Posted by admin on May 8, 2009 under Weight Loss | 
1. Obese people have a higher fat mass and fat-free mass than lean people.
2. Obese people generally need a higher energy intake to maintain weight than lean people.
3. Lack of weight loss on a diet of <1200 kcal is generally due to under-reporting of food intake.
4. Significant fat loss is invariably accompanied by decreases in FFM and thus decreases in RMR. This will tend to reduce the rate of weight loss. Exercise during weight loss helps to preserve FFM and prevent some of the decrease in RMR.
5. A reduction in fat in the diet will result in a greater decrease in energy intake than a similar (gram for gram) reduction in other nutrients.
6. Substrate utilisation (i.e. nutrient use as energy) can be measured through the respiratory exchange ratio (RER), using the ratio of inhaled to expired air, and the means of measuring RER are becoming more and more portable.
7. Physical activity expends energy both during and after the activity. RMR appears to remain elevated after activity. However, the level and duration of increases are a function of exercise intensity, duration and frequency.
8. Wrapping and ’sweating it off will lose water, but not fat. Remember that maintenance of body heat in cold conditions is an active process requiring energy.
9. It is reasonable to use spices that increase RMR—particularly those high in the ingredient capsaicin—to add flavour to low-fat dishes.
10. Caffeine in moderation may be a possible aid to fat loss but at worst, is not likely to interfere in the fat loss process. Denial therefore is not a necessary pre-requisite for fat loss.
11. Caffeine and spicy foods may have small effects on metabolic rate, but the major opportunity for increasing metabolic rate still must be through increases in physical activity and reductions in fat in the diet.
12. Increasing incidental physical activity should be used as well as increasing planned exercise.
*46\186\4*
Posted by admin on under General health |
‘David isn’t too happy,’ Jean said, as she hauled her unhappy-looking five-year-old into my surgery. ‘It all started yesterday when he was caught in the rain, no doubt got a chill, and now he is sneezing and coughing, has a runny nose, and is off his food and running a bit of a fever.’
Master David, usually a happy little fellow, was certainly not at his sparkling best. He slumped in the chair, looked morose and kept dabbing at his nose. Intermittently he gave a violent bark, which seemed to cause him some degree of pain in the chest.
‘I’ve got a sore throat too,’ David ventured, as I started to check him out, ‘And my skin feels all sore too.’ David was a sensible little lad, determined that I should know all the facts of his case. Very helpful.
There was little doubt about the diagnosis: an upper respiratory tract infection. Germs had obviously become established the day before, following his exposure and chilling, a common starting point. His nose was running and looked red and sore around the outer nostrils. Breathing through the nose was obviously difficult. His throat was a little inflamed, and the harsh cough had already started. As I listened to his chest with my stethoscope, I could hear a few abnormal sounds (called rales), indicating fluid was already starting to accumulate in the airways of the lungs.
‘What is the verdict?’ Jean asked as I completed my examination.
‘A straightforward case of acute coryza,’ I replied. ‘But don’t be alarmed. Its more popular name is the common cold. It is a simple upper respiratory tract infection, no doubt caused by viruses which he probably picked up yesterday when he got cold. The germs become rapidly embedded in the nasal passageways, in the linings, where they quickly multiply. This has caused a swelling of the lining and made normal nasal breathing more difficult. Against this the body’s reinforcements have been called, and the start of a mighty campaign is underway—the goodies versus the baddies. So, fluid is being secreted by the cells, and before long this turns to a pussy material as germs are killed and discharged.’
‘Sounds very gruesome,’ Jean commented. ‘What else is happening?’
‘Almost invariably the germs manage to penetrate further into the respiratory canals. So more swelling and discharges. Finally they reach the back of the nose and reach the pharynx, and track down to the next part, the larynx and voice box. Frequently a croaky voice occurs. Then they race on down the trachea into the bronchi and frequently into the lungs also. All this occurs with amazing rapidity, and before long there is a sore throat and a cough.’
