Tag: Medical Conditions

Relax With Green Tea Weight Loss

Understanding green tea weight loss secrets can help you to begin and maintain a healthier lifestyle that is conducive to getting your body in the shape you want it to be. Whether you lead a jetsetter lifestyle or are a stay-at-home mom, you can benefit from having a green tea weight loss program to help you get fit.

Due to the rage of green tea in many countries, there are now lots of green tea weight loss programs that are all claimed to have been discovered by scientists and researchers over the years. Because of the increased interest in such items, when you are searching for a green tea weight loss product, when it sounds too good to be true, it probably isnt. Dont fall for cons and scams.

Deciding to establish a diet regimen based on the rewards of green tea weight loss doesnt have to be an ordeal but careful planning and consideration should be given to selecting the type green tea product you want to use. There are many different forms of green tea on the market, many of which are not the genuine article. Dont fall for impostors that claim to be green tea but actually only have a small percentage of green tea extract listed as a fourth or fifth ingredient on the list.

Some green tea weight loss products can be purchased over the Internet. This is a great way to not only research the various green tea products that are available, but it eliminates the need to travel to the store to buy them. As a rule, however, you should avoid trying products just because they offer a free sample. The something for nothing concept is usually an auto ship program that signs you up to pay regular charges for automatic refills of a product that may or may not work for you.

When you find a green tea weight loss product or program that you are interested in and would like to try, it is a good idea to check with your physician before starting any new diet. This is particularly important and true if you have preexisting medical conditions and are taking any other medications that may react to the addition of green tea to your diet. Once youre cleared by your doctor, youre ready to begin experiencing some of the great green tea weight loss that are said to have helped make green tea the rage that currently is in many countries around the world.

Remember, not all green tea weight loss programs and products are created equal. When the truth is told, there are many lookalike products and even some pseudo green tea weight loss pills and drinks that make the claim but substantiate nothing. So whether you are searching for green tea weight loss plan or dietary supplement for the short or long term, make sure you are selecting authentic green tea items. Your success may very well depend on the effectiveness of the real thing.

How kidney stones are diagnosed

To avoid the pain brought by the development of kidney stones and its risks to your health, it is a must that you undergo immediate diagnosis once you suspect that there’s something wrong. The following are some of the steps to help you get diagnosis for kidney stones:

1. Go to a specialist. If you think that you are suffering from it, the first thing that you need to know is to consult a kidney specialist. He or she should administer diagnosis for kidney stones. Usually, the doctor will make a diagnosis of kidney stones using an assessment of the person’s clinical history. Here, he or she will ask a couple of questions that involve the person’s lifestyle, diet, fluid intake, past experience with kidney stones, and if there is possible family history of kidney stones.

This is very effective in the initial assessment of kidney stones in a person because it provides the doctor with information on what caused the stone formation. From here, the specialist can make a hypothesis or and “educated guess” and will refer you to undergo the needed medical procedures.

2. Undergo a thorough physical examination exam. Another effective means of diagnosing kidney stones is a thorough physical examination. Here, the specialist will run a series of physical tests that can help him or her determines conditions, which can put an individual at higher risk for kidney stone formation. Through a thorough physical examination, the doctor can discovers risks such as specific diseases and medical conditions, certain injuries, recent immobilization, and abdominal scars that might be effects of any previous medical procedure or surgery.

3. Opt for a laboratory study of your blood and urine. This is also another effective means of diagnosing kidney stones. During a laboratory evaluation, the person’s blood and urine samples will undergo thorough observation and studies. Collecting a sample of urine to be analyzed is called “urinalysis”. Urinalysis is one of the simplest tests to detect the presence of blood and bacteria present in the urine.

This is also done by the specialist or the attending assistant to accurately measure the levels and amount calciumwhich is the primary component of common kidney stoneselectrolytes, and uric acid as well as the other components in the samples. Aside from the acidity of the person’s urine, other components in the blood is also paid attention to ensure that there will be not further complications.

Other significant laboratory tests include blood tests for “creatinine” which evaluates the proper function of the kidney, the “BUN” and “electrolytes” which is used to detect levels of dehydration, “calcium” which is done to detect hyperparathyroidism, and a complete “blood count” which is primarily done to detect any infection in the person’s system. During the laboratory evaluation, the kidney stone sample is also collected to analyze and determine what type of is it stone. Knowing the type of kidney stone is important so the physician can plot the appropriate treatment for it as soon as possible.

4. Follow up the diagnosis with X-ray. Kidney stones can also be diagnosed through a possible follow-up with an X-ray evaluation. Here, the specialist or the assistant will use x-rays to identify the location of the kidney stone. Through x-ray, the size of stones and its number can be seen.

It may also help the doctor to identify which type of kidney stones is present in the person’s kidney.

