March 24, 2007

Health+Diet

Trying to gain weight?

You are underweight and you just can't understand the hoopla surrounding weight loss. You have been trying to put on weight for ages to no effect.
But spending hours in the gym without a regulated diet is pointless. Weight training goes hand in hand with a proper diet. Experts guide you along the way…

Calorie Count

Diet plays a very important role in a weight training program. "A high protein diet helps in building healthy weight.There is no absolute formula to determine the exact amount of calories one should take. It all depends on the person concerned. It depends on your height, weight, activity pattern, body composition and metabolic rate.

"Usually about 500 kilo calories per day helps increase your weight by half a kilo, However, if you are grossly underweight, you may be advised an increase of 1000 calories per day. This will increase your weight by one kg in a week.
But a calorie increase of more than 1000 calories per day is neither recommended nor practical. Your calorie intake has to be more than the energy used up by your body.
Keep a track of your calorie intake. Write down the total calories you are consuming in a day. From there, add about 500 calories. You can up your calorie intake if you don't see any difference.


The Right Diet

You need to gain healthy weight, not just fat. So along with a high protein and high calorie diet, go for a normal fat and carbohydrate diet.
"If this diet is planned according to the food pyramid, it will fulfill recommended dietary allowances of all essential vitamins and minerals,Also, instead of having the three regular meals, have smaller, more frequent meals (5-6 times a day). Don't ever skip meals. Eat the right amount of food and at the right time.


Ideally you have to drink 8-10 glasses of water a day. But drink an additional litre if you are working out.

A good diet and weight training should also be followed by adequate rest. But remember to keep a space of at least three hours after you have food before going to sleep.

March 3, 2007

Loss of Appetite
Definition
This symptom describes a decreased or lack of appetite despite basic caloric needs.

Alternative Names
Loss of appetite; Decreased appetite


Considerations
Any illness can adversely affect a previously hearty appetite. If the disease is treatable, the appetite should return when the disease is cured.
Loss of appetite can cause unintentional weight loss.

Common Causes
Emotional upset, nervousness, loneliness, boredom, tension, anxiety, bereavement, and depression
Anorexia nervosa
Acute and chronic infections
HIV
Pregnancy (first trimester)
Cancer
Hypothyroidism
Medications and street drugs
Chemotherapeutic agents
Amphetamines
Sympathomimetics including
ephedrine
Antibiotics
Cough and cold preparations
Codeine
Morphine
Demerol
Digitalis

Home Care
Protein and calorie intake can be increased by intake of high-calorie, nutritious snacks or several small meals during the day. Liquid protein drinks may be helpful. Family members should try to supply favorite foods to help stimulate the person's appetite.
A 24-hour diet history should be recorded each day. If an
anorexic person consistently exaggerates food intake (a common occurrence in anorexia nervosa), strict calorie and nutrient counts should be maintained by someone else.
For loss of appetite caused by taking medications, talk to your health care provider about adjusting the dosage or changing drugs. NEVER CHANGE MEDICATIONS WITHOUT FIRST CONSULTING YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.
See also
weight management.

Call your health care provider if
Call your health care provider if involuntary weight loss exceeds 7% of total body weight within a month.
Note: To calculate percent weight lost, divide pounds lost by the previous weight and multiply times 100. For example, a person weighing 125 pounds loses 10 pounds:
10 divided by 125 = 0.08
0.08 times 100 = 8%

What to expect at your health care provider's office
The diet and medical history will be obtained and a
physical examination performed, including height and weight.
Medical history questions documenting loss of appetite in detail may include:
Quality
Is it severe, or mild?
How much weight has been lost?
Time pattern
Is loss of appetite a new symptom?
If so, did it start after an upsetting event, such as the death of a family member?
What other symptoms are also present?Diagnostic tests that may be performed include:
Barium enema, sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy (if colon cancer is suspected)
Liver function tests
Kidney function tests
Thyroid function tests
Abdominal ultrasound (if a specific abdominal cause is suspected)
Upper GI series
Pregnancy test
Urine drug screening
HIV testIn severe
malnutrition, supplemental intravenous nutritional support may be ordered. Some patients must be hospitalized for nutritional support.

Cataract
Definition
A cataract is a painless, cloudy area in the lens of the eye that blocks the passage of light to the retina. The retina is the nerve layer at the back of the eye. Cataracts usually cause vision problems.


