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evelyn de matias

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Lupus As A Systemic Disease

Jun 2, 2015

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Lupus is a form of an autoimmune disease where the healthy tissues of the body are being attacked by its own immune system. Lupus is also known as systemic lupus erythematosus that affects about 2 millions of Americans and the number continues to grow because there is no known cure for the disease. Living with the disease can definitely change the quality of life of the person affected, including that of their loved ones. Understanding the course of the disease is important to help the patient and their loved ones learn how to manage the situation better.

What causes lupus?

There are different factors being considered to contribute as risk factors for lupus, although there remains to be no definite known cause for the disease. Genetic and environmental factors are strongly associated to lupus. Genetic predisposition is high for the disease but the exact gene that causes lupus is not yet identified. Other potential areas being considered are hormonal causes because lupus is prevalent among women than men. Environmental triggers include smoking, stress, exposure to UV light like sunlight, chemical exposure and medications like antibiotics and penicillin.

What happens in lupus?

The body's immune system attacks the healthy cells. This is caused mainly by the failure of the antibodies to identify antigens that are harmful to the body like bacteria and viruses from the normal cells. As a result of the immune system attacking healthy cells and tissues, inflammation, swelling, pain and tissue damage occur. As a systemic disease, lupus can affect any organs of the body thereby causing more serious complications.

What are the symptoms of lupus?

The symptoms of lupus may with periods of flare and remission. The affected individuals also manifest different symptoms and the rate of severity can be mild, moderate or severe. In severe cases, major organs of the body like the heart, nervous system, lungs and blood may be involved. The symptoms of lupus can be debilitating as it can affect the person's activities of daily living. Swelling of the hands and feet are common when the kidney is involved, swollen and aching joints, fever, butterfly rash, extreme fatigue, anemia, skin lesion, chest pain, shortness of breath and hair loss are very common. In certain cases, blood clotting disorder also occurs, seizures, ulcers in the mouth or nose, bruising, depression, anxiety and headache.

Helping someone with lupus

If you or any of your loved ones have the disease, it is not easy to overcome the difficulties involved in the management of the condition. As a systemic disease more serious complications are expected from lupus. Getting an early diagnosis is important in order to obtain the proper treatment immediately. Lupus has no cure and the main objective of treatment is to relieve the symptoms and prevent complications. Commonly prescribed medications for the treatment of lupus are NSAIDs, anti-malarial drugs and corticosteroids. Living a healthy lifestyle can also help the body overcome some of the milder symptoms of lupus from occurring. This includes getting a regular exercise, avoiding smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages, eating a balanced and healthy diet.

Receiving support from family and friends is also important when trying to deal with lupus. The affected individual will likely feel depressed and different because of their condition. Their condition requires lupus patients to make certain lifestyle choices that may not be normal and the people around them should understand their condition and offer them a support group.

Those with lupus can also reduce the extent of their symptoms by proper self care like applying a sunscreen to block the harmful UVA and UVB rays that exacerbate the symptoms like rashes. Foods that are low in sugar are also ideal in preventing the flares of symptoms.

If you or any of your loved ones have lupus, you may want to know more about the useful treatment to relieve your symptoms. CLICK HERE!

What Is The Right Acne Treatment For Your Condition

May 28, 2015

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Acne is a common teenage skin problem. It can occur, however, at any age. Proper skin care is needed, but even the most regular form of cleansing cannot prevent acne from occurring. Acne comes in different types and severity. The kind of acne treatments needed also vary and finding the right acne treatment regimen is not that difficult. Here are some helpful guide when choosing the right acne treatment according to your skin care needs.

The categories of acne treatment

Acne can occur differently from one person to another. Acne treatment, thus becomes generally categorized as follows:

1. Inflammatory acne treatment

Acne can occur as an inflammatory skin problem. The inflammation forms as an inflamed, red pimple appearing under a blackhead or a whitehead on the skin. Treatment is mainly to reduce redness and the inflammatory response of the skin to acne.

2. Comedonal acne treatment

Acne occurs together in the presence of whiteheads and blackheads. The acne formation is caused by the sebum or trapped oil under the skin, causing dead skin cells to form while blocking the skin pores. The comedonal acne typically occurs on the chin, nose and forehead.