‘You’re so right. It is incredible how quickly it happened,’ Jean replied. ‘David started coughing this morning, not much more than 24 hours after his drenching. Those bugs move fast,’ she continued.
‘Right,’ I answered.
‘Then, what to do? What is the advice we should follow?’
Treatment
‘First of all, he will do quite well within a few days, I feel sure,’ I started, giving a note of reassurance.
‘There are several simple measures to take which will help. We don’t have a specific mixture that will immediately kill the germs, for these are usually viruses which do not respond to antibiotics. If serious chest infections or other infections and complications occur, then we will use them. But we’ll commence with simple measures.
‘I’d suggest you put David to bed for a day or two. He’s already complaining of feeling off-colour and tingly all over, and he is running a mild fever. Bed at least gives the body a rest and helps the body to conquer the invading germs. I think he is feeling sufficiently off-colour to be happy with this for a short time. What do you say, David?’ I asked my youthful patient.
‘I’ll go to bed for a day or two. But only while I’m feeling sick,’ he replied, giving himself the opportunity to opt out early. (How typical of youngsters. I love ‘em all.)
‘Plenty of liquids is a good idea,’ I said. ‘Water, fresh fruit juices (the best, in my opinion), aerated beverages such as lemonade— although I’m not keen on fizzy sugary drinks, as you know. But for a day or two they are all right. Flavoured ice-blocks are also good, and I’m sure David would like those.’
‘That’s beaut!’ David said, listening from the sidelines.
‘A quick warm bath each morning is also a good idea. It will get rid of the sweat that accumulates and dries on the skin and makes his skin feel sore. Use a soft towel and dab his body dry afterwards. And make sure he doesn’t get a fresh chill whilst you are doing this.’
‘What about his temperature?’ Jean asked.
‘Simple paracetamol elixir is a good mixture to take. The usual dose for five-year-olds is five to ten millilitres every four hours, ideally after food. It tastes reasonable.
‘We don’t like giving aspirin to children under six years, for it is a severe gastric irritant and can cause stomach bleeding. For any colds that David catches when he is a couple of years older either paracetamol or aspirin tablets can be used for reducing fevers and relieving aches and pain, which are often severe; they can also reduce the tingly skin sensitivity which is often quite unpleasant. But in the meantime, try paracetamol elixir for David’s cold.’
‘Should I give him something for the cough?’ Jean queried.
‘Yes. Simple pholcodine elixir is good, and may be repeated if and when the cough troubles him. There are plenty of brands around. Personally I like a nice red one—it looks like raspberry, and most children love it. But use it only when necessary, for the cough is there to rid the lungs of phlegm, dead germs and unwanted fluids which could otherwise be damaging.
Home remedies
‘An easy do-it-yourself one is to squeeze a lemon into a glass. Then add half the volume of honey. Let David sip this as often as he likes. Lemon cuts back the phlegm and irritation in the back of the throat. The honey is very soothing. It is a simple old-fashioned remedy which many people still use with good effect. It is cheap too. How’s that in this overpriced world of inflation?’
‘Great, simply great,’ Jean answered, with a grin.
‘How about his blocked-up nose?’ she continued.
‘Simple steam inhalations are a good idea,’ I replied. ‘You might find that adding 15 drops of friar’s balsam to a pint of boiling water will work wonders. But if David finds it a bit messy, an alternative is simple blowing plus the use of some vasoconstrictor drops. They will reduce swelling in the nasal linings. Use the drops two to three times a day but only when necessary.’
‘Should I starve his cold?’ Jean queried.
‘No. Let David have what food he likes. Small meals attractively served is the best advice I can offer. Simply prepared foods, stewed fruits, mashed vegetables, soup, toast, eggs lightly cooked, jelly, ice-cream, that sort of thing. There is plenty to choose from. For a few days he might not be keen on food at all, so stick to fluids. Add some powdered glucose D, a teaspoon per glass, for this equals food and is an easy way of sustaining nutrition. Very soon he will come back to normal food intake, I am certain. Ideally his room is best kept warm and free from cigarette smoke—but then, of course, you don’t smoke. Great!’
