Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin.
The health benefits include:
• It is necessary for healthy hair, skin and mucous membrane, so to say it is needed to promote a healthy body tissue
• Prevents night blindness
• Builds body’s resistance to respiratory infections
• Used successfully in the treatment of acne, boils and open ulcers when applied externally
• Aides in building of teeth and bones
• As an antioxidant it neutralizes the free radicals and this helping in antiaging
• Can prevent cancer in organs and glands lined with epithelial tissues such as lungs, bladder, mammary glands and prostate glands
The signs of vitamin A deficiency include:
• Loss of appetite
• Changes in the skin, keratinisation of the skin or coarse skin
• Acne
• Dull lustreless hair
• Problem with teeth
• Increased susceptibility to infection
• Achy, tired, burning, itching eyes
• Inflamed eye lids, eyeball pain
• Poor night vision or night blindness
Vitamin A is readily available in foods. Supplementation is not necessary.
The toxic effects of excess intake vitamin A include:
• Lead to toxicity-induced liver damage
• Fatigue
• Skin peeling
• Joint pain
• Nerve damage
• Can cause birth defects – should not be supplemented to pregnant. Women who want to become pregnant must also avoid vitamin A supplement.
I have analysed thousands of blood samples and in 99.9% the levels are in the reference range.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
You feel hungry when your stomach is empty.
Hunger is registered in hypothalamus, a part of your brain. Many body functions including hunger and feeling full are regulated by hypothalamus. When you eat the food is digested and moves to the intestine. The stomach becomes empty again. This is the reason why you become hungry.
What is the reason for tummy rumble? To digest the food your stomach and intestines are always moving. When the stomach is empty it is filled with air. The air is pushed around in the stomach and intestines and this causes all the noises.
This is not possible. Your husband is not telling the truth.
No doctor in this world will advise somebody to take alcohol. The doctors know well that alcohol in small quantities is good and in excess bad for our health.
Alcohol can make one an addict. There are hundreds of millions of addicts in our world. They not only destroy them but also their whole family.
The calories what we take from alcohol is only empty calories and alcohol is not necessary for our metabolism.
Even the good red wine in small quantity is also not recommended by the doctors. They know well that from one glass it can become 3 and after that one bottle or more.
Talk to your husband and explain him everything. After that he has to decide.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Organ meat is rich in minerals and vitamins and it is a good food. It contains iron and vitamin B12. These are good for the production of more haemoglobin.
If the liver meat is from the free-running animal it is a very good food. These hen and cock eat natural food. But the hen from the mass production gets animal feed and may also get medicines like antibiotics. In this case it is not advisable to eat this liver. Only if this liver is available eat only 30 to 40 g per day and three times a week. Continue this for 3 to 4 weeks.
This is also applicable to lamb liver also. In my diet plans I recommend liver meat because they contain lot of zinc and selenium.
Liver meat contains cholesterol. 100 g edible liver meat contains 490 mg cholesterol. A good dietician can accommodate liver meat in your food without any problem.
Egg white or Albumen or Glair is the clear liquid part surrounding the egg yolk. The egg white is one of the purest and richest sources of protein. It is an ideal natural nutritional supplement.
100 g edible egg yolk contains:
Water………………………87.3 g
Protein……………………...11.1 g
Fat………………………….0.03 g
Carbohydrate………………0.7 g
Minerals……………………0.7 g
Sodium……………………..170 mg
Potassium…………………..155 mg
Magnesium…………………12 mg
Calcium…………………….11 mg
Iron…………………………200 microgram
Zinc…………………………20 microgram
Fluoride……………………..14 - 150 microgram
Iodide……………………….7 microgram
Selenium……………………5 microgram
Vitamin B1, B2 B6, B12, Nicotinamide, Pantothenic acid, Biotin and Folic acid are present.
Cholesterol…………………0 mg
The conclusion is egg white is a healthy food. As such, eggs in general are healthy.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Egg yolk contains much cholesterol, but it is also rich in important nutrients including vitamins and essential fatty acids. It contains most of the nutrients in an egg.
100 g edible egg yolk contains:
Water………………………50.0 g
Protein……………………...16.1 g
Fat………………………….31.9 g
Carbohydrate………………0.3 g
Minerals……………………1.7 g
Sodium……………………..50 mg
Potassium…………………..140 mg
Magnesium…………………16 mg
Calcium…………………….140 mg
Iron…………………………7200 microgram
Zinc…………………………3800 microgram
Fluoride……………………..30 microgram
Iodide……………………….12 microgram
Selenium……………………19 microgram
Egg yolk is rich in vitamin A, B1, B2 B6, B12, E, D, Nicotinamide, Pantothenic acid, Biotin and Folic acid.
Cholesterol…………………1260 mg
Lecithin………………….…6.79 g
If integrated in your food rightly it is a very nutritive food with rich iron, zinc and selenium contents and vitamins. You could even sacrifice some food supplements.
If you are suffering from coronary diseases consult with your doctor or dietician and they can help you to select the right food.
All the drugs or medicines have side effects. Up to 10% of the patients may get these side effects. You may have one or another or more side effects. In this case contact your doctor. The following are the side effects and the body system connected:
• Cardiovascular – include high or low blood pressure, pressure in the chest and pulse problems
• Dermatologic – include acne and all the other skin disorders
• Gastrointestinal – include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea
• Genito-urinary – include breast pain, vaginitis, uterine/vaginal bleeding including spotting, irregular bleeding and heavy bleeding and ovarian cysts
• Nervous system – include headache, dizziness, drowsiness and nervousness
• Respiratory – include sinusitis and upper respiratory infection
• Psychiatric – include mainly depression
• Musculoskeletal – include back pain
• General – include weight gain and fatigue
• Others – include angioedema
• The allergies – here you must go to the doctor immediately
Most of the patients don’t get side effects. If the side effects are there go to your doctor immediately. Blood tests may also be necessary because drugs may change your metabolism.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Most of the contraceptives are available in all the countries and this knowledge is important for men and women. In a family husband and wife have the responsibility to avoid unwanted pregnancy. It is also very important for women’s health.
The available contraceptives in our world include:
• Abstinence
• Birth control pill
• Cervical cap
• Condom
• Contraceptive film
• Contraceptive foam
• Contraceptive implant
• Contraceptive sponge
• Contraceptive suppositories
• Diaphragm
• Emergency contraception, the morning after pill
• Condom for the women
• Fertility awareness method, the rhythm method
• Injectable contraception
• Outercourse, closeness and sexual intimacy without sex
• The patch
• The ring
• Shield
• Female sterilization (tubectomy),
• Male sterilization (vasectomy).
These are irreversible.
