিজেই মস্তিষ্কের জটিলতা সৃষ্টির অন্যতম কারণ হয়ে গেছে। এ জটিলতায় সবচেয়ে বেশি ভুগছে মধ্যবিত্ত ও নিম্নমধ্যবিত্ত শ্রেণী।

সেই জায়গা থেকে বলতে পারি,  স্ট্রোক থেকে মুক্তির জন্য চিকিৎসার আগে জরুরি আর্থসামাজিক সংস্কার। ‘সচেতন হতে হবে’—এ রকম কথায় না গিয়ে বলতে হবে ফাস্টফুডের বিপরীতে স্বাস্থ্যসম্মত খাবারের রেস্তোরাঁ বাড়াতে হবে। দেশীয় খাবারে প্রণোদনা বাড়াতে হবে। মিডিয়া বিজ্ঞাপনে স্বাস্থ্যবিষয়ক সঠিক তথ্য প্রকাশ করতে হবে। সব শ্রেণীতেই যুগোপযোগী স্বাস্থ্যবিষয়ক পাঠ্যপুস্তক থাকতে হবে, শিখন প্রক্রিয়াকে আরো বেশি ব্যবহারিক করতে হবে। শিক্ষার বিভিন্ন স্তরে পরিবার ব্যবস্থাপনার ওপর প্রাতিষ্ঠানিক শিক্ষার ব্যবস্থা রাখা প্রয়োজন। বাজার অর্থনীতিতে মূল্যস্ফীতির লাগাম টেনে ধরতে হবে। চাহিদা অনুযায়ী উৎপাদন ও আমদানি নিশ্চিত করতে হবে। কমিয়ে ফেলতে হবে সুদের হার। কর্মক্ষেত্রে কাজের মাত্রা সহনীয় করতে বাধ্যতামূলক বিধি রেখে বাস্তবায়ন করতে হবে। রাজস্ব আদায় ও বণ্টনের ব্যবস্থা সম্পূর্ণ ডিজিটাল করে সেই রাজস্ব জনগণের অধিকার আদায়ে ব্যবহার করতে পারলে হতাশা আর দুশ্চিন্তা অনেকখানি লাঘব হবে। আমরা চাই স্ট্রোক বা হূদরোগে আক্রান্ত ও মৃত্যুর হার যেন প্রতি বছর কমতে থাকে। এটাও হতে পারে উন্নয়নের অন্যতম সূচক।

 

ড. আশেক মাহমুদ: সহযোগী অধ্যাপক

সমাজবিজ্ঞান বিভাগ, জগন্নাথ বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়

2

Treatment & Solution for Coronavirus / COVID 19 Crisis Management for Military Institutions

« on: November 10, 2021, 05:31:05 PM »

COVID 19 Crisis Management for Military Institutions

By Retired Air Chief Marshal Masihuzzaman Serniabat, Former Chief of Air Staff of Bangladesh Air Force (2018-2021)

Military training is often thought of as a test of physical calibre and mental drive. However, as a commissioned general duty pilot (GDP), my training in the military went far beyond the call of duty many times. It often wasn’t just about operational tasks and managing military personnel on a regular basis, at times it was about handling unprecedented internal crises situations that required risking into unchartered territories for me and my staff. During my tenure as the Chief of Air Staff of Bangladesh Air Force, the COVID 19 pandemic came into the picture and alongside the whole country, Air Force faced a number of challenging situations when it came to containing the spread of the virus, ensuring regular operations and keeping overall fatality rates near zero, not to mention taking care of the staff’s mental health - all turned out to be a monumental crisis management experience for me.
On 8 March 2020, the first official covid case was detected in our country. On 26th we went for a limited lockdown when a mass movement of people created a fear of rapid contamination of the populace. Again on 5 April, with the announcement of garments opening, the workers came back en masse. The rate of infection  seemed to be manageable. Considering the way people moved and came in contact with the virus, there had been a fast propagation of the virus resulting in antibody generation among around 70% of slum dwellers  (ICDDRB, 2020). Many had been asymptomatic and many in our country could not get a place for testing and yet the recovery rate was higher than the global average.  Additionally there is a social stigma with COVID. Trauma in knowing that one is positive. There had been incidents of suicide from being COVID positive. Isolation was another fear.
One of the major challenges during the onset of the pandemic, was the fear factor induced stress through anxiety and it propagated more among the affluent as they were exposed to more mass media being locked up at home. Many medicines came up from folklore and propaganda of social media who sincerely wanted to induce awareness by showing the dead bodies and the funerals. Officially the fatality rate had been 2 percent and below, and the contamination or propagation rate, Ro had been more than one. There had hardly been any country not affected by the COVID 19. Hydro-chloroquine became a fast seller, and remdisivir. Even bleaching materials were preached to be effective. Ventilators and ICU facilities were sought after when breathing became difficult. Though 86 percent of the people put in the ventilator did not come back, it became a highly sought after medical equipment. While simple methods of breathing exercises and lying in a prone position to improve oxygen saturation could have been effective, they were generally omitted or not considered.
Our Story in Bangladesh Air Force
Bangladesh Air Force was set to deploy for the first time to the Central African Republic on 28 March 2020 for the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission. On 11 March, 39 out of 125 personnel were tested positive. At that point of time no established protocol was in vogue to treat the personnel and catch the flight for the UN. Hospitalization was the norm for COVID 19 positive patients. It would take almost a month to get the positive patients back to their healthy selves. Replacement was also very cumbersome and some personnel were irreplaceable. Sitting with the BAF doctors it was decided to keep them isolated in the BAF Shaheen C ollege Dhaka where they were treated under the following protocols:
-   Morning Tulsi tea and pineapple with boiled eggs breakfast
-   Exercise under the sun
-   Hot water vapor inhalation every two hours or so
-   Hot water gargle
-   Tab IVERMACTIN (Ivera) 12 mg or 18 mg if weight is more
-   Tab Favipira, First day 3tabs twice. second day 2 tabs twice daily for five days
-   Vitamin D
-   Zinc
All except one tested negative on 22 Mar, and being again tested negative on 24th , departed on 26th for BANGUI by the national flag carrier. It may be mentioned that the age varied from mid twenties to fifties. A mixture of seniors and juniors. One pilot was replaced as he tested positive on the second test. The basic challenge here had been to motivate the men that COVID is not a death sentence. High Morale and being happy had been a prominent healer. Fight back with the built in immune system was the key.
Actions Taken
BAF Medical Services Director {DMS} issued instructions with all the necessary precautions and health activities to be done in accordance with the national guidance. Simultaneously, BAF had been providing air evacuation medevac services and thus few crew were exposed.  A new type of stretcher was developed indigenously and was appreciated.  Our SOP was appreciated by our friends from other countries also. And many requested for sharing the COVID mission SOP which we did. Few interesting phenomena occurred during the process of handling COVID. There was a sort of social denial and stigma for the disease. Many considered it can happen only to the sinner. And others got so agitated as if he/she is about to die. Thus our approach had been to have sermons delivered by the Imams on Friday jummah prayers on disease and the way to tackle it. Unorthodox method of not telling the person that he is positive was also followed in the early days of the pandemic breakout. Interestingly those who did not know recovered faster and without many symptoms. Another matter that we observed was that families staying together recovered quite fast then being isolated. One officer was doing a course in Dhaka when his wife - a doctor in Bir Sreshtho Matiur Rahman Base contacted COVID. We gave him leave and sent him back to stay home and look after his wife and two children. They all were okay in seven days, and the children -without even fever. I kept wondering about the possible effects of mass anxiety/stress from fear of pandemic. The psychological aspect of isolation was totally ignored. But we kept the husband and wife in the same cabin once they both were positive. 
Once the lock down started and flights closed, gradually the sitting of the pilots not flying and the airlines not having cash flow was about to starve the industry. In the month of May 2020, we started arranging non-scheduled special flights for our flag carrier and other national airlines. First one had been to the UK to send BAF crews, who would later on, fly back our C-130 J. The whole episode had been quite a challenge. Discussion with the foreign ministry, embassies and support providers often ended up into the dead night and the negotiations with the airlines demanded a lot of skill hitherto unknown to the Air Force. However, because of our experience in sending BAF aircraft on non-schedule flights abroad, we could do it. The only addition was the interfacing of the commercial part of it. So, we put in the good office of BAF Welfare Trust to be the buffer zone and to do the work which BAF proper cannot - welfare business. In addition BAF also kept the lines of communication and transportation open by its own fleet. Those missions had also been full of extreme challenges - for example on landing at certain foreign land, no crew allowed to visit the toilet even. Keep putting on the PPE-we did it for the country. We with our meager resources carried the best quality PPE along with western certificates of quality even to distant UK, Korea, Malaysia. We were one of the first to go to Maldives in support of our expatriates and we had been in Lebanon after their blast to show our solidarity with the sufferers. While we carried the stranded and the needy Bangladeshis, we also transported some essentials and some seasonal fruits for the Bangladeshi workers in those countries. The look on their faces could tell how pleased our people abroad were to have those, not for the item, but for the feeling that they are not forgotten at home - their country Bangladesh.
My wife and myself were tested positive on 28 Mar 2021. Except for fever, we did not have many symptoms.  Together, we had our holidays at our residence. On a routine checkup, CMH did not want to leave me. I asked that with oxygen saturation 96% and with breathing exercise increasing to 98% would you keep someone in hospital. They said that no, but we cannot take a risk on you. I said my house is only three minute away, I will come back if oxygen reduces. Continued with Ivermectin, Favipira and few other medicines as per BAF doctors' protocol and enjoyed being together at home for 14 days. Tested negative on 11 Apr and again on 17 Apr.  Departed for an official visit to Turkey on 18th by our own C-130J as all airlines were closed. We carried with us goodwill items and Covid medicines made in Bangladesh to stand beside our brothers at the testing time of pandemic. On the return journey we could bring back 49 of our stranded Army personnel who had been on training in Turkey. Travel time was 17 hours  including refueling halt at Al Ain of UAE. We did not feel any weakness during the long and arduous journey which is normal after immediate recovery of Covid. Thanks to BAF Doctors and above all Almighty Allah SWT mercy. Superb performance of our technicians and pilots had been unparalleled. These aircraft were supposed to be flown into Bangladesh from Cambridge.
Advice For Military Institutions
   -   Keep serving the nation as in normal crisis time.
-   FOLLOW the national pandemic guidelines but also continue with primary duties.
-   To keep the morale high, do give frequent sermons and be present among the men in uniform.
-   Certain amount of physical exercise should be continued and good food habit should be maintained.
-   The fear factor is to be neutralised through effective and positive briefings based on factual data.
-   As far as possible families to be kept together in case of Covid positive.
-   All personnel to be caring for the sick, a simple sharing of fruits can boost the morale sky high.
-   Last but not the least precautions , like mask and washing to be ensured.

3

Natural Medicine / Nature’s 9 Most Powerful Medicinal Plants and the Science Behind Them

« on: December 26, 2020, 04:54:14 PM »

Nature’s 9 Most Powerful Medicinal Plants and the Science Behind Them


We scoured through histories of herbal studies for you


Today, we live in a time when manufactured medicines and prescriptions prevail, but do they have to be the only approach to healing?

Even with all of these engineered options at our fingertips, many people find themselves turning back to the medicinal plants that started it all: Herbal remedies that have the ability to heal and boost physical and mental well-being.

In fact, at the beginning of the 21st century, 11 percentTrusted Source of the 252 drugs considered “basic and essential” by the World Health Organization were “exclusively of flowering plant origin.” Drugs like codeine, quinine, and morphine all contain plant-derived ingredients.

While these manufactured drugs have certainly become paramount in our lives, it can be comforting to know that the power of nature is on our side, and these herbal choices are available to complement our health practices.

But the extent of the power they hold is also still being explored. These alternatives aren’t cure-alls, and they aren’t perfect. Many carry the same risks and side effects as manufactured medicines. Many of them are sold with unfounded promises.

However, many herbs and teas offer harmless subtle ways to improve your health. Pay attention to what the evidence says about each herb’s effectiveness as well as potential interactions or safety issues. Avoid using herbs for infants and children and for those who are pregnant and breastfeeding. Most herbs haven’t been tested for safety for those who are vulnerable, and trying herbs isn’t worth the risk.

With this cautionary tale in mind, choosing the right plant can seem difficult to someone who simply wants to feel better without taking medication. That’s why, with the help of specialist Debra Rose Wilson, we’re looking at the most effective and therapeutic plants — which have strong scientific evidence to support their safe use.

Making decisions about herbs along with more traditional medicinal approaches is something you and your healthcare practitioner can address together. At times, Wilson notes, ingesting the plants can have even less risk than taking concentrated, manufactured supplements, as there’s more risk of contamination of the product with the manufacture processes. It’s a wonderful way to experience their effects and the satisfaction of growing them yourself. Herbs can also be a way to add a needed nutrient.

However, both plants and supplements, which aren’t regulated by the Food and Drug Administration for safety or quality, can have questionable dosage and might have a risk of contamination. Keep this in mind before choosing supplements from the shelf.

If you’d like to add some medicinal plants to your wellness regimen, Wilson sifted through the latest studies and provides her own ratings system for our list.

These plants have the most numerous high-quality studies and are the safer choices among herbal remedies. She’s marked “0” as unsafe with no research, and “5” as completely safe with ample research. Many of these plants are somewhere between 3 and 4, according to Wilson.

We hope this guide will act as a starting point to those who wish to integrate herbal remedies into their lives and arrive armed with knowledge. As always, speak with your doctor before starting any new health treatment.

