Archive for the ‘Disease’ Category

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Health Effects of Being Overweight

Friday, August 19th, 2011
Orlistat (Xenical) capsules and packaging.

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If you are one of the estimated two-thirds of the country that’s overweight or obese, you may find yourself worried about not looking or feeling your best, along with reduced stamina and looking older than you are.

In addition to these effects of being overweight, there are several others that can impact your health, lifestyle and overall well-being, according to experts.

Being overweight increases the risk of developing several health problems, including constant pain and arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Other conditions connected to being overweight include: hypertension and increased levels of cholesterol. It may help to find out how xenical can help you to maintain your weight.

These problems can be handled if you maintain a healthy lifestyle and lose that extra weight. If you have developed some of these conditions and find it hard to control your weight, you might even want to buy Xenical. A medicine such as Xenical helps you lose unwanted weight.

These problems commonly include strokes and other cardiovascular problems, reproductive disorders like infertility, diabetic complications, liver problems, gynecological complications, reduction of immunity, and even a risk of developing cancer. Propensity of developing cancer of breast, colon, uterus, and kidney are often higher with the obese people. Similarly, the risk of heart attacks is usually much higher in people who are overweight or obese, as compared to people in the same age range with a normal body mass index.

In addition to the medical problems, those extra pounds might impact your mental state and overall lifestyle adversely. They can make you constantly worried about your appearance, reduced fitness and reduced ability to perform physical activities. Also, they can indirectly cause relationship issues since obesity is known to reduce your sex drive as well.

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Energy Drink Risks for Young People

Thursday, March 24th, 2011

Energy drinks and the risks associated with them are in the news again with another study – this one published in the Pediatrics journal – that looked at the long-term effects of these drinks in children.

Examples of these drinks are Red Bull, Full Throttle, Rockstar, and Monster. These beverages do not have any nutritional value.
The study found that between 30 to 50% of adolescents and young adults use energy drinks.

Pediatricians should be more vigilant in asking their patients about their use and overuse of these beverages. The researchers suggest screening in patients at high risk like athletes, children with health risks, and any children who are experiencing behavioral changes or emotional disturbances. These beverages can be a problem for children and teenagers who have health problems like heart problems, diabetes, and attention deficiency hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Some of the problems that can be caused by too much caffeine or other stimulants are heart palpitations, strokes, seizures, or death.

One of the concerns it that as a ‘dietary supplement”, these drinks do not have to follow the same regulations as other drinks and juices. One of these energy drinks typically contains 3 times the amount of caffeine found in a regular cola drink. They also contain additional vitamins and sugar or other sweeteners, as well as herbal supplements.

Multiple countries have banned the sales of these beverages and Norway bans the sale of these drinks to children under 15. In Canada, energy drinks are marketed as natural health products and they are been declared generally safe. The United States has started tracking adverse events associated with energy drinks as do other countries like New Zealand.

The American Beverage Association states that the findings spread misinformation about energy drinks.

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CDC Releases Health of Nation Report

Sunday, March 20th, 2011

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics has recently released its annual report that looks at various health data in the United States. The report found that the obesity rates continue to increase and that the life expectancy of most Americans continues to rise as well.

Life expectancy crept up from 76.8 years to 77.9 years. Women still live longer than men but the gap has closed somewhat. More concerning is the obesity rates – with 2/3s of Americans now overweight or obese; this number has increased from around 30% ten years ago. The rates among children and teenagers are still increasing which is a concern for the future cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease rates in these children.

In 2007, around 2.5 million people died in the US and one-half of them died from cancer or heart disease—the two leading killers. Hypertension levels are on the rise with almost one-third of the population suffering with the disease and twelve percent of adults in the US have diabetes. One bright spot is that cholesterol levels may be stabilizing; one-quarter of adults over 45 are not taking cholesterol-lowering treatments.

The number of Americans who skipped or postponed needed medical care has increased as well. Fifteen percent of Americans admitted that they did not get the medical care that they needed in a timely manner because of cost. The number of people who did not get a needed prescription filled increased to 11% and seventeen percent of people who needed dental care postponed the treatment as well.  The percentage of American adults with private health insurance decreased from 72% in 1999 to 62% in 2009; the number of people on Medicaid increased from 6% to 10%.

The complete report is here: www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus.htm.

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New Heart Health Guidelines for Women Available

Wednesday, March 16th, 2011

Women still die from cardiovascular disease – partly because women do not receive treatment as often as men. The American Health Association has decided to focus on what it calls “real-world” solutions in its recommendations for heart health for women.

Some of the guidelines are similar to previous recommendations and often may focus on obvious things:

  • Avoiding smoking
  • Obtaining regular exercise
  • Eating a healthy diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and two servings of cold water fish per week
  • Maintaining a healthy weight
  • Obtaining urgent treatment once heart disease is diagnosed

Some of the recommendations involve changes in hoe physicians manage women with heart disease or who may be at risk:

  • Screen patients for depression – a woman with treated depression is more likely to obtain treatment
  • Ask if women are taking their blood pressure and cholesterol medications

There are some new recommendations from the American Heart Association. Women with high cholesterol or high triglyceride levels should consume 1800 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids each day. This is equivalent to eight ounces of salmon or other oily fish; it can also be taken in the form of a capsule. The AHA also suggests that women that suffer from conditions that may put them at higher risk of developing heart disease should be screened for problems. These conditions include rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Pregnancy complications like gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and pregnancy-induced hypertension.

