Health and Diet Blog

Juliet Cohen asked:




Colitis is a chronic digestive disease and characterized by inflammation of the colon. Colitis also called ulcerative colitis. Colitis commonly affects only the innermost lining of your big intestine (colon) and rectum. It happens only through continuous stretches of your colon, unlike crohn’s disease, which occurs in patches anywhere in the digestive tract and often spreads deep into the layers of affected tissues. Colitis is closely related to another condition of inflammation of the intestines called Crohn’s disease. Ulcerative colitis can affect people of any age, but most people who have it are diagnosed before the age of 30.

About 1 in 1000 people in the UK develop UC. It can develop at any age but most commonly first develops between the ages of 15 and 40. It affects both men and women equally and tends to run in families. The main symptoms of colitis are cramps, bloody diarrhea or an immediate want to have a bowel movement, bleeding from the rectum and fever. Colitis can also cause extra problems, such as joint pain, eye problems, or liver disease. Colitis sometimes leads to more serious problems. It can cause scarring of the bile duct. This can lead to liver damage. In rare cases, severe disease causes the colon to swell to many times its normal size.

Treatment for ulcerative colitis relys on the severity of the disease. Each person experiences colitis differently, so treatment is arranged for each individual. Treatment of colitis may include the administration of antibiotics and general non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDS) medications. There are three main types of medicines that are used to manage active ulcerative colitis aminosalicylates, steroids and immunosuppressants. 5-sminosalicylate medicines include sulfasalazine, mesalazine, ofsalazine, and balsalazide. They are an alternative to steroids, and often work well for mild or moderate flare-ups.

Corticosteroids can assist decrease inflammation, but they have many side effects, involving a puffy face, extreme facial hair, night sweats, insomnia and hyperactivity. Anti-inflammatory drugs are frequently the first step in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. Immunosuppressives (drugs that suppress the immune system) treat ulcerative colitis by blocking inflammation. The most commonly prescribed are 6-mercaptopurine (Purinethol) and azathioprine (Imuran). Surgery for ulcerative colitis may become essential for a number of reasons. Surgery may also be recommended for cancer or extreme risk of cancer.

John Ugoshowa asked:




Causes of bad breath ?

Bad breath is a common health problem which greately affects the daytoday activities of somany people. The offenssive odor from the mouth is unpleasent to those who come in close contact with bad breathers. The problem will be doubled by psychological trauma leading to depression. The sufferers from this problem wil be isolated from the society. This can even lead to marital disharmony.

Literally speaking all humanbeings are badbreathres. Oral cavity contains millions of anaerobic bacteria like fusobacterium and actinomyces which acts on the protein of food materials and putrifies them. This process results in the formation of offenssive gases like hydrogen sulphide,methyl mescaptan,cadaverin,skatol,putrescine ect causing bad odor. If oral hygiene is not maintained properly all will suffer from bad breath. Most of us control this by regular brushing,tongue cleaning and gargling. Even after maintining cleanliness in the mouth some individuals suffer from offenssive smell due to various causes which has to be diagnosed and treated properly.

Some common causes of bad breath.

1) Poor oral hygiene:

If oral hygiene is not maintained properly the mouth becomes the seat for millions of bacteria which produce offenssive gases by degrading the food debris. Bad breath is severe in those who do not brush their teeth regularly and clean their mouth after every food. Snacks taken inbetween meals can also produce bad breath because of improper cleaning.

Badbreath is common in almost all people in the morning on waking. During sleep there is less production of saliva .Saliva has got some antibacterial properties which help to keep the mouth clean. Saliva conains oxygen molecules which is needed to make oral cavity aerobic. So the reduction in it’s quantity during sleep makes a favourable condition for anaerobic bacteria.

2) Food habits:

The main cause of bad smell is due to degradation of protein by the bacteria and hence all food products rich in protein favours bad breath. Meat,fish,milk products, eggs,cakes,nuts,pear and ect can cause bad breath. Some food articles can produce particular type of smell which may be unpleasent. Raw onion can produce typical bad smell. It is said that an apple a day keeps the doctor away,a raw onion a day keeps everybody away. Eating groundnuts can also produce bad smell. However if proper cleaning is done smell can be reduced irrespective of the nature of food. Irregularity in timing of food can also produce bad breath. Small food articles taken in between the meals can also produce bad smell.

3) Biofilm:

There is formation of a thin sticky coating called biofilm on the tongue and oral mucosa. This coating is thick on the posterior aspect of the tongue where millions of gram negative bacteriae are seen .The thick coating on the tongue is always associated with badbreath. Even a thin biofilm can make anaerobic condition favourable for bacterial proliferation.

