Health and Diet Blog

james sameul asked:


What is Diarrhea

Diarrhea can be defined in absolute or relative terms based on either the frequency of bowel movements or the consistency (looseness) of stools.

Diarrhea is loose, watery stools. A person with diarrhea typically passes stool more than three times a day. People with diarrhea may pass more than a quart of stool a day. Acute diarrhea is a common problem that usually lasts 1 or 2 days and goes away on its own without special treatment. Prolonged diarrhea persisting for more than 2 days may be a sign of a more serious problem and poses the risk of dehydration. Chronic diarrhea may be a feature of a chronic disease.

The loose-stool consistency that characterizes diarrhea usually lasts a few days at most. Diarrhea often means more-frequent trips to the toilet and a greater volume of stool. Some common causes of loose, watery stools and abdominal cramps are infections from viruses, bacteria or parasites. Other causes include medications — particularly antibiotics — and artificial sweeteners.

Causes of Diarrhea

Diarrhea is most commonly caused by viral infections, parasites or bacterial toxins.[1] In sanitary living conditions where there is ample food and a supply of clean water, an otherwise healthy patient usually recovers from viral infections in a few days. However, for ill or malnourished individuals diarrhea can lead to severe dehydration and can become life-threatening without treatment.

Bacteria and parasites. Contaminated food or water can transmit bacteria and parasites to your body. Parasites such as Giardia lamblia and cryptosporidium can cause diarrhea. Common bacterial causes of diarrhea include campylobacter, salmonella, shigella and Escherichia coli. This type of diarrhea can be common for people traveling to developing countries.

Tap water (A common mistake travelers make is to avoid tap water but to place ice cubes in a beverage. Contaminated ice is still able to transmit disease. Do not use ice cubes.)Giardia parasite: Infection with Giardia (called giardiasis) is easily spread through child-care settings and contaminated water supplies, especially water parks and pools (the bacteria are resistant to chlorine treatment), children’s “touch tanks” in aquariums and museums, and contaminated streams or lakes.

Symptoms of Diarrhea

The common illness, which may last several days, often called “intestinal flu,” is often due to one of a number of viruses that infect the bowel, making it weep fluid. The excess of fluid in the bowel leads to liquid stools. The inflammation may also be associated with cramping abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting.

Other common infectious diarrheas may be caused by bacteria. These bacteria irritate the bowel and make it pour out fluid. The inflammation may also be associated with cramping abdominal pain. “Travelers’ diarrhea” is due to particular bacteria common in certain areas of the world.

Treatment of Diarrhea

Most cases of diarrhea clear on their own within a few days without treatment. If you seek medical attention, your doctor likely will advise you to take steps to replace the fluids and salts lost during diarrhea.Medicines that stop diarrhea should not be used for people whose diarrhea is caused by bacterial infection or a parasite because they may prolong the infection. In these cases, antibiotics are typically recommended. Depending on the severity and type of virus, viral caused diarrhea is either treated with medication or left to run its course.

Try to eat. The food does not need to be bland, but try to avoid greasy or fatty foods. Infants and children should be encouraged to eat bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast—the BRAT diet—a combination used for decades to treat diarrhea. If diarrhea is accompanied by nausea, **** on ice chips until the nausea stops. After the diarrhea stops, avoid alcoholic beverages and spicy foods for 2 more days.

Nandeshori Devi Konthoujam asked:




Cirrhosis is a chronic medical condition of liver abandoning the usual biochemical functioning of liver in the body. Cirrhosis is resulted from the surrogation of the liver tissues by regenerative nodules and fibrotic scar nodules that lead to the progressive loss of biochemical function of the liver. The common causes of Cirrhosis are hepatitis C, chronic hepatitis B; Wilson’s disease, autoimmune hepatitis, hereditary hemochromatosis, alcoholism etc. and this become a crucial health problem of the mankind.

The nodule formation and fibrosis lead to the alteration of the ordinary liver structure which obstructs the blood flow throughout the liver is the condition of Cirrhosis. Cirrhosis also leads to an incapability of performing liver biochemical functions. The pathophysiology of cirrhosis, the normal and anatomy of the liver provide the better understanding of the hazards of Cirrhosis. The liver is an important organ in the animal body where also where metabolism of toxins and drugs including alcohol are carried out.

