There are phases in life when you do not feel energetic enough to engage in sex. It could be due to stress, long work hours or other biological reasons. A healthy, active sexual life helps in reducing a number of health issues, keeps you de-stressed, happier and most importantly, helps in keeping the relationship's spark alive! Certain foods are known to address just that and help in running your libido.

Try these boosters to get the spark back in your life.

1) Black Raspberries - They will get you into mood. Snack on it as it helps in increasing your sexual endurance. Consume at least 10 black raspberries an hour before getting busy.

2) Figs - Figs are considered excellent stimulants of fertility, enhance the secretion of pheromones. Try feasting on a few figs every day to notice a difference.

3) Cloves - Cloves are sex-superfoods. In fact, they have been used as a natural treatment for sexual dysfunction for years. They possess aphrodisiac qualities. Having a few will naturally up your libido.

4) Watermelon - Watermelon is known for boosting serotonin and endorphin levels, both of which are linked to improved sexual performance. Have the fruit regularly.

5) Eggs - Poach them, scramble them, make an omelette or do a sunny side up. There are just so many ways to eat an egg. But no matter how you eat it, the results will be the same - your libido will rocket up. It is used for heart ailments and erectile dysfunction as well.

6) Ginger - A little bit of ginger every day boosts circulation and so enhances your libido.

7) Lettuce - Lettuce is a libido booster for both men and women. Have iceberg lettuce with little salad or just nibble it and you will be good to go!

If you have any questions on improving sexual health, please click on 'Consult.

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Boost Your Sex Drive With These 7 Foods

Every person suffering from migraine will agree that -  although medications can control the head-piercing pain that each attack brings with it, preventing the onset of the pain altogether is the best way to deal with it. Follow these three simple strategies and based on the reaction of your body to these, mould your lifestyle to effectively prevent the occurrence of migraine to a good extent.

1. Get adequate amount of exercise
A large majority of people who suffer from migraine steer clear of any highly intensive or strenuous exercise as it is known to be the prime trigger for a severe attack. Having said that, avoiding physical activity altogether can worsen your migraines and thus you should focus on indulging in some light exercises. Activities such as jogging, walking and yoga can reduce the duration of your migraines and also bring down its severity and frequency. Moreover, regular exercise brings down stress levels which are also a major factor for triggering migraine attacks.

2.  Take note of your meal schedule and type of food that precipitates headache
For most patients migraine is triggerred by irregular meal schedule and some foods acts as triggers for migraine like cheese, chocolate, chinese foods. It is very imprtant to maintain a regular meal schedule, avoid skipping meals and take note of the items that precipitate your headache. Items that can precipitate headache is different for every individual and maitaining a headache diary can help you to identify these triggers. Also, note down the occurrence of your migraines, their duration and severity. Having adequate data makes it extremely simple to recognize a recurring pattern and leads you to the main cause behind your migraine attacks.

3. Maintain a stable sleep schedule
Sleep plays a great role in triggering migraine attacks and irregular sleep patterns, not getting adequate sleep, or sleeping more than required – all these habits can lead to a severe attack. Thus, try and create a sleep schedule for yourself keeping your daily routines in mind and follow it without fail.

Top 3 Strategies To Keep Migraine At Bay

The lungs are responsible for taking in and filtering out oxygen which is then supplied to the body via circulation. They are also responsible for removing the carbon dioxide from the body. This happens through breathing, and though no effort is required, when the function is impaired, the entire body system takes a toll.

Lung function can be impaired by a multitude of issues including infections like pneumonia, chronic diseases like COPD and pulmonary hypertension, heart conditions like a congestive failure, etc. While the acute cases would go off once the infection is treated, the long-term conditions are helped by physiotherapy in addition to medications.

The lungs are made up of elastic tubules and have the ability to hold secretions. Therefore training the lungs to improve their function via exercise can help improve overall lung function. Some of the routine exercises are simple ones as below.

