‘Health’ Category

  1. Healthier Choices for a New Year

    January 8, 2012 by Napauzi

    Healthy peopleSome of the most common New Year’s resolutions have to do with health. People commonly vow to quit smoking, stop drinking alcohol, or exercise daily. People also commonly quit these resolution after about two weeks. Why? It could be that they’re making too many huge changes all at once.  Rather than driving yourself crazy trying to completely overhaul your lifestyle all at once, why not try to make a few smaller changes? Maybe “getting healthy” is overwhelming if you’re not a perfectionist, but getting healthier is within reach.

    For instance, many people last about a week when trying to quit smoking. It’s a huge change. Aside from the nicotine addiction, missing the actual habit of holding something in your hand and putting it in your mouth can leave you feeling strange and uncomfortable when you try to go cold-turkey. If you want to get healthier but can’t quit smoking altogether, try switching to electronic cigarettes. You can lower your nicotine intake by selecting a brand that contains less of the drug than your regular cigarettes. Electronic cigarettes are also better because you technically don’t smoke them; instead, you inhale water vapor. They also don’t contain all of the added chemicals and tar found in regular cigarettes. Try reading an electronic cigarette review to see how customers are enjoying this great product.

    Another way to get healthier, without kicking a habit entirely, is to switch from hard liquor to wine. Yes, it may take a bit of time to get used to the different taste, but you acquired a taste for liquor at some point, too. Red wine, in particular, carries some health benefits when consumed in moderation. It’s certainly healthier than hard liquor, but you can still enjoy a relaxing drink in the evening.

    If you wish you could exercise more, but either don’t have the time or simply hate it, try at least going for a walk each day. Any exercise is better than no exercise, and getting some sunlight can ward off depression as well. Walking is a great exercise for those who hate running or don’t want to spend hours in the gym. You might not look like a bodybuilder after a few months, but you will still be healthier than you would have been if you’d spent that time lying on the couch.

    The bottom line is to not overwhelm yourself with huge changes, but do what you can.

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  2. Solutions for Acne Problems

    December 16, 2011 by Napauzi

    Acne can wreck your self esteem, impact your social life, and can even be physically painful. If you’re wondering how to get rid of acne there are several different solutions you can try. What works for you will ultimately depend upon what was causing the acne in the first place. Most people try several different acne treatments before they find the one that works for them. Sometimes one treatment alone will not do the trick, and multiple preventive methods need to be utilized.

    The old expression, “you are what you eat” is actually quite true. If you eat unhealthy junk food that lacks nutritious value, it will show in your skin. If it helps, remind yourself that your skin is actually an organ. Just like drinking excessive amounts of alcohol will cause cirrhosis of the liver, or smoking cigarettes will cause tar to build up in your lungs, eating unhealthy foods will damage your skin over time. Lower the amount of sugars and empty calories you consume, and instead fill up on nutritious fruits and vegetables, and you will begin to see a difference in your skin.

    Common topical treatments for acne usually include the ingredients benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. Each of these chemicals penetrate the skin and work differently to prevent and cure acne, so you may need to experiment to discover which type of product works best for you. Often the solution is to use a face wash containing benzoyl peroxide followed by a toner containing salicylic acid. This way your skin will benefit from the unique properties of both ingredients.

    Lifestyle changes can also help cure your acne. Acne is often caused by hormone imbalances that are related to stress, so getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and taking any other necessary measures to reduce stress can also reduce breakouts. Some people also find that high levels of caffeine stimulate their stress hormones and aggravate acne.

    If you try diet, lifestyle changes, and topical treatments and still suffer from a significant amount of acne, it may be time for a visit to a dermatologist to discuss more aggressive options. For tougher acne problems you may need laser treatments, birth control pills, or the prescription medicine Accutane.

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  3. Neck Injuries and Cervical Stenosis

    December 4, 2011 by Napauzi

    If you’ve injured your neck in a car accident or some other type of accident, you may initially feel fine. Then days, months, or even years later you may start to suffer the effects of your injury. Trauma to the neck area can cause a variety of injuries, but one that may not show up for a while is cervical stenosis. This condition is caused by compression of the spinal cord in the neck region, and pain can range from mild to very severe.  Sometimes an injury to the area will cause mild damage to the vertebrae around the nerve cord, and symptoms will not be noticed until much later, after the vertebrae degenerates further.