Gingko


Rating
Safety: 3/5

Evidence: 3.5/5

As one of the oldest tree species, gingko is also one of the oldest homeopathic plants and a key herb in Chinese medicine. The leaves are used to create capsules, tablets, and extracts, and when dried, can be consumed as a tea.

It’s perhaps best-known for its ability to boost brain health. Studies say that gingko can treat patients with mild to moderate dementiaTrusted Source, and can slow cognition decline in dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Recent research is looking into a component that can help diabetes, and there continue to be more studies, including an animal study that says it might influence bone healing.

INTERESTING FACT

The gingko tree is considered a living fossil, with fossils dating from 270 million years ago. These trees can live up to 3,000 years.

Gingko could be beneficial for:

• dementia
• Alzheimer’s disease
• eye health
• inflammation
• diabetes
• bone healing
• anxiety
• depression

Things to consider

• Long-term use may increase chance of thyroid and liver cancer, which has been seen in rats.
• It’s known to be hard on the liver, so liver enzymes may need to be monitored.
• It can interact with blood thinners.
• Gingko seeds are poisonous if ingested.
• Side effects can include headache, upset stomach, dizziness, and allergic reaction.
• Gingko use needs to be discussed with your doctor because of numerous drug interactions.

Turmeric


Rating
Safety: used as an herb: 5/5; used as a supplement: 4/5

Evidence: 3/5

With its brilliant orange hue, it’s impossible to miss a bottle of turmeric sitting on a spice shelf. Originating in India, turmeric is believed to have anticancer properties and can prevent DNA mutations.

As an anti-inflammatory, it can be taken as a supplement and it’s been used topically for people with arthritis who wish to relieve discomfort. It’s used worldwide as a cooking ingredient, which makes it a delicious, antioxidant-richTrusted Source addition to many dishes.

According to recent research, turmeric is also showing promise as a treatment for a variety of dermatologic diseases and joint arthritisTrusted Source.

INTERESTING FACT
Turmeric has been used as a medicinal herb for 4,000 years. It’s a tentpole of an Indian alternative medicine practice called Ayurveda.

Turmeric could be beneficial for:

• pain caused by inflammatory diseases, like arthritis
• preventing cancer
• stopping DNA mutations
• several skin diseases

Things to consider

• When used as a supplement, people tend to take too much, so it can be difficult to trust the dosage and quality. Safety increases when ingested as an herb in cooking or tea.
• Long-term use can potentially cause stomach problems.
• Turmeric has low bioavailability. Consuming with pepper can help your body absorb more of its benefits

Evening primrose oil


Rating
Safety: topically: 4.5/5; orally: 3/5

Evidence: 3/5

The vibrant yellow evening primrose flower produces an oil that’s thought to alleviate the symptoms of PMS and skin conditions like eczema.

Studies that are available on this oil tend to be all over the map, but there are studies that are stronger than others. For example, some studies have found that evening primrose oil has anti-inflammatory properties. It’s been known to help with conditions such as atopic dermatitis and diabetic neuropathyTrusted Source. It can also help with other health concerns, such as breast pain.

Recent research points to improving the quality of life for patients with multiple sclerosisTrusted Source, changing hormones and insulin sensitivity in those dealing with polycystic ovary syndrome, and using it topically to improve mild dermatitis.

According to these studies, evening primrose oil might just be the Swiss Army knife of the medicinal plant world. The caveat is that it can interact with several medications. More research is coming, and the applications are promising.

INTERESTING FACT
Evening primrose flowers are also called moonflowers because they bloom as the sun begins to set. People often say they smell like lemons.

Evening primrose oil could be beneficial for:

• PMS
• mild skin conditions
• breast pain
• menopause
• inflammation
• diabetic neuropathy
• multiple sclerosis
• PCOS
• blood pressure

Things to consider

• interacts with some blood-clotting medications
• safety during pregnancy is uncertain
• may interfere with drug absorption during HIV treatment
• interacts with lithium for bipolar disorder
• long-term use may not be safe

Flax seed


Rating
Safety: 4.5/5

Evidence: 3.5/5

Flax seed, also available as an oil, is one of the safer choices among plant-based dietary supplements. Harvested for thousands of years, today flax seed is praised for its antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory benefits.

Although more research needs to be done with human subjects, one study says that flax seed can help prevent colon cancer.

Another studyTrusted Source cites that flax seed has the ability to reduce blood pressure. When consumed, it can even aid in reducing obesity. Many people add flax seed and flaxseed meal to oatmeal and smoothies, and it’s also available in the form of tablets, oil (which can be put into capsules), and flour.

The best way to add flax seed is through your diet. Sprinkle ground seeds on cereal or salad, cook in hot cereal, stew, homemade breads, or smoothies. Add flaxseed oil to salad dressing.

INTERESTING FACT
Flax seeds are one of a handful of plant-based sources for omega-3 fatty acids. Other sources include chia seeds, walnuts, and soybeans.


Flax seed could be beneficial for:

• decreasing obesity
• regulating blood pressure
• preventing colon cancer
• inflammation
• hot flashes

Things to consider

• Flax seed can affect estrogen production in women, especially if they have a history of cancer or are pregnant.
• Don’t eat raw or unripe flax seeds, as they can be toxic.

Tea tree oil


Rating
Safety: 4/5

Evidence: 3/5

The tea tree, which is native to Australia, produces an oil that’s long been thought to be beneficial for skin conditions, including mild acne, athlete’s foot, small wounds, dandruff, insect bites, and other inflammatory skin conditions.

There needs to be further study into acne and scalp use, but for now, there’s a degree of research into the antimicrobial superpowers of tea tree oil on wounds and topical infections.

One recent study said that tea tree oil slowed the growth of acne-causing microbes. It’s commonly used as a highly concentrated essential oil.

Wilson recommends that tea tree oil, as with all essential oils, should be diluted in a carrier oil. She adds that it often already comes diluted in a variety of skin care products and creams.

INTERESTING FACT
Tea tree oil is derived from the leaves of a tree that’s native to Queensland and New South Wales, Australia.

Tea tree oil could be beneficial for:

• acne
• athlete’s foot
• cuts
• dandruff
• insect bites

Things to consider

• Tea tree oil is poisonous if taken orally.
• Your skin could experience an allergic reaction.
• It may influence hormones.
• Long-term use isn’t recommended.

Echinacea


Rating
Safety: 4.5/5

Evidence: 3.5/5

Echinacea is a lot more than those pretty, purple coneflowers you see dotting gardens. These blooms have been used for centuries as medicine in the form of teas, juice, and extracts. Today, they can be taken as powders or supplements.

The best-known use of echinacea is to shorten symptoms of the common coldTrusted Source, but more studies are needed to verify this benefit and to understand how echinacea boosts immunity when a virus is present.

Generally, save a few potential side effects, echinacea is relatively safe. Even though it needs more testing, you can always choose to use it if you’re hoping to see your cold symptoms end more quickly.

INTERESTING FACT

Some of the earliest people to use echinacea as a medicinal herb were Native Americans. The first archaeological evidence dates back to the 18th century.


Echinacea could be beneficial for:

• colds
• immunity
• bronchitis
• upper respiratory infections

Things to consider

• It can be tough on the digestive tract and upset the stomach.
• Allergic reactions are possible.

Grapeseed extract


Rating
Safety: 4.5/5

Evidence: 3.5/5

For years, grapeseed extract, which is available via liquid, tablets, or capsules, has been well-established and applauded for its antioxidant activity. It has potent health benefits, including lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol and reducing symptoms of poor circulation in the leg veins.

StudiesTrusted Source are confirming that regular consumption of grapeseed extract has anticancer effects and seems to halt cancer cell growth.

INTERESTING FACT

Grapeseed extract contains the same antioxidants found in wine.

Grapeseed extract could be beneficial for:

• cancer
• lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol
• leg vein circulation
• edema
• blood pressure

Things to consider

• Proceed with caution if you take blood thinners or blood pressure medications, or if you’re about to go in for surgery.
• It may reduce iron absorption.

Lavender


Rating
Safety: 4/5

Evidence: 3.5/5

If you experience anxiety, chances are that someone along the way has recommended that you use lavender essential oil, and for good reason. This aromatic, purple flower has a fairly strong standing among studies, which have mainly focused on its anti-anxiety capacities.

It’s proven to be soothing in a study conducted among dental patients, while another study confirmed that lavender can directly impact mood and cognitive performance. It’s also been commended for its sedative properties to help people get much-needed sleep.

Recently, it’s been discovered that lavender carries anti-inflammatory benefits as well. It’s most effective diluted and applied to the skin or used in aromatherapy, and it has few side effects.

INTERESTING FACT
Lavender was first brought to Provence, France, by the Romans 2,000 years ago.

Lavender could be beneficial for:

• anxiety
• stress
• blood pressure
• migraine

Things to consider

• It can cause skin irritation.
• It’s poisonous if taken orally.
• It may disrupt hormones when applied undiluted.

Chamomile


Rating
Safety: 4/5

Evidence: 3.5/5


With flowers that resemble small daisies, chamomile is another medicinal plant that’s thought to have anti-anxiety properties. Most people know it because it’s a popular tea flavor (one reviewTrusted Source says that over 1 million cups per day are consumed around the world), but it can also be ingested through liquids, capsules, or tablets.

The calming powers of chamomile have been frequently studied, including a 2009 studyTrusted Source that states chamomile is superior to taking a placebo when treating generalized anxiety disorder. One recent study confirmed it’s safe for long-term use, and another recent study looked beyond its use for anxiety and confirmed that it also shows potential in anticancer treatments.

INTERESTING FACT

There are two types of chamomile: German chamomile, an annual that thrives in the Midwest, and Roman chamomile, a perennial that attracts pollinators and smells like apples.


Chamomile could be beneficial for:

• anxiety
• stress
• insomnia
• cancer

Things to consider

• It can cause allergic reactions. There’ve been reports of anaphylaxis.
• It can interact with blood thinners.

Source: Healthline

4

Pregnancy / Exercise tips for pregnancy

« on: December 19, 2020, 05:30:28 PM »

Exercise tips for pregnancy

Regular exercise during pregnancy can improve health, reduce the risk of excess weight gain, and possibly make delivery easier.

Exercise can benefit a woman’s mental and physical health during pregnancy, and it may give the newborn a healthier start, too. Despite this, studies suggest that only about 40% of pregnant women exercise.

Current guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity aerobic physical activity, both during and after pregnancy.

An exercise slot does not need to be lengthy. Women can, for example, exercise five times a week for 30 minutes or 10 times a week for 15 minutes.

Those who were doing more vigorous activity, such as running, before becoming pregnant can usually continue with their existing regimen, although they should check first with their doctor.

Six types of exercise to stay fit and healthy


Exercising while pregnant can help prevent pregnancy complications and give the infant a healthier start.

Suitable activities during pregnancy include:

• brisk walking
• swimming
• indoor stationary cycling
• prenatal yoga
• low impact aerobics under the guidance of a certified aerobics instructor
• special exercises to prepare for labor and delivery

These activities carry little risk of injury, benefit the entire body, and are usually safe to do until delivery.

1. Brisk walking

If prepregnancy exercise levels were low, a quick stroll around the neighborhood is a good way to start.

This activity has several advantages:

• It provides a cardiovascular workout with relatively little impact on the knees and ankles.
• If women start from home, it is free.
• It is possible to walk almost anywhere and at any time during pregnancy.
• Friends and other family members can join for company.

Safety tip: Stay safe by choosing smooth surfaces, wearing supportive footwear to prevent falls, and avoiding potholes, rocks, and other obstacles.

2. Swimming

Swimming, walking in water, and aqua aerobics allow for motion without putting pressure on the joints. Buoyancy may offer some relief from the extra body weight as the pregnancy progresses.

It is important to choose a stroke that feels comfortable and does not strain or hurt the neck, shoulders, or back muscles. Breaststroke may be a good choice for this. Using a kickboard can help strengthen the leg and buttock muscles.

Safety tips:

• Use the railing for balance when entering the water to avoid slipping.
• Refrain from diving or jumping, which could impact the abdomen.
• Avoid warm pools, steam rooms, hot tubs, and saunas to minimize the risk of overheating.

3. Stationary cycling

Cycling on a stationary bike, also called spinning, is safe for most women during pregnancy, including first-time exercisers.

Advantages include:

• Cycling helps raise the heart rate while minimizing stress on the joints and pelvis.
• The bike helps support body weight.
• As the bike is stationary, the risk of falling is low.

Later in pregnancy, a higher handlebar may be more comfortable.

4. Yoga

Prenatal yoga classes can help women keep their joints limber and maintain flexibility. Yoga may also help with pain and stress management, according to one study.

The benefits of yoga include:

• strengthening the muscles
• stimulating blood circulation
• helping maintain a healthy blood pressure
• increasing flexibility
• enhancing relaxation
• teaching techniques to help women stay calm during labor and delivery

Safety tips: As pregnancy progresses, consider skipping poses that:

• may lead to overbalancing
• involve lying on the abdomen
• involve spending time lying flat on the back

When lying flat on the back, the weight of the bump can put pressure on major veins and arteries and decrease blood flow to the heart. This reduced blood flow can lead to faintness.

Women should also take care to avoid overstretching, as this could lead to injury.

5. Low impact aerobics
In low impact aerobic exercise, at least one foot stays on the ground at all times.

This type of exercise can:

• strengthen the heart and lungs
• help maintain muscle tone and balance
• limit stress on the joints

Some classes are designed especially for pregnant women. They can be a good way to meet other people and train with an instructor who is qualified to meet the specific needs of pregnant women.

Women who already attend a regular aerobics class should let the instructor know that they are pregnant. The instructor can then modify exercises where necessary and advise about suitable movements.

