Wednesday, 13 September 2023
Fatty liver disease: Common problem could be symptom of serious health conditions
Fatty liver disease is an extremely common condition, but can potentially lead to severe liver damage over time. Being aware of risk factors and getting proper screening is important to detect and manage the problem early.
Fatty liver disease, also known as hepatic steatosis, is a common condition where excess fat builds up in the liver. It's estimated that up to 30% of adults in developed countries have fatty liver disease. Many people with fatty liver disease don't have symptoms and are unaware they have the condition. However, fatty liver disease can potentially lead to more serious liver problems if left untreated.
Fat accumulates in the liver for a few main reasons. Common causes include being overweight or obese, having diabetes, high cholesterol, or high triglycerides. The liver processes nutrients from food and drinks.
Consuming more calories than the body needs leads to fat accumulation. Alcohol consumption also contributes significantly to fatty liver disease. Other factors like certain medications and metabolic disorders can also cause fatty buildup in the liver.
In the early stages, fatty liver disease typically does not cause any signs or symptoms. As it progresses, symptoms may include fatigue, weakness, weight loss, loss of appetite, nausea, abdominal pain, yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), and itchy skin. Blood tests can check for elevated liver enzymes which may indicate liver damage. Imaging tests like an ultrasound, CT scan or MRI can confirm the diagnosis by showing fat in the liver.
If more than 5-10% of the liver is replaced by fat, this is considered a fatty liver which may not lead to liver damage. However, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a more severe form where along with fat, there is liver cell inflammation and damage.
NASH can progress to advanced scarring of the liver (cirrhosis) and potentially liver failure or liver cancer. Therefore, diagnosing and treating fatty liver disease is important before it leads to irreversible damage.
Lifestyle changes are the mainstay of treatment for fatty liver disease. Losing weight through diet and exercise helps reduce fat in the liver. Limiting alcohol and stopping smoking is also critical. Certain medications may be prescribed to help control diabetes, cholesterol and triglycerides.
Regular follow up and monitoring for progression is key. If cirrhosis develops, more intensive treatment and possibly a liver transplant may be required.
Maintaining a healthy weight and lifestyle can help prevent and treat this condition before it progresses to advanced liver disease. Discuss any concerns about fatty liver disease with your doctor. With early intervention, serious complications may be avoided.
Hope you liked this informative and awareness article on "Fatty Liver".
Keep reading !! Be fit and healthy.
Wednesday, 28 December 2022
Dietary Supplement for Zinc Deficiency
Zinc is a mineral your body needs in small amounts. It is particularly important for men who need more than women. We explain why you need it, and where to get the best deals.
Men need plenty of zinc. It is lost every time a man ejaculates, so any man with a highly active sex-life, needs plenty - in a multi-mineral supplement(1). Zinc is also part of many important enzymes, so if you are deficient, these enzymes cannot work - whether you're a man or woman.
Zinc is part of many enzymes - these speed up body functions. They are involved in cell growth and immunity, testosterone production, sperm formation as well as sexuality.
Choose a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement with zinc
Don't just get a zinc supplement or lozenges to get zinc unless you know you have a real deficiency. It is OK to take these now and again, but as with all minerals, you want to make sure you don't take too much of one. Make your main supplement a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement.
Why? Because many vitamins and minerals work together or are involved together in many important functions in the body. Also, some minerals compete with others, so if you take too much of one mineral, you may not get the benefit of other essential nutrients.
Monday, 21 March 2022
Seven tips to keep your skin healthy
Drink plenty of water - this one is obvious, but often overlooked as it needs repeated emphasis. Its true that your life is busy, but that doesn't negate the fact that drinking water is a lower priority.
On the contrary, you have to drink more when you are out. Drinking water makes your skin glow and keeps it hydrated, especially on a hot summer day.
As you are aware the temperatures in your own country, can reach unbearable levels in the summer, so bring a bottle of water and keep drinking even if you're not thirsty.
Your skin will thank you later.
Apply sunscreen - this rule is so important that it's amazing how many people overlook putting on sunscreen.
You are exposed daily to the harmful rays of the sun. People who spend long hours in offices tend to discount sunscreen use because they're indoors anyway.
However, even ten minutes of sun exposure without protective sunscreen can do a lot more harm than good.
One thing to consider is that summers are very hot. Please get into the habit of not only applying sunscreen first thing in the morning, but also applying it repeatedly throughout the day.