The biochemical functions of liver includes the synthesis of blood clotting factors, secretion and synthesis of albumin, the chief blood protein, secretion of bile and modification of its components. In addition, cholesterol metabolism and the conversion of fats and proteins into glucose like primary biochemical functions are also performed by the liver. Thus liver plays an important role in the functioning of the human body and deterioration in its functioning like by cirrhosis is of major biomedical concern and diagnosing the disease and immediate treatment is the best solution.

Liver biopsy through a transjugular, percutaneous, fine-needle or laparoscopic approach is the best way to diagnose cirrhosis. On the basis of the results obtained from the histological studies cirrhosis can be divided into macronodular, micronodular, or mixed, but it is unfocused to the etiology and these may loss with the progress of the disease and serological sign are greatly specific. If the laboratory, clinical, and radiological records suggests cirrhosis them there is no requirement of going for liver biopsy.

The only treatment of liver cirrhosis is the elimination of the causes and preventing complications of the disease. There is no such treatment to get the liver cirrhosis reversed back to the original healthy liver. Abstaining from alcoholism, timely treatment of hepatitis associated cirrhosis and other cirrhosis causing diseases are the ways for eliminating cirrhosis. If the cause is Wilson’s disease then chelation therapy for removing the copper that build up in the body by this disease is effective.

Medications including antibiotics are the best ways of preventing the complications of cirrhosis due to different causes. If the complications outbreaks the limit of control then liver transplantation is preferable. With advancement in the biomedical sciences the chances of survival on liver transplantation or the success of it inflating and thus giving new hope of curing to the cirrhosis sufferers.

Maurice Robertson asked:




Tea’s proper use is to amuse the idle and relax the studios, to dilute the full meal of those who cannot use exercise and will not use abstinence.

                                   Samuel Johnson 1709 – 1764

The tea we drink and know so well is actually a camellia, Camellia sinensis. First discovered as a tea, or, dried leaf tip that could be added to boiling water as a drink.

Its discovery was due to the ancient Chinese culture of herbal medicine and is traditionally attributed to Shen Nong, said to have lived about 2.500 years ago.

Teas origin was as a medicinal herb, used to “clear the mind” and was promptly adopted by scholars and Buddhist monks during meditation.

Although tea had been widely prepared as a drink throughout China for over 2000 years, we must remember that China, to the Europeans was totally unknown, except for very minor reports and references in books, i.e. from a Persian traveller in 1559 who mentions tea as a wonderful antidote to fever, headache and stomach ache!

It was, however, the Dutch who first imported tea into Europe in 1610 as a purely medicinal drink, but by 1637, tea was being imported into Holland as a hot drink with an increasing popularity. Holland, at this time, was the tea drinking country, not England.

Tea was drunk in England, on a small scale, however, tea arrived in England with a new vigor via the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, with the return to England of Charles ll, who had lived in exile among the tea drinking Dutch.

But it was via Portugal that tea drinking in England received its real boost. The Portuguese had, throughout the 15th century been Europe’s leading sea power, with a vast and adventurous merchant fleet trading between Lisbon, India and the southern Chinese port of Canton. Portugal had been the very first to encounter tea having a virtual control of trade to Asia until about 1600.

Portugal had been the first foreign power to be granted a trading concession by the Imperial Chinese government, with imported goods, hardly known in Europe, including silks, porcelain, lacquer ware and tea, establishing Lisbon as an important and wealthy city.

By the middle of the 17th century, tea was the drink of choice at the Portuguese court.

In 1661 a political union was established between England and Portugal and as was the style of the day, the political union was followed by a Royal marriage between England and Portugal, which symbolized the union between the two kingdoms.

In 1662 Princess Catherine of Braganza was sent to England to be the Royal bride of Charles ll.  Catherine, now Queen of England, further promoted tea at the English court. The new Queens passion for tea firmly established tea drinking at court, which very quickly spread throughout high society.

Today, tea is an inexpensive drink enjoyed by anyone who wishes to drink it, but it was not always so. Tea in the 17th and 18th century was very expensive, indeed, a luxury drink enjoyed only by the wealthy classes.

