Health care

What is dehydration and how it affects our bodies? Dehydration in layman’s terms means lack of water in the body or in other words, “the body excessive loss of water.” The serious effects when dehydration occurs can cause damage to body organs and subsequently, it will bring death. Having said this, do not get dehydrated or take it lightly.
In most individuals, the total weight in a human body consists of 70% of water. Water is the main source in a human body, for each day, it is encouraged to drink more than 2 liters of water for proper metabolism in the body. Consumption of adequate water will help our body to stay strong and healthy. On the other hand, lack of water can lead to drastic changes to the body. For instance, a body needs water to flush out toxics through ways of breathing, constant nature call such as urination and stools. Sweating is also another way of releasing toxics in a human body. It is equally important that what was consumed can be flushed out through the above mentioned “outlets.”
To have the best antidote and antioxidant, Alkaline water is very much encouraged to draw its full effects in a human body. Alkaline water is full of antioxidants which helps to get rid of free radicals that can cause severe diseases like cancer and other destruction of cells in the body. For a healthier lifestyle, it is encouraged that alkaline water is consumed to give out the best results of promoting rejuvenation of cells and prolonged longevity.

Author writes articles on topic Alkaline water and there health topics.

During the months of September through February when the temperatures are particularly cold in most parts of the world, colds and the flu run rampant. Although you can catch a cold or flu at any time throughout the year, it is more prevalent when the temperature seems to dip. Unfortunately, there has been no discovery on why this phenomenon is but scientists have some theories. Researches postulate that during the colder seasons people stay indoors more often which allows for closer contact between people, which increases the likelihood of transmission of the cold or flu. Additionally, colder air also means drier air. When the air is dry the mucus membranes in the body also dry, which is the primary means of how the body eliminates virus particles. Also virus and bacteria can harden and live within the respiratory tract much like a spore would when the temperature is cold. Furthermore during winter month’s people are exposed to little if no sun, which helps in our production of vitamin D. With a decreased production of vitamin D our body’s immune system is more susceptible to virus and bacteria that is in the air and on exposed surfaces.
The initial sign of the cold or flu is a sore throat. Again this is highly due to the dry air eliminating hydration from the mucus membranes such as the mouth, and throat. Although, when a sore throat appears most people immediately think that a cold or flu are the culprit, however many other things can cause a sore throat and it may be prudent to eliminate some of these other causes before treating any symptoms. Acid reflux, sinus drainage, breathing through your mouth, allergies, air pollution, tobacco smoke, alcohol, spicy food, muscle strain, yelling, HIV infection and tumors can cause symptoms of a sore throat. If you can reduce the cause of your sore throat down to a cold or flu them you either have a bacteria or viral infection. Predominantly, most sore throats turn out to be a virus. However, its that 1 in 5 chance that it could be a bacterial infection that you need to be cautious of because bacterial infections such as Strep can turn into other more serious conditions such as Rheumatoid Fever.
Determining whether you have a virus or bacterial infection without having to go to the doctor can be quite simple. By looking inside your mouth and at the back of the throat you can determine the specific characteristics that are causing your sore throat. When you look in your mouth if your throat is red and inflamed and you have some phlegm, which can be yellow or green then you have a virus, cold or flu. On the other hand if you look and you also see some red inflammation in addition to white, lumpy spots on the tonsils and throat, this is indicative of a bacterial infection such as Strep.
Some of the most common viral infections include the common cold, flu, Mononucleosis (mono), measles, chickenpox, and croup, If you have a cold virus a sore throat will on be painful for 1-2 days and then should subside. Other symptoms include a runny or stuffy nose, cough and fever. Antibiotics cannot cure or treat a viral infection. Unfortunately there is no way to kill a viral infection; you have to let it run its course.
The most common bacterial infections that cause sore throats are Strep throat (Streptococcus), whooping cough, and Diphtheria. A bacterial infection can cause a sore throat with pain that persists for 3-7 days. The tonsils and lymph nodes in the neck will usually be swollen and aching. A fever higher than 101 degrees is usually caused by inflammation and the body trying to fight off the infection. If you have a bacterial infection you should see a doctor immediately to prescribe antibiotics such as penicillin. A prescription should be taken for 7-10 days to eliminate the bacteria from the body.
In either cause, viral or bacteria, there are ways to ease the symptoms of a sore throat. The best thing to do at the first sign of a sore throat is to gargle with warm salt water. This kills germs that are present in the mouth and reduces any inflammation. If the sore throat persists, you don’t want your throat to remain dry because this will lead to pain and irritation. Using a humidifier will keep moisture in the air, which will continually re-hydrate your throat and mucus membranes. Throat sprays are a great way to keep you throat wet. Look for ingredients such as glycerin, phenol or menthol because they act as a numbing agent, which will reduce, pain that you may be experiencing from a sore throat. Slippery elm and honey are two great natural products that will coat the lining of the throat and soothe your symptoms. Ibuprofen is a better over the counter pain reliever because it reduces pain and swelling. Eating popsicles and drinking warm tea will keep your throat moist and reduce pain when swallowing.