Exercise regularly - for glowing skin, you should exercise at least three times a week, if not every day. Or start with three times a week and gradually work up to a goal of getting some exercise every day.
A balance of strength training and cardio is ideal for getting in the best shape of your life.
Exercise gets your blood pumping and carries oxygen to all parts of your body, providing nourishment to your skin and overall health.
So find the best exercise that works for your body – the options are many.
You have yoga, pilates, running, swimming and many more activities to choose from. Over time you will see a huge difference in your skin.
Showering after a workout - yes, the post workout glow is amazing. However, right after a workout, going through the showers is mandatory.
Sweaty bodies and gym clothes are a breeding ground for bacteria, which can lead to breakouts in sensitive areas like your face and upper back.
So, if you want to avoid pimples and breakouts, make sure you don't leave too much space between exercising and showering.
You should use good quality shower gels, body washes, shampoos and conditioners.
Eating the right foods - The foods we put into our system can either improve the health of your skin or wreak havoc on it.
Therefore, it is essential to do research and be much more aware of what goes into our bodies.
The best way to stay mindful is to spend time cooking, because only when you cook does your knowledge of nutrient intake increase. Sometimes the nutrient quotient depends on how you cook your food.
Some components that should be part of your dietary plan include fish, nuts, fruits, vegetables, among others.
Green tea is an antioxidant that works wonders for the health of your skin.
Don't forget vitamins and supplements - skin care and its associated routines require a lot of little things to be aware of.
Vitamins and supplements play a role in skin care. Collagen is an essential support for skin health and is found in skin, nails, hair, tendons, ligaments, cartilage and bone.
So if you take vitamins and supplements that contain vitamin C, this supports collagen formation by contributing to normal collagen formation for normal skin function.
Remove makeup -Many people put on makeup daily. However, they tend to shirk the responsibility of removing their makeup before going to bed. They tell themselves that it's okay to remove it the next morning.
This is never a good idea because the same ingredients that keep you looking good can cause a skin reaction when left on for long periods of time.
And also the skin care that is supposed to be done afterwards is what makes the skin look young and supple. Therefore, you should maintain a skin care regimen both day and night, and it should include, at a minimum, a cleanser, toner, and face cream.
Look for products that work for your skin that have a high moisture component that allows you to feel and look hydrated throughout the day and night.
Finally, Skin care is essential, and the procedures outlined above are some of the most fundamental you can take to keep your skin healthy.
Saturday, 19 March 2022
Do you know why you LOVE Chocolate?
There are some of the facts about chocolate. The term chocoholic is widely accepted and for good reason. Chocolate can be addictive, with powerful chemical agents that affect feelings of calmness and well being.
The key to chocolate as “brain food” is clearly dark chocolate,It is an antioxidant that traps free radicals and can help prevent disease.
A Harvard study showed that dark chocolate eaters live a year longer than those who do not indulge.
Heart patients can benefit from the flavenols in dark chocolate that Heart patients can benefit from the flavenols in dark chocolate that.
whether or not dark chocolate could trigger the production of opioids in the brain. Guess what? It can. Opioids are those chemicals found in Opium, which trigger feelings of euphoria….feeling really good!
So, there you have it. A bit of history and neuroscience about chocolate. How can it be useful in planning activities that stimulate thinking and creativity?
Monday, 28 February 2022
10 Diet Tips for Healthy Living
Thanks for your continued support and encouragement for HealthCampIndia blog. Our Blog has hit million views in last few days, this type of encouragement really motivates me and my team to share you valuable lessons learned as part of maintaining and keeping our health fit and healthy.
Before you give a serious read, a cartoon to make you smile, laugh out loud :-)
Below are few of the tips which we thought to share with you all. Hope this helps and motivate you as always.... Happy reading !!
- Remember that your success on the diet program requires strict adherence to the diet protocol
- Drink lots of water (tea and coffee are also permitted). You should drink at least 2 liters per day.
- All meat must be either grilled or boiled. NO fats or oils are permitted in food preparation. A George Foreman (or similar) grill works great for preparation of selected meat
- A small kitchen scale is helpful to weigh your meat before preparation. Remember, 100 grams should be the weight BEFORE cooking.
- Some dieters experience constipation. Smooth move tea is the perfect remedy and is permitted in the diet. This can be found at any health food store.
- Take a good multivitamin daily during the diet. Also, take a good B-vitamin (B-6 and B-12) daily. Avoid any vitamins that are not fat soluble, i.e., fish oils, vitamin A or vitamin E.
