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How Could H Pylori Make You Feel Tired?

H. pylori may cause, or at least contribute to, many symptoms outside the digestive system of infected people. These symptoms are known as 'extragastric manifestations' of H pylori. Research is recovering associations with more and more extragastric symptoms and diseases. Some of the most common symptoms include:

  • Depression & anxiety
  • Low energy / fatigue
  • Lethargy
  • Heart palpitations
  • Brain fog
  • Headaches
  • Sleep problems
  • Rapid weight loss
  • Weight gain
  • Skin problems such as urticaria and rosacea
  • Pain between the shoulder blades
  • Sinus problems

When we take the time to understand how our bodies work, it is easy to see how H. pylori infection may lead to symptoms elsewhere in our bodies. Science is now recovering some very interesting links between H. pylori and seemingly unexplained symptoms and health conditions. Whilst an 'association' does not mean that H pylori infection causes these symptoms and diseases, it suggests that the infection may play a role in their development, or aetiology.

Can you recall a time when you had a common cold, or a 'flu' infection? I'll bet you felt extremely tired and you may even have bed-ridden for a couple of days.

There is a good reason for this. When you have an infection, your body has to mount an immune response in order to try to eliminate the infectious organism. That organism can be a parasite, a virus or a bacterium like H pylori, for example.

The immune response requires a lot of energy and so your body naturally diverts its energy production to fuel the fight against the invading 'bug'. It does not really matter whether this invader is a common cold or a digestive infection – the result is exactly the same.

The problem is that H pylori bacteria are extremely difficult for your body to deal with and the immune response may not be enough to clear it. Whilst it's there, however, a continuous response is required and this takes its toll on your energy levels.

In addition to the immune response, H pylori can exert other negative effects on your body that may lead to you feeling tired and drained.

First, it causes inflammation (in the stomach, this inflammation is called gastritis). Studies have clearly shown that chronic day-to-day infection can lead to fatigue and many other symptoms. One such study was conducted by Su et al, where patients were given therapy with a chemical that is known to cause inflammation (called interferon gamma). The researchers asked the patients what symptoms developed as a result of them being "inflamed". The symptoms reported included:

  • Fatigue
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Arthritic pains
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhoea
  • Insomnia

By definition, if H pylori causes chronic inflammation, it has the potential to lead in the long term to all these symptoms and, indeed, that's what I've seen in my clients year after year.

It should also be noted that H pylori infection can cause a decline in hydrochloric acid production in your stomach. If you do not have enough acid, it can be a lot harder to digest food. Research has demonstrated time and time again that infection with H pylori bacteria can lead to iron-deficiency anemia and B12 deficiency, both of which can also make you feel tired.

Finally, some studies seem to indicate a relationship between H pylori infection and autoimmune thyroid disorders. The thyroid gland is very important for regulating energy levels, motivation and 'drive'. If its function is compromised, lethargy and fatigue can develop.

In conclusion it is clear that digestive infections such as H pylori are not responsible for digestive symptoms alone. In fact, the digestive symptoms that are caused by the likes of Helicobacter infection are just the tip of the iceberg. If you are infected with H pylori and you feel tired or have mood imbalances like depression and anxiety, eradicating H pylori could have the missing link for you.

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Heart Problems

In the last newsletter, we worked through the anatomy of the heart – primarily to lay the groundwork for this issue. By using what we learned in the last issue, we can now explore:

Things that can go wrong with the heart.

Medical treatments.

Limitations that may be inherent in some of those treatments.

What you can do to change the equation.

Incidentally, if you have not read the previous newsletter, Anatomy of the Heart, you might want to do that now. It's not absolutely necessary, but it will make for a more rewarding experience as you read this newsletter.

Problems of the epicardium

As you may remember, the epicardium is the lining that surrounds the heart muscle – inside and out. On the inside, it's called the endocardium, and on the outside it's called the pericardium. Let's start our discussion of heart problems by looking at the epicardium – not because it's the most important part of the heart, but because it's a simple place to start and lets us dip our toes into the subject before plunging into deeper waters.

Problems that can occur with the heart lining pretty much fall into two categories

Physical damage.

Inflammation caused by infection.

Physical damage is easy to understand, and usually easy to repair. You're driving in your car, you get into an accident. You're slammed against the steering wheel or an airbag. Your body stops suddenly but your heart, powered by inertia (an object in motion tends to stay in motion) keeps moving forward and tears the pericardium that held it in place before bouncing back and coming to rest. This causes bleeding in the pericardial sac, which serves as the buffer between the heart and the chest wall and lungs. The extra fluid (blood) pumps into the sac under pressure which exposes the sac, thereby squeezing and constricting the heart. If the pressure is not relieved, it can build to the point where it constricts the heart so much that it brings it from being. Herbs and neutraceuticals are not much use here. Fortunately, medical intervention tend to be easy and effective in these situations. A catheter inserted into the sac to drain the excess blood and relieve the pressure will usually do the trick – along with stopping the bleeding.

Inflammation (known as "itis" in medical terminology) is a little more complex. The primary cause of inflammation of the heart lining is infection, both viral and bacterial. Depending on which part of the lining is affected, it will be called pericarditis, endocarditis, or epicarditis. The inflammation can cause chest pain, difficulty pumping, or fever. These symptoms can be mild, acute, or even chronic. Standard treatment includes the use of antibiotics and antivirals. These are "usually" effective unless the underlying infection is resistant to the arsenal of drugs at your doctor's disposal, which is a growing problem. Fortunately, there are natural alternatives including garlic, olive leaf extract, oil of oregano, grapefruit seed extract, etc. that can work even in the case of drug resistant infections.

Problems with heart valves

Also, as we discussed last issue, your heart valves are constructed like parachutes with tendons or cords anchoring them to the heart muscle to keep them from opening too far. Their role is to allow blood to flow down from the atria into the ventricles, and then to seal shut when the ventricles pump so that blood does not back up into the atria, but is instead forced out into the main pulmonary artery from the right ventricle or into the aorta from the left ventricle. Problems with the valves are easy to understand and fall generally into two categories.

Backflow, or regurgitation, is caused by misshapen or damaged valves or ruptures to the tendons that hold the valves in place. These things cause the valves to imperfectly seal with each heartbeat, so allowing backflow into the atria.

Stenosis, or hardening of the valves, caused by disease or aging prevails the valves from fully opening. This limits the flow of blood into the ventricles so that they can not fill completely in the fraction of a second the valves are open. Since the ventricle chamber is now partially empty when it pumps, it generates less pressure with each beat, which ultimately reduces the amount of blood that flows through the body.

There can be multiple causes for both problems.

– Either you were born with a problem. This can be genetic or it can be the result of nutritional problems in your parents' diet (either before you were conceived or while you were gestating).

– Over time, as a result of aging and poor nutrition, the valves shrink and change shape.

– Infection has caused the valves to inflame so that they no longer seal perfectly.

– Diseases such as rheumatic fever and syphilis have scarred and hardened the valves.

– Valvular tissue can be damaged in the same way as heart muscle tissue as the result of a heart attack.

– Valve tendons may rupture, which means the valve no longer stays in place when backpressure is created by the squeezing of the ventricles.

The bottom line is that the dumping process becomes less efficient, and your heart has to pump harder and faster to compensate. Treatments can range from doing nothing, to using drugs to reduce infection and inflammation, to surgically replace the damaged valves with artificial valves.