Alternative Names
Lens opacity


Causes, incidence, and risk factors


The lens of an eye is normally clear. If the lens becomes cloudy, the condition is known as a cataract. Rarely, cataracts may be present at or shortly after birth. These are called congenital cataracts.
Adult cataracts usually develop with advancing age and may run in families. Cataracts are accelerated by environmental factors, such as smoking or exposure to other toxic substances, or they may develop at any time after an eye injury. Metabolic diseases such as
diabetes also greatly increase the risk for cataracts. Certain medications, such as cortisone, can also accelerate cataract formation.
Congenital cataracts may be inherited. The gene for such cataracts is dominant (autosomal dominant inheritance), which means that the defective gene will cause the condition even if only one parent passes it along. Approximately 50% of children in such families will be affected.
Congenital cataracts can also be caused by infections of the mother during pregnancy such as
rubella, or associated with metabolic disorders such as galactosemia. Risk factors include inherited metabolic diseases, a family history of cataracts, and maternal viral infection.
Adult cataracts are generally associated with aging. They develop slowly and painlessly with a gradual onset of difficulty with vision.
Visual problems may include the following changes:
Difficulty seeing at night
Seeing halos around lights
Being sensitive to glare
Vision problems associated with cataracts generally progress to decreased visual acuity, even in daylight.
Adult cataracts are classified as immature, mature, and hypermature. A lens that has some remaining clear areas is referred to as an immature cataract. A mature cataract is completely opaque. A hypermature cataract has a liquefied surface that leaks through the capsule and may cause inflammation of other structures in the eye.
Most people develop some clouding of the lens after the age of 60. About 50% of people aged 65-74 and about 70% of those 75 and older have visually significant cataracts.
Most people with cataracts have similar changes in both eyes, although one eye may be worse than the other. Many people with this condition have only minimal visual changes and are not aware of their cataracts.
Factors that may contribute to cataract development are low serum calcium levels, diabetes, long-term use of corticosteroids, and various inflammatory and metabolic disorders. Environmental causes include trauma, radiation exposure, and excessive exposure to ultraviolet light (sunlight).
In many cases, the cause of cataract is unknown.

Symptoms

Cloudy, fuzzy, foggy, or filmy vision
Loss of color intensity
Frequent changes in eyeglass prescription
Impaired vision at night, especially while driving, caused by glare from bright lights
Problems with glare from lamps or the sun
Halos around lights
Double vision in one eye
Decreased contrast sensitivity

Signs and tests
Standard ophthalmic exam, including
slit lamp examination
Ultrasonography of the eye in preparation for cataract surgery
Other tests that may be done (rarely) include:
Glare test
Contrast sensitivity test
Potential
vision test
Specular microscopy of the cornea in preparation for cataract surgery

Treatment

The only treatment for cataract is surgical removal. This is done when a person cannot see well enough with glasses to perform normal activities. For some people, changing glasses, getting stronger bifocals, or using a magnifying lens is helpful enough. Others choose to have cataract surgery.
If a cataract is not bothersome, then surgery is usually not necessary. Sometimes there is an additional eye problem that cannot be treated without first proceeding with cataract surgery.
Cataract surgery consists of removing the lens of the eye and replacing it with an artificial lens. A cataract surgeon will discuss the options with the patient, and together they will decide which type of removal and lens replacement is best.


LENS REMOVAL:

There are 2 types of surgery that can be used to remove lenses that have a cataract.
Extracapsular surgery consists of surgically removing the lens, but leaving the back half of the capsule (the outer covering of the lens) intact. High-frequency sound waves (phacoemulsification) may be used to soften the lens to facilitate removal through a smaller incision.
Intracapsular surgery involves surgically removing the entire lens, including the capsule. Today this procedure is done very rarely.



LENS REPLACEMENT:

People who have cataract surgery are usually fitted with an artificial lens at the same time. The artificial lens is a synthetic disc called an intraocular lens. It is usually placed in the lens capsule inside the eye.
Other options include contact lenses and cataract glasses.
Surgery can be done in an outpatient center or hospital. Most people do not need to stay overnight in a hospital. The patient will need a friend or family member to assist with travel and home care after outpatient surgery. Follow-up care by the surgeon is important.




