Heartburn is the name given to that burning sensation in your chest or throat that happens when acid rises up from your stomach into your mouth. Heartburn is a common symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD, also called acid reflux.

The commonest heartburn trigger is your diet. Spicy, heavy food causes acid reflux. Coffee, soda, tomatoes, alcohol and chocolate are culprits too. Obesity, smoking and medications for hypertension and cancer are the causes of heartburn too.

Certain people are more susceptible to heartburn. Sportspeople experience heartburn more, usually because exercise is a big trigger. It does so by putting increased pressure on the abdomen, which can increase the risk of acid reflux.

What can you do when heartburn strikes?

Wear Loose Clothes- Heartburn happens when stomach contents go back into the food pipe where the stomach acid burns tissue. If tight clothes constrict your abdomen, you can experience more heartburn. To get immediate relief, you can just loosen the belt of your trousers.

Proper Posture- Sitting up or standing straight can control heartburn. A slumped body posture can compress the internal organs including the stomach. An immediate quick fix is to lengthen your spine by gently moving your head towards the ceiling.

Eat Less- Overeating can cause the door between the stomach and food pipe to open, allowing contents to flow back and cause heartburn.

Quick Home Remedies-

Drink teaspoonful of baking soda mixed into a glass of water whenever you suffer from heartburn. This is a home remedy that works.

Raise your body, if you re lying down and experience heartburn. Use a pillow to elevate your body waist-up. This will get rid of heartburn fast.

Chewing gum can neutralise stomach acid. This is because gum increases saliva which clears off acid in the gut.

Avoid Cigarette Smoke- Smoking, both active and passive are harmful, if you suffer from heartburn.

Over-the-counter Medications- Antacids, H2 blockers, and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are all effective in treating heartburn. PPIs work by blocking acid production, H2 blockers reduce the amount of acid in your stomach and antacids neutralise stomach acid.

Melatonin- A common sleep inducing supplement is being investigated as a heartburn remedy.

Always remember to check with your doctor before taking any herbal remedy or supplement for heartburn. This is because supplements can have side effects or can interact with medications you may already be taking.

Common tips to prevent heartburn are to eat at least three hours before bedtime, avoid lying down immediately after eating and staying away from fatty and spicy foods. Maintaining a healthy weight is also key to preventing heartburn. It also helps if you do mild exercise regularly.  

How To Get Relief From Heartburn?

Alternating between being happy and sad as you go through life's ups and downs is normal, but if you're sad most of the time, it could be a sign of being depressed.  Depression takes the joy out of all your activities, and can make merely getting through a day feel overwhelming. The first step to overcoming this problem is to understand its symptoms and causes.  Not everyone experiences depression the same way, but here are a few questions that can help tell you if you are depressed or not.

Do you feel helpless?
It is common for depressed people to feel helpless and that everything around them is out of their control. As a result, the person may either stop participating in activities all together or try to control things they can't. Both situations are cyclic and lead to further depression.

Have you lost interest in daily activities?
The feeling of helplessness is one of the main reasons depressed people lose interest in activities. Another reason is that activities that were once enjoyed now do not seem interesting enough. In most cases, this leads to the person isolating himself and withdrawing from all his family and friends.

Do you often feel angry or irritated?
Depression is almost always accompanied by irritability and anger. Small annoyances that would usually be overlooked quickly, take on an inappropriate significance. This can lead to poor impulse control, substance abuse and anxiety disorder. In most cases, anger and depression are related by the person trying to take accountability for things that are out of his control and hence feeling helpless.

Is there a change in your sleep pattern?
Your sleep quality is very closely related to the way you feel. Depressed people often suffer either from insomnia or oversleeping. Depressed people can have trouble going to sleep as well as staying asleep. This can cause drowsiness and lethargy during the day. Sleep apnea is also linked with depression. As you can imagine, if this is left untreated, it will only worsen your depression.

Do you feel tired?
When the body does not get adequate sleep, you begin the day feeling tired. Thus, depressed people often feel fatigued and complain of a number of muscle and joint pains.  This is because the body has not had enough time to regenerate cells during the night. This is usually complemented by complains of persistent headache and stomach aches, both of which are emotionally connected to the way you feel.

The nature of depression is such that it lowers a person's self-esteem to the point of interfering with his ability to seek help. Hence, if you have a positive response to the above questions, it is time to address your problem before it worsens.