6. Preparing for labor: Squatting and pelvic tilts

Some exercises are particularly useful during pregnancy, as they prepare the body for labor and delivery.

Squatting: As squatting may help open the pelvis during labor, it may be a good idea to practice during pregnancy.

1. Stand with the feet shoulder-width apart and flat on the floor, keeping the back straight.
2. Lower the buttocks down slowly, keeping the feet flat and the knees no further forward than the feet.
3. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds at the lowest point, then slowly push up.

Pelvic tilts: These can strengthen the abdominal muscles and help reduce back pain.

1. Start on the hands and knees.
2. Tilt the hips forward and pull the abdomen in, rounding the back.
3. Hold for a few seconds.
4. Release and let the back drop.
5. Repeat this up to 10 times.

Kegel exercises: These tone the muscles in the pelvic floor. Strong pelvic muscles will help the woman push during delivery and reduce the risk of urine leakage afterward.

Learn how to do Kegel exercises in our dedicated article.

Benefits
During pregnancy, exercise can help by:

• increasing the heart rate steadily and improving circulation
• reducing the risk of obesity and related complications, such as gestational diabetes and hypertension
• helping prevent constipation, varicose veins, backache, and other pregnancy complications
• keeping the body flexible and strong
• supporting and controlling healthy weight gain
• preparing the muscles for labor and birth
• helping prevent deep vein thrombosis
• improving sleep and emotional health

It may also:

• shorten labor and decrease the need for medication and pain relief
• reduce the risk of a preterm or cesarean delivery
• speed up recovery after delivery
• give the infant a healthier start

Research suggests that there may also be benefits for the baby, such as:

• a lower fetal heart rate
• a healthier birth weight
• a lower fat mass
• improved stress tolerance
• enhanced nervous system development

Tips
Physical changes during pregnancy place extra demands on the body, so it is important to exercise with care.

Women who were active before pregnancy and healthy during it can often continue as before, adjusting their program as the pregnancy progresses.

Women who were not active before pregnancy can start with a low intensity program and gradually increase their activity levels.

How to exercise safely

A few tips can help people stay safe when exercising.

It is advisable to begin by warming up for 5 minutes and stretching for 5 minutes. People can then finish the session with 5–10 minutes of slower exercise, ending with gentle stretching.

Here are some useful tips:

• Wear loose fitting, comfortable clothes and a good support bra.
• Choose supportive shoes specific to the exercise type to help prevent injury.
• Wear compression stockings if the legs are swelling.
• Exercise on a flat, level surface to avoid injury.
• Avoid overheating when exercising.
• Drink plenty of water before, during, and after exercise to stay hydrated.
• Get up slowly and gradually to prevent dizziness.
• Monitor the effect of each activity and adjust the regimen if necessary as the pregnancy progresses.

Remember that:

• The body needs more oxygen and energy during pregnancy.
• The hormone relaxin, which the body produces more of during pregnancy, causes the ligaments that support the joints to stretch, increasing the risk of injury.
• Weight changes affect the center of gravity, putting extra strain on the joints and muscles in the lower back and pelvis and increasing the chance of losing balance.

Risks and cautions
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the risks that moderate intensity aerobic exercise carries are very low during pregnancy. There is no evidence that exercise will lead to an early delivery, pregnancy loss, or low birth weight.

However, the body undergoes significant changes at this time, and some precautions are necessary.

Women can stay safe by:

• taking care not to overheat
• refraining from exercising in high humidity
• avoiding activities that increase the risk of abdominal trauma
• avoiding exercising to the point of exhaustion
• slowing down the activity if it is not possible to talk while exercising

It may be necessary to moderate the regimen over time.

Who should not exercise?

Anyone with a medical condition, such as asthma, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, or a pregnancy-related condition, should speak to their doctor before changing their exercise habits.

The doctor may advise resting if a woman has:

• vaginal bleeding or spotting
• a low placenta or placenta previa
• a history or possibility of pregnancy loss or preterm delivery
• a weak cervix

A healthcare provider can help develop a program to suit the individual.

Sports to avoid

Some forms of exercise are not suitable during pregnancy. These include:

• scuba diving
• some contact sports, such as kickboxing and judo
• activity above an altitude of about 8,000 feet
• heavy weightlifting and activities that require straining

These activities may entail additional risks, such as injury and altitude sickness. Activities with a risk of falling — such as downhill skiing, hockey, and cycling — may also not be suitable.

When to stop

Stop exercising and seek medical advice if any of the following occur:

• pain, including stomach, pelvic, or chest pain
• muscle cramps
• weakness or fatigue
• faintness or dizziness
• nausea
• feeling cold or clammy
• vaginal bleeding
• leakage of amniotic fluid
• a rapid or irregular heartbeat
• sudden swelling in the ankles, hands, face, or all of them
• increased shortness of breath
• contractions that continue after rest
• difficulty walking
• a reduction in the baby’s movement

Regular physical activity can boost the health of both the woman and the baby, and it may make pregnancy, labor, and postdelivery recovery easier.

However, it is important to stay safe during exercise, so women should check with their doctor before making any changes, and as their pregnancy progresses.



Source: Medical News Today

5

Pregnancy / Which foods to eat and avoid during pregnancy ?

« on: December 19, 2020, 04:26:07 PM »

Which foods to eat and avoid during pregnancy?

Pregnant women need to ensure that their diet provides enough nutrients and energy for the baby to develop and grow properly. They also need to make sure that her body is healthy enough to deal with the changes that are occurring.

For a healthy pregnancy, the mother’s diet needs to be balanced and nutritious – this involves the right balance of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, and consuming a wide variety of plants like vegetables, and fruits.

Some women’s diets may be impacted by ethical beliefs, religious requirements, or health conditions, so checking with a doctor is an important part of planning a pregnancy diet.

Fast facts on eating during pregnancy:

• A pregnant woman’s calorie intake grows during pregnancy. She does not eat for two; her calorie consumption just goes up a few hundred calories a day for most pregnant women.
• Typical weight gain, if the mother is carrying just one baby, varies considerably based on pre-pregnancy weight and other factors. An underweight pregnant women is recommended to gain the most, whereas an overweight woman is recommended to gain the least.
• A woman’s body absorbs iron more efficiently and blood volume increases when she is pregnant, so she has to consume more iron to make sure that both she and her baby have an adequate oxygen supply.

Rules:

Fruits and vegetables are the cornerstone of any nutritious diet, and they are especially important during pregnancy.

As mentioned above, the mother should follow a varied, balanced, and nutritious diet, and it must include:

Fruit and vegetables
Aim for five portions of fruit and vegetables per day. They may be in the form of juice, dried, canned, frozen, or fresh. Fresh and frozen (if frozen soon after picking) produce usually have higher levels of vitamins and other nutrients.

Experts stress that eating fruit is usually better for you than just drinking the juice, as natural sugar levels in juice are very high. Consider vegetable juices like carrot or wheatgrass for dense nutrition.

Starchy carbohydrate-rich foods

Starchy carbohydrate-rich foods include potatoes, rice, pasta, and bread. Carbohydrates are high in energy, and are therefore an important component of a good pregnancy diet.

Protein

Healthful, animal-sourced proteins include fish, lean meat, and chicken, as well as eggs. All pregnant women and especially vegans should consider the following foods as good sources of protein:

• Quinoa – known as a “complete protein,” it includes all the essential amino acids.
• Tofu and soy products.
• Beans, lentils, legumes, nuts, seeds, and nut butters are a good source of protein and iron.

British and Brazilian researchers reported in the journal PLoS ONE that pregnant women who ate seafood had lower levels of anxiety compared with those who did not. Pregnant mothers who never consumed seafood had a 53 percent greater risk of suffering from high levels of anxiety, the authors wrote.

Fats

Fats should not make up more than 30 percent of a pregnant woman’s diet. Researchers from the University of Illinois reported in the Journal of Physiology that a high-fat diet may genetically program the baby for future diabetes.

Team leader, Professor Yuan-Xiang Pan, said:

“We found that exposure to a high-fat diet before birth modifies gene expression in the livers of offspring so they are more likely to overproduce glucose, which can cause early insulin resistance and diabetes.”

There are other risks to pregnancy with an overly high-fat diet, so a balance is needed and monounsaturated and omega-3’s or “healthy fats” should be the primary fat choices. In the journal Endocrinology, a team from Oregon Health & Science University explained that Food and Nutrition Bulletin because the blood flow from the mother to the placenta is reduced.

Examples of foods high in monounsaturated fats include olive oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, canola oil, avocados, many nuts, and seeds.

Fiber
Wholegrain foods, such as wholemeal bread, wild rice, wholegrain pasta, pulses like beans and lentils, fruit, and vegetables are rich in fiber.

Women have a higher risk of developing constipation during pregnancy; eating plenty of fiber is effective in minimizing that risk. Studies have shown that eating plenty of fiber during pregnancy reduces the risk or severity of hemorrhoids, which also become more common as the fetus grows.

Calcium

It is important to have a healthy daily intake of calcium. Dairy foods, such as cheese, milk, and yogurt are rich in calcium. If the mother is vegan, she should consider the following calcium-rich foods; calcium-fortified soymilk and other plant milks and juices, calcium-set tofu, soybeans, bok choy, broccoli, collards, Chinese cabbage, okra, mustard greens, beans, kale, and soynuts.

Zinc
Zinc is a vital trace element. It plays a major role in normal growth and development, cellular integrity, and several biological functions including nucleic acid metabolism and protein synthesis.

Since all these functions are involved in growth and cell division, zinc is important for the development of the fetus. The best sources of zinc are chicken, turkey, ham, shrimp, crab, oysters, meat, fish, dairy products, beans, peanut butter, nuts, sunflower seeds, ginger, onions, bran, wheat germ, rice, pasta, cereals, eggs, lentils, and tofu.


Iron and pregnancy

Iron makes up a major part of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the oxygen-carrying pigment and main protein in the red blood cells; it carries oxygen throughout the body.

During pregnancy, the amount of blood in the mother’s body increases by almost 50 percent – she needs more iron to make more hemoglobin for all that extra blood.

Most women start their pregnancy without adequate stores of iron to meet the increasing demands of their bodies, particularly after the 3rd or 4th month. If iron stores are inadequate, the mother may become anemic, and there is a higher risk of:

• Preterm delivery.
• Low-weight baby.
• Stillbirth.
• Newborn death.

Tiredness, irritability, depression (in the mother) during the pregnancy.
If the mother is anemic later in the pregnancy, there is a higher risk of losing a lot of blood when she gives birth. The following foods are rich sources of iron:

• Dried beans.
• Dried fruits, such as apricots.
• Egg yolk.
• Some whole grain cereals, if they are fortified with iron.
• Liver is rich in iron, but doctors and most dietitians advise pregnant women to avoid liver. Liver is very high in vitamin A, which may harm the baby during pregnancy.
• Lean meat.
• Oysters (pregnant women should eat them cooked).
• Poultry.
• Salmon.
• Tuna.
• Lamb, pork, and shellfish also contain iron, but less than the items listed above.
• Legumes – lima beans, soybeans, kidney beans, dried beans, and peas.
• Seeds – Brazil nuts and almonds.
• Vegetables, especially dark green ones – broccoli, spinach, dandelion leaves, asparagus, collards, and kale.
• Wholegrains – brown rice, oats, millet, and wheat.

Non-animal sources of iron are less easily absorbed by the body. Mixing some lean meat, fish, or poultry with them can improve their absorption rates.

Foods to avoid

The following foods are best avoided during pregnancy:

• Mercury in some types of fish – shark, swordfish, and marlin should be avoided, or kept to an absolute minimum.
• Uncooked or partially cooked meat – this should be avoided, it should be cooked right through. Uncooked shellfish – there is a risk of bacterial or viral contamination which can cause food poisoning. Some bacteria and viruses can also cross the placenta and harm the baby.
• Raw eggs – including any foods with raw or partially cooked eggs in them. Eggs must be well cooked through to avoid salmonella infection.
• Uncooked or undercooked ready-prepared meals – it is crucial that ready-prepared meals are cooked through until they are piping hot. The risk of listeriosis exists, as well as infection from other pathogens.
• Pate – any type of pate, be it vegetable or meat-based – the risk here is also of listeria infection.
• Soft mold-ripened cheese – such as blue-veined cheese, Brie or Camembert. There is a risk of listeria infection. Listeria is a group of bacteria that can cause potentially fatal infections to pregnant women and their babies.
• Empty calorie foods – cakes, biscuits, cookies, chips and candy should be kept to a minimum. Many of these options are high in sugar and fat, have little nutritional content, and may undermine a pregnant woman’s efforts at maintaining a healthy body weight.

Should I stop drinking alcohol completely?

Only very small amounts of alcohol may be consumed each week by pregnant mothers.

Only very small amounts of alcohol may be consumed each week by pregnant mothers.

Public health authorities throughout the world have been progressively reducing the maximum amount of alcohol a woman should drink each week.

A fetus’ liver cannot process alcohol anywhere nearly as well as an adult’s can. Too much exposure to alcohol can seriously undermine the baby’s development. Most doctors advise pregnant mothers to avoid alcohol altogether.

Some guidelines recommend only very small amounts per week, if the mother chooses to drink while pregnant. Heavy drinking during pregnancy may harm both the mother and the baby. There is a risk that the baby will develop FAS (fetal alcohol syndrome), so many mothers choose to remove the risk of any issues by eliminating alcohol from their diet during pregnancy.

Should pregnant women avoid caffeine?

If a pregnant mother consumes too much caffeine during her pregnancy, there is a raised risk of a low birth weight, which can lead to health problems later on. There is also a higher risk of miscarriage.