Doing nothing you might ask? Absolutely! In most cases, that's what doctors do. Why? The heart has tremendous reserve capacity. Last issue we mentioned that you can have 70% blockage of your coronary arteries and never experience any outward symptoms. It does not stop there. Your heart also has a tremendous reserve pumping capacity and when called upon can increase output 5-8 times if needed. For example, in mitral valve prolapse (a condition in which the mitral valve "falls down", or prolapses too far into the left ventricle allowing for backflow into the right atrium), there are usually few symptoms or any problems. In most cases doctors will just make note of it and watch for any changes.

On the other hand, sometimes, there are symptoms. These can include:

– That old standby, chest pain.

– Fatigue and / or dizziness.

– Shortness of breath.

– Low or high blood pressure, depending on which valve is affected.

– Palpitations caused by irregular heartbeats.

– Even migraine headaches.

In those cases the valves are often replaced with mechanical valves. At one time, you could actually hear the mechanical valves make a slight clicking sound as they opened and closed 70-80 times a minute. This drve some people crazy when they tried to sleep at night. Newer models have improved that problem and are silent.

Now you might think since problems with valves are mechanical in nature that nutrition and supplements would not play much of a role in resolving them. If so, you would be wrong. Most medical doctors are not aware of this fact, but there are numerous studies showing nutrients matter – and supplementation that can actually change the mechanical aspects of valve function. For example, it has been shown that magnesium plays a role in mitral valve prolapse.

Therapeutic effect of a magnesium salt in patients suffering from mitral valvular prolapse and latent tetany.

Magnesium Deficiency in the Pathogenesis of Mitral Valve Proliferation.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. In fact, nutrition and supplementation can play a primary role in maintaining optimal heart health – and even reversing many chronic heart problems. We will talk about this later; but for now let's explore problems that happen within the coronary arteries.

Circulatory problems

The first blood vessels off the aorta are the two coronary arteries, which are typically split off into numerous branches that feed the heart. Blockage of these arteries through the build up of arterial plaque is one of the most common causes of death. The net result is ischemia, which means a "reduced blood supply." As I mentioned last issue, because there is so much redundancy in the branching of the coronary treaties, you can have up to 70% blockage and yet have no obvious symptoms. At some point, though, you will have a heart attack, also known as myocardial infarction. The myocardium is the name of the heart muscle, and infarction means the "death of tissue." In other words, a heart attack is the result of loss of blood flow to the heart muscle, which causes death of heart muscle tissue. The severity of the attack is determined by:

Which part of the muscle is damaged. (Some parts are more critical than others.)
How intensive the damage is.

In some cases, people do indeed die from their first heart attack. In most cases, though, the attacks are progressive – with each attack killing more and more tissue until the remaining heart muscle can no longer carry the load. Depending on the extent of the damage, standard medical treatments include:

Drugs, such as:

– Beta-blockers to slow heart rates and decrease blood pressure – thus lowering the heart's demand for oxygen.

– Nitroglycerin to open coronary arteries and reduce the heart's demand for oxygen.

– Calcium channel blockers to open coronary arteries to increase blood flow to the heart muscle.

– Angiotensin-converting enzyme to allow blood to flow from the heart more easily, decreasing the workload on the heart.

– Angioplasty uses a balloon inflated inside the blocked artery to press the plaque against the arterial wall, thus clearing the blockage – at least temporarily.

– Stents are like angioplasty on steroids. Instead of just pressing the plaque against the wall of the artery, the balloon is also used to also press a wire mesh against the arterial wall to hold the artery open.

– Bypass surgery involves using a vein (usually taken from the leg) to literally create a bypass around the clogged area of ​​the coronary artery.

Heart transplants.

None of these options is perfect. Angioplasty and bypass surgery (even though they have been in use for years) are actually unproven (for those of you who think everything in medicine is backed by peer reviewed studies). In fact, recent studies indicate that they may actually give only slight temporary relief with no extension of life – not to mention an increased risk of stroke. Both stents and angioplasties (and bypasses too, for that matter) quickly re-plug, a problem called restenosis, and need to be periodically redone or replaced. New forms of stents are covered with drugs to slow down restenosis but come with their own set of problems. Bypass surgery produces a dramatically increased risk of stroke, infection and massive depression. And heart transplants force you to stay on immunosuppressant drugs for the rest of your life.

Far and away the biggest problem with all of these treatments, though, is that they only treat one manifestation of the problem, not the underlying cause – the fact that the treaties are blocking in the first place. It is here that alternative therapies excel – both short term, and long term. For example:

Dietary changes can have a substantial impact in reversing coronary heart disease as can a number of supplements.

Shifting the balance of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids can eliminate a major source of heart attacks.

Hawthorne berries are tonic for the heart, working to support the relaxation and dilation of coronary arteries and increasing the flow of blood and oxygen to and from the heart. In effect, Hawthorne berries work much like prescription drugs, but without the side effects.

Blood Clots

Another aspect of coronary heart disease is the blood clot or thrombus. (If it becomes dislodged and floats free, it's called an embolus.) In larger partitions, a clot will only impede the flow of blood. In smaller partitions, it can completely block it. Thrombi form most often in the veins of the leg, where they then float off (now called emboli) and end up locking in and blocking the smaller arteries of the heart, lungs, and brain. There can be many triggers for the formation of clots and emboli, but one of the more interesting is deep vein thrombosis – the formation of blood clots as the result of prolonged sitting in airplanes and cars.

Preventing blood clots reduces the risk of stroke, heart attack and pulmonary embolism. The standard treatment for those at risk of embolisms involves the use of drugs such as Heparin or warfarin (a form of rat poison), which are anticoagulants used to inhibit the formation and growth of existing blood clots.

But these drugs are dangerous and require constant watching and regulating since they can cause internal bleeding. Far safer (and better since they also dissolve arterial plaque and help promote the repair of arterial tissue) are proteolytic enzyme formulas that incorporated specialized enzymes such as nattokinase.

Problems with the heart muscle – the myocardium

In the end, when you're talking about the heart, it mostly comes down to the myocardium – the heart muscle. The danger of coronary heart disease, for example, is that it starves the myocardium of oxygen and kills it. The danger of a valve problem is that it forces the myocardium to work too hard. The danger of a bio-electrical / conductivity problem is that it throws the heart muscle out of rhythm and causes it to lose its beat, or to fibrillate. (Fibrillation occurs when a heart chamber "quivers" due to an abnormally fast rhythm and can no longer pump blood well.) Fibrillation of the atrium is called atrial fibrillation; in the ventricle it's called ventricular fibrillation. paraphrase the Clinton campaign in the '90's, "It's all about the myocardium."

Problems in the atria

For the most part, problems in the atria are not life threatening. Even if both atria totally lose their ability to pump or weaken and balloon out, you lose maybe 30% of your total heart function. Without pumping, gravity and suction will still bring most of the blood down into the ventricles. There are, of course, times your doctor will want to address problems, but for the most part, you can live for years with barely functioning atria.

Problems with the ventricles

Ah, but the ventricles are a different story. When the left ventricle goes into fibrillation, we're talking cardic arrest. It's time to pull out the electric paddles. So what kinds of problems are we talking about?

Myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart, is a form of cardiomyopathy (which literally translates as "heart muscle disease"). The problem here is that blood flows more slowly through an enlarged heart, which increases the likelihood of blood clots. In addition, people with cardiomyopathy are often at risk of arrhythmia and / or sudden cardiac death. When cardiomyopathy results in a significantly enlarged heart, the mitral and tricuspid valves may not be able to close properly, resulting in murmurs. There may be multiple causes of myocarditis, including viral infection. Common culprits include: Influenza, herpes, Epstein-Barr, hepatitis, and salmonella.

Ischemic cardiomyopathy is a weakness in the muscle of the heart due to inadequate oxygen delivery to the myocardium, with coronary artery disease being the most common cause. (Ischemia simply means "reduced blood flow.") Anemia, sleep apnea, and hyperthyroidism can also contribute to ischemic myocardium.

Myocardial infarction literally means the "death of heart muscle tissue." Since heart muscle does not grow back, this has a snowball effect. If you have a heart attack that starves part of the heart muscle of oxygen so that it dies, that scar tissue does not recover. You now have a weakened heart that is more likely to suffer a consequent attack – leading to more heart muscle damage and increased chances for a third attack. And so on. It's not too hard to see where this leads – to long-term loss of heart muscle activity and chronic heart failure.

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a condition in which your weakened heart can not long pump out all the blood that flows into it. CHF is the most common cause of hospitalization for people over age 65. It kills more than 50,000 people a year in the US and costs the health care system more than $ 50 billion per year. The heart is just like other muscles. When it is weakened, it becomes enlarged and inefficient. This leads to congestion and flaccid muscle tone. In fact, it can even lead to a prolapse of the heart in which the heart literally "drops" from its original position in the chest. It is not unusual to require a stethoscope placement three to five inches below the normal area when listening to a weakened heart.

Unfortunately, modern medicine comes up short when it comes to problems of the myocardium. Mostly it just deals with the aftermath.

If the heart stops beating, use the electric paddles to get it going again.

If no paddles are near, pop a nitroglycerine tablet.

Perform a coronary bypass to try and prevent any further damage.

Use nitroglycerine tablets to open up the arteries in an emergency and prevent a heart attack.

When it comes to the muscle itself, nothing! But as luck would have it, here's where alternative therapies shine.

– All of the B vitamins, but especially vitamin B4 are essential for heart health.

– Congestive heart failure has been consistently tied to significantly low blood and tissue levels of CoQ10.

– Supplementation with CoQ10 can literally change the size and shape of the heart.

– Studies have shown that high concentrations of heavy metals such as mercury directly correlate to higher incidences of acute coronary events. Regular heavy metal detoxing directly reduces and eventually eliminates that risk.

– Studies have also shown a direct connection between periodontal disease and acute coronary events. Regular use of avocado soy unsaponifiables, proteolytic enzymes, immune boosters, and pathogen destroyers can reduce the risk.

– Incidentally, electric paddles are not the only thing that can get a heart muscle going again. In an emergency cayenne pepper can do the trick too. A teaspoon of cayenne pepper in a glass of warm water taken every fifteen minutes can raise the dead.

– And in the end, the heart is a muscle, and like all muscles responds to exercise. Cardiovascular exercise, particularly interval training, can improve the efficiency and strength of your heart.

Heart rhythm disorders

The heart is an unusual organ. It has millions and millions of cells, and each cell has the potential for electrical activity. In the normal heart these electrical impulses occur in regular intervals. When something goes wrong with the heart's electrical system, the heart does not beat regularly. Unlike most organs in the body, all the cells in the heart are wired together so that if a single cell fires prematurely or late, the neighboring cells will be activated and a mistimed wave will travel over the heart. The irregular beating results in a rhythm disorder, or arrhythmia.

To quickly review from last issue.

Every heart beat begins in the sinoatrial node (SA node) located in the right atrium. The SA node is "smart" and adapts to the body's overall need for blood and increases the heart rate when necessary, such as during exercise.

Electrical impulses leave the SA node and travel through special conducting pathways in the heart to the atrioventricular node (AV, node). The purpose of the AV node is to provide a pathway for impulses from the atria to the ventricles. It also creates a delay in construction from the atria to the ventricle. This delay allows the atria to contract first, allowing the ventricles to fill with blood before they contract themselves.

The delay ensures proper timing so that the lower chambers have time to fill completely before they contract.

From the AV node, the signal travels down through a group of fibers in the center of the heart called the bundle branch– and then to the ventricles.

So what can go wrong?

Due to natural aging or disease, the SA node starts losing function and no longer produces the right number of signals at the proper rate.

The AV node normally has one group of cells through which the electrical impulse can travel. However, due to aging or heart disease, it is possible for the AV node to develop two or more groups of conductive cells. Because of the extra conduct pathways, your heart can at times beat more quickly than normal.

The bundle branch (see above) becomes "blocked" as a result of a heart attack which damages the inner heart muscle and nerves. This stops the signal from traveling from the AV node to the ventricles. Left to their own devices, the ventricles establish their own rhythm of about 20-40 beats per minute. This is much too slow for health and results in weakness, flawing, and shortness of breath.

Valve stenosis (stiffness) causes increased pressure in the atria (since blood never completely clears) which causes ballooning of the walls of one or both of the atria (aka atrial dilation). Because the atrium is now bigger, it increases the distance signal has to travel. The increased distance means it takes longer for the signal to reach its final destination which throws off the pacing of the heartbeat.

Medical Treatments

Typical medical treatment involves drugs such as adenosine, calcium channel blockers (eg, diltiazem, verapamil), short-acting beta-blockers (eg, esmolol), and digitalis.

The other option, of course, is the pacemaker. The pacemaker uses electrodes attached to the heart that take over from the SA node to control the beating of the heart. The pacemaker is run by a small computer installed in the body. Modern pacemakers are externally programmable and allow for the selection of optimum pacing modes for individual patients. Some can even self-regulate and adapt to changing requirements such as stress or exertion. And some combine a pacemaker and defibrillator in a single device.

Drugs and pacemakers work reasonably well at keeping the heart going, but still address the problem after the fact. Keep in mind that in most cases the rhythm of the heart was lost through degradation based on nutrition or disease. Installing a facemaker does not address that problem; it merely bypasses it. On the other hand, it is possible to reverse many of those conditions nutritionally and thus reverse many of the associated problems.

Alternatives

Mineral deficiencies particularly in calcium, sodium, magnesium, potassium, and many of the trace minerals can have a substantial effect on the electrical efficiency of the heart since they are responsible for running it. Supplementing with minerals and liquid trace minerals can make a substantial difference.

Supplementing with CoQ10 can significantly improve the energy level of each cell in the heart, thus improving its ability to respond to an electrical stimulus and pass the signal on to its neighbor in a timely manner.

Shifting the balance of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids can eliminate a major source of potassium imbalance which can trigger heart attacks.

Conclusion

Let's take a break here, and next issue we'll conclude our discussion of the heart by exploring what happens in your doctor's office:

– What tests does your doctor run?

– What do they mean?

– What can you tell from them?

– What questions should you ask your doctor when viewing the results?

For now, though, it's worth reviewing a key concept:

Although many problems with the heart may seem to be biomechanical in nature and beyond the purview of nutrition and supplements, that's not necessarily true. As we've seen:

– Magnesium supplementation can change the shape and condition of heart valves.

– The B vitamins can help rebuild the heart.

