Month: July 2019

Major Triggers and Reasons for Hair Loss

About tens of millions of people especially men are suffering from baldness without being fully aware of the reason behind it. A dermatologist Dr. Shani Francis, who is known for her specialization in hair loss, has also lost more than 75% of her own hair due to the repeated usage of harsh chemicals. She was in a trauma and after gaining her hair health back to normal, she began working for other suffering humanity who are going through the same condition.

We are about to uncover some myths and facts that could lead to hair loss and people are not even noticing such things.

Medications and illness

Certain medications are responsible for hair loss which includes the chemotherapy used for the treatment of cancers in which hair loss occurred as a side effect of those medications. In some cases, medicines are not responsible for hair loss instead it resulted due to an underlying health condition such as abrupt weight loss, surgery, severe illness, etc. these conditions trigger a temporary hair loss and this condition is known as telogen effluvium (TE).

Sun exposure

The longer sun exposures are the source of UV radiations which degrades proteins and results in the loss of hair. This sun exposure is very harmful that it could lead to a permanent hair loss. The damaged proteins are then unable to regrow hair if the hair follicles are deeply damaged. Therefore, the hair scalp must be protected from the sun.

Wearing a hat or cap

Covering the hair using a hat, cap or scarfs, etc. is not responsible for hair loss as long as the scalp is healthy. It is recommended to take care of the hair scalp hygiene so that the hair will stay stronger even after covering it.

Diet

A diet that is lower in Vitamin D can be a possible trigger of hair loss. People who eat food that lack iron as well as who are anemic are the ones who suffer hair loss more as compared to others. Therefore, it is essential to take proper diet which contains the right amount of nutrients.

Hairstyling

Styling hair is good but when super-tight hairstyles are done every day that it will lead to another type of hair loss known as traction alopecia. The chemical products, hair straightening iron or curlers are the major sources of damaging hair. But as long as the hair follicles are healthy, the hair will regrow again.

Stress

Telogen effluvium (TE) is also triggered by extreme stressful condition. Stress is so dangerous that it is also responsible for triggering an autoimmune disease called alopecia. In this condition, the hair falls out in the form of patches and leaves small patches of baldness all over the head. The stress which we are talking about is not the milder ones like traffic or crowd places but in fact, it includes the loss of a loved one or financial crisis, etc.

Smoking

Current studies are not suggesting hair loss due to smoking but they are indicating deterioration of the skin. Further studies are required because it is indicated that smoking might be another reason for hair loss among the above-explained triggers.

Hypertension – The Most Prevalent Silent Killer In The US

People can become hypertensive without knowing up to some time because of having no signs and symptoms. Approximately half of the Americans are suffering from this disease and the numbers are increasing because of an unhealthy diet and lifestyle. There is a great impact of lifestyle choices on a person’s health. Hypertension could be genetic but it is triggered by a lot of reasons that are usually unknown to people.

According to the American Heart Association, blood pressure is defined as the force that blood exerts on your blood vessels during its flow. It is measured by a systolic pressure and a diastolic pressure. When the heartbeats, a pressure is generated inside the arteries is considered as systolic while when the heart is at resting condition between beats, the pressure measured in the arteries is called diastolic.

The average normal blood pressure is 120/80 mmHg. Whenever the reading goes below 90/60 mmHg then it is considered low blood pressure which could be indicated by dizziness, blurred vision, nausea, fainting, rapid shallow breathing, cold pale skin, fatigue and lack of concentration etc. when a blood pressure levels in over 130/80 mmHg then it is said to be high blood pressure or hypertension. In this condition, people will experience chest pain, loss of vision, heart failure, stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, sexual dysfunction, and peripheral artery disease, etc.

To manage hypertension, a combination of medications with a healthy diet, regular exercise, and a healthy lifestyle is very important. You have to maintain your body weight within the appropriate BMI range. A low salt diet with proper management of stress is also of great importance for lowering high blood pressure. Stress hormones are responsible for raising the blood pressure, therefore, it is equally essential to maintain a peaceful environment around you. A regular yoga time could be beneficial in lowering the blood pressure so that it will provide you peace of mind.

A well maintains blood pressure could be achieved within a month or it may take up to 3 months. The anti-hypertensive medications are so effective that it starts working on the same day and you will feel better right from the very first dose. But achieving a normal blood pressure could be challenging for a lot of people due to co-morbidities and unhealthy lifestyle. So the progress could vary from person to person and t requires a lot of struggle and hard work. Aspirin could lower the blood pressure but it is not recommended to take on a daily basis. According to the American Heart Association, aspirin is prescribed to patients who have a history of stroke or heart attack.

Lowering water intake is not the right way to lower blood pressure because staying well-hydrated is essentially important to keep the blood flow smooth and it also allows an easy pumping enabling a healthy heart.