Many foods and drinks contain caffeine, not just coffee. Examples include some sodas, energy drinks, chocolate, and tea. Some cold and flu remedies also contain caffeine. A pregnant woman should talk to her doctor, nurse, or pharmacist before taking a remedy.

Most health authorities around the world say that coffee does not need to be cut out completely, but should not exceed more than 200 milligrams per day. A standard mug of instant coffee contains 100 milligrams of caffeine.

Weight gain
According to the Institute of Medicine, USA, a woman whose body mass index (BMI) is between 18.5 and 24.9 should gain 25-35 pounds (11.4-15.9 kilograms) during the 9 months. A woman who is overweight at the start of pregnancy should gain between 15-25 pounds (6.8 to 11.4 kg). Weight gain recommendations may also vary, depending on the woman’s age, fetal development, and her current health.

Excessive or insufficient weight gain can undermine the health of both the fetus and the mother.

Supplements
The information below should never supersede what a doctor tells a patient; it is important for pregnant women to consult a doctor before pursuing any supplementation.

Iron
A woman pregnant woman should be consuming 27 milligrams of iron per day. The majority of women can get adequate amounts if they follow a healthy diet. Some, however, may need iron supplements to prevent iron deficiency. Some women may experience heartburn, nausea, or constipation when taking iron supplements. To avoid these problems, they should take their pills with meals, start off with smaller doses and then work their way up to the full dose slowly.

Folic acid
The National Health Service (NHS), United Kingdom, recommends that supplements in the form of folic acid should be 400 mcg (micrograms) per day up to the 12th week of pregnancy. Ideally, women should have been on them before becoming pregnant, the NHS says.

Vitamin D
Guidelines in the UK say that a pregnant woman should take supplements containing 10 mcg of vitamin D daily. Summer sunlight is a good source of vitamin D (the light does not have the vitamin, but triggers the skin to synthesize it) – however, exposure should be limited because too much sunlight on the skin can cause burning and raises the risk of developing skin cancer.

Zinc

 study published in the Food and Nutrition Bulletin reported that observational studies, have shown that “zinc deficiency during pregnancy may cause adverse pregnancy outcomes for the mother and fetus.” After assessing several studies they found that pregnant women on zinc supplements were 14 percent less likely to have a premature delivery.

Avoid vitamin A supplements

Pregnant women should avoid having too much vitamin A, as this may harm their baby. The exception to this rule is when a doctor advises it for a specific reason. It may be determined, for example, that a mother is deficient in vitamin A during her pregnancy, in this case, a doctor may advise supplementation.

The supplements listed in this article are available for purchase online.

Source: Medical News Today.

6

Health & Beauty Aids / The Top 10 Benefits of Regular Exercise

« on: December 17, 2020, 11:52:36 AM »

The Top 10 Benefits of Regular Exercise

Exercise is defined as any movement that makes your muscles work and requires your body to burn calories.

There are many types of physical activity, including swimming, running, jogging, walking and dancing, to name a few.

Being active has been shown to have many health benefits, both physically and mentally. It may even help you live longer (1Trusted Source).

Here are the top 10 ways regular exercise benefits your body and brain.

1. It Can Make You Feel Happier

Exercise has been shown to improve your mood and decrease feelings of depression, anxiety and stress (2Trusted Source).

It produces changes in the parts of the brain that regulate stress and anxiety. It can also increase brain sensitivity for the hormones serotonin and norepinephrine, which relieve feelings of depression (1Trusted Source).

Additionally, exercise can increase the production of endorphins, which are known to help produce positive feelings and reduce the perception of pain.

Furthermore, exercise has been shown to reduce symptoms in people suffering from anxiety. It can also help them be more aware of their mental state and practice distraction from their fears.

Interestingly, it doesn’t matter how intense your workout is. It seems that your mood can benefit from exercise no matter the intensity of the physical activity.

In fact, a study in 24 women who had been diagnosed with depression showed that exercise of any intensity significantly decreased feelings of depression.

The effects of exercise on mood are so powerful that choosing to exercise (or not) even makes a difference over short periods.

One study asked 26 healthy men and women who normally exercised regularly to either continue exercising or stop exercising for two weeks. Those who stopped exercising experienced increases in negative mood (4Trusted Source).

SUMMARY:
Exercising regularly can improve your mood and reduce feelings of anxiety and depression.

2. It Can Help With Weight Loss

Some studies have shown that inactivity is a major factor in weight gain and obesity (5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source).

To understand the effect of exercise on weight reduction, it is important to understand the relationship between exercise and energy expenditure.

Your body spends energy in three ways: digesting food, exercising and maintaining body functions like your heartbeat and breathing.

While dieting, a reduced calorie intake will lower your metabolic rate, which will delay weight loss. On the contrary, regular exercise has been shown to increase your metabolic rate, which will burn more calories and help you lose weight.

Additionally, studies have shown that combining aerobic exercise with resistance training can maximize fat loss and muscle mass maintenance, which is essential for keeping the weight off.

SUMMARY:
Exercise is crucial to supporting a fast metabolism and burning more calories per day. It also helps you maintain your muscle mass and weight loss.

3. It Is Good for Your Muscles and Bones

Exercise plays a vital role in building and maintaining strong muscles and bones.

Physical activity like weight lifting can stimulate muscle building when paired with adequate protein intake.

This is because exercise helps release hormones that promote the ability of your muscles to absorb amino acids. This helps them grow and reduces their breakdown.

As people age, they tend to lose muscle mass and function, which can lead to injuries and disabilities. Practicing regular physical activity is essential to reducing muscle loss and maintaining strength as you age (14Trusted Source).

Also, exercise helps build bone density when you’re younger, in addition to helping prevent osteoporosis later in life.

Interestingly, high-impact exercise, such as gymnastics or running, or odd-impact sports, such as soccer and basketball, have been shown to promote a higher bone density than non-impact sports like swimming and cycling.

SUMMARY:
Physical activity helps you build muscles and strong bones. It may also help prevent osteoporosis.

4. It Can Increase Your Energy Levels

Exercise can be a real energy booster for healthy people, as well as those suffering from various medical conditions.

One study found that six weeks of regular exercise reduced feelings of fatigue for 36 healthy people who had reported persistent fatigue.

Furthermore, exercise can significantly increase energy levels for people suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and other serious illnesses.

In fact, exercise seems to be more effective at combating CFS than other treatments, including passive therapies like relaxation and stretching, or no treatment at all (20Trusted Source).

Additionally, exercise has been shown to increase energy levels in people suffering from progressive illnesses, such as cancer, HIV/AIDS and multiple sclerosis.

SUMMARY:
Engaging in regular physical activity can increase your energy levels. This is true even in people with persistent fatigue and those suffering from serious illnesses.

5. It Can Reduce Your Risk of Chronic Disease
Lack of regular physical activity is a primary cause of chronic disease.

Regular exercise has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, cardiovascular fitness and body composition, yet decrease blood pressure and blood fat levels (23Trusted Source, 24Trusted Source, 25Trusted Source, 26Trusted Source).

In contrast, a lack of regular exercise — even in the short term — can lead to significant increases in belly fat, which increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and early death.

Therefore, daily physical activity is recommended to reduce belly fat and decrease the risk of developing these diseases.

SUMMARY:
Daily physical activity is essential to maintaining a healthy weight and reducing the risk of chronic disease.


6. It Can Help Skin Health
Your skin can be affected by the amount of oxidative stress in your body.

Oxidative stress occurs when the body’s antioxidant defenses cannot completely repair the damage that free radicals cause to cells. This can damage their internal structures and deteriorate your skin.

Even though intense and exhaustive physical activity can contribute to oxidative damage, regular moderate exercise can increase your body’s production of natural antioxidants, which help protect cells (29Trusted Source, 30Trusted Source).

In the same way, exercise can stimulate blood flow and induce skin cell adaptations that can help delay the appearance of skin aging.

SUMMARY:
Moderate exercise can provide antioxidant protection and promote blood flow, which can protect your skin and delay signs of aging.

7. It Can Help Your Brain Health and Memory
Exercise can improve brain function and protect memory and thinking skills.

To begin with, it increases your heart rate, which promotes the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain.

It can also stimulate the production of hormones that can enhance the growth of brain cells.

Moreover, the ability of exercise to prevent chronic disease can translate into benefits for your brain, since its function can be affected by these diseases.

Regular physical activity is especially important in older adults since aging — combined with oxidative stress and inflammation — promotes changes in brain structure and function.

Exercise has been shown to cause the hippocampus, a part of the brain that’s vital for memory and learning, to grow in size. This serves to increase mental function in older adults (33Trusted Source, 34Trusted Source, 35Trusted Source).

Lastly, exercise has been shown to reduce changes in the brain that can cause Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia (36Trusted Source).

SUMMARY:
Regular exercise improves blood flow to the brain and helps brain health and memory. Among older adults, it can help protect mental function.

8. It Can Help With Relaxation and Sleep Quality

Regular exercise can help you relax and sleep better.

In regards to sleep quality, the energy depletion that occurs during exercise stimulates recuperative processes during sleep.

Moreover, the increase in body temperature that occurs during exercise is thought to improve sleep quality by helping it drop during sleep.

Many studies on the effects of exercise on sleep have reached similar conclusions.

One study found that 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity per week can provide up to a 65% improvement in sleep quality.

Another showed that 16 weeks of physical activity increased sleep quality and helped 17 people with insomnia sleep longer and more deeply than the control group. It also helped them feel more energized during the day (41Trusted Source).

What’s more, engaging in regular exercise seems to be beneficial for the elderly, who tend to be affected by sleep disorders.

You can be flexible with the kind of exercise you choose. It appears that either aerobic exercise alone or aerobic exercise combined with resistance training can equally help sleep quality.

SUMMARY:
Regular physical activity, regardless of whether it is aerobic or a combination of aerobic and resistance training, can help you sleep better and feel more energized during the day.

9. It Can Reduce Pain

Chronic pain can be debilitating, but exercise can actually help reduce it (45Trusted Source).

In fact, for many years, the recommendation for treating chronic pain was rest and inactivity. However, recent studies show that exercise helps relieve chronic pain.

A review of several studies indicates that exercise helps participants with chronic pain reduce their pain and improve their quality of life.

Several studies show that exercise can help control pain that’s associated with various health conditions, including chronic low back pain, fibromyalgia and chronic soft tissue shoulder disorder, to name a few (46Trusted Source).

Additionally, physical activity can also raise pain tolerance and decrease pain perception.

SUMMARY:
Exercise has favorable effects on the pain that’s associated with various conditions. It can also increase pain
tolerance.

10. It Can Promote a Better Sex Life

Exercise has been proven to boost sex drive.

Engaging in regular exercise can strengthen the cardiovascular system, improve blood circulation, tone muscles and enhance flexibility, all of which can improve your sex life (49Trusted Source, 51).

Physical activity can improve sexual performance and sexual pleasure, as well as increase the frequency of sexual activity.

A group of women in their 40s observed that they experienced orgasms more frequently when they incorporated more strenuous exercise, such as sprints, boot camps and weight training, into their lifestyles.

Also, among a group of 178 healthy men, the men that reported more exercise hours per week had higher sexual function scores.

One study found that a simple routine of a six-minute walk around the house helped 41 men reduce their erectile dysfunction symptoms by 71%.

Another study performed in 78 sedentary men revealed how 60 minutes of walking per day (three and a half days per week, on average) improved their sexual behavior, including frequency, adequate functioning and satisfaction.

What’s more, a study demonstrated that women suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome, which can reduce sex drive, increased their sex drive with regular resistance training for 16 weeks (56Trusted Source).

SUMMARY:
Exercise can help improve sexual desire, function and performance in men and women. It can also help decrease the risk of erectile dysfunction in men.

The Bottom Line
Exercise offers incredible benefits that can improve nearly every aspect of your health from the inside out.

Regular physical activity can increase the production of hormones that make you feel happier and help you sleep better.

It can also improve your skin’s appearance, help you lose weight and keep it off, lessen the risk of chronic disease and improve your sex life.

Whether you practice a specific sport or follow the guideline of 150 minutes of activity per week, you will inevitably improve your health in many ways.

Source: Health line

7

Child Care / Bed-sharing with baby: the risks and benefits

« on: December 15, 2020, 11:55:09 AM »

Bed-sharing with baby: the risks and benefits

A question to all you parents out there: would you share your bed with your infant? This question is likely to encourage a diverse range of answers, as it is certainly a controversial topic. Some studies say bed-sharing with baby is beneficial, while others have linked the practice to serious health risks. So, what are new parents to do?

The percentage of infants who share a bed with a parent, another caregiver or a child more than doubled between 1993 and 2010, from 6.5% to 13.5%.

Both the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the US Consumer Product Safety Commission strongly recommend against bed-sharing with an infant – defined as sleeping on the same surface as an infant, such as a chair, sofa or bed.

But according to a 2013 study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the percentage of infants who share a bed with a parent, another caregiver or a child more than doubled between 1993 and 2010, from 6.5% to 13.5%.

Some of you may be surprised by this increase, given the well-documented health risks that have been linked to infant bed-sharing.

Earlier this year, Medical News Today reported on a study from the AAP citing bed-sharing as the primary cause of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) – the leading cause of death among infants aged 1-12 months.

The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, found that among 8,207 infant deaths from 24 US states occurring between 2004-2012, 69% of infants were bed-sharing at the time of death.

“Bed-sharing may increase the risk of overheating, rebreathing or airway obstruction, head covering and exposure to tobacco smoke. All of these are risk factors for SIDS,” Dr. Michael Goodstein, clinical associate professor of pediatrics at Pennsylvania State University and a member of the AAP Task Force for SIDS, told MNT, adding:

“Furthermore, bed-sharing in an adult bed not designed for infant safety exposes the infant to additional risks for accidental injury and death, such as suffocation, asphyxia, entrapment, falls and strangulation.