– CoQ10 can reenergize every single cell in the heart and can literally remold the size and shape of the heart after the onset of congestive heart failure.

– The use of Omega-3 fatty acids can reverse damage caused by NEFAs.

– Proteolytic enzymes can provide nutritional support for your body as it works to clean out the coronary arteries and repair damage to epicardial tissue surrounding the heart.

– The use of heavy metal chelators such as cilantro and chlorella can reduce the risk of an acute coronary event.

– Regular supplementation of a tonic made with cayenne and Hawthorne berry can rebuild the strength of the heart.

– Proper dental care and the use of avocado soy unsaponifiables and proteolytic enzymes can reduce the incidence of periodontal disease, which reduces the chances of an acute coronary event.

– Regular use of immune enhancers and pathogen destroyers decreases the risk of most inflammatory heart disease and the incidence of viral and bacterial infections that can adversely affect the heart.

– And regular exercise can strengthen the heart and improve its efficiency even in your eighth and ninth decade of life.

As usual, it's not just about pharmaceutical drugs and surgical procedures. Following the principles of the Baseline of Health Program can change your heart … and your prospects for long-term survival.

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Diabetic Retinopathy – Treatment For Diabetic Eye Disease

There are various treatments available for the different manifestations of diabetic retinopathy. It used to be that laser treatment, of one form or the other, was the treatment of choice. Nowadays, there are intraocular injections of steroids, anti-VEGF medications, in addition to the traditional laser. Very soon, sustained release drug delivery systems will be an option, too.

Laser Treatment used to be the mainstay for treating macular edema, that is, swelling of the retina caused by leaky retinal blood vessels. The macular edema is the most common way diabetic patients can lose vision and it happens to almost every patient. If the swapping develops right in the center of the retina, called the macula, the vision may become blurred. The more severe the swapping, the more blurred the vision.

Retinal swapping can be treated with laser treatment. While this does not ensure that vision will improve, it is quite possible that the loss of vision is stopped.

Intraocular injections of either steroids, and "anti-VEGF" medications, are becoming more popular among retina specialists for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME). Both agents are delivered as an injection straight into the eye and have been shown to be highly effective in reversing the macular edema. While they may not yet have supplanted traditional laser therapy, both are becoming viable alternatives.

Steroids are very effective in reversing macular edema. It sees as though inflammation plays a role in the "leaky" blood vessels common in diabetic macular edema. Steroids are great at blocking inflammation.

"Anti-VEGF" medications are antibody-like molecules that are directed against Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF). VEGF acts on normal blood vessels to make them leaky. (VEGF also causes abnormal blood vessels to grow along the surface of the retina and other internal structures of the eye, but see below). By blocking VEGF from working by injecting "anti-VEGF" drugs, the leakage seems to stop, thereby improving the retinal swelling and vision.

Popular "anti-VEGF" medications including Macugen, Lucentis and Avastin.

Pan-Retinal Photocoagulation (PRP) is a method of using the laser to arrest the potential blinding effects of proliferative diabetic retinopathy. This, for now, remains the best treatment for stabilizing the retina. In far advanced stages, a diabetic retinal detachment may form and vitrectomy eye surgery may be necessary to prevent blindness.

Sustained Release Drug Delivery systems are currently being developed that will release drugs inside the eye for months at a time. One such system, called Ozurdex; (Allergan) is already FDA approved, but not for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy. Other products are in development that will be used for the treatment of diabetic macular edema .

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Unsafe Abdominal Exercise Women Dealing With A Revised Uterus Should Avoid

Exercise is important to keep our body running, as it builds up the muscles and ensure the good health. But while performing the intense exercise, it is important for you to keep your pelvic floor muscle strength in your mind. Women dealing with the prolapsed uterus should avoid some of the unsafe abdominal exercises that worsen the condition later on. It is actually a painful condition that needs to get resolved at the earliest stage before it takes a dangerous turn. Treatment for the condition is easily available and one can reverse back the prolapsed uterus naturally with herbal medicines, normal exercises and by opting for a good and healthy diet plan. Neverheless, here is the list of workouts you should avoid if you are suffering from the pelvic organ problem. So, what are we waiting for? Let the cat out of the bag.

Women With A Prolapsed Uterus Should Not Perform The Following Exercises

  • Sit-Up Exercises: A sit up is an intestinal abdominal training that helps you get a perfect post, but it is not safe for the women suffering from the Released uterus. Therefore, it is important to not perform this activity until or unless you recover properly and your health care provider does not give you the permission. Sit-ups are of different types, make sure you avoid all of them that put pressure on your pelvic floor and weakened the muscles.
  • Leg Raises: If you are suffering from the prolapsed uterus, so, it is important to avoid ball leg raises, bicycle legs, double leg raise, hanging knee raise, etc. to prevent the condition from worsening the situation. It basically puts a strain on your pelvic floor and injures it badly, which only deteriorate the condition, so, avoiding such activities are the only way to save yourself.
  • Intense Core Plank: Plank exercise is again your full body workout that corrects your post and helps you lose weight. But women with the prolapsed uterus problem should avoid this exercise, as it increases the pain and zeroes your efforts.

These are some of the common exercises you should avoid. If you want to recover fast, make sure you modify them as per the expert or your health care provider advice. Also, performing the kegel exercise is the safest way to reverse the condition that cures the condition easily and quickly. Make sure you go for the proper treatment as soon as you come to know about the disease.

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What is Atherosclerosis?

Atherosclerosis is a inflammatory condition of the arterial wall which is characterized by localized lipid rich deposits of atheroma (cholesterol containing leisons) that mostly remain silent until they become large to impair blood flow or until ulceration or erosion of the lesion results in obstruction or embolisation of the affected vessel.

Atherosclerosis is a condition that begins early in life mainly among people who are at high risk (eg cigarette smokers, familial hyperlipidaemia or hypertension). However the symptoms usually became evident in sixth, seventh or eighth decade.

Atherosclerosis may present as coronary heart disease (angina, MI, death), neurological (stroke and TIA) or peripheral vascular disease (intermittent claudication and limb ischaemia). These conditions may often coexist.

The symptoms in atherosclerosis may present as mild or severe forms.

A. Stable atherosclerotic plaques (early lesions) remains asymptomatic until they become large enough to obstruct arterial flow.

B. In advanced atherosclerosis ulceration or erosion occurs leading to partial or complete occlusion of the affected vessel. It is the common mechanism that underlies many of the acute manifestations of atherosclerotic vascular disease (eg lower limb ischaemia, myocardial infarction and stroke).

The number and complexity of arterial lesions increase with age and with certain risk factors but the rate of progress of individual lesions is variable. Some may develop the symptoms at an early age and some may not even develop the symptoms at all.

Do check your cholesterol level at regular intervals as it may give you the clue about the state of your arms. And if found elevated make no excuses in visiting your doctor. The doctor may prescribe some cholesterol lowering drugs.

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The Truth About Red Wine and Heart Disease

Red Wine, Heart Disease, Hungry Sharks and Knights in Shining Armor

What is so special about wine? What is it that makes it potentially more protective against coronary heart disease, and possibly other diseases, that other forms of alcohol?