To lead a healthy life, it is significant to analyze every slight change in the body and regular checkups from family physicians are also highly recommended.

Mysterious Origin Of Strokes Due To Silent Heart Attacks

Silent heart attacks are the ones that occur but show little to no signs or symptoms. They may be consistent and might be mistaken for indigestion, muscles ache, nausea, or severe flu. You may not experience any kind of chest pain or shortness of breath in this condition. Silent heart attacks have been through detailed research and scientists believe that it might occur due to unknown mysterious origins that have been undiscovered yet. Having recurrent silent heart attacks will put you on the severe risk of heart attack that could be lethal.

Having heart attacks, again and again, will also lead to heart failure and ultimately death without knowing the original cause. Currently, there is no diagnostic test which can determine the state, type, and origin of silent heart attacks. But people can be checked according to their health conditions and risks factors. People at higher risk factor are often alerted and advised to maintain their health by keeping an eye on their blood pressure, cholesterol level, body weight, dietary habits, and physical activities. Lack of exercise, obesity and strong family history are the most prevalent factors that contribute to lower heart health.

According to an NIA-led study, a comparison of heart and brain imaging data from old aged participants have shown silent heart attacks depicts no sign, therefore, patients won’t go to hospitals for proper treatment and this will affect the cardiac health by scarring the heart. The damaged cardiac tissues are the main cause of raising the risk of stroke. The research teams of NIA, NHLBI, Weill Cornell Medical College and the Icelandic Heart Association collaborated and conducted a study by analyzing 930 participants aged around 75 years. This study includes their age, family history, and environment.

AGES is a study that examines genetic as wells as environmental risk factors according to their age and related diseases and disabilities. The results obtained after this study were published in JAMA Neurology on May 20.both cardiac and brain MRI has been done of all the participants which showed 153 participants had experienced undetected heart attack while the cardiac MRI of 308 gave evidence of cerebral infarction or stroke. About 43.8% of participants with evidence of silent heart attack also showed evidence of stroke in their brain MRI.

The unnoticed heart attacks were associated with ESUS, an embolic stroke of undetermined source. One-third of all the strokes account for all ischemic strokes which occur due to loss of oxygen supply via blood to the brain. The major trigger is the presence of clots or vascular debris inside the body. This vascular debris could be the byproduct of cardiac scarring due to silent heart attacks.

Scientists are planning further to study more about how this could be diagnosed, prevented and treated on time to avoid cardiac emergencies. All the results have been pointing the timing of attacks. The unrecognized origin of these silent heart attacks is currently acting as a new risk factor for more severe complications regarding cardiac health.

Fungus Nails Infections – Something You Should Worry About

As getting older brings about a series of diseases that greatly alter a person’s life, there are some fungal infections that affect the toenails. Fungal infections beneath toenails are very common in older age due to the decline in the growth rate. This will provide a highly suitable site to fungal infections enabling them to reside beneath and grows further. There are a number of treatments available both conventional as well as herbal but in some cases, it is not necessary to take anti-fungal for the treatment of such fungal infections.

Dermatophyte fungus is the main causative agent in case of toenail fungal infections. It is a microscopic organism that begins as a yellow or white spot underneath the tip of the toenail. But when the infection grows deeper, it may lead to discoloring and thickening of the toenail. The edges of the toenail also crumble. This infection is most likely to occur in your toenail and not in the fingernail because of the moist and warm environment where fungi can grow at a higher rate. The fungus could grow beneath or at the top of the toenail or in some cases it grows deep into the nail matrix making it difficult to treat.

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The toenail fungus is more likely to happen with aged people because of a decline in their immune system. Over time, the nails will become drier and brittle providing a suitable site for fungal infections. The toenail fungus infection can be treated by following key steps:

  • Use topical ointments or creams to treat fungal infections because in most of the cases you do not require an oral anti-fungal.
  • People who are healthy and young should not treat it by taking conventional medications as it exerts a series of side effects too.
  • Buff the nail using a nail filer so that there will be less space for fungus to grow further.
  • Always keep the nails trimmed to maintain the hygiene.
  • Oral antifungals if required then should be taken for at least 6 months to completely cure the disease.
  • Laser treatment is also available depending upon the condition of the disease and treatment required.

Whenever oral medication is required, then it must be taken for 6 months to a year so that the infected nail is replaced by a new nail. This new nail is free from fungal infections. In the case of mild infections, it is appropriate to keep in mind that only topical medications should be applied and nothing else is needed. Reinfection is likely possible when the fungal infection is not removed completely or maybe due to the physical environment that surrounds us. Therefore, it is fundamental to keep an eye on the toenail especially when you are at an older age so that it can be treated well and the possibility of reinfection can be diminished. Maintaining proper hygiene is also an essential factor that contributes a lot to your overall health especially during old age.

