Health Guide

08/19/2020

What is rheumatoid arthritis (RA)?
Rheumatoid arthritis definition
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints. Autoimmune diseases are illnesses that occur when the body's tissues are mistakenly attacked by their own immune system. The immune system contains a complex organization of cells and antibodies designed normally to "seek and destroy" invaders of the body, particularly infections. Patients with autoimmune diseases have antibodies and immune cells in their blood that target their own body tissues, where they can be associated with inflammation. While joint tissue inflammation and inflammatory arthritis are classic RA features, the disease can also cause extra-articular inflammation and injury in other organs.

Because it can affect multiple other organs of the body, rheumatoid arthritis is referred to as a systemic illness and is sometimes called rheumatoid disease.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a classic rheumatic disease.
Rheumatoid arthritis that begins in people under 16 years of age is referred to as juvenile idiopathic arthritis or JIA (formerly juvenile rheumatoid arthritis or JRA).

08/18/2020

Low blood pressure (hypotension) definition and facts
Low blood pressure, also called hypotension, is blood pressure low enough that the flow of blood to the organs of the body is inadequate and symptoms and/or signs of low blood flow develop.
Low pressure alone, without symptoms or signs, usually is not unhealthy.
The symptoms of low blood pressure include lightheadedness, dizziness, and fainting. These symptoms are most prominent when individuals go from the lying or sitting position to the standing position (orthostatic hypotension).
Low blood pressure that causes an inadequate flow of blood to the body's organs can cause strokes, heart attacks, and kidney failure. The most severe form is shock.
Common causes of low blood pressure include a reduced volume of blood, heart disease, and medications.
The cause of low blood pressure can be determined with blood tests, radiologic studies, and cardiac testing to look for heart failure and arrhythmias.
Treatment of low blood pressure is determined by the cause of the low pressure.

08/16/2020

The secret of stretching. When you stretch, ease your body into position until you feel the stretch and hold it for about 25 seconds. Breathe deeply to help your body move oxygen-rich blood to those sore muscles. Don't bounce or force yourself into an uncomfortable position.

Do your weights workout first. Experts say weight training should be done first, because it's a higher intensity exercise compared to cardio. Your body is better able to handle weight training early in the workout because you're fresh and you have the energy you need to work it.

Conversely, cardiovascular exercise should be the last thing you do at the gym, because it helps your body recover by increasing blood flow to the muscles, and flushing out lactic acid, which builds up in the muscles while you're weight training. It’s the lactic acid that makes your muscles feel stiff and sore.

Burn fat during intervals. To improve your fitness quickly and lose weight, harness the joys of interval training. Set the treadmill or step machine on the interval programme, where your speed and workload varies from minute to minute. Build up gradually, every minute and return to the starting speed. Repeat this routine. Not only will it be less monotonous, but you can train for a shorter time and achieve greater results.

08/15/2020

Best Healthy Foods to Gain Weight Fast:
Homemade Protein Smoothies
Drinking homemade protein smoothies can be a highly nutritious and quick way to gain weight.

Making your own smoothies is the best way since commercial versions are often full of sugar and lack nutrients. It also gives you full control over the flavor and nutrient content.

Here are just a few tasty variations you can try. You can combine each with 2 cups (470 ml) of milk or an alternative like almond milk.

Chocolate banana nut shake: Combine 1 banana, 1 scoop of chocolate whey protein and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of peanut or another nut butter.
Vanilla berry shake: Combine 1 cup (237 ml) of fresh or frozen mixed berries, ice, 1 cup (237 ml) of high-protein natural yogurt and 1 scoop of vanilla whey protein.
Chocolate hazelnut shake: Combine 15 ounces (444 ml) of chocolate milk with 1 scoop of chocolate whey protein, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of hazelnut butter and 1 avocado.
Caramel apple shake: Combine 1 sliced apple, 1 cup (237 ml) of natural yogurt, 1 scoop of caramel- or vanilla-flavored whey protein and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of sugar-free caramel sauce or flavoring.
Vanilla blueberry shake: Combine 1 cup (237 ml) of fresh or frozen blueberries, 1 scoop of vanilla whey protein, 1 cup (237 ml) of vanilla yogurt and sweetener if needed.
Super green shake: Combine 1 cup (237 ml) of spinach, 1 avocado, 1 banana, 1 cup (237 ml) of pineapple and 1 scoop of unflavored or vanilla whey protein.
All of these smoothies provide around 400–600 calories, along with a high amount of protein and other important vitamins and minerals.

