Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Piles, prevention and management


Few years ago I had a minor case of piles and I’m going to tell you my experience of this painful and disturbing condition.

Hemorrhoids are vascular structures in the anal canal. They act as a cushion of arterio-venous channels and connective tissue which helps with stool control. They may become swollen or inflamed and this condition is called piles.

When I was preparing for an exam few years ago I was spending up to16 hours a day sitting in an uncomfortable chair and I ate mostly junk food. Several days of this regimen gave me a small but painful external hemorrhoid. I could feel dull pain all day long which got worse if I was trying to sit upright. The worse thing was that this pain would surge at least several times per night and I would wake up with a jump.

Now, if you are experiencing similar symptoms it is very important to get checked up by a doctor. There are several serious conditions that have symptoms similar to piles, such as cancer. Only a trained medical professional can tell the difference.

Back then I did a lot of research online and what everyone said is that the main reason for piles is increase intra-abdominal pressure. This is primarily caused by straining to pass the stool and this is the number one thing to look after. You need to stop straining. So, the first thing to do is to make sure you stool is easy to pass. Change your diet to include plenty of fiber and vegetables. Stay off from refined sugars, processed foods, fried potatoes, rice and other things that make your stool hard. The next important thing is the posture of your body when you pass the stool. Piles are quite rare in countries where squat toilets are used. It is much easier to pass the stool when you are squatting. If you have to use the toilet try to bend as much as you can, bring your chin down to your knees and relax. Do not read newspapers! The more upright you are the harder it is to pass the stool. Finally avoid sitting on uncomfortable chairs or sitting for very long periods of time, get plenty of exercise.

By following these advices I got rid of piles in five days.

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Risk of Pancreatic Cancer increased by charred meat


According to the American Association for Cancer Research meat cooked at high heat, to the point of charring or burning could increase the risk of pancreatic cancer. This finding was linked to consumption of well and very well done meats prepared by grilling, frying or barbecuing according to Kristin Anderson, Ph.D., associate professor at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. Meat cooked in this way contains carcinogens that are not present in meat that is baked or stewed.

A prospective analysis was conducted by Anderson and colleagues which included 62 581 participants. She said, "My research has been focused on pancreatic cancer for some time, and we want to identify ways to prevent this cancer because treatments are very limited and the cancer is often rapidly fatal". After nine years the research identified 208 cases of pancreatic cancer. Meat cooked at high temperatures was generally linked with an increase risk. Subjects who liked very well done steak were nearly 60% as likely to get pancreatic cancer that those who consumed steak less well done or didn’t eat steak at all. Those with highest consumption had 70% higher risk than those with the lowest intake.

According to Anderson those who enjoy fried or barbecued meat should turn down the heat or cut off charred portions. Meat should be cooked sufficiently to kill bacteria without excess burning. Precursors of carcinogenic compounds could be reduced further by microwaving the meat for a few minutes and discarding the juices before cooking it on the grill.

Electronic cigarettes


Electronic cigarettes devices designed to deliver nicotine vapor to a person without combustion of tobacco. They look and feel like regular cigarettes, but they don’t produce any smoke. The nicotine is drawn from cartridge and vaporized by the vaporizer unit. What smokers inhale through the mouthpiece is nicotine and water vapor.  Cartridges can be refilled and the battery of the vaporizer unit can be recharged via USB port or a dedicated charger similar to the one that mobile phones use.

There are several benefits to electronic cigarettes. First of all smokers and the people around them are not exposed to many toxic substances found in tobacco smoke. There is no carbon-monoxide, tar and eye-stinging smoke. The second important advantage is that the level of nicotine can be controlled. This makes electronic cigarettes ideal for smokers who are trying to quit. The level of nicotine can gradually be reduced so that the person does not experience physical withdrawal. There are minor benefits as well: nicotine refill or replacement cartridges are often cheaper than traditional cigarettes. Because there is no amber, electronic cigarettes are not a fire risk. There is less waste involved in using electronic cigarettes, smokers don’t discard butts each time.

However, it must be pointed out that electronic cigarettes are not safe products. Nicotine is an addictive drug with many adverse effects on human body. The behavioral characteristics of nicotine addiction are similar to those of heroin and cocaine, nicotine is carcinogenic substance and it can cause birth defects.

So, electronic cigarettes are good for people who are trying to quit smoking, or for die hard tobacco addicts, but don’t think that you can use them without any side effects.

Sugar vs. Fat


People often ask whether diet that contains lots of sugars is better or worse than the diet with plenty of fat. The answer is not straight forward.

There is an important distinction between the type of sugar and the type of fat. The kinds of sugars and fats that should be avoided at all cost are refined sugars (white sugar, high fructose corn syrup, glucose, etc) and refined fat (trans-fats in processed foods, margarine).

Fruit contains sugars that can be characterized as good and complex carbohydrates found in brown rice and lentils are good for your health as well. Nuts, seeds and avocados contain good fats that are essential to our well being.

It is also important that our diet is well balanced, meaning that we need to consume balanced amounts of sugars, fats and protein. A diet that contains too much or too little of any one of those will have adverse effects on our body.

Now, back to the original question - sugar vs. fat. Which is worse?

A gram of sugar has 4 calories, while a gram of fat has 9. At first glance fat seems worse because the same amount of food gives us more energy. Fatty foods contain a lot of energy in tiny packages which means that we can easily consume much more energy than our body needs at the time, which can lead to weight gain.

On the other hand, eating too much sugar (and not enough fat) causes surges in insulin level which after a short period lowers the blood sugar too much. At that point we feel tired and hungry and we eat more and that excess of energy goes into fat.

So, there is no clear answer. We cannot survive on sugar or fat alone, we need balanced diet of all essential nutrients and we need to stay clear of refined sugar and processed fat.

Introduction


It is a sad fact that our lives are limited. We live longer than our ancestors did, but our lives are still too short. Because we have only one life we need to make it last and we need to make it worth it. Length of our life and its quality is directly affected by our health and in order to be healthy we need information and advice.

With this blog I’ll try to make at least a small contribution toward better understanding of how various things influence our health and I’ll try to pass on information on how we can make our bodies be in better shape and how we can make our lives last longer.

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. This blog expresses my opinions and thoughts gathered while reading books and articles. If you have an actual problem it is best to see a doctor.