Tuesday, 30 December 2014

HEALTHFIRSTAF: THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT HOSPITAL VISITS AND ...

HEALTHFIRSTAF: THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT HOSPITAL VISITS AND ...:    There may be need  sometimes to visit sick friends and loved ones in the hospital . Hospital visits comes with some certain risk that you...

THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT HOSPITAL VISITS AND HOW TO TAKE CAUTION

   There may be need  sometimes to visit sick friends and loved ones at the hospital . Hospital visits comes with some certain risk that you may not know. The hospital is usually a bug infested place even when thoroughly cleaned. Visiting the hospital too often without proper precautions may put a person at risk for acquiring these bugs and then get sick.
    Some common mistakes people make includes taking kids to the hospital, allowing kids to play on the hospital floor, rubbing their hands on surfaces at the hospital, placing food on surfaces without proper cleaning, putting purses on the floor and walking without shoes at the hospital. Visiting the hospital with kids put them at risk becos their immune system is not developed enough to fight infections. When you rub your hands against surfaces, you pick up disease causing germs like methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus. Theses germs lie dormant until the immune system becomes compromised. Depending on what the purses are made of, they pick up germs when put on the floor and then may transfer germs to a persons clothes. 
     The way to protect yourself against these bugs during hospital visits is by thorough hand washing. Wash your hands or children's hands after touching any object or surface at the hospital. Avoid taking children to the hospital if they are not sick. In case you need to take kids with you, teach them proper hand hygiene. Assist them to wash their hands after touching objects or surfaces. Do not allow children to play on the floor at the hospital. Do not put your purses on the floor. 
   

Monday, 29 December 2014

HEALTHFIRSTAF: TIPS ON HOW TO MANAGE YOUR HEART BURN SYMPTOMS AN...

HEALTHFIRSTAF: TIPS ON HOW TO MANAGE YOUR HEART BURN SYMPTOMS AN...:    Heart burn is a burning sensation or pain in the chest , just behind your breast bone. It usually occurs after eating certain foods or at...

TIPS ON HOW TO MANAGE YOUR HEART BURN SYMPTOMS AND REASON YOU SHOULD.

   Heart burn is a burning sensation or pain in the chest , just behind your breast bone. It usually occurs after eating certain foods or at night . It is caused by stomach acid that backs up into the esophagus. If heart burn is not controlled or treated, it can cause long term damage to the oesophagus that may become hard to treat. 
    Some types of foods can cause heart burn. They may also exacerbate heart burn symptoms. These foods  include:
Spicy food
Onions
Citrus products or fruits with high acidic content like oranges.
Tomatoes, red peppers and products
Fried and greasy foods
Pepper mint
Chocolate
Alcohol, carbonated drinks like pop, coffee  or caffeinated drinks.
Large and fatty meals
Being over weight.
   Heart burn can be controlled by avoiding foods that cause heart burn as listed above. Lifestyle changes like  maintaining healthy body weight. Avoid lying down after meals. Avoid eating large meals. Avoid smoking, stress and anxiety. Avoid tight fitting clothes. If lifestyle changes does not relieve heart burn symptoms, you may consider over the counter antacids or heart burn medicines.
    If you experience heart burn more than usual, contact your doctor .If you experience heart burn with difficulty breathing,
go to the hospital immediately or call 911.
 


Saturday, 20 December 2014

HEALTHFIRSTAF: BEWARE OF EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION DUE TO ITS...

HEALTHFIRSTAF: BEWARE OF EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION DUE TO ITS...:    As you celebrate the holiday season, be careful with excessive alcohol consumption. Alcohol consumption is considered excessive, when the...

BEWARE OF EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION DUE TO ITS EFFECTS ON YOUR THE LIVER.

   As you celebrate the holiday season, be careful with excessive alcohol consumption. Alcohol consumption is considered excessive, when the liver is not able to process the amount of alcohol consumed.
  One of the mistakes people make drinking alcohol this season, is competing with friends while drinking. Some people have higher alcohol tolerance level than others. Do not compete with your friends because they may have higher tolerance level than you do.
 Some people may develop severe headaches after drinking. The headache is normally caused by dehydration.
Alcohol dehydrates the liver, which ends up causing dehydration in other parts of the body. Taking analgesics like Tylenol in combination with alcohol for these headaches may lead to liver damage and liver failure. Avoid alcohol completely if you suffer from any form of liver disease or hepatitis.
    Whenever alcohol reaches the liver, it produces toxic enzyme called acetaldehyde, which can damage the liver cells and cause permanent scarring as well as harm to the brain and stomach lining. Refrain from daily consumption of alcohol, your liver cannot not handle it.