It is better you select the methods which is suitable for you and consult your gynaecologist to know better to take the right choice. Chemical contraceptives have side effects.
The morning-after pill or oral emergency contraceptive pill is used to prevent pregnancy if the contraception is failed or was not used. The pill works for 3 days after sex but it works best within 12 hours. The hormone here present is levonorgestrel, a female-type hormone which is also present in many oral contraceptives.
In many countries these are prescription medicine and you have to consult with your doctor to get it. Many religions are against this because they interpret this sort of contraception is murder. In some of the countries it is over-the-counter medicine. The reason may be family planning. But, many misuse this without understanding all the effects; their aim is only to prevent pregnancy. We must educate the women exactly about the sexual relationship between men and women. A woman with good knowledge about sex health education will go for this very rarely. It is always to consult your doctor.
The morning-after pill prevents the ovaries from releasing an egg and alters the lining of the uterus so that a fertilized egg cannot embed there. It is very effective if it is used in time. IT WILL NOT HELP IF YOU ARE ALREADY PREGNANT.
It is used by women who have had unprotected sex or to help rape victims, couples who had condom break or women who had sex without her knowledge under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
The side effects include:
• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Tender breasts
• Irregular bleeding
• Diarrhoea
• Dizziness
• Stomach pain
• Tiredness
Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Levonorgestrel: Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); severe and persistent lower stomach pain; missed menstrual period; spotting instead of your usual period.
Pregnancy is also a side effect of the morning-after pill.
Although 72 hours are given the problem starts after 24 hours or if the person had more than once sex. The rest risk for a pregnancy is always there.
But the threat to the society comes from the HIV infection and other sexually transmitted infections. If you are infected you can infect your partner and also your children. Unprotected sex can spoil your life. If you are active in sexual life keep always condom with you.
To know more about sex health education including complete contraceptive methods read my book “Sexual Abuse of Children and Sex Health Education”. It is available as an e-book. Visit www.aaronverlag.com for further information.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Avidin is a glycoprotein present in egg whites. It can bind biotin, the vitamin B7 or vitamin H, very effectively.
When we cook the eggs avidin is deactivated in the same way as other proteins in the egg white. Eating too many raw egg whites can cause biotin deficiency. But, the egg yolk contains lot of biotin and it is one of the richest foods for biotin. This means you can eat the whole egg raw and be healthy.
Biotin deficiency can cause hair loss, skin problems, neurological problems and Conjunctivitis, the inflammation or infection of the lining of inner side of the eyelid.
Still you must remember the severe Salmonella infection and it is advisable to cook and eat the eggs.
Advertisements quite misleading and its side-effects are undisclosed
NEW DELHI: Concerned over the indiscriminate use of emergency contraceptive pills sold across the country, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has written to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Medical Council of India seeking their opinion in curbing the promotion of these pills.
In a statement issued here, the NCW has said that it had been brought to their notice that wide scale advertisement campaign in favour of oral emergency contraceptive pills was being carried out by the pharmaceutical companies.
These pills are gaining popularity among young girls despite repeated warning from doctors against the use, the statement said.
“With concern, it is seen that the drug is being projected as an after saviour of unsafe sex. The advertisements of these pills are quite misleading and its side-effects as well as efficacy are not at all being disclosed,” the statement said.
It is being projected as an alternative to the safe sex method and thus may lead to an everlasting impact on the younger generation and in turn result in the government and the society losing its battle against AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases besides putting the women through grave emotional and physical trauma and everlasting effect of hormonal imbalance, the Commission said.
Over-the-counter drug
Pointing out that these pills were designed for women over 25 years and accordingly it is felt that it may have dangerous side-effects on teenagers and on women using it too regularly, the panel has further said that this is an over-the-counter drug and hence did not require any medical prescription.
It is dangerous because emergency pills do not prevent sexually transmitted disease like HIV/AIDS, the statement added.
http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/23/stories/2010022358442000.htm
This is a question asked many of my friends. It is not that they don’t want to eat vegetables or fruits.
Rice and chicken are very good food. But the dose makes the poison. Rice contains lot of carbohydrates and chicken is also good with its protein and fat. Eating rice and chicken everyday have the following disadvantage. Rice increases the blood sugar and excess blood sugar is converted in the liver to Triglycerides which is a risk factor for heart diseases.
100 g edible chicken contains 19.9 g protein, 9.6 g fat, cholesterol 100 mg and purine 115 mg. Excess protein is converted into sugar and excess sugar in turn to triglycerides.
It is absolute necessary to eat fresh vegetables and fruits. If fresh vegetables are not available try to use frozen vegetables which is available in many countries. Go for packed fruit juices without any additives.
More pulses and beans can also be used to reduce the amount of chicken.
Fruits and vegetables are not only good for vitamins and minerals but also rich in antioxidants and other phytochemicals which are necessary for health.
If there are many Asians try to import directly from your countries. In Germany we get all fresh Indian vegetables. Once in a week they are coming from India.
It is your health and it is worth spending something for that. Unfortunately, many are ready to spend money for alcohol than for vegetables and fruits.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Magnesium is a very important mineral for our metabolism. More than 300 enzymes in the body contain magnesium.
The symptoms of magnesium deficiency include:
• Fatigue and weakness
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Muscle contraction and cramps
• Seizures
• Abnormal heart rhythms
• Coronary spasms
• Nervousness
• Sleeplessness
• Premenstrual syndrome worsens
• Osteoporosis risk is increased
Asthma, migraines, headaches, depression, fibromyalgia, anxiety, arthritis, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and kidney stones get worse due to magnesium deficiency.
Trans-fats are formed when edible oil is hydrogenated to make it solid and to increase the shelf life of the fat.
We should not take too much of trans-fat because it is a risk factor for heart diseases. It increases the bad LDL-cholesterol and decreases the HDL-cholesterol. We must be always careful with fat intake.
Trans-fat is used to stabilize processed foods in packaging and is present all packed foods. Excess intake doubles the risk of heart attack.
Trans-fat cheapens the cost of processed and packed foods. If possible avoid such foods. Cheap margarines may also contain trans-fat and these must also be avoided.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Red meat is distinctively red before cooking and beef and lamb meat come under this.
White meat refers to meats which are pale before they are cooked. Poultry, pork and fish come under this.
In the poultry industry the terms white meat and dark meat are also used. This means two different types of meat in a single animal.
Red meat has intense animal flavour and white meats tend to be bland. The red colour is because of the higher concentration of myoglobin present. Myoglobin is necessary to help the muscle utilize oxygen more effectively. These are present in muscles which are used continuously, e.g. muscles which support standing and walking.