In recent years, scientists have concluded without doubt that many human diseases such as heart disease, cancer and the aging process is caused or stimulated by a ravenous group of chemicals called free radicals, that act like hungry sharks. These highly charged little villains prowl the body and attack healthy cell membranes through a process that is called oxidation. In this scenario, there is even a knight in shining armor that jumps to the rescue and purges these ever hungry little killers. The name of our crusader is antioxidants.

Without getting too technical, the oxidation process in our bodies is crucial for health, without it, for instance, we would not be able to extract energy from our food. But if there are too many free radicals in our bodies this can be harmful.

Our body has its own defenses against free radicals, in the form of enzymes that are able to turn the hungry little sharks into harmless water. However, sometimes our body's natural defense mechanisms can not cope. Other times, external events can cause huge increases of free radicals within our bodies, such as x-rays, cigarette smoke and exposure to toxic substances. At times, this surge of free radicals can swamp our defenses and illnesses such as radiation sickness may take place.

So what does oxidation and free radicals have to do with heart disease?

Low density lipoproteins, commonly known as "bad" LDL, can penetrate and gather against the inner walls of our arteries, under certain conditions, forming fatty streaks and plaque. Taken alone, LDL particles are not so dangerous it seems, however, when attacked by free radicals that they turn into dangerous and somewhat aggressive cells, capable of actually penetrating and harming the smooth inner walls of our arteries. This process is called oxidation. Oxidized LDL is known to be the culprit in stimulating atherosclerosis, heart disease and stroke.

Antioxidants, as the name suggests (anti-oxidants) can help stop the oxidation process, which are the results of free radicals doing their stuff. Most antioxidant research has been carried out on vitamins (A, E, beta carotene) but quite a lot of work has also been done on the healthy benefits of red wine. While most research on red wine has been done in relation to coronary heart disease, it seems that the benefits of wine do not stop there.

Red wine and Coronary Heart Disease

Red wine contains a wide range of flavanoids; these are the chemicals that give the wine its particular taste and character, making one different from another. Many of these flavanoids act like antioxidants. Perhaps the forerunner of wine research was carried out by a certain Serge Renaud, who discovered the French Paradox, which suggested that wine was the decirable factor in protecting the people in southern France from their very high fat diets and ultimately coronary heart disease. Even if these people do eat large quantities of high fat cheese, pâté, and salami they have some of the lowest rates of heart disease in the world.

Another study, statistical rather than practical, by a Professor Gray of the University of Bern in Switzerland focused on the low, medium and high coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality figures of the World Health Organization.

What did he find? Well from among the high mortality areas were Finland and Scotland, the middle areas included Ireland, and the low CHD areas included Spain, Italy and France. He then compared heart attack rates with antioxidant levels in blood samples taken from men living in those areas.

Vitamin E and Heart Disease

What he found was very interesting, the results showed that high antioxidant levels, in particular vitamin E, coincided with low death rates of heart disease. Moreover, his results showed that vitamin E levels were 94% more accurate in predicting CHD rates than were cholesterol levels or blood pressure figures! Apart from diet, the high CHD regions drink very little, if any wine, whereas the low regions traditionally belong their meals most days with wine.

It certainly looks strange that two two studied cities; Glasgow in Scotland and Toulouse in France show many similarities and yet many differences. The inmates of both cities eat tremendous amounts of high fat foods, traditionally take little exercise and drink alcohol. The surprising difference is that while the people of Glasgow have one of the highest rates of CHD in the world, the fortunately people of Toulouse have one of the lowest. Traditionally beer and spirits are the preferred drinks in Glasgow, while the folks in Toulouse drink red wine.

It has also been suggested that drinking in moderation together with meals is beneficial, while binge drinking at bars in the evening is harmful. It sees the southern Europeans do not drink for the alcohol buzz, but just as a pleasant accompaniment to their meals.

At first the large heart institutions such as the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association ignored both antioxidants and frowned upon wine. While it is clear that it could potentially be dangerous for a physician to recommend his patients start drinking alcohol, it is also strange that they pretended for so many years to ignore the evidence. Well, now even if they do not promote the taking of vitamin pills; antioxidants and free radicals are now recognized. However, according to the AHA "There is no scientific proof that drinking wine or any other alcoholic beverage can replace conventional measures. stroke. "Just ask yourself who would pay for such studies." Clinical Trials have the purpose of showing one thing to be better than another, or whether a certain substance is beneficial to health. "The costs of clinical trials is so high that only the pharmaceutical industry have the financial clout to invest in them – invest is the correct word. What a surprise.

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How Stress Triggers Heart Attacks and What You Can Do About It

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States (with 596,577 each year), barely edging out cancer which has 576,691. One third of all deaths is, in fact, due to heart disease. Several factors are known to play a critical role in relation to heart disease, and it's now well-known that one of the major things that leads to a heart attack is excess stress. Stress can, of course, come from several sources, but it is usually either physical of emotional. In this article we'll look at exactly how stress triggers a heart attack.

How a Heart attack Begins

Heart disease starts with the buildup of plaque on the walls of the arteries of your heart. Plaque consists of cholesterol, other fats, calcium, cellular waste, and various products of inflammation. Since cholesterol plays a major role, let's look at it first. As you probably know, cholesterol comes in two varieties referred to as LDL (the bad kind) and HDL (the good kind). But it's the LDL cholesterol that we're mainly concerned with in relation to plaque (HDL also plays an important role in relation to it, as we'll see later). Under the microscope LDL cholesterol particles are seen to be different sized; some are large while others are small, and it's the small ones that do the most damage. The reason for this is that they are small enough to easily slip through the cells that line the walls of the treaties, and they become oxidized when they enter this region. As a result, the immune system sees them as foreign invaders and sends what are called macrophages to deal with them (destroy them). The macrophages gobble them up and in the process they become bloated, and are referred to foam cells. These foam cells form a reliably large mass within the artery wall that usually protrudes into its interior. Indeed, in time, a fibrous "cap" develops over the mass of foam cells. This is the plaque referred earlier (with the area near the cap being the most dangerous section of it).

In practice it typically takes years to build up plaque in this way, and surprisingly it rarely develops to the state where it completely blocks off the artery. Indeed, plaque buildup by itself only causes a heart attack in about 15-percent of cases. Most attacks occur because inflammatory substances are eventually secreted by the foam cells, and they invade the cap and cause it to rupture. This creates a "channel" through the surface of the cap, and material from the core (referred to as "tissue factor") arises through it and emerges out the top – much like the lava in a volcanic eruption. When the tissue factor encounters the blood passing over the cap it causes a blood clot to form. If this clot is large enough to halt the normal flow of blood in the artery a heart attack occurs.

How Does Stress Affect this Process?

To understand how stress might affect this we have to look at how stress, and particularly, a stress response, occurs. First of all, let's consider the difference between physical and emotional stress. The major way physical stress is produced in the body is through exercise. Exercise causes the heart to beat faster, and it also causes our arteries to pulse at a greater rate. This means that they move in and out further, and this will obviously have an effect on the cap and the nearby plaque. But exercise also keeps arteries supple and flexible, which is important. So moderate exercise will not usually cause a heart attack; in fact, it's good for the heart and arms.

In the case of emotional stress the heart also beats faster and the arteries flex more. What is important here is the "stress response;" it's what occurs in your body when you experience something that causes stress. This response involves two hormones called adrenaline and cortisol along with another hormone called norepinephrine. In a stress response adrenaline is called up first; it causes the heart to pulse faster, which sends extra blood to the muscles and organs. It also triggers the release of what is called fibrinogen, which increases the rate of blood clotting. Finally, it helps increase the body's energy by releasing glucose from its stored form called glycogen.

