Posts by davidolivares2705:
IBS – Got Irritating Bowels?
September 14th, 2008INTRODUCTION: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel condition of the gastrointestinal tract characterized by recurrent abdominal pain and discomfort accompanied by changes in bowel function, diarrhea, constipation or a combination of both, typically over months or years. It happens predominantly in women, with females representing over 70% of sufferers and can cause cramping, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and constipation. Irritable Bowel Syndrome doesn’t damage the bowel or lead to other health problems. It has no known cure, but you can do things to ease the symptoms.
SYNDROME: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a long-term (chronic) but manageable condition. No single type of treatment works best for everyone. It is a “syndrome,” meaning a group of symptoms. As noted, Irritable Bowel Syndrome is characterized by its symptoms such as continuous or recurrent lower abdominal pain or cramping (from mild to excruciating) in association with altered bowel motility (diarrhea, constipation, or both).
It’s important that the following diseases are excluded before you accept a diagnosis of IBS: Colon and carcinoid cancer, Inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis), Bowel obstructions, Diverticulosis / Diverticulitis, Gallstones, Food allergies, Celiac (a genetic, autoimmune disorder resulting in gluten intolerance), Bacterial infections and small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), Intestinal parasites, Endometriosis, Ovarian cancer.
SYMPTOMS: Signs that cumulatively support the diagnosis of IBS: unusual stool frequency (may be defined as greater than 3 bowel movements daily or less than 3 bowel movements weekly), abnormal stool form (lumpy/hard or loose/watery stool), abnormal stool passage (straining, urgency, or incomplete evacuation feeling), passage of mucus, bloating or feeling of abdominal distension.
You and your health professional will need to work together to determine what may be triggering your symptoms. It may be necessary for you to adapt your lifestyle to best deal with your symptoms and still carry on with your daily activities.
TREATMENT: Depends on the kinds of symptoms you have and their severity, as well as how they affect your day to day life, and will likely involve alterations to your lifestyle. It is important that you work closely with your doctor to put together a treatment plan that will meet your needs.
Tell your physician if parts of your treatment are not helping your symptoms. Your physician will give you the best treatments for your particular symptoms and encourage you to manage stress and make alterations to your diet. Unfortunately, a large number of people suffer from IBS for a long time before seeking medical treatment.
CONCLUSION: Irritable bowel syndrome affects the colon, or large bowel, which is the part of the digestive tract that stores stool. It can create a lot of discomfort and distress, but it does not permanently hurt the intestines and does not lead to a serious disease, such as cancer. It is usually diagnosed on the basis of a complete medical history that includes a careful description of symptoms and a physical examination.
Irritable bowel syndrome is running rampant because traditional medicine has no diagnosis for it. For some persons who have it, certain foods may trigger symptoms. If you suffer from this condition you may already know that fat can irritate your problem. A diagnosis of Irritable bowel syndrome has been reported by 10 to 20% of adults in the USA, and symptoms are responsible for over 3,000,000 yearly visits to doctors.
Yeast Infection – There’s Some Fungus Among Us!
September 9th, 2008INTRODUCTION: A vaginal yeast infection is normally created by a fungus called Candida albicans which is normally found in small quantities in the vagina. While a is certainly not a pleasant experience, there’s no need to spend too a lot of time worrying about it.
Yeast infection is also more common after menopause due to declining estrogen levels, which thin the vaginal walls. It is usually not spread by sexual intercourse.
The only time Candida Albicans is a problem is when the conditions in its environment are such that it starts to grow and reproduce at an increased rate. When this happens a vaginal yeast infection is the result. If the yeast infection is left untreated, some physicians believe that the Candida Albican will continue to reproduce at an alarming rate. They feel that if the vaginal yeast infection is left untreated that it will create an imbalance in the bodies natural bacterias and the person’s immune system will become involved, in short the person will grow sicker and sicker.
SYMPTOMS: Signs of a yeast infection are similar to a number of other conditions, including bacterial vaginosis (a bacterial infection of the vagina), trichomoniasis (a sexually transmitted infection), and contact or allergic dermatitis (a skin reaction to an irritating or allergic substance).
They can frequently include intense and unbearable itching, rash, a burning sensation, vaginal discharge, and pain while having sexual intercourse. Your physician will ask about your symptoms and examine you. He/she may also collect samples of cells from areas were you are having symptoms, such as the mouth or vagina.