Infants – particularly those in the first 3 months of life and those born prematurely and/or with low birth weight – are at highest risk, possibly because immature motor skills and muscle strength make it difficult to escape potential threats.”

More recently, another study from the AAP found that even sleeping with an infant on a sofa significantly increases the risk of SIDS. Of 9,073 sleep-related infant deaths, researchers found that 12.9% occurred on sofas. The majority of these infants were sharing the sofa with another individual when they died.

Aside from the study statistics, some reports have shown that the risks of infant death as a result of bed-sharing are very real.

In 2012, UK newspaper The Daily Mail reported on the deaths of 3-week-old twin babies in Idaho, who died after their mother accidentally suffocated them while they were sleeping in her bed. A few months later, the newspaper reported on another incident, in which a mother accidentally suffocated her baby while rolling over him in her sleep.

Most recently, a report from WQAD.com revealed that a man and woman had been charged for the death of their 4-month-old baby, after sleeping beside the baby while under the influence and rolling on top of him.

According to the AAP, bed-sharing is particularly risky if a parent is very tired, has been smoking, using alcohol or has taken drugs.

Such reports prompt the question: if bed-sharing can put an infant’s life at risk, why are more parents taking up the practice?

Bed-sharing and breastfeeding

Last year, a study claimed that mothers who bed-share with their infants are more likely to breastfeed.

The primary reason many mothers choose to bed-share with their infant is to promote prolonged
 breastfeeding.

The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine support bed-sharing when it comes to breastfeeding. And last year, a study published in JAMA Pediatrics suggested that mothers who regularly bed-share with their infants are more likely to breastfeed for longer. Numerous other studies have reached the same conclusion.

But it is not just the studies that hail bed-sharing for promoting breastfeeding. Pediatrician Dr. William Sears is possibly the most famous advocate for bed-sharing, after openly supporting the practice in The Baby Book in 1993.

“Put yourself behind the eyes of your baby,” Dr. Sears told The Huffington Post in 2011. “Ask, ‘If I were baby Johnny or baby Suzy, where would I rather sleep?’ In a dark lonely room behind bars, or nestled next to my favorite person in the world, inches away from my favorite cuisine?”

For many mothers, breastfeeding can be a struggle. They have to pull themselves out of bed on numerous occasions throughout the night and try to stay awake while their infant feeds; doing this night after night can be exhausting, causing many mothers to give up breastfeeding altogether.

This is why many parents see bed-sharing as a viable option; the baby can feed while the mother can get more sleep.

Citing the benefits of bed-sharing for breastfeeding in a blog for The Huffington Post, Diana West, of La Leche League International – a nonprofit organization that promotes breastfeeding – says:

“Bed-sharing works so well because breastfeeding mothers and babies are hardwired to be together during vulnerable sleep periods. When they bed-share, the baby’s happier and doesn’t have to cry to get the mother’s attention, and she doesn’t have to get out of bed – she just latches the baby on and maybe even falls back to sleep.”

She automatically lies on her side facing the baby with her lower arm up and knee bent,” West adds. “This creates a protected ‘cove’ that keeps her from rolling toward the baby and prevents anyone else from rolling into that space. The baby stays oriented toward her breasts in that safe cove, away from pillows. Their sleep-wake cycles synchronize so that they both have low-stress, low-level arousals through the night.”

“This instinctive and mutually beneficial behavior probably explains why research has shown that the new mothers who get the most sleep are the ones who breastfeed exclusively and bed-share,” she says.

Dr. Goodstein told us, however, that there have been no studies assessing whether room-sharing with an infant rather than bed-sharing also promotes breastfeeding.

What are the other potential benefits and risks of bed-sharing?

Contrary to the majority of research on bed-sharing, some health care professionals claim bed-sharing with an infant actually reduces the risk of SIDS – if it is done safely.

Dr. Sears is one of these, noting that in countries where bed-sharing is common practice – such as Asia, Africa and parts of Europe – SIDS rates are at their lowest. “While there could be many other factors contributing to the lower incidence of SIDS in these cultures, all the population studies I’ve seen have come to the same conclusion: safe co-sleeping lowers the SIDS risk,” Dr. Sears says on his website.

Dr. Goodstein, however, believes there is not enough evidence to support this claim.

Studies have suggested that bed-sharing with an infant also increases bonding between parent and baby. Talking to Fox News last year, pediatrician Dr. Susan Markel says:

“Babies have an inborn need to be touched and held. They enjoy having physical closeness day and night, and this kind of connection is essential to meet a baby’s needs for warmth, comfort and security.”

But some health care professionals believe the risk of SIDS outweighs the potential benefits of bed-sharing. What is more, bed-sharing may present other downfalls.

“Many [parents] believe that if you allow children to sleep in your bed from birth, it can be hard to persuade them to move out later,” Sarah Crown, editor of the UK’s biggest community network for parents, Mumsnet, told MNT.

In addition, some parents believe bed-sharing with an infant will make them more dependent on others as they get older. “I think it teaches kids that they almost need that constant contact and interaction in order to feel that safety, security and confidence in themselves,” Jennifer Zinzi – a mother of two who strongly opposes bed-sharing – told Fox News.

A 2011 study published in the journal Pediatrics, however, found that bed-sharing at age 1-3 years poses no negative long-term effects for a child’s behavior and cognition at the age of 5 years.

‘No golden rule’ for bed-sharing

Despite the ongoing debate surrounding bed-sharing, it seems child health organizations and health care professionals are in agreement about one thing: the decision to bed-share with infants is solely down to the parents.

“There is no golden rule,” Crown told us. “It’s about what suits you and your family more than anything. But Mumsnet users find that talking to those who’ve been there and done that, and sharing wisdom and support on the often vexed question of sleeping in the early days, is invaluable.”

Dr. Goodstein added:

“I think that at the end of the day, parents want to be the best they can be and provide the best for their babies. As providers and child advocates, we want to assist parents by providing the best information to allow infants to not just be healthy, but to thrive and reach their full potential.

We need to work together. We need to do everything we can to promote breastfeeding. We also need to promote infant sleep safety.”

AAP recommendations for safe infant sleeping environments
As mentioned previously, the AAP do not support bed-sharing. Instead, they recommend room-sharing, meaning parents should sleep in the same room as their infants but not on the same surface.

In their latest policy statement, the AAP recommend that babies should be placed on their back to sleep – known as the supine position – in a safety-approved crib, bassinet or portable crib/play yard. These should have a firm mattress covered by a fitted sheet.

The policy statement also recommends that no soft objects, such as pillows, pillow-like toys, quilts, comforters and sheepskins should be within the infant’s sleeping environment, as these could increase the risk of SIDS, suffocation, entrapment and strangulation.

Furthermore, babies should sleep in a smoke-free environment, and their environment should not be too warm as this may increase the risk of SIDS.

The AAP say parents should consider using a pacifier at bedtime, as this has been shown to reduce the risk of SIDS, but should avoid the use of commercial devices marketed to reduce SIDS risk due to the lack of supporting evidence that they work.

“Helping parents to understand why they should follow these recommendations could lead to better compliance in the home,” said Dr. Goodstein.

Safer bed-sharing

Parents may choose to bed-share with their child, or there may be those occasions where it happens unexpectedly.

The Baby Friendly Initiative from UNICEF – a global children’s charity – provides recommendations for safer bed-sharing.

They note that it is not safe to bed-share in the early months of a baby’s life, or if they are preterm or of a small birth weight.

An infant should be kept away from pillows to avoid the risk of suffocation, UNICEF recommend, and parents should ensure the infant is unable to fall out of the bed or become trapped between the mattress and wall.

Parents should also ensure bedclothes do not cover the baby’s face, and infants should not be left alone on the bed in case they move into a dangerous position.

Furthermore, parents should not share a bed with their child if they are a smoker or have taken drugs or consumed alcohol.

For further information on safe infant sleep practices, visit healthychildren.org – a website from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Source: Medical News Today

8

Child Care / Mental Health Issues Prominent In Child Soldiers

« on: December 15, 2020, 10:56:55 AM »

Mental Health Issues Prominent In Child Soldiers

Compared to children in Nepal who were not forced into military service, former child soldiers were more likely to present severe mental health problems such as symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. These findings are reported in the August 13 issue of JAMA.

As children continue to be exploited by armed groups all over the world, special mental health interventions for child soldiers are ever more necessary. There is, however, a paucity of research that is dedicated to studying the mental health of child soldiers in armed conflicts. For several reasons, civilian children are more accessible than child soldiers.

Researcher Brandon A. Kohrt (Emory University, Atlanta) and colleagues set out to determine the mental health effects of both child soldiers and children who were never forced into military service. The sample consisted of 141 former child soldiers and 141 never-conscripted children in Nepal between March and April 2007. The children were matched on age, sex, education, and ethnicity, and all participants experienced at least 1 type of trauma. The former child soldiers were between 5 and 16 years old at time of conscription, and the average age of study participants was about 15.75 years old at the time of the study.

Kohrt and colleagues found that 75 of the child soldiers (52.3%) met the symptom cutoff score for depression, 65 (46.1%) met the score for anxiety, 78 (55.3%) met the criteria for PTSD, 55 (39%) met the criteria for general psychological difficulties, and 88 (62.4%) were functionally impaired. Statistically adjusting for traumatic exposures and other possibly confounding variables held that being a child soldier was significantly associated with depression and PTSD among girls (2.4 and 6.8 times higher odds, respectively) and PTSD among boys (3.8 times higher odds). However, there was no statistical association between being a child soldier and general psychological difficulties, anxiety, or function impairment.

The authors note that, “The difference in mental health outcomes between child soldiers and never-conscripted children can be explained in part by greater exposure to traumatic events among child soldiers, especially for general psychological difficulties and function impairment.”


Compared to children in Nepal who were not forced into military service, former child soldiers were more likely to present severe mental health problems such as symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. These findings are reported in the August 13 issue of JAMA.

As children continue to be exploited by armed groups all over the world, special mental health interventions for child soldiers are ever more necessary. There is, however, a paucity of research that is dedicated to studying the mental health of child soldiers in armed conflicts. For several reasons, civilian children are more accessible than child soldiers.

Researcher Brandon A. Kohrt (Emory University, Atlanta) and colleagues set out to determine the mental health effects of both child soldiers and children who were never forced into military service. The sample consisted of 141 former child soldiers and 141 never-conscripted children in Nepal between March and April 2007. The children were matched on age, sex, education, and ethnicity, and all participants experienced at least 1 type of trauma. The former child soldiers were between 5 and 16 years old at time of conscription, and the average age of study participants was about 15.75 years old at the time of the study.

Kohrt and colleagues found that 75 of the child soldiers (52.3%) met the symptom cutoff score for depression, 65 (46.1%) met the score for anxiety, 78 (55.3%) met the criteria for PTSD, 55 (39%) met the criteria for general psychological difficulties, and 88 (62.4%) were functionally impaired. Statistically adjusting for traumatic exposures and other possibly confounding variables held that being a child soldier was significantly associated with depression and PTSD among girls (2.4 and 6.8 times higher odds, respectively) and PTSD among boys (3.8 times higher odds). However, there was no statistical association between being a child soldier and general psychological difficulties, anxiety, or function impairment.

The authors note that, “The difference in mental health outcomes between child soldiers and never-conscripted children can be explained in part by greater exposure to traumatic events among child soldiers, especially for general psychological difficulties and function impairment.”

“The study has several clinical and programmatic implications. First, the greater burden of mental health problems among former child soldiers supports the need for focused programming, which should include, but not consist solely of, interventions to reduce depression symptoms and the psychological sequelae of trauma, especially bombings and torture, as well as incorporate belongingness and income generation. Second, girl soldiers may require focused attention, possibly for factors not addressed in this study, such as problems of sexual violence and reintegration difficulties. Third, the variation in type and severity of mental health problems highlights the importance of screening, including locally developed measures of function impairment, as a base for intervention,” suggest the researchers.

They conclude: “Without screening, there is a risk of pathologizing child soldiers as a group rather than providing support to those individuals most impaired. Finally, the presence of mental health problems among never-conscripted children illustrates the need for comprehensive postconflict community-based psychosocial care not restricted only to child soldiers.”

Source: Medical News Today

9

Headache / 7 common causes of early morning headache

« on: December 14, 2020, 02:58:14 PM »

7 common causes of early morning headache

Many people wake up in the morning with a headache. There are various reasons for this, and treatment will depend on the cause and the type of headache.

Some headache types are more common in the morning, such as migraine headaches.

One rare type, called the hypnic headache, tends to wake people between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. The pain usually lasts 30–60 minutes, and then the person can go back to sleep.

Often, treating the underlying cause will help prevent an early morning headache.

In this article, learn about seven common causes of early morning headaches, how to manage them, and when to seek help.

1. Sleep apnea

People with sleep apnea often experience morning headaches.

With sleep apnea, a person’s breathing can pause or become shallow while they are asleep.

They may also:

• snore loudly
• make snorting or gasping sounds while sleeping
• wake frequently
• feel sleepy in the daytime
• experience mood changes

Treatment

Many people with sleep apnea do not need treatment. If the symptoms are severe, however, a doctor may recommend continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).

The person will wear a mask that is attached to a pumping device while they sleep. The machine pumps air into the mask, and this helps keep the airways open.

A 2009 study found that 90% of people with sleep apnea stopped having morning headaches when they used nasal CPAP.