‘That all sounds pretty straightforward,’ Jean said. She had been writing a few notes on a pad whilst I spoke, an excellent idea. I am happy to see parents writing down suggestions so they will not forget.
‘Anything else I should know?’
‘If there are any complications, please contact me. The germs may spread to other areas, and this could need extra treatment, such as antibiotics.’
‘How would I know when complications are setting in?’ Jean asked.
‘If pain develops in David’s ears, it could mean infected ears; under the eyes behind the cheeks, infected sinuses; a very sore throat, tonsillitis or pharyngitis or laryngitis; pains in the chest, pneumonia or pleurisy. If breathing becomes difficult or the cough really gets worse and causes distress, let me know promptly, and I’ll pop around and give you the next lot of instructions.’
‘Fine,’ said Jean.
‘Thanks, Doctor,’ echoed David, in his unhappy little voice. ‘See you round some time,’ he continued, as the pair prepared to leave.
Nice little bloke, I thought to myself … I really do like kids. So uninhibited, so honest with everybody.
*68\87\2*
Posted by admin on under General health |
More than 50 per cent of school children bite their nails, and the majority stop it in due course. Often it is an expression of anxiety, and a release of tension, but in many cases there is no obvious emotional reason. Some youngsters even become expert toe-nail biters as well! Nail biting may increase during times of boredom, fear, stress or tension.
Treatment
In most cases the situation is self-limiting and self-curative. In some cases, it persists into adult life, but this is unusual. Punishment, ridicule and strong measures will do more harm than good. Similarly, painting the fingers with vile-tasting chemicals is of little permanent value. More often, the child will wash or lick off the offending liquid, and enjoy the nail-biting session even more, possibly feeling a mark of achievement over non-understanding parents.
Efforts to detect any basis for emotional insecurity should be sought—is there some school problem or difficulty with peers that may be corrected? Correct any obvious problem. Otherwise, the less fuss that is made the better.
*20\87\2*
Posted by admin on April 29, 2009 under General health |
Neuralgia is the pain which originates from a nerve and is felt in the part of the body which is served by that nerve, even though the problem may not be at that site. It is often the result of infection or damage of the nerve. Neuralgia may even be felt in an amputated limb, because of severed nerves: this is known as ‘phantom pain’. Often neuralgia will clear up without treatment. Some forms of neuralgia do however, require attention. These include trigeminal neuralgia, which affects the facial nerve and sciatica, where spinal nerves become trapped between vertebrae.
Aromatherapy may be helpful in treating neuralgia. Two drops of cloves, one of basil and one of eucalpyptus should be blended with a tablespoon of a carrier oil and applied when needed.
Acupuncture may be used to treat neuralgia with manipulation of points on the governor, gall bladder, bladder, large intestine, stomach and liver meridians.
Acupressure is particularly effective in the case of trigeminal neuralgia. Every half hour, points on the face should be pressed lightly for a period of 5-10 minutes. Pressure should be applied downwards with the index fingers close to the corners of the mouth, or inwards, using the index finger, at the inner end of the eyebrow on the side of the face which is affected.
Fresh chopped or grated horseradish mixed with a little water and applied as a compress may also relieve neuralgic pain.
*20\69\2*
Posted by admin on under Anti Depressants-Sleeping Aid |
The tense or anxious woman is commonly frigid. There is a loss of both sexual desire and sexual response. There may even be a kind of negative response so that the muscles go into spasm, making intercourse difficult or impossible. On the one hand, the anxious apprehension makes the free flow of emotion impossible; and on the other hand, the muscle tension prevents physical relaxation.
It is important to remember that the anxiety which causes frigidity may arise either from sexual conflicts or from conflicts far removed from the sexual area. Thus the anxiety of a woman who fears that she may become pregnant is likely to inhibit her sexual response and she comes to be frigid. On the other hand, a similar response may result from tension arising from conflicts at work.