- Do NOT use oils, lotions, or lubricants. Also avoid all oil-based cosmetics. These items are absorbed into the skin and will interfere with weight loss.
- Stay away from sugar and starch. Read all food labels and avoid all items containing sugars and starches.
- No chewing gum or mints.
Other Helpful Items
Grocery List
- Lean Roast
- Lean Steak
- White Fish
- Shrimp
- Lobster
- Crab
- Chicken Breast
- Chicken Tenders
- Jennie-O turkey Burgers
- Salsa (no sugar added)
- Melba Toast
- Apples
- Strawberries
- Grapefruit
- Oranges
- Green Salad
- Tomatoes
- Onions
- Cucumbers
- Asparagus
- Celery
- Spinach
Health Food Store
- Sea Salt
- Liquid Aminos
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Liquid Stevia Sweetener (variety of flavors)
- Multivitamins
- Vitamin B Supplement
- Green Tea
- Smooth Move Tea
- Alba oil free lotion
Tuesday, 22 February 2022
Dengue Fever Symptoms and Treatment
Hi Friends,
Thank you for your love and affection towards HealthCampIndia Blog, I have received lots of emails with your queries and suggestions. Really I am glad to receive your emails and thanks again for sharing your thoughts and story's.
As regular practice, lets talk about one of the disease. Today, I though I will share my observations and thoughts on Dengue Fever.
Dengue fever is a disease spread by mosquitoes that causes flu-like symptoms. Dengue is highly infectious and rapidly spreading across the globe.
There's a lot of talk about mosquitoes and malaria. Mosquitoes don't carry the disease, and malaria isn't transmitted by mosquitoes. So what is it, then?
Let's understand little bit of history:-
The main mosquito-borne diseases are West Nile virus and dengue fever, also known as "break-bone fever [because of the intense, muscle-shaking pain associated with it]."
Dengue is considered as a viral disease, which is spread by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, causes flu-like symptoms that can last for up to a week.
Symptoms:
As this disease is serious and potentially life-threatening, but it's preventable with proper precautions and knowledge.
Major symptoms include sudden high fever, severe headache, joint and muscle pains, eye pain, nausea and vomiting. It's also known as break-bone fever or 'breakbone fever' because of its painful joints.
Precaution:
You can protect yourself against getting dengue fever by wearing long sleeves and avoiding areas where mosquitoes are breeding — including around drains, puddles and garbage cans.
Don't try to kill mosquitoes yourself — doing so only spreads the virus in your neighbourhood. Instead, use an insect repellent containing DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide), which works by causing your skin to produce a natural chemical called citronella that mosquitoes find unpleasant .
Treatment:
There is no specific treatment for dengue fever.The most important thing to remember about dengue fever is that it's not deadly.
It's a preventable disease and the best way to avoid it is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. Dengue can be treated with medication, but mosquito bites are the cause of most cases.
You can recover from the illness in a few days with rest and fluids such as water or orange juice.
Control Measures: Here are some tips to help you keep mosquitoes out
- There are several ways to tackle dengue, but one of the most low-cost yet practical is by eliminating mosquitoes at source [breeding grounds]. The best way to prevent mosquitoes from breeding and spreading their infection is by killing them with insecticides.
- Mosquitoes are most active during the day and this is when they spread the disease. Avoid mosquito breeding grounds like thick vegetation and stagnant water as well as places with standing water, such as puddles, flooded basements or tires left out in the sun.
- Use an insect repellent containing DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide). It comes in lotion, spray and cream form. Spray DEET on your skin and clothes at least 30 minutes before going outdoors. Use it on exposed skin and just put it on your clothing if you're going somewhere you will be exposed to mosquitoes later in the day
- Change up your routine as much as possible — go outside for brief walks during daylight hours and stay indoors after dusk when mosquitoes are ready to taste the human blood !!
Final Thoughts:
In 2022, and as of 7 February, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reported 40 154 dengue cases, including 7 873 confirmed cases and 9 associated deaths, in the Americas. The five countries reporting most cases are: Brazil ( 29 886), Peru (4 247), Colombia (3 182), Mexico (1 065), and Paraguay (967).
While there's no vaccination or cure for dengue fever, early diagnosis, prompt treatment and a thorough cleaning of the environment can help reduce the chance of transmission to humans.