08/14/2020

Bring a water bottle when you go out. That way, you can drink whenever you want. It saves you money and you don’t need to resort to bad alternatives like soda.
Eat what you need. It is better to eat less and in line with your energy needs, rather than eat excessively and work off excess calorie intake through exercise. When you eat excessively, you strain your digestive system by making it digest more food than you need, and when you exercise excessively, you strain your body.
Stop smoking. Smoking is detrimental to health, severely increases the risk of lung cancer, kidney cancer, esophageal cancer (of our gullet), heart attack, and more. Smoking “lite” ci******es do not decrease health risks either. If you’re a smoker, quit not just for yourself, but for your family and friends. If you don’t smoke, stay that way and don’t start.

08/13/2020

What causes tinnitus?
Tinnitus is a symptom, not a disease, and it has a variety of causes that may arise anywhere in the hearing mechanism. It begins in the ear with the tympanic membrane and the cochlea, where sound is transmitted and transformed into electrical energy for the brain to perceive.

Blood flow and/or tumors: Tinnitus that is throbbing (pulsatile) may be due to blood flow through arteries and veins adjacent to the ear, as well as tumors that are vascular, meaning that they have increased blood flow within them.
Muscle spasms: Tinnitus that is described as clicking may be due to abnormalities that cause the muscle in the roof of the mouth (palate) to go into spasm. This causes the Eustachian tube, which helps equalize pressure in the ears, to repeatedly open and close. Multiple sclerosis and other neurologic diseases that are associated with muscle spasms may also be a cause of tinnitus, as they may lead to spasms of certain muscles in the middle ear that can cause the repetitive clicking.
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) abnormalities may cause a repeated clicking sound in the ear.
Damage to the vestibulocochlear nerve: Damage to the vestibulocochlear nerve responsible for transmitting sound from the ear to the brain may cause tinnitus. Causes may include drug toxicity or a tumor (for example, acoustic neuroma).
Meniere's disease, which is associated with hearing loss and vertigo also may cause tinnitus.
Aging: As people age, their hearing may decrease and there can be associated tinnitus.
Otosclerosis: Otosclerosis, which is caused by abnormal bone growth in the middle ear, can sometimes cause tinnitus.
Trauma may also be a cause of tinnitus and hearing loss. This includes barotrauma, whereby air pressure changes can damage ear function. Examples of barotrauma include pressure changes from scuba diving or changes in air pressure when flying.

08/12/2020

Milestone Medical Tests in Your 20s and 30s
Going to the doctor may be the last thing on your mind right now, but regular check-ups may save your health -- and your life -- later.

Starting in your 20s and 30s, your doctor can perform or recommend a number of simple tests to look for problems that can rob people of their health. Here's a list of the basic tests you should ask for. (Note that your doctor may recommend additional tests based on your personal health profile.)
Stepping on the Scales. We all hate to do it, but weight -- rather, too much of it -- puts you at high risk for developing a number of diseases later in life.
Blood Pressure. It's simple, it's cheap and it's quick. Your heart (and arteries, brain, eyes, and kidneys) will thank you later.
Cholesterol Profile. You do have to have blood drawn for a cholesterol test, but it's worth it.The CDC recommends screening once between ages 9 and 11 (before puberty), once between ages 17 and 21 (after puberty), and every 4 to 6 years thereafter. People with a family history of heart disease and children with obesity and diabetes should have their cholesterol checked more often.
For Women Only: Pelvic Exam and Pap. You knew it was coming -- the pelvic exam, breast exam, and Pap smear. Ten minutes of mild discomfort from the pelvic exam pays big dividends in protecting you from cancer and diseases that can cause infertility. Pap testing should begin at age 21. Routine screening is recommended every three years for women ages 21 to 65. For women ages 30 to 65 who have a normal Pap test with a negative HPV test, screening can be done every five years. Sexually active women ages 24 and younger also need to have a gonorrhea, chlamydia, and HIV screening. For women at average risk for breast cancer who don't have symptoms, clinical breast exams are recommended every 1-3 years for women ages 25 to 39 and every year for women ages 40 and older.
Protecting Your Eyes. You may not have considered this, but at some point before you reach age 40, visit an eye care provider for an exam. (Go more often if you have vision problems).

Checking Your Immunizations. Be sure to ask your doctor to update any immunizations that you might need.

08/12/2020