Everyone knows that frigidity may be caused simply by loss of affection. If a husband is jealous or suspicious by nature, and if his wife becomes frigid, he is likely to interpret her frigidity as evidence that she has taken a lover or at least is looking elsewhere. This may happen even though the frigidity is due to anxiety from quite innocent causes. Frigidity develops between husband and wife; there is increased tension and the frigidity is so much the worse. Fearful lest this type of situation develop, many anxious and frigid women pretend to experience those feelings which are in fact so far from them.
*22\57\2*
Posted by admin on April 28, 2009 under Pain Relief-Muscle Relaxers |
Some women find that too much standing gives them backache not just at period time, although it’s probably worse then. There are lots of reasons for backache, far too many to go into here. But one of them could be that you are holding your spine in an uncomfortable position when you stand up. Here’s a trick to find out if a different position would be better for you.
Stand with your back against a wall, bottom touching it, feet a little in front. Now drop the top half of your body forward from the waist, as though you were a cloth puppet and someone had let go of your strings. Very slowly unwind your spine back up against the wall, as though it were a tape measure and you were measuring the wall with it. Start with your bottom and unwind slowly, gradually standing upright, until first your shoulders and finally the back of your head are touching the wall. If this has been a helpful exercise, your back will feel far more comfortable and far less strained. You will also have found a better position for your hips and spine when you’re standing.
Other tips-If too much standing makes your feet swell, or gives you a dragging sensation low down in your belly, you might find it helps to relax for a few minutes with your feet higher than your head. This is also useful if you suffer from varicose veins or piles. One method is to lie on the floor at the foot of a low divan or bed and rest your feet and calves on the edge. Or you can relax on a slope by propping your ironing board (or any other board) against a low divan or armchair, and lying with your head supported on a pile of cushions. It’s more comfortable than it sounds!
*17\177\2*
Posted by admin on under Allergies |
Artificial colors have received a great deal of attention in recent years. Some of them have been removed from the marketplace by the Food and Drug Administration. Most recently, Red Dye No. 2 was removed after tests showed that it caused cancer in experimental animals.2
Long before this, however, starting in the late 1940s, clinical ecologists such as Dr. Stephen D. Lockey warned that artificial colors in drugs were one of the major sources of health problems in adults and children.3
To prove this, I once asked three chemically susceptible patients to take part in an experiment. They were blindfolded and given a glass of spring water to drink. Into each glass had been added the same amount of Red Dye No. 2 that would be found in a large serving of a well-known gelatin dessert. (This was before the link between the dye and cancer had been established.) Two of the three developed severe reactions to this colored water, although they had no reaction to pure spring water.
The practice of coloring fresh foods can also be a source of problems. Oranges, in particular, are frequently dyed, on the theory that consumers will not purchase naturally colored oranges, which are occasionally specked with green. It is difficult to detect a reaction to this dye, because fresh citrus fruits are often packed in crates which have been liberally treated with fungicides, and thus it is difficult to tell if the reaction is to the dye or to the fungicide.
Sweet potatoes are also commonly dyed. But dyed sweet potatoes can usually be eaten if they are carefully peeled. As a practical note, you can generally spot a dyed sweet potato by noting the presence of the dye on the broken ends of the tubers. Increasingly, in recent years, food wholesalers have begun dyeing white potatoes red.
*18\110\2*
Posted by admin on under General health |
Croup is an inflammation and swelling of the larynx (voice box), usually caused by an infection. Croup is common and is passed on in the same manner as a common cold-by airborne droplets or by direct contact with an infected person.
Croup causes a tight, dry, barking cough and hoarseness. Difficult breathing develops quickly, with more trouble breathing in than breathing out. Efforts to breathe in cause the crowing sound that is typical with croup. (This is the opposite of the breathing difficulty that is seen with asthma. A child with asthma has more difficulty breathing out, and a wheezing sound is heard when the child breathes out.) Croup can be serious, but milder cases, especially repeated ones, can usually be safely handled at home.
