Posts Tagged ‘Health’
Health Awareness: Information on Obesity and Being Overweight
February 9th, 2010 
admin 
Posted in Health & Safety 
Tags: Awareness, Being, Health, Information, Obesity, Overweight 
No Comments »Health Care Tips for Women
January 31st, 2010 admin As you may have noticed, there are lots of things that you need to consider when trying to stay fit and healthy. More often than not this mass of information becomes overwhelming and most people start off with good intentions but give up in the long run, slipping back to old ways and habits. To help you maintain that healthy lifestyle, below are the top ten things you should be doing to keep yourself healthy and happy.
When trying to keep to a healthy lifestyle, the first thing you need to consider is your diet. A good balanced diet is essential in maintaining a healthy body. Remember, ‘rubbish in = rubbish out’. Eating junk food, fatty food and other convenience foods will result in a feeling of lethargy, tiredness, depression and bad complexion just to name a few. Simple changes to make would be avoiding too much red meat, high fat foods and high calorie foods instead substituting this with high fibre low fat food, mixed with a regular intake of fruit and vegetables. Fibre is great for digestion whilst fruit and vegetables will help keep vitamin and mineral levels up.
Make sure you drink plenty of water throughout the day. One of the risks of not drinking enough water is the onset of kidney stones. If you know anybody who has had kidney stones, you’ll know this is to be avoided! Drinking plenty of water will keep you hydrated which in the long run will help you cleanse your body of impurities. You will start to feel more alert and less tired, you may notice your skin improves with a new radiance. If you are lactating, it is vital that you keep well hydrated to ensure your milk is at its best. Most research suggests that eight glasses of water per day is a minimum.
Consider taking vitamin and mineral supplements, especially at the beginning of your new healthy schedule. Some of the more important ones specific to women are Calcium and Iron. Calcium is essential for women of all ages but especially menopausal women to ensure good bone strength and minimize problems from onset of Osteoporosis. Iron supplements are especially important for menstruating women and women who suffer heavier blood loss during that time of the month.
Try and introduce a regular exercise into your daily routine. There are simple ways to get exercise without really trying. You could try walking home from work if it’s not too far, don’t take the elevator all the time – try using the stairs. When your kids are outside playing, take a few minutes to go and play with them. Not only will you be getting fit but you’ll be spending more time with your children. Everyone wins! Yoga is also a great way to stay toned and supple. This can be done in the home with a minimal investment in equipment. There is lots of free info. on the internet related to yoga.
Try and avoid sources of stress. Stressful situations whether at home or at work can leave you with excess amounts of adrenaline and other ‘fight or flight’ by-products. These can affect heart muscle, upset sleep patterns causing insomnia and much more. Exercise can help to burn off some of these stress by-products but any high stress situations should be avoided. A lot of women are a sucker for a good suntan but there are hidden dangers.
Dog's Health: Lymphosarcoma Cancer
January 31st, 2010 admin Lymphosarcoma is one of the most common types of cancers seen. It is also referred to as lymphoma or non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. In dogs, many different species develop Lymphosarcoma. Like any other cancer, this one can “metastasize”, which means it can spread and affect other organs and tissues.
Most dogs get a type of Lymphosarcoma that originates the lymph nodes and usually the nodes under the jaw get swollen. Sometimes this is the only symptom your dog will have. But the jaw is not the only place where this disease can begin. Some forms of Lymphosarcoma begin in the bone marrow, the chest, abdomen, or even the skin.
DIAGNOSIS
It is difficult to detect the Lymphosarcoma because it can spread to many places in the body. So full analysis is essential to determine this disease and also establish the stage of disease. It is very important to determine the stage of the disease and decide the kind of treatment and the right dosage. Vets usually do the following tests in order to detect the stages:
* Cytology – checking the lymph node cells
* Blood work
* Abdominal radiographs
* Abdominal ultrasound
* Bone marrow analysis
Most of the times, the vets do just a few of the tests listed above. Even a few of the tests alone can determine the stage and if the dog can be submitted to the treatment.