TREATMENT: Treating vaginal yeast infection may include a topical cream or tablet; most are applied inside the vagina at bedtime with an applicator. Treatment durations vary according to the formulation; one, three, and seven-day treatments are equally effective. Women with recurrent infections should use a longer course of treatment for infections, between 10 to 14 days for a topical (cream or suppository) medication or fluconazole 150 mg by mouth with a second dose 72 hours later.
Treating with antibiotics can lead to eliminating the yeast’s natural competitors for resources, and increase the severity of the condition. Treating yeast infections will not help or cure sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, or trichomonas.
CONCLUSION: Let your physician help you be certain that yeast infection is the problem and, if it is, to determine why does not respond to current treatment. If you feel that your infection is immune to the over-the-counter medicine you are using, you can try using a new product, or go to your physician for a prescription treatment.
A good home treatment for vaginal yeast infection is to raise your immune system through correct diet and complete sleep. Probably the easiest way to deal with a yeast infection is to prevent it. This may be a major “well duh”, but one of the best ways to treat a yeast infection is to wash yourself thoroughly at least once a day.
Morning Sickness – What A Terrible Choice of Words!
September 8th, 2008INTRODUCTION: Morning sickness is the nauseated feeling you get during pregnancy and can be, but is not always, accompanied by vomiting. These nauseating feelings, which can actually occur at any time of the day, can really put a damper on your excitement about being pregnant. It can only become a problem for your baby if you can’t keep any foods or fluids down and begin to lose a lot of weight. This problem and the others that occur around this time are almost always mild enough to manage on your own and occurs in 50% to 80% of new mother’s to be.
NAUSEA AND VOMITING: Nausea and vomiting can be one of the first signs of pregnancy and usually begins around the 6th week after conception and continue beyond your 4th month of pregnancy. These signs usually go away 12 to 14 weeks into pregnancy. Nausea and vomiting are the most common complaints of pregnant women and can be made worse by lying on her side.
This nausea seems to stem, at least in part, from rapidly increasing levels of estrogen, which causes the stomach to empty slower. You should always contact your physician: If you are suffering from excessive nausea and vomiting that prevents you from holding any food down, If vomiting is accompanied by pain or fever, If nausea and vomiting persists well into the second trimester (after 13th week).
TREATMENT: The most important thing is to inform your physician when these symptoms appear and discuss possible solutions. Severe morning sickness (hyperemesis gravidarum) may neccesitate a stay in the hospital and treatment with intravenous (IV) fluids and medications, including anti-emetics, which control nausea.
A lot of women do not request treatment for morning sickness because of fears about treatment safety. Yet, once symptoms progress, treatment can become more difficult. Mild cases may be resolved with lifestyle and dietary modifications, and safe and effective measures are available for severer cases. Your best course of action for controlling the nausea and vomiting is home treatment. These measures include: Modifying what, when, and how much you eat.
Therefore, during the first-trimester use home treatment for your symptoms, unless your health care professional recommends medicine. Taking Vitamin B6 or Vitamin B6 plus doxylamine (an antihistamine) is safe and effective and should be considered a first-line treatment. Although ginger ale or ginger tea may ease mild nausea, your best bet for treating with ginger is with regular daily use. With any over-the-counter supplement, including herbs, it’s always a good idea to check with your physician first, particularly to make sure the symptoms aren’t related to a more serious condition that needs medical treatment.
However, few women get complete relief from morning sickness with any treatment. If you’re looking for medical advice, a diagnosis, or treatment, speak to your physician or other qualified medical professional.
CONCLUSION: Morning sickness, which can occur at any time of the day or night, is one of the classic symptoms of pregnancy. The term is a misnomer, since it can happen at any time of the day or night and is more common with women who are under a great deal of stress, either at work or home.
Signs can range from mild, occasional nausea to severe, continuous, disabling nausea with episodes of vomiting and generally improves by the 13th or 14th week of pregnancy, but some women continue to feel nausea into their second trimester. Also, it may be more severe if this is your 1st pregnancy or if you’re carrying multiple fetuses.
