Migraine Headaches: Symptoms, Triggers and Effects

Posted on 15. May, 2012 by admin in Health & Medicine

Migraines affect approximately 10£ of the population, and for those that suffer frequent migraines, they can have a debilitating effect on their lives. Migraines usually occur in adults between the ages of 25 to 50, and more commonly in women. Furthermore, it is not unusual for children to suffer from a migraine, especially around the age of puberty. The majority of people will not realise they have a migraine, and instead  believe that they only have a severe headache.

The migraine headache is characteristically severe and is a continual throbbing pain. It can occur on one side of the head or both and will affect people in different ways.  The sufferer may become sensitive to  light, may become nauseous and may find they have an inability to concentrate. They may also start sweating profusely and develop diarrhoea and stomach cramps.

Migraines are placed into two main categories: Migraine with aura and migraine without aura. Sufferers of a migraine with aura will get specific aura symptoms within the hour of a migraine coming. They may get some visual indications, typically flashing lights, zigzag lines or even lose partial sight in one or both  eyes They may experience pins and needles in their hands or around their neck. Other aura symptoms might include cravings for sweet food, irritability, speech difficulties and a feeling of disorientation. The aura symptoms usually disappear before the migraine headache begins.

Generally, a migraine will happen only once or twice a year. Frequent sufferers, on the other hand, can get them every day. When this is the case, the sufferer is basically living around a migraine as everyday activities such as work, exercise, family and socialising are drastically affected. Migraines cannot be accurately predicted, so planning any sort of event becomes that bit more stressful, which in itself can be a trigger for a migraine. When work becomes affected, sufferers may find that not all employers are sympathetic to this illness, and this can cause issues.  This is also the  case with family life. A migraine will make the sufferer want to withdraw from normal activity, which can put a strain on the family unit.

Migraine sufferers have to be forward thinkers.  Not only is the sufferer affected during the onset of a migraine, they are also affected between each incidence. A migraine sufferer needs to be constantly aware of certain triggers that may bring on a migraine. Diet can be a source of migraine triggers. Red wine, mature cheeses, caffeine drinks, alcohol and products containing mono sodium glutamate are common. Additionally, missing meals and not drinking enough fluids can bring on a migraine. Other common triggers for migraines are stress, high humidity in the weather, irregular sleep patterns, physical exercise and bright lights, though they vary for individual sufferers As mentioned before, most migraine sufferers will know their triggers and will avoid them as best they can. They may even have  kept a log to help id entity them. For the sufferer though, this can still be frustrating, because with migraines, there are no guarantees.

Medical Marijuana’s Legality

Posted on 18. Apr, 2012 by admin in Health & Medicine

In recent years a great debate has swept over America, particularly in the Western United States. The debate is over the medical acceptability of marijuana and its treatment of certain diseases and disorders such as insomnia, and glaucoma and its ability to help alleviate the side effects of chemotherapy in cancer patients.

However, while many states have passed laws allowing for it’s regulated medical use, the federal government still classifies any form of cannabis as illegal and considers it to have no medical value. This is, of course, in stark contrast to the reality of the situation. Sadly, the federal government refuses to budge form it’s position, put doctors and patients in the crossfire between the federal government and the states.

The Case for Medical  Marijuana

Fifteen states and the District of Columbia recognize marijuana as an effective treatment for certain medical conditions. Marijuana has  been shown to be effective in minimizing the nausea felt during chemotherapy and helps patients increase their appetite. It helps alleviate the  aches and pains associated with muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis.

It can even help patients experiencing sleep disorders get the rest that their bodies so desperately need without having to take harsh chemical sedatives. Yet, the federal government still asserts that marijuana has no medical value.

This is mostly due to the widespread fallacy that cannabis is a dangerous drug on par with narcotic substances such as cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and others These substances however, carry a wide range of dangerous side effects that marijuana does not. In fact, all the health problems associated with  marijuana tend to be from smoking which is in fact, not the only way to ingest cannabis. THC, the psychoactive compound that gives marijuana its effects can be ingested orally or even absorbed through the skin.