4) Dental caries:

This is a destructive process causing decalcification with distruction of enamel and dentine resulting in cavitisation of the tooth. These are produced mainly by the lactobacilli . Food particles are deposited inside these cavities and are putrified by the anaerobic bacteria producing bad smell. Normal brushing will not remove the food debris easily and hence they are putrified completely. Caries are common in schoolgoing children and in those who donot maintain proper oral hygiene .Calcium and vitamin deficiency can also predispose caries.

5) Gingivitis:

Gum is a mucus membrane with supporting connective tissue covering the tooth bearing borders of the jaw .The main function of gum is protection .Gingivitis is the inflammation of the gum .Due to various causes gum tissue get infected resulting in swelling,pain and discharge. If the condition become worse the infection spread towards peridontal area leading to continuous discharge called pyorrhoea. Some times the infection goes deep producing alveolar abscess with discharge of pus. Infection can even reach the bone causing osteomyelitis.All these conditions can produce offenssive smell.

6) Gum retraction:

When the gums retract from the teeth a gap is developed which will lodge food particles and cause bad breath.

7) Dental plaques and tartar deposits; Plaques and tartar is deposited mainly in the gaps between the teeth and gum. This will provide shelter for the food debris and bacteria causing bad breath.

Ulcerative lesions& coatings:

Almost all ulcerative lesions of the mouth are associated with bad breath. These lesions may be caused by bacteria,viruses,food allergies or due to autoimmune disorders. Apthous ulcer is the commonest amoung ulcerative lesions. Others are herpes,fungal infections,vincents angina,infectious mononucleosis,scarlet fever,diphtheria,drug reactions and ect. Cancerous ulcers produce severe bad breath. All fungal infections produce white coating(candidiasis). Leucoplakia is a white thick patch on the mucus membrane of the mouth & tongue. It is considered as a precancerous condition. Offenssive breath is associated with these conditions.

9) Diseases of the salivary glands:

Saliva is very useful to supply oxygen to all parts of the oral cavity. Even a thin film of coating called biofilm can provide an anaerobic condition in the mouth. Saliva can wet these layers and make an aerobic condition which is unfavourable for the bacteria .Any condition which reduces the production of saliva can increase bacterial activity. Some times the salivary duct is obstructed by stones or tumors.Cancer of the salivary gland is associated with offenssive odor. In suppurative parotitis purulant dischrge in to the mouth causes bad breath.

10) Tonsillitis:

Tonsils are a pair of lymphoid tissue situated in the lateral wall of oropharynx. Inflammation of the tonsil is called tonsillitis. Bad breath is seen in both acute and chronic tonsillitis. Quinsy or peritonsillar abscess can also produce bad breath.

11) Tonsillar plaques & tonsillar fluid:

If bad breath persists even after maintaining proper oral hygeine there is possibility of this condition. Serous fluid secreated from the folds of tonsil is very offenssive. Some patients complain that they hawk some cheesy materials from the throat;which are very offenssive in nature. These are formed inside the tonsillar crypts which contain thousands of bacteriae. In such conditions tonsillectomy gives noticiable relief from bad breath.

12) Pharyngitis& pharyngial abscess:

Pharynx is a fibromuscular tube which forms the upper part of the digestive & respiratory tract. Inflmmation of the pharynx is called pharyngitis, caused mainly by bacteria and viruses. Bad breath is present in pharyngitis along with other signs like cough and throat irritation. Abscesses in the wall of pharynx can also produce offenssive discharge of pus in to the throat.

13) Dentures:

Denture users may complain about bad smell due to lodgement of small food debris in between. Proper brushing may not be possible in denture users especially fixed dentures.

14) Tobacco:

Tobacco chewing is associated with bad breath. The smell of tobacco itself is unpleasent for others. Tobacco can irritate the mucus membrane and cause ulcers and coatings. Gingivitis and pyorrhoea are common in tobacco chewers. Tartar is deposited on the teeth mainly near the gums. Tobacco chewers get gastric acidity with eructations. All these causes offenssive smell.

15) Smoking:

Smokers always have bad smell. It can also produce lesions in the mouth & lungs causing bad breath.Smoking increases carbon dioxide in the oral cavity & reduces oxygen level,causing a favourable condition for bacteria. Smoking reduses appetite & thirst hence acid peptic disease is common in chain smokers.

16) Lesions in the nose & ear:

Bad breath is occasionally seen in sinusitis(infection of para nasal sinuses). In case of post nasal dripping bad breath is common due to the presence of protein in the discharges. These proteins are degraded by the bacteria. Infection in the middle ear with discharge of pus in to the throat through the eustachian tube(passage from middle ear to the throat)can also cause offenssive odor. Chronic rhinitis(infection of mucus membrane of nose) and forign bodies in the nose can also produce bad smell in the expired air.