    These types of injuries to the neck are seen often in sports medicine. A practice called “spearing” or leading the tackle with the head, was actually banned in football due to the high number of very damaging neck injuries that occurred as a result of the tactic. Any athlete who participates in a contact sport is at risk of damage to the neck and spinal cord. Usually these injuries are diagnosed with imaging techniques such as x-ray, where the trauma and compression of the cord are clearly visible.

    If you suffer a traumatic injury to the neck, you should be aware of the symptoms of cervical stenosis just in case they arise at a later time. Other than persistent pain in the neck, you may feel numbness or tingling in your shoulders, arms, and hands. Another similar symptom is a pins and needles sensation in the arms and legs. You may also sense a loss of balance, which may cause you to walk or stand awkwardly. Clumsiness in the hands is another common symptom. In severe cases, you may have difficulties with bladder or bowel control.

    If cervical stenosis is the diagnosis, it may be controlled with anti-inflammatory medications or painkillers. You may wish to seek other methods for managing the pain as well, such as massage, acupuncture, and either a heating pad or an ice pack, depending upon what appeals to you. The only permanent solution, however, is surgery to relieve the pressure on your spinal cord.

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  4. Prevent Hepatitis and Liver Disease

    December 2, 2011 by Napauzi

    One of the primary causes of liver disease symptoms is infection with hepatitis. There are three main strains of hepatitis, known as hepatitis A, B, or C, with other strains (D and E) being less common. Hepatitis is caused by a viral infection passed through bodily fluids such as blood and fecal matter, and causes inflammation of the liver.

    The easiest way to prevent hepatitis is through vaccination. Currently there are two vaccinations available, for hepatitis A and B, but a shot to protect against hepatitis C has not yet been developed. The incidence of hepatitis C in blood banks has been greatly reduced in recent years, but anyone who receives a blood transfusion or works with blood products in labs is at risk. There have also been cases of hepatitis C being passed through sexual contact. For this reason condoms are recommended to protect against hepatitis infection, although it has not been proven that condoms offer 100 percent protection.

    Hepatitis A is usually passed through water or food products which have been contaminated with fecal matter. For this reason, hand-washing is important before preparing food. It is not possible to know if the food you eat in a restaurant was prepared by someone with hepatitis A, or whether they washed their hands, so eating at establishments with high health ratings is your best bet for preventing infection with this virus. Hepatitis A can also be contracted directly from an infected person through kissing or sex (particularly anal sex). Since a vaccination does exist, that is probably your safest method of avoiding the disease.

    Hepatitis B is also spread through bodily fluids.  The vaccination lasts for approximately five years, so anyone who works in the health care industry or child care (where they come into contact with feces and other bodily fluids) should regularly schedule a vaccination. Using condoms during sexual activities can help prevent infections that way, and wearing gloves while handling trash or other items which might contain bodily fluids is also important.

    If you experience any liver disease symptoms or suspect you might have contracted any form of hepatitis, see your doctor for testing and prompt treatment. Until then, prevent spreading it to others by always washing your hands before preparing food, using condoms during sex, and not sharing food or engaging in any other activities in which your bodily fluids are shared with others.

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  5. Vitamin Supplements for Healthy Skin

    November 29, 2011 by Napauzi

    Everyone knows that vitamins can be helpful for everything from preventing heart disease and cancer to having more energy. There are also many vitamins which promote strong and  healthy skin, hair, and nails. Most of us automatically reach for a cream of some sort when we suffer a breakout, and we use makeup to cover bothersome spots or give ourselves the appearance of a healthy glow. It is actually healthier, and even easier, to feed our skin the nutrients it needs for good health. With the right vitamins many common skin problems can be avoided or alleviated. While it is best to get these nutrients straight from food, supplements can be an acceptable way of getting these essential vitamins into your system.

    There are three main vitamins for healthy skin. These are Vitamins A, E, and C. Their specific usage may vary according to what type of skin problems you are suffering; usually, you will want to supplement with all of them since they are beneficial in other ways as well. Identifying your particular needs can be helpful, though.

    If you suffer from acne, you will want to get more Vitamin A into your body right away. There are actually Vitamin A creams you can use topically, as well as supplements in pill form. One word of caution: an overdose of Vitamin A can actually be harmful. In fact, too much of this vitamin can cause birth defects if you overdo it while you’re pregnant. As long as you’re taking the recommended dosage, you will be safe. Just don’t overdo it, thinking you will cure your skin problems faster. You will just end up causing another health problem for yourself.