White meat is leaner and so it is considered healthy. The role of myoglobin is not yet completely understood in cancer. The future research can throw more light on this. The red meat has also more fat.
The iron content of the meat depends upon the amount of myoglobin and so red meat has more iron compared to white meat.
Twice in a weak meat and fish in moderate quantity is enough. But we must eat vegetables and fruits daily for our good health.
Leading sources of information on sexual matters were friends and the media
NEW DELHI: Less than one in three women know that a condom can be used just once, and just one in six know that a condom cannot disappear into a woman’s body.
These are some of the findings of “Youth in India: Situation and Needs,” a study carried out by the Indian Institute of Population Sciences and the Population Council, and released here on Saturday.
The findings show that just 46 per cent of young men and 24 per cent of young women were aware that a condom cannot disappear inside a woman’s body. Only 31 per cent of young men and 25 per cent of young women felt that condoms do not reduce sexual pleasure.
Marital status affects condom consciousness, with 57 per cent married young men compared to 44 per cent unmarried young men being aware that condoms cannot slip off the man and disappear into a woman’s body; the corresponding percentages among young women were 29 and 17 .
The findings also underscore the limited awareness young people have of most sexual and reproductive matters with only 37 per cent of young men and 45 per cent of young women being aware that a woman could get pregnant in her first sexual encounter, and 19 and 15 per cent respectively of young men and women reporting awareness of sexually transmitted infections other than HIV.
Leading sources of information on sexual matters, according to the study, were friends and the media for both young men and women. In contrast, just 10 per cent of young men and women cited teachers and 3-7 per cent cited health care providers as a source of information; just 2 and 9 per cent of young men and women respectively cited family members.
Teachers and health care providers were relatively infrequently reported as sources of information on contraception.
The study further points out that only 15 per cent of respondents had attended sex education programmes either in or outside the school setting, notwithstanding the Adolescence Education Programme, the School AIDS Education Programme, the Red Ribbon Clubs and special programmes for out-of-the-school youth.
Speaking on the occasion, Nobel laureate Amartya Sen stressed the need for education on sexual and reproductive matters. Basic schooling can be central to human security as illiteracy and innumeracy are forms of insecurity themselves, he said.
Significant barrier
When people are illiterate, their ability to understand and invoke their legal rights can be very limited. This can be a significant barrier for illiterate women to make use even of the rather limited rights that they do actually have. Importantly, it can also muffle the political voice, Prof. Sen said. “The removal of survival disadvantages of women, the reduction of child mortality and moderating influences on fertility rates are all among the basic issues involved in removing the “downside risks” that threaten life and dignity,” he said.
The study was carried out in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu in 2006-07, and is based on interviews of over 51,000 individuals.
The Hindu online edition, 21.02.2010
http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/21/stories/2010022156861800.htm
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Surely you have heard about the greenhouse effect and greenhouse gases. They make our earth warm. If the average temperature rises 4 degrees C then we may not have ice on our poles and may low lying countries will be below the water level. Whole world is trying to agree to reduce these gases. You may ask why I am telling about this.
Today meat production is a big industry. The business with meat and meat products including milk and eggs is worth of several trillions. 50% of the world’s greenhouse gases are produced from this industrial animal agriculture. If we want to save our earth not only we must produce less greenhouse gases from our cars and industries but also we must reduce the production of meat.
I cannot apply pressure to make you a vegetarian. But, at least you can reduce the amount of meat you eat. It is a great help to our earth and of course, to you also.
The decision is yours!!!
High blood pressure, diabetes and overweight are risk factors for heart attack and stroke.
Except this question I have no information from you and so I could give you only general advises. You must reduce your weight. Normal weight is, your weight in cm – 100 = Kilos. Reduce the amount of meat and meat products. Twice in a week fish is good. Eat more fresh vegetables and fruits and reduce the intake of carbohydrates.
Change your lifestyle. Avoid smoking, alcohol and stress. Daily go for a quick walk or better to a fitness studio for thrice in a week.
Diabetes and the drugs for high blood pressure and high sugar can affect your sexual life. They can cause erection problems. Consult with your doctor.
Egg has cholesterol, but it is a very good food. Cholesterol is important for our body. Without cholesterol your body cannot function. Only LDL-cholesterol is not healthy.
100 g edible egg contains:
Water………………………74.4 g
Protein……………………...12.8 g
Fat………………………….11.3 g
Carbohydrate………………0.7 g
Minerals……………………1 g
Sodium……………………..145 mg
Potassium…………………..145 mg
Magnesium…………………12 mg
Calcium…………………….55 mg
Iron…………………………2000 microgram
Copper……………………...6 microgram
Zinc…………………………1300 microgram
Fluoride……………………..110 microgram
Iodide……………………….10 microgram
Selenium……………………10 microgram
Vitamin A, B1, B6, B12, E D, K, Nicotinamide, Pantothenic acid, Biotin and Folic acid are also present.
Cholesterol…………………395 mg
Lecithin……………………2.7 g
Raw egg can also be eaten, but it may be contaminated wit salmonella. You must be very careful.
Our liver produces daily 1.5 g to 2 g cholesterol everyday. Before excretion a part is also reabsorbed because it is important for our life. Egg is a very good food.
Egg is rich in iron and is very useful to increase the haemoglobin amount in blood.
Friday, February 19, 2010
I am 63 years old and recently I find that whenever I stretch I get cramps. I am taking Atenonol, Amlodipine and Irbersatan for my hypertension. Is it due to these tablets? Also I find that my erections are not hard as before. Can these tablets cause this problem?
As you know all the drugs have side effects. Up to 10% of the patients experience some of the side effects.
Atenonol may cause tiredness or weakness. It may affect the sex drive.
Amlodipine may cause fatigue, cramps and sexual dysfunction. This may be the cause for your cramps.
Irbersatan may cause decreased sexual ability.
All the three drugs have many other side effects also.
We need the drugs, but unfortunately all these have side effects. If you are unlucky you are affected.
These medicines have also many other side effects. Read the information which you get along with your drugs or ask your doctor about this. Talk to your doctor about this problems and he may prescribe other medicines.
Unfortunately I have no information - medical history, diseases, lifestyle etc. about you. We could do a lot if I get a complete picture about you.
One more important thing you must know. When you get high blood pressure or any other disease your mind is continuously thinking about that. This is an unending stress and could also make problems with your sexual life. Avoid the stress.
Visit www.aaronverlag.com, click Counselling and download the Aaron Analysis Form. Fill it up and send it to me.
Sugar is glucose and fruit sugar is fructose. We need for sugar metabolism insulin, but fructose is metabolised in the liver.
Many think that only fructose is present in the fruits. In fruits there are fructose, glucose and sucrose. Sucrose has one molecule of glucose and fructose. The fruits thus have approximately equal amount of glucose and fructose. Table sugar is normally sucrose.