We can still see preserved posters from Thomas Garway’s London tea and coffee shop, with tea priced at 16 to 60 shillings a pound! And in 1664 a poster, advertising tea at £4 5/- shillings for a little over two pound weight. In 1664 this was a vast amount of money, well beyond the purse of the average family.

By the early 18th century, the fashion for tea was gaining new ground and the price for standard grade tea had dropped to about 12 – 14 shillings a pound, a sum of money equal to the average weekly income of a master craftsman at the time.

With tea being a privilege of the rich, it soon became something to show-off about and the tea ceremony began to develop. This allowed the host to give a lavish display of wealth and status, in the 18th century, your wealth and social standing was something to display and the grander the display, the better.

The tea table became a social centre and to extend hospitality to guests could be an expensive exercise, we find a London magazine of 1744 reporting that it could cost more to maintain a fashionable tea table than to keep two children and a nurse!

In the 18th century, tea was usually served, mid afternoon, after dinner, which was served in the early afternoon.  The lady of the house presided over the ritual of the tea table, which by now had become almost a ceremony, with rules of etiquette specific to “taking tea”.  By example, there is a Thomas Rawlinson cartoon; named “The French Visitors”, The Frenchmen are seen, cross legged and red in the face, obviously, desperate to relieve themselves, written in the balloon shape coming from their mouths’ is “Please, Madam, no more tea!!”  The joke, in 18th century terms, was that they did not know the tea table etiquette which required a guest to place his / her spoon in the tea cup to indicate to the hostess, no more, thank you.

This generous hostess had kept refilling the French visitor’s cups and they too polite to say, no more, thank you.

As the 18th century began to fade into the early 19th century, tea, now being grown by the British in India and Ceylon, became less and less expensive, eventually to become a staple of the poorer classes. Of particular benefit, although not understood at the time was the fact the drinking water was now being boiled, so that the many diseases spread by contaminated drinking water began to decline

The tea, that we know today, is a very inexpensive drink, enjoyed by millions, the elegant ritual of the tea table, now reduced to a mug and a tea bag.  

 

  

  

 

 

Ann Monahan asked:




Are you a sufferer of Constant Heartburn and Acid Reflux Disease?  If so, you know the painful symptoms that come with these conditions.   

Why is it so painful?  Heartburn is a burning sensation in the esophagus that generally happens after eating or at night.  It is the regurgitation of acid from the stomach rising up into the esophagus. 

It is the most common reflux disease and can often be eliminated by making simple lifestyle changes. 

Here are some suggestions to get you started: 

1)  Diet Adjustments 

Eliminate or greatly reducing consumption of certain food items that trigger these symptoms.  Foods such as:  coffee and caffeinated beverages; carbonated beverages; citrus fruits and juices; chocolate; fatty foods; tomato based products and mint products.   

While it may be very difficult to give up some of your favorite foods such as chocolate or coffee; simply by reducing the amounts or having them less regularly will make a difference.  Also avoid having these products in the evening. 

2)  Meal Adjustments: 

In addition to reducing or eliminating specific food products you should try to reduce the portion size of your meals by having several smaller meals throughout the day.  Also eat at a slower pace will help. 

Be sure to finish eating at least 2-3 hours before lying down to allow the food to begin the digestion process and be removed from the stomach.  If this is not possible try raising the head of the bed 4-6 inches. 

3)  General Health Adjustments: 

Tobacco products and Alcohol can trigger symptoms and should be reduced as much as possible or eliminated. 

Being overweight can contribute to heartburn due to the excess pounds around your abdomen.  This weight puts pressure on the stomach which cases acid in the stomach to back up into your esophagus.  Often just a 10 pound loss can help reduce symptoms.   

Be sure to check with your doctor when undertaking any lifestyle changes, especially a new exercise program.

Generally speaking, a healthier lifestyle will make a big difference in how you feel.  By reducing weight, exercising, eating smaller meals and avoiding products that trigger your symptoms, you will see a reduction in your heartburn symptoms.  Keep in mind that there are other gastro esophageal reflux diseases which unlike occasional heartburn can be more serious and should be evaluated by your doctor.

