Tag: Illnesses

Preventing Anxiety Attacks

Anxiety attacks choose no one. It can happen to happy and perfectly normal people of all ages including children. Many cases of anxiety attacks just come out of the blue, or happen without any logical, clear or apparent reason. It may occur while you are relaxed during the day and even while asleep. Still, there are several ways on how to prevent anxiety attacks.

Learn about anxiety Understanding how anxiety affects the body as well as the mind can go a long way in your effort to prevent attacks. Read articles about anxiety and other psychological disorders that are related to it. Learn what are the things you should watch out for, things you should avoid, and practices you should do in case of an attack.

Avoid unnecessary stressors Recurring attacks are caused by “triggers” situations such as speaking in front of the public or getting trapped in an elevator. The effects of these triggers are often aggravated by stress. In other words, stress can act as a catalyst for such attacks to happen. Hence, reducing the stress level by avoiding unnecessary stressors can help prevent attacks. Avoid people that stress you out. Learn how to say ‘no’ to invitations as well as overtime when you have other things to do. Do not accept additional work that you can’t accomplish. These may seem very little things but can significantly increase stress level as well as increase the chances of having an attack.

Exercise has lots of health benefits including the promotion of well-being. It is also proven and effective method to prevent anxiety attack. Research shows that as little as 30 minutes of physical activity – 3 to 5 times a week – is enough to promote a healthy body. Increasing the intensity of the exercise produces more positive effects.

Eat balanced diet Like exercise, a well-balanced diet is important in keeping the body healthy, resistant to illnesses, and maintain a low stress level. As much as possible, eat natural or organic foods. Avoid processed foods or those that contain preservatives and chemicals.

Avoid smoking and caffeine. To those who are susceptible to anxiety attacks, substantial amount of caffeine (from coffee, soda and tea) as well as smoking cigarettes can provoke such attacks even further. It is wise, therefore, to avoid these things as much as possible.

Practice relaxation techniques Yoga, meditation, and other breathing techniques help strengthen the body’s relaxation response. When practiced regularly, these techniques even increase the feeling of uplifted emotions, happiness, and self-control, which increase self-confidence and self-esteem – significant factors in fighting anxiety attacks.

Learn to become assertive People with anxiety disorder usually have low self-esteem. Low self-esteem is manifested by passiveness, feeling worthless, feeling of guilt and shame, depressed mood, isolation, and difficulty in school, work, and community functions. Learning to become assertive may involve joining a group, entering into therapy sessions or simply learning to open up to others. It may take a while, but once a person learns how to assert himself, he will carry positive outlook in life which helps prevent anxiety attacks caused by “triggers”.

Awareness of the symptoms of anxiety attacks is as important as knowing how to prevent it. Watch out for:

Chest pain or heart palpitation
Feeling of loosing control or going crazy
Irrational fear over trivial things
Hot flashes or chills
Trouble breathing or choking sensation
Feeling like passing out
Feeling unreal or detach
Nausea or stomach cramps
Hyperventilation
Shaking or trembling
Feeling and fear of dying

The Truth About Celiac Disease

People that have been diagnosed with this condition probably already know all things about it. But for those around them that do not understand, celiac disease is a condition that affects the digestive system. More specifically, it is a condition that is set off by eating foods with protein gluten. The truth about celiac disease is that no treatment exists and those who claim otherwise should be taken with caution and skepticism. The disease is also known as celiac sprue or gluten-sensitive enteropathy.

The disease can affect a person at any age. Children and adults alike have the chance to develop the disease. It is an autoimmune disorder which targets the digestive system. Like mentioned earlier, it is triggered by eating foods that are rich with gluten like cereal grains, bread, pasta, pizza crust, and even cookies. Any food that is made from wheat barley or rye most likely contains a good amount of gluten. When food with gluten is ingested, a reaction occurs in the small intestine which causes damage to its inner lining.

The small intestine also becomes incapable of absorbing nutrients. This, of course, will become problematic in the long run since the necessary nutrients are not absorbed which can result to other illnesses. The threat of nutrition deficiency is higher in children who have contracted the disease.

The exact cause of celiac disease is unknown, but its often inherited. If someone in your immediate family has it, chances are 5 percent to 15 percent that you may as well. It can occur at any age, although problems dont appear until gluten is introduced into the diet.

The exact reason why the lining is being damaged is still unknown. Previously, it was thought that the disease only affects Europeans. But recent studies show that celiac disease affects different people regardless of ethnic background. In the US it has been found out that one in every 133 have it. According to research, the disease is genetic in origin.

The disease can be mistaken as other allergic reactions for the signs and symptoms are not that apparent. It is a common thing that people with the disease find themselves experiencing intermittent diarrhea, bloating, gastric ulcers, mouth sores, skin rash, anemia, upset stomach, joint pain and some abdominal pain. However, there are times that people dont experience any kinds of digestive problems at all. Nevertheless, people with celiac disease will result to weight loss, diarrhea, stomach pains, foul smelling stools, and osteoporosis.

The disease may arise from different reasons. Sometimes, trauma, an infection, a physical injury, or the stress from pregnancy can cause the disease. There are some documented cases where severe stress or even surgery can trigger the disease.

Treatment for celiac disease has yet to be discovered. Nonetheless, there are ways to combat the disease. And the first line of defense is a gluten free diet. Avoiding foods with gluten will help prevent any inflammation of the small intestines. You can start taking nutritional supplements to help your malnutrition caused by the disease.