High-fructose corn syrup which is present in many soft drinks is usually a mixture of approximately equal amounts of glucose and fructose.
Fructose is metabolised exactly like alcohol and so in excess bad for the liver health.
Both excess glucose and fructose are converted into triglycerides in the liver. We must be careful with sugar as well as with fructose.
Berries, melons, tree fruits are rich in fructose. Honey and some root vegetable also contain significant amount of fructose.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Without onions our food is incomplete. It is used in all cultures and that is thousands of years too. Their culinary and medicinal values make it a part of our food daily.
The benefits include:
• Keep the cholesterol levels normal
• Bring the blood pressure down
• Have anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial effect
• Have anti-cancer effect
• Diminish the risk of clots
• Improve lung function
• Inhibit bone loss in postmenopausal women
• Have high levels of chromium which is good for sugar metabolism, and helps to maintain a positive hormone balance to combat Premenstrual Syndrome
• Stimulate the growth and function of the good bacteria and act as probiotics
Onions are safely eaten by most of the people. Eating large quantities of onions can lead to stomach distress and gastrointestinal irritation. This can result nausea and diarrhoea.
This is really a menace in our world. The parents want high marks from their children. The tension is too much for the children, many are not in a position to withstand this enormous stress.
Hundreds of thousands of doses of tranquillizers and other drugs are prescribed to children. But nothing will help including methylphenidate to increase their marks. The right food, love and time from their parents and the correct planning of the school and extracurricular works and activities are the best medicine to improve the situation but without any tablets.
Talk to your child and listen to your child, they are much more intelligent than you think, accept this and handle, the success will be mostly yours.
In some countries the paediatricians give cholesterol reducing tablets to obese children at the age of eight, nine or ten years. Here we should not forget the adverse side effects of the disappearance of the muscles if there is less physical activity. Your doctor must monitor the situation very closely; otherwise it is difficult to take the responsibility of such treatment.
Teach your children from the beginning what to eat and how to eat. If you also do not know, go to your dietician and learn it at first before teaching your children. We should keep it as subject even in the kindergarten. Could anybody tell me why such programs are not yet implemented?
We must be very careful with side effects because there are no clinical studies for children. So, the experience of your doctor is very important here.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Grapefruit is rich in nutrients such as vitamin C and lycopene and other flavonoids. But, some chemicals from it interfere with the enzymes which metabolize certain drugs and thus large amount of the drug is accumulated in our body.
This increases the side effects of the medicines dramatically and bad for your health.
This interaction can happen if you eat the fruit or drink the juice. You should also avoid diet supplements where grapefruit bioflavonoids are present.
Tangelo is a hybrid grapefruit and Seville oranges, a bitter orange must also be avoided because these may have also the same side effects like grapefruit.
The drugs which have problems with grapefruit, Seville orange or tangelo include:
• Simavastin
• Buspirone
• Clomipramine
• Diazepam
• Triazolam
• Nifedipine
• Verapamil
• Saquinavir
• Indinavir
• Cyclosporine
• Tacrolimus
• Sirolimus
• Methadone
• Carbamazepine
• Sildenafil
The list is long. For further information consult your doctor or druggist.
It is a rare drug allergy but is life-threatening. It can occur few minutes to few hours after the medication. Fortunately it is very rare.
The common symptoms include:
• Rapid drop in blood pressure
• Rapid or weak pulse
• Rapid or pounding heartbeats
• Difficulty in breathing
• Wheezing
• Hives
• Dizziness or fainting
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal cramps
• Diarrhoea
• Swelling in the face
It may be difficult to diagnose because the time of the allergic reaction is different always. If the symptoms are there it is better to rush to your doctor or to the emergency station of a hospital.
Your doctor injects adrenaline, antihistamines or cortisone to stop hives, itching and inflammation.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Fortunately it is not the case. Approximately 10% of the patients get common side effects. There are also very severe side effects like anaphylaxis.
But the number is still very high; ask your relatives, friends and colleagues how many have intolerable itching; if you analyse this you will come to know many are the side effects of the medicines. Many side effects destroy the quality of your life. Before searching somewhere else, first think about your prescription as well as over-the-counter medicines and first rule out the possibilities of the side effects.
If there are side effects from your drugs, then you try to take traditional medicine or go to your doctor who could help you always.
Many medicines have the side effect of stuffy nose and many think this is dust or some other allergies. But it could be also side effects of the medicines, without knowing if you treat this there will be no success because you take this medicine with side effect regularly.
Weight gain, constipation, dizziness and cough may also be side effects of many drugs.
We need medicines if we are sick. But the side effects are always there whether it is over-the-counter or prescribed drugs. If you use them properly it may be helpful to you. Over-the-counter medicine is safe when it is used properly.
Even if you take over-the-counter medicines consult your doctor first, he could check and tell you whether the organs necessary to metabolize these drugs are healthy or not. After that also, it is only trial and error to find out the right dose. Here, your doctor decides what you have to take and how long.
This is also applicable to all the over-the-counter medicines. Consult your doctor, get all the information from him and ask him also the maximum amount could be taken in a day. Never take more than necessary.
When taking medicine you must avoid alcohol completely. You can manage nicely, but do not forget the dose makes the gift. You can also get information from your pharmacist. If the drug is not helping for two or three days go to your doctor immediately.
You can try your grandmother’s methods and most of them are good.
Monday, February 15, 2010
According to medical sciences, constipation usually is defined as fewer than three bowel movements in a week. Severe constipation is defined as less than one bowel movement in a week. There is no medical reason to have a bowel movement everyday. No bowel movement for two or three days will cause any physical discomfort, but the problem is the tension which we make out of that. It is wonderful if you have bowel movement everyday, but there is no evidence of accumulated toxins in infrequent bowel movements and this belief is also wrong that constipation leads to cancer.
Constipation can be caused by the slow passage of digesting food through any part of the intestine, the slowing occurs mostly in the colon. Poor eating habits are a widespread common cause for constipation.
It is important to distinguish acute and chronic constipation and acute constipation must be assessed immediately if severe symptoms like rectal bleeding, abdominal pain and cramps, nausea, vomiting and weight loss are present.
The side effects of drugs is also an important factor for constipation and they include narcotic painkillers, calcium channel blockers, iron supplements, aluminium containing antacids, antidepressants, antiepileptic and many more.
A good portion of salad with its fibre content will help to eliminate constipation. Fruits, vegetables and whole grain products have lot of fibre.
Do not avoid fat completely and this is also a common cause for constipation. You must also use healthy edible oils daily. It need not be too much, but very important.
