Archive for the 'Health' Category
I have had three pregnancies and each one was different from the other. On my first pregnancy, I had no morning sickness but was on bed rest for about three months, I was not allowed to exercise and I had to take several medicines all throughout. My second and third pregnancies were not as difficult as the first but I had morning sickness on the first trimester. As a general rule, pregnant women are not allowed to take a whole lot of medicines since they could prove harmful to the fetus. I had to resort to natural morning sickness remedies.
During first three months of my pregnancy, I stayed away from warm and congested area, took short lunch break naps and avoided perfumes with strong scents. I also had to avoid spicy, greasy and sour foods.
The biggest hurdle for me was having to cut down on sweets and coffee! My friends also suggested the following morning sickness remedies:
~taking my prenatals in the afternoon so that they are not “wasted” when I have morning sickness.
~ginger herbal tablets (this was much better than taking ginger or ginger tea like some of them did) and
~iron supplements which unfortunately contributed to my constipation.
Growing old is inevitable, but growing up is optional. When I saw this phrase from some forwarded emails, it got me into thinking that indeed it was true. We will all grow old. And when I think of growing old, I imagine myself in a farm or garden tending my herbs and spices plants or flowering orchids. I also imagine my husband and I having breakfast together or having our afternoon chats in our patio.
Whenever I see old couples walking hand in hand, I always wish that we will end up that way too. In fact, the movie adaptation of “The Notebook”, novel by Nicholas Sparks made a great impression on me. I find the scene where the old man reads to his wife” so endearing. He didn’t rely on medications that promise to improve memory of his sweetheart. Instead he did so much, at great lengths to re-tell the love story that they shared. This film truly made me cry buckets of tears, and no matter how childish or how hopeless romantic it sounds, it made me believe even more that indeed there is a happy ever after.
Medical treatments get more and more expensive these days. As a result, a growing number of people are turning to alternative medicine to take care of their conditions, prevent illnesses and solve everyday health problems. Even mainstream doctors are now recommending natural, drugless therapies such as dietary modification and herbal supplements.
It is now known that many conditions are actually preventable or treatable with the right diet. To some degree, illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, weight problems, diabetes, arthritis and high blood pressure can also be treated using alternative medicine. Nowadays, many of these remedies are backed by scientific researches reported by doctors and scientists who are working with safe and natural substances.
Heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and cancer diseases are also considered a result of one’s lifestyle. Studies have shown that these terminal diseases cannot be solely attributed to genes or hereditary reasons. Most patients with these types of illnesses are advised to pursue healthy eating habits to complement their medication. The increase in the number of conflicted with these ailments is quite alarming. Aside from senior citizens, it is now common to young adults.
Currently, healthy lifestyle is constantly promoted in various media to lessen fatalities of these ailments. Everyone is advised to give up smoking, intake of fatty or oily food and excessive alcohol as it all produce negative effects to the cardiovascular health of humans. As an alternative, all are encouraged to pursue a balanced diet. A diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables and less in sugar and fats. Engaging in sports or walking for 30 minutes daily to exercise the body is also recommended.
When I was a little girl, I dreaded going to the hospital. I was so scared of being cut open. I had seen TV shows wherein, the doctors had to cut open patients and I was scared that someday someone would cut me open. I knew what surgical scissors looked like because I had seen them countless times whenever my brother and I had to be bandaged. I also saw dentists use surgical scissors when they sewed me up after surgery on an impacted molar.
When I was in college, I had to have an operation to remove a benign cyst on my right arm. The doctors had given me local anesthesia to numb the arm as they opened my arm. Since I was awake the whole time, I watched the doctor slice my arm with a surgical knife, remove the cyst and sew me back up with surgical scissors and thread. It was no big deal, I did not feel any pain until the anesthesia wore off.
Diabetes is a condition that often goes undiagnosed because a lot of its symptoms are unnoticeable. But recent researches indicate that the early detection of diabetes symptoms and prompt treatment can significantly reduce the chances of developing complications later.
Some symptoms of diabetes include:
~Frequent urination
~Excessive thirst
~Extreme hunger
~Unusual weight loss
~Increased fatigue
~Irritability
~Blurry vision
If you have one or more of these signs, seek your doctor’s advice right away especially if you are at risk for diabetes.
I have a friend who is into the “magical realm”. She gets together with other witches and warlock in the woods and practice nature worship. I think they call it paganism or wikka. I was surprised when one day she went into my house and borrowed some anise seed. I didn’t know that one of the condiments I use to flavor my food when cooking is also a very powerful in the magic world.
According to her, anise seed is used to enhance psychic abilities and protect you against the evil eye. It is also one of the main ingredients they use for potions to induce spiritual trances. Hmmm, I’m actually starting to think my friend smoked too many anise seeds already.
Most chain smokers started smoking at an early age. No wonder that these chain smokers suffer from diseases related to smoking later in life. Such diseases include pneumonia, tuberculosis, emphysema, or worst lung cancer. Thus, they really need to quit smoking for the sake of their health and their families as well.
There are different ways to stop smoking and it will all depend on how committed the person is. Some can quit cold turkey and live cigarette free for the rest of their lives. Some aren’t as tough as that and need some intervention to help them kick the habit. There are pills, patches, gums, and other things that can help quit the smoking habit. It really takes a lot of commitment to do this but the payoff is really much better. A healthier you will come out from all of it and your family won’t have to suffer from second hand smoke.
Can a diabetic patient ever be cured of the disease? Is there really a cure for diabetes? We are told that one who is diagnosed with the disease should be prepared for a change of lifestyle because while he can take medication to control the symptoms, there is a lot more that will be required of him. He has to follow a meal plan and an exercise regimen. He also needs regular monitoring, either in clinics, by a medical practitioner or at home, doing the tests himself.
Until the time when a real cure for diabetes is discovered, patients diagnosed with the disease will have to stick to rigid diet control. Maintaining a healthy weight is essential. Eating the correct food choices and doing simple doctor prescribed exercises will help in containing the disease. Include a lot of whole grains in your meals and choose foods low in fat and cholesterol. Walk or bicycle whenever you can and take the stairs instead of the elevator. These are simple activities that are doable and will help in managing diabetes.
Some people are not healthy and don’t even know it. They don’t actively get health information that can probably save their lives. It only takes a little of their time to search for information whether or online or through their doctors.
People shouldn’t wait until they feel something painful or abnormal in their bodies. If they know that they have a family history of heart disease, they should find out how they can avoid getting it. The right health information can save you a costly operation that could have been avoided. There are two basic things that they should know immediately and that is diet and exercise. Remember, you only have one body so take good care of it.