Potassium is an essential mineral which is known as an electrolyte. Electrolytes are responsible for maintaining the ionic balance of your body. Other electrolytes are sodium, calcium, magnesium, phosphate, chloride. These electrolytes bear an electric charge which manages the electrical activity of your health system. Potassium also helps the muscles of the body to function properly. In fact, it has its contribution in regulating blood pressure; a crucial role for a healthy heart.

Potassium deficiency is a kind of medical condition which is known as hypokalemia. The normal level of potassium in the human body should be in between 3.5-5.0 mmol/L. But the deficiency in potassium can cause severe problems including muscle weakness, nerve disorders, heart problems, etc. Kidney is the organ which is known to manage the potassium balance by removing the extra potassium through urine.

Causes of potassium deficiency:

Lack of potassium in diet
Dehydration
Diarrhoea
Too much sweating
Several medicines also cause potassium deficiency

Signs of potassium deficiency:

You are getting wiped out too often: Like it is discussed before that potassium is responsible for your muscles to work actively. Each and every cell needs the required amount of potassium to work effectively. So, a little deficiency of potassium can leave you exhausted throughout the day. If your normal working routine leaves you exhausted and if you are sweating too often, then there is a chance that you are suffering from hypokalemia.
High blood pressure: Potassium plays an important role in maintaining the blood pressure by helping in relaxing the blood vessels. Low potassium can cause the blood vessels to get constricted, due to which your blood pressure increases.
Muscle weakness: Potassium plays a significant role in building the strength of your muscles. Lack of potassium can easily cause muscle weakness, aches and spasms.
Irregular heartbeat: Anything regarding your heart problem can scare you badly; especially when you experience sudden skipped heart rate or when your heart rate doubles. Low potassium can cause such palpitations and skipped heartbeat.
Feeling dizzy: Lack of potassium in your body can slow down your heart rate and make you feel dizzy or you may feel that you are going to faint. Though many other medical conditions can be responsible for such symptoms but hypokalemia is one of them.
Constipation: Potassium deficiency can affect your overall health. You might encounter symptoms like bloating, abdominal cramping etc.
Numbness and tingling: Potassium is significant in keeping your nerves healthy. Potassium deficiency can make you experience numbness, needle sensations on your feet, wrist, etc.
These are the signs that people encounter when they suffer from hypokalemia. Hypokalemia can make you feel extremely sick and it causes several diseases which are discussed above. It is always advisable to visit a doctor when you encounter any of these above mentioned symptoms.

Potassium Deficiency - 7 Signs You Are Suffering From It!

Peptic Ulcers are sores that develop in the lining of a stomach, small intestine or lower oesophagus. They usually crop as a result of inflammation caused by bacteria and also due to erosion from stomach acids. Peptic Ulcers affecting the stomach are also known as gastric ulcer, one in the duodenum is called a duodenal ulcer and an ulcer occurring in the oesophagus is called an oesophageal cancer. 

Talking about the causes, symptoms, tests and exams related to it and treatment options for peptic ulcers. Let s go ahead and take a look at them one by one:

There are certain symptoms for peptic ulcers and one of the most common ones being, indigestion-like pain in the abdomen. 
The pain tends to occur anywhere in the region between the belly button and breastbone and the duration can be brief or may even last for hours. 
A change in appetite could be noticed, wherein you may not feel like having anything
Feeling of uneasiness which can have an effect as if you are going to vomit.
You tend to lose weight for no apparent reason.Stools with dark red blood.
Causes Of Peptic Ulcers

Peptic ulcers can be caused as a result of different factors, which lead to the breakdown of lining of the stomach, oesophagus and small intestine. The causes are as follows:

Helicobacter pylori: It is a type of bacteria which causes stomach infection and inflammation. Helicobacter pylori produces urease, which is an enzyme that neutralizes stomach acid by making it less acidic. In order to compensate this, the stomach goes on to produce more acid which leads to irritation of the stomach lining. The bacterium makes the stomach s defense system weak and causes inflammation.
Overdose of drugs: If you are in the habit of using aspirin or ibuprofen along with other anti-inflammatory drugs on a regular basis, then you increase the chances of suffering from ulcer.
Smoking: Smoking leads to an increase in the production of stomach acids and that tends to reduce bicarbonate production. People who smoke are at risk of developing duodenal ulcers.
Increased Alcohol Consumption: When you have too much alcohol, then you are at a risk of developing all sorts of problems. Alcohol is basically a toxin which can damage almost every organ of the body. Digestive system can get hampered a lot through alcohol. Alcohol irritates the stomach lining, which leads to an increased risk of developing ulcer.
Treatment Of A Peptic Ulcer

Treatment would depend upon the underlying cause of ulcer. Your doctor would most probably suggest you to do an endoscopy and if the test shows that there is H.pylori infection, a combination of medicines would be prescribed. Medications would ideally continue for two weeks. There will be antibiotics to kill infections and Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI) for reducing stomach acid. If the doctor feels that ulcer has not been caused as a result of H.pylori infection, then you might be asked to take over-the-counter medicines like Prilosec or Prevacid for close to eight weeks, which would not only reduce stomach acid but also heal your ulcer.