Living Successfully With Herpes

Posted on 21. Mar, 2012 by admin in Health & Medicine

Managing Outbreaks

Take the medication your physician prescribes, as scheduled. When you do have an outbreak, treat it quickly to help decrease its severity. Your doctor may prescribe a topical medicine that should be according to her instructions. There are also some natural healing topical preparations you can try such as lemon balm and aloe vera. Always test a small area to make sure the application does not worsen your blisters, as people respond in different ways to different treatments. Clean blisters with hydrogen peroxide and allow the area to dry before putting on clothing. You can use a blow dryer, set on low heat, to help dry sensitive blisters. Make sure you wear loose clothing during a genital herpes outbreak to keep moisture from building up. Take it easy during severe outbreaks by getting plenty of rest and engaging in low-key activities,

Intimacy

You have to be especially vigilant concerning intimacy as a person living with herpes Being honest with a new partner is essential. You also need to realize transmission of the virus is possible even when you are showing no symptoms and there are no blisters. Using condoms will help protect your partner from contracting the disease. A man needs to remember, however, that the scrotum will be unprotected even while wearing a latex condom, so efforts should be taken to protect that area. A woman can use a “dental dam,” a specially constructed female condom, or even place kitchen plastic wrap over her vaginal area to reduce the chances of spreading the virus to her partner’s mouth while receiving oral sex. Couples can wear latex gloves when manually stimulating each other. Though those with herpes and their partners must take precautions while being physically intimate, they can still enjoy sexual activity with creativity and a positive outlook.

Glucose – It’s Relationship to Diabetes

Posted on 13. Feb, 2012 by admin in Health & Medicine

Glucose is one of the critical substances that the human body requires for energy. It is a sugar that is normally brought into the body by eating certain foods such as fruits, wheat, rice and cornstarch. As these foods are broken down during the digestive process glucose is distributed in the bloodstream to cells throughout the body that rely on glucose for fuel. There is a fairly narrow range of glucose that should be in the bloodstream at any given time. If the level drops too low then hypoglycemia results and eventually parts of the body, including brain cells, begin to starve. The opposite condition, hyperglycemia, happens when the blood glucose level becomes too high. If this persists too long there can be damage to various organs including the eyes, kidneys, and heart. Diabetes is one cause of persistent hyperglycemia.

Normally, the glucose level in the blood is maintained by diet and a combination of hormones secreted by the pancreas, primarily insulin and glucagon. As you eat certain foods containing carbohydrates the digestion process introduces glucose into the bloodstream. When there is an excess glucose in the blood, such as after a meal, the pancreas kicks in and generates insulin, which triggers cells that use glucose as fuel to start feeding on the sugar. Insulin also causes the liver and muscles to store any excess glucose found in the bloodstream for later use.

When the glucose level in the blood drops too low, the pancreas takes action again and releases another hormone into the blood: glucagon. Glucagon triggers the liver and muscles to start releasing stored glucose back into the bloodstream. If the amount of stored glucose runs low, glucagon can also cause the liver and kidneys to produce glucose from other sources. The release of glucose by either of these methods causes the pancreas to release insulin, which starts the cycle over again.

In a healthy person with a good diet, this process takes place continually without any intervention needed other than eating a reasonably healthy diet. For a person with diabetes, however, the production or use of insulin in the body is interfered with and the normal glucose cycle is disrupted.

There are two main types of diabetes In type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes, the body does not produce enough insulin. In type 2 diabetes, or adult-onset diabetes, the body doesn’t properly use the insulin that it does produce. Another form of diabetes, similar to type 2, is known as gestational diabetes and occurs in a small percentage of women during pregnancy when insufficient insulin is produced by the mother’s body. This can harm both the mother and the unborn child.

When any of these conditions develop in a person, the cells that require glucose as a fuel do not get the appropriate signals they should be getting from insulin that would tell them that glucose is present in the bloodstream. This causes a cascade of effects. Cells begin to starve even in the presence of plenty of food. This leads to increased hunger because the body thinks it needs more glucose. It also causes more frequent urination in order to get rid of excess glucose that would normally have been stored in the liver and muscles The frequent urination in turn leads to increased thirst. Some of the other warning signs of diabetes are increased tiredness or weakness, weight loss, and tingling or numbness in the extremities.