3. Cystic acne treatment

This treatment involves a more rigorous approach in treating the most severe form of acne. The outbreak is caused by an infection and it is usually painful and may result in scarring when healed. Cystic acne is linked to heredity.

Drug prescriptions for acne treatment

If conventional treatment does not clear up your acne, drugs may be prescribed by your doctor. Drugs can help relieve the acne formation and prevents scarring on the skin. The aim of medications is to help control the formation of oil and to enhance the production of new cells. Drug treatment also fights bacterial infection and helps in reducing the inflammatory response of the skin to acne. Most of the time, prescription drugs are indicated to severe forms of acne and may produce results within four to eight weeks of treatment. During the treatment period, you will find that your acne will get worse, but it actually indicates that the drugs are taking effect as it allows acne to be released from the skin until it completely clears up.

Drug medication for acne treatment may be either in topical form (applied to the skin) or oral medication (taken by mouth).

1. Topical medication

Topical medications are applied on the affected areas and may cause redness and peeling at first. Results are not apparent in the first few weeks. Topical medications may consist of retinoids that are prescribed in the forms of gel, creams and lotion. It helps unclog the hair follicles. Antibiotics in topical forms are prescribed to fight off acne causing bacteria and to reduce the redness on the skin. They may be applied together with retinoids.

2. Oral medication

Oral antibiotics are prescribed to relieve the symptoms of moderate to severe form of acne, such as inflammation and redness. In certain cases, side effects like a stomach upset and dizziness may occur and you should report it immediately to your doctor. Anti-androgen agents are prescribed in order to prevent the effects of androgen to the sebaceous glands. The last recourse for drug treatment of acne is the isotretinoin. It is prescribed for severe acne that does not respond to other forms of treatment.

Conventional treatment for acne

Other forms of therapy are available for treating acne that includes light therapy, chemical peel, steroid injection and the removal of blackhead and whitehead that block the pores. Getting enough sleep will also reduce the risk of psychological stress that contributes to the acne growth. Drinking plenty of water and doing regular exercise also help in reducing acne breakouts.

You can beat acne by finding the right acne treatment for you. If you want to learn more about the effective way of beating acne, you can say goodbye to acne forever by CLICKING HERE!

What Happens in Hypothyroidism

May 27, 2015

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When you lose control of your thyroid function, your body metabolism may run havoc. The implication of insufficient thyroid hormone in the body is the occurrence of a medical condition called hypothyroidism. The insufficiency of thyroid hormones in the body is fairly common and not everyone with the condition know they have hypothyroidism.

Significance of hypothyroidism

About 10% of the American population has hypothyroidism and it is most common among women. Unfortunately, the condition is usually underdiagnosed. Rarely does the condition results in serious complications, but when it does it can cause coma, heart failure and severe depression. These complications occur when hypothyroidism is left untreated and progresses.

The pituitary gland releases more thyroid stimulating hormone in response to the normal release of thyroid hormone in the body. If there is insufficient amount of thyroid hormone, increased levels of the thyroid stimulating hormone is produced, thereby causing thyroid gland enlargement that forms a goiter. This condition is often termed as compensatory goiter.

Hypothyroidism is a manageable and treatable condition. It is easily diagnosed by a simple blood test, but in the presence of other medical conditions, your doctor will require a detail laboratory examinations and test to confirm a diagnosis. Drug treatment is the main course of treatment but it may not always an ideal treatment in certain cases. Every individual with hypothyroidism may need a specific therapy under their circumstances.

The cause of hypothyroidism

There are two known causes of hypothyroidism namely the inflammation of the thyroiod gland and autoimmune thyroiditis. The first cause is currently under study where the inflammation of the thyroid gland may leave a large portion of the thryroid cells highly damaged and non-functional that prevents the sufficient production of the thyroid hormone. The autoimmune thyroiditis is caused by the body's own immune system that causes the thyroid gland to inflame. This condition is also called Hashimoto's thyroiditis and is covered by a broad spectrum of medical treatment for hypothyroidism.