Graduated with a BA in exercise science and have worked in the medical field since. My focus is alternative medicine however all aspects of health interest me. Check out my health website!
Everyday Health, Live your Life to the fullest!
http://www.universalhealthinfo.com/Sore_Throat.html

Ever get heartburn after eating your favorite meal, or have a sore throat with acidic remnants? This could be caused by acid reflux or GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). Most people at some point in their life experience the symptoms of acid reflux but about 10% of American adults deal with acid reflux on a daily basis. Unfortunately, they don’t have to continue living with these painful symptoms. Acid reflux is a common and treatable problem, however most people don’t even realize it.
Acid reflux disease or disorder is caused from an inflammation or irritation of the esophagus, the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach. When we eat, food goes down the esophagus into the stomach where acid is released to digest the food. However, once the food is in the stomach the lower esophageal sphincter is supposed to close off the stomach not allowing any food, liquid or acid to move backwards up the esophagus. When the sphincter isn’t closed tightly some regurgitation can splash up into the esophagus. This fluid contains acid, pepsin and bile, which are harmful to the lining of the esophagus. If this continues to occur overtime it can be potentially dangerous for the esophagus.
Although the primary cause of acid reflux is the weakening of the lower esophageal sphincter there are other risk factors that can lead to acid reflux disease. Obesity, smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol and taking some prescription medications are all outside factors that can cause acid reflux. The medications that can cause acid reflux include blood pressure medication, asthma medication, heart disease medication, antidepressants and some sedatives. Hiatal hernias, pregnancy, and scleroderma are conditions that have also been linked with acid reflux.
Common symptoms of acid reflux include heartburn, burning pain in the chest, nausea after eating, regurgitation, trouble swallowing or food feeling trapped within the esophagus. Although there are other symptoms that are not as likely such as coughing, wheezing, hiccups, pain with swallowing, hoarseness, sore throat and acid residue in the throat. Symptoms can be minimal or severe depending upon the person’s case of acid reflux. If acid reflux becomes chronic without any relief damage to the esophagus can cause additional symptoms that can lead to esophageal cancer later on down the road. Injury to the esophagus can cause a chronic cough, laryngitis, asthma, dentine hypersensitivity, sinusitis, erosion of the dental enamel and damaged and discolored teeth.
Acid reflux is treatable and manageable through several different techniques. Due to our society’s reliability on medicine, most people would probably choose an over the counter antacid to suppress the acid reflux. Although, this may work in the mean time to relieve the symptoms by removing the acid, it won’t work for chronic acid reflux, which keeps coming back. Prescription medications for heartburn relief can work however they usually take longer and can cause side effects that are worse than the symptoms of acid reflux. These medications include Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) such as Nexium, and Prilosec, H2 antagonists such as Zantac, and Pepsid and Promotility agents. However, most often than not the best way to treat acid reflux is through dietary and lifestyle changes.
Making small but effective lifestyle changes can rid your body and life of acid reflux. Although, food is something that the body needs to function, it can be our worst enemy in terms of acid reflux. Some foods, normally the ones we love to eat, can actually be the culprit, which causes our stomachs to excrete excess acid. By reducing the intake of these foods, or learning to eat them in a different way (with different foods) we can decrease or eliminate the symptoms of acid reflux. Alcohol, caffeine, carbonated beverages; chocolate, citrus fruits, tomatoes, onions, spicy foods, fatty foods, full fat dairy products, peppermint, and spearmint have all been shown to trigger acid reflux. Eating large meals have also been proven to cause acid reflux due to the additional acid production in the stomach as well as the overflow of fluid into the esophagus. In addition you should avoid eating within 2-3 hours before you go to bed. Lying down with a full stomach can cause the fluid to go back up into the esophagus. You should also raise your upper body and head approximately 6 inches above your stomach. This will not allow for acid, or food to move upwards into the esophagus. Wearing tight clothes around the stomach can also increase the symptoms of acid reflux. It puts pressure on the stomach, which can force food up into the esophagus.
Stop being burdened by the symptoms of acid reflux. You now have the capability to live free of heartburn and acid reflux. Don’t let acid reflux disease inconvenience your life any more than it already has. Make the choice today!

