Eating For A Healthy Heart

Bad cholesterol or a bad diet is something we all experience at some point in time.  It's impossible
to eat healthy our whole lives, even though we may try hard to do it.  Eating healthy for your heart is something everyone should try to do, especially when it comes to restoring health and reducing heart attacks.

Your heart and food
We know these things for sure - a diet high in saturated fats will help raise your cholesterol, which is a risk factor for heart disease.  People  that are obese are more prone to heart disease.  A diet high in sodium may elevate your blood pressure, leading to inflammation and even heart disease.

To help prevent heart disease and improve your health, put the tips below to good use.

Eat plenty of fish
Herring, sardines, and salmon are all excellent sources of Omega 3 essential fatty acids.  Other fish are great
to, although Omega 3 may help to get your cholesterol down to a healthier level.

Choosing healthy fats and oils
Saturated fat will increase the risk of heart disease. It's found in meat, butter, and even coconut oil.  You
should avoid them until your cholesterol levels are down and you are at a healthy weight.  Even those
that love red meats can enjoy seafood and nuts for their main sources of protein.

Monounsaturated fats such as olive oils will help you to protect your heart.  Olive oil is an ideal choice for cooking, dressing, or even as a dipping sauce.

Plenty of fiber
Fiber can help you control your cholesterol.  You can find fiber in whole grain products to help control sugar absorption as well, which will help you keep your digestive system healthy.

Choosing carbohydrates
Eating for your heart involves staying away from sugary foods such as candy, cookies, cakes, and pastries.  Eating a lot of sugar isn't good for your heart disease at all.  Healthy carbohydrates involve whole grain breads, whole grain pasta, brown rice, and a lot of vegetables.  You should make fruits and vegetables the main aspect of your diet.

Healthy cooking methods
Stir frying and sauteing with olive oil or canola oil are both great methods, as you shouldn't dip your food in batter and fry it anymore.  If you cook chicken, remove the skin and bake it in the oven in foil.

Instead of frying your fish you should always bake it.  Steaming your vegetables can help maintain the
most nutrients.  You should use cream sauces or lots of butter anymore either.  When you eat vegetables,
try squeezing lemon juice on them or using your favorite seasonings.

As you make the proper changes to your diet, keep in mind that it takes time for them to become habits.
Eating healthy is always great for your body and your lifestyle, especially when it comes to your heart and
the prevention of heart disease.

READ MORE - Eating For A Healthy Heart

Cooking with Oils

Everyone knows the foods to eat that improve health,although how we cook the food can be just as important.With there being so many oils and butter productsclaiming to be the best, it can be quite difficult to know which ones to use and which ones to avoid.

1.  Canola oil
Canola oil is a popular oil, with many physicians claiming that it has the ability to lower the risk
of heart disease.  The oil is low in saturated fat,high in monounsaturated fat, and offers the best
fatty acid composition when compared to other oils.You can use canola oil in sauting, as a marinade
and even in low temperature stir frying.  It has a bland flavor, which makes it a great oil for foods
that contain many spices.  Unlike other oils, this one won't interfere with the taste of your meal.

2.  Olive oil
olive oil offers a very distinct flavor with plenty of heart healthy ingedients.  The oil is rich in
monounsaturated fat, helps to lower cholesterol levels and reduce risk of cancer.  It's also rich
in antioxidants and has a very long storage life. Even though it can be used in cooking, it's the
healthiest when uncooked, such as with a salad or dipping sauce.  When you use it with cooking, you
should heat it on low to medium temperatures, making sure to avoid high heat.

3.  Butter
Butter is one food that has been around for many,many years.  Butter tastes good, and offers sources
of Vitamin A and other fat soluble vitamins such as E, K, and even D.  Butter is also made from natural
ingredients and not chemically or artificially processed.

You can use butter with cooking, baking, or even as a spread.  You can also pair it with creamy sauces, marinades, baked dishes, or even bread.

4.  Margarine
Margarine was first introduced as an alternative to high fat butter.  When it was first created however, it was loaded with trans fat, a substance that we now know raises bad cholesterol.

As a cooking oil, margarine tastes good, it's lower in fat than most oils and butter, and it's quite easy to spread.  It's available in a variety of different products and a good source of vitamin E.

When it comes to cooking with oils, there are several at your disposal.  There are many more than what is mentioned here, although the ones above are the most popular.  Eating healthy involves cooking healthy food - which is where your cooking oil really takes center stage.

READ MORE - Cooking with Oils

Lowering Cholesterol

The human body produces oils and other substances that circulate in the bloodstream. An example is insulin, which is secreted from the pancreas in response to the increase in the amount of sugar coming from the food that the person eats. The cells then absorb this, which gives the individual calories that are used as energy.

Another substance that the body produces naturally is cholesterol. This is also ingested in the food people eat. There are two types of cholesterol namely LDL and HDL.

LDL is better known as bad cholesterol. The reason why it is bad is because too much of this in the system may put the person at risk of suffering from either a heart attack or a stroke.

HDL in simple terms is good cholesterol because its job is to regulate the flow the bad one so this can be filtered out of the person’s system. There must be a balanced between the two so the individual is healthy.