Natural remedies include herbal laxatives such as cape aloe, senna or others. Probiotics which contain lactobacillus acidophilus are natural supplements which help restore the levels of good bacteria that may be killed off by antibiotic use. Probiotics food may be preferred than supplements.
Laxatives may help, but chronic misuse can bring more problems including severe constipation and damage of colon. Therefore, the use of laxatives must be the last choice.
The other causes of constipation include certain hormonal disorders, central nervous system diseases, diseases which affect the colon including colonic inertia and the dysfunction of the pelvic floor muscles.
Children should not take any laxative drugs.
Ginger is very good and has many positive effects with minimum side effects. It becomes dangerous if we consume excess during the use of certain medicines. Ginger interferes with the effects of drugs used to treat high blood pressure, diabetes and for blood thinning.
As a spice you can use it regularly. Ginger root is widely used as a digestive aid for mild stomach upset and is also recommended by doctors and other health professionals to help prevent or treat nausea and vomiting pregnancy, cancer chemotherapy and motion sickness. Ginger is also a good support in inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and can even be used in heart disease or cancer.
If you want to use ginger for a child below two years old, consult your doctor always. The dose makes the poison.
Do not take ginger without first consulting your doctor if you are breastfeeding a baby.
In Ayurvedha tea very little ginger is used with cinnamon and cardamom and it is very good.
I am not against taking a ginger chicken or ginger seafood now and then.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Eat nuts, seeds, pulses and beans everyday; 20 to 30 g nuts or seeds are good. Avoid processed food and excess milk and milk products. Avoid milled flour and sugar.
Avoid smoking and lead a healthy lifestyle. Learn how to manage stress. Regular physical activity is a must.
If you live like this you need no food supplements.
With increasing age the amount of food intake is reduced, but the micronutrients must be needed in the same amount. Here we must plan what is necessary and what is not. There also you have to consult your doctor.
When we become old food intake is reduced and here the food supplements may be necessary.
When you are older than 35 years then we have to think about vitamin B supplementation. Before you plan a baby folic acid supplement is good and necessary.
Food supplements may have side effects or they may interfere with the absorption of the other micronutrients. They may also interfere with drugs. Excess antioxidants can act as oxidants.
We have to analyse individually each person before we recommend food supplements. It is good for your health and you can save also lot of money.
Red meat contains lot of iron with good bioavailability. If you are a vegetarian, then leave red meat and eat more red vegetables and fruits.
400 g vegetables and 400 g fruits are the minimum.
Haemoglobin levels must be above 14.5 g/dl and this is optimum. During pregnancy you need more iron.
Eat regularly healthy food and there will be no iron deficiency.
If you are a vegetarian consult with your doctor for vitamin B12 supplement. Never take iron tablets for a long period. Too much of iron is deposited in muscles and produce many dangerous hydroxyl free radicals through Fenton’s chemical reaction.
Avoid cucumber and tea.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Coughing is an important way to keep your throat and airways free, but excessive coughing may be because of an underlying disease or disorder. Some coughs are dry and others are mucus productive.
Acute coughs are sudden, caused by cold, flu or sinus infection and may last two to three weeks and chronic cough lasts longer than this.
The other sources of coughs include:
• Cigarette smoking
• Passive smoking
• Exposure to environmental pollution
• ACE inhibitors (drugs used to control blood pressure)
• Asthma
• Allergies
• Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease
• Lung infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia
• Lung tumours
• Sinusitis
• Dust
• Environmental air pollution
• Side effects of drugs
Children may develop coughs from diseases or causes which usually do not affect adults, such as croup, bronchiolitis, infection of the lower respiratory system caused by respiratory syncytial virus. Passive smoking, blockage of the airway with food or small toy or balloons and emotional or psychological problems can also cause cough in children.
Croup is a common respiratory problem seen in children between 1 and 3 years old, the symptoms are hoarseness, barking cough, striedon, a high pitched sound heard when breathing in and difficulty in breathing and is caused by a virus which affects the throat and upper airways. It can recur till the children become 5 or 6 years old and it could be avoided by humidifying the room where the children used to stay. If the symptoms are severe, go to your doctor, he may give medicines and if necessary oxygen also.
Bronchiolitis is the infection of small air passages and is also caused by a virus and it affects the children below 2 years. The symptoms include difficulty in breathing, rapid breathing and wheezing and it is better to go to the doctor if the breathing frequency increases considerably.
Remember, a cough is a symptom, but not a disease, a right diagnose must find out the real reason and the treatment with antibiotics could also be very carefully done only if pneumonia is diagnosed. Otherwise, aspirin, Paracetamol or ibuprofen is used to reduce fever and pains and headaches and children below 16 years should not take aspirin. Children could also be treated in the same way. If you use over-the-counter drugs, note always the content so that the patient, for example, should not get double the dose of Paracetamol because most of the over-the-counter drugs may also contain Paracetamol.
Codeine and dihydrocodeine can also be used in cough treatment.
If cough is a side effect of a drug contact your doctor immediately. I have seen persons who have coughed 10 years or more unnecessarily.
For common cold or cough you can also use grandmother’s mixtures which will help in most of the cases.
It is a drug used as part of a treatment programme for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder with symptoms of more difficulty in focusing, controlling actions and remaining still or quite than others who are at the same age.
It is also used to treat narcolepsy, a sleep disorder which causes excessive daytime sleepiness.
The side effects methylphenidate include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, nervousness, loss of appetite, stomach pain, headache, painful menstruation, difficulty in falling sleep or staying sleep, fast and irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, faintness, excessive tiredness, slow or difficult speech, numbness of an arm or leg, seizures, agitation, blurred vision, hallucination, abnormal thoughts, mood changes, depression, fever, hives, sore throat, unusual bleeding, joint or muscle pain, skin rashes, itching and difficulty in breathing or swallowing.
Caution: Methylphenidate may cause sudden death in children and teenagers with serious heart problems or heart defects. In adults heart attack or stroke with heart defects or serious heart problems may occur. Talk to your doctor about these problems, particularly the risk of this drug in medication.
Methylphenidate may slow children’s growth and may give problems in weight gain. Your child’s doctor must accompany you both during the whole therapy to take necessary action immediately when it is necessary. All the other forms are not serious and may be dangerous to your child’s health.
Fixing the therapy for three months may not bring always the best results, the child’s doctor and the psychologist must work together to find the right medication and therapy. The role of phosphates in food and also a healthy food in general without any junk as well as processed foods is also necessary during this medication to achieve good results.
Methylphenidate should not be used in children under 6 years of age, since safety and efficacy in this age group have not been established.