17) Diabetes mellitus:

Mostly all diabetic patients suffer from bad breath. Coated tongue,ulcers &coatings in the mouth ,increased sugar level in tissues ect are responsible for bad breath.Bacterial growth in diabetic patient is very faster than non diabetic individuals.

18) Fevers:

Bad breath is common in almost all fevers. Even an acute fever can produce bad breath. Severe bad breath is seen in typhoid .Other infectious diseases like Tuberculosis , AIDS ect produce bad smell.

19) Fasting & dehydration:

Dry mouth favours bacterial activity. So any condition which produce dryness in the mouth makes the breath offenssive. Eventhough the food particles are known to produce bad breath, fasting can also produce the same. Production of saliva is also reduced during fasting. Chewing and swallowing also helps to keep the mouth clean.

20) Bedridden patients:

Bedridden patients suffer from offenssive breath due to thick coating on the tongue. water intake is also limited in these patients. Regurgitation of food aggravates the condition. Since they talk less aeration in the oral cavity is reduced which favours anaerobic bacteria to become active.

21) Diseases of stomach & esophagus:

Eructation of gas and food produce unpleasent smell. Abnormality in the function of lower sphincter can allow the food to regurgitate upwards causing bad breath. Bad breath is also common in gastritis,gastric ulcer and cancer of stomach.

22) Intestinal diseases:

Bad breath is common in patients suffering from ulcerative lesions of intestine like ulcerative collitis..Other diseases are malabsorption syndrome intestinal tuberculosis, peritonitis ect.

23) Diseases of lungs:

Lung diseases like pneumonia, lung abscess,chronic bronchitis,bronchiectasis,tuberculosis, lung cancer ect can produce bad odor during expiration.

24) Liver disorders:

Liver diseases like hepatitis, cirrhosis,can cause bad breath.Gall bladder diseases with vomiting also causes unpleasent odor.

25) Psychiatric patients:

Bad breath is common in psychotic patients due to poor hygiene,irregular food habits,less water intake and ect.

26) Somatisation disorder:

This is a psychiatric disorder charecterised by the presence of a physical symptom that suggest a medical illness .These patients come with physical complaints like pain,nausea difficult respiration, bad smell ect. This condition is diagnosed after detailed examination of the patient with all investigations.Since this is a psychiatric disorder it has to be managed with a psychological approach.

[ THE POINTS MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION. ANY PERSON HAVING BAD BREATH SHOULD CONSULT A QUALIFIED DOCTOR ]

Cindy Heller asked:


Nighttime heartburn affects millions of people around the world. The symptoms of nighttime heartburn are not only painful and discomforting; but more importantly they lead to a restless night of sleep. Several nights of interrupted sleep leads to fatigue and affects all aspects of one’s life – professional and family. Occasionally some sufferers of nighttime heartburn may face sharp pain in the chest area. These frightening sensations in the middle of the night may be mistaken for the onset of a heart attack. Instead of suffering needlessly, a heartburn sufferer can take some immediate steps to get relief from the symptoms.

Nighttime heartburn can arise from several causes. The most common is the consumption of a rich and heavy meal close to one’s bedtime. Heartburn may also be triggered by certain lifestyle choices and habits. People who lead very stressful lives or exercise vigorously right before meals tend to be prone to heartburn. In some cases, heartburn may just be a symptom of a more serious underlying condition like esophageal cancer.

Chronic sufferers of heartburn should seek prompt medical attention to ensure that there are no serious underlying reasons for their condition. Doctors will be able to offer various suitable options of a treatment plan. This will include dietary and lifestyle change recommendations, use of prescriptive antacids, h2 receptor inhibitors and proton blockers. Additional measures that one can take include sleeping with the upper torso elevated to harness the effect of gravity and reduce acid reflux thereby decreasing the chances of nighttime heartburn.

How To Stop Heartburn Once And For All

While most people experience occasional episodes of heartburn, there are some who have a recurrent or chronic form of the ailment.

For less painful and occasional episodes of heartburn, a visit to the doctor may not be necessary. For all other cases, prompt medical attention is necessary to avoid the deterioration of the ailment. The occasional heartburn sufferer can take over the counter antacids or syrups to get quick relief form the symptoms. In order to minimize or put a stop to heartburn symptoms, there are several steps to take.

First, stop smoking. Smoking has been found to weaken the esophageal sphincter muscle that keeps a lid on the stomach’s caustic contents. Smoking is a key risk factor that causes acid reflux.