Peptic Ulcers - Common Causes Behind Them!

Cumin, also known as 'jeera' in the Indian subcontinent, is an ancient seed that has been prized for more than 3000 years. Ayurveda holds this spice in high regards and uses it for treating a host of health disorders including burning of excess fat.

Why are cumin seeds considered to aid in weight loss?

An effective detoxifier: Ayurveda considers the accumulation of toxins to cause weight gain and other medical conditions. While certain toxins are easily removed with water, fatty toxins stick to cells and disrupt cell metabolism resulting in weight gain. To detox such hard-to-remove toxins, cumin seeds are predominantly used in Ayurveda. The seeds remove excess kapha from the intestines and detox liver effectively.
Lowers cholesterol that aids in burning fat effectively: Black cumin is rich in phytosterols which are plant fats resembling cholesterol present in animal fats. When consumed, they limit the amount of cholesterol absorbed by the body. Taking a tablespoon of cumin seeds every day has been medically proven to lower the amount of cholesterol up to 10 percent and bad cholesterol up to 14 percent. This reduction in addition to the cholesterol-lowering measures that you may have adopted would be helpful in burning fat much faster. Taking about 2 grams of cumin seeds combined with light freehand or aerobic exercises can lead to subsequent weight loss in people who lead a sedentary lifestyle.
Lowers blood sugar levels and regulates metabolism: Any person with high blood sugar levels is aware that low insulin levels tend to create a craving for sweets and carbs while high insulin levels can cause extreme thirst and fatigue. Cumin seeds have been proven to lower the blood sugar levels. It lowers blood sugar levels by increasing insulin and glucose sensitivity. In this way, black cumin seeds can aid you to shed off extra pounds by improving the blood glucose levels as well as glucose absorption. In addition to all these benefits, black cumin seeds contain high amounts of oleic acid which is a fatty acid causing acceleration in the way in which the body burns fat.
Other benefits from cumin seeds: Constipation and indigestion are other common reasons for weight gain. An excellent source of fiber, antioxidants, and that has anti-flatulent properties, the cumin seeds can cure constipation, bloating and heaviness, thus, aiding in weight loss. Lack of sleep may also be causing weight gain. Cumin seeds can cure you of insomnia, thus. regulating your sleep pattern and metabolism.
Hence, cumin seeds are a simple and effective ayurvedic remedy for weight loss. Cumin seeds are more potent, and you can take a spoon of roasted or plain cumin seeds every day. Obese or normal, irrespective of your weight, taking cumin seeds regularly have quite a few benefits.

1 Tablespoon Of Cumin - Know How It Can Work Wonders!

Peptic ulcers are wounds that develop in the stomach lining, less esophagus or small intestine. They are usually due to inflammation caused by bacterial H. pylori, in addition to corrosions from stomach acids. An ulcer is generally rooted in the stomach or inner layer of the small intestine. A stomach ulcer is the most visible sign of peptic an ulcer disease.

People with an ulcer may have a really hard time dealing with it. It is an open wound on the outer or internal surface of the body, which causes excessive pain. It is due to a breakdown in the mucous membrane or skin which fails to recover.

Causes of peptic ulcer:
Several reasons can cause stomach, esophagus, and small intestine to break. Contains:

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), a type of bacteria that can cause stomach infections and swelling
Continuous use of Aspirin (Bayer), Ibuprofen (Advil), and other anti-inflammatory drugs (the risks linked with this behavior among women and people over 60 years of age)
Smoking
Alcohol drinking
radiation therapy
stomach cancer
Symptoms of peptic ulcer:
The most common symptom of peptic ulcer is burning abdominal pain, which spread from navel to chest, which can range from light to severe. In few circumstances, the pain can get you up at night. Small peptic ulcers cannot develop any symptoms in initial stages.

A burning, grinding pain in the upper middle part of the stomach and is comforted just by eating or taking antacids.
Change in taste
Sickness
Bloody or dark stool
Ambiguous weight loss
Indigestion
Vomit
Pain in chest
Below are the ways to you from Peptic ulcers?
Stomach ulcer pain is not a joke: it can leave you weak. Fortunately, following these steps are ways to reduce your risk of getting ulcer.

