Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Breast Sore during Pregnancy

Hormonal changes during pregnancy cause increased blood flow and changes in the breast tissue, which may make your breasts feel swollen, sore, tingly, and unusually sensitive to touch. Some women describe the sensation as an exaggerated version of how their breasts feel before their period.

Breast tenderness is one of the earliest signs of pregnancy. It usually starts around 4 to 6 weeks and lasts through the first trimester

Causes of sore nipples and breasts before menopause

There are 2 main reasons for sore nipples/breasts before menopause:

  • Post-ovulation - During your menstrual cycle the 2 main hormones at work are:
    • estrogen before ovulation and
    • progesterone which starts to act around the time of ovulation

    Progesterone causes water to be retained in the body. The main reason for this is to prepare the uterus for a possible pregnancy by making the uterus rich in water and food for the anticipated pregnancy. Unfortunately, this same effect is felt throughout the body. Storing of water in the breast tissue causes it to become stretched leading to painful breasts and sore nipples.


How to reduce the soreness?

Your best bet is to find a few good, supportive bras. Take the time to get fitted by a knowledgeable salesperson in a large department store or maternity shop.

You may find that bras with underwires are less comfortable now. To prevent chafing, look for soft material with no seams near the nipple. Cotton bras will be more comfortable and breathable than synthetic.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is associated by symptoms and signs, which are caused by compression of the median nerve travelling through the carpal tunnel.[1] Carpal Tunnel Syndrome affects the hands since it is an upper limb neuropathy that results in motor and sensory disturbance of the median nerve.[2]

This condition affects individuals by causing pain, paresthesias, and sometimes weakness in the median nerve distribution. Those diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome may experience pain, numbness and tingling sensations in the arm, which may extend to the shoulder and neck area; these feelings are more prevalent at night due to various sleeping positions.[3] To aid in the prevention of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, stretching exercises of the wrist, hand, and fingers have been used to combat against the pain and numbness caused by repetitive actions. Other than using recommended stretches and exercises, useful treatments for CTS include use of night splints, corticosteroid injections and ultimately surgery.

Signs of carpal tunnel syndrome

Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome are often worse at night but can affect daily activities too. They include:

• pain, pins and needles, or a tingling or burning sensation usually centred in the thumb, index finger, middle finger, and the half of your ring finger nearest to your thumb

• aching in your hand, and sometimes in the lower forearm

• a weakened grip, particularly in your thumb

• numbness in the affected fingers or your palm as the condition worsens

What causes it?

You get it during pregnancy when the carpal tunnel in your wrist (the tube that the nerves going to your hand and fingers run through) swells and compresses the nerve.

As pregnancy progresses, women often get mild swelling in their hands and wrists, as well as their ankles and feet. This is why the condition is more common in the second and third trimesters when you're more likely to have swelling.

It's the pressure on the nerve from the swollen carpal tunnel that causes the problem in the main nerve to your hand and on to the smaller nerves that lead to your thumb and fingers.
Source: babycentre.co.uk
Remedies

Monday, June 28, 2010

Foods For Diabetic Patients

The proper diet is essential for diabetic treatment. Many diabetic patients can control their blood glucose by losing weight and that is possible only be proper diet. People with diabetes are twice the risk of developing heart diseases, so they should reduce the intake of saturated fats, and cholesterol like meat and dairy products that are major sources of satuarated fats. Instead, they should make use of unsaturated and mono unsaturated fats like mostly vegetables oils are high in unsaturated fats and olive oil is a good source of mono unsaturated fat. It is the healthiest type of the fat.

It is better to include following foods in to your diet..

BITTER GOURD: (Pavakka)

It is also known as Bitter Melon or Karela. . It is used as a food as well as medicine. Bitter Melon is chiefly helpful in the treatment of diabetes and psoriasis. The seeds, leaves and vines of Bitter Gourd are used extensively.



APPLE:

Apple is the delicious fruit and most of the people enjoy eating apples. It has been found benefic
ial in the treatment of diabetes because of its rich pectin content. It is a natural ingredient found in the inner portion of apple. It helps in detoxification of the body by providing galacturonic acid which is needed for the elimination of various harmful substances from the body. This food also decreases the body’s insulin requirements. Apples are also rich source of potassium. It is also a
fighter against dangerous bacteria and viruses.

ARTICHOKE:
It is also known as Agathi flower.

Artichoke contains large amount of insulin, hence it is used for the treatment of diabetes. Artichoke also contains large amount of potassium, calcium, iron and sulphu
r which is required by the body to perform various vital functions.