Surgical removal of the thyroid gland is often warranted in Hashimoto's thyroiditis. This is to prevent hypothyroidism from occurring when there is already insufficient amount of thyroid hormone that is being supplied according to the body's needs owing to the extent of the damage to the thyroid cells. In certain causes, the presence of nodules to the thryroid gland may also indicate surgery. In this case, only a portion of the thyroid gland that is affected by the nodule growth is removed and the rest of the intact portion of the gland work effectively in producing thyroid hormones. When smaller amount of the thyroid gland is left, however, it may not release sufficient hormones over the years eventually.

Hypothyroidism may also be caused by a non-functional pituitary gland. Under this condition, the thyroiod gland is normal but the thyroid gland will not produce enough thyroid hormone when the pituitary gland does not work to produce thyroid stimulating hormones that induces its release of the thyroid hormones.

Symptoms of hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism manifest itself through various symptoms. This includes the feeling of wekness and fatigue, dry hair, loss of hair, weight gain, dry skin, difficulty to lose weight, depression, constipation, irritability, cold intolerance, muscular ache, muscle cramps, memory loss, abnormal menstrual cycle and decreased libido.

The extent of the symptoms usually vary depending upon the length of time that the body fails to produce the thyroid hormone. The extent of the thyroid hormone deficiency will also dictate the severity of the symptoms. Not all of these symptoms are present in every individual with hypothyroidism. In certain cases, a combination of these symptoms may be experienced by one patient while others may have only one or two of these symptoms. Occasionally, patients with the condition rarely manifest any symptoms, making them unaware that they have hypothyroidism.

Learn about the effective way of managing hypothyroidism from the expert. CLICK HERE!

Uterine Fibroid Facts and Treatment

May 25, 2015

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If you have just been diagnosed of uterine fibroid, you should not be alarmed. Myomas, as they are commonly called, are non-cancerous growths in the uterus. They are not considered as a risk factor for the development of cancer of the uterus, and in most cases are considered to be harmless in small sizes. The uterine fibroid is a condition that usually occurs during childbearing. Uterine fibroid is fairly common, where three out of four women may have it. However, those with myomas are hardly aware of having the condition because they remain asymptomatic.

What happens in uterine fibroid?

The fibroid growths comes from the smooth tissues in the muscles of the uterus. As the tissue cells divide, they create a rubbery mass of tissue growths that are different from the surrounding tissues. These tissues grow either gradually or fast, but they may remain its original size without growing at all. Over time, some of the uterine fibroid may shrink on its own, which is what occurs during post pregnancy. The size of the fibroids may be as small as a seedling and are usually invisible to the naked eyes. Those that further grow in size may cause a distortion to the normal size of the uterus.

What are the causes of the uterine fibroid?

The cause of the development of the uterine fibroid remains unclear. Some postulate that it is due to genetic abnormalities or the involvement of certain body proteins that influence the cell proliferation that cause the growths. Abnormalities of the vascular system can also potentially contribute to the risk factor, including the reaction of the tissue cells during an injury.

The genetic factor is strongly associated to myomas because of the prevalent occurrences of the condition among women with a strong family history of the condition. In certain cases, the hormone estrogen may also contribute to the growth of the fibroids, especially during the first trimester of pregnancy. They also sink among menopausal women, but it persists among women who undergo a hormone therapy.

Who are at risk?

Uterine fibroid is known to be common African women, increasing their risk to develop the disease by threefold. The condition typically occurs among this race as early as in their 20's, in contrast to the late onset of the disease among Causian decent who are in their 30's or 40's. Women will likely to be at risk by 70 to 80 percent as they reach the age of 50 and older.

What are the common symptoms?

You may suspect having a uterine fibroid in the presence of these symptoms:

Painful hips
Pressure and pain in the pelvic area
Longer menstrual bleeding
Heavy menstrual period
Urinating frequently
Constipation
Pain in the back and legs
Constipation

The prolonged menstrual bleeding is often due to the fibroid growths along the inner uterine cavity and it may cause infertility problems. When the growths occur outside the uterus, it can press on the bladder that explains the symptom of frequent urination. The same overgrowths can also impinge the nerves that cause the symptom of a painful back.

When is seeing a doctor necessary?

While the majority of the uterine fibroids rarely causes serious symptoms and discomforts there are certain conditions that you should look out for that warrant getting a medical care immediately. These symptoms include heavy bleeding, consistent pain during intercourse, painful period, pelvic pain, enlarged uterus, bigger abdomen and difficult emptying of the bladder.