Cure Toenail Fungus in Just 3 Weeks

Reversing Prediabetes – A Cure Or Simply A Preventive Measure

The normal blood sugar level is below 100 deciliters and it is called normoglycemia while a blood sugar level over 125 deciliters is considered diabetic. Prediabetes is a condition in which a person is considered at borderline and it ranges from 100 to 125 deciliter. People can develop diabetes and can return back to their normal sugar level depending upon their choice of lifestyle, exercise, and food.

Research has been conducted by a group of researchers from the Aging Research Center at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. This study was led by Ying Shang, a Ph.D. student who along with her colleagues studied 918 participants. All of them were over 60 years old and had been diagnosed with prediabetes. This research has been conducted for 12 years and the results indicated that 13% of the participating individuals are later diagnosed with diabetes during the study period. Another prominent result of this research is that 22% of the participants progressed back to normal blood sugar levels.

This is a remarkable study that reveals that every individual suffering from prediabetes will not suffer diabetes and its health can be improved by returning back to normal blood sugar level. The researcher told that during this 12-year study, most of the people either remained at the stable prediabetic state or regained good health by returning to normoglycemia while only one-third of the participants developed diabetes or died.

This study also indicated that co-morbidities are one of the most significant contributing factors that transform a person’s prediabetic state to diabetic within a few years. Such co-morbidities include low systolic blood pressure, no heart disease and healthy body weight that lies in the BMI’ normal range. The researchers also influenced suggesting preventive measures as well as strategies that help a prediabetic person to achieve normal blood sugar level by some lifestyle and diet modification. The most important thing to must include in daily life is a physical exercise which helps in lowering the mortality rate in people suffering from prediabetes.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are over 1 billion people in the United States who are suffering from prediabetes and diabetes. Among them, over 90% of people with prediabetes are unaware of their underlying condition. Prediabetes is a condition that usually occurs at a very young age and people will adjust according to it without being aware of it and it remained silently in the body due to infrequent blood glucose screening in the country.

The symptoms that occur during prediabetes states are almost the same as that occurs in the state of diabetes. It includes excessive thirst and hunger, fatigue, dry mouth, weight loss, frequent urination, etc. The most common test that checks and confirm prediabetes, as well as diabetes, requires fasting of 8 to 12 hours which is then followed by a withdrawing a blood sample to measure the amount of glucose in the blood. Another most common way to check the blood glucose level is done by HbA1c. This test does not require fasting and it tracks by measuring the blood glucose level of the past 3 months. Hemoglobin A1c binds to the glucose within the blood so it is helpful in obtaining a record of 3 months to give a more clear picture of a person’s condition.

When anyone is diagnosed with prediabetes, certain strategies will be made and then some patients are counseled so that they will adopt some healthy lifestyles to avoid disease progression into diabetes. All prediabetic patients are advised to maintain a healthy diet with some physical exercises. Losing excess weight is also essential when it comes to maintaining great health in the state of prediabetes. They are also advised to stop taking sugar and sugar-containing products.

There are a number of preventive measures and steps that must be taken into consideration when you are trying to reverse prediabetes as well as its progression into diabetes. Some major steps have been instructed by Jocelyn Nadua who is a registered practical nurse and care coordinator at C-Care Health Services. This is a Toronto-based agency providing home healthcare and nursing services. A Pharmacist, as well as a nutritionist Erin Pitkethly with the Robinsong Health Low Carb Clinic, also gave her idea in support of prevention. The collective significant steps by Nadua and Pitkethly are as follows:

  • Avoid sugar or limit sugar intake as much as possible to keep the balance inside the body as people with prediabetes are already having a higher amount of blood sugar levels and at high risk.
  • When it comes to choosing the right food, always go for the ones that have a lower glycemic index (GI = less than or equal 55)
  • Lower intake of foods that contain carbohydrates is highly essential because the simplest unit of all carbohydrates is glucose.
  • Foods such as bread, rice, pasta should be avoided and their intake must be reduced to lower the blood sugar level.
  • Prediabetes can be reversed by to a healthy state by simply adopting a Mediterranean diet because some people are able to reverse their condition by simple cutting the intake of high carbs processed foods such as soda cans, cookies, potato chips, candies, etc.

Some people having prediabetes can easily maintain their health by simply avoiding extra sugar or high carbohydrates food. While there are a great many people who find it quite difficult to cope up with this condition and lead a healthy life. They need to follow a strict starch free diet by not taking rice, pasta, bread, potatoes, sugar-containing foods, and drinks, etc. Some people will also face great difficulty in losing those extra pounds that can risk their health at any stage sooner or later.