BENGAL GRAM :

It’s Indian name of Chana. It possesses an anti diabetic properties. These seeds are rich in fibres. They reduces the rate of glucose absorption and also decreases the gastric emptying, thereby preventing the rise in blood sugar
levels following a meal. Due to its presence in the body, the cells become more sensitive to insulin and an increase in the number of insulin receptor sites occurs and there is a stimulation of the cell’s ability to burn glucose. It also causes less glycosuria (i.e. passage of sugar in urine), thereby lowering fasting blood sugar levels and also lowers insulin requirements.

PROTEINS

Diabetics should eat proteins in moderation and prefer fish or soy protein, poultry on meat. High fat meat should be strictly avoided.

CURD OR YOGURTS IN DIABETICS

The popularity of yogurts has been continuously grown. There is also a growing demand for
puddings, desserts and other artificial dairy products. It incorporate a bacteria into the digestive system that stimulate the pancreas. It cleanses the pancrease form its waste products and acids and therefore helps in the production of more insulin and provides favour for the diabetics patients. Yogurt is an ancient wonder food. It is also strongly antibacterial and anti cancer. A cup or two of yogurt a day boosts immune functioning by stimulating production of gamma interferon. It also increases the activity of natural killer cells that attacks viruses and tomours. A daily cup of yogurt reduces colds and other upper respiratory infection in human. Yogurt also fight bone problems such as osteoporosis because of their high calcium content.

ONION

It is known to cure virtually everything. It is an exceptionally strong antioxidant. It words off diabetes, hay fever, blood clot, fights asthma, chronic bronchitis etc. Onion extract is found to
reduce blood sugar levels during oral and inter venous glucose tolerance.

OATS

Oats help stabilize blood sugar, have estrogenic and antioxidant activity. High doses can cause gas, abdominal bloating and pain and some.

BROCCOLI

It is a super source of chromium that helps regulate insulin and blood sugar. Therefore, it is considered to be an effective anti-diabetic food. It reduces needs of diabetics. In case of milk diabetes, chromium may prevent the onset of complete disease. Along with diabetes, it is a complete package of versatile disease fighters. It has antiviral, anti-ulcer activity. It is most protective when eaten raw or lightly cooked. It is extremely high in cancer fighting activity. Like other vegetables, it also speeds up removal of estrogen from the body, thus helping to suppress the breast cancer. It is also rich in cholesterol reducing fibres.

BEANS (LEGUMES, SOYABEANS)

It is excellent food for diabetics. They are very highly in fibres. It is also a potent medicine in lowering cholesterol. One half cup of cooked beans daily reduces cholesterol an average 10 percent. They regulates the blood sugar levels in human body very well.

GARLIC

Garlic have significant blood sugar lowering action. The active ingredients in it are believed to be allyl propyl disulphide (APDS) and diallyldisul-phide oxide (allicin). There may be some other constituents such as flavonoids, which also plays an important role. These ingredients lowers the blood glucose levels by completing with insulin for insulin-inactivating sites in the liver. This results in an increase of free insulin. The additional benefit of the use of the garlic is its beneficial cardiovascular effects. They are found to lower lipid levels, inhibit platelet aggregation and are hypertensive. So, the liberal use of garlic is recommended for diabetic patients.

SOYABEANS

Soyabeans in any form like whole beans or sprouts, soya flour, Soya milk, have been proved to control the blood sugar levels in diabetics. It is also best in preventing neurological complications like, numbness of feet and shivering of hands that is very common among many diabetics.

Soyabean bread is known to form a very good food for diabetes. It contains very little amount of starch but contains high amount of fat and proteins, both are of excellent quality. Hence, along with its richness in proteins, it also exerts a valuable effect in lowering urinary excretion of sugar in people suffering from diabetes.

GROUNDNUT

They shows a great influence in controlling the blood sugar level in diabetics. It has been advised that diabetic patients should eat handful of groundnuts per day. Along, with its use in diabetics, it is also used to prevent malnutrition. It reduces the deficiency of Vitamin B or niacin. It also prevents the development of any vascular complications.

GRAPEFRUIT

It is an excellent fruit for diabetics. It not only controls the blood sugar level diabetics but also prevents diabetes in person who are at greater risk/or have tendency to develop diabetes. Grapefruit is included in Citrus fruits category because it has very good flavourer it has very good flavour, produces appetite in patients and refreshers the patient.