Type 1 diabetes is typically managed by monitoring glucose levels in the blood and injecting insulin as needed to force the normal bodily processing of the glucose to take place. Type 2 diabetes is often treated by a careful diet in order to control the amount of glucose entering the body. Other cases of type 2 diabetes require medication to either increase insulin production or improve its use by the body, reduce the production of glucose by the liver, or slowdown the absorption of glucose in the digestion process.

While diabetes is not curable at this point, it is almost always manageable with proper medical care. If you suspect you have diabetes contact your primary care doctor for a check up. The sooner it is caught and treatment is started the less long term damage will done to your body.

Get Fresh & Go Fishing

Posted on 03. Feb, 2012 by admin in Food & Receipes, Health & Medicine

Did your last health checkup show high levels of cholesterol? Before you consider medication, why not try an alternative such as lowering cholesterol naturally with some changes in you eating habits?

First of all, you don’t have to cut out eggs. Many nutrition experts used to think that a way of lowering high cholesterol was to cut back on eggs in one’s daily diet. Now they have discovered that it’s not really the eggs that are the culprit, but the way most people cook them. Try scrambled, boiled or poached instead of fried.

Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Processed foods are high in salts and other preservatives that can be harmful.  Also- eat less processed foods such as luncheon meats and imitation cheeses. These also contain saturated fats that are not good for your cholesterol levels.

Add more fiber- such as whole grains like oats and barley. Avoid white bread as much as possible! Fiber also contains heart healthy antioxidants that help to flush toxins out of your body. Dried beans are also a good source of soluble fiber that can absorb cholesterol and help it to pass on through your digestive system.

Cut back on meat, especially red meat and eat more fish. Fish such as salmon and tuna are loaded with cholesterol-lowering omega-3 fatty acids. While fresh is the best, canned salmon and tuna, packed in water NOT oil are good too. Nutrition experts recommend eating fish two or three times a week. Fish oil supplements can have an effect on cholesterol as well and is considered a safe way to include omega-3s in your diet, but you should check with your health care provider before including fish oil in your diet if you are on any type of anti-clogging medications.

Health Information – Dealing with Iritis

Posted on 30. Jan, 2012 by admin in Health & Medicine

Iritis, an inflammation of the iris of the eye, can be a very painful and debilitating condition. In most cases the problem is short-lived. If treated properly, the condition can be cured within a period of several weeks or a few months But when not diagnosed quickly or treated appropriately, it can lead to cataracts, glaucoma or even blindness.

A victim of iritis will begin to experience cloudy vision and a reddening of the eye. This will be accompanied by an intense photo sensitivity, which means that bright light can trigger pain. In more severe cases, this photo sensitivity can become almost unbearable.

Iritis can be caused by a variety of factors, making it difficult to diagnose the cause in particular cases. The victim may have a genetic predisposition, and autoimmune disorder, or an infection that contributes to the condition. Eye trauma and certain cancers can also be a cause. Iritis if often a symptom of another problem, though that problem is not always identifiable.

Whatever the cause, a victim should immediately make an appointment to see an ophthalmologist. A visit to an optometrist, a local clinic, or the emergency room may be necessary to get a referral.

Once the ophthalmologist examines the eye and confirms the condition of iritis, he or she will likely prescribe a series of steroid eye drops and dilating eye drops. Other steroid treatments maybe necessary in more severe cases The ophthalmologist will also schedule a series of follow-up appointments to monitor the progress of the treatment.

During the painful onset photo sensitivity, an iritis victim may want to wear sunglasses or an eye patch to limit exposure to light. Once treatment begins, this photo sensitivity will subside quickly. However, even when the pain disappears, the treatment should be continued until the ophthalmologist verifies that the condition has been cured.

For many victims of iritis, the condition occurs only once. For others, it may be a recurring problem (sometimes with several years between episodes). Whenever it occurs, it should be treated quickly and seriously.