Sleep apnea can sometimes be a symptom of another condition, such as heart disease or high blood pressure. If a person sees a doctor about sleep apnea, the doctor may also test for these and other conditions.

2. Sleep disturbances

According to the American Migraine Foundation, sleeping too much or too little can contribute to morning headaches.

Sleep problems and headaches have an interdependent relationship. Poor sleep can lead to morning headaches, while conditions such as migraine, hypnic headaches, and cluster headaches can cause sleep disturbances.

Experts recommend that adults get 7–9 hours of sleep each night.

Tips for better sleep

Here are some tips for improving sleep:

• Establish a regular sleep routine, which involves going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, even on days off.
• Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol close to bedtime, as these can interrupt regular sleep.
• Avoid screen time and other activities that stimulate the brain before bedtime.
• Practice calming activities, such as meditation, before going to bed.
• Keep a record of activities that help promote sleep and those that make falling asleep harder.
• Create a dark, quiet, and comfortable space for sleeping.
• Take a relaxing bath to wind down before bedtime.
• Follow a regular exercise routine.
• Avoid large meals close to bedtime.

3. Depression and anxiety
Insomnia is a common symptom of depression and anxiety. Both of these increase the risk of experiencing early morning headaches.

In 2004, scientists surveyed nearly 19,000 people to learn more about chronic morning headaches. They found a strong link between morning headaches and anxiety and depression.

Mood disorders and chronic headaches can affect a person’s quality of life and overall well-being. Seeking medical help for anxiety, depression, and headaches may help resolve this problem.

Treatment

Treatment is available for people who have anxiety and depression, difficulty sleeping, and frequent early morning headaches.

A doctor may prescribe antidepressant medication.

Some other options include:

• seeing a sleep specialist
• attending cognitive behavior therapy sessions
• learning relaxation techniques
• getting regular exercise

4. Alcohol and drugs
The same 2004 study also identified a link between headaches and the use of alcohol and drugs.

People who consumed more than 6 servings of alcohol per day had more frequent early morning headaches than those who drank 1–2 servings of alcohol per day.

People who took certain drugs for depression, anxiety, or insomnia — such as Xanax, Valium, or Zyprexa — reported a 7.6% to 17.5% higher rate of early morning headaches.


5. Bruxism

Bruxism is a tension-related disorder that can cause a person to grind or clench their teeth, either in their sleep or while they are awake. They may not realize that they are doing it.

Sleep bruxism is a specific type of sleep-related movement disorder. People who grind their teeth in their sleep may also snore and have a higher risk of sleep apnea.

Alongside teeth grinding, there may also be:

• unexplained flattened, chipped, or fractured teeth
• tenderness or pain in the jaw or face
• fatigued jaw muscles
• difficulty opening and closing the jaw completely
• unexplained ear pain
• tooth sensitivity and pain
• unexplained damage to the inside of the cheek
• a dull headache coming from around the temple area
• sleep pattern disruption
• frequent early morning headaches

Treatment options for bruxism include:

• using a mouthguard at night
• seeking treatment for anxiety and stress
• establishing good sleeping habits
• limiting or avoiding the use of tobacco, alcohol, and recreational drugs

Some researchers have looked at drug treatments and botulinum toxin (Botox) injections for bruxism, but there is not enough evidence yet to prove that these work.

If bruxism stems from a neurological condition, a doctor may offer bruxism treatment that is specific to the condition.

6. Migraine
Migraine is a common cause of early morning headaches. If a person wakes up with a pulsating or throbbing headache and nausea or vomiting, this may indicate a migraine episode.

One 2008 study looked at the link between sleep problems and headaches in 1,800 young people, aged 12–19.

The group with migraine woke up more often during the night than those with tension-type headaches or no headache. Only 32% said that they felt well rested after sleeping.

According to the American Migraine Foundation, people with migraine are between two and eight times more likely to experience sleep problems than those without. Sleep problems also contribute to morning headaches.

7. Brain tumor and other health problems
Other health conditions may exert pressure on pain-sensitive nerve endings, resulting in a secondary headache.

Conditions that can trigger secondary headaches include:

• brain tumor
• trauma
• high blood pressure
• stroke
• cerebral venous thrombosis

Anyone who experiences a new, severe, persistent, or worsening headache should see a doctor. They may wish to rule out a serious condition.

Learn about the early symptoms of a brain tumor here.

When to see a doctor
Not everyone with early morning headaches will need to see a doctor, but it may be a good idea to do so if:

• two or more headaches occur in a week
• there are new, recurring headaches, particularly in those over age 50
• there is a sudden or severe headache accompanied by a stiff neck
• a headache occurs after a head injury
• there is a headache accompanied by fever, nausea, or vomiting that is not explained by another disorder
• there is a headache with confusion, weakness, double vision, or loss of consciousness
• a headache suddenly changes in pattern or severity
• there are chronic headaches in children
• there is a headache accompanying weakness or loss of sensation in any body part
• there is a headache with seizures or shortness of breath
• there are frequent headaches in someone with a history of HIV or cancer

Summary
Morning headaches are common, and there are several possible causes. These include sleep issues, anxiety, and migraine.

Anyone who experiences frequent or severe morning headaches should consider speaking to a doctor. Treating the underlying cause may help prevent the headaches.

source: Medical News Today

10

Skin Care Products / What are the best skin care routines for men?

« on: December 13, 2020, 03:42:28 PM »

What are the best skin care routines for men?

Everyone’s skin is different and can benefit from a tailored skin care routine. Male skin is typically oilier, hairier, and thicker, so certain practices and products may be more useful. Some routines can also address each person’s skin needs.

This article explores how a person can develop a routine that works well for them and their skin type.

Determining skin type

Image credit: Artem Varnitsin/EyeEm/Getty Images


Skin varies from person to person. Different factors can make skin drier, more oily, or more prone to acne. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), there are five skin types:

• Normal skin, which is generally clear of blemishes and oil, is not sensitive to products containing dyes or other fragrances.
  Oily skin, which appears greasy or shiny.
• Dry skin, which is rough, itchy, or flakes off.
• Combination skin, where some areas are dry while others are oily.
• Sensitive skin, which may react to certain products and cause burning, itching, or stinging sensations.

The appearance, feel, and sensitivity are easy ways for people to identify their skin type and follow a routine that works best for them.

Basic skin care routine

To properly care for their skin, a person should follow this basic routine:

• wash daily
• shave
• apply moisturizer
• apply sunscreen
• check skin regularly

he AAD suggest that people pick products based on their skin type. They also make general recommendations, such as using products that are oil-free and non-comedogenic. Non-comedogenic items will generally not cause clogged pores that can lead to acne.

Wash daily

Any good routine typically starts and ends with washing the skin. This includes cleaning the face in the morning, evening, and after exercise or sweating. A person should use gentle soaps that do not contain oils or other ingredients that may clog the pores.

Shave

Shaving the face and other areas of the body may not be a daily routine for all people. However, when people shave, the AAD recommend not stretching the skin. They also suggest:

• moistening the skin with water
• applying a moisturizing shaving cream
• shaving in the same direction as the hair growth
• rinsing after each pass
• changing the blade after every 5–7 shaves

After shaving, a person should rinse any shaving cream off their face. They should also apply a moisturizing ointment or cream.

Apply moisturizer

oisturizing is important for overall skin health and appearance, as it can help reduce oil and dryness. It can also help minimize the appearance of skin blemishes.

The University of Tennessee Medical Center recommend applying moisturizer to the hands after each wash. They also suggest the following tips to help keep the skin moist:

• avoiding hot, prolonged showers
• using a humidifier
• only using mild soaps
• patting the skin dry after washing
• drinking plenty of water

Apply sunscreen
The Skin Cancer Foundation recommend using sunscreen every day at least 30 minutes before going outside. This includes cloudy days, as the sun’s ultraviolet rays can still reach the Earth’s surface. They also suggest applying sunscreen to the entire body, which covers a person if they shift or remove clothing.

The United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS) recommend people use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least SPF 30. This even applies to people who spend most of their time indoors or inside vehicles, as the sun’s rays can still penetrate windows.

People who spend more time outdoors should consider sunscreens with a stronger SPF.

Check skin regularly

Dermatologists recommend that people without a family or personal history of skin cancer undergo a full-body skin check once a year.

People with a personal history of skin cancer should see a dermatologist every 3–4 months for a check-up. Those with a family history of this condition should see a skin care professional every 6 months.

People who are most at risk for skin cancer also should check their skin once a month using a well-lit room.

As everyone’s skin is different, these recommendations may vary depending on the person and their history. Consult with a dermatologist to discuss an individual care plan.

Things to look for on the skin include:

• changing growths, bumps, or spots on the skin
• wart-like growths
• a scaly or red patch that could bleed or crust over
• sores that do not heal after several weeks
• a mole with irregular shapes or colors
• a mole that changes in shape, color, or size

Routine for oily or acne-prone skin

Oily skin appears shiny and generally feels greasy. People living with this skin type should look for oil-free products that will not clog pores. They should also moisturize to help prevent too much oil from forming.

People with acne-prone skin may want to add acne medication or ointments to their regular skin care routine, which they can perform in the mornings, evenings, or both.

The AAD recommend people take the following steps to treat acne-prone skin:

• avoid scrubbing the skin with abrasive wipes
• do not pop or scratch acne
• avoid touching the face
• use fingertips to apply cleansers
• shampoo regularly
• avoid direct sun exposure or tanning beds

Routine for dry or sensitive skin
A person with sensitive skin should pay close attention to the skin products they use.

Many of them contain dyes, fragrances, or other ingredients that can irritate the skin. The AAD recommend those with sensitive skin check products that claim to be fragrance-free, as other ingredients may cause irritation.

For dry skin, a person should make sure they moisturize regularly. They may also want to take additional steps, such as:

• avoiding hot water when washing
• using moisturizing soaps
• patting the skin dry
• using a humidifier
• drinking plenty of fluids

Routine for combination skin
It can be difficult for people with combination skin to manage both oily and dry skin symptoms.

People should try strategies from oily and dry skin routines. See what works best for the skin, which does not exacerbate either skin type.

Routine for older skin
The National Institute on Aging recommend older adults take additional steps in their routines to help minimize the effects of aging. They include:

• using a humidifier
• taking fewer showers or baths
• using moisturizers
• talking about any long-lasting bruises with a doctor
• avoiding or reducing smoking
• limiting sun exposure and wearing sunblock and clothes that cover the body
• using effective wrinkle products and procedures

When to see a doctor
A person should talk to their doctor if they notice any signs of skin cancer. These include moles that quickly change in color or shape, or sores that do not heal.

A person should talk to their doctor if they have chronically oily, dry, or acne-prone skin. They may be able to suggest changes to their routine or regular products. Doctors could also prescribe medicated creams or ointments to help treat an underlying condition.

Summary
Skin care routines may vary based on a person’s skin type, but they should include regular washing, moisturizing, shaving, sunscreen use, and thorough skin checks.

Following a regular routine can help ensure people take the best possible care of their skin.


Source: Medical News Today

11

Health & Beauty Aids / Is Coca-Cola bad for you?

« on: December 13, 2020, 03:13:42 PM »

Is Coca-Cola bad for you?
 
People consider sugary drinks to be a significant contributor to many health conditions, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and tooth decay. Research has shown that drinking a can of Coca-Cola can have damaging effects on the body within an hour.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about half of the United States population will drink at least one sugary beverage on any given day. Young adults are the most regular consumers of sugary drinks.

There are 37 grams (g) of added sugar, which equates to almost 10 teaspoons (tsp), in a single can of cola.

For optimal health, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend consuming no more than 6 tsp of added sugar daily. By drinking just one serving of cola a day, a person will easily exceed this amount.

A 2015 study attributed 184,000 global deaths each year to the consumption of sugary drinks.

In this article, we look at the effects of cola on the body.

Effects on the body

The sugar in Coca-Cola can contribute to many health conditions.

An infographic by the British pharmacist Niraj Naik shows the damage that a 330 milliliter (ml) can of Coca-Cola can inflict on the body within 1 hour of consumption. Naik based the infographic on research by health writer Wade Meredith.

According to Naik, the intense sweetness of Coca-Cola resulting from its high sugar content should make a person vomit as soon as it enters the body. However, the phosphoric acid in the beverage dulls the sweetness, enabling people to keep the drink down.

Blood sugar levels increase dramatically within 20 minutes of drinking the cola, explains Naik, causing a burst of insulin. The liver then turns the high amounts of sugar into fat.

Effects similar to heroin
Within 40 minutes, the body has absorbed all of the caffeine from the cola. This caffeine causes the pupils to dilate and the blood pressure to increase. By this point, the Coca-Cola has blocked the adenosine receptors in the brain, preventing drowsiness.

Just 5 minutes later, the production of dopamine has increased. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps control the pleasure and reward centers of the brain. According to the infographic, the way that Coca-Cola stimulates these centers is comparable to the effects of heroin. It triggers a person’s urge to drink another can.

An hour after drinking the beverage, a sugar crash will begin, causing irritability and drowsiness. The body will have cleared the water from the cola, along with vital nutrients, in the urine.

According to Naik, the infographic applies not only to Coca-Cola but to all caffeinated fizzy drinks.

“Coke is not just high in high fructose corn syrup, but it is also packed with refined salts and caffeine,” writes Naik on his blog, The Renegade Pharmacist.

“Regular consumption of these ingredients in the high quantities you find in Coke and other processed foods and drinks can lead to higher blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. […] However, a small amount now and then won’t do any major harm. The key is moderation!”
In a press statement, a spokesperson for Coca-Cola says that the beverage is “perfectly safe to drink and can be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet and lifestyle.”

