High blood pressure, which is often a result of hypertension, is the leading risk factor for a stroke, which in turn leads to severe and long-term disability, including death. Managing your blood-sugar levels is the most critical thing you can do to lessen your risk of a stroke, and you should leave no stone unturned in keeping your blood pressure at optimum levels.

What causes a stroke

A stroke, which is often referred to as a brain attack, takes place when the supply of blood to a particular region of the brain is cut off. The brain cells which are deprived of the oxygen and glucose die, and when the ailment is not caught early, a permanent damage to the brain can follow.

How is high blood pressure related to a stroke

Uncontrolled blood pressure levels can increase the risk of a stroke by about four to six times. With the passage of time, hypertension causes atherosclerosis as well as hardening of major arteries. This often results in blockages of small blood vessels present in the brain. With high blood pressure for a long period of time, the blood vessels of the brain become weak and burst. This way the risk of a stroke is directly related to the high levels of blood pressure.

 What can you do to keep your blood pressure under control

There is a  lot you can do to keep the chance of a stroke at bay. But the first thing you should try doing is keeping your blood pressure level normal. Some simple lifestyle changes can help you to lead a risk-free life and therefore, you should first aim at shedding off those extra pounds along your waistline.

In general, a man with a waistline measuring over 40 inches and a woman with that over 35 inches is at a higher risk of suffering from high blood pressure as well as a stroke. You should exercise regularly for at least half an hour and eat a well-regulated diet loaded with fibre, proteins, potassium and Omega-3 fatty acids. Stay away from junk food and maintain a food diary where you can jot down your honest food habits.

It is very important to lower down your high blood pressure in order to avoid risks of stroke. But if you fail to do so even after following a healthy routine, then it is crucial to consult a doctor who can help you by prescribing medications that are right for your medical condition.

Stroke Due to Hypertension - What Should be done About it?

Multiple sclerosis refers to disabling disease of the central nervous system, where the body s immune system eats away the protective layer sheathing the nerve fibres and disrupts communication between the brain and the rest of your body. 

Often, multiple sclerosis is associated with impaired cognitive functioning. Cognitive changes have direct functional consequences on your quality of life, ranging from occupational activities to professional career and personal life. In addition to it, a complex interplay between cognitive impairment and mental disorders like anxiety and depression, which negatively affect the normal course of life.

Rehabilitation Psychology works through various techniques and aims to ease the impact of cognitive changes on everyday life rather than simply defining their severity and nature.

Rehabilitation Psychology Approach to Multiple Sclerosis

The goal of Psychological Rehabilitation programs is to improve and preserve mental and physical abilities, as well as help patients adapt to changes in functioning. 

A team of specialists   consisting of a psychologist, physician, physiotherapist, speech-language pathologist, and an occupational therapist   works together in order to offer you well-rounded support and care. These specialists have years of experience and expertise in the management of symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

The rehabilitation program helps you address the following problems related to multiple sclerosis  

Spasticity

Fatigue

Sleep disorders

Chronic pain

Walking difficulties

Bladder and bowel issues

Changes in movement

Difficulty swallowing food

Mood disorders, like depression

Speech problems

Cognitive changes

Anxiety and uncertainty about the disorder

How Rehabilitation Programs Can be Helpful?

Since multiple sclerosis affects each person differently, Rehabilitation Psychology provides tailor-made treatment to patients.

The team of specialists work closely with the patients to evaluate their health needs, track progress, address pain, and teach them strategies essential to cope with the chronic disease.

Occupational therapy is directed toward patients with mobility problems. The therapy helps you with daily tasks, such as dressing, cooking, and learning ways to manage personal hygiene. 

Rehabilitation strategies for speech-language problems help maximize your abilities to cope with cognitive functions.

Multiple sclerosis is a lifelong condition and can be challenging as it progresses. Many people require constant support, care and motivation to get through the tough phase. Rehabilitation Psychology is just the way to combat the psychological effects of multiple sclerosis. You should communicate your concerns to a doctor, and learn all you can about the disease. 