Active breathing: The patient is taught to breathe in a more aware manner so that the lungs take in air to their maximum ability.
Postural drainage: The lungs are like containers for mucus, and over a period of time, they need to be drained. Depending on where the fluid accumulation is, the patient is taught to lie in various positions so that it can be drained, allowing for instant relief.
Nasal saline rinse: This helps in clearing the secretions and also the saline provides an antibacterial effect to clear off residual infection. Clearing sputum is highly critical for reducing chances of repeat infections and hospitalizations.
Peripheral and respiratory muscle training: Though it goes unnoticed, breathing also involves neck and shoulder muscles and strengthening these is also essential for effective breathing.
Multiple studies have shown that physiotherapy plays a vital role in lung rehabilitation. As noted above, while the benefit may be not very evident in short-term lung impairment, it makes a significant difference in long-term and chronic conditions like COPD, pulmonary hypertension, and even congestive heart failure. Lung rehab has shown to produce the following changes:

Reduce episodes of breathlessness and fatigue. A person can gradually resume his normal chores without too much assistance.
Help in clearing secretions, which can worsen congestion and breathlessness.
Increase overall quality of life. There could be even people who cannot do routine activities like walking to the bathroom. They could be benefitted with pulmonary rehabilitation.
Reduce the number of hospitalizations due to mucus accumulation and breathlessness.
Improve exercise tolerance. It is well known and proven that those who exercise on a regular basis can improve lung function over a period of time.

Lung Rehabilitation - How Physiotherapy Can Help?

Things to do in case of chest pain or angina pain

Unlike yesteryears chest pain or heart related problems aren’t just age related anymore. Many young people under 30 are experiencing chest pain. It seems to be directly proportional to the increasing stress levels.The medical term for mild chest pain is angina pectoris and it happens when your heart is not getting its usual requirement for blood. Such a situation occurs when one or more arteries are blocked. Angina Pectoris is experienced usually while doing physical activities or experiencing strong emotions. At such times, the heart doesn't get as much blood as it requires for normal functioning.

Broadly speaking, discomfort in the upper part of the body is the symptom of angina, the symptoms typically include:

1.  It may feel like you are suffering from indigestion or gas or fullness and pressure.

2.  It may also feel like chest pain spreading to the neck, back, arms, shoulder or jaw.

3. You feel better after a little rest or some medication.

4. It doesn't last for too long, at the most five minutes.

5. Shortness of breath, anxiety, dizziness, sweating, fatigue and nausea and also symptoms of angina.

Physical conditions and habits which put you at the high risk zone for angina are:
1. When you don't get enough exercise.
2. If you are a smoker
3. If you are overweight
4.  If you have a history of heart diseases
5. If you are diabetic
6. If you suffer from blood pressure of high cholesterol

Steps You Must Do To Manage the Pain and Resultant Effects

1. Calm Down - The first thing to do to counter angina pains is to rest and calm down. If you are doing physical activity, stop doing it. And if you are under emotional turbulence, you need to find ways to calm down immediately. Meditate, if needed.

2. Get Professional Help - Do not delay in consulting the doctor and ensure that you take the prescribed medication diligently. In situations where the damage is much more and medications cannot clear the problem, surgery is resorted to.

3. Change Of Lifestyle - In the long run, lifestyle change is a good idea. Staying fit, a clean medical report and keeping a healthy lifestyle will keep enough blood pumping into your heart.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

From Lybrate: If you found this tip useful, please thank the doctor by clicking on the heart icon below. Also, spread good health by sharing this tip with your loved ones over WhatsApp, Facebook and other media.

Why You Must Not Dismiss Chest Pain as a Minor Affair!

Sadly, there is no known cure for hiv. However, it can be controlled through medication. Hiv or the human immunodeficiency virus attacks the body's immune system and over time leaves it vulnerable to a number of other diseases. In its most advanced stages, it can lead to aids. Hence, it is essential to control this virus in its early stages.