Friday, February 12, 2010

HDL or Good Cholesterol Levels

HDLs are the smallest lipoprotein particles, however highest proportion of protein makes it dense for the blood. There is a group of lipoproteins which is responsible for the transportation of cholesterol in the blood. Therefore for a healthy, HDL carries about thirty percent of the blood. Their job is to collect the fat on the walls of the arteries, so that it can be excreted.

It is assumed that cholesterol from arteries can be removed by HDL, and send to the liver for reutilization. This is the only reason that makes HDL good cholesterol. Heart diseases are protected by the HDL due to their good nature. Since they act as the barrier for cardiovascular diseases, therefore decrease in HDL may make the human health vulnerable to heart diseases.

HDL level in men is much lower as compared to women; also they are small in size and with lower cholesterol content. This increases the chances for man to have cardiovascular diseases than women. Besides heart low HDL levels also affect the mind, it causes weak memory. In case of low HDL level in the late middle age, person is most likely to become victim of dementia.

Methods are there to raise the HDL level in the blood; these methods make use of fibrates and niacin. These are the substances which eliminate the problem regarding metabolism increasing the efficiency of liver and eliminates the metabolism problems. These are the strongest agents available and tend to raise HDL level up to 10%-30%. Besides that these drugs do not have any side affects.

Balanced and controlled diet can help the body to maintain required HDL level in the blood. HDL level starts decreasing when there is a greater consumption of fats. This weakens the strength of HDL, which then becomes dangerous for the human health, causing heart disease. For that matter physical exercise, especially aerobics can help the body to maintain the cholesterol level in the blood. Excessive weight can cause a lower HDL level. Alcohol can help to raise the HDL level, as in case of alcohol consumption liver needs more and more cholesterol to save it from alcohol. However excess alcohol consumption of alcohol can affect the performance of liver affecting the performance of the HDL.

LDL or Bad Cholesterol Level

Low-density lipoproteins are considered as bad cholesterol which circulates throughout the blood streams and they slowly build up within the inner walls of the arteries that connect to the heart and brain. When these low density lipoproteins are combined with other substances, they often form plaque, which can be a thick and hard deposit that can narrow down arteries and make them less flexible. Along with the loss in flexibility, there is a loss in the flow of the blood. This condition is more commonly known as atherosclerosis. When a person is suffering from atherosclerosis, a clot can form and block the narrow arteries which can result in a stroke or even a heart attack.

The levels of low density lipoproteins are better when they are lower, the lower they are, the lower the risk of having a stroke or heart attack is. Overall, there are five categories that the levels fall into, optimal which is less than 100mg/dL, 100 to 129 mg/dL is considered as Near Optimal or Above Optimal, 130 to 159 mg/dL is considered to be Borderline High, 160 to 189 mg/dL is considered as having a High LDL Level, anything above 190 mg/dL falls under something that is Very High.

There are many other risk factors when it comes to heart disease and strokes which can help determine the LDL level of a person as well as give the person a proper and appropriate fitting treatment specifically just for them. A healthy level for one may not always be the same healthy for another friend or person. It is extremely important to be honest and open with your doctors and discuss all available treatments, the differences between levels, and the best plan that works for you overall.

There are many doctors that help profile your cholesterol level which may give you a great starting point as to learning about what you can do to prevent and treat yourself if your LDL cholesterol level is specifically high. Doctors can provide a report with information that you need to fully understand in order to maintain and manage your cholesterol level, the different health risks that may affect you and the available treatments that are open to you.

What is Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a substance that is produced from the liver and found in certain foods. It is specifically needed to make vitamin D along with some other important hormones, as well as to build cell walls, and creating a specific type of salt, bile salt, which helps in digesting fat. Our bodies can produce enough to keep us from digesting our food okay, but it is hard to avoid it since many foods readily available today contain it. One thing that psychology and science has taught us is that too much of anything is a bad thing, and that applies with cholesterol as well.

It can be a negative thing if too much is absorbed that it can circulate in the blood stream. If the cholesterol level in the blood gets high, they tend to clog the blood stream which increases risks and sometimes is the reason behind heart disease and strokes. We make too much cholesterol if we eat too much saturated fat, the fats found in animal based foods as well as diary products. Along with the intake, we produce a good sum of cholesterol from our own liver.

There are a total of two different types of cholesterol, and unlike what we may normally think, not all cholesterol is harmful to our bodies. Low-density lipoprotein is the bad type of cholesterol which may clog up blood vessels which in return increases your risk for heart diseases. The second type of cholesterol is high-density lipoprotein which is a good type of cholesterol since it clears the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol out of the blood stream and reduces the overall risk for strokes and heart diseases.

Source: helpfulhealthtips.com