Whenever people get a blood test, the patient will see a breakdown of the LDL and HDL in the system. Though not that significant as the first two, doctors pay attention to two other figures namely the total cholesterol and the triglyceride level.

In order to be given a clean bill of health, the patient must stay within a certain range. Those who have less than 200mg/dl in total cholesterol are safe. The same goes for someone who has less than 150mg/dl in the triglycerides.

So what happens if the person goes beyond the limit?  In simple terms, the individual is at risk of developing high blood pressure or a heart disease. The good news is that the person can still prevent such a thing from happening.

There are four simple ways to do it and this must be done gradually before something bad really happens to the individual.

The first is to change the diet. This means eating less of those that are high in saturated fats such as red meat and dairy products. This should be changed for fish, fruits, nuts, oatmeal and vegetables.

Studies have shown that those who eat oatmeal regularly are able to reduce the LDL and trigylecerides level in just 2 weeks. Imagine what could happen if this is done even after just a month?

The second is exercise. The body has stored fat after how many years of not engaging in any physical activity. Changing the eating habits can only go so far and sweating it out will increase the metabolic rate thus helping reduce the patient’s cholesterol levels.

The third, which doesn’t happen often, is for the individual to take supplements to aid in the reduction of cholesterol. Examples of these are bible acid resins, ezetimibe, fibric acid, niacin and statins.

These are available in different brands and studies have proven this can lower the cholesterol from 15% to 30% when this is taken in regularly.
 
Should exercise and dieting not work, the patient must remember that the intake of these drugs has certain side effects. The doctor should explain this before even prescribing this so the individual can choose from the wide range of drugs that can be used to lower one’s cholesterol.

Prevention is the best way to combat any disease.  A regular checkup at the doctor’s office will surely save money instead of being confined in the hospital.

READ MORE - Lowering Cholesterol

How to lower cholesterol through your diet

Although most people believe that the trend towards cutting off cholesterol in diets is brought on by the fact that the young generation is dieting themselves to death; it is not so. Limiting the body's cholesterol levels is not only for appearance's purposes but also for health reasons. Cholesterol levels in the body, when at a certain level, can cause a host of body complications and disease that can even eventually cause death.

Problems like hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes come in mind. This is especially true with people who are already old and in their middle ages because of the slowing down of the bodily processes particularly the digestive system and the body's ability to convert fats to energy. This is perhaps why most older people, especially those that have weight issues, are being asked by their doctors to lessen their cholesterol intake.

What is cholesterol?

People have been talking about cholesterol but do they what it is and how it affects the body. Because of news about rising cases heart problems in the country, cholesterol has become an overnight antagonist. Everybody thinks that cholesterol is bad.

Actually, not all cholesterol is bad for the body. In fact, our bodies need cholesterol to make bile salts. It is also a major ingredients in maintaining hormonal balance as well as in the production of Vitamin D. Things become troubled when the levels become too high that the cholesterol already clog the arteries, making it hard for the blood to flow and the heart to pump.

There are two kinds of cholesterol, the good and the bad. The LDL, which is the bad kind, adhere to the arterial walls, forming plaques that eventually clog the passageway. Saturated fats and the trans fatty kind are sources of this kind of cholesterol. This is frequently found in pre-packed foods like potato snacks and canned goods.

The HDL, on the other hand, can lower the levels of LDL cholesterol. This is because the good HDL helps transport the LDL cholesterol from the arterial walls back to the liver where it is excreted out. These are found in nuts and in seafood particularly fishes.

People who want to lower their LDL levels are also advised to eat a lot of fruits because of the fiber that they bring to the body. Oats, cereals, and legumes are also great sources of fibers that can help combat the rise of LDL cholesterol, eventually decreasing the risk of heart disease.

Factors that affect cholesterol levels

Contrary to popular opinion, it is not just the diet that should be taken into consideration when dealing with high cholesterol levels. There are actually a lot of factors that affect the condition. One of these is the age and the gender. Older people are more affected by increased levels of cholesterol because of their bodies' slowing processes. Another factor is the level of physical activity. Exercise can actually help in lowering down of LDL cholesterol. Also, it can help in strengthening the body and in toning the muscles.

Lowering cholesterol levels

From what was mentioned above, it seems remarkably simple to lower the body's cholesterol levels… that is if one has the discipline to see it through. Just eat right and exercise regularly, avoid canned and pre-packed foods and you are on your way to lower cholesterol levels.

READ MORE - How to lower cholesterol through your diet

A DEADLIEST EXCESS SUBSTANCE THAT COULD FORM IN THE BODY

All vertebrates need cholesterol to sustain health of the outer membrane cells.  It circulates in the blood to settle in body tissues and blood plasma in forms of fatty lipids (steroids) and alcohol. Cholesterol is maintained to balanced levels that must not exceed what our body needs.

Today, when every ready food could just be fished out from fast foods and other busy traffic-highway-eateries, all you need is to be concerned about eliminating idle (unwanted) additional intake of this substance that affects a great general health disadvantage impact in today's generation.