Thursday, 18 December 2014

HEALTHFIRSTAF: TIPS ON HOW TO AVOID WEIGHT GAIN THIS HOLIDAY SEAS...

HEALTHFIRSTAF: TIPS ON HOW TO AVOID WEIGHT GAIN THIS HOLIDAY SEAS...:    Christmas and New year celebration involves partying with a lot to eat and drink. During holiday, people tend to easily gain weight due t...

TIPS ON HOW TO AVOID WEIGHT GAIN THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

   Christmas and New year celebration involves partying with a lot to eat and drink. During holiday, people tend to easily gain weight due to increase and uncontrolled food consumption. There are ways  you can eat and not gain weight this holiday season.
  Avoid skipping breakfast and lunch before going for a dinner party, as this will cause you to be very hungry and eat indiscriminately. Start your dinner with drinking plenty of water and broth based soup, no oils. Then move on to eating vegetables, salads and fruits . Fill up with proteins rich foods, if possible choose animal free alternatives like lentils and beans. After eating all the foods mentioned above, you may not be able to eat a lot of carbohydrates and foods that contain sugar. Eat slowly and chew your food very well. The quicker we eat, the lesser the time the body has to register fullness. Serve  meals in small plates, this will make you eat less and slowly. 

Saturday, 13 December 2014

HEALTHFIRSTAF: DEHYDRATION AND ITS DANGEROUS EFFECTS

HEALTHFIRSTAF: DEHYDRATION AND ITS DANGEROUS EFFECTS:   Dehydration occurs when the body loses more water than it gets. About 75 present of the human body is made up of water. The body gets hydr...

DEHYDRATION AND ITS DANGEROUS EFFECTS

  Dehydration occurs when the body loses more water than it gets. About 75 present of the human body is made up of water. The body gets hydrated through how much we drink. The body normally loses water through the air we breathe as vapor, our sweat and our stool. The body can undergo drastic loss of water through
vomiting, diarrhea, heat stroke , burn and excessive urination (like in diabetes). Severe dehydration can lead to death.
  Some signs of dehydration may include, increased thirst, decreased urine output or concentrated urine, dry mouth, decreased sweating, decreased tears production and muscle cramping.
  Dehydration can cause kidney failure, decreased blood volume, coma, shock, seizures and muscle cramping from electrolyte imbalance and death if left untreated. Dehydration can cause coma
due to decreased blood supply to the brain ,as a result of low blood volume.
   Dehydration is worse in kids and elderly, due to a more fragile body system. Do not be too lazy to drink. Drink, drink and drink.

Drink, drink and drink.

Wednesday, 10 December 2014

HEALTHFIRSTAF: BEWARE OF EXCESSIVE SUGAR CONSUMPTION THIS HOLIDAY...

HEALTHFIRSTAF: BEWARE OF EXCESSIVE SUGAR CONSUMPTION THIS HOLIDAY...:   It is holiday season and there is always plenty to eat and drink. A lot of holiday season food includes baked good , various sweet foods a...

HEALTHFIRSTAF: BEWARE OF EXCESSIVE SUGAR CONSUMPTION THIS HOLIDAY...

HEALTHFIRSTAF: BEWARE OF EXCESSIVE SUGAR CONSUMPTION THIS HOLIDAY...:   It is holiday season and there is always plenty to eat and drink. A lot of holiday season food includes baked good , various sweet foods a...

HEALTHFIRSTAF: BEWARE OF EXCESSIVE SUGAR CONSUMPTION THIS HOLIDAY...

HEALTHFIRSTAF: BEWARE OF EXCESSIVE SUGAR CONSUMPTION THIS HOLIDAY...:   It is holiday season and there is always plenty to eat and drink. A lot of holiday season food includes baked good , various sweet foods a...

HEALTHFIRSTAF: BEWARE OF EXCESSIVE SUGAR CONSUMPTION THIS HOLIDAY...

HEALTHFIRSTAF: BEWARE OF EXCESSIVE SUGAR CONSUMPTION THIS HOLIDAY...:   It is holiday season and there is always plenty to eat and drink. A lot of holiday season food includes baked good , various sweet foods a...

BEWARE OF EXCESSIVE SUGAR CONSUMPTION THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

  It is holiday season and there is always plenty to eat and drink. A lot of holiday season food includes baked good , various sweet foods and drinks. Sugar is not always consumed in powder or cube forms. It is hidden in a lot of food we consume. Sugar has no nutrients but calories. It is detrimental to the body when consumed in excess.
It causes liver damage by causing excess fatty acids to accumulate in the liver. It also causes fatty acids to accumulate in the blood, which causes high blood pressure overtime. Excessive sugar consumption can make the tissue become insulin resistant. It increases abdominal fat and causes obesity. It can also cause tooth decay and raise cholesterol level .
   Excessive amount of sugar consumption can raise cholesterol level, insulin levels and abdominal obesity in as little as 10 weeks.
It can cause premature aging.
  If you must eat sugar, eat it in small quantities. The more sugar you eat , the more sugar you crave.
  The best way to cut off sugar is to completely abstain from it.
The more you eat, the more you crave.