What Exactly is an Eating Disorder

Posted on 30. Jan, 2012 by admin in Health & Medicine

Anorexia Nervosa

The formal name of this psychiatric disease is Anorexia Nervosa, but most people shorten it to Anorexia. Contrary to the medical term General Anorexia, which refers to people who are unable to maintain a normal body weight, Anorexia Nervosa (now referred to simply as Anorexia) refers to people who refuse to maintain a healthy body weight. At least fifteen percent of an anorexic’s body weight is lost proportionately to their height, and one who suffers from Anorexia has an irrational or intense fear of gaining the weight back. Anorexics oftentimes weigh themselves several times a day, consider themselves to be grossly overweight even when emaciated, attach their self-worth to their weight or appearance, wear baggy clothes to hide the fact that they are grossly underweight, stop having menstrual cycles (or don’t have them at all if the disease begins before puberty).

Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia Nervosa, better known as Bulimia, differs from Anorexia and is characterized by binge eating that is followed with some sort of purge, either through the use of laxatives and diuretics or by vomiting. Some bulimics also exercise heavily in between binges, fast and/or diet strictly to reduce the caloric load on their bodies

For a formalized diagnosis the binge-purge cycle has to have occurred at least twice a week for three months. A negative self-image and obsessiveness with one’s weight and body are also necessary criteria.

How do Eating Disorders Evolve?

Anorexia
How one with anorexia progresses through the disease differs dramatically between person to person. Some people recover completely after one small bout, whereas others fight over a longer period of time with intermittent anorexic episodes with periods of normal weight in between. Others still worsen over many years, eventually ending in death.

Women with anorexia are more than ten times more likely to die than women of the same age without any signs of anorexia. If death does occur, it is usually brought on because of complications with anorexia, such as starvation, electrolyte imbalances or suicide.

Bulimia
Because many bulimics carry a normal weight for their height and age, they do not suffer the same effects of starvation that anorexics do. However, all of the purging symptoms are apparent and ravage the body over the long-term.

One of the first, most apparent symptoms that show bulimia has evolved from a one-time event to a longer-standing history is the erosion of tooth enamel and the lining of the throat and esophagus. It is because of this that dentists are often the first to know one suffers from bulimia.

The most serious consequences of bulimia are tears in the lining of the esophagus, rupture of the stomach, kidney or heart failure, and cardiac arrest.

There is little known about the standard course of bulimia, however several studies have shown that most people who have bulimia suffer for a number of years before spontaneous improvement occurs.

What causes An Eating Disorder?

For over a hundred years, doctors have tried to determine a solitary cause for eating disorders in general, whether it was biological, psychological or cultural. Several theories have taken on precedence throughout the years and depending on the times, but none have weathered time separately. Rather all three aspects work symbiotically together to create the signs and symptoms that create an eating disorder.

Although many eating disorder sufferers display similar affectations of their specific disease once well-advanced, the beginnings and causes differ dramatically. What creates the disease may not be readily apparent at first or during a crisis, but after the disease has taken hold it may prove easily discerned.

It is now widely recognized that there are no set criteria that cause an eating disorder. In some people, a crisis or major life event precedes the illness, while in others there are no such triggers Some lived in families where food was a predominant conversation piece, while others did not.

Still, many theories abound as to the causes of an eating disorder. One of the leading models states that there are three spheres of factors that influence whether or not someone develops an eating disorder social, psychological and biological. Therefore, if someone had a genetic predisposition to an eating disorder, had an early experience that affected their relationship with food and/or their body image, and found themselves socially influenced, these may be seen as causal. Yet, other factors would also have to come into play, such as dieting during puberty that lead to weight loss or mental changes that led to positive reinforcement of the dieting behavior.

However, causes differ greatly from contributing factors, of which there are many. Families who focus excessively on overeating or being overweight, controlling parents, sexual assault, participation in certain sports, or being exposed to a culture that places high value on weight loss can all contribute to one’s eating disorder, but they are not causes in and of themselves.

Canker Sores – Aphthous Ulcers

Posted on 30. Jan, 2012 by admin in Health & Medicine

Canker sores, also known as mouth ulcers, can strike at any time. By having knowledge about the triggers that cause the sores to erupt then using a process of elimination one can deal with this irritating affliction.