Let us educate first on how Cholesterol functions and affects body metabolic interference before we ever discuss eliminating its excesses.  When a doctor mentions of cholesterol, he is definitely addressing such to the low-density lipoproteins (LDL), considered the "bad cholesterol."  The way lipoproteins act as the carrier molecules, it deposit the LDL to the walls of the arteries that cause it to thicken and become devoid of normal blood passage causing arthrosclerosis. High-density lipoprotein is "good cholesterol."

One of the   various uses of good cholesterol act as anti-oxidant, and help manufacture bile, that aids to digest fats essential to the functions of fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.  All these mentioned vitamins help in the metabolism functions in the reproductive organs, from puberty developmental process until the ripe age, that has to do with the effects of estrogen level in the body.

Main Sources of Good Cholesterol:
1. Three-fourth (75%) of it comes from within the body, or produced internally thru results from synthesizing from densely packed membranes like liver, central nervous system (spinal chord, includes brain), reproductive organs, adrenal gland, and atheroma.  The degenerative changes in the atheroma result to development of atherosclerotic plaques and coronary artery disease that affect the natural flow of the blood.  When this happens it causes sudden block of the in and out flow of blood from the heart; most of the time causing heart strokes, possibly fatal.

2. One fourth (25%) comes from our food intake (external source), and this is where you must be alerted on what to take in your daily diet.  Fats originated from animals are rich in cholesterol, like egg yolk, dairy, and meat, regardless of whatever type in meat source.  Observe keenly about tolerating excess of this second cholesterol essential for as you see, it takes only a last portion of that last quart necessary.  A mistake in this will surely make up for "cholesterol imbalance."

Ways to Lower Idle Cholesterol (excess of the 25% Food Originated Cholesterol):

*Select intake of fats from non-saturated cooking oil or direct fat sources from animals.  One of the best cooking oil that produce unsaturated fat is olive oil.  Other palm oils like coconut are highly saturated.  Take low-content-sodium cholesterol fats; instead, eat high fiber vegetables and fruits, and complex carbohydrates.  Examples of this are corn, soybeans and legumes, nuts, wheat, and other staple cereals.

*Refrain from eating at Fast foods and other restaurants, they present high fat saturated foods and rich in sodium.  Also remember, that alcohol and sugar enhance the degree of cholesterol level, so avoid excessive hard drink sprays.

*Recent researches reveal that the presence of the Omega-3 fat acid present in Salmon, mackerel, certain tuna specie, and other deep sea hunts aids in lowering idle cholesterol.

If Idle Cholesterol is raised to high levels, seek medications as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, Statins, such as lovastatin (Mevacor), and atorvastatin (Liptor), most effective to lower LD, of course with physician's guidance.

READ MORE - A DEADLIEST EXCESS SUBSTANCE THAT COULD FORM IN THE BODY

5 Acne Treatment Tips You Can Use Today

Luckily, there are a number of things you can do everyday to make sure your skin is less prone to flare ups. Here are five tips for taking control of your acne starting today.

1. Exercise - Keeping in shape can help fight acne by fighting off negative stress levels that can come from negative self-esteem and depression. However, some safeguards need to be in place to ward off acne that can result from your workout routines. Watch what you put on your body with regards to clothing, sports gear and equipment.

For example, tight lycra and nylon exercise outfits might look great in the movies and on magazine models, but if you are susceptible to acne problems, avoid these synthetic fabrics that tend to trap in body moisture and heat resulting in a bacteria frenzy. Instead, choose loose clothing made of cotton or natural blends to allow more air to get to your skin.

And when you are finished with your workout, get out of clothing wet from perspiration or water sports. Shower and change into dry, clean clothing. And keep your sports gear and equipment clean, too. Dirty headgear, for instance, can irritate forehead areas prone to acne problems. So toss headbands into the washing machine after workout sessions.

2. Cosmetics - To avoid pore-clogging and skin irritations that are similar to acne and that can contribute to acne, use products labeled noncomedogenic or oil-free. Shimmering facial colors can contain a flaky mineral called mica that can cause skin irritations and clog pores. Other additives in coloring that can cause similar reactions are coal tar derivatives, carmine and heavy cream in blushes.

More preventative measures include using a lip gloss that promotes a matte finish instead of a high gloss for less pore-clogging; note the more the shine, the more then comedogenic content and the more the pores can clog. Beware that eye creams can contain heavier concentrations of moisturizers than regular creams and lotions, meaning they have greater potential to clog pores in the surrounding facial areas.

3. Diet - Studies show that diet does not play a role in either the cause or the treatment of acne. However, what is recommended for acne preventative care is this: what is best for your body is best for your skin, especially since your skin is the largest organ of your body. So remember to watch your diet and consume healthy vitamins, minerals and other supplements. This will help to prevent and help conquer acne breakout.

4. Hygiene - A healthy skin regimen should include no harsh scrubbing or over-washing, because this can cause possible skin irritation or possible over production of oil to replace what has washed off, clogging pores in the process. Products with gentle exfoliation ingredients are OK to use; i.e. not scratchy nut or fruit shell pieces that can tear skin. And skip alcohol products when possible; these can take off the top layer of your skin and cause your glands to product more oil, clogging pores in the process.