The next thing to do to stop heartburn is to end the intake of rich and heavy meals close to one’s bedtime. Alcoholic and caffeinated drinks aggravate the heartburn condition. Spicy foods found in Indian and Mexican dishes, tomato-based dishes, citruses, chocolate aggravate the acid reflux from the stomach.

Food Choices To Stop Heartburn

Taking certain foods as part of one’s diet will help to stop heartburn. These include fruits like bananas and apples. Other suitable food choices that are good for a heartburn sufferer’s recovery are lean beef and chicken. Whole grains should be an important component of a diet as part of a cure to stop heartburn. If one must drink coffee and tea; then the suitable variety are the decaffeinated versions. Drinking adequate amounts of water also helps to dilute the caustic acids secreted by the stomach.

There are other remedies that can help to stop heartburn. Heartburn sufferers can take peppermint in forms like peppermint tea, which has properties that ameliorate heartburn symptoms. Likewise, apple cider vinegar is another well known cure to stop heartburn. Other items to consider especially as snacks to be taken several times during the day include almonds, dried figs and papaya.

The first dietary step to stop heartburn is to control the amount of food consumed. The intake of fats in large meals is high. These remain in the bloated stomach for a long time to be digested. The stomach is unable to contain its acidic contents and some escape as acid reflux. This acid burns the sensitive inside walls of the esophagus resulting in the heartburn symptoms. Take smaller sized meals up to five times a day, rather than the traditional three larger ones.

If Simple Efforts To Stop Heartburn Have Not Worked Seek Medical Advice

If all previous attempts to stop heartburn have failed, then it is time to visit a doctor who would be the best person to determine from the symptoms if they are related to a severe form of heartburn. This may involve advanced diagnostic tests such as esophageal acid testing or another medical evaluation that can safely eliminate gastro esophageal reflux disease or GERD. Unfortunately, the severe form of heartburn may be precursor of more advanced medical complications like short bowel syndrome, hiatal hernia and stomach cancer.

Juliet Cohen asked:




Necrotizing enterocolitis is the death of intestinal tissue. The illness is most common among premature newborns. Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) occurs in approximately 25,000 babies per year. Many newborns who develop necrotizing enterocolitis survive and go on to live healthy lives. But if the infection becomes severe, it can cause serious damage to or holes in the intestinal tissue. NEC typically occurs within the first 2 weeks of life, usually after milk feeding has begun (at first, feedings are usually given through a tube that goes directly to the baby’s stomach).

The consequence of necrotizing enterocolitis is not clear. It is believed to occur when the immune and digestive systems do not grow properly. This can happen when a baby is born prematurely or when there are complications during pregnancy or delivery. Bacteria in the intestine may also be a result. In the most severe cases, necrotizing enterocolitis can be fatal. Necrotizing Enterocolitis is equally affected both male and female. Babies with too many red blood cells in the circulation are at an increased risk of developing NEC. This thickens the blood and makes oxygen transport more difficult.

Babies with gastrointestinal infections are at an increased risk of developing NEC. Babies who have had a difficult delivery or lowered oxygen levels are at an enlarged risk for developing NEC. A baby’s symptoms depend on how severe the condition is. The primary symptoms vary and may involve feeding intolerance, abdominal distension, bloody stools, apnea, lethargy, temperature instability or hypoperfusion. In newborns who have mild to moderate necrotizing enterocolitis, treatment consists of intravenous (IV) feeding, antibiotics, and removing extra fluids. Intravenous fluids are given to maintain hydration.

About 70% of newborns with necrotizing enterocolitis do not require surgery. If the intestine perforates, then surgery is needed. Surgery may also be required if the condition progressively worsens despite treatment. Pharmacologic therapy includes agents to treat the developing disease and those to provide supportive and symptomatic relief. Different antibiotic regimens can be used; one frequently used regimen includes vancomycin, cefotaxime, and clindamycin or metronidazole. This combination provides broad gram-positive coverage, excellent gram-negative coverage (with the exception of pseudomonads), and anaerobic coverage.

Anna Hart asked:


Heartburn in pregnancy is caused by a muscular weakness. The muscle involved is the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), a ring of muscle between your stomach and esophagus. The LES is designed to relax when you swallow food so that the food can enter the stomach. Once the food is in the stomach, the LES is to tighten, keeping food and stomach acids from flowing back into your esophagus. If the LES always worked properly, no one would ever suffer heartburn in pregnancy.

Like many other parts of the body, however, the LES is affected by pregnancy. Heartburn in pregnancy is a frequent complaint.