Canker sores are painful, inflamed, suppurating lesions that can occur on the tongue, lips, gums and the inside of the cheeks. Sometimes preceded by itching or burning, they start as a red sore with a yellow border. The ulcer then becomes covered with a yellowish coat that includes bacteria and white blood cells

Their size varies from tiny to that of a grape. Women are most heavily affected. The ulcers arrive suddenly and leave just as fast. Speculation still exists among authorities over whether mouth ulcers are contagious Fever blisters (cold sores) are different to canker sores and often the two are confused. Canker does not form any type of blister.

Factors involved in canker sores are numerous Crohn’s disease has occasionally produced canker sores as has allergies, poor dental hygiene, and depressed immune system, deficiencies In the B vitamins folic acid, niacin, pantothenic acid, and hormonal imbalances Stress is another major cause of these painful ulcers. When under stress, the nutritional needs of the body skyrocket. Work stress; coupled with inadequate meals and too many late nights catching up with chores can be enough to bring on an attack.

After the first attack of canker sores, nutrition should be examined and dietary changes made. A good diet is the corner stone when fighting canker. Choose nutritious foods – green leafy vegetables, salads with lots of raw onion (the sulphur in onions has powerful healing properties), yoghurt and other soured products – kefir, buttermilk and cottage cheese and supplement with a high quality B complex.

B vitamins work together. By just taking niacin or folic acid on their own, deficiencies amongst the B group are created. Other nutrients to consider are: vitamin C with bioflavonoids – supports the immune system and fights infection and vitamin A- improves healing times and protects mucous membranes.

There are several topical creams that can be used to alleviate the symptoms Tea tree, dabbed neat onto sores assists in the healing. Dilute the tea tree – three drops to four ounce s of water – to use as a mouth wash. However, if the body is creating these sores due to nutritional deficiencies or hormonal imbalances then surface treatment will be insufficient toward off future attacks.

Two other areas need to be looked at: The acid/alkaline balance and mineral deficiencies A self-test can be taken to check the pH of the body and a hair analysis will determine mineral levels.

These painful mouth ulcers can be successfully treated. However, it is always important to consult with a Naturopath, Herbalist or Homeopath so a proper diagnosis can be made.

Antioxidants & Hepatitis C – Can They Really Cure it?

Posted on 30. Jan, 2012 by admin in Health & Medicine

The Cure for Hepatitis C? Over 3.2 million people in the United States have Hepatitis C according to the Centers for Disease Control. This virus passes through blood exposure from person to person. The virus wreaks havoc on the body and can progress to the point where liver function is severely impaired.

Alpha Lipoic Acid

Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) is an antioxidant that is in every cell in the human body. Some antioxidants are either water or fat soluble, meaning the body ca n only use them if there is fat or water in the body to help initiate the process. ALA is both water and fat soluble, meaning your cells can use it much more easily than some other antioxidants. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals in the body and on the skin. Free radicals damage DNA and important cell structures either impairing or killing the cells

How ALA May Cure Hepatitis C

As an exceptionally strong antioxidant, ALA not only neutralizes free radicals but also energizes other antioxidants to continue working to protect the body’s cells Medical researchers speculate that another benefit of ALA is its ability to protect cellular DNA and keep it protected from the hepatitis C virus. This would mean that ALA is providing both an offense and a defense against the virus. Typical treatments combine ALA and other antioxidants to provide another line of defense. While some ALA treatments for Hepatitis C are given orally, the most promising results are from the smaller studies where the ALA mixture is given via intravenous injection.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Aside from a few anecdotal reports of individuals cured by an ALA antioxidant mixture, there is no specific known cure for Hepatitis C recognized by medical science. The cost of the ALA treatment is relatively low, at just $2,000 for a year. This, in comparison to a more traditional treatment like liver transplantation, is like a drop in the bucket. Average cost for liver transplants runs around $300,000, which is 150 times the cost of the promising ALA antioxidant treatment. Even with a liver transplant, 30 percent of patients have the infection spread to the new liver. Liver transplants are covered, at least in part by health insurance. The ALA treatments are not covered because they are considered alternative treatments not approved by mainstream Western medicine. Even with a liver transplant, 30 percent of patients have the infection spread to the new liver. With less risk, significantly less cost and fewer reported side effects, many patients decide to explore ALA as part of their hepatitis C treatment.