There are no studies available in pregnant and breastfeeding women. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding while you use methylphenidate check with your doctor and he will advise you the benefits or risks. If it is possible to manage without drugs it is the best during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
The half-life period of methylphenidate is 2 to 4 hours.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Organic meat has many advantages than the meat produced by professional animal agriculture. Everybody must know this to take their decisions which meat to consume.
The advantages include:
• Organic meat is free from growth hormone, antibiotics and other drugs
• The animals are not fed by genetically modified foods
• Their genes are not modified
• These animals are never fed with feeds which are made out of dead animals or animal wastes. No chance for mad cow disease (BSE).
• Their feed contains very low amount of pesticides and other chemicals and so in the meat they are under their detection levels.
• The workers are exposed to very little or no chemicals
• Excretions are used as manure and their amount is also limited. Thereby low contamination of ground water with nitrates.
• These farms are normally not very big and have other animals. These are not meat production factories.
• Organic meat production costs less energy compared to mass production. The reduction can be up to 75%
The organic meat tastes much better and it is a good food.
Eating fewer animal products is good for the environment and it is good for your health.
The reasons include:
• Keeping many animals produces large amount of air and water pollution
• More greenhouse gases
• 80% of world’s annual deforestation goes to the account of animal agriculture
• Need lot of water
• 50% of world’s total grains production are converted into animal-feed and the prices of the grains goes up in the world market. The sufferers are the poor people.
Two days fresh meat in a week is more than enough. Avoid or eat a minimum of processed meat products and here nobody knows what all things or chemicals are present. Food must be fresh and it is good for our health.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
A migraine is a throbbing headache which often attacks one side of the head. Nausea, vomiting, sleep disruption and sensitivity to light, sound and odour, good and bad are associated with migraine. Depression is also a symptom. Migraine attacks are often recurrent and the severity decreases with increase of age.
Migraines can occur at any age, but normally begin 10 and 40 years of age. It may diminish after 50 years of age. Few suffer a lot and others may have only few attacks in their lifetime.
Around 75% of migraine sufferers are women.
The most common migraines are migraine with aura and migraine without aura. The less common types include abdominal migraine, basilar artery migraine, opthalmoplegic migraine, status migraine, headache-free migraine and carotidynia.
Migraine without aura is the most common type and can occur on one or both sides of the head. Tiredness and mood changes may be experienced a day before the attack. The accompanying conditions are nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light.
Abdominal migraine is common in children with a family history of migraine. The symptoms include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and flushing and paleness. These children often develop migraine in adulthood.
Basiliar artery migraine is caused by the disturbance of the basilar artery in the brainstem. The symptoms include severe headache, double vision, slurred speech, poor muscle coordination and vertigo. This type occurs mainly in young adults.
Carotidynia is also called facial migraine. The symptoms are deep, dull pain and sometimes piercing pain in the jaw or neck. This type occurs commonly in old people.
Headache-free migraine is shown by the presence of aura without headache. This occurs in persons with a history of migraine with aura. Visual auras are described as bright shimmering lights around objects or at the edges of the field of vision or zigzag lines, castles, wavy images and hallucinations. Others may experience temporary vision loss. Nonvisual auras include motor weakness, speech or language abnormalities, dizziness, vertigo and tingling or numbness of the face, tongue or extremities.
Opthalmoplegic migraine begins with a headache felt in the eyes and is accompanied by vomiting. With increase of the headache, the eyelid droops and the nerves responsible of eye movement are paralysed. It may continue for days or weeks.
Status migraine is a rare, but severe migraine involving intense pain which lasts usually longer than 72 hours. The patient requires intensive treatment.
The diagnosis is done by your neurological specialist and he will treat you also. Your doctor analyse your migraine history and make an appropriate treatment programme. The aims are to prevent and reduce the migraine attacks and also shorten the duration of migraine.
The drugs used are beta blockers, antiepileptic drugs, calcium channel blockers, SSRIs and antidepressants. Persons with very severe migraines are treated with methysergide maleate. Mono or multi drug therapy is used according to the need. 60% patients need drugs. All these medicines have adverse side effects.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
50% of the women trafficked are minors. Tens of thousand times women believe false promises of men and in the destination with physical force, drugs or torture they will be broken to engage in prostitution. Everybody knows this but very little is happening to stop this.
If a girl could earn the monthly income of her father in one night some father’s even in Eastern Europe send their daughter for this work. It is a shame, but poverty is the root cause for this. Asia, Africa, South America and East European countries are the main places from where the women and children are trafficked for prostitution. Unfortunately, sometimes, the father or the husband sells minor girls or wife and this happens even in India.
Domestic workers face serious abuses and exploitation such as physical and sexual abuse, excessive working hours, no rest days, almost house arrest, punishments like denial of food and health care, and above all non-payment of wages. Most governments, including those in Western countries, exclude domestic workers from the coverage of the labour laws. Thus they have no protection and suffer a lot. These abuses take place in private homes and the public has no chance to know or see these offences.
Trafficking in children also takes place to train the children to beg. Parts of the body are damaged so that they could get more money. Some are trained to be pickpockets and others are exploited as drug couriers because in some countries children below 14 are not tried in the court of law.
We preach everyday so many good things for others. Here the children are physically and mentally destroyed. Are we not in a position to stop this evil? Anyhow, it is a shame to all. It can happen to any child. So protect your children very carefully.
For further details read my book “Sexual Abuse of Children and Sex Health Education” published in Aaron Verlag Publishers Private Limited. The original is in English and the Tamil translation is also available. It is also available as e-book. For further particulars visit www.aaronverlag.com.
According to World Forum of Child Labour Convention, 1999, of the International Labour Organization, the use, procuring or offering a child for prostitution is one of the worst forms of child labour and exploitation.
Child prostitution is a Taboo theme for the normal public and they also know less about this. But the customers or the abusers also come from all the societies. The children are the victim mostly because they are physically weak and helpless to defend themselves.
The estimated number of sex-workers in India is more than a million and 30% are believed to be children. It is increasing around 10% every year. The situation in Mumbai is extreme but it is prevalent in all the big cities. It may be different in Hyderabad than in Chennai and depends on various factors.
The police are in a position to crack down child prostitution in India without any problem. It does not materialize because of the lack of places everywhere for the victims. Place to live, school education, social security and a fair chance for the integration is the urgent need. Here, politics, industries and the society must have the will and courage to arrange to realize this.
It is not mainly sex tourism which creates child prostitution in India like in many developing countries. It is mostly gender discrimination and trafficking of children as well as selling children from various sources, may be from parents or husbands. Incest also plays a role here.