Dorothea Hover-kramer asked:




Romance is widely understood as the vital connection with the “special someone” who is or will become your life partner. The laws of attraction operate in a most tangible way when it comes to romance. 

If you are grumpy, unhappy, or very needy you are likely to attract those very qualities another person. This is true whether you are just meeting someone new or you have been with a partner for many years. 

To find the “right person” in someone else, find ways of being the best person you can possibly be. If you want to maintain a long-term romantic relationship with your lifelong partner, be as creative as possible in your daily life by examining each interaction with the person for its gifts and challenges. 

Bringing your wisdom and humor into the second half of life is a vital ally for enhancing your romantic relationship. 

Here are a few practical tips from the new field of energy psychology for maintaining your emotional balance and keeping the charge of vitality and romance alive in your most significant relationship. 

1. Learn from each interaction. After any interaction with the person you consider most significant ask yourself, “What happened just now? How could it have been better? What can I learn here?” 

2. Be honest with yourself. Instead of prevaricating about why something went wrong, simply acknowledge harmony did not prevail in that moment rather than blaming the other person or feeling hurt. 

3. Treat yourself by acknowledging your limitations in an interaction, “Even though ______ happened /or I wish I had not said_______, I deeply and profoundly accept myself and am learning to enhance my relationship skills.” 

4. Release negative emotions quickly by tapping the sides of the hands together while making your releasing statement, ” I now let go of my guilt/heaviness/ anger/disappointment.” 

5. Rebalance yourself. Emphatic downward movements over the whole body help stagnant energy to release more fully. Feel your center while holding the hands gently over the heart to comfort and affirm yourself. 

6. Apologize and forgive readily. You can certainly own your part in the conflicting situation. 

7. Make a peace offering. It might be a smile, a joke, a gesture, a sharing of food, a sentence about an unrelated but safe topic. 

8. Allow time for the significant person in your life to respond. Remember, the other person may process emotions at a different tempo. 

9. Celebrate reunion with touch. Remember there are many ways to connect intimately without engaging sexually. Share with each other how you can do things differently in the future. Staying engaged in a romantic relationships requires daily commitment and frequent “tune ups.” Nothing happens automatically. With practice, though, you can learn to follow your intuition about the best timing for sensitive issues and steadily learn what works best for both of you. 

Choosing to keep romance alive in our hearts is a great adventure and joy in healthy aging! 

For more helpful ideas about maintaining relationship health and vitality visit Dr. Dorothea’s website or purchase her most recent book, Second Chance at Your Dream (2009, Energy Psychology Press). www.secondchancedream.com

Patricia McDougall asked:




For hundreds of years Sangre de grado has been used as a natural remedy for wounds and stomach ulcers by the original inhabitants of the Amazon rainforest. The Sangre de grado tree is famous in Peru for its ability to act as a flexible second skin for wounds. The sap of the Sangre de grado tree contains natural anti oxidants which assist in its ability to cure skin wounds.

Current researches have indicated that Sangre de grado, other than being an effective cure against ulcers, irritable bowel syndromes, and antimicrobial distresses; it is also used as a cure for inflammation and sensory afferent dependent actions. Wounds from tooth extractions, cuts, bruises, burns, herpes, virus ulcers, including fungi, rashes, dermatitis, insect bites, allergic skin reactions, stomach ulcers, colitis, and dysentery are covered by this herbal medicine. To top it all off, like other alternative wellness products, Sangre de grado is also cost-effective.

Sangre de grado is the extracted resin of the Sangre de grado tree, scientifically known as, Croton lechleri. It contains helpful plant chemicals such as proanthocyanidins, phenols, phytosterols, diterpenes, taspine, an alkaloid, and dimethylcedrusine, a lignan. These chemicals, in controlled dosages, are noted for its therapeutic effects on the digestive and intestinal tract.

Its ability to heal wounds was first attributed to the antitumorous taspine alkaloid. Another element found in the sangre de grado resin is the lignan dimethylcedrusine, proven to contribute to the body’s fast wound-healing. Some studies also point to the sangre de grado’s ability to stimulate contraction of wounds, which results in scab formation on the wounds. There was even a study that proved that the resin of the sangre de grado tree is more effective for wound healing and collagen formation than its isolated chemicals.