Women who have had these types of pregnancy complications have increased risks of heart disease. Women who suffered from preeclampsia have twice the risk of having a stroke, heart attack, or blood clot formation in the legs up to 15 years after the pregnancy.

Some treatments that were thought to lower the risk of heart disease have not shown much benefit like hormone replacement therapy, folic acid, and antioxidants.

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Abnormal Hand Movements May Predict ADHD Severity

Monday, March 7th, 2011

Recent studies suggest that there may be motor function dysfunction in children with ADHD in addition to problems with learning and attention.

These two studies—published in the February issue of the Neurology journal – explore how the brain and motor functions may establish some ADHD symptoms. Children with ADHD have problems with motor control; this may lead to additional areas of therapy.

In the first study, the scientists evaluated mirror movements in young children with ADHD. Mirror movements mean that when one side of the body moves, the other side moves as well.  These mirror movements tend to disappear as children age. Children with ADHD had more mirror movements than the other children; differences were more obvious for the boys with ADHD. This may mean that mirror movements are part of abnormal development of the motor area of the brain.

The second study demonstrated that the “braking system” for children with ADHD was less efficient than for other children. This braking system is used to stop a person from acting impulsively. In the study, the researchers employed transcranial magnetic stimulation – which uses magnetic pulses to stimulate brain activity — to measure inhibition in the brain and confirmed that these children had inhibitory problems. Inhibition was reduced by around 40%. When looking at the motor development tests, the children with ADHD scored 60% lower than the children without ADHD. The amount of reduced inhibition found in the motor section of the brain actually correlated with the severity of symptoms that parents see.

While these studies were both small, the findings may lead to new targets for treatments of ADHD.  Over time, researchers may be able to subtype ADHD further. However, the coordination issues do not mean that a child has ADHD but may represent other learning problems. These studies are a nice starting point for further study.

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Are You Supplying Your Teen’s Drugs?

Tuesday, October 19th, 2010
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Most parents would never dream of supplying their teenagers with drugs, but it happens. Often, parents become suppliers without even realizing it. Don’t let yourself have a false sense of security. If you think your teen shows signs of an addiction, consider whether you may be contributing to the problem before your children wind up in drug abuse treatment centers.

Many people keep alcohol on hand. Maybe Dad likes to grab a cold beer after a day of work or when the game comes on the TV. Maybe Mom likes to cook with wine. Perhaps you have a wet bar you keep stocked with your favorite alcoholic bases and mixes. Do you really monitor this alcohol?

Even if you mark lines on the bottles to gauge the amount of fluid left in a bottle after you use it, teenagers may sneak drinks. After all, do you really know how many bottles you have on hand? Do you really remember where you made the last mark? What about the beer in the fridge? Have you kept tabs on how many you drank during the game?

Some people lock the alcohol in a cabinet, but teenagers often know where their parents keep the key. If the lock has a combination, your teenagers may know what it is. And, don’t think that’s the only place your teen may look for drugs.

Your medicine cabinet or the hallway closet may be just as much of a drug source as your wet bar. Pharming is a popular method of drug use among teenagers. It is a process through which teens try to get high by taking prescription-strength medication collected from their homes. Pharming is one of the most dangerous methods of drug use because the medications can interact or cause harmful side effects.

As a parent, take the time to consider whether you may be your teen’s drug supplier.

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ADHD Treatment for Hyperactive Children

Monday, October 11th, 2010
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If you have a child who’s very hyperactive and sometimes difficult to deal with, you may want to have him or her evaluated for ADHD. It makes sense that you don’t want to overmedicate someone, especially a child, but you have to make sure that your child can be calm and healthy enough to learn in school and function in society. It’s very important, though, that you’re careful about the medications that your child — and the rest of your family — takes. You don’t want to overdo anything and end up with a problem that would require a drug treatment program.

Talk with your doctor about your child’s ADHD and find out what kinds of options you have. There are several medications that work well, and there are also other types of treatments that some people use. If you aren’t sure you want to medicate your child, or your doctor doesn’t feel it’s necessary, consider alternative options in order to help your child see the most success in life such as behavior therapy. Some children improve as they get older, and some will have trouble with ADHD into their adult life. Everyone is different, and you should get a doctor that’s aware of that and respects it.

Treating ADHD should not be a “one size fits all” effort. That’s true with any kind of disease, but it’s much more important in children because they’re growing and changing so much. You have to treat the problem, but you also have to treat the child. By doing that, you’ll be much more likely to see success and have a child whose ADHD is under control without the need to overmedicate him or her. That can provide a much more successful outcome for everyone involved.

