Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is often referred to as COPD. It is a chronic inflammatory disease that occurs in the lungs. It causes the airflow from the lungs to become obstructed. Chronic
Read MoreMany Americans are eating more calories than they burn mainly because food is more convenient than ever before. It is very easily accessible, especially with the use of mobile apps these days. The majority of Americans also don't get much exercise.
Read MoreThe spleen is an organ that sits on the left upper quarter of the abdomen. The spleen commonly lies under the ninth to the twelve rib, next to the stomach and pancreas. One of the major functions of the spleen is to filter the blood of old and dying red blood cells. The spleen also stores platelets that normally help in blood coagulation and clotting.
Read MoreA new reports says that one in five, or about 20 percent, of American kids have unhealthy levels of cholesterol. Cholesterol levels are even worse for children who are obese as over 43 percent of obese kids have bad cholesterol levels. Among this group, teenagers have the worst cholesterol levels; 27 percent are aged 16 to 19 years old. Heart disease with artery clogging blockages can start as young as three years old.
About 21 percent of American children and teens have some form of “abnormal” cholesterol. And nearly 14 percent of kids have unhealthily low levels of “good” cholesterol. Cholesterol levels in children are mainly associated with diet, obesity, and heredity.
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that is found in the cells of our bodies. We naturally produce cholesterol because it makes other essential substances such as vitamin D or hormones. It also makes substances to help with digestion. However, cholesterol is also found in the food we consume such as poultry, meat, and dairy products. Consuming foods that are high in saturated and trans-fats makes our liver produce more cholesterol than we need. Too much cholesterol causes plaque to develop in the walls of the arteries. Increased cholesterol levels can eventually lead to serious health problems such as blood clots, stroke, or heart attack.
There are two types of cholesterol: good cholesterol and bad cholesterol. “Bad cholesterol” is also known as LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol. High levels of LDL cholesterol create a buildup of plaque in the artery walls, which can cause the arteries to become blocked. This can result in atherosclerosis, blood clots, heart attack, stroke, and peripheral artery disease.
“Good” cholesterol is also known as HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol. HDL cholesterol helps remove LDL cholesterol from the artery walls. Good levels of HDL cholesterol help protect us from heart attacks and strokes. However, a low HDL cholesterol levels may increase the risk of developing heart disease.
When should your child have their cholesterol levels checked? It is recommended that children start screening as early as age 2, but no later than age 10. If the fasting lipid profile is normal, they should be screened again in three to five years.
For kids who are overweight or obese and who have a high blood-fat level or low level of "good" HDL cholesterol, the first form of treatment is to lose weight. This can be done by eating a healthier diet, getting more physical exercise, and often times getting nutritional counseling.
Tips for children to improve cholesterol levels
· Exercise regularly. Regular aerobic exercise, such as running, biking, and swimming, can help raise HDL levels which lowers the risk for heart disease.
· Eat a healthy diet. Eat foods low in total fat, saturated fat, trans-fat, and cholesterol. Make sure to eat a variety of foods in order to get all the essential nutrients.
Pharyngitis is caused by swelling in the back of the throat between the tonsils and the larynx. It most often occurs during cold and flu seasons when viral infections are prevalent. It usually spreads between people by breathing in bacteria or viruses that are spread in the air, or by touching surfaces or objects that have been exposed with germs.
Read MoreStress can take a toll on your blood sugar levels. The most common type of stress is often associated with work. When you are feeling overwhelmed and under a lot of stress, your body releases hormones that can make your increase your blood sugar. This is more common in people with type 2 diabetes. To de-stress, learn how to relax and practice deep breathing. Exercise can help too. Also, try to eliminate some of the things that are making you so stressed out.
Read MoreLast week, the World Health Organization announced that there is new evidence suggesting red meat is linked to the development of colorectal cancer. The main culprit is processed meat, however unprocessed meat was found to be no good either. Processed meat is any meat that has been preserved by smoking, curing, salting or adding chemical preservatives.
The study, which was carried out by researchers at the University of Oxford, involved more than 500,000 British men and women between the ages of 40 and 69. The researchers observed their dietary habits specifically related to meat consumption. The results showed that people who ate four servings of red meat a week were 42 percent more likely to develop colorectal cancer than those who had one serving or none at all. Furthermore, people who ate red meat at least twice a week were 18 percent more likely to develop colorectal cancer than vegetarians.