Kidney Stones in Kids

More and more studies show that majority of the children who are prone to developing kidney stones are those that suffer from underlying medical conditions which increases their risk of developing stones this early. For parents to understand how to deal with kidney stones in case their kids suffer from it, they must first understand everything about the condition. Having a broad understanding of the condition can help parents trace possible causes, identify symptoms, and give immediate response to the child in pain.

Kidney stonesjust like in adultshas different types of stones which can either be “calcium oxalate” which is the most common and caused by too much presence of calcium in the urine, the “struvite stones,” “uric acid stones,” and “cystine stones.” These types vary depending on the levels of the minerals found and their characteristics.

Parents would never know if their children are suffering from kidney stones if they are not familiar with its symptoms such as abdominal or back pain, blood in the urine or hematuria, vomiting or nausea, and the often need to urinate. In younger kids, these symptoms cannot easily be recognized that is why there is a need to undergo laboratory evaluation and tests. Since kidney stones is not common among children, especially to younger ones, it is a must to identify the risk factors present such as:

1. History of the kidney stones. If the family has history on this disease, it is likely that children will become more prone to the condition in the future. Studies show that kids who have history of kidney stones are likely to suffer from the same problem in the next 10 to 20 years of his or her life.

2. Low fluidespecially waterintake. If the child exhibits this habit, he or she is prone to kidney stones because it affects the ideal amount of urine that should be released daily. It should always be remembered that if there were lesser water or fluid intake, the chances of developing kidney stones are much higher because there will be more concentration of substances that leads to faster kidney stone formation.

3. Diet and amount of food intake. This especially those high in animal protein such as beef, pork, lamb, or chicken are likely to develop kidney stones because they have higher concentration of protein which is one of the primary causes of kidney stones. Many experts believe that children who consume too much protein are at risk in developing “calcium oxalate stones” along with problems in terms of intestinal absorption.

Other symptoms to look out for include experience in cystic fibrosis, suffering from urinary tract abnormalities like dysfunction of the bladder or the kidneys, some inherited disorders from the parents, and undergoing medications such as “furosemide,” “allopurinol,” and “acetazolamide” which are known to promote formation of urine crystals that leads to the formation of kidney stones.

Experts say that before, children are lesser prone to kidney stones because they are healthier and more physically active. But, over the years, there has been a constant increase in the number of children that are being affected by kidney stones.

Maybe because more and more kids now are living sedentary lives by being in front of the computer or by eating foods that are high in protein, calcium, and sodium.

Help Someone Having a Panic Attack

Panic attacks often occur to anyone without warning. So whenever someone had an attack, it is important that you know what to do.

Understand what a panic attack is. A panic attack is a sudden surge of overwhelming fear or anxiety. It is manifested by several signs and symptoms. During an attack, a person experiences increased heartbeat or palpitation, chest pain, hyperventilation or shortness of breath, stomach churning, upset stomach, trembling and shaking, muscle tension, sweating, dizziness and light-headedness, hot or cold flashes, tingling sensation or numbness, fear of dying, going crazy or losing control and feeling detached from the surroundings.

Seek for emergency medical help. It is important to call for a health professional especially if a person experiences an attack for the first time.

Identify the cause of the symptoms. The signs and symptoms of panic attack are similar to medical conditions. Hyperventilation or shortness of breath can be a sign of asthma. Chest pain, increased heartbeat or palpitation and sweating can be a heart attack. Talk to the person and determine if the symptoms are caused by other medical conditions. When in doubt, a health professional will be a great help.

While waiting for help, find the cause of attack. Once it is established that the cause of the symptoms is really a panic attack, find the source of the panic and take the person away from it. Do not make an assumption about what the person needs. A person who is suffering from the attack may know exactly what to do or has medications which will get him through the attack, so it is best to ask.

Don’t surprise the patient. Be predictable with your movements. Do not grab, hold or restrain. Keep him calm and stay calm yourself. Reassure the person that everything is going to be fine but do not dismiss his fear by saying “it’s all in your mind” or “don’t worry about it” or “you are overreacting.” Take note that the fear is very real to the victim so it dismissing the fear has no effect or can even make the matter worse.

Help the patient to control his breathing. Many patients breathe heavily during an attack; others hold their breath. Using deep breathing technique is a very effective way to purge the symptoms of a panic attack as well as calm the patient down. Guide the person and tell him to breathe in for 3 slow counts. Then ask him to hold his breath for 3 slow counts and breathe out for another 3 slow counts. Do this several times until the person is calm. You can also advice him to breathe into a paper bag. This way, he will re-breathe his carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide helps correct the blood acid level that had been disturbed by excessive breathing. But be careful when using paper bags since they may trigger another fear.

Stay with the person throughout his ordeal. Never leave a person especially if he is having difficulty in breathing. Be patient. They may act rude or unfriendly but remember that it is temporary and will go back to normal as soon as the attack is over.

Do not forget that for the patient, the thoughts are real. Reassure him the help is on the way. Never allow the patient to do things that will put his life at risk.