There is a form of croup-epiglottitis- that is a life-threatening illness, a true emergency in which minutes count. It is an infection of the epiglottis (covering of the larynx) and surrounding tissues, caused by bacteria. It is most common in children between three and nine years of age. There is a rising fever to 39.4°Ñ and up to 40°C. Difficulty with breathing quickly becomes severe. The child drools and may have trouble swallowing, preferring to sit with the head forward, mouth open, and tongue partially out. The condition rapidly progresses to choking and convulsions; treat immediately.
Signs and symptoms
The key symptoms of croup are a barking cough, hoarseness, difficult breathing, and a crowing sound heard when the child breathes in. There may be no fever or a low-grade fever (38.3°C).
It is important always to consider the possibility of epiglottitis when any of these symptoms are present.
Choking on a foreign object may resemble croup, since both share the same symptom of frantic efforts to breathe. However, it is easy to tell choking from croup by one key sign. A choking child cannot speak or cry out; a child with croup can talk or cry. Fever may be another clue, since a child with croup may have a fever but a choking child does not.
Home care
If a child is having serious difficulty breathing, do not try to care for the child at home. Notify your doctor, and head for the nearest hospital emergency room.
Mild, repeated attacks of croup can often be cared for at home (if there is no serious difficulty breathing). However, it is best to call your doctor the first time you suspect your child has croup.
The basic home care for mild attacks is adding moisture to the air to relieve the cough and help the child breathe more easily.
Use steam from a vaporizer or humidifier. Steam also may be generated quickly and temporarily by running a hot shower in a closed bathroom. Sit in the room with your child for a short while. If the symptoms are not relieved, call your doctor.
Precautions
• If your child has a high fever, difficulty breathing and swallowing, is drooling, or sits with the head forward, mouth open, and tongue hanging out, get medical help immediately.
• Never give any type of cough medicine to a child with croup or any difficulty breathing.
• Do not give ipecac as a home treatment for croup; ipecac may make breathing even more difficult.
Medical treatment
For croup, your doctor’s treatment will be the same as your home treatment. However, the doctor may hospitalize your child and use a croup tent with high humidity. The doctor may also order X rays, cultures, and a blood count. If the condition becomes severe, your child may be intubated (have a tube inserted in the airway).
Epiglottitis is always treated as an emergency. Your child will be intubated. If necessary, the doctor may perform a tracheotomy (opening the windpipe surgically through the neck). Intravenous fluids and antibiotics will be given, and the child’s condition will be carefully watched.
*44/84/5*
Posted by admin on April 23, 2009 under General health |
Doctors tracked 11,000 health-conscious people for 17 years, watching, you might say, every bite they put into their mouths.
These researchers at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund in Oxford, England, and the Department of Public Health and Policy in London and the University of Wales in Cardiff recorded each person’s diet, illnesses, and deaths, when they occurred over the 17 years.
Two groups of people turned out to be the healthiest-that is, they had the lowest rates of debilitating diseases and were the least likely to die young. The winners were the apple-a-day folks-those who ate some fruit daily-and the garden-grazers-those who ate fresh salad daily. Salad-eating in particular was linked to a 26 percent lower rate of death from heart disease.
While this study was conducted in Great Britain, its findings apply to those of us here in the colonies as well. Want to spend more time on the planet? Then spend more time thinking about what you put on your plate.
Take control
We have more control over the grub we grab than about any other aspect of our lives. How we stuff our faces controls, to a great extent, the quality of our lives. It significantly influences our health, vitality, and longevity, notes Carla Wolper, R.D., a nutritionist at the Obesity Research Center at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital and the Center for Women’s Health at Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital, both in
New York City. Every cell in our bodies depends upon the proper supply of nutrients. We get our nutrients from the foods we eat.
Of course, you already know that. You know that you should eat right.