If you do spot acne-troubled areas, do NOT mess with them. Remember that these are already weeks in the making, and squeezing or picking blemishes can force the infected area to regress back inside, further troubling the region and possibly leave a scar. If necessary, seek help from a dermatologist for alternative treatments.

5. Shaving - Shaving for both genders is actually an excellent way of exfoliating or removing dead skin to help with the prevention and spreading of acne instead of leaving the remains to clog pores. And for some light acne cases already in process, shaving can help rid whiteheads and blackheads from the face. A word of caution: for areas with infection or high inflammatory activity (redness, sensitive, open acne, sores, etc.), do not shave. Or at the very least, use a shaving cream for sensitive skin!

READ MORE - 5 Acne Treatment Tips You Can Use Today

3 Top Acne Skin Care Tips For A Healthier Skin

When dealing with acne skin care, most of the medical professionals commonly suggest that people affected with acne must practice certain acne skin care methods that will help improve the condition of their skin.

Acne, as you may already know, is a very severe skin disorder that affects thousands of people from all over the world. It not only affects the surface of the skin but also the inner layers of the skin. Acne usually occurs on the face, neck, chest and back, and it starts during the adolescence period.

During the past several years, a good number of acne experts and skin care professionals have conducted many studies on how to prevent the formation of acne. And fortunately, these skin care specialists have come out with certain acne skin care tips that can be of great help for fighting acne. I have selected the three simpler yet most powerful acne skin care tips that you can follow in order to have a healthier skin. These are mentioned below:


Acne Skin Care Tip # 1: You Should Always Clean Your Skin Very Gently

First of all, personal hygiene is very necessary for fighting acne. So as what most experts usually suggest, you should gently clean your skin with a mild cleanser at least twice a day.  This simple acne skin care step is deemed important for fighting acne since washing your face or the other affected areas will wipe away the acne-causing bacteria found on the skin. Also note that although you are sometimes told to scrub your face, scrubbing is not a good acne skin care move since it will just trigger the development of acne, worsening the condition. In addition to this acne skin care step, it is worth noting that astringents are not always suggested unless the skin is very oily. And, they must only be applied on the oily spots.


Acne Skin Care # 2: You Should Refrain from Frequently Holding Your Skin

Another helpful acne skin care tip is to avoid frequently handling of the skin. Don’t pinch, pick or squeeze your pimple since it will only worsen the condition. Many of the people have considered this acne skin care step as one of the most important acne skin care pointers knowing that it may only cause infection and scars formation. As this acne skin care tip holds, you should avoid rubbing and touching your skin lesions if possible.


Acne Skin Care # 3: Always Choose Cosmetics Carefully

This last acne skin care tip holds that people who are being treated for acne must change some of the cosmetics they use. Note that in order to avoid the onset or the development of acne, the cosmetics you plan on using like the foundation, blush, moisturizers, and eye shadow should be oil free. Aside from that, this acne skin care tip also holds that you must avoid oily hair products for they may cause closed comedones. Therefore, those products that are labeled as noncomedogenic should be applied.

It is a fact that many of us are very conscious of our skin condition. And as such, we are always wanting to have a fresh, good-looking skin as much as possible. Unfortunately, many of us also fail to come to the conclusion that simple steps are the best ways to accomplish this goal. We often are blind enough that we don’t see what’s really right or wrong for our skin. We often fall in so much frustration and desperation that make us go buy any high-priced beauty products that in the end just turn out to be a waste of time and money, and even worsen our acne. Hopefully, the above mentioned acne skin care tips will be a good start to help you enhance your skin condition.

READ MORE - 3 Top Acne Skin Care Tips For A Healthier Skin

NAILS IN HEALTH AND DISEASE.

Introduction:

The nails are present at the end of each finger tip on the dorsal surface.The main function of nail is protection and it also helps for a firm grip for holding articles.It consists of a strong relatively flexible keratinous nail plate originating from the nail matrix. Under the nail plate there is a soft tissue called nail bed.Between the skin and nail plate there is a nail fold or cuticle.Normal healthy nail is slight pink in colour and the surface is convex from side to side.Finger nails grow 1 cm in three months and toe nails take 24 months for the same.

Importance of nails in disease diagnosis:

The colour ,appearance,shape and nature of the nails give some information about the general health and hygiene of a person . Nails are examined as a routine by all doctors to get some clues about underlying diseases.Just looking at nails we can makeout the hygiene of a person.The abnormal nail may be congenital or due to some diseases.The cause for changes in the nail extend from simple reasons to life threatening diseases.Hence the examination by a doctor is essential for diagnosis .Some abnormal findings with probable causes are discussed here for general awareness.

1) Hygiene:-

We can make out an unhygienic nail very easily .Deposition of dirt under the distal end of nail plate can make a chance for ingestion of pathogens while eating.If nail cutting is not done properly it can result in worm troubles in children.When the worms crawl in the anal orifice children will scratch which lodges the ova of worms under the nails and will be taken in while eating.Prominent nail can also complicate a skin disease by habitual scratching.Sharp nails in small kids cause small wounds when they do feet kicking or hand waving.