The myth that a man can get rid off HIV/AIDS or other sexually transmitted diseases if he sleeps with a virgin has increased the demand for virgins and children. This is particularly worst in Africa. The result is an increase in the number of HIV infected women as well as their infected children. They pay this high price although they are innocent.
Child prostitution is not only a problem of big cities but it is present everywhere including rural areas in the world. In most of the countries there are very strict laws against child prostitution or trafficking but in reality it sees entirely different. Unfortunately, the men who have to guarantee these rights are also the men with weakness. It is applicable to developed countries also in every field. They are not weak men; I would rather say they are mentally sick men with less chance to have a normal relationship with women or old. There are several examples throughout the world for this.
Poverty, lack of love and affection in the family, loneliness, problems at school and alcohol and drug addiction are the main reasons which push children to this evil. The average age of a child prostitute is 13 years. We do not go in detail to their health damage physically as well as psychologically, but these are very serious. A child prostitute becomes a whore when she becomes an adult and mostly the fate of her girl child is also the same.
In Africa this problem has the following grounds:
The myth about virgin and HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases
Pornography and everything extreme connected to this
Demand for black children from North American and European men for sexual purposes. Here, most of the victims are girl-children but there are also male-teenage victims who serve women.
Not to forget the poverty or civil war connected crimes to children, the weakest member of the society.
Moreover, we should not forget the age of consent for sex in many countries is 13 years old and 13 year old is for me a child. It is a shame.
For further details read my book “Sexual Abuse of Children and Sex Health Education” published in Aaron Verlag Publishers Private Limited. The original is in English and the Tamil translation is also available. It is also available as e-book. For further particulars visit www.aaronverlag.com.
Child pornography existed before the creation of the Internet. But the Internet has increased the volume and accessibility of child pornography to many.
The categories of child pornography include:
• Images depicting nudity or erotic posing with no sexual activity
• Sexual activity between children or masturbation by a child
• Non-penetrative sexual activity between adult and child
• Penetrative sexual activity between adult and child
• Sadism or bestiality
Every year millions of children and teenagers go missing; most of them are female. Many come back, some are found murdered and many are gone forever. So it is a big evil and problem for the society. We have to prevent this completely.
It is in our hands to protect our children. Be careful always.
For further details read my book “Sexual Abuse of Children and Sex Health Education” published in Aaron Verlag Publishers Private Limited. The original is in English and the Tamil translation is also available. It is also available as e-book. For further particulars visit www.aaronverlag.com.
This child is a sex slave, so to speak, to this person for this time without any rights. This is an inhuman evil in the sexual abuse of a child. If he has HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases, child might get that too.
Some countries like Germany punish their citizens if the issue comes out in the open, and the local police could also take action. If one observes such things it is better to inform the police immediately. But many hotels tolerate this to get guests and a regular unannounced control will help here to control this evil. The black market is flourishing and poverty and big quick money make it possible for such worst decisions of the families to send their daughters and sons for this horrible work.
This evil damages the body as well as the mind of the child for its rest of life. It is very difficult for them later in their life to develop normal contact to their better half.
Yes, boys are also sexually abused in sex tourism. When I asked a person known to me how it is possible in her country, the straight answer was that many families think it is better to send the son than spoiling the daughter.
To stop this evil every individual can do his best. Keep your eyes open and if something unwanted happens inform the police immediately.
Children are the wealth of our earth and it is our duty to prevent this evil.
For further details read my book “Sexual Abuse of Children and Sex Health Education” published in Aaron Verlag Publishers Private Limited. The original is in English and the Tamil translation is also available. It is also available as e-book. For further particulars visit www.aaronverlag.com.
Paedophiles are individuals who prey on children sexually. They act alone or in groups. They volunteer to work in sport, cultural or religious gatherings to mingle with children. They also do anything to gain access to the children. A paedophile need not molest a child but he has abnormal sexual desires and urges.
It is impossible to estimate the number of paedophiles in the world. The volume of materials in the Internet shows that there are many. In the production, distribution and possession of child pornography paedophiles play a big role.
Good work is done with international cooperation to find and arrest many paedophiles in many countries. The Internet is so uncontrolled and it is very difficult for the police experts to catch them.
Looking child pornography in the internet is a crime. If you come across accidentally such a page inform the police immediately.
In Facebook many have given their name, home town, mail address, sometimes even telephone number and the name of the children. It is not necessary to give any information about your children anywhere. It is not at all necessary to put the picture of your children in the profile picture. If you do not want to put your picture put some nice flower or other pictures.
Children are the weakest section of our society, have no lobby and it is our duty to safeguard them from bad elements.
For further details read my book “Sexual Abuse of Children and Sex Health Education” published in Aaron Verlag Publishers Private Limited. The original is in English and the Tamil translation is also available. It is also available as e-book. For further particulars visit www.aaronverlag.com.
There are more than 300 types of headaches and the most common one is tension headache. If you are under stress this headache comes again and again. This is not very serious, but it can be very painful.
The causes of tension headache are not known. Now it is thought that a change in brain chemicals may be a cause. Otherwise tension or spasms in the muscles of your neck face and head may be the usual causes.
The tension headache symptoms include:
• There is constant pain, but not throbbing. The pain or pressure is felt on both sides of your head
• Pressure which makes you feel like your head in a vise
• Pain at the back of your head, neck or temples
Tension headache comes back if you have stress. They can last 30 minutes to several days. Normally the pain is not severe and does not affect your day-to-day life. If the pain is severe and lasts long go to your doctor.
To prevent tension headache you must learn how to handle your stress. Sleep enough and regular physical activity is important. Eat healthy food on a regular schedule. Whatever you do, try to avoid straining of your eyes. So to say a healthy lifestyle is important.
Tension headache is treated with painkillers like paracetamol or aspirin and these are mostly prescription-free. If you take often painkillers there may be the possibility of getting rebound headaches which are different from tension headache. This type of headache starts when the effect of the painkiller is gone. It is possible that you get headache whenever you stop taking the medicine. For the chronic tension headache you must take stronger painkillers and consult your doctor for that.
Even with medicines you may have headache, but may have it less often. Here every individual is different.
Write a diary about the time, date and the happenings on that day so that later it is useful for your doctor to treat you.
Hangover is the many unpleasant physiological effects in the next morning after heavy consumption of alcoholic drinks. The most common characteristics are headache, thirst, lethargy, nausea and anxiety, light or noise irritability and restlessness. It is really an uncomfortable and unpleasant mood.
The usual symptoms are dehydration, low blood sugar level, vitamin B1 deficiency and possible acetaldehyde intoxication.
The duration may be up to three days depending on the type of alcoholic beverages consumed in the previous night.