The majority of women who experience morning sickness notice a dramatic improvement after the first trimester – at approximately 13 weeks. For prevention: Eat frequent small meals, every 2 or 3 hours, rather than three large meals daily. Try ginger, which has proven effective in combating morning sickness. Proven ginger products include: ginger tea, ginger candy, and ginger soda. Call your MD if your signs do not improve, despite trying these remedies.
Heart Disease – Public Enemy Number One?
September 3rd, 2008INTRODUCTION: Heart disease is a number of abnormal conditions affecting the heart and its blood vessels. Also called cardiovascular disease, it mainly affects older people and indicates that there are problems with the heart and blood vessels.
It has become the leading cause of death in the United States, is a major cause of disability, doesn’t go away, but by working with your doctor, you can live longer and feel better. Types of cardiovascular disease include: Coronary artery disease (CAD), the most common type and is the leading cause of heart attacks.
In 2003, almost two times as many women died of cardiovascular disease (both heart disease and stroke) than from all cancers combined. The older a woman becomes, the more likely she is to develop cardiovascular problems; however women at all ages should be concerned.
African American and Hispanic American/Latina women are more likely to get heart disease because they tend to have more risk factors such as obesity, lack of exercise, high blood pressure, and diabetes than Caucasian women. Women of color are also more likely to die of the disease.
Having diabetes elevates your chances of developing heart disease and high levels of triglycerides are linked to the disease in some people. Also Being obese increases your risk. Chest or arm pain or discomfort can be a symptom of cardiovascular problems and a warning sign of an actual or impending heart attack.
If your father or brother had a heart attack before age 55, or if your mom had one before age 65, you’re more likely to get heart disease. Birth control pills can present risks for some women, especially women older than 35, women with elevated blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol and those who smoke.
Almost 700,000 people die of heart disease in the U.S. each year. You can find out more about heart disease by contacting the National Women’s Health Information Center at 1-800-994-9662.
The risk of coronary disease can be decreased by taking steps to prevent and control those factors that put people at increased risk for cardiovascular disease and heart attack. The very best ways to prevent heart disease are to control your blood pressure, diabetes or a higher than normal cholesterol level and, if you smoke, STOP SMOKING.
CHOLESTEROL: What does a elevated cholesterol level have to do with heart disease? Cholesterol can block your arteries and keep your heart from getting the blood it needs. People with elevated blood cholesterol or high blood triglycerides frequently have no symptoms, so have your blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels checked regularly. If your levels are high, talk to your MD about what you can do to lower them. You may be able to reduce your levels by eating better and exercising more, if not, your doctor may prescribe drugs to lower and bring it under control.
When there is excess cholesterol in your blood, it can build up on the walls of your arteries, forming plaque and causing blood clots. There are basically 2 types of cholesterol: Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is frequently called the “bad” type because it can block the arteries that carry blood to your heart. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is called the “good” type because it takes the bad cholesterol out of your blood and stops it from building up in your arteries.
All women 20 years of age and older should have their blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels checked at least once every five years. If you are overweight, losing weight can help reduce your total cholesterol and LDL (“bad cholesterol”) levels.
Try to consume more foods low in saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol. Skim (fat-free) or low-fat (1%) milk and cheeses, and low-fat or nonfat yogurt, Fruits and vegetables (try for five a day), Cereals, breads, rice, and pasta created from whole grains (such as “whole-wheat” or “whole-grain” bread and pasta, rye bread, brown rice, and oatmeal), Limit consumption of organ meats (liver, kidney, brains), Egg yolks, Fats (butter, lard) and oils, Packaged and processed foods.
There are two diets that may help lower your cholesterol: Heart Healthy Diet and Therapeutic Lifestyles Changes (TLC) Diet. Exercise can help lower LDL (“bad cholesterol”) and raise HDL (“good cholesterol”). If your doctor has prescribed medicine to lower your cholesterol, take it exactly as you have been told to.
CONCLUSION: Heart disease is not contagious – you can’t catch it like you can influenza or a cold. It is a general term that refers to a variety of acute and chronic medical problems that affect one or several components of the heart. The symptoms you describe to your MD will help to decide if you need to be tested for heart disease. Your MD will also check if you have any conditions that can increase your risk of getting the disease.
These conditions include: high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol level, menopause in women, family members who have had heart disease at a young age. If you have cardiovascular disease, your angina can be treated by treating the heart disease. Maintaining a healthy diet and weight plus a regular exercise program can help you avoid heart disease.