Diagnosis and treatment

Myomas are diagnosed by a pelvic examination or an ultrasound. MRI and CT scans can also provide more accurate diagnosis of the condition. Treatment options range from surgical procedures like a hysterectomy or removing the uterus, including the fibroid, myomectomy, hormonal treatment to suppress the production of estrogen and medication.

If you need an effective means of uterine fibroid management, you can learn more from the experts. CLICK HERE!

Proven Ways To Improve Your EyeSight

May 24, 2015

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Most of us take our eyes for granted, but about 95% of our daily activities use the sense of vision that makes proper eye care very important in our lives. Protecting your eyesight must be a priority and there are different means by which you can obtain a healthy vision even as you age. Observing the basic eye care every day can help you prolong the health of your eyes and here are some tips that can help you maintain a healthy vision.

Foods that promote a healthy vision

What you eat can contribute to the health of your vision. Our eyesight is optimized by a healthy diet. The nutrients that we get from certain food groups can assist us preserve our vision. Among the essential nutrients for a healthy eyesight are zinc, vitamin C, vitamin E, omega 3 fatty acids and lutein. These dietary nutrients can protect our eyes against cataracts and visual degeneration that commonly occur with age.

Other food sources that can provide you the needed nutrition for a healthy vision include salmon, tuna, green and leafy vegetables, oranges, beans, non-meat protein food sources, eggs, nuts and fruit juices. Carrots are also rich in antioxidants. Your dietary lifestyle of eating a balanced diet can help prevent diseases that can affect your visual health, such as diabetes that can lead to blindness. If your diet does not seem to suffice to meet the needs for a healthy vision, try taking multivitamins to ensure that you get a complete dose of vitamins and minerals needed by your eye.

Wearing safety glasses

Not all sunglasses can provide you adequate eye protection. Specialized sunglasses that have UV ray protection is highly recommended. These sunglasses can protect your eyes against too much sun exposure that can lead to cataracts and the degeneration of the macula. Contact lenses also come with UV protection. Polarized sunglasses can also help protect your eyes by reducing the glare of the sunlight while driving. If your job increases your exposure to visual hazards, make sure to wear safety glasses or goggles for added protection.

Give your eye a break

Because we practically use our eyes in all of our activities, it deserves a rest. Eyestrain is common, especially with prolonged reading and looking at the computer screen. It can cause a temporary blurred vision, dry eyes, headache, and trouble focusing at a distance. It can also lead to neck and shoulder pain. Wear protective eyeglasses when doing prolonged activities that use your eyes. Take frequent breaks to rest your eyes with at least 15 to 20-minute interval. Look away and blink your eyes for a moment and try to stand up and walk every couple of hours. Resting your eyes also includes getting more sleep. Sleeping helps the eyes to rest, allowing it to function better after the needed rest it gets.

Avoid nicotine

Smoking can double your risk for cataracts, damage to the optic nerve, and macular degeneration because of its nicotine content. Quitting your smoking habit is hard, but it will be harder to deal with visual problems in the future that can affect the quality of life that you live as you age.

Do the eye exercises

It is a gold standard to practice eye exercises to promote a healthy eyesight. It is a natural way of keeping the eyes healthy and proper functioning. There are various forms of eye exercises that you can perform in between eye activities or during rest, such as the following:

Rubbing your palms together and place them over the eyes for 10 seconds.
Rolling the eyes for a few seconds, then look up and down, side to side 10 times.
Look at a pen that is held at arm's length and focus your vision on the tip of the pen while moving it closer to the eyes then away from them.

Get the best advice from the experts on how to improve your eyesight better. CLICK HERE!

New Discovery On The Storage Capacity of the Brain

May 23, 2015

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A new research has revealed a clearer understanding on the brain's ability to store memories, how it manages its storage capacity and keeping the memories a separate element. You can think about your brain as a computer with a storage capacity to keep some memories and one that processes information and store them. The researchers were curious how the brain is able to do its functional activities of storing countless memories and letting us remember them even for a long time, without mixing the events altogether.

There were prolific researchers who studied rats and their ability to retain their memories distinct but almost the same locations. The outcome of the clinical trial was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, where it was revealed that the brain has a small brain cell networks that create memories and store them in a brain structure called the hippocampus.