A gluten free diet includes eating the right amounts of fresh meat, fish and poultry, dairy products, fruits and of course vegetables. Your dietary options are not as limited as you might have early thought it would be. Rica and potatoes are also a good replacement for wheat products. Learning the truth about celiac disease should not be approached as something scare but rather should be treated as an opportunity to get to know the disease and the right way of approaching it.

Oats And Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is a condition brought about by the accumulation of gluten. Gluten is protein preset in bread, pasta, cookies, crust and other food that is made out of wheat, barley or rye. Oats also contain the protein gluten. There are many controversies surrounding oats and celiac disease.

A person with celiac disease experiences vitamin deficiencies with the brain, nervous system, bones, liver and other vital organs and other illnesses. What happens is that the person with celiac disease who eats foods with the protein gluten experiences an immune reaction in the small intestine. This may lead to small intestine damage and malabsoption of certain vitamins and nutrients from the food. There is no cure for celiac disease but people inflicted with this manage their disease by removing gluten from their diet.

It is believed that celiac disease is a relatively rare disorder, it is now through to affect about one in 250 people worldwide. To manage their disease, patients with celiac disorder is advised to have a gluten-free diet, oats is one of the food that they take out of their list.

But there has been debates if it is acceptable for celiac disease patients to eat oats, since oat proteins are not the same as those in wheat, barley and rye. Even so, oats were believed to have toxic effects with people who are inflicted with this disorder that is why they are advised to avoid them.

Now, there are some celiac disease societies and medical centers who are advising their patients to eat limited amounts of oats which is said to even provide beneficial effects to them. There are studies with adults and children citing majority of patients with celiac disease who could tolerated limited amounts of oats. When they consumed no more than about half to three quarters of a cup of rolled dry oats per day for adults and a quarter of a cup per day for children, there were no abdominal symptoms. (Lapid, Nancy; Are Oats Safe for Patients with Celiac Disease?)

In an article written by Jefferson Adams entitled Effects of Various Kinds of Oats on Celiac Disease, he cited different kinds of study conducted by different groups of scientists and doctors about the relation of oats to celiac disease.

According to Adams, there were a team of Italian and Australian doctors who conducted tests on three kinds of oats: the avenins of the Italian variety Astra , the Australian variety Mortlook and the Austrlian Lampton variety. In the study conducted it showed that Lampton is much safer than either the Astra or Mortlock.

However, even if the Lampton variety is still safer it still has to be processes in a contamination free facility that tests oats if they are gluten free. For oat products to be considered gluten-free, they may show less than 220ppm of gliadin.

Even if there are patients who respond well to oats, there are still a small number of patients who could not tolerate oats. Even oats with low gluten content like the Lampton variety. With these patients, a protein in oats called avenin triggered an immune response similar to gluten. There was no way to tell in advance which patients would be sensitive to avenins.

Including oats in the diet of a celiac disease patient is of course a physicians call. Including oats in the diet should always be done under doctors supervision. Oats can provide the necessary nutrients, fiber and diversity much needed to a celiac patients diet. But it should not compromise the overall well being of the patient.

New celiac disease patients are not advised to eat oats until their symptoms or disease in under control. Patients who are eating oats are still advised to see their doctor regularly to monitor any abnormalities or symptoms. Besides, patients with celiac disease are still to consume oats that are pure, uncontaminated and gluten-free. Oats and celiac disease can still dance together.

A Guide In Coping With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

People who have been diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome are both blessed and cursed. For the most parts, they are relieved by an explanation regarding the sudden plunge in their health. However, they are also cursed by the fact that there is nothing much they can do about it because the cure for CFS is yet to be discovered. Nonetheless, there are medications, therapies and self-care techniques that a person can undergo which can help substantially in relieving the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome. Here are some suggestions.

Handle your sickness and do not let it handle you Chronic disorders and illnesses often demand a lot from patients in order for them to control the symptoms. However, the best course of action is to always take the hand in controlling the disorder. If you have spent months or years suffering from this syndrome, it is likely that you have developed a sense of helpless and defeat against the disorder. But this must not be the case. Gain back control and know how to handle the disorder.

Look for simple but effective solutions Not all CFS treatment may work for you. This is because while there is a general clinical definition of the disorder, there are various levels of severity whereby it occurs. So if you think your prescribed medications are not doing you much good, pass and try to look elsewhere for symptoms relief. There is a host of treatment and therapies you can use which oftentimes go beyond conventional medicine.

Try to look for those. Consult herbalists and alternative medicine therapists and seek treatments that will help your disorder. Ask your doctor about supplements instead of antibiotics and pain relievers. Go to a psychologist and ask whether there are therapies you can undergo to facilitate better coping with your illness. Dont be limited by pharmacological treatments, experiment on various options and pick some that provide you the most benefits.

Take lessons from each day With chronic fatigue, you are lucky if you don’t feel sick for one day. So for the most parts, you can take note of your symptoms and your responses to treatments and therapies. It is important to keep a journal of your daily experience as this can help guide you on how to better manage your disorder.

Take charge of your healthcare Take an active role in facilitating the delivery of healthcare services for yourself. If what your doctor gives you does not work, find someone else. Dont be afraid to get second or third opinion from doctors who are expert in immune system dysfunction. If you dont respond well to conventional medicine, find other treatments.

Move your body For most patients, the idea of doing some physical activities is not only impossible but unthinkable. Nonetheless, recent studies have shown that minor physical activities pick up one’s energy and health so try undergoing exercise programs. Try graded exercise therapy, for example. According to recent studies, this therapy improves the physical energy and capacity of an individual with chronic fatigue syndrome.

While it is of course hard for the first few months, first few years even, it is always worth the effort. Eventually, with a little activity done each day, the body will regain the strength and vigor that once were available prior to the onset of chronic fatigue.