2) Colour of the nails:-

a) Nails become pale in anaemia.

b) Opaque white discolouration(leuconychia) is seen in chronic renal failure and nephrotic syndrome.

c) Whitening is also seen in hypoalbuminaemia as in cirrhosis and kidney disorders.
                             
d) Drugs like sulpha group,anti malarial and antibiotics ect can produce discolouration in the nails.
                       
e) Fungal infection causes black discolouration.

f) In pseudomonas infection nails become black or green.

g) Nail bed infarction occures in vasculitis especially in SLE and polyarteritis.

h) Red dots are seen in nails due to splinter haemorrhages in subacute bacterial endo carditis, rheumatoid arthritis, trauma, collagen vascular diseases.

i) Blunt injury produces haemorrhage and causes blue/black discolouration.

j) Nails become brown in kidney diseases and in decreased adrenal activity.

k) In wilsons disease blue colour in semicircle appears in the nail.

l) When the blood supply decreases nail become yellow .In jaundice and psoriasis also nail become yellowish.

m) In yellow nail syndrome all nails become yellowish with pleural effusion.

3) Shape of nails:-

a) Clubbing: Here tissues at the base of nails are thickened and the angle between the nail base and the skin is obliterated. The nail becomes more convex and the finger tip becomes bulbous and looks like an end of a drumstick. When the condition becomes worse the nail looks like a parrot beak.

Causes of clubbing:-

Congenital Injuries

Severe chronic cyanosis

Lung diseases like empyema,bronchiactesis,carcinoma of bronchus and pulmonary tuberculosis.
Abdominal diseases like crohn's disease,polyposis of colon,ulcerative colitis,liver cirrhosis ect...

Heart diseases like fallot's tetralogy,subacute bacterial endocarditis and ect..
             
b) Koilonychia:-

Here the nails become concave like a spoon.This condition is seen in iron deficiency anaemia.In this condition the nails become thin,soft and brittle.The normal convexity will be replaced by concavity.

c) Longitudinal ridging is seen in raynaud's disease.

d) Cuticle becomes ragged in dermatomyositis.

e) Nail fold telangiectasia is a sign in dermatomyositis ,systemic sclerosis and SLE.

4) Structure and consistancy:-

a) Fungal infection of nail causes discolouration,deformity,hypertrophy and abnormal brittleness.

b) Thimble pitting of nail is charecteristic of psoriasis ,acute eczema and alopecia aereata.
 
c) The inflamation of cuticle or nail fold is called paronychia.

d) Onycholysis is the seperation of nail bed seen in psoriasis,infection and after taking tetracyclines.

e) Destruction of nail is seen in lichen planus,epidermolysis bullosa.

f) Missing nail is seen in nail patella syndrome.It is a hereditary disease.

g) Nails become brittle in raynauds disease and gangrene.

h) Falling of nail is seen in fungal infection,psoriasis and thyroid diseases.

5) Growth:-

Reduction in blood supply affects the growth of nails. Nail growth is also affected in severe ilness. when the disease disappears the growth starts again resulting in formation of transverse ridges.These lines are called Beau's lines and are healpful to date the onset of illness.        

READ MORE - NAILS IN HEALTH AND DISEASE.

BRIEF IDEA ABOUT PILES

BRIEF IDEA ABOUT PILES (Hemorrhoids)

What is piles ?
 
Dilatation of radicles of rectal veins within the anal canal is called piles.The medical term for piles is hemorrhoids.Compared to arteries veins are weak due to thin walls and hence any backpressure in the veins can make them tortuous.There are three rectal veins namely superior, middle and inferior rectal veins.Any obstructions or increase of pressure in these veins can predispose piles.

Depending upon the situation there are two types of piles.

1) External piles.         2) Internal piles.

1) External piles:-

This type of piles is seen outside the anal opening and is covered by skin.It is black or brown in colour.This type of piles is very painful due to rich nerve supply in this area.

2) Internal piles:-

It is inside the anal canal and internal to the anal orifice.It is covered by mucous membrane and is red or purple in colour.These piles are painless.

Some times internal and external piles occure in same individual.

Factors responsible for piles:--

1) This is a familial disease.

2) Piles is seen only in animals maintain an erect posture. This is due to congestion in the rectal veins due to the effect of gravity.

3) It is common in individuals having chronic constipation.Those who have a habit of visiting the toilet due to frequent urge for stool may develop piles in future.

4) Piles is common in those who take excess of chicken, prawns, spicy food ect.Those who take vegetables and fibrous food are rarely affected.

5) Some ladies get piles during pregnancy due to compression of rectal veins by the uterus.

6) Cancerous lesions in the rectum can obstruct blood flow and result in piles.

Signs and symptoms of piles:--

1) Pain:-

Pain is common in external piles which will be worse while straining at stool.

2) Bleeding:-

Bleeding comes in splashes while pressing for stool.Bleeding may be profuse in some cases.