Taspine was also indicated to be effective against the herpes virus, aside from its being rich in phytochemicals, which contribute to its would-healing properties. Sangre de grado has been found to contain anti fungal and anti oxidant properties. To be noted here is that in one study, it was indicated that sangre de grado had an in vitro effect against stomach and colon cancer cells. It had likewise antiviral properties, making one resistant to influenza, para influenza, and hepatitis A and B, among a host of diseases it actually is thought to cure.

In recent times, studies have been made to prove the health claims of the sap of the Sangre de grado tree. For instance, people would rather choose a sangre de grado balm than a placebo, to relieve swelling, discomfort, pain, and redness, as a result of fire ants, bees, cuts, mosquitoes, wasps, and allergic plant reactions. Results revealed that patients who opt for sangre de grado felt relieved after minutes, with symptoms, such as those that were previously mentioned disappearing within six hours.

With or without scientific studies, it has always been found that the Sangre de Grado is an effective and a true alternative medicine.

Alan Low asked:


There are some conditions that you just don’t feel comfortable telling your doctor about, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), just happens to fall in to that category. For obvious reasons, most people affected by Irritable Bowel Syndrome are embarrassed about their condition and therefore many try to treat the condition on their own. However, although IBS can be treated for those with minor conditions, if your situation is negatively affecting your life on a daily basis, then you should consider talking to someone about it.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a condition marked by bloating, severe abdominal pain, and cramping. It is also called spastic colon syndrome and generally alters the normal patterns of bowel movements. More often than not, the person affected by IBS will be plagued with diarrhea and/or constipation, however this isn’t always the case.

Sometimes, factors in the diet can lead to a person being affected by this condition, although for some there aren’t any dietary factors at all. Still, it should be noted that altering the diet and removing spicy foods, dairy products (lactose), and adding more fiber can help with treatment. If you are diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, then your doctor might order an allergy test to determine whether certain foods are behind your condition, in which case the condition can easily be treated with a change in diet.

Sometimes, counseling could be in order, as IBS often manifests as a result of increased stress and anxiety in a person’s life. It might seem odd, but treating mental problems can often decrease physical symptoms of this condition. This is because your body’s condition mirrors that of the mind, and a troubled mind can cause physical symptoms to appear. On the other hand, meditation has been shown to help some people lower stress in their lives, or at least be able to deal with it more effectively. As a result, symptoms of IBS often disappear or at least get reduced to a level that is manageable. Since IBS is considered a psychosomatic condition, treating both the mind and body are important.

Probiotics and fiber supplements have been shown to help remove the symptoms of IBS and can easily be purchased online or at a local health food store. Antispasmodics have also been shown to help relax the stomach and bowels so that digestion can resume normally. It is amazing that a condition with such distinct symptoms can be treated in so many ways, but the reason is that there is not known cause. Although doctors have been studying Irritable Bowel Syndrome for years, there are very few clues to the etiology of IBS.

Wilf Staton asked:




The pancreas is a special gland that is essential in the process of digestion. Without the help of the pancreas, the food that you intake will be used by the body properly. This is because the enzymes secreted by the pancreas are the ones responsible in digesting the fats, the carbohydrates, and proteins into something that can be absorbed by the body. Moreover, the pancreas is also responsible in releasing glucagons as well as insulin to the bloodstream. But once the pancreas was inflamed you must have a pancreatitis diet in order to prevent further damage caused by the inflammation. If you have an acute pancreatitis or you have just recovered from pancreatitis, there are numerous pancreatitis diet you may take so that you no longer have to suffer the attacks from pancreatitis.

Most dieticians recommend vegetables for a pancreatitis diet. You may eat a fresh vegetable or make a vegetable juice that you may drink while you are on your way to the office. This is because vegetables are the richest source of enzymes, vitamins, as well as minerals that are needed in curing pancreatitis. Moreover, plant-based foods also act as antioxidants in the body. Not only that vegetables have positive benefits on the pancreas but in the whole body as well.