Once this first stage is well underway, a second stage comes into play. It triggers the production of cortisol. One of its first jobs is to replace energy that the adrenaline rush has depleted. Cortisol is also used by the immune system; it alerts it to respond to any infection or injury in the body. In response the immune system sends out white blood cells. Cortisol also acts as a check on the overall response, shutting it down when it is no longer needed. Norepinephrine works alongside adrenaline to help produce energy. It is also involved in controlling blood pressure and maintaining sugar levels.

How Does All This Affect a Heart Attack?

Our problem now is: how does the action of adrenaline, cortisol and norepinephrine create a heart attack? It may seem strange that it could do this, as it's obviously an important process in the body. We've also seen that infection, that is controlled by the immune system, plays a large role in heart disease. Inflammation creates the foam cells within the plaque. It's important to note, however, that a single stress response does little damage; it's when the responses get out of control and come one after the other that the problems begin. When this occurs your immune system can become desensitized to cortisol and since cortisol controls the overall stress response, this can allow inflammation to get out of control.

Adrenaline also triggers the release of fibrinogen, a blood-clotting agent, and if too much adrenaline is created, too much fibrinogen will also be created, which is a serious risk factor for a heart attack.

It's also important to note that in most cases several small attacks that are strictly noticed frequently preceded the main one. A small crack occurs in the cap and a corresponding small blood clot occurs that does not block off the artery and may be barely noticed. Clots of these types dissolve quickly and the cap heals over, but several of them set the stage for a larger crack and much larger blood clot as the cap weakens. And these smaller attacks are usually triggered by stress.

High blood pressure is also a risk factor. It puts the artery walls under an increased load as the artery pulses. With chronic stress and its associated increase in cortisol along with norepineephrine, problems can also arise. Excess norepinephrine, for example, can cause small deposits of plaque to break loose and cause problems.

So it's not a single factor associated with stress that causes heart attacks, it's actually several things.

What You Can Do to Avoid Problems

One of the best measures of your heart attack risk is your cholesterol numbers, in particular, the ratios of the numbers. The ratio of your HDL to your triglyceride is one of the most important ones. Triglyceride levels of greater than 120 mg / dL and HDL levels less than 40 mg / dL for men and 50 mg / dL for women indicate small, lean LDL particles. So, in general, your triglyceride / HDL ratio should be less than 2. Also your ratio of HDL / total cholesterol should be less than 24%.

So what can you do to improve these ratios and decrease your risk of a heart attack? Basically, there are four things you have to try to prevent, and they are:

  • The buildup of plaque
  • Excess infection (which causes foam cells)
  • Cracking of the cap
  • Blood blot formation above the cap

The major thing you must do is lower your stress level, and there are several ways you can do this.

  • Meditation. One of the most important things in meditation is to clear your mind and pay attention to your breathing. Keep your mind blank and relax as much as possible as you breathe in and out.
  • Avoid negative thoughts. They can cause considering stress and you must get rid of them as quickly as possible after they form. And the best way to do this is substitute a positive thought for them.
  • Music. Music can be very helpful in relaxing and relieving stress. Listening to music makes you feel comfortable; just relax and let it flow over you.
  • Sufficient sleep is also critical. Lack of sleep will create considering stress so make sure you get a sufficient amount.
  • Exercise. Many people do not like exercise, but it is one of the best stress relievers. And I can not emphasize it too much. Something as simple as a walk can help. Do not overdo it at first, however.

Diet is also critical, and there are several things that help in relation to it.

  • Avoid excess sugar, particularly fructose.
  • Eat as many vegetables and fruit as possible.
  • Avoid excess saturated and trans fats.
  • Get sufficient vitamin D.
  • Get sufficient Omega-3 fat

Finally, it's important to have a good social life, and refrain from smoking.

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Real Vampire Graves in America

In researching my books, I come across all sorts of strange trivia, but even I was taken back by this one. It sees that in New England there are real vampire graves from the great "New England Vampire Panic" of the early 19th century. How is it that this is the first I heard about this?

In the early 19th century, an outbreak of tuberculosis swept across New England. At the time, little was known about the disease and it was believed that consumption was caused by the dead rising from the grave to consume the life of their surviving relatives. Of course, the only "logical" explanation for this was vampirism.

To protect the survivors, the bodies of those that died of tuberculosis were dug up and examined. If the corpse was unusually fresh or if the heart and organs were filled with blood, it was thought that it was feeding on the living. Once the vampire was identified, there were a numerous way to remedy the problem and rid the family of the vampire including burning organs, flipping the body in the grave, decapitation, and sometimes ever dismemberment.

Newspapers in other parts of the country were skeptical of the belief in vampires. Even Thoreau weighed in on this contemporary superstition saying, "The savage in man is never quite eradicated".

The most famous instance of this panic is the Mercy Brown burial. In the final two decades of the 19th century, the family of George and Mary Brown suffered a sequence of tuberculosis related illnesses and deaths. First to die was the mother Mary and then the eldest daughter Mary Olive also died. The son, Edwin, became ill in 1890, followed in 1891 by Mercy. Mercy died in 1892 and she was promptly buried at the Baptist Church in Exeter.

Believing the illness and deaths were the cause of the dead return to consume the lives of the living, George cave permission for the bodies to be exhumed on March 17, 1892. While the mother and first daughter suffered significant decay, Mercy was still unchanged. This was taken as a sign that she was undead and feeding off of Edwin. Her organs were removed, burned, and mixed with water that was given to Edwin to drink. There was hope that this would cure him, but alas he died two months later.

So, in the case of the New England Vampire Panic, the truth really is stranger than fiction.

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NASA Works On Growing Food In Space!

We've all seen the movies and television shows that portrait space travel as being more than just a few days or weeks living in space, which is a far cry from reality. The media tends to show an exciting future where living in space for very long durations is possible. But, what about food in space? Currently astronauts get their nutrition from tubes or bags of specially prepared meals. But, NASA is finding out that there may be a healthier and more satisfying way for space travelers to enjoy their food. Hydroponic growing in space!

Some day man will colonize the moon or perhaps another planet, such as Mars. There are a dizzying amount of problems to resolve and one of the main trouble areas is how to maintain food supplies. It would not be very cost effective, or even practical, over time to continue to have delivered food from the earth to other heavenly bodies. In response to this problem, NASA has begun to study what methods of growing are best suited to space travel and colonization. Hydroponics and aeroponics are two strong contenders to solve the problem of renewable food sources in space.

Carrying soil and being able to renew nutrients in that soil would prove to be difficult in space flight. But, using lighter growing mediums or no medium at all could be the answer. Using and reusing water and a mix of nutrients would be much more suited to situations where weight and space was an issue. Imagine astronauts as self-sufficient farmers as well as being highly trained pioneers and scientists. Plant growth could produce and renew oxygen supplies and eliminate carbon dioxide from inside of a spacecraft. Currently, scientists are studying which crops are compatible to grow together in small areas, and how zero gravity affects growing plant life. Other possible problems being studied involve the amount of light some plants may need and which fruits and vegetables are more aggressive in the use of nutrients.