3) Protruding mass:-

In external piles the swelling can be felt around the anal orifice.In case of internal piles initially it can not be felt.When the disease progresses the piles protrude during stool and will go inside automatically.When the condition becomes worse the protruded piles will not go back in to the anus.

4) In some cases there will be discharge of mucus with itching around the anal orifice.

Complications of piles:--

1,Infection: The infection can spread to deep veins resulting in septicaemia.
2,Fibrosis: Here the piles become fibrosed with hardening of anal orifice.
3,Thrombosis: Here the blood inside the piles will form clots and can obstruct blood flow.
4,Gangrene: Here the tissues in the piles and nearby skin die due to lack of blood supply.
5,Suppuration: When the piles suppurate it can produce abscess with discharge of pus.

Treatment of piles:--

Initially it is treated on the basis of symptoms.Constipation should be treated.If there is anaemia iron should be give.Homoeopathic medicines can give good results. If medicinal treatment is not giving any result the following can be tried.

1) The thrombosed external pile is excised under local anaesthesia.

2) Sclerosant injection therapy can reduce the size of piles.

3) Rubber band ligation around the neck of piles is useful in some cases.

4) Cryosurgery is very effective.

5) Anal dilatation can reduce constipation and pain.

6) Haemorrhoidectomy is the surgical removal of piles.


How to prevent piles?

1) Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.

2) Take fibrous food.

3) Avoid excess intake of meat,prawns,crabs ect.

4) Keep a regular timing for food.

6) Drink sufficient quantity of water.

7) Keep a regularity in bowel habits.

8) Take treatment for constipation.

READ MORE - BRIEF IDEA ABOUT PILES

Changing How You Eat

As you may know, not fueling up with the right
nutrients can affect how well your body performs
and your overall fitness benefits.  Even though
healthy eating is important, there are myths that
hinder your performance if you listen to them.

Below, you'll find some myth busters on healthy
eating.

1.  Working out on an empty stomach.
If you hear a rumbling noise in your stomach, the
rumbling is trying to tell you something.  Without
listening to them, you are forcing your body to
run without any fuel.  Before you exercise or do
any physical activity, always eat a light snack
such as an apple.

2.  Relying on energy bars and drinks.
Although they are fine every once in a while, they
don't deliver the antioxidants you need to prevent
cancer.  Fruits and vegetables are your best bets,
as they are loaded in vitamins, minerals, fluid,
and fiber.

3.  Skipping breakfast.
Skipping breakfast is never a good idea, as
breakfast starts the day.  Your body needs fuel
as soon as possible, and without it, you'll be
hungry throughout the day.

4.  Low carb diets.
Your body needs carbohydrates for your muscles and
the storing of energy.

5.  Eating what you want.
Eating healthy and exercising doesn't give you an
all access pass to eat anything you want.  Everyone
needs the same nutrients whether they exercise or
not, as well as fruits and vegetables.

6.  Not enough calories
Although losing weight involves calories, losing
it too quickly is never safe.  What you should do,
is aim for 1 - 2 pounds a week.  Always make sure
that you are getting enough calories to keep your
body operating smoothly.  If you start dropping
weight too fast, eat a bit more food.

7.  Skip soda and alcohol.
Water, milk, and juice is the best to drink for
active people.  You should drink often, and not
require on thirst to be an indicator.  By the time
you get thirsty, your body is already running a
bit too low.

Changing how you eat is always a great step
towards healthy eating and it will affect how your
body performs.  The healthier you eat, you better
you'll feel.  No matter how old you may be, healthy
eating is something you should strive for.  Once
you give it a chance, you'll see in no time at
all just how much it can change your life - for the
better.

READ MORE - Changing How You Eat

Becoming A Healthy Eater

Being a healthy eater requires you to become both
educated and smart about what healthy eating
actually is.  Being food smart isn't about
learning to calculate grams or fat, or is it
about studying labels and counting calories.

Healthy eating is all about balanced and moderate
eating, consisting of healthy meals at least
three times per day.  Healthy eaters eat many
different types of foods, not limiting themselves
to one specific food type or food group.

Eating healthy requires quite a bit of leeway.  You
might eat too much or not enough, consume
foods that are sometimes more or less nutritious.
However, you should always fuel your body and
your brain regularly with enough food to keep
both your mind and body strong and alert.

A healthy eater is a good problem solver.  Healthy
eaters have learned to take care of themselves
and their eating with sound judgement and making
wise decisions.  Healthy eaters are always aware
of what they eat, and know the effect that it
will have on their bodies.

When someone is unable to take control of their
eating, they are also likely to get out of control
with other aspects of life as well.  They could
end up spending too much, talking too much, even
going to bed later and later.

You should always remember that restricting food
in any way is always a bad thing.  Healthy eating
is a way of life, something that you can do to
enhance your body or your lifestyle.  If you've
thought about making your life better, healthy
eating is just the place to start.  You'll make
life easier for yourself, those around you, and
even your family.

READ MORE - Becoming A Healthy Eater

MEDICAL TESTIMONY ON ALCOHOL.