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Parenting Advice for those with ADHD Children

Tuesday, September 28th, 2010

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, more commonly referred to as ADHD, is a common childhood neurological disorder. If this condition is left untreated, the symptoms may persist through adulthood. Children who suffer from this disorder find it difficult to focus on one activity for a long period of time. They may come across as hyperactive, fidgety, inattentive, or unruly. It’s often hard for parents to identify that their child has ADHD because most children are typically full of energy and are hyperactive. The behavior of ADHD children in the classroom can sometimes cause problems for teachers and other students. Good parenting advice can provide treatment solutions.

What causes ADHD?
You may be wondering what causes ADHD. One of the most common causes of ADHD is an anatomical abnormality in the brain’s structure. There can be a malfunctioning in the brain nerve pathways. Dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the brain, regulates concentration and attentiveness. A malfunction with Dopamine could adversely affect the child’s sleeping habits, general mood, and ability to learn.

Also a traumatic brain injury could lead to ADHD, or a family history of the disorder could increase the chances of a child having the disorder. Poor parenting does not cause ADHD; yet if the parents fail to provide a secure, pleasant environment for the child, then this may affect the severity of ADHD symptoms. Here is some good parenting advice that can help.

Parenting Advice for ADHD Treatment:
Many people receive poor parenting advice when it comes to dealing with and treating a child who suffers from ADHD. Many parents believe that scolding or yelling at the ADHD child will help change their behavior. This is not effective parenting advice.

Since children spend most of their time at home and at school, it’s up to the parents and teachers to help support the child who suffers from this disorder. If any ADHD symptoms are exhibited by the child, the best thing to do is consult a doctor to discuss the best solutions. ADHD medication, psychotherapy, or a combination of the two might be required to successfully treat the neurological disorder.

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Children with Autism Disabilities

Friday, September 24th, 2010
"A child with autism (three years old) po...
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Autism represents a large group of learning disabilities that are characterized by non verbal communication problems, weak social interactions, severely limited interests and activities, and repetitive behaviors. It is one of the most commonly diagnosed developmental disabilities in children today. Most symptoms of autism appear before the child turns 3 years old. Interestingly enough, autism is three times more common in boys than girls.

Three distinctive characteristics are present in children with autism disabilities; difficulty with social interaction, verbal and non verbal communication problems, and obsessive and repetitive interests. These three characteristic autism disabilities can be moderate to severe and debilitating. In about 75% of autism cases, the child is mentally retarded and has a hard time communicating and bonding with their parents or other family figures.

Symptoms of Autism in Children:
Symptoms of autism can generally be observed in early childhood. There are a wide variety of symptoms and signs, and the child can exhibit a mixture of these types of behaviors, from mild to severe. The following are a list of autism symptoms:

- Problems with using and understanding verbal languages
- Poor non verbal communication, such as facial expressions and gestures
- Shows a lack in willingness to participate in conversation
- Unable to make friends and prefers playing alone
- Difficulty relating to others or their surroundings
- Lacks the capability of imagining
- Insists upon following a specific regular routine
- Repetitive movements or patterns, such as rocking, hand clapping, or spinning

If such symptoms are observed, it’s important to take the child to an autism specialist so they can perform standardized testing and clinical evaluations. Currently, there is no cure for autism. However, there are autism treatments, special therapies, and behavior modifications that can improve the child’s symptoms. Autism disabilities can sometimes overwhelm parents, but there are a variety of behavior modification treatments and therapies that can bring about considerable improvement.

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Mental Disabilities – Bipolar Disorder

Thursday, September 23rd, 2010

There are no two days in a person’s life that are the exact same. Most days are a mixture of happiness and sadness. Yet sometimes, someone suffering from bipolar disorder may be extremely happy and excited one day, barely even able to contain their happiness and joy, while the next day they are weepy, depressed and sad. These extreme opposite emotions can raise the question- Do I suffer from mental disabilities? Am I bipolar?

Bipolar disorder is another name for manic depression. Bipolar disorder or bipolar depression can affect a person at any age. Those suffering from mental disabilities, such as bipolar disorder, have unique behavioral patterns; they will display extreme diverse shifts in their mood, energy, and functioning ability. These manic episodes can then be overtaken by mild to severe depression. These alternating moods can last anywhere between a few hours to several months on end. Mental disabilities, such as bipolar disorder, can sometimes be viewed as being moody. But there is a clear line between being considered manic and depressed or being considered moody.

Rapid mood shifts, also known as cycling, can affect a person’s everyday life and the relationships they have with others. It can cause stress, financial problems, relationship problems, intimacy problems, work problems, and if left untreated, could potentially spiral out of control. Severe bipolar disorder and depression could even lead to suicide.

Visiting a psychologist can help determine whether a person is depressed or bipolar. They will administer various depression tests and manic tests to determine the right prognosis and treatment. Mental disabilities can be somewhat difficult to control, but with the right combination of therapies and medications, it can significantly alleviate the manic bouts associated with bipolar disorder. Medications that can help alleviate the symptoms include: mood stabilizers, antidepressants, sleep medications, and anti-psychotic medications.

There is no known cure, and bipolar disorder is considered a lifelong illness. Medications, cognitive behavioral therapy and family therapy can help the individual with mental disabilities lead a better life by managing the disorder.

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