Graduated with a BA in exercise science and have worked in the medical field since. My focus is alternative medicine however all aspects of health interest me. Check out my health website!
Everyday Health, Live your Life to the fullest!
http://www.universalhealthinfo.com/Acid_Reflux_Disorder.html

Halitosis (bad breath) is a common occurrence in society. Many people are plagued by a bad breath problem. Some of them probably don’t even realise that they have this problem to begin with. I recall a former co-worker whom I had a good relationship with, but I also remember quite clearly the odor of his breath. His toxic and smelly breath repulsed me at times and made me back off and keep my distance whenever he was in close proximity. I even had to hold my breath to avoid inhaling the odor. I worked with this guy for a couple of years, but he never got rid of it during the entire time. So he never seemed to know he had a problem to begin with. I even gave him some of my chewing gum in a subtle way so as not to appear rude or to be giving a blatant hint. I don’t think he ever took the hint though.

I am sure some of you can relate to this kind of experience. If you aren’t conscious of the problem in the first place how are you going to know that you need to take action to alleviate it? If you are aware and honest you have the ability to move toward a solution. As the reader you can learn how to control and avoid a bad breath problem and effectively do your part to reduce the prevalence of this nuisance.

Combat Bad Breath

1. Bad breath is a condition that can be avoided. One of the things that you can do is to ensure you practice regular oral hygiene. Brushing and flossing twice a day is a simple but effective way to prevent the build up of halitosis causing bacteria inside your mouth.

2. To completely clean your mouth and make your breath fresher, it is recommended that you use mouth wash. Since brushing and flossing alone do not completely cleanse your mouth of bad bacteria, a rinse with mouth wash helps flush away any debris left around the lining of the mouth and tongue.

3. Tongue scraping is also a great way to prevent bacteria from reproducing and breeding out of control in the mouth. People forget that the tongue is a breeding ground for producing bad bacteria and it is often neglected when it comes to maintaining oral hygiene.

4. Keeping your mouth hydrated by drinking water all throughout the day helps keep the mouth moist and prevents “dry mouth”. If there is adequate saliva in the mouth it is able to neutralize the presence of bad bacteria compounds.

5. Checking with your dentist is a great idea if you are unable to get the problem under control. If bad breath continues long after this, there is something wrong with you medically. If this is the case, then the right person to diagnose and provide treatment for your condition is your physician.

6. Another alternative is to check out some of the more effective halitosis treatments on the internet. Some of these products are very effective in eliminating bad breath. A good product to treat halitosis is one that includes homeopathic and natural herbal ingredients. With consistent and regular usage, this kind of product will help improve breath freshness and promote good overall oral hygiene. In addition, these kinds of products are safe and help support the throat, mouth and digestive tracts and bolster the capacity of these systems to function normally.

So, if you are faced with a bad breath problem or you are able to be honest with someone who has one, keep in mind these useful tips to help prevent bad breath.