    Vitamins C and E are great for anti-aging regimens. This also come in pill form, although many beauty product manufacturers have begun including them in topical creams as well.  Vitamin C, in particular, is good for the immune system and can help your body ward off infections. Since some forms of acne are infections deep under the skin, making sure to get plenty of Vitamin C in your diet may be helpful with that problem as well.

    Above all, remember that supplements are called such for a reason: they should supplement a healthy diet. It is a great idea to take them in order to maximize the effects of a healthy, nutrient-rich diet, but they should not be a substitute for eating well.

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  6. Recognizing the Signs of Heart Disease

    November 28, 2011 by Napauzi

    Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the US, killing over 600,000 people per year according to statistics released by the CDC. It is often referred to as a “silent killer” due to its tendency to go unnoticed in patients until it is too late to be treated. Since early detection and treatment can prolong the life span of heart disease sufferers and greatly improve their quality of life, it is important to learn the risk factors associated with the disease. If you recognize your heart disease symptoms early enough, you can get the help you need to live a longer, healthier life.

    The symptoms of heart disease vary greatly from one person to another. Angina is the most common symptom associated with heart disease. Angina is generally thought of as chest pain, but it can also feel like pressure, squeezing, or burning. Angina may also be felt in areas other than the chest, such as the arms, neck, back, even your throat and jaw. It is commonly mistaken for heartburn, so if you suffer from what you believe is heartburn you should remember to talk to your doctor about this symptom. Other symptoms of heart disease are frequent nausea, sweating, weakness and dizziness, or shortness of breath. You may also feel heart palpitations or have faster heartbeat than what is considered normal. Sometimes rapid weight gain is another symptom. If you suffer from any of these symptoms, particularly if you know you’re at risk for heart disease based on a family history, then you need to talk to your doctor immediately.

    One important thing to remember is that your symptoms do not necessarily correlate with the severity of your disease. Some heart disease patients have very severe symptoms, yet their hearts are not yet badly damaged. Others may have mild symptoms but have a very advanced degree of heart disease. It is best not to undermine your symptoms and delay medical treatment, or think it’s too late and give up. A doctor can determine the degree of damage to your heart and help you get back on track to a healthy life. With treatment, you can start to feel better again and prevent more serious problems down the road.

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  7. How to Determine the Degree of a Burn

    November 28, 2011 by Napauzi

    If you’ve had an accident and you’re trying to decide how to treat a burn, you first need to identify the type of burn you have. There are four degrees of burns you might have sustained, ranging in severity from minor to very serious. The type of burn you have suffered will determine what you need to do next.

    First degree burns are very minor burns that only affect the outer layer of skin. Your skin may swell slightly and will turn red, but generally there is no permanent damage. The average sunburn is a type of first degree burn. These burns are uncomfortable but do not require a trip to the doctor. In most cases you will simply need to run cool water over the burn to reduce swelling, and if it is a small area you can bandage it if you wish. The bandage is not actually necessary to prevent infection, but it will reduce discomfort in the instance that something touches that area of your skin. You can take ibuprofen if you wish. The burn might flake and peel, but as long as it does not become infected it should heal on its own in about a week’s time.

    Second degree burns involve the top two layers of skin, and require medical attention. Initially it will appear similar to a first degree burn, with redness and swelling, but will progress to more blistering and peeling. If these burns are left untreated, infection, scarring, and tissue damage can occur. For any burn more serious than a sunburn, medical attention should be sought in case it is a second degree burn.

    A third degree burn will completely destroy your outermost layers of skin. These types of burns result from contact with scalding liquids, fires, or extended contact with  hot objects (not just quickly bumping an eye on the stove, for example, but a longer period of contact). Third degree burns can also result from chemical burns or even severe frostbite. These burns always require medical help in order to heal properly, and cause extensive scarring and nerve damage.

    Fourth degree burns are the most severe type of burns that people can typically survive, since fifth and sixth degree burns usually result in death. A fourth degree burn will completely destroy your skin and will do damage to underlying tissues as well. These burns are not only life threatening if they do not receive prompt medical attention, but they will take months or years to heal. For more information on treatment for severe burns, consult with a burn specialist.

    Generally speaking, if you suspect your burn is more than the common first degree burn, you should see a doctor for more attention. A regular doctor visit or after-hours urgent care clinic will suffice in most cases, but if your burn is severe you should get a ride to an emergency room or call an ambulance.

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