Ethanol causes increased urine production and dehydration is the reason for headache, lethargy and dry mouth and this can be relieved by drinking water or soft drinks. Coffee is not a cure for hangover headache because it increases the production of urine and thus goes with only dehydration. A glass of milk or orange juice – calcium and vitamin C – can also combat the symptoms of a hangover if taken shortly after the consumption of alcohol.
It slows down the gluconeogenesis, the process of forming glucose in the liver from the non-carbohydrate substrates and this causes low blood sugar value. Glucose is the primary energy source of the brain and this causes the hangover symptoms, such as, fatigue, bad mood and poor concentration capabilities. Take fructose from honey or tomato juice which competes with the metabolism of alcohol, prevents the sudden fall of alcohol level in the blood which triggers the morning after headache.
The presence of higher alcohols and the by products of fermentation, causes hangover headache and they could be removed by distilling, particularly in the case of vodka. But it does not mean that you can drink vodka excessively. One drink for a woman, two drinks for a man or a glass of beer or wine or champagne is the gold standard for alcoholic beverages as a social drinking. But, it is better to avoid alcohol because it is not a food that plays a role in our metabolism and causes more problems for the family and society.
It is bad to drink any alcoholic beverage with empty stomach, it can reach the blood stream quickly, thus it reaches in the brain fast and the effects we experience immediately as well as in the next morning are serious.
Red wines have less congener than white wines and the hangover is less with white wine. There are persons who react very negatively with red wine and it can affect them within a short time of 15 minutes after drinking a glass; it is called the red wine headache. These persons must avoid the red wine.
Taking two aspirins before going to bed is not a cure for hangover headache. Aspirin and ibuprofen may irritate the stomach lining.
Caution: Paracetamol, the pain killer can cause severe liver problems when mixed with alcohol.
Exercise - a light jogging can help you to get over a hangover.
Excessive alcohol consumption can reduce the magnesium level in the blood and persons with low magnesium level may experience more severe hangover headache.
Vitamin B1 is mostly deficient in heavy drinkers.
Vitamin B6 can reduce the hangover symptoms.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
When something very cold touches the roof of your mouth on a hot day, it triggers a headache and this is called the ice cream headache.
It is because of the dilation of the blood vessels in the head and this may be caused by the nerves above the roof of your mouth when they become cold.
It is also called brain freeze and to avoid this, keep very cold food or beverages away from the roof of your mouth.
Fortunately, this ice cream headache lasts only for thirty seconds.
It is applicable to persons who drink strong and much coffee. If you quit suddenly the possibility of getting caffeine-withdrawal headaches and other symptoms is there.
These symptoms include:
• Nausea
• Fatigue
• Muscle pain
• Mild depression
These symptoms may start within twelve to twenty four hours and may continue for a week. If you are a heavy coffee consumer, wants to stop it, it is better to consult your doctor. Otherwise, the symptoms can be interpreted wrongly and you may get unnecessary medicines which, in turn, bring more problems.
Frequent coffee drinkers usually get morning headache and after the morning coffee the headache disappears, the reason could be the caffeine withdrawal for several hours in the night. But, this is a devils circle which requires more intake of coffee.
It is possible to get caffeine-withdrawal headache if you consume more cups of coffee at your office and consume less in weekends and holidays. You must think about everything always because these small, but mostly unknown dangers are waiting for you.
What is the safe way to reduce or withdraw caffeine? Every few days cut a cup of coffee until you feel comfortable or you can mix regular coffee with decaffeinated coffee to reduce the amount of caffeine. It is very important to cut back of your other caffeine sources like colas and other caffeinated soft drinks.
If you are a smoker, the strategy is entirely different because nicotine lowers the half life of caffeine in our blood and smokers excrete caffeine more quickly from the body than non- smokers.
If you stop smoking, you must also reduce the amount of caffeine in your blood by drinking less coffee. More caffeine in the blood brings only jitters.
Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative arthritis, is a type of most common arthritis which is caused by the breakdown and eventual loss of the cartilage of one or more joints. Cartilage is a protein substance which serves as a cushion between the bones and the joints.
Osteoarthritis commonly affects the hands, feet, spine and large weight-bearing joints, such as the knees and hips. It worsens gradually with time and no cure exists, but the treatments can relieve pain to lead an active life.
The general symptoms are pain in the joints, tenderness in the joint, stiffness, swelling, loss of flexibility of the joint and the hard lumps which may form around the affected joint.
It is not clear what causes osteoarthritis in most cases, but the factors may be including, the aging process, overweight, heredity, muscle weakness and joint injury or stress. Food, tension and environmental factors play always a vital role.
If you have swelling or stiffness in your joints for more than two weeks, go to your doctor and he will do the needful.
There is no known cure for osteoarthritis, but treatments and lifestyle can help to reduce pain and keep joint movements to manage your daily routine.
Alternative medicine could also help you, normally people try allopathy, if there is no positive result, and they go for the alternative medicines. I know many who are very happy with this.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory form of arthritis which causes joint pain and damage by attacking the lining of the joints, causing pain and swelling and this can also lead to deformity. It is more common, two to three times, in women than in men and the vulnerable age is between forty and sixty..
There is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis, but with drugs (mostly these are not helping) and reasonable life style, one can have a long and productive life.
The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include:
• Joint swelling, pain
• Joints which are sensitive to the touch
• Fatigue
• Red and puffy hands
• Weight loss
• Fever
• Morning stiffness which lasts around 30 minutes
• Firm bumps of tissue, rheumatoid nodules under the skin of the arms.
Medical sciences do not have an answer what causes this process of white blood cells coming to joints, which in course of time leads to rheumatoid arthritis. Here the genes, one’s life style including animal food, smoking, alcohol, environmental toxins, oxygen free radicals and may be viruses are the causes.
There is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis and the main aim of the treatment is to reduce the inflammation in the joints to relieve pain and prevent or at least slow joint damage. Early and good treatment may slow the joint damage and can help to reduce the risk of disability. Drugs are the first choice, but in advanced joint damage surgery is needed. It is important to know that all the drugs are not equally good and here the pharmaceutical industry has produced questionable drugs according to experts and it is also observed by me in thousands of patients because these patients have tried almost every drug which is available in the hope of pain relief.
Self-care measures can help you to lead a satisfactory life. The following are important to do:
• Do regularly exercise
• Eat a healthy diet
• Try to protect your joints always
• Use the devices which help you to lead an independent daily life
• Apply heat or cold which helps to relieve pain
• Do not worry about anything, relax and relax always.
Alternative medicine plays also an important role in rheumatoid arthritis and it is worth trying it if the allopathy drugs do not bring relief. I have met several people who manage this disease with alternative natural medicines as well as with right food. Raw food helps here.
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Dr.K.Padmanaban Ph.D
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