How To Recognize Depression In Adults

Mushroom is a type of fungi that hails from the Agaricus family. It is estimated that there are close to 1,40,000 types of mushroom, out of which science has been able to classify only 100 odd mushrooms for health benefits. From cutting down cholesterols to preventing cancers, increasing the strength of the immune system to helping in weight loss, there are numerous health benefits of mushroom. This article will explore why mushrooms are regarded so highly by health practitioners across the globe:

Cholesterol levels: Mushroom does not possess any fat or cholesterol. They are rich in lean protein, fiber, and some very important enzyme. The lean protein found in mushroom helps to burn down the LDL cholesterol. Furthermore, it creates a good balance of LDL and HDL cholesterol so that the body can refrain from stroke, atherosclerosis etc.
Preventing cancer: Mushrooms are mighty effective in blocking certain cancer types such as the breast and prostate cancer. Owing to their high linoleic acid and beta-glucans, they act as a very good anti-carcinogen. While linoleic acid can successfully suppress the excess estrogen which leads to breast cancer in women, the beta glucans can suppress the growth of cancer cells in the case of a prostate cancer.
Diabetes: Mushroom is an ideal food for a diabetic patient. They do not possess cholesterol, consists of low fat, have high protein and a lot of minerals and vitamins. Apart from this, mushrooms possess a lot of fiber and water. The most critical component, however, is the natural insulin that mushroom has within itself. They help to break down the starch found in food items. Mushrooms have certain components that help in the proper functioning of the liver, endocrine gland etc. It ensures that the proper balance of insulin is maintained in the body.
Bone health: Mushroom is a very good source of calcium. They ensure that adequate strength of various bones is maintained in the body. Regular intake of mushroom can ensure safeguard an individual from conditions such as osteoporosis, joint pain, and immobility.
Blood Pressure: Mushroom variety such as the maitake and the shitake has a high amount of potassium content. The latter can successfully relax the blood vessels thereby, reducing the blood pressure. Increased potassium content also helps in knowledge retention and an improved memory. High blood pressure, on the other hand, can cause severe damage such as strokes, heart attacks etc.
Selenium content: Selenium component is mushroom is one of the key ways to receive selenium for a vegetarian. Selenium helps in strengthening the bone, nail, tooth and hair. Selenium is also considered to be a very powerful antioxidant that can successfully get rid of free radicals in the body and strengthen the immune system.

Mushrooms - 6 Reasons Why You Should Start Eating Them Today!

World Sickle Cell Day is observed each year on June 19th to raise the public awareness regarding this disease and its treatment methods. Sickle Cell disease is an inherited transmitted deformity/abnormality of haemoglobin. It is an inherited form of anaemia. This abnormality generates changes in the shape of red blood cells from round to crescent, which reduces the oxygen carrying capacity and slows down the flow of blood to various parts of the body. 

Generally, red blood vessels are round and flexible, passing easily through the blood vessels. The red blood cells become sticky and rigid in sickle cell anaemia. Sickle cells last 10 to 20 days, which causes anaemia because of the disorder of red blood cells, while healthy red blood cells could live up to 120 days.

Millions of people around the world are affected by Sickle Cell Anemia. There is no specific cure for this disease as Sickle cell anaemia is not contagious, it is hereditary. Sickle cell anaemia is named so for the reason that red blood cells are crescent-shaped or sickle-shaped, and anaemia signifies lack of blood. There is a difference between iron-deficiency anaemia and sickle cell anaemia.

Symptoms

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) has many symptoms which includes: serious anemia, episodes of suffering, additionally a range of complications, heart failure, dizziness, chronic kidney disease (CKD), acute chest syndrome (ACS), chest pain, gallstones, pulmonary hypertension, immune deficiency, paralysis or stroke, splenomegaly, joint damage mainly in the hip joint, foot ulcers, delayed puberty, retinopathy, and endocrine disorders.

Diagnosis

Sickle Cell Disease is diagnosed by blood tests.

Treatment

Bone marrow transplant or stem cell transplant in patients usually below the age of sixteen is the only available cure for the disease.

Aim of the World Sickle Cell Day

The aim of the World Sickle Cell Day is to support and promote research for the patients in order to help them upgrade their overall quality of life to the maximum possible extent. It also aspires to increase awareness for sickle cell disease disorder in the general public so that they know how to deal with patients suffering from the disease. Moreover, the World Sickle Cell Day has the objective of raising awareness of the importance among generations of pre-marital screening to lessen the transmission of Sickle Cell Disease.

Target Groups for Awareness Programs

Though it is desirable that everybody knows about Sickle Cell Disease, the target groups for the awareness programs include health decision-makers, sickle cell anaemia sufferers and their families, health organizations and associations, people who are planning to get married, and the health workers including health educators, physicians, and nurses.