A pancreatitis diet must also have foods that are not rich in fats. The fats present in the food will make the pancreas work harder. As a result, there will be more attacks and more pain. Even if you have already recovered from your pancreatitis, you can still have some attacks if you eat fatty foods. So avoid those French fries that have been drenched from oil (even if it is vegetable oil) and try to eat baked potatoes instead. Burgers, even if it is grilled, are still not recommended if you have or you had pancreatitis.

Spicy foods are very mouth-watering especially if you are into it. However, if you have or had acute pancreatitis, you are not allowed to include spicy foods in your pancreatitis diet. Just like the fatty foods, foods that have strong spices can trigger an attack in your pancreas. The same goes for foods and drinks that are gas-forming such as sodas. Coffee and other drinks that have caffeine must be avoided as well.

If you really want to have a pancreatitis diet that works don’t forget to include rice in your meal every time you eat. Salads can also be a good part of your diet if your pancreas is inflamed. You can also eat cereals, oatmeals, and bread during breakfast or snack. Soy-based foods such as crèmes and milk can also be an excellent source of antioxidants which prevents further damage to the already damaged pancreas.

But no matter what pancreatitis diet should you follow, make sure that you will not take it in full meal. An excellent pancreatitis diet must be taken a little at a time. This helps the digestion process flow smoother and lesser work for the pancreas as well.

peterhutch asked:


Abdominal bloating and distension occur extremely commonly in the functional gastrointestinal disorders with many patients ranking them as particularly intrusive symptoms. Characteristically, the problem is exacerbated by meals, fluctuates in intensity, is worse at the end of the day and settles overnight. When these symptoms follow this pattern, they are almost path gnomonic of a functional gastrointestinal disorder and it is somewhat surprising that their diagnostic utility has not been harnessed more often. This is in part because these features do not appear to be so common in men, but to some extent, this is because men describe the problem differently often referring to it as a ‘hardness’ or ‘tightness’ of the abdomen. Probably the best way to view these features is that when they are present, they make the possibility of a functional bowel disorder almost certain but when absent, they don’t exclude the diagnosis.

Abdominal bloating is a condition in which the abdomen feels full and tight. It is usually caused by gas in the bowel. Bloating is largely caused by intestinal gas. Intestinal gas can result from eating gassy foods or swallowing air. Swallowing air while eating is often done unconsciously and may result in frequent belching during or after meals. To avoid swallowing air, slow down when eating, don’t ‘slurp’ drinks, and don’t talk while chewing. Also try to avoid chewing gum, hard candy, carbonated beverages such as soda pop, and drinking through straws.

The most common symptoms of gas are belching, flatulence, abdominal bloating, and abdominal pain. However, not everyone experiences these symptoms. The determining factors probably are how much gas the body produces, how many fatty acids the body absorbs, and a person’s sensitivity to gas in the large intestine. Chronic symptoms caused by too much gas or by a serious disease are rare.

Hormonal Bloating for premenopausal women, bloating is often related to the menstruation. During the last two weeks of the menstrual cycle, known as the luteal phase, women can retain water, which causes swelling in not only the abdomen, but also sometimes in the hands, feet and *******.

The rising levels of hormones also have a direct effect on the gastointenstinal tract. “This hormonal effect causes the GI tract not to empty as quickly and to produce gas,” explains Dr. Grace Janik, director of Reproductive Endocrinology at St. Mary’s Hospital in Milwaukee.

Starches are another common source of intestinal gas. Starches are polysaccharides that are produced by plants and are composed of long chains of sugars. Common sources of different types of starch include wheat, oats, potatoes, corn, and rice. Rice is the most easily digested starch and little undigested rice starch reaches the colon and the colonic bacteria. Accordingly, the consumption of rice produces little gas. In contrast, the starches in wheat, oats, potatoes, and, to a lesser extent, corn, all reach the colon and the bacteria in substantial amounts.

Avoid chewing gum if you’re prone to bloating – it can cause you to swallow a lot of air. Eliminate all carbonated beverages from your diet. Carbonation in general is a potential trigger for IBS attacks, and it’s particularly likely to exacerbate bloating. Have a nice hot cup of fennel tea instead of soda pop or sparkling water, follow the and practice the bloating-specific yoga poses, and you should notice a tremendous improvement.