It will likely be essential for astronauts and space explorers to be able to produce their own food in future projects that will take years to complete. Imagine that, an indoor, hydroponic garden, similar to the one you may be enjoying right now, producing oxygen and nutrition for travelers in space! Science fiction fans, buckle up, it's starting to get real. The dreams of children are going to be the reality of adults in the not so distant future!

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Scientists Have Invented A New Imaging System For Tumor Detection

Scientists have invented a unique imaging system that lights up tumors in the body when a laser is pointed at them. This invention will be instrumental in helping surgeons detect the cancerous region effectively during surgeries. Timely detection of the tumor may also help reduce the rate of recurrence of different forms of cancer.

Aaron Mohs, the co-inventor of the imaging system, has expressed hope that it would aid surgeons in removing cancerous tissues from the body. He pointed out that every surgeon’s aim during a cancer surgery is to completely remove the tumor and ensure that none of the tissues affected by the cancer are left behind. He pointed out that the new imaging system makes the tumor visible to surgeons and this makes it easier to remove. The surgeons can then double-check by using the laser and ensuring that none of the affected tissues remain in the body.

The new system involves the use of a fluorescent dye that accumulates in the region where the tumor is located. The surgeon then makes use of the imaging system, through which the normal tissues and the illuminated cancerous tissues can be displayed on a screen.

The system was tested on mice and dogs who had cancer. Through the tests, it was observed that the fluorescent dye accumulated the most in tumors and the surrounding tissue. The scientists were able to clearly differentiate between the normal tissues and the affected ones on a screen. Although the normal tissues also lit up to some extent, the cancerous tissues were way brighter. The scientists were able to detect a distinct boundary between the normal tissues in the animals and the tumor.

The tumors found in canines are known to be very similar in structure to human tumors. As the system worked on dogs, scientists believe that it would be effective in humans too. Scientists are now working to make the system more suitable to humans.

At present, the technology available to surgeons allows them to scan the body for tumors before surgery with the help of magnetic resonance imaging. However, it is very time-consuming as the cancer patient has to be removed from the operating table and placed into the machinery for the scan. This prolongs the surgery. The new imaging method could cut down on the surgery time and ensure that there are no traces of the tumor left in the body.

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Cat Pneumonia – An Owner’s Guide to Pneumonia in Cats

Pneumonia in cats is a serious condition. It occurs when there is inflammation in the lungs. The condition can quickly become life-threatening as it progresses. As the disease advances, your cat will have more and more trouble breathing. It can effectively be treated if caught early enough.

Causes

The inflammation in the lungs is a condition caused by bacteria. However, this is usually the result of a viral infection that affects your cat’s lower respiratory tract. Common viruses that can result in cat pneumonia include feline parainfluenza virus and calicivirus.

Symptoms

Pneumonia in cats is easily noticeable as your feline will appear extremely ill. He will stop eating and drinking which can lead to dehydration, a potentially serious condition. As the disease advances, your cat will have breathing difficulty. Some cats also develop a fever.

Treatment

As mentioned earlier, cat pneumonia is caused by bacteria. Therefore, treatment involves the use of antibiotics. It’s important not to discontinue this medication too soon or the bacteria may become resistant. As you already know, some cats with this condition experience trouble breathing. These cats will need to be provided with supplemental oxygen.

When your cat goes back home with you from the vet, there are a few things you can do to make him more comfortable. Make sure he has a warm, dry place to rest. If you can, you should also be a humidifier in the room. You will also need to prevent your cat from exercising too hard, or he may experience more trouble breathing.

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How to Lose Cheek Fat – 5 Tips For Losing Cheek Fat

Sometimes, you can not fully achieve the slim and toned look you're going for because of your chubby cheeks. Although, this can be a cute feature, it can also be a hassle, especially since it can still give off the idea that you're a little overweight even if you're not. This is why learning how to lose cheek fat should be on your to do list, especially since these techniques are perfectly simple and easily done through exercising.

To get started in trimming down those facial fats, here are some exercises you can do on your own to tone your chubby cheeks.

1. Smile

Smiling each and every time you have the opportunity to do so can be a great work out for your face. This can stretch your cheek muscles, allowing it to deal with the fats and get rid of it in the long run.

2. Do the fish face

Sure, it may look silly, but sucking your shoulders in is also a great technique how to lose cheek fat. The trick here is to stay in the position for at least ten seconds and do 5 repetitions daily.

3. Close your eyes tightly using your cheek muscles

This technique is extremely simple. All you have to do is to shut your eyes very tightly using your cheek muscles. Make sure that you're already feeling the muscles on your face contract. Hold for ten seconds and then relax. Repeat the whole method for at least five times daily.

4. Manual stretch

Another excellent method of exercising your cheeks would be with the help of your hands. Do these by lowering your chin until it Touches your chest, then pull the skin just below your cheekphones upwards, just until it can seemly cover those bumps. Once in this position, say "ah" for as wide as you possibly can. Hold for a few seconds and repeat the routine for a couple of times.

5. Pucker up

Want a good exercise for your lips and cheeks? Puckering up could have the right way to lose cheek fat for you. All you have to do is pucker your lips, but instead of just with your lips, make sure to involve your cheek muscles as well. To do this, try puckering really hard until you feel your face get stretched a little. That will be enough to tell you're doing it correctly.

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Rheumatoid Arthritis – Joint Pain and Inflammation

When Your Joints Say No!

You may ignore the stiffness in your joints until one morning your hands resemble a claw and your knees or elbows ache when you try to straighten them. You may continue to ignore what your body is telling you until you bend over to tie your shoes or wash your feet in the shower and your back remains in that bent over position.

When your joints say no to you, your life, once active, becomes a passive retreat. This is not a sign of entering the golden years. It’s simply a message from your body to simply take a closer look at your lifestyle and nutritional habits. This message can save you from more potentially harmful diseases.

Toxic food elements in what you presently eat, along with excess stress, can cause joint inflammation, pain and a jarring halt to every day simple motion. When your joints say no, you may have Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is a chronic condition of inflammation of the joints that disturbs every part of your body, including your emotional state. The word itself means inflammation (itis) of the joints (arth).

SYMPTOMS:

Symptoms may include joint stiffness, pain ranging from dull to severe, weakness, fatigue and low-grade fever.

CAUSES:

Scientific studies and an array of evidence have led to the conclusion that Rheumatoid Arthritis is a reaction in which certain antibodies within the body attack our own joints. Investigations of the culprit have led to speculation ranging from lifestyle to nutrition. The possibilities of interfering factors include food allergies, and bacterial and viral invasions caused by an imbalance in the bodies normal intestinal flora.

In most Rheumatoid Arthritis cases, digestive disorders including constipation contribute to the body’s imbalance. If constipated, you may be absorbing toxic antigens through the intestinal wall that eventually become lodged in the joint tissue.

Constipation develops as the result of consuming empty foods such as refined white flour, refined white sugar, and foods with artificial additives and preservatives. These refined substances cause a sticky plaque on the lining of the intestinal wall as well as on the lining of blood vessels.

The consumption of refined products along with such products as coffee and alcohol create plaque and leach calcium from your bones. This calcium finds its way into weakened joints in the forum of calcium deposits, causing arthritic effects.

The refining processes of food strips beneficial nutrients that balance the foods’ nourishing qualities and digestive abilities. Use of cows’ dairy products cause an excess of mucous congestion and yeast products can aggravate and imbalance the normal intestinal flora, causing digestive disturbances.