On the World Sickle Cell Day, different societies provide advocacy, information, and advice for raising awareness. They also provide educational and welfare grants, support services, annual children s holiday, home help, hospital visits, mentoring and befriending through holding talks, assisting into research and training, lobbying for better service provision, patient education seminars, and campaigning.

World Sickle Cell Day - What Should You Know?

The urethra is a thin tube that is responsible for carrying urine from the bladder. The urethra is wide enough to facilitate a free flow of urine. However, in some cases, the tube can narrow down and it can restrict urinary flow. This condition is known as a urethral stricture. It is a condition that affects mostly men.

Causes:
The inflammation of the tubular tissues or the presence of scar tissue is the number one cause for urethral stricture. In some cases, an accident or the injury to the groin area can also lead to the formation of such thin tubes. The other factors can include pelvic fractures, radiation, urinary infection and in some cases even STDs(Sexually Transmitted Disease).

Symptoms:
Most of the symptoms of Urethral stricture are mild. Only in some rare cases, the symptoms can be extreme. These can include weak or restricted urine flow, frequent urges to urinate, and feeling of heaviness in the bladder, a burning sensation during urination, swelling and pain while urinating. Sometimes your urine may discharge volts of blood and the color of urine may change.

Diagnosis:
Diagnosis is by a physical examination and by analyzing the urine samples. In most of the cases, the thickness of the walls is measured by cystoscopy. The rate of the urine passed may also be checked for identifying the symptoms.

Treatment:
Treatment depends on the severity of the condition. Nonsurgical methods aim to improve the width of the urethra. This is done by using an instrument called a dilator. This is done as an outpatient procedure. This procedure is the most common method done and is done for most of the milder cases. Surgery is another option. The surgery aims to remove the heaviness of the urethra and enlarges the size of the flow.

Urine Flow Diversion:
This is done in extremely rare cases if the bladder has to be completely removed. In those cases, hole in the abdomen is done and urine is bypassed to that hole. However, this is an extremely rare scenario.

Prevention:
Try to avoid injuries in the groin area. If you are playing sports or a fitness enthusiast, use proper protection for your abdominal and groin regions. Try to always have safe sex and if you feel that there is some discomfort or some uneasiness while passing urine, do consult with a doctor immediately. In many cases, the condition can be avoided if proper precautions are taken.

What Is Urethral Stricture?

Arthritis is a painful joint condition that leads to pain and stiffness as well as lack of proper mobility due to inflammation and swelling. Usually, an orthopaedic specialist will prescribe anti-inflammatory and pain relieving medication for this condition, but there are various things that you can do to ensure that this condition does not become a debilitating one in the long run. One of the best ways of doing this is by limiting your diet in certain ways when it comes to inflammation producing food. 

Here are a few types of food to avoid if you are suffering from arthritis.

Fried food: Fried and processed food is packed with too much of salt in order to better preserve it so that it has longer shelf life. Also, the use of oil in order to deep fry can have a detrimental effect on the inflammation that is already causing problems for your joints. Therefore, it is best to avoid fried, fatty and processed or packaged food that has been frozen for too long.
AGEs: When we speak of AGEs, we are not talking about the number of birthdays that you have celebrated. AGEs are actually Advanced Glycation End products that are a toxin released by food when it is heated, grilled, fried or pasteurised. These toxins can render damage to the proteins in your body. Once this process starts, the body retaliates by sending forth cytokines which are basically inflammatory messengers. This can lead to inflammation and arthritis.
Sugar: Sugar and other refined carbs also have a large amount of AGEs as discussed above. These types of food should also be avoided by patients suffering from arthritis. Also, artificially sweetened drinks and too many baked goodies should be avoided by these patients.
Dairy products: Owing to a certain kind of protein that most dairy products contain, these kinds of food are considered harmful for patients of arthritis. These proteins can encourage inflammation and irritation of the tissue that surrounds your joints. Switching to a vegan diet is considered helpful for arthritis patients.
Alcohol: Excessive drinking is a major problem that can aggravate your arthritis situation. Smoking and drug abuse also leads to such problems. Drinking excessively can lead to the development of gout.
Corn oil: This kind of oil is a part of most packaged, processed and fried food. It also leads to inflammation. Arthritis patients should switch to omega fatty three oils which can be found in fish.
Taking care of your body is a matter of maintaining a good diet with lots of activity that will be congenial for your condition. This will also help in keeping the painful symptoms of arthritis away.

Arthritis - 6 Foods You Must Avoid!

Don't wait any longer, manage your Bio-Chemics online with a Lybrate doctor today

Consult for Bio-Chemics - Online and Easy!

FilterClear All

COMMON SPECIALITIES

COMMON ISSUES