Tyler Simpson operates the website: http://www.mycleansmile.net
Our website provides extremely effective teeth whitening solutions and bad breath treatments for home use. Check out the blog: http://www.mycleansmile.net/blog.php

There are three key elements to any exercise program that should be considered before starting your physical fitness. These elements are safety, effectiveness, and enjoyment. Nine times out of ten people will quit an exercise routine because they do not enjoy what they are doing. Although exercise is not intentionally meant to be enjoyable, if you don’t enjoy what you are doing you won’t get far in achieving your goals. No matter what your goals are with your workout routine, weight loss, muscle gain, or to become fit and healthy, maintaining safety, effectiveness and enjoyment is essential to accomplishing your goals.

When exercising most people have the mindset of “No Pain, No Gain”. Unfortunately, this kind of thinking can lead to injury, set backs and ultimately abandoning your fitness program. It is important to understand the difference between pain and muscle soreness to be able to continue on your path to better health. When you engage in exercise, especially when you first start, delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is bound to occur. Muscle soreness is due to weak, unused muscles adapting to the start of exercise or activity. Muscle soreness can occur during activity or after activity and can last any where from 12-48 hours. The intensity and length of muscle soreness is determined by the intensity of the workout and the strength of the muscle. Everyday activities only exert a small amount of force on our muscles. If we don’t use our muscles then they become weak and overtime will atrophy, causing the body to breakdown muscles and use the oxygen and proteins in other areas of the body. Once our muscles get used to exercise muscle soreness will dissipate. However, muscle soreness can reappear at any time during a workout or fitness routine, when you change exercises, or increase time, distance and intensity.

Unlike muscle soreness, pain is a signal from our brain to our body telling us that there is something wrong. Pain signals are normally a sign of injury or trauma within the body. There are two different types of pain that can differentiate where the pain is coming from. Acute or sudden pain suggests injury to the body such as a muscle sprain, or strain. The pain is usually abrupt, specific to a part of the body and varies in intensity. This type of pain is usually associated with swelling, inflammation and bruising. Acute injuries while exercising are usually related to improper form or technique. Never bounce or force movements, whereas this can cause muscle strains or tearing. If you continue exercising after all your energy is depleted your form, accuracy and technique will suffer making injury more likely. If you are unsure of an exercise technique ask a health professional such as a personal trainer.

Delayed pain usually is caused by a deeper, underlying problem such as disease, disorder or condition in the body. Symptoms can range from dull to sharp, achy, numbness, tingling, or burning sensations. When experiencing pain symptoms rather than muscle soreness, fatigue or stiffness, it’s important to stop exercising. If the pain subsides, restart exercise with less intensity but be cautious. If pain persists, have a doctor check out the problem.

The effectiveness of ones exercise routine should be based upon ones personal fitness goals. If you are looking to lose weight, low to moderate workouts are the best exercises to burn fat. Every level of exercise has its own exercises, intensity and weight, repetitions and rest periods. Therefore if you have never worked out before or are just returning to exercise after a long break then you need to start out with lower intensity, and weight and higher repetitions and rest periods. As your body adapts to the exercise your muscles will acclimatize and your program will adjust. Make sure your goals match the type of physical activity that you are doing. Personal trainers are a great guide to developing an effective and efficient workout routine. Based on your goals they can tell you the best types of exercises, how long you should workout, the intensity, the repetitions and the rest periods. Not to mention they can monitor your technique and push you towards your goals.

All effective workout routines have three additional components that maximize the effectiveness of exercise. Warm up, cool down, and stretching are three key elements that not only reduce the risk of injury, but assist the body in achieving the best performance while exercising. The warm up increases the blood flow throughout the body and allows the muscles to prepare for physical activity. Stretched muscles not only increase performance but also improve flexibility, agility and mobility. A proper cool down that includes stretching reduces lactic acid buildup in the muscles, which has been known to cause muscle soreness. In addition, the muscles are able to repair and grow, faster.