You know that experts recommend eating from five to nine servings a day of fruits and vegetables. But we know that if you’re a typical guy, you aren’t getting five to nine servings a day of fruits and vegetables.
We’re not here to yell at you about that (well, not too much, anyway). But we would like to reason with you or, at least, to give you some reasons to make sure that you’re eating a balanced diet-one that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables.
For starters, the doctors and scientists we spoke with emphasized over and over that plant life contains a whole arsenal of goodies that are known, without a doubt, to guard against all sorts of nasties – from premature aging to cancer. Among the most powerful weapons are:
• Plant pigments: The stuff that causes plants to have color turns out to be chock-full of a veritable rainbow of beneficial vitamins and enzymes that our bodies crave.
• Phytochemicals: These chemicals act as a plant’s natural defense system-its natural pesticides and disease-fighters. Some of these chemicals help us ward off the scourges that attack us, too.
• Plant estrogens: These are plant hormones, sometimes referred to as phytogens that seem to enhance and balance hormonal activity in our own bodies. Estrogen? you ask. Aren’t we getting a bit girlish here? Not really. See, we need some of these so-called female hormones to cool down some of the male hormones-like the one that causes prostate cancer, for instance.
• Flavonoids: The tasty stuff that gives fruits and vegetables their flavors turns out to be medicine in our bodies.
Then there’s the other stuff, like the assorted enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and fibers that we get from regularly eating a wholesome variety of vegetables and fruits. Many of these plant constituents act as antioxidants. That is, they help protect our cells from getting burned and deteriorated from too much oxygen and other destructive atoms showing up in the wrong place at the wrong time. Antioxidants slow the aging and dying process at the cellular level.
While it is certain that the healing compounds in plants work together when we eat a variety of them, often it is less clear how well they work alone. The research is still young. So the recommendation for now, Wolper says, is to mix it up. Go for variety. Still, there are at least a few super-foods for which the evidence is so strong that it would be foolish to ignore.
*50/36/5*
Posted by admin on April 22, 2009 under Cancer |
A house surgeon or senior house officer will visit you on the ward before your operation to take details of your medical history – including any allergies you may have and any drugs you are taking – and to examine you. Your GP may have already filled in a form giving the names and dosages of any drugs you have been prescribed, and you should have been told what to do about these. Do not forget to tell the hospital doctor of any other drugs you have been taking which your GP may not be aware of, such as vitamin supplements, cough medicines, aspirins etc., which are available from the chemist without the need for prescription.
If you normally take a contraceptive pill or hormone replacement tablets, you may have been told to stop these for a time before your operation. If you are still taking them when you enter hospital, for example if you have been called for your operation at short notice, you should tell the doctor. Contraceptive pills used to contain much larger amounts of hormones than do the more modern ones, and these were sometimes associated with complications from blood clots. The newer pills are almost entirely free from these risks, but some surgeons still prefer their patients to stop taking them for at least a month before surgery.
A medical examination is carried out to identify any illness or infection you may have which could complicate the use of a general anesthetic. If you are over 50 years of age or a heavy smoker, you will probably have to have a chest X-ray and an electrocardiogram so that any potential anesthetic complications due to breathing or heart problems can be picked up.
If you are having a lump removed from your breast, the doctor will try to locate it and will mark the appropriate area on the surface of your breast with an indelible felt-tip pen. If the entire breast is to be removed, the appropriate one will be identified in the same way.
Consent forms
The house surgeon will probably also ask you to sign a consent form. Although it can be assumed that your consent to the operation is implied by the fact that you have entered hospital willingly, consent forms are widely used. By signing this form you are declaring that your operation has been explained to you and that you understand what it entails and have agreed to it taking place. You are also giving your permission for the doctors to take whatever action they feel to be appropriate should some emergency occur during your operation, and for any necessary anesthetic to be given to you. Do read this form carefully, and ask the doctor to explain anything you do not understand.
*30/39/5*
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