A background of the hippocampus

The hippocampus is an area of the brain that plays a major role in short term and long term memory functions. It forms part of the brain's limbic system that is responsible for our emotion. The vital role of the hippocampus is to process, form, organize and store memories in the brain. Our brain has two hippocampus, one for each side of the brain. Damage to both can result in anterograde amnesia while damage on either one will not cause significant effects to memory.

The revelation of the research study

There were seven rats used in the laboratory test. These rats were made to run around 11 similar but distinct places within two days. They were prodded to roam around to pursue chocolate crumbs as bait. Throughout the activities, the brain cell activities in the rats were recorded, particularly in the hippocampus area of the brain. It appears that the rats' brains manage to create its own map for every place that they went into and created its own independent memory of it when finding its way around the place.

The specific brain cell being monitored are the CA3 place cells in the hippocampus and the study showed some of its unique activities, such as the representation of each environment that the rat has been exposed into. These representations created in the brain cells create a firing pattern that is usually reactivated whenever the rat becomes exposed to a similar place the second time. It also appears that each memory is totally independent from one another and does not seem to overlap other events and memories stored in the brain.

The huge storage capacity of the brain

The researchers concluded that the brain has a massive storage capacity with the ability to create a map of memories that is distinct from others. This explains why we can recall one memory from the others, even if they appear to be similar with other events. The enormous storage capacity of the brain can amazingly store each and every memory or event without mixing them up.

Another amazing revelation is that the brain can actually connect certain events from one after another and allowing you to remember certain places well even if you only get to see it once. The brain has the capacity to associate memories, too, and to mentally recall every event in the past without so much difficulty. Every place, every event, and� every memory are stored separately in the brain, creating its own map and storage memory for each that prevents us to mix certain events. That is how our brain is powerful where every tiny brain cell has the a large capacity to store memory and events without any limits.

Japanese Mushroom Extract Promising Treatment to HPV

May 22, 2015

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There is a promising breakthrough that can help in the treatment for human papillomavirus or HPV in the form of a Japanese mushroom extract. This finding is based on a pilot clinical study conducted by the researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center. The active hexose correlated compound or AHCC is the mushroom extract that was administered orally to HPV positive women once a day. The treatment was undertaken for six months and the outcome showed promising possibility of the effectiveness of the mushroom extract for treating HPV.

What is HPV?

The human papillomavirus, or HPV is a virus that is sexually transmitted. The infection involves the genitals of both sexes, although symptoms may also appear in the throat and the mouth. Infected individuals sometimes do not know that they have the virus, thus the infection is easily transmitted to unsuspecting partners. Most of the time, the HPV does not manifest any apparent symptoms and the person's immune system usually clears up the infection within two years. HPV can actually become a risk factor to the development of genital warts and in certain cases, it can lead to the development of cervical cancer when the infection begins to affect the normal cells in a woman's body.

Treatment breakthrough

There is no known cure for HPV, but medical researchers have found a way on how to eliminate the virus that cause the disease. Currently, HPV makes up 99% of cervical cancer, 95% of anal cancer, 65% of vaginal cancer, 60% of oropharyngeal cancer, 50% of cancer of the vulva and 35% of penile cancer. Its prevalence in some types of cancer is alarming and eliminating the virus is crucial as a preventive measure from developing cancer diseases.

The mushroom extract is taken as a nutritional supplement that works in improving the body's immune system. The mushroom extracts known as as the AHCC have the ability to produce more natural killer cells, cytokines and dendritic cells that strengthen the body's immune system to fight bacteria, viruses and various forms of infection. It can also block the growth of any tumor in the body. The mushroom extract has no side effects and must be taken long term to produce its outstanding effects.

The clinical trial

The clinical trial was performed on ten women who are HPV positive who took the supplements for six months. Five of them revealed a negative test for HPV while three of them showed a reduction of the infection after they stop taking the supplement. The remaining two subjects remain to continue further with the clinical trial. The researchers pursued to study the Japanese mushroom extracts after discovering its ability to prevent tumor growth. As they continue with their research, they discovered more promising health benefits from AHCC against virus strains, until they trace its effectiveness on cervical cancer prevention and HPV treatment.