Recent research
In 2018, a mini literature review highlighted more ways in which sugary drinks can affect health.

The review authors examined the effects of sugar sweetened beverages on the brain. They found that these drinks increased levels of certain compounds and chemicals that interfered with brain activity, increasing the risk of stroke and dementia.

They also found that regularly consuming sugary drinks may affect the quality and duration of a person’s sleep cycle. Some compounds also had effects on memory and motor coordination, which may contribute to the development of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.

However, many of the studies in this review took place in rats. The full extent of the effects of sugary drinks on humans is not yet clear.

The authors of a 2018 study involving 2,019 participants found that they could not even rule out the consumption of diet sodas as a risk factor for diabetes. They note that their findings support the suggestion that sugar-sweetened beverages, such as cola, play a role in the development of this chronic disease.

A 2016 study on rats found that the rodents that drank Coca-Cola showed signs of decreased kidney and liver function in comparison with the rats that did not drink soda.

Again, further research would be necessary to confirm the effects of Coca-Cola in humans.

Here, learn about the sugar content of a range of popular foods and drinks.

Summary
Research has confirmed many risks of regularly consuming Coca-Cola and other sugary drinks.

These beverages increase blood sugar levels rapidly and affect the pleasure centers of the brain in a similar way as heroin. More recent research adds to the evidence of a link between sugary drinks and diabetes and seems to confirm the adverse effects of these drinks on brain, kidney, and liver activity.

However, consuming Coca-Cola and sugar-sweetened beverages in moderation is unlikely to have a severe effect on health.

12

Hypertension / Hypertensive Heart Disease ?

« on: December 10, 2020, 11:09:46 AM »

What is hypertensive heart disease?

Hypertensive heart disease refers to heart conditions caused by high blood pressure.

The heart working under increased pressure causes some different heart disorders. Hypertensive heart disease includes heart failure, thickening of the heart muscle, coronary artery disease, and other conditions.

Hypertensive heart disease can cause serious health problems. It’s the leading cause of death from high blood pressure.

Types of hypertensive heart disease

n general, the heart problems associated with high blood pressure relate to the heart’s arteries and muscles. The types of hypertensive heart disease include:

Narrowing of the arteries
Coronary arteries transport blood to your heart muscle. When high blood pressure causes the blood vessels to become narrow, blood flow to the heart can slow or stop. This condition is known as coronary heart disease (CHD), also called coronary artery disease.

CHD makes it difficult for your heart to function and supply the rest of your organs with blood. It can put you at risk for heart attack from a blood clot that gets stuck in one of the narrowed arteries and cuts off blood flow to your heart.

Thickening and enlargement of the heart

igh blood pressure makes it difficult for your heart to pump blood. Like other muscles in your body, regular hard work causes your heart muscles to thicken and grow. This alters the way the heart functions. These changes usually happen in the main pumping chamber of the heart, the left ventricle. The condition is known as left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH).

CHD can cause LVH and vice versa. When you have CHD, your heart must work harder. If LVH enlarges your heart, it can compress the coronary arteries.

Complications

Both CHD and LVH can lead to:

1. heart failure: your heart is unable to pump enough blood to the rest of your body

2. arrhythmia: your heart beats abnormally

3. ischemic heart disease: your heart doesn’t get enough oxygen

4. heart attack: blood flow to the heart is interrupted and the heart muscle dies from lack of oxygen

5. sudden cardiac arrest: your heart suddenly stops working, you stop breathing, and you lose consciousness

6. stroke and sudden death

Who is at risk for hypertensive heart disease?

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. Over 610,000Trusted Source Americans die from heart disease every year.

The main risk factor for hypertensive heart disease is high blood pressure. Your risk increases if:

1. you’re overweight

2. you don’t exercise enough

3. you smoke

4. you eat food high in fat and cholesterol


You’re more prone to heart disease if it runs in your family. Men are more likely to get heart disease than women who have not gone through menopause. Men and postmenopausal women are equally at risk. Your risk for heart disease will increase as you age, regardless of your sex.

Identifying the symptoms of hypertensive heart disease

Symptoms vary depending on the severity of the condition and progression of the disease. You may experience no symptoms, or your symptoms may include:

• chest pain (angina)
• tightness or pressure in the chest
• shortness of breath
• fatigue
• pain in the neck, back, arms, or shoulders
• persistent cough
• loss of appetite
• leg or ankle swelling

You need emergency care if your heart is suddenly beating rapidly or irregularly. Seek emergency care immediately or call 911 if you faint or have severe pain in your chest.

Regular physical exams will indicate whether you suffer from high blood pressure. If you do have high blood pressure, take extra care to look out for symptoms of heart disease.

Testing and diagnosis: When to see the doctor
Your doctor will review your medical history, conduct a physical exam, and run lab tests to check your kidneys, sodium, potassium, and blood count.

One or more of the following tests may be used to help determine the cause of your symptoms:

1. Electrocardiogram monitors and records your heart’s electrical activity. Your doctor will attach patches to your chest, legs, and arms. The results will be visible on a screen, and your doctor will interpret them.

2. Echocardiogram takes a detailed picture of your heart using ultrasound.

3. Coronary angiography examines the flow of blood through your coronary arteries. A thin tube called a catheter is inserted through your groin or an artery in your arm and up into the heart.

4. Exercise stress test looks at how exercise affects your heart. You may be asked to pedal an exercise bike or walk on a treadmill.

5. Nuclear stress test examines the flow of blood into the heart. The test is usually conducted while you’re resting and exercising.

Treating hypertensive heart disease
Treatment for hypertensive heart disease depends on the seriousness of your illness, your age, and your medical history.

Medication

Medications help your heart in a variety of ways. The main goals are to prevent your blood from clotting, improve the flow of your blood, and lower your cholesterol.

Examples of common heart disease medications include:

1. water pills to help lower blood pressure

2. nitrates to treat chest pain

3. statins to treat high cholesterol

4. calcium channel blockers and ACE inhibitors to help lower blood pressure

5. aspirin to prevent blood clots

It’s important to always take all medications exactly as prescribed.

Surgeries and devices
In more extreme cases, you may need surgery to increase blood flow to your heart. If you need help regulating your heart’s rate or rhythm, your doctor may surgically implant a battery-operated device called a pacemaker in your chest. A pacemaker produces electrical stimulation that causes cardiac muscle to contract. Implantation of a pacemaker is important and beneficial when cardiac muscle electrical activity is too slow or absent.

Cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) are implantable devices that can be used to treat serious, life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias.

Coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) treats blocked coronary arteries. This is only done in severe CHD. A heart transplant or other heart-assisting devices may be necessary if your condition is especially severe.

Long-term outlook
Recovering from hypertensive heart disease depends on the exact condition and its intensity. Lifestyle changes can help keep the condition from getting worse in some cases. In severe cases, medications and surgery may not be effective in controlling the disease.

Preventing hypertensive heart disease
Monitoring and preventing your blood pressure from getting too high is one of the most important ways to prevent hypertensive heart disease. Lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol by eating a healthy diet and monitoring stress levels are possibly the best ways to prevent heart problems.

Maintaining a healthy weight, getting adequate sleep, and exercising regularly are common lifestyle recommendations. Talk to your doctor about ways to improve your overall health.

Source: Healthline

13

Headache / 10 Causes of Headache and Fever and What to Do?

« on: December 09, 2020, 05:20:24 PM »

10 Causes of Headache and Fever and What to Do?

Headache and fever are common symptoms of several kinds of illnesses. Mild types like the seasonal flu virus and allergies can cause these symptoms. Sometimes getting a fever can give you a headache.

Headache pain and fever are common in both adults and children. In some cases, they may signal that your body is fighting a more serious infection or illness. Read on for the different causes of a headache and fever.

Fever and headache pain

A fever is a rise in your body temperature. This can happen when your body is fighting an infection. Viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites can cause infections.

Other illnesses and inflammation can also trigger a fever. You might have a fever if your body temperature is higher than 98.6°F (37°C). A fever can lead to changes in your body that may lead to a headache.

Causes

1. Allergies
If you’re allergic to pollen, dust, animal dander or other triggers, you may get a headache. Two kinds of headache pain are linked to allergies: migraine attacks and sinus headaches.

Allergies may cause headaches due to nasal or sinus congestion. This happens when an allergic reaction makes the passageways inside and around your nose and mouth inflamed and swollen.

Allergy headache symptoms may include:

• pain and pressure around your sinuses and eyes
• throbbing pain on one side of your head

Allergies don’t typically cause a fever. However, they can make you more likely to get a viral or bacterial infection. This can lead to a fever and more headache pain.

2. Colds and flu
Colds and the flu are caused by viruses. A viral infection may give you a fever and cause headaches. Getting the flu or catching a cold can also make migraine attacks and cluster headaches worse.

Cold and flu viruses may cause inflammation, swelling, and liquid to build up in your nose and sinuses. This leads to headache pain. You may also have other cold and flu symptoms, such as:

• runny nose
• sore throat
• chills
• fatigue
• nausea
• vomiting
• loss of appetite
• sore eyes
• sensitivity to sound or light

3. Bacterial infections
Some kinds of bacteria can cause infections in your lungs, airways, sinuses around your nose, kidneys, urinary tract and other areas.

Bacterial infections can also happen through a wound or a cavity in your tooth. Some bacterial infections can spread throughout the body. This may be life-threatening and requires urgent treatment.

Symptoms of a bacterial infection depend on what area of the body it’s in. Common symptoms include fever and headaches. Symptoms of a bacterial infection in the lungs also include:

• coughing
• phlegm production
• shortness of breath
• chills and shaking
• chest pain
• fatigue
• sweating
• muscle pain

4. Ear infection
Ear infections may be caused by a bacterial or viral infection. They’re more common in children than in teens and adults.

They can cause a buildup of liquid inside the middle ear. This causes pressure and pain in and around the ear.

Ear infections can cause headaches and fever. See your doctor if you or your child has an ear infection. Some cases can cause lasting damage to the ears. Symptoms include:

• ear pain
• fever of 100°F (37.8°C) or higher
• loss of appetite
• irritability
• loss of balance
• difficulty sleeping

5. Meningitis
Fever and headache pain are among the first symptoms of meningitis. This serious illness happens when an infection attacks the lining around the brain and spinal cord. A meningitis infection is usually caused by a virus, though bacterial and fungal infections can also be the cause.

Meningitis can happen to both children and adults. It can be life-threatening and requires urgent medical treatment. Look for these symptoms of meningitis:

• high fever
• severe headache
• stiff neck
• nausea
• vomiting
• sleepiness
• sensitivity to light
• listlessness
• difficulty waking up
• lack of appetite and thirst
• skin rash
• seizure

6. Heatstroke
Heatstroke is also called sunstroke. Heatstroke happens when your body overheats. This can happen if you’re in a very warm place for too long. Exercising too much at a time in hot weather can also cause lead to heatstroke.

A heatstroke is an emergency condition. If not treated, it can lead to damage of the:

• brain
• heart
• kidney
• muscle

A fever of 104°F (40°C) or higher is the main symptom of heatstroke. You may also have a throbbing headache. Other symptoms of heatstroke include:

• nausea
• vomiting
• flushed skin
• hot, dry or moist skin
• rapid, shallow breathing
• racing heart rate
• confusion
• slurred speech
• delirium
• seizures
• fainting

7. Rheumatoid arthritis


Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other kinds of inflammatory conditions may trigger fevers and headache pain. This kind of arthritis happens when your body mistakenly attacks your joints and other tissues.

About 40 percent of people with RA also have pain and other symptoms in areas such as the:

• eyes
• lungs
• heart
• kidneys
• nerves
• blood vessels

If you have RA, you may have a higher risk of infections. Some medications to treat RA and other autoimmune diseases can also raise your risk. This is because they work by slowing down immune system activity.

Infections, medications, and stress due to RA may indirectly cause fever and headaches. Other symptoms of RA include:

• stiffness
• pain
• joint swelling
• warm, tender joints
• fatigue
• loss of appetite

8. Medications

Certain medications can cause fever and headache pain. These include:

• antibiotics
• blood pressure–reducing drugs
• seizure medications

Taking too much pain-relieving medication, or taking it too often, can also cause headaches and other symptoms. These include migraine medications, opioids, and over-the-counter pain relief medications.

If you have a headache from medication overuse, you may also have:

• nausea
• restlessness
• irritability
• difficulty concentrating
• memory problems

9. Vaccinations

Fever and headache pain may happen after getting a vaccine. Most vaccines may cause a slight fever within 24 hours, and last one to two days. Some immunizations can cause a delayed reaction.

The MMR and chickenpox vaccines can cause a fever one to four weeks after getting it. You may get a fever and headache because your body is reacting to the vaccine as it builds immunity against disease. Other symptoms include:

• rash
• fatigue
• nausea
• vomiting
• loss of appetite

10. Cancer
Cancer and other serious illnesses can cause fever and headache pain. The American Cancer Society notes that it’s common for people with any type of cancer to have fevers. This is sometimes a sign that you also have an infection.

In other cases, changes in the body due to illness or a tumor can trigger a fever. Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy can also cause fever and headaches.

Other side effects include nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite. This can cause dehydration and involve eating too little. These effects may also trigger fever and headache pain.

Treatment
Treatment for headaches and fever depends on the cause. Bacterial infections may require antibiotics. Colds and flu viruses usually don’t require treatment and go away on their own.

Your doctor may recommend rest and over-the-counter medications for symptoms of colds, flu, other infections, and allergies. These include:

• pain relievers
• cough suppressants
• decongestants
• antihistamines
• saline or corticosteroid nasal sprays

In some cases, your doctor may prescribe:

• allergy shots
• antifungal medications
• antiviral medications
• migraine medication

Home remedies
At-home treatments may help relieve cold, flu, and allergy symptoms. These can help soothe headaches and reduce fevers.