 Rehabilitation Psychology In Management Of Multiple Sclerosis!

Excessive gas can be defined as bloating, belching, flatulence and burping. It does not matter what you call it, but what matters is how you treat it and get relieved from the embarrassing symptoms. 

Here are some ways in which you can avoid gastric problems:

*Avoid eating foods that can cause gas or acidity. Vegetables which are known to cause acidity are Brussels, Onions, Garlic and Broccoli; dairy products like cheese, milk, ice cream and whole grains can cause acidity. The reason is that these products have fiber, starch and sugar which cannot be digested easily, thus causing pain in the intestines. Fruits which contain sorbitol and aerated drinks should also be avoided. Eat everything but in moderation.

*Avoid drinking before meals as the stomach acids are lost and the food cannot be digested well. Water and liquids should be taken half an hour after a meal for a better digestion.

* Food should be eaten slowly. Eating and drinking quickly, allows a lot of air to go into the stomach with the food. This in turn can cause a stomach pain.

* Over the counter drugs can be taken for immediate help in digestion. These medicines contain enzymes which aid in digestion. The enzyme works to dissolve the sugar that is found in many fruit and vegetables.

* Some habits like chewing gum, drinking from a straw and smoking, etc. causes air to fill in the stomach, thereby, leading to gas.

* Artificial sweeteners such as sorbitol should be avoided as these are difficult to digest and can easily lead to a feeling of bloating. 

However, all the pains might not be due to gas and could be a sign of something serious. These could be:

* Lactose intolerance: This is the inability to digest milk and milk products. The sugar in the milk is known as lactose and cannot be digested easily. 

* Irritable bowel syndrome: People who suffer with pain in the lower abdomen constantly might be suffering from IBS.

* Colon cancer: If the pain lasts too long then getting a screening done is a good idea to rule out if one is suffering from colon cancer or not.

* Upper gastrointestinal disorders: If one gets belching occasionally, then it is alright, but a constant belching might be a sign of gastrointestinal disorder in the upper tract. These could be gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gastroparesis, or peptic ulcers.

Gastric Problems - Effective Ways To Manage It!

Diabetes is caused in your body due to an insulin imbalance or improper functioning of insulin, and it can affect multiple parts of your body within a short time. Therefore, regular check-ups of your body are very essential to know if you have diabetes.

Once you find out that you have tested positive for the disease, you need to become even more thorough in your testing to find out if your blood sugar levels are rapidly fluctuating. If they get out of hand, they may cause medical emergencies that may be impossible for you to tackle alone at home.

Hence, daily monitoring of blood sugar is of great importance, and can be done in the following ways-

  Monitoring with a meter - In this rather simple but effective way, you have to draw blood from a small puncture on your skin made with the help of a needle or small pricking device. The blood is placed on a strip and then introduced on a testing meter, which displays accurately your blood sugar levels.

  Meters that monitor blood from several body parts - There are meters that monitor glucose levels in blood from several parts of the body. These parts include the base of the thumb, and the forearm too. This method of diagnosis is particularly helpful for those whose blood sugar levels constantly fluctuate, as this device provides an average of blood sugar levels from different parts of the body, as a composite whole.

  Continuous glucose monitoring systems - Known as interstitial glucose measuring devices popularly, they give results not as accurate as the other two devices, but still a fairly accurate estimate.

How to keep your sugar levels in constant control?

If your blood sugar levels are too high or too low, you have to bring them to normal via treatment, and if they are at a harmless level, you have to maintain it at that mark. There are several ways to maintain your sugar levels at acceptable rates. They are-

  Daily regulated exercise - Daily exercise dramatically helps your health if you have diabetes because it increases your insulin sensitivity and promotes better utilization of it in your body. Exercise is also helpful to guard you against other illnesses related to high bad cholesterol, or a weak immune system.

  A balanced, healthy diet - A balanced diet helps you keep your sugar levels in check while providing you with the requisite nutrients for making your body even healthier. Make sure to include an abundance of fresh fruits and green leafy vegetables in your diet, and cut down intake of fast, processed and extremely sugary foods/beverages.