Avoid some foods such as spicy, lemon, fatty, etc., because they can be burdens your stomach. Specifically, if you have seen that particular types of food disturb your stomach, keep away from it.
Improve the quality of your life by including exercise, stress-free activities, yoga etc. in your daily routine.
The heavy consumption of alcohol can cause ulcers. They have been contributing to the development of ulcers, so it is good to reduce the consumption of alcohol.
Taking no steroid anti-inflammatory medicines can reduce the risk of disturbing your stomach lining and thus avoiding the growth of ulcers.
Management of anxiety level avoids the expansion of ulcers. Do yoga and other comforting arts that help prevent the ulcer.
Some lifestyle choices and habits can reduce your risk of developing the peptic ulcer. 

5 Things You Can Do To Protect Yourself From Peptic Ulcer!

What is Colitis?
Colitis is a chronic bowel disease that causes inflammation in the lining of your colon i.e. the large intestine.

Prevalence in India -
Once prevalent in Western countries, colitis is on the rise in India among other Asian countries. The causes for this rise are mainly the degrading environment and the consequent changes in your genes. Colitis brings many changes to your lifestyle. Therefore, it is important to arm yourself with all the information about the disease to better manage it and lead the life you want.

What are the causes?
The common causes of colitis are -

Infection due to virus, bacteria and parasites
Decreased blood supply
Allergic reactions
What are the signs and symptoms of Colitis?
The signs and symptoms of colitis include the following-

Extreme pain before, during or after diarrhoea in the lower abdomen
Aches in joints and muscles
Tender abdomen
Swelling of colon
Redness on the colon surface
Bleeding from stool
Diarrhoea or constipation
Loss of appetite
Weight loss
Fever, fatigue
Dehydration
Eye and skin inflammation
What can you do to prevent it?
In order to prevent the occurrence of colitis, you can adopt a few steps. Precautionary measures mostly include dietary changes. You should avoid intake of certain foods to eliminate the symptoms of the disease.

Avoid the consumption of dairy products
Avoid eating spicy foods
Avoid including vegetables like cabbage, dried beans, peas in your diet
Refrain from drinking alcohol, caffeine and carbonated drinks
Instead, include white bread, white rice, pureed vegetable soup, canned fruits, etc
Depending on the diagnosis and the treatment, people do get better. Many people can build successive careers after getting treatments. However, initially, the symptoms will cause a problem in your daily life. It is important to know how you can identify the early signs and what you can do to manage or prevent them.

Know More About Colitis!

In this health-conscious era, more and more people want to stay fit. They constantly look for ways to maintain good health. Many have even developed a good habit of starting the day with a glass of lukewarm water as soon as they wake up in the morning. Yes, drinking water on an empty stomach offers the maximum health benefits. It not only stimulates the removal of toxins from the body but also benefits the overall digestive system. 

Although warm water isn t the most palatable, there are many reasons to start drinking it this way, either alone or with lemon. Below given are 6 reasons to start drinking lukewarm water on an empty stomach:

Digestive system: The food pipe, after having digested a variety of foods the previous day, would still be left with remnants. Starting the day with a glass of warm water acts as a good flush, which removes all these remnants. The warm or hot water also helps in removing greasiness, which is very helpful in people who eat a lot of junk food.
Helps in Weight loss: Drinking warm water on an empty stomach is perfect for those who are trying to lose weight as warm water raises body temperature and the metabolism. This, eventually, helps in burning more fat and boosting the weight loss efforts through diet and exercise changes. Ideally, you should add some drops of lemon in it. 
Strengthens Immune system: When a glass of hot water along with some lime is consumed early in the morning, it gives the required dose of vitamin C and potassium to the body, which strengthens your immunity system. Also, as the stomach is empty, the absorption is faster. 
Maintains body s pH balance: The body s pH turns alkaline as the ascorbic acid and the citric acid is easily digested and removed from the system. Drinking warm water helps in maintaining the required pH in the body.
Keeps you positive throughout the day: A nice juicy lime smells great, and this can be one of the best mood enhancers to begin your day with.
Skin and hair: For anybody with good skin, the key success factor is hydration, and a glass of warm water in the morning works like a cherry on the cake. When our body accumulates toxins, it becomes prone to illness and aging. A glass of hot water in the morning stimulates detoxification and helps in repairing skin cells and elasticity.
So, start your day with a glass of warm water and feel the difference. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Benefits of Drinking Lukewarm Water in Morning - Start Your Day With It?

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