The Japanese basidiomycetes mushrooms were found to be more effective over other types of mushrooms because of its isolated acetylated alpha glucan content that cannot be found in other types of mushrooms. The limitation of the clinical research is that it was only conducted on women, but the lead researcher believes that it can produce the same results in men mainly because both sexes have the same immune system. The extract is also known to treat genital warts in men.

Warnings and considerations

The AHCC supplement is not yet approved by the Foods and Drug Authority (FDA) and the authorities warn to take the necessary precautions of taking the mushroom extract supplement for the treatment of HPV. Since the pilot study has just been recently released, more clinical studies are needed to finally confirm its safety dose and purity level that will be safe for public consumption. Moreover, if the extracts are tainted with other agents, unknown side effects and complications might occur.

Chronic Kidney Disease and Your Body

May 21, 2015

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Kidney

Chronic kidney disease is a condition resulting to a permanent damage to the kidney organs. Located on either side of the spine at the lower back area, the kidneys are bean-shaped organ consisting of nephrons that work as its filtering units. The major function of the kidneys is the removal of the body toxins and waste products from the blood and water circulating in the body. It is capable of filtering about 200 liters of blood per day and it can also process the removal of toxic waste products from about 2 liters of urine. These waste products come from the metabolized foods and other substances like excess by-products of drugs, vitamins, and supplements. Vital minerals needed by the body, such as calcium, potassium, and sodium in the blood, are also regulated by the kidneys.

Major functions of the kidney

The kidney filters the waste products and toxic substances from the breakdown of tissues, ingested foods and other harmful substances in the body when they are present at a high level. It can also produce helpful hormones that support the vital functions of the body like calcitrol, which is a form of vitamin D that helps absorbs calcium better for stronger bones, erythropoietin that helps the bone marrow produce sufficient red blood cells and renin that helps the body regulate the blood pressure.

What are the significant effects of chronic kidney disease?

Chronic disease of the kidney can result in the gradual loss of the kidney functions. It may eventually result in permanent kidney damage that happens over the years of injury and damage to the kidneys. The consequences of chronic kidney disease include the body's inability to remove waste, toxic substances and harmful by-products that are regularly filtered by the normal functioning kidneys. Renal insufficiency occurs when there is a mild kidney disease. Overtime, the chronic kidney disease will cause medical conditions like anemia, acidosis, high blood pressure, bone disease and cholesterol problems.

Treatment for chronic kidney disease

Unfortunately, there is no treatment or cure for chronic kidney disease. Most of the time, the aim of treatment is to halt or slow down the progression of the kidney damage and to prevent complications. It helps to know that preventive measures must be taken against stroke and heart diseases because chronic kidney disease is a known risk factor for these diseases. If one gets an established renal failure, a condition where the kidney is permanently damaged, the treatment option is getting a dialysis that is a form of an artificial kidney treatment.

Preventive measures against chronic kidney disease

An early diagnosis of a kidney disease is important to save the remaining functional units of the kidney. Because a kidney disease is a progressive condition, it is important to report to your physician your symptoms immediately. Early treatment of the condition can help prevent the more serious complications of the disease and helps avoid the occurrence of other medical conditions.

Common medical conditions that are associated with kidney disease like diabetes mellitus, heart disease and high blood pressure and cholesterol level should get prompt treatment as well, because they can also induce kidney damage when treatment is not obtained at the early stage of the disease. Lifestyle factors can also increase the risk to kidney disease. This includes avoiding smoking, drinking alcoholic beverages, getting enough exercise and eating a healthy diet.

Your physician is the best person to assess your condition and to provide you an accurate diagnosis of your condition. A kidney disease is a serious condition that can be life threatening when prompt treatment is not obtained.

If you need help manage kidney disease more efficiently, CLICK HERE!

Are You High Risk of Varicose Vein – Learn What to Do About It

May 20, 2015

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Varicose Vein

The veins play an important role in carrying out blood low in oxygen back to the heart. They serve as the transportation system that carry the blood used by the body organs back to the heart and the lungs where the blood becomes oxygenated again ready to be distributed again to the circulatory system. Aside from being a transportation system of the blood, the veins also become a storage system that keeps the blood ready to be used when the body organs need it. Veins have flexible walls with the ability to control the amount of blood to be released in the body when needed and store the blood in it when the demand for blood is low during rest. When the blood does not circulate well in the body, causing the veins to become enlarged and bulging, varicose veins occur.