March 2, 2007

First Aid
First aid is appropriate for external bleeding. If bleeding is severe, or if shock or internal bleeding is suspected, get emergency help immediately!
Calm and reassure the victim. The sight of blood can be very frightening.
If the wound is superficial, wash it with soap and warm water and pat dry. Superficial wounds or scrapes are injuries that affect the top layers of skin and bleeding from such wounds is often described as "oozing," because it is slow.
Lay the victim down. This will reduce the chances of fainting by increasing the blood flow to the brain. When possible, elevate the bleeding area.
Remove any obvious loose debris or dirt from a wound. If an object such as a knife, stick, or arrow becomes embedded in the body, DO NOT remove it. Doing so may cause more damage to the victim and may increase the amount of bleeding. The object also might be embedded in an artery or organ. Place pads and bandages around the object and tape the object in place.
Put pressure directly on an external wound with a sterile bandage, clean cloth, or even a piece of clothing. If nothing else is available, use your hand. Direct pressure is best for external bleeding, except for an eye injury.
Maintain pressure until the bleeding stops. When it has stopped, bind the wound dressing with adhesive tape or a piece of clean clothing. A cold pack should be applied over the dressing. Do not peek to see if the bleeding has stopped.
If bleeding continues and seeps through the material being held on the wound, do not remove it. Simply place another cloth over the first one. Be sure to seek medical attention.
If the bleeding is severe, get medical help and take steps to prevent shock. Immobilize the injured body part. Lay the victim flat, raise the feet about 12 inches, and cover the victim with a coat or blanket. However, do not place the victim in this position if there has been a head, neck, back, or leg injury or if the position makes the victim uncomfortable. Get medical help as soon as possible.

Do Not
DO NOT apply a tourniquet to control bleeding, except as a last resort. Doing so may cause more harm than good. A tourniquet should be used only in a life-threatening situation and should be applied by an experienced person. A tourniquet can be used if there is torrential bleeding and if continuous pressure isn't stopping the bleeding. A tourniquet should be applied to the limb between the bleeding site and the heart. The tourniquet should be tightened to the point where the bleeding can be controlled by applying direct pressure over the wound. To make a tourniquet, use bandages 2 to 4 inches wide and wrap them around the limb several times. Tie a half or square knot, leaving loose ends long enough to tie another knot. A stick or a stiff rod should be placed between the two knots. Twist the stick until the bandage is tight enough to stop the bleeding and then secure it in place. Check the tourniquet every 10 to 15 minutes. If the bleeding becomes controllable, (manageable by applying direct pressure), release the tourniquet.
DO NOT probe a wound or pull out any embedded object from a wound. This will usually cause more bleeding and harm.
DO NOT try to clean a large wound. This can cause heavier bleeding.
DO NOT remove a dressing if it becomes soaked with blood. Instead, add a new one on top.
DO NOT peek at a wound to see if the bleeding is stopping. The less a wound is disturbed, the more likely it is that you'll be able to control the bleeding.
DO NOT try to clean a wound after you get the bleeding under control. Get medical help.

Call immediately for emergency medical assistance if
The bleeding can't be controlled, or is associated with a serious injury.
The wound might need stitches, or if embedded gravel or dirt cannot be removed easily with gentle cleaning.
Internal bleeding or shock is suspected.
Signs of infection develop including increased pain, redness, swelling, discharge, swollen lymph nodes, fever, or red streaks spreading from the site toward the heart. (This is usually treated with topical or oral antibiotics. If untreated, an infection can cause a
skin abscess or other complications.)
If the injury involves an animal or
human bite.
If you are not up-to-date on tetanus immunization (within 5-10 years).

source: www.healthline.com
Sinusitis
Definition
Sinusitis refers to inflammation of the sinuses. This is generally caused by a viral, bacterial, or fungal infection.
The sinuses are air-filled spaces in the skull (behind the forehead, cheeks, and eyes) that are lined with mucous membranes. Healthy sinuses are sterile (meaning that they contain no bacteria or other organisms) and open, allowing mucus to drain and air to circulate.
When inflamed, the sinuses become blocked with mucus and can become infected. Each year, over 30 million adults and children get sinusitis.
Sinusitis can be acute (lasting anywhere from 2 - 8 weeks) or chronic, with symptoms lingering much longer.
See also
chronic sinusitis
.