Common Question about Heartburn in Pregnancy

When does heartburn start in pregnancy? How soon in pregnancy do you get heartburn? When should I expect heartburn in pregnancy? The question varies, but the answer is always the same. Heartburn in pregnancy usually begins around the fifth month. From that point forward, it may come and go until you give birth.

How do you treat heartburn in pregnancy?

Pregnancy Heartburn Treatment

Pregnancy heartburn treatment begins with an understanding of the relationship between heartburn and pregnancy. Why is it that at this time when you are so happy to be expecting, you suddenly have heartburn?

With pregnancy, the placenta produces progesterone, a hormone that relaxes the uterus’ smooth muscles. It relaxes some other muscles, too, one of which can be the LES separating the esophagus and stomach. As progesterone relaxes the LES, it fails to close and/or remain tightly closed. This allows acids to flow back into the esophagus, causing heartburn. Progesterone also affects the contractions of the esophagus, slowing the wavelike action. This, too, contributes to heartburn in pregnancy.

As your pregnancy progresses and your baby grows, your abdominal cavity will become crowded. The limited space will be taken up increasingly by the growing, moving infant. This puts pressure on the stomach, which in turn pressures the LES to open. Heartburn can quickly result as stomach acids are pushed into the esophagus.

Steps of Pregnancy Heartburn Treatment

Your healthcare provider will warn you not to take medications that might harm the baby. There are steps you can take, however, to treat heartburn in pregnancy.

1. Watch your weight gain. Ask your physician how much you should reasonably gain, and be careful to keep your weight to that limit. Excess weight will place more pressure on the LES and increase heartburn.

2. Avoid tight clothing, especially around your waist and abdomen. Tight clothing also contributes to pressure on the LES muscle ring.

3. When bending, bend at the knees rather than at the waist. Bending at the waist is a common cause of heartburn in pregnancy.

4. Eat several small meals during the day in place of three larger meals. Eat slowly and chew your food well.

5. Have your last meal or snack at least two to three hours before bedtime. Allowing food to digest before you lie down can reduce heartburn.

6. Although you will want to drink eight to ten glasses of water daily, you should Avoid drinking large amounts of liquid during meals. Try to remember that a distended stomach will pressure the LES and cause heartburn.

7. Ward off potential heartburn by chewing gum after eating. The chewing action can help release air bubbles that contribute to heartburn and the gum stimulates the production of saliva, which can help neutralize acid.

CAUTION: The author is not a professional physician, and offers this information about heartburn in pregnancy for educational purposes only. Please seek advice from your health care provider.

Robert Sifer asked:


Copyright (c) 2008 Robert Sifer

You have recently noticed that you frequently forget a lot of things and worst you are not sure what exactly is causing this. Before going straight for the resolution, there should be a basic understanding of what short term memory or working memory loss means. Beginning with short term memory, this is the ability to hold some information in a span of twenty seconds where as short term memory loss usually manifests in the manner of unusual forgetfulness.

For some people, short term memory loss is enough to make them worry. But there’s still hope for this condition because a study conducted by the Yale University has proved that short term memory loss can be reversed by using a drug regimen that yields long-lasting effects. The results from the study which was led by Stacy Castner can possibly pave the way to new treatment strategies for people who have short term memory loss.

Meanwhile past studies show that the use of long-term treatment antipsychotic medications for disorders such as schizophrenia actually reduces the amount of D1 receptors in the cortical neurons. D1 receptors are considered as one of the dopamine receptors that directly control memory function. On the other hand, results from the latest study show that long-term treatment using antipsychotic drugs impairs the memory specifically if the treatment has lasted several months. However, according to the same study, the memory impairment is reversed when the D1 receptors were stimulated by D1 agonist. The ABT-431 is the agonist used in the study to stimulate the D1 receptors and is still an experimental therefore it is not yet available.

Scientists consider the return of short term memory, which is lost usually because of old age and diseases such as Parkinson’s and schizophrenia, very important because it this short term memory that briefly holds the information in the mind while in the process of determining an action.

The treatment that proved successful in resolving short term memory loss only took a brief regimen of almost 4 weeks to get a positive result. Castner even mentioned that it can be shorter and still have the same effect. As a matter of fact the improvement of memory went beyond months and years even after the last treatment. This means that the circuitry involved in the processing of memory had at least been restored either semi-permanently or for good. This information is a result of the test done on 6 primates but the ABT-431 has not been used on any human yet.

Although the drug has not been released in the market and is therefore not yet available for consumers, with future tests further establishing the fact that the ABT-431 can indeed stimulate D1 receptors in humans and restore short term memory then there might be a chance to have this drug out in the market soon enough. But this will only take place only after the scientists have proven the ABT-431 is also effective in the restoration of short term memory in humans.