Please share your tips, comments, suggestions with us, as always stay fit and healthy :-)
Wednesday, 16 February 2022
Know How Obstructive Sleep Apnoea can affect you
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) is a serious condition where the muscles in the throat relax during sleep causing the sufferer to temporarily stop breathing. If untreated it can occur hundreds of times in a night leading to daytime fatigue and other serious health problems. Once diagnosed it can be easily treated.
Basically, Obstructive sleep apnoea is caused by the blockage of the upper respiratory tract during sleep. This condition is caused by obstruction. Mostly, this is caused with a sudden cessation of breathing in the middle of deep sleep, which makes us wakeup suddenly.
Sometimes, these episodes last only for 5 to 10 seconds, but they can also be more than a minute long. Usually, obstructive sleep apnoea occurs only once or twice per night, but if it happens more than 5 times an hour in children and more than 30 times in adults it means that you have a severe form of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA).
What exactly is sleep apnoea ?
Apnoea is a breathing pause of at least 10 second.
Hypoapnoea is a 10 second event where there is continuous breathing but ventilation is reduced by at least 50 % from the previous baseline during sleep.
Sleep apnoea is the most common cause of excessive day time sleepiness. Sleep apnoea or apnea is a disorder characterized by a reduction or cessation (pause of breathing, airflow) during sleep. It is common among adults but rare among children.
There are two types of sleep apnea, obstructive sleep apnoea and the central sleep apnoea. Most Common of the two is obstructive sleep apnoea also called Obstructive Sleep Apnoea/ Hypoapnoea syndrome (OSAHS).
When there is no airflow but there is effort to breathe, the apnea is called “Obstructive”. When there is no airflow but no respiratory effort the apnoea is called “Central”. Mixed apnoeas start with no effort but effort develops during the course of the apnoea.
Signs and symptoms of OSA:
* Excessive drowsiness during the day
* Snoring loudly
* Frequent shortness of breath during sleep
* Stopping breathing and waking up suddenly
* Dry throat or mouth during waking hours
Severe headache in the morning
* Lack of concentration during the day
Important Posts to read:
Treatment for Sleep Apnoea
Thanks a lot for reading, hope you have understood about Apnoea (Sleep Apnea) disesase, symptoms and its treatments.
Please share your comments /suggestions below, as always stay fit and healthy
Monday, 7 February 2022
Lung Cancer Symptoms, Causes, Types - HealthCampIndia.Blogspot.com
- A cough that doesn't go away and gets worse over time
- Constant chest pain
- Coughing up blood
- Shortness of breath, wheezing, or hoarseness
- Repeated problems with pneumonia or bronchitis
- Swelling of the neck and face
- Loss of appetite or weight loss
- Fatigue
- patient history of lung cancer symptoms
- chest x-rays
- thoracentesis (the use of a needle to remove a small sample of the fluid that surrounds the lungs to check for cancer cells)
- CT scan of chest
- biopsy of any suspicious lymph nodes
- flexible bronchoscopy (obtaining lung specimens using a special bronchoscope),
- transbronchial needle aspiration (a procedure performed using a special needle, which is passed through the a bronchoscope)
- fine-needle aspiration biopsy
Saturday, 5 February 2022
Heartburn Self-Care Tips
- Limit foods and beverages that fan the flamesAvoid foods and beverages that trigger symptoms and may irritate lining of the esophagus or affect the LES which controls the flow of acid from the stomach into the esophagus. These items include chocolate, peppermint, fatty foods, alcoholic beverages, citrus fruits and juices, garlic and raw onion, tomato sauce, vinegar, caffeinated and carbonated beverages.
- Eat smaller dinners... and eat earlier
Decrease the size of portions at mealtimes and eat meals at least 2-3 hours before lying down to lessen the likelihood of reflux.
- Monitor your meds : Check with your health care professional to see if one of the medications you are taking might be triggering your heartburn. Aspirin and other pain medications (other than acetaminophen), some antibiotics and iron tablets are a few of the common culprits. Never stop taking any prescribed medication without consulting your health care professional.
- Feel the burn without the burn:Certain types of exercise that increase abdominal pressure can aggravate heartburn symptoms, but don't give up this healthy habit. Talk to your trainer or fitness expert at the local gym about exercise substitutes and try not to eat just before, during or just after exercise.
- Shed some pounds
- Stop or decrease smoking
- Fight acid creep while you sleep
- Loosen up
- Find the pharmacy
- Relax
- Linger over lunch
- Candy is dandy
- Keep a reflux record
- Ask "what's up, doc?"