The WHO are now categorizing processed meats as a known human carcinogen. They also concluded that each 50-gram portion of processed meat (less than 2 ounces) eaten daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18 percent. For unprocessed red meat, the results were only slightly better. The WHO is categorizing unprocessed meat as ‘probably causes cancer.’
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the United States. Among women and men combined, it is the second leading cause of cancer death. It is estimated that colorectal cancer will kill about 49,700 people in 2015. The lifetime risk of developing colorectal cancer is about 1 in 20. This risk is slightly lower in women than in men.
How to reduce your risk for colorectal cancer
· Maintain a healthy diet. Eat a diet that consists of a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
· Maintain a healthy weight, or lose weight if you are overweight or obese. A health or normal weight is a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9.
· Stay physically active. This means getting exercise most days of the week. Try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week.
· Limit alcohol consumption. Either drink alcohol in moderation, or avoid it completely. If you choose to drink alcohol, try not to drink more than one drink a day for women and two for men.
· Avoid or quit smoking.
Avoid red meat. Processed and even unprocessed red meat is apparently no good for us. Red meat has been linked to various cancers including colorectal, prostate, kidney and pancreatic cancer. This includes beef, bacon, sausage, ham, etc.
Eat fruits and vegetables every day. Eat a wide variety of fruits and veggies such as broccoli and berries. Dark-green leafy vegetables are especially helpful in fighting cancer.
Add turmeric to your food. Turmeric is an Indian spice. It is also a polyphenol that has excellent anti-inflammatory properties.
Include more fiber. Good sources of fiber include whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Did you know that every 10 grams of daily fiber intake reduces the risk of colon cancer by 10 percent? Aim for 25 grams of fiber daily.
Limit or avoid alcohol consumption. Alcohol is a risk factor for oral cancers. This includes esophageal, liver, colon, breast, and possibly pancreatic cancer. It is recommended that women drink no more than one drink daily and men drink no more than two drinks daily.
Eat more fish. Fish that are low in saturated fat and high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon reduce inflammation, which is linked to cancer.
Eat organic. The development of at least nine different cancers is associated with exposure to certain pesticides. Buy organic.
Drink green tea. Green tea contains catechins which are also known as antioxidants. Antioxidants are great source or protection for our cells from DNA damage. They also strengthen our immune system and activate enzymes that fight off tumors.
Avoid foods with trans fats. Trans fat is often found in fried foods and sweets. Trans fat increases your risk for cancers including breast and prostate cancer.
Get enough vitamin D. More vitamin D in the blood is associated with lower rates of various cancers including colon, breast, ovarian, renal, pancreatic, and prostate. Ask your doctor about a supplement, and whether you should eat more vitamin D rich foods, or get more sun.
A sinus infection is also known as sinusitis. The sinuses are responsible for filtering and humidifying the air we inhale. When we are healthy, our sinus secretions are always moving and draining into the nasal cavity. However, when the movement of those secretions is blocked or mucus is thickened, sinusitis can occur. Sinusitis is a painful inflammation of the sinuses. It is estimated that sinusitis affects up to 20 percent of people at some point. It can be caused by viruses, bacteria, or other factors.
Symptoms include drainage of a thick, yellow or greenish discharge from the nose or down the back of the throat, nasal obstruction or congestion, causing difficulty breathing through your nose, pain, tenderness and swelling around your eyes, cheeks, nose or forehead, or a reduced sense of smell and taste, ear pain, aching in your upper jaw and teeth, cough, which may be worse at night, sore throat, bad breath (aka halitosis), fatigue or irritability, or nausea.
Treatment options
· Medications. Medications used to treat sinusitis and sinus infections include analgesics for pain, decongestants, saline nasal irrigation, and intranasal corticosteroids.
· Neti pots. Nasal irrigation with saline solutions or salt water offer a safe and inexpensive treatment option for sinusitis symptom relief in both adults and children, especially in chronic or frequent sinusitis. Rinsing the nose with a solution of salt water can soften nasal secretions and clear out mucus.
· Decongestants. Many people find decongestants such as pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) helpful in reducing pressure and pain. Decongestants reduce sinus swelling and encourage mucus to drain into the nose. The best option is usually a nasal spray decongestant. Topical decongestants should not be used for longer than three days because they can cause rebound congestion.
· Antibiotics. Not used to treat sinusitis as much anymore. This is cecause most cases of viral sinusitis resolve without treatment, and bacterial infection occurs in only a very small number of cases. They are only often recommended for adults or children who suffer from acute bacterial sinusitis.