Dr. Ezra M. Hunt says: "The capacity of the alcohols for impairment of functions and the initiation and promotion of organic lesions in vital parts, is unsurpassed by any record in the whole range of medicine.  The facts as to this are so indisputable, and so far granted by the profession, as to be no longer debatable . Changes in stomach and liver, in kidneys and lungs, in the blood-vessels to the minutest capillary, and in the blood to the smallest red and white blood disc disturbances of secretion, fibroid and fatty degenerations in almost every organ, impairment of muscular power, impressions so profound on both nervous systems as to be often toxic these, and such as these, are the oft manifested results. And these are not confined to those called intemperate."

Professor Youmans says: "It is evident that, so far from being the conservator of health, alcohol is an active and powerful cause of disease, interfering, as it does, with the respiration, the circulation and the nutrition; now, is any other result possible?"

Dr. F.R. Lees says: "That alcohol should contribute to the fattening process under certain conditions, and produce in drinkers fatty degeneration of the blood, follows, as a matter of course, since, on the one hand, we have an agent that  retains waste  matter by lowering the nutritive and excretory functions, and on the other, a  direct poisoner  of the vesicles of the vital stream."

Dr. Henry Monroe says: "There is no kind of tissue, whether healthy or morbid, that may not undergo fatty degeneration; and there is no organic disease so troublesome to the medical man, or so difficult of cure. If, by the aid of the microscope, we examine a very fine section of muscle taken from a person in good health, we find the muscles firm, elastic and of a bright red color, made up of parallel fibres, with beautiful crossings or striae; but, if we similarly examine the muscle of a man who leads an idle, sedentary life, and indulges in intoxicating drinks, we detect, at once, a pale, flabby, inelastic, oily appearance. Alcoholic narcotization appears to produce this peculiar conditions of the tissues  more than any other agent with which we are acquainted.  'Three-quarters of the chronic illness which the medical man has to treat,' says Dr. Chambers, 'are occasioned by this disease.' The eminent French analytical chemist, Lecanu, found as much as one hundred and seventeen parts of fat in one thousand parts of a drunkard's blood, the highest estimate of the quantity in health being eight and one-quarter parts, while the ordinary quantity is not more than two or three parts, so that the blood of the drunkard contains forty times in excess of the ordinary quantity."

Dr. Hammond, who has written, in partial defense of alcohol as containing a food power, says: "When I say that it, of all other causes,  is most prolific  in exciting derangements of the brain, the spinal cord and the nerves, I make a statement which my own experience shows to be correct."

Another eminent physician says of alcohol: "It substitutes suppuration for growth. It helps time to produce the effects of age; and, in a word, is the genius of degeneration."

Dr. Monroe, from whom "Alcohol, taken in small quantities, or largely diluted,  as in the form of beer, causes the stomach gradually to lose its tone, and makes  it dependent upon artificial stimulus. Atony, or want of tone of the stomach, gradually supervenes, and incurable disorder of health results. Should a dose of alcoholic drink be taken daily, the heart will very often become hypertrophied, or enlarged throughout. Indeed, it is painful to witness how  many  persons are actually laboring under disease of the heart, owing chiefly to the use of alcoholic liquors."

Dr. T.K. Chambers, physician to the Prince of Wales, says: "Alcohol is really the most ungenerous diet there is. It impoverishes the blood, and there is no surer road to that degeneration of muscular fibre so much to be feared; and in heart disease it is more especially hurtful, by quickening the beat, causing capillary congestion and irregular circulation, and thus mechanically inducing dilatation."

Sir Henry Thompson, a distinguished surgeon, says: "Don't take your daily wine under any pretext of its doing you good. Take it frankly as a luxury one which must be paid for, by some persons very lightly, by some at a high price,  but always to be paid for. And, mostly, some loss of health, or of mental power, or of calmness of temper, or of judgment, is the price."

Dr. Charles Jewett says: "The late Prof. Parks, of England, in his great work on Hygiene, has effectually disposed of the notion, long and very generally entertained, that alcohol is a valuable prophylactic where a bad climate, bad water and other conditions unfavorable to health, exist; and an unfortunate experiment with the article, in the Union army, on the banks of the Chickahominy, in the year 1863, proved conclusively that, instead of guarding the human constitution against the influence of agencies hostile to health, its use gives to them additional force. The medical history of the British army in India teaches the same lesson."

But why present farther testimony? Is not the evidence complete? To the man who values good health; who would not lay the foundation for disease and suffering in his later years, we need not offer a single additional argument in favor of entire abstinence from alcoholic drinks. He will eschew them as poisons.

READ MORE - MEDICAL TESTIMONY ON ALCOHOL.

EFFECT OF ALCOHOL ON THE BLOOD.

Dr. Richardson, in his lectures on alcohol, given both in England and America, speaking of the action of this substance on the blood after passing from the stomach, says:

"Suppose, then, a certain measure of alcohol be taken into the stomach, it will be absorbed there, but, previous to absorption, it will have to undergo a proper degree of dilution with water, for there is this peculiarity respecting alcohol when it is separated by an animal membrane from a watery fluid like the blood, that it will not pass through the membrane until it has become charged, to a given point of dilution, with water. It is itself, in fact,  so greedy for water, it will pick it up from watery textures, and deprive them of it until, by its saturation, its power of reception is exhausted , after which it will diffuse into the current of circulating fluid."