Alternative Names
Acute sinusitis; Sinus infection; Sinusitis - acute

Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Sinusitis can occur from one of these conditions:
The small openings (ostia) from the sinuses to the nose become blocked
Small hairs (cilia) in the sinuses, which help move mucus out, are not working properly
Too much mucus is produced
When the sinus openings become blocked and mucus accumulates, this becomes a great breeding ground for bacteria and other organisms.
Sinusitis usually follows respiratory infections, such as colds, or an
allergic reaction
. Some people never get sinusitis, and others develop sinusitis frequently.
People more likely to get frequent sinusitis include those with
cystic fibrosis and those with immune systems weakened by HIV or chemotherapy
.
Other risks for developing sinusitis include:
Having
asthma

Overusing nasal decongestants (rather than continuing to relieve congestion, the problem gets worse when these are used too often or for too long)
Having a deviated nasal septum, nasal bone spur, or polyp
Having a
foreign body in your nose

Frequent swimming or diving
Dental work
Pregnancy
Changes in altitude (flying or scuba diving)
Air pollution and smoke
Gastroesophageal reflux disease
(GERD)
Hospitalization, especially if you are in the hospital because of a
head injury
or have had a tube placed into your nose (nasogastric tube)
Cystic fibrosis is one of a number of diseases that prevent the cilia from working properly. Other such diseases that put you at increased risk for sinusitis include Kartagener's syndrome and immotile cilia syndrome.

Symptoms
The classic symptoms of acute sinusitis usually follow a cold that does not improve, or one that worsens after 5 - 7 days of symptoms. They include:
Nasal congestion
and discharge
Sore throat
and postnasal drip (fluid dripping down the back of your throat, especially at night or when you lie down)
Headache -- pressure-like pain, pain behind the eyes, toothache
, or facial tenderness
Cough
, often worse at night
Fever (may be present)
Bad breath or loss of smell

Fatigue and generally not feeling well
Symptoms of chronic sinusitis are the same as acute sinusitis, but tend to be milder and last longer than 8 weeks.

Signs and tests
Your doctor will test for sinusitis by:
Tapping over a sinus area. Tenderness may indicate infection.
Shining a light against the sinus (called transillumination). If dark, this indicates possible inflammation.
Other tests that might be considered include:
Viewing the sinuses through a fiberoptic scope
X-ray of the sinuses
Cultures of the material from the nose
However, these tests are relatively insensitive for detecting sinusitis, and are often considered unnecessary.
A CT scan of the sinuses is a much better test to help diagnose sinusitis. If sinusitis is thought to involve
tumor
or fungal infections, an MRI of the sinuses may be necessary.
If you have chronic or recurrent sinusitis, further laboratory evaluation may be necessary to look for an underlying disorder. This may involve
sweat chloride tests for cystic fibrosis, ciliary function tests, blood tests for or other tests for immunodeficiency, allergy
testing, or nasal cytology (checking the cells in the nasal secretions).

Treatment
Try the following measures to help reduce congestion in your sinuses:
Use a humidifier.
Spray with nasal saline several times per day.
Inhale steam 2 - 4 times per day (for example, sitting in the bathroom with the shower running).
Drink plenty of fluids to thin the mucus.
Apply a warm, moist wash cloth to your face several times a day.
Be careful with over-the-counter spray nasal decongestants. They may help initially, but using them beyond 3 - 5 days can actually worsen nasal congestion.
Also, for sinus pain or pressure:
Avoid temperature extremes, sudden changes in temperature, and bending forward with your head down.
Try
acetaminophen
or ibuprofen.
Avoid flying when you are congested.
If self-care measures are not working, your doctor will consider prescription medications, antibiotics, further testing, or referral to an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist.
Nasal
corticosteroid
sprays may be used to decrease swelling, especially if you have swollen structures (such as nasal polyps) or allergies. These include fluticasone (Flonase), mometasone (Nasonex), and triamcinolone (Nasacort AQ).
Antibiotics are used to cure the particular infection causing sinus inflammation. Common antibiotics include ampicillin, amoxicillin, trimethoprim with sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim), Augmentin, cefuroxime, and cefprozil.
Other antibiotics may be used depending on the type of organism present. Acute sinusitis should be treated for 10 - 14 days, while chronic sinusitis should be treated for 3 - 4 weeks.
Surgery to clean and drain the sinuses may also be necessary, especially in patients with recurrent episodes of inflammation despite medical treatment. An ENT specialist, also known as an otolaryngologist, can perform this surgery.
Most fungal sinus infections require surgery. Finally, surgical repair of a deviated septum or nasal polyps may prevent recurrence.


source:http://www.healthline.com/