The reversal of prediabetes is not a cure as this condition can later progress into diabetes without showing any alarming sign. Therefore it is mandatory for anyone suffering from prediabetes to maintain their health by cutting those extra carbs, excess body weight and strictly following a healthy diet which is high in fiber content.

 

Sugary Drinks Are Increasing The Risk Of Cancer

Everyone is aware of the fact that the most widely spreading disease these days is cancer. The actual cause of cancer is currently unknown but there are a number of foods, lifestyle choices and other diseases that may ultimately lead to cancer. Now as a lot of researches have been done and many are undergone through the process, people are modifying their diet, habits as well as lifestyle to lower the risk of cancer.

With the current research on sugary drinks, it has been observed that drinking as little as 100 ml of the sugary drink increases the overall chance of cancer to 18%. While 22% chance of cancer is directly related to such drinks or soda. It can also be said that whenever an individual drinks one-third can of soda in a day, he is considered at a higher risk of cancer. The most reported cases of cancer have been shown with sugar-sweetened drinks, pure fruit juices, artificially sweetened beverages, and diet soda.

This research has been conducted with over 100,000 French healthy adult individuals. The study shows that they have been drinking sugary beverages which link to an increased risk of some types of cancers. Ian Johnson, nutrition researcher, and emeritus fellow, Quadram Institute Bioscience told the Science Media Centre in the UK that natural pure fruit juices are also contributing to certain types of cancers.

The lead author of this study, Mathilde Touvier, indicated that ‘sugar’ is the main cause of cancer in sugary drinks. He added that consuming high sugar leads to weight gain and obesity while one of the most prevalent risk factors of cancer is obesity. Apart from sugar, another causative ingredient is 4-methylimidazole which is added in caramel colored drinks. It has also been observed that diet beverages have shown no links to cancer. A few numbers of participants consumed diet beverages therefore, this should be further tested before giving a clear signal.

A total of 2193 cases were diagnosed with cancer. The study showed that men consumed more sugary drinks as compared to women and so they are at higher risk of cancers. 291 cases of prostate cancer and 166 cases of colorectal cancer have been reported while 693 female participants were diagnosed with breast cancer. On the other hand, it is just an observational study that does not show cause and actual effect of sugary beverages within the body. This study is limited as it does not determine the actual cause of cancer whether due to any particular beverage or may be due to an unknown health condition.

After this study, another study has recently been in progress that indicates consumption of sugary beverages is also associated with premature death. A lot of work has to be done to find out more details of the risk factors that may lead to cancer. This is quite challenging because measuring dietary intake is difficult. But it has been very clear that the intake of sugar in our daily diet should be minimal.

The Most Obese State in The US

Obesity is the most predominant and alarming condition all over the world. It could lead to a number of deadly diseases which involves a higher rate of mortality. Besides being an alarming symptom for other diseases, obesity is itself a disease that affects overall health as well as self-confidence. An obese individual cannot live a happy life as it alters personal and social skills. In the past few decades, obesity has been increased significantly. One out of three individuals is suffering from obesity.

A consumer protection advocacy group, ConsumerProtect, studied further into this matter and comes up with the most as well as the least states in the United States. This study showed that obesity is most prevalent in West Virginia with 38.1% of the population is obese. They have also indicated that the people within this region are the ones who are suffering from diabetes and poor other health conditions too.

According to this study, Mississippi is the second most obese state with people having no regular exercises and eating less than a small piece of fruit a day. Another health condition that this state showed is low life expectancy. On the other hand, Hawaii is the state with people having longer lives. They have approximately an average of 6.5 years of more life as compared to the people living in Mississippi. Hawaii has the third lowest rate of obesity in the whole country.

On the other hand, Colorado has the lowest rate of obesity with less than 23%. The people in this state east a healthy diet and stays on regular exercise which ultimately leads to a healthier life with the lowest risk of obesity. The people in this region have the lowest BMI score in the whole country. Out of the 51 states that have been studied by CDC, Washington lies at 51st place with 19.2% people having no physical activities that indicated the majority of the people are living with health standards.

Every individual in the country has to bear some personal as well as societal cost. A study showed that obese people face more costly as compared to normal healthy individuals. The annual added cost that most of the people with obesity face ranges from $1400 to $2700. Another study revealed that obese people are more likely to earn less as compared to normal healthy individuals. The Harvard School of Public Health writes: “Treating obesity and obesity-related conditions cost billions of dollars a year. By one estimate, the U.S. spent $190 billion on obesity-related health care expenses in 2005 — double previous estimates.” Therefore, it has been concluded that living with an excessive amount of body fat is an economic burden too.

In the end, it can be rightly said that prevention is the only key to stop such alarming conditions that might lead to co-morbidities and mortality. It critically affects a person’s abilities whether an as individual or as societal. The Harvard School of Public Health gives the ultimate solution in the following words, “Prevention is key to trimming obesity’s high costs.”