Prescriptive Medicine

Many physicians prescribe drugs that block digestive secretions as a way to decrease pain in the stomach due to ulcers and an uncoordinated release of digestive juices. However, this method of symptom relief causes additional digestive disturbances that can lead to constipation and malnutrition due to poor and improper digestion.

Supplementation

A simple digestive enzyme supplement may be all you need to resume proper digestion and a good acidophilus product will restore your intestinal flora. Prolonged use of chemical antacids that decrease digestive secretions may damage normal secretory processes. Most nutritional experts agree that enzyme supplementation makes more sense when dealing with this type of disorder.

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Causes of Back Pain After Using A Trampoline

Internet forums are full of questions relating to connection between back pain and trampoline use. There are many different types of injuries that can occur from jumping on a trampoline, from dropped muscles to head trauma. The types of injury below may cause back pain.

Pulled Muscle

Back pain after trampolining may be caused by muscle strain. Jumping on a trampoline works muscles through the legs, pelvis and back, specifically stabilizer muscles. Stabilizer muscles work to protect the spine; they engage before you perform an activity, bracing the spine against harmful compression. Ideally, this bracing protects spinal discs and joints by keeping the spine aligned and absorbing some of the impact carried on the body by movements like jumping up and down.

If your stabilizer muscles are weak, they will likely become strained (or "pilled") from trampolining. Strained muscles suffer small tears that normally heal within three days. Localized infection causes pain, swelling and tendness to the touch. A dropped muscle also hurts when it is used. Since the muscles of the back are used in almost every motion, they can cause a significant amount of pain when folded and take a little extra time to heal.

It is particularly easy to strain stabilizer muscles if you have an awkward or uncontrolled movement on a trampoline. As mentioned above, stabilizers engage before move to protect the spine. If a move occurs unexpectedly, your body does not have time to prepare; the stabilizers will tense up suddenly in a last-second attempt to protect the spine. This sudden tensing can cause muscle strain.

Trampolining is generally viewed as a leisure activity, but it is also exercise. As such, it is important to warm up with dynamic stretches prior to jumping and to cool down with static stretches after jumping. It is a good idea to develop core strength before spending prolonged periods of time on a trampoline; stronger muscles suffer less strain.

Spinal Injury

It is also possible for a more severe injury to the spine to occur. This is mostly a concern if you fell off the trampoline, hit the side of it or already have a degenerative spinal issue.

If you fall off a trampoline, you may incur a dislocation of a spinal joint (subluxation) or a vertebral fraction. These may occur in spinal segments from the lower back to the neck, although subluxation is less common in the thoracic spine. Symptoms of subluxation are pain, tendness and soreness surrounding the affected segment, muscles spasms, stiffness and weakness in the surrounding area, reduced spinal mobility and / or pain, weakness or numbness in the extremities. Vertebral fracture causes sudden and severe pain that is worsened by standing, walking, bending and twisting. If you or your child experiences any of these symptoms after an awkward landing or fall on the trampoline, seek examination by a medical professional.

The jarring associated with jumping on a trampoline can exacerbate preexisting disc degeneration. Discs work to absorb shock between vertebrae; when a disc is worn, bulging or herniated, it fails to cushion the bones around it. Herniated or bulging disks may compress nerves as they exit the spinal, causing pain, numbness and weakness along the nerve pathway into an arm or leg. Jumping on a trampoline can cause asymptomatic disc abnormalities to become symptomatic or can make already-present symptoms worse. Although disc wear can occur in younger people, it is more of a concern for people over 30.

The above injuries are not the only concerns associated with trampolining. Statistics of severe injuries, mostly incurred by children, have spurred the American Academy of Pediatrics to call for a ban on trampolines for backyard use. For a list of statistics and other injury types, see http://physical-therapy.advanceweb.com/Article/Bouncing-Back-Treating-Trampoline-Injuries.aspx .

If you choose to supplement the risks of trampolining, make sure any children using the trampoline are supervised and following basic safety guidelines provided at http://www.livestrong.com/article/134355-trampoline-safety-rules/ .

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9 Different Ways You Can Break Your Bones and How to Treat Them

A fraction means that one or more of your bones have been broken due to an impact with more force or pressure than your bones can support.

Fractures can be open or closed. Open fractures occur when the ends of a broken bone break the skin and are exposed. Closed fractures are also known as simple fractures, and happen when the bone does not break the skin.

Fractures can also be classified by the way the bone breaks:

  • Greenstick fraction: an incomplete fraction in which the bone only breaks on one side, while the other side is merely bent.
  • Torus fracture: an incomplete fraction where the bone is broken on one side and this causes a bump on the other side.
  • Non-displaced fraction: when a bone breaks into even pieces that can be aligned in place afterwards.
  • Displaced fracture: when a bone breaks into pieces that can not be aligned.
  • Hairline fraction: as the name suggests, this fracture occurs when the bone is broken in a thin crack.
  • Single fraction: when the bone only breaks in one place.
  • Compression fraction: when the bone is crushed.
  • Comminuted fraction: when the bone is crushed or broken in three or more pieces.
  • Segmental fraction: when the bone breaks in two places, leaving a piece of bone unattached.

Regardless of the type of bone fraction, the following symptoms are usually present:

  • Swelling, bruising, or bleeding.
  • Intense pain.
  • Inability or limited ability to move the affected area.
  • Numbness or tingling over the affected area.

What To Do When Someone Breaks a Bone

Immediate medical attention is required for any person who has just suffered from a bone fraction. Call 911 or transport the person to the near hospital for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Some of the immediate steps you can take when someone suffices from a broken bone are:

· If the person has suffered major trauma or injury and they are unresponsive or not breathing, begin CPR and call 911.

  • Do not move the person unless absolutely necessary.
  • If there is any bleeding, apply pressure to the wound with a clean cloth to stop the bleeding.
  • Immobilize the broken limb but do not try to realign and push the bone back into place.
  • If there is swelling, wrap an ice pack in a piece of cloth and apply to the affected area to reduce swelling and treat pain.
  • If the person feels false or is having trouble breathing, ask them to lie down and elevate the legs in order to treat for shock.

What to Do to Prevent Bone Fractures

Nobody wants to go through the pain and discomfort that comes with a broken bone. In addition to taking precautions when practicing activities that put you at risk of bone fractures, such as driving, practicing sports, etc. these are some other measures you can take to prevent breaking one or more bones:

  • Meeting your required daily intake of calcium: Calcium is needed to maintain healthy and strong bones. It is recommended that men and women under 50 intake 1,000 mg of calcium every day, while people over 50 should increase their calcium intake to 1,200 mg every day.

  • Meeting your required daily intake of vitamin D: Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium. The recommended amount of vitamin D for people under 70 years of age is 0.015 mg (or 15mcg). People over 70 should increase their intake of vitamin D to 0.020 mg (or 20mcg).

  • Reduce sodium consumption: The more sodium a person consumes, the more calcium they need in order to excrete urine. Maintain your sodium consumption low so that you can retain the calcium you need for your bones.

Breaking bones can be very painful, so make sure you take the steps necessary to prevent this from happening. However, no one is immune to accidents, so if you or someone you know ever suffers from a broken bone, be sure to look for the symptoms mentioned in this article, follow the instructions provided, and get medical attention as soon as possible.