Who are at risk to varicose veins?

Varicose veins are common among women than men. Women are highly at risk of getting it about 50 to 55 percent and it is prevalent among individuals at the age of 50 and higher. There are other known risk factors that can cause varicose veins that include age, pregnancy, hormonal changes, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, genetics and sun exposure. The veins harden as one ages and it loses its flexibility. Genetics can also play a role in the prevalence of varicose veins, especially among those born with weak veins. Changes in the hormonal activities can also cause changes in the integrity of the veins, which is common during pregnancy, puberty and menopause.

Prolonged sitting and standing can also cause the veins to become enlarged because of immobility that cause the blood to pool down the vein, causing it to work harder to push the blood back to the heart. Heavier weight can also cause added pressure to the vein. Varicose veins due to sun exposure commonly appear on the cheeks and nose.

What are the symptoms of a varicose vein?

Varicose veins usually occur in the lower legs, mainly due to the pull of gravity and pressure of the body weight to the lower extremities. The most common symptom of a varicose vein is pain that gets worse during prolonged sitting and standing. It also manifests cramping and throbbing pain, and a feeling of heaviness and swelling of the lower extremities. In severe cases, darkening of the skin occurs. Rashes are also common that may be itchy.

Should you be concerned about having a varicose vein?

While varicose veins rarely cause other serious health problems, they can provide you discomforts and bothersome symptoms. However, in certain cases, it can lead to some serious health conditions like skin ulcerations or sores, bleeding, deep vein thrombosis, and superficial thrombophlebitis. It is crucial to see a doctor once your varicose veins are causing you distress and significant discomfort.

How are varicose veins treated?

Medical treatments and changes in your lifestyle can help relieve the symptoms of a varicose vein. The treatment approach is mainly focused on relieving the symptoms, preventing complications and improve the appearance of the affected extremities.

1.�� Sclerotherapy. This form of treatment is most commonly done without the need of an anesthesia where a liquid is injected into the vein to cause its walls to collapse and prevent the blood flow in that vein. Eventually, the vein turns into a scar and will then fade away.

2.�� Compression stockings. The stockings help put pressure to the vein in order to push back the blood into circulation.

3.�� Laser treatment. The burst of light is introduced into the vein in order to make it fade away.

4.�� Surgery. This is the treatment option for larger varicose veins.

If you want to improve the appearance of your extremities affected by varicose veins, learn how to conquer this challenge. CLICK HERE to find out more!

The Wonders of Coconut Oil Benefits

May 2, 2015

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It is not surprising to know that coconut oil provides a multitude of health benefits. The coconut is known to be one of the powerful food sources that are packed with all the nutrients needed by the body to stay healthy. It contains several forms of amino acids that are essential for proper brain function and overall health of the body. There have been sustainable research findings that coconut oil has the ability to fight bacteria, viruses, cancer, heart and neurological conditions and other forms of disease. You will be surprised, and impressed for that matter, how coconut oil can be a super food that is packed with nutrition for a healthy living.

Coconut oil works wonder for healthy digestion

Coconut oil contains the medium chain fatty acids (MCFA), which the body digests differently as compared to other fats. It is gentler to the digestive system and is digested more efficiently than the other forms of long chain fatty acids. The MCFA demands fewer enzymes to facilitate its digestion. As a result, the body does not need to activate the fat digesting enzymes in the body that could burden the digestive system, as well as the pancreas during the process.

Lose weight with coconut oil

Coconut oil is a good weight loss regimen to lose significant fat in your abdomen. Abdominal fat is known to be a source of some Western diseases and something that you should get rid of. The weight loss effects of coconut oil have become a focus of some researches and the findings are remarkable. Obese women who were subjected to use 30 ml of coconut oil as a supplement showed a significant decrease in their hip circumference and body mass index for just 12 weeks. The loss in weight was not associated with exercise or dieting, but only consists of adding the coconut oil to the women's diet.

Another weight loss benefit from coconut oil is lessening the pangs of hunger. After taking the coconut oil in your body, it will metabolize into ketones that reduces one's appetite. Long term consumption of coconut oil can have a dramatic weight loss effect the natural way.