  Drinking plenty of water - Drinking adequate water hydrates your body, and contributes to a healthy diet. It also reduces your risk of diabetes and guards you against diseases like gallbladder stones which are caused due to a lack of water in your body.

  Stay mentally sound and stress-free - Controlling your stress and anxiety levels can work wonders for your diabetes. If you make it a goal to stay stress-free about factors that are beyond your control, and be optimistic about life in general, it could work wonders for control of your diabetes.

Diabetes is a potentially life-threatening disease with a host of secondary complications. To avoid the worst of it, make sure you go for regular medical checks. If you do happen to be diagnosed with it, perform regular tests to check your levels, and take adequate measures to keep it under firm control.

Ways To Monitor Blood Sugar And Followup Care!

The first thing you must know about dengue is that it is a mosquito-borne tropical disease, the root cause of which is the dengue virus. This virus is usually transmitted to a person when an infected Aedes mosquito bites them. There are as many as four serotypes of the dengue virus; they are DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, and DENV-4.

It must be noted that all four of them can potentially cause dengue fever. The term "dengue fever" is frequently used to distinguish clinically milder dengue virus infections. In more severe cases, however, the term "dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF)" is used.

One of the common complications of dengue fever is a decrease in the number of platelets in the blood, which is called thrombocytopenia. The decrease in platelet count in dengue fever is believed to be due to the destruction of platelets by the dengue virus. The virus infects and damages the bone marrow, where platelets are produced, leading to a decrease in their production. Sometimes the immune system may also produce antibodies that attack and destroy platelets.

Who Can Get Affected By Dengue and How Badly?
Dengue is a disease that can indiscriminately affect people belonging to all genders as well as age groups. The disease is also referred to as "break-bone fever," mainly because of the excruciating pain it may cause. It is prevalent all over the tropical and subtropical areas of the world, with about 50 to 100 million cases of dengue fever in more than 100 countries.

Among the common symptoms of dengue are fever, severe headache, pain in the eyes and joints, muscle and bone pain, rash, and fatigue. It usually gets better on its own, but occasionally can be fatal.

It is a viral disease transmitted by day-biting mosquitoes and is a major public health problem in many tropical and subtropical countries, with India, Brazil, and the Philippines being the top three countries.

Anyone who lives in or travels to the areas where dengue is present is at risk of being infected. However, certain groups of people may be more vulnerable to severe illness, including:

Children
Older adults
People with weakened immune systems
People with underlying medical conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease
Dengue, in most cases, does not cause complications and has a self-limiting course with full recovery in two to seven days. However, it can also lead to the patient's demise in some cases.

What Does Dengue Fever Actually Do to Your Platelets?
As we already know, it is a mosquito-borne disease that may cause blood clots and impair blood coagulation. These blood clots can usually form in the patient's capillaries. However, at times, they can also form outside the blood vessels and block blood circulation to different parts of the body. These blood clots can cause the patient to feel faint and develop different grave complications.

This serious medical condition is caused by a virus that invades and damages the body's platelets, which are cell fragments that help blood clot. Dengue, or break-bone fever, causes the platelet count to decrease because the virus that causes platelet damage mainly affects the blood cells of the sufferer.

The platelet count in dengue fever is also one of the useful diagnostic tools and is usually carried out in cases in which the patient exhibits bleeding tendencies or has had recent trauma.

You should also note that the virus responsible for dengue fever is also responsible for another viral disease called yellow fever. All people affected by the dengue virus have similar symptoms and causes, but different amounts of blood damage. Blood damage is one of the causes of death in dengue fever.

A sudden dip in the platelet count is one of the primary reasons for blood loss in dengue; hence it has been given the name hemorrhagic fever. Moreover, platelets are a type of cell that allows the blood to clot when wounded and also helps in reducing bleeding.