DISEASE STAGES OF EVOLUTION
Lymphosarcoma has 4 stages.
In state I the cancer exists in just one lymph node. This stage is rarely diagnosed in pets.
In stage II the disease has spread to more than one node and has occupied a body region.
In stage III the cancer is in the nodes but has spread in the body.
In stage IV the Lymphosarcoma has reached the liver or the spleen.
There is also a stage V and it refers to all the stages above but with cancer spread to the bone marrow or the blood or any other organ.
The main stages have sub stages: “A” and “B”.
“A” means the patient doesn’t have the illness. “B” means the patient displays clinical symptoms like fluid in the lungs, vomiting or diarrhea.
Stage IIIA is the earliest detected and it can be treated.
MEANS OF TREATMENT
Many people have heard of chemotherapy. This means treatment with chemicals. The dog anti-cancer drugs, orally, intravenously, or subcutaneously. The good fact is that animals have a high tolerance to anti-cancer drugs, far better than humans. Also, side effects because of the treatment appear only in 5 cases out of 100.
Some of the most common questions a dog owner has are:
Is the dog going to lose the hair? Usually, they don’t. But poodles and old English Sheepdogs are predisposed to lose their hair after chemotherapy. But don’t worry. It will grow back. Keep in mind that Lymphosarcoma treatable but not curable.
Will the disease come back and how long will it last? This depends on the type of Lymphosarcoma the dog has. But with the latest medical advances, approximately 90% of dogs achieve a complete remission. The average remission is between 8 and 12 months.
What happens after the dog comes out of remission? It can be treated just like the first time. Also, the second and third remissions are treatable.
The whole cost of the treatment begins at about $500 and can go up to $2,000 in case of a large pet.
A Guide to Better Bone Health for Women
January 31st, 2010 admin Bone health is one of the most important aspects of a women’s health. This is due to the fact that ignoring bone health may result in a lot of diseases and injuries, the most dreaded of which is osteoporosis. Although a lot has been said about the debilitating effects of osteoporosis, it may not be entirely too late to protect one from it.
Ways to Make Women’s Bones Healthier
The onset of menopause can truly aggravate bone loss in women. If untreated, it will lead in time to stooping posture, injuries, as well as possible damages to the spinal cord. However, there are ways by which a woman can prevent the onset of bone loss or at least minimize the damage. Here are some of them:
* Nutrition. This is the most important factor to consider for better bone health for women. Where nutrition is concerned, the diet should include calcium, iron, and potassium. These three nutrients are very vital for a woman to have good bone health. In their absence, the bones become prone to fracture and being weak in structure. Although these nutrients can be obtained from food supplements, doctors recommend that one obtain the fresh variety in the form of fish, vegetables, and fruits.
* Vitamin D. Vitamin D is obtainable from nature through fresh sunshine. However, there are other sources for them such as eggs, milk, and dairy products. When the body has enough vitamin D, calcium absorption becomes faster. In its absence, the body’s daily intake of vitamin C is rendered useless as this is not properly absorbed by the body.
* Regular Exercise. Exercising regularly helps strengthen bones. For best results, it is recommended that one exercise under fresh sunshine early in the morning. Because women are at greater risk to bone diseases, it is a must that they exercise regularly.
* Watching One’s Posture. This is one of the most neglected aspects of bone health. When people are still young, they seldom pay attention to their posture, reasoning that any wrong posture will do no damage to their young bodies. This belief should be eliminated because wrong posture can bring serious complications later. Moreover, when proper posture is not observed, the bones become prone to fracture that may cause internal infections and other grave consequences.
* Avoid Lifting Heavy Weights. While lifting weights make for good exercise, one should make sure that the weight is something that one can easily handle. In any case, it is often not the weight itself that counts but the repetitions made. For household chores, one should avoid lifting heavy loads that can cause a burden on the bones.
* Avoid Smoking and Drinking. These vices are known to weaken the bones by introducing toxins to the body. Moreover, they may deprive the body of certain nutrients that are very vital to bone health. Instead of drinking alcoholic beverages, one should consume fresh fruit juices.