Cooking oil that is stable

We need oil to cook and while many cooking oil manufacturers claim that their product is cholesterol-free and healthy, the danger remains that the oil is not stable with heat. Coconut oil is more stable as compared to other oils that are more susceptible to chemical changes when heated at a very high temperature. Fat oxidation occurs when oil is heated, resulting in the production of bad cholesterol and toxins. This will induce the body to exert more effort in filtering them. Coconut oil also has the characteristic of being biostatic, making it more bacteria resistant and does not easily turn rancid over time. A coconut oil that

Cooking oil for a healthy, beautiful hair

People living in tropical regions are known to use coconut oil for keeping their hair healthy and strong. The regular use of coconut oil can help repair the damaged hair and it also promotes a healthy scalp. With its anti-microbial properties, coconut oil is helpful in treating fungal infection of the scalp that produce dandruff. Using the coconut oil in lieu of a conditioner, your hair will become thicker, stronger and shinier.

Boost your immune system

Coconut oil is a powerful immunity booster. It has lauric acid content that is effective in strengthening the body's immune system in the same manner that a mother's milk can. The substance is capable of producing the fatty acid derivative monolaurin that is known for its powerful antifungal, antiviral and antibacterial properties. The monolaurin has a strong effect against a wide range of pathogens and is now considered to be a good agent in strengthening the immune system of the AIDS patients. Coconut oil is also becoming a derivative for many therapeutic drugs in the treatment of diseases, such as lauric and myristic acids for viral infection treatment, butyric acid for cancer treatment and medium chain fats in promoting weight loss. This makes coconut oil as a super food that you should include in your daily diet.

Live with a younger looking skin

The coconut oil is also known as an active ingredient in skin care. It can be a moisturizer or as an emollient for healthy looking skin. Its antibacterial and antifungal properties work against skin diseases like psoriasis and dermatitis. Coconut oil can also be used for treating blemishes and scarring and is widely used as an anti-wrinkle ingredient and fighting premature aging. Coconut oil is sometimes considered as an all-in-one skin care solution for nourishing the skin. It can prevent sagging of the facial skin by strengthening the skin's connective tissues. Coconut oil can also fight off free radicals from the environment, keeping the skin cells more resilient against sun damage.

You will not be surprised to find many skin care products, such as lotion and moisturizers, with coconut oil as one of its active ingredients. This is because the oil can work wonders in removing blemishes while keeping the connective tissues stronger and softer. Research studies also indicate the ability of the coconut oil in repairing a damaged skin.� It is also known as an effective treatment for skin diseases like acne and skin allergies.

A foe to yeast infection

Fungus can cause yeast infection, the most common of which is the genital yeast infection. The condition may cause irritating symptoms of burning, painful urination, swelling and itching along the infected area of the genitals. Yeast can also grow in the digestive system and may result in other health problems. Its lauric and caprylic properties are highly acidic that kills the Candida growth.

Brain booster properties

The coconut oil is known to be a good food for the brain. It can nourish the brain by increasing the levels of ketones that can help energize the brain cells. Coconut oil is known to be a healthy food for patients with Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease, which involves a condition of chronic brain disease. The coconut oil can help prevent the progression of the plaque formation in the brain structures. The ketone producing ability of the coconut oil is also effective against seizure in children with epilepsy.

Healthy heart and cardiovascular system

The regular consumption of coconut oil is known to reduce the level of low density lipoprotein (LDL) or the bad cholesterol in the body, while increasing the high density lipoprotein (HDL) or the good cholesterol in the body. Because the coconut oil contains saturated fats, it can reduce the body's triglycerides while improving the blood coagulation factors. This can help reduce your risk for cardiovascular diseases.

Natural combatant against diseases

Coconut oil is super packed with natural, healthy substances that make it a good combatant against different kinds of diseases. Among its wonderful ingredients are lauric acid and medium chain fatty acid that can destroy pathogens and promote healthy heart, digestive system, brain function and diabetes.

General health benefits of coconut oil

In general, the health benefits of coconut oil are numerous. Because of its safety, it is often used for tube feeding, baby formulas and as a diet of critically ill patients in hospitals. It is also known to be healthy for pregnancy and as an effective treatment for aluminum poisoning. Coconut oil is an exceptional food source that provides valuable nutritional benefits that promote a healthy body in general.

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