Although some people can effectively workout and maintain proper physical fitness without enjoying their fitness routine, for most people if they don’t enjoy what they are doing while working out, they ultimately won’t stick to it. Enjoyment while exercising is possible if someone is motivated and driven by the actual activity, by friends or family, or by the goals they set for themselves. Many people enjoy exercising through the act of exercising itself. Whether you play a sport that you love, or you like to run the act of that type of exercise is a motivator that makes you want to perform that activity. Women, more often than men, prefer to have a companion when working out. When women get together they talk and encourage one another, which helps especially while exercising. Plus even if they are doing an activity that isn’t particularly enjoyable, the company of a friend gives them enough enjoyment to complete the activity. Setting goals is the biggest motivation for people to want to workout. Whether your goals include losing weight, building muscle or becoming more fit and healthy, setting accomplishable goals can keep you on the right track to achieving your ultimate goal. Through exercise you stay on track to realizing your goals, which is a great feeling. The more motivated you are the more enjoyable your exercise will become. More enjoyment produces more consistency and greater results!

Graduated with a BA in exercise science and have worked in the medical field since. My focus is alternative medicine however all aspects of health interest me. Check out my health website!
Everyday Health, Live your Life to the fullest!
http://www.universalhealthinfo.com/Enjoy_Exercise.html

The most popular excuse for people to not start exercising is “I don’t have time”, or “ I don’t know how I’m going to fit it into my schedule!” However, the people who are the most motivated to lose weight are the people who find time, or make time to exercise. Those people who can’t find time know that exercise is hard. However, exercise is necessary to maintain body function and health. In our society exercise has become everyone’s worst nightmare however, 30 minutes of exercise a day can keep your heart, brain and body healthy. What people don’t realize is that its easier than they think to fit in 30 minutes of exercise a day, they just have to think about it. Here are ten easy ways to fit in your exercise into your daily schedule.

1. Workout on your lunch break. Use your lunchtime to go for a jog or quick walk, or play a game of racquetball. Not only will you get your exercise in, you will have more energy throughout the rest of your workday. You might even be able to cut out that extra cup of coffee or can of soda!
2. Workout at work. Most people sit at a desk all day long without getting up, moving or leaving their space. Not only is this not good for the body, your bodies functioning is greatly diminished by inactivity. Plus this can lead to decreased energy and mental capacity and overall output. Stand up and stretch. There are easy, modified exercises that can be done at your desk but allow you to get the daily exercise you need.
3. Walk, bike or skate to work. If you normally take the bus, get off a couple of stops early and walk the extra blocks. Take an extra set of clothes for longer distances.
4. Park further away from the entrance of your building, workplace, or store. More often than not there are plenty of parking spots further away. This will save you time from circling the parking lot and burn calories when you buy items you need to carry out to your car.
5. Hate waiting for the elevator. Take the stairs. Not only is faster and less crowded you will burn a ton of calories and increase your heart health.
6. Although cleaning around the house is no fun, it’s a great way to exercise. Vacuuming, sweeping, raking or mowing the grass can all burn some calories and get in your daily exercise. Plus you have the added bonus of getting both cleaning and exercise done at the same time.
7. Next time you’re going to catch up on the latest gossip with your girlfriends, avoid the coffee shop and invite your girlfriend(s) out for a brisk walk. This way you can walk and talk at the same time.
8. Play with your kids. Remember the games you used to play when you were a child i.e. Tag, hide and seek, jump rope, shooting hoops. Play these games with your kids. Not only will you be spending time with your children, it will be invigorating to act like a kid again, all while exercising.
9. Standing in line, don’t waste your time. This is valuable time that you could get your exercise in. March in place, pace back and forth, or stretch while waiting to get to the checkout counter.
10. Watching a rerun of your favorite TV show? Not this time. Take a brisk walk instead. Why waste your time watching something you have already seen. Doing sometime of activity whether it be walking, jogging in place, step ups or sit-ups, will not only increase brain capacity and mental acuity but you will get your daily exercise in too.

Graduated with a BA in exercise science and have worked in the medical field since. My focus is alternative medicine however all aspects of health interest me. Check out my health website!
Everyday Health, Live your Life to the fullest!
http://www.universalhealthinfo.com/Make_Time_to_Exercise.html