• get plenty of rest
• drink warm drinks and plenty of fluids to thin mucus
• apply a cool, damp cloth to your eyes, face, and neck
• steam inhalation
• sit in a warm bath
• have a cool sponge bath
• drink warm broth or chicken soup
• eat frozen yogurt or a popsicle
• essential oils like eucalyptus and tea tree oil
• apply peppermint oil to your temples

Considerations for kids

Check with your child’s pediatrician before using essential oils. Some essential oils aren’t safe for children. If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, also check with your doctor before trying essential oils and other natural remedies.

Prevention
Help prevent infections and allergies to reduce headaches and fevers. Some tips for yourself and your child include:

• avoiding allergens that trigger allergic reactions
• lining your nostrils with a very thin layer of petroleum jelly to help block allergens
• washing your face several times a day
• rinsing your mouth and nostrils
• applying a warm or cool, damp washcloth to your face several times a day
• teaching your child to avoid sharing bottles and drinks with other children
• teaching children how to correctly wash their hands
• washing toys and other items with warm soapy water, especially if your child has been ill
• getting a flu shot

]


When to see a doctor

In some cases, you may need treatment if you have a fever, headaches, or other symptoms. Get medical attention if you have:

• a temperature of 103°F (39.4°C) or higher
• a severe headache
• skin rash
• stiff neck or neck pain
• difficulty breathing
• abdominal pain
• pain when urinating
• mental fogginess or confusion
• frequent vomiting
• seizures or fainting

If your child has a fever and headache pain after receiving vaccinations, the Seattle Children’s Hospital advises that you should get urgent medical help if they:

• are less than 12 weeks old
• have a stiff neck
• aren’t moving their neck normally
• are crying for more than three hours
• have high-pitched crying for more than one hour
• aren’t crying or responding to you

Take your child to their pediatrician if:

• a fever lasts for more than three days
• redness around an immunization injection site is larger than three inches
• redness or red streaks on the skin happen more than two days after getting an immunization
• they’re touching or pulling at their ear
• they get blisters or lumps anywhere

The bottom line
Headaches and fever are caused by a range of illnesses. These include common and mild infections. Most of these illnesses get better on their own. Viral infections like a cold or flu can’t be cured with antibiotics.

In some cases, a headache and fever may be a sign of more serious illness. See your doctor if your headaches are more severe or feel different than they normally do. Also get medical help if your fever is higher than 103°F (39.4°C) or doesn’t improve with medication therapy.

Look for signs of serious infections like meningitis in children. Bacterial infections may need antibiotic treatment. Leaving them untreated can lead to life-threatening complications.

Source:Healthline

14

Health & Beauty Aids / Top 10 foods for healthy eyes

« on: December 08, 2020, 02:45:20 PM »

Top 10 foods for healthy eyes

People often believe that failing eyesight is an inevitable result of aging or eye strain. In truth, a healthy lifestyle can significantly reduce the risk of eye health problems.

The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), published in 2001, found that certain nutrients — zinc, copper, vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta carotene — may reduce the risk of age-related decline in eye health by 25 percent.

This study was updated in 2013 to test different versions of the original formula. The variations included omega-3 fatty acids, zeaxanthin, lutein, and beta carotene; the study found that certain combinations may work better than others.

Further studies agree that omega-3 fatty acids (including DHA), copper, lutein, and zeaxanthin are vital for eye health.

In this article, we look at the evidence for 10 nutrient-rich foods to boost eye health. We also discuss other tips for healthy eyes and eye health warning signs.

Ten best foods for eye health

Organizations such as the American Optometric Association (AOA) and the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) continue to recommend nutrients for eye health based on the AREDS reports.

The AREDS reports support the following 10 nutrient-rich foods:

1. Fish

Many fish are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

Oily fish are fish that have oil in their gut and body tissue, so eating them offers higher levels of omega-3-rich fish oil. The fish that contains the most beneficial levels of omega-3s include:

• tuna
• salmon
• trout
• mackerel
• sardines
• anchovies
• herring

Some studies have found that fish oil can reverse dry eye, including dry eye caused by spending too much time on a computer.

2. Nuts and legumes
Nuts are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Nuts also contain a high level of vitamin E, which can protect the eye from age-related damage.

Nuts are available for purchase in most grocery stores and online. Nuts and legumes that are good for eye health include:

• walnuts
• Brazil nuts
• cashews
• peanuts
• lentils

3. Seeds
Like nuts and legumes, seeds are high in omega-3s and are a rich source of vitamin E.

Seeds are available for purchase in most grocery stores and online. Seeds high in omega-3 include:

• chia seeds
• flax seeds
• hemp seeds

4. Citrus fruits

Citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C. Just like vitamin E, vitamin C is an antioxidant that is recommended by the AOA to fight age-related eye damage.

Vitamin C-rich citrus fruits include:

• lemons
• oranges
• grapefruits

5. Leafy green vegetables
Leafy green vegetables are rich in both lutein and zeaxanthin and are also a good source of eye-friendly vitamin C.

Well-known leafy greens include:

• spinach
• kale
• collards

6. Carrots
Carrots are rich in both Vitamin A and beta carotene. Beta carotene gives carrots their orange color.

Vitamin A plays an essential role in vision. It is a component of a protein called rhodopsin, which helps the retina to absorb light.

Research on beta carotene’s role in vision is mixed, though the body needs this nutrient to make vitamin A.

7. Sweet potatoes

Like carrots, sweet potatoes are rich in beta carotene. They are also a good source of the antioxidant vitamin E.

8. Beef

Beef is rich in zinc, which has been linked to better long-term eye health. Zinc can help delay age-related sight loss and macular degeneration.

The eye itself contains high levels of zinc, particularly in the retina, and the vascular tissue surrounding the retina.

Meats such as chicken breast and pork loin also contain zinc, but at lower levels than beef.

9. Eggs

Eggs are an excellent source of lutein and zeaxanthin, which can reduce the risk of age-related sight loss. Eggs are also good sources of vitamins C and E, and zinc.

10. Water
It may come as no surprise that a fluid essential to life is also vital to eye health.

Drinking plenty of water can prevent dehydration, which may reduce the symptoms of dry eyes.

Recommended daily intake
The current daily recommendations for healthy eye nutrients, as suggested by the AAO to slow the progression of eye disease, are:

• 500 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C
• 400 international units of vitamin E
• 10 mg lutein
• 2 mg zeaxanthin
• 80 mg of zinc oxide
• 2 mg of copper oxide

Other eye health tips

According to the AAO, the following strategies can help to ensure healthy eyes:

• wearing sunglasses outside, since excessive sun exposure can cause cataracts. A range of sunglasses is available for
• purchase online.
• stopping smoking
• getting regular eye exams, particularly if there is a family history of eye disease
• wearing eye protection when working with possible eye irritants or dangerous chemicals
• washing hands before applying contacts
• wearing contacts only for the period recommended by the doctor or manufacturer
• protecting eyes from computer-related eye strain by looking away every 20 minutes at something 20 feet away, for 20 seconds

Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness. People with diabetes should carefully monitor blood sugar levels, take medications exactly as prescribed by their doctor, and manage carbohydrate intake while focusing on eating low-moderate glycemic index (GI) foods.

Early treatment for eye health problems can prevent them from getting worse. So people who notice changes in their vision should schedule a comprehensive eye exam with an optometrist or ophthalmologist.

Warning signs for eye health
Possible symptoms that a person may be experiencing vision trouble include:

• frequent changes in visual clarity
• seeing distorted images
• seeing floaters or flashes in the field of vision
• reduced peripheral vision

Summary

Eating a varied diet that includes lots of fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins is enough to ensure most people get the right nutrients for eye health.

People who cannot get these nutrients from their diet should ask an eye doctor about eye health supplements.

People with vision problems or those with very restrictive diets should talk to an eye health provider about the right foods to eat.

Source: Medical News Today.

15

Skin Care Products / Black skin care: The top 5 tips

« on: December 08, 2020, 01:02:27 PM »

Black skin care: The top 5 tips

Everyone’s skin is different and can benefit from a tailored care routine. Black skin contains more melanin than lighter skin. Melanin-producing cells may be more susceptible to the effects of inflammation and injury, which may be more noticeable in dark skin than in light skin.

Different skin care routines benefit different skin colors, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). This is due to variances in the structure and function of the skin.

Some conditions that people with black skin may experience include:

• acne, which includes pimples, whiteheads, and blackheads
• changes in pigmentation, which causes areas of discoloration
• contact dermatitis, or inflammation that occurs from contact with an irritant or allergen
• eczema, a skin condition that causes itchy, dry, and cracked skin
• seborrheic dermatitis, which appears as scaly patches on the scalp and face

In this article, we cover five top tips to care for black skin.

1. Cleanse and moisturize daily


To keep skin bright and supple, it is best to cleanse and moisturize it daily, ideally right after showering.

Use a gentle cleanser that does not clog the pores. It may be worth looking for one that claims to be “noncomedogenic.”

Massage the cleanser into the skin with clean fingertips, then rinse it off with warm (not hot) water and pat the skin dry with a clean towel.

Some research suggests that black skin loses moisture quicker than some lighter skin tones.

To avoid this, and to prevent the skin from looking ashy, apply a daily moisturizer that contains humectants, such as glycerin or hyaluronic acid. Humectants retain moisture in the skin.

People can purchase moisturizers containing glycerin or hyaluronic acid online.

A highly effective moisturizer is petroleum jelly (Vaseline). However, people should take care when applying thick products such as this to the face, as they may cause acne. Be sure that they are noncomedogenic before applying.

Avoid moisturizers with fragrances, as these can irritate some people’s skin. Moisturizers that include creams or ointments are preferable to lotions.

Do not use a loofah or other similar exfoliating product on the skin. Also, avoid abrasive scrubs.

2. Always wear sunscreen

One of the biggest myths about black skin is that it does not burn, and that black people do not need to wear sunscreen. This is untrue, and everyone should use adequate sun protection.

Although people with black skin are less likely to get skin cancer from sun exposure, they are more likely to die from the condition if it does develop. This may be because it is more difficult to notice and diagnose.

Sun exposure can also cause dark spots, such as those typical of melasma, to develop on black skin. It can also make existing spots darker.

The AAD recommend using a waterproof sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 that protects against both ultraviolet (UV) A and UVB rays. This is called broad spectrum protection.

People should apply sunscreen all year round to all areas of exposed skin, even on cloudy days, when in the shade, and in the winter.

Many regular moisturizers contain SPF, including facial moisturizers. Sun protection is especially important on the face, as it is often the only part of the skin that gets sun exposure all year round.

Face creams with SPF are available in pharmacies, drug stores, and online.

People can also wear special clothing for extra sun protection. A range of UV protection factor clothing is available online.

3. Consider treatments for hyperpigmentation

Hyperpigmentation, or areas of skin discoloration, can affect people with any skin tone.

Although sunscreen can prevent new patches of hyperpigmentation from developing, it does not get rid of existing dark spots. That said, it can prevent existing dark spots from getting darker.

To reduce the appearance of existing dark spots, people can use a specialized product. These typically include ingredients such as:

• Retinoids: Over-the-counter topical differin and prescription-based products such as tretinoin can be helpful.
• Hydroquinone: Products containing hydroquinone stop the production of excess melanin, which causes dark spots.
• Kojic acid: This is another skin lightener that can reduce dark spots, but it may be less effective.
• Vitamin C: Some research suggests that vitamin C, an antioxidant, can reduce hyperpigmentation, protect against sun damage, and increase collagen levels. However, vitamin C has a poor ability to penetrate the skin, so more research into its effectiveness for these purposes is necessary.

People should use these products — particularly hydroquinone and kojic acid — with caution, as overuse could irritate the skin.

It is important to not use hydroquinone for extended periods of time. Aim to take a break after 3 months of continuous use.

After long periods of use, hydroquinone can result in darkening of the skin. This is part of a condition called exogenous ochronosis.

Dermatologists may recommend a combination product that combines multiple products into one that people can use on their skin.

4. Treat acne early


Treating acne early could prevent the condition from getting worse. It may also prevent the formation of dark spots on the skin, which is part of a condition called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. These spots are not scars.

Establishing a gentle daily skin care routine can help stop acne, as can using noncomedogenic, oil-free products.

People should also try to avoid irritants, such as scented laundry detergent and skin products with heavy perfumes. It is important for a person to see a dermatologist to learn about the products that may be appropriate for their specific type of acne.

5. Eat a balanced diet
Good skin care starts on the inside. To give skin the nutrients it needs to form and repair itself, eat a healthful diet rich in:

• fruits and vegetables
• whole grains
• lean protein sources, such as fish, eggs, legumes, and tofu
• healthful fats, including nuts, avocado, and olive oil

Avoiding processed and sugar-filled foods and limiting alcohol intake may also help improve skin health. Alcohol may make certain skin conditions, such as psoriasis, worse.

People with a skin condition such as acne or eczema should speak with a dermatologist to determine whether there are any foods that may make symptoms worse.

Summary
Establishing a good skin care routine can help keep black skin bright, supple, and clear.

As well as performing a gentle daily routine and adopting a healthful diet, people with black skin should aim to avoid using products that contain harsh chemicals and fragrances.

Specific skin issues, such as acne and dark spots, benefit from swift treatment and preventative techniques.

To prevent the formation and worsening of dark spots and more serious health concerns such as skin cancer, experts recommend that everybody use sunblock with an SPF of 30 or higher every day.


Source: Medical News Today