Hiv treatment is known as antiretroviral therapy or art. This involves taking a series of hiv medicines on a daily basis. Art can help hiv patients live a longer, healthier life and can also reduce the risk of hiv transmission.

The first step towards getting treated for hiv is to get tested. This can be easily done at your nearest health center and the results will be kept confidential. With hiv prevention is better than cure and hence, if you have more than one sexual partner, you must insist on them getting tested as well.

As soon as you test positive for the virus, start the treatment. Do not wait till you start feeling sick. Art can be taken by anyone at any stage of the condition. If you are pregnant, breast feeding or have been diagnosed with early hiv infection, this is all the more important.

Hiv medication works by preventing the hiv cells from multiplying and thus reduces the amount of hiv cells in the body. A low level of hiv cells gives the immune system a chance to recover and strengthen itself. A lowered hiv count also reduces chances of transferring the virus to another person.

Art involves following a regimen of a number of medicines. There are 25 hiv medicines that can be grouped under six drug classes depending on how they affect hiv cells. These include:

1. Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors
2. Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors
3. Protease inhibitors
4. Fusion and entry inhibitors
5. Pharmacokinetic enhancers and
6. Integrase strand transfer inhibitors

Usually, a person is prescribed 3-4 hiv medicines from a minimum of 2 drug classes. A number of factors go into deciding what form of hiv treatment is most suitable to a patient. This includes the person's individual needs, symptoms presented, potential drug interactions and possible side effects. Convenience of following the regimen and costs are also taken into account while prescribing a form of treatment to a hiv patient.

Once treatment is started, art can be proven to be effective within 3-6 months by lowering the number of hiv cells in the body.

HIV/AIDS - How Can It Be Treated?

Small painful mouth sores can be anywhere in the mouth lips, soft palate, hard palate, cheeks, gum base, tongue and even on the roof of the mouth. When situated  inside the mouth, they can cause pain during eating or swallowing, especially with hot or spicy foods. A bigger cause for concern is that these mouth sores or mouth ulcers or canker sores could be an indication of an underlying health condition. A lot of chronic diseases, including HIV, herpes, and syphilis, manifest themselves as mouth sores. The following are some of the health conditions to watch out for when you have mouth sores. Each disease has characteristic appearance and so very often are easy to identify.


1. Herpes simplex (HSV1): The herpes simplex virus causes sores on the lips only which are usually painful with red blisters that last about 10 to 14 days. These are caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 and the sores appear about 20 days after contracting the virus. Also, once they enter the system, they can cause recurrent attacks especially when the immunity is low.


2. Canker sore: The most common type of mouth ulcer, they are also known as aphthous ulcers and are usually seen on the soft tissues of the mouth (not the hard palate or the gum base). These are generally innocuous and heal within 5 to 7 days. Do reach out for medical help if there are more than 5 to 6 bouts of canker sores in a year.


3. Oral thrush: Also known as candidiasis, this is where there are whitish lesions on the tongue and the insides of the mouth. Candida is a fungus that is normally present in the mouth, but when the immune system is weakened, it can lead to an infection, orally manifested as white lesions. These are typical and appear in toddlers and in patients with anemia, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, or cancer patients on chemotherapy.


4. HIV/AIDS: Another disease which first can be diagnosed in the mouth is HIV/AIDS. In the first stages of infection, known as acute retroviral syndrome, where the first symptoms of the disease begin to manifest, oral ulcers are one of the first symptoms. With the other associated symptoms, more workup for diagnosis should be done followed by appropriate treatment.


5. Oral cancers: The lining of the inside of the mouth can develop cancer and usually it appears in the form of chronic non healing ulcer that just does not go away. Seen anywhere in the mouth, nonhealing ulcers are a cause for concern and should be investigated and treated.


As seen above, mouth sores may be harmless often, but in some cases, may have something more to tell about the health in some cases. 

Mouth Sores - Could They Be More Than Just a Sore!

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