When we get infected with a virus, the body goes into self-defense mode and starts to attack the virus. It is when the body releases white blood cells to look for the virus and destroy it. The platelets are responsible for clotting the blood, and when the platelet count decreases, then you have problems with the clotting of blood.

This is usually the reason that people get seriously injured and enfeebled by dengue fever. A severe infection can lead to bleeding from the mouth and nose, as well as internal hemorrhage.

What Else Should You Keep In Mind?
During a season of dengue fever, people usually try to increase their platelet counts so that they have a better chance of fighting the infection. To do this, it is important to increase your consumption of foods rich in omega-3, vitamins, iron, and other minerals. These foods can help fight antibodies and also increase platelet counts in dengue.

You can also add kale and other leafy greens such as mustard greens, collard greens, turnip greens, and spinach to your meals. The thing about these leafy greens is that they are low in calories and high in vitamins A, C, and K, which are essential to combating the dengue virus. Also, the pigments present in these leafy greens are known to have great anti-inflammatory effects.

Conclusion
Dengue is a disease caused by a virus. This virus is most commonly spread by mosquitoes. If you have dengue fever, you will probably develop symptoms seven to 14 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. If you have dengue hemorrhagic fever, you will probably develop symptoms three to seven days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.

A person with dengue can have any combination of the following symptoms: mild fever, headache, joint or muscle pain, pain behind the eyes, rash, and mild bleeding. Symptoms can last for a few days to a few weeks.

Most people recover completely. But in some cases, the disease becomes life-threatening. For example, dengue hemorrhagic fever can be life-threatening. Furthermore, we hope you find this article informative and helpful. Please don't hesitate to share your views with us!

Why Platelet Count Decreases in Dengue Fever?

The thyroid hormones, namely T3, T4 and TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) play a pivotal role in various metabolic processes in the body. Any imbalance in the level of these hormones can interfere with the normal body functions. While an elevated level of the thyroid hormones gives rise to Hyperthyroidism, a reduced level of the same thyroid hormones can lead to a condition medically termed as Hypothyroidism. A proper diagnosis and treatment can bring about a significant improvement. However, there are some common mistakes that many people with thyroid problems often make.

Choose your diet with care: The health benefits of a balanced and nutritious diet are known to all. However, a food considered healthy may not be an ideal choice for a thyroid patient. Time and again, broccoli and kale have been recommended for its nutritive value. However, these vegetables may not be a good choice for thyroid health. Known to contain goitrogens, they may interfere with the production of the thyroid hormones. Gluten, a protein present in wheat, rye, and barley, though healthy should be avoided, especially in the case of Hypothyroidism.
Obesity may not be the trigger: While it is a healthy practice to maintain a healthy body weight, it is unfair to blame the extra kilos for every single disease that you suffer from. Many people believe that losing weight is the best way to deal with thyroid problems. However, the fact is quite different from what you believe. Thyroid problems can be an outcome of various triggers where losing weight may provide negligible or no assistance to reverse or improve the condition. In fact, rapid weight loss may give rise to some complications which may aggravate the condition further.
Thyroid glands are not always at fault: Many people associate thyroid problems with some abnormalities or improper functioning of the thyroid glands. There is no denying the fact that problems in the thyroid glands often trigger thyroid disorders. However, this is not the only cause. A host of other factors such as stress, medical conditions, certain medications and unhealthy lifestyle habits may be equally responsible for the thyroid problems. In some cases, the body may fail to utilize the thyroid hormones produced by the thyroid glands. In another condition, the thyroid hormone produced is unable to enter the cell (triggered by a problem in the cell receptor). It is important to identify the root cause of the problem rather than generalizing.
People with hypothyroidism do not need to gulp down tons of iodine. Always use the amount recommended by the doctor. Increased intake of iodine supplements (way above the recommended quantity) may result in unnecessary health complications such as Wolff-Chaikoff effect.
Many health organizations or individuals may promise instant relief and cure. They may lure you with some irresistible offers. However, it will be foolish on your part to fall for such claims. Always seek the help of experienced and genuine health professionals.

Thyroid - 5 Common Mistakes That Most People Do!

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