Tuesday, 9 December 2014

HEALTHFIRSTAF: HOW BEING OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE AFFECTS BLOOD PRESS...

HEALTHFIRSTAF: HOW BEING OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE AFFECTS BLOOD PRESS...:   Obesity or overweight is defined by WHO, as an abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health. Body mass index is used to d...

HOW BEING OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE AFFECTS BLOOD PRESSURE

  Obesity or overweight is defined by WHO, as an abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health. Body mass index is used to define obesity or overweight. Body mass index is a person's weight in kilograms divided by the square of his/her height in meters. If the body mass index is greater than or equals 25, a person  overweight. If the body mass index is greater than or equals to 30, a person is obese.
   The more a person weighs, the more blood flow and volume is needed to supply oxygen and nutrients to the tissues.
 As the volume of blood circulated through the blood vessel increases , so  does the pressure needed to pump the blood. The blood pressure becomes permanently high in order to maintain blood flow to the body tissues. Hence causing a person to have high blood pressure.

Less weight  normal blood pressure, more weight more blood pressure

Sunday, 7 December 2014

HEALTHFIRSTAF: SAFE WAYS TO CLEAN THE EARS

HEALTHFIRSTAF: SAFE WAYS TO CLEAN THE EARS:      Ear wax are normal healthy substance that helps to protect the ears from infection .Ear wax helps to protect the ears by trapping for...

SAFE WAYS TO CLEAN THE EARS

 
   Ear wax are normal healthy substance that helps to protect the ears from infection .Ear wax helps to protect the ears by trapping foreign particles like dirts from the environment. The ear naturally cleanses itself of excess wax build up by breaking them down.They fall out of the ears in tiny flakes.
  Some individuals produce more ear wax than others. Excessive build up of ear wax may sometimes become uncomfortable. There are  easy home remedies available for safe ear cleaning.
  Ears can safely be cleaned by using baby oil, olive oil, hydrogen peroxide, over the counter ear drops or mineral oil. They help to soften the excessive wax build up and allows the wax to work itself out on its own in most cases. In cases where the wax does not come out on its , you can use over the counter syringes or ear cleansing kit. Gently syringe the ear using warm water.
   Apply 3 to 4 drops of above mentioned liquid to each ear, preferably at bedtime. Tilt your head to the opposite side of the ear you applied the oil or hydrogen peroxide for about 10 to 15 minutes. You can put cotton bud to stop solution from  emptying, while the it breaks up the ear wax. In the case of heavy wax build up, repeat procedure for about 3 to 5 days. If you are using hydrogen peroxide, mix it with warm water before applying to ears.
  If you continue to fill wax build up or ear ache after cleaning your ears, consult your ENT doctor .
  


SAFE WAYS TO CLEAN YOUR EARS
 
 

Tuesday, 2 December 2014

HEALTHFIRSTAF: THE NEED TO KNOW YOUR CHOLESTEROL LEVEL

HEALTHFIRSTAF: THE NEED TO KNOW YOUR CHOLESTEROL LEVEL:     Cholesterol is found in some foods such as eggs, meats and dairy products. There is good cholesterol (high density lipoprotein) and bad ...

THE NEED TO KNOW YOUR CHOLESTEROL LEVEL

    Cholesterol is found in some foods such as eggs, meats and dairy products. Cholesterol is also produced by the liver. There is good cholesterol (high density lipoprotein) and bad cholesterol ( low density lipoprotein). Both types of cholesterol gets into the body through food. The bad cholesterol causes plaque build up, which clogs up the blood vessels. Plaques can block normal blood flow to the brain and cause a stroke. It may also increase risk of heart disease. Once you know your cholesterol level, you will be able to lower your risk of heart disease. 
     Check your level once in 5 years if you are above age 20. Once a year if you are above age 45 and if you have a family history of heart disease , high blood pressure or diabetes. It is important for you to check your cholesterol levels. Knowing what your level is , helps you to control your diet and avoid foods that will raise your bad cholesterol and prevent plaque build up in your blood vessels.
If you have high cholesterol level that cannot be controlled by diet, speak to your doctor about medication. Continue with  diet control even when you are taking medication for better outcome.
Know your cholesterol level.