It is this power of absorbing water from every texture with which alcoholic spirits comes in contact, that creates the burning thirst of those who freely indulge in its use. Its effect, when it reaches the circulation, is thus described by Dr. Richardson:

"As it passes through the circulation of the lungs it is exposed to the air, and some little of it, raised into vapor by the natural heat, is thrown off in expiration. If the quantity of it be large, this loss may be considerable, and the odor of the spirit may be detected in the expired breath. If the quantity be small, the loss will be comparatively little, as the spirit will be held in solution by the water in the blood. After it has passed through the lungs, and has been driven by the left heart over the arterial circuit, it passes into what is called the minute circulation, or the structural circulation of the organism. The arteries here extend into very small vessels, which are called arterioles, and from these infinitely small vessels spring the equally minute radicals or roots of the veins, which are ultimately to become the great rivers bearing the blood back to the heart. In its passage through this minute circulation the alcohol finds its way to every organ. To this brain, to these muscles, to these secreting or excreting organs, nay, even into this bony structure itself, it moves with the blood. In some of these parts which are not excreting, it remains for a time diffused, and in those parts where there is a large percentage of water, it remains longer than in other parts. From some organs which have an open tube for conveying fluids away, as the liver and kidneys, it is thrown out or eliminated, and in this way a portion of it is ultimately removed from the body. The rest passing round and round with the circulation, is probably decomposed and carried off in new forms of matter.

"When we know the course which the alcohol takes in its passage through the body, from the period of its absorption to that of its elimination, we are the better able to judge what physical changes it induces in the different organs and structures with which it comes in contact. It first reaches the blood; but, as a rule, the quantity of it that enters is insufficient to produce any material effect on that fluid. If, however, the dose taken be poisonous or semi-poisonous, then even the blood, rich as it is in water and it contains seven hundred and ninety parts in a thousand is affected. The alcohol is diffused through this water, and there it comes in contact with the other constituent parts, with the fibrine, that plastic substance which, when blood is drawn, clots and coagulates, and which is present in the proportion of from two to three parts in a thousand; with the albumen which exists in the proportion of seventy parts; with the salts which yield about ten parts; with the fatty matters; and lastly, with those minute, round bodies which float in myriads in the blood (which were discovered by the Dutch philosopher, Leuwenhock, as one of the first results of microscopical observation, about the middle of the seventeenth century), and which are called the blood globules or corpuscles. These last-named bodies are, in fact, cells; their discs, when natural, have a smooth outline, they are depressed in the centre, and they are red in color; the color of the blood being derived from them. We have discovered that there exist other corpuscles or cells in the blood in much smaller quantity, which are called white cells, and these different cells float in the blood-stream within the vessels. The red take the centre of the stream; the white lie externally near the sides of the vessels, moving less quickly. Our business is mainly with the red corpuscles. They perform the most important functions in the economy; they absorb, in great part, the oxygen which we inhale in breathing, and carry it to the extreme tissues of the body; they absorb, in great part, the carbonic acid gas which is produced in the combustion of the body in the extreme tissues, and bring that gas back to the lungs to be exchanged for oxygen there; in short, they are the vital instruments of the circulation.

"With all these parts of the blood, with the water, fibrine, albumen, salts, fatty matter and corpuscles, the alcohol comes in contact when it enters the blood, and, if it be in sufficient quantity, it produces disturbing action. I have watched this disturbance very carefully on the blood corpuscles; for, in some animals we can see these floating along during life, and we can also observe them from men who are under the effects of alcohol, by removing a speck of blood, and examining it with the microscope. The action of the alcohol, when it is observable, is varied. It may cause the corpuscles to run too closely together, and to adhere in rolls; it may modify their outline, making the clear-defined, smooth, outer edge irregular or crenate, or even starlike; it may change the round corpuscle into the oval form, or, in very extreme cases, it may produce what I may call a truncated form of corpuscles, in which the change is so great that if we did not trace it through all its stages, we should be puzzled to know whether the object looked at were indeed a blood-cell. All these changes are due to the action of the spirit upon the water contained in the corpuscles; upon the capacity of the spirit to extract water from them. During every stage of modification of corpuscles thus described, their function to absorb and fix gases is impaired, and when the aggregation of the cells, in masses, is great, other difficulties arise, for the cells, united together, pass less easily than they should through the minute vessels of the lungs and of the general circulation, and impede the current, by which local injury is produced.

"A further action upon the blood, instituted by alcohol in excess, is upon the fibrine or the plastic colloidal matter. On this the spirit may act in two different ways, according to the degree in which it affects the water that holds the fibrine in solution. It may fix the water with the fibrine, and thus destroy the power of coagulation; or it may extract the water so determinately as to produce coagulation."

READ MORE - EFFECT OF ALCOHOL ON THE BLOOD.