· Surgery. Surgery is sometimes used to treat chronic sinusitis that persists, recurrent acute sinusitis, or when acute bacterial sinusitis does not respond to antibiotic treatment. The goals of surgery are to improve drainage and the passage of air through the sinuses, and to remove unwanted debris. Types of surgery include:
o Functional endoscopic sinus surgery: the main type of sinusitis surgery.
o Facial ultrasound: can also be effective for relieving pain and congestion associated with acute bacterial sinusitis.
o Adenoidectomy (removal of the adenoids) or adeno-tonsillectomy (removal of the adenoids and the tonsils): sometimes used in children to improve symptoms of chronic sinusitis.
Rosacea affects about 16 million people in the United States. This skin disorder is caused by chronic inflammation, usually characterized by persistent redness on the cheeks and nose. In some cases, small pimples and eye irritation occur. This disease is often a frustrating and challenging condition to manage.
Read MoreCDC: 2 people have died, and 91 others have been hospitalized, due to an outbreak of salmonella spanning 31 states that's been linked to cucumbers grown in Mexico. A Texas woman who had serious underlying health issues is the most recent victim to be killed by the outbreak, which has been traced back to cucumbers distributed in California.
Read Morehronic sinusitis is also known as chronic rhinosinusitis. It is a common condition that occurs when the cavities around the sinuses become swollen and inflamed. Chronic sinusitis disrupts the normal nasal drainage and causes an accumulation of mucus in the sinuses.
Read MoreThere is a major difference between occasional overeating and binge-eating disorder. Binging, or compulsive overeating, is probably something we have all experienced at one point or another in our lives.
Read MoreAnxiety is a common disorder that involves feeling overwhelmed and stressed, fear, or panic. There are a number of different types of anxiety disorders. When anxiety builds up or the feelings become too intense, it can cause a person to have a panic attack.
Read MoreMultiple sclerosis is a disease of the central nervous system that affects the brain and spinal cord. It causes your immune system to attack the myelin sheath that covers your nerves. When myelin becomes damaged, it interferes with the pathway between your brain and the rest of your body that allows the two to communicate. Eventually, the nerves gradually deteriorate. Unfortunately, multiple sclerosis is irreversible and there is currently no cure as of yet.
Read MoreDepression is serious condition and a mood disorder that causes a person to feel constant feelings of sadness and a lack of interest. Depression is also known as major depressive disorder or clinical depression. The condition can be quite debilitating as it tends to take control of how you think, feel, and behave. This can cause a number of physical and emotional issues that can have a very negative affect on a person’s quality of life.
Read MoreLactose intolerance is a condition in which people are unable to completely digest lactose. Lactose is the sugar that is found in milk. Being lactose intolerant causes a number of embarrassing and uncomfortable symptoms such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea after eating or drinking dairy products. Lactose intolerance may also be known as lactose malabsorption. There are no serious complications associated with the condition and the symptoms can be managed. There are millions of people in the United States who have some degree of lactose intolerance.
Read MoreLactose intolerance is a condition in which people are unable to completely digest lactose. Lactose is the sugar that is found in milk. Being lactose intolerant causes a number of embarrassing and uncomfortable symptoms such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea after eating or drinking dairy products. Lactose intolerance may also be known as lactose malabsorption. There are no serious complications associated with the condition and the symptoms can be managed. There are millions of people in the United States who have some degree of lactose intolerance.
Read MoreCeliac disease is a condition of the digestive system. It is a digestive disorder that occurs as a result of eating gluten. Gluten is a protein that is found in foods such as wheat, rye, and barley. People with celiac disease have a negative reaction to eating gluten in which case their immune system becomes inflamed and damaged. Eating gluten causes an immune response in your small intestine. The small intestine becomes inflamed and is unable to process certain nutrients. Over time, this can cause problems such as bloating, diarrhea, weight loss, and even more severe issues involving the liver, nervous system and bones.
Read MoreMore than 700,000 total knee replacement surgeries every year in the U.S. It's important everyone is educated on how to keep their bodies healthy. It is never going to be a good thing that we're getting used to real wear and tear for our bodies. Besides a traumatic incident to the knee, you shouldn't have knee pain. How? By correcting the Q angle. In the physical therapy world, the Q angle is often overlooked and underestimated
Read MoreObesity is an extremely common problem in the United States, and all over the world. It is estimated that more than one-third of adults (72 million people) and 17 percent of children in the United States are obese. The most common causes of obesity include a lack of physical activity and eating an unhealthy diet. Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. These are some of the leading causes of preventable death.
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