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!

How To Get Rid Of Pimples Using Home Remedies

Pimples are very annoying, especially when they are on your cheeks because then they do twice the damage - hurt your skin and at the same time they also steal away the charm of your looks. Although there are many lotions and creams in the markets that guarantee the removal of this skin inflammation, they are chemicals that eventually start showing its side-effects on your skin. For this reason, a few home remedies with some simple pimple-combating tools work the best and here are some of them:

Use ice cubes and crushed ice to reduce the redness and the heat in the inflammation. Applying ice over the pimples eventually makes them reduce in size and disappear altogether.

Soak a little piece of cotton or rag in fresh lemon juice and apply it over a pimple. Lemon helps a pimple dry up faster.

Soak a rag of cotton in tea tree oil and put it over a pimple. It has anti-bacterial properties which help fight against acne pimples. For even better results, you can also try mixing tea tree oil in aloe vera gel. You can put this mixture on your acne pimples and rinse it after 20 minutes for effective healing.

White toothpaste can work wonderfully with a pimple and reduce it to nothing in a very little time.

Steaming is another foolproof way to get rid of the pimples in the most natural manner. If you expose the pimples to steam, the steam works its way through the pimples and cleans out all the bacteria. It thus helps your skin to breathe and get in contact with oxygen. This ultimately makes a pimple ripen quickly and thus leads to its deterioration.

Use garlic to get rid of pimples. How? Garlic is an antiviral, antifungal, antiseptic and antioxidant agent which is why it is a very good remedy for pimples. Cut a small piece of garlic and rub it over your pimples. After several minutes wash your face with lukewarm water.

Honey is another natural antibiotic that can accelerate the removal of pimples by effective healing. The catch here is to apply honey directly over the affected area. Keep it for several minutes and then wash it off with lukewarm water. Mixing honey and cinnamon and applying its paste on the affected area is also a very dead-sure manner of getting rid of pimples.

Grind a cucumber to make a face mask and allow it to dry. Then wash your face after several minutes. This cleans up the dirt and bacteria in the pimples.

Next time you get those unwanted pimples, you know what to do!

Natural Home Remedies to Get Rid of Pimples Overnight Fast!

6 handy tips to manage repeated vaginal infections

Vaginal infections occur when the walls of the vagina get inflamed. This can be caused by several factors such as bacteria, viruses, yeast, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), chemicals and clothing. The standard medical term for it is vaginitis and it bothers most women at some point in their lives.

Maintaining vaginal and overall genital health is very important in preventing and dealing with infections that affect the affect the area, especially those which are persistent or recurrent.

Some tips to manage repeated vaginal infections are as follows:

1. Maintaining personal hygiene. The most important aspect of maintaining vaginal health is keeping the pubic region cleansed and hydrated. Poor hygiene and dryness make it more prone to recurring infection.

2. Using the right products. Harsh chemical soaps and sprays may cause irritation to the vagina and make it susceptible to inflammation due to infection.

3. Wearing skin-friendly clothing. Certain types and materials of clothing have a harmful impact on the delicate skin of the genital area which puts the vagina at the risk of contracting infections. These include nylon underwear, tight jeans and trousers, pantyhose with no cotton lining, etc. Wearing soft cotton underwear and linen bottoms are the best ways to prevent vaginal infection and inflammation.

4. Using protection during sex. Protected sexual intercourse prevents the spread of STDs which cause vaginal infection. Hence, it is always advisable to use a condom while having sex.

5. Urinating after sex. Always urinating after sex reduces the chances of catching a vaginal infection.

6. Getting regular health checkups. The most efficient way of managing vaginal infections is by getting the vagina checked up by your gynaecologist as regularly as possible so as to prevent further complications and ensure early detection of infections or diseases.

These are some of the simple and effective ways of handling vaginal infections. Most cases are not very serious and can be easily treated and managed.




6 Ways to Stop Repeated Vaginal Infections

Heavy menstrual bleeding, technically called menorrhagia, is one of the most common types of abnormal bleeding from the uterus. Menstrual bleeding is said to be heavy if there is so much blood that a tampon or pad remains soaked for several hours. 

Here are all the possible causes of heavy menstrual bleeding:
1. Hormonal imbalance
Estrogen and progesterone levels are the primary control mechanism for periods. If the ovaries have a problem in functioning, hormonal imbalances may occur. Heavy menstrual bleeding is most common in females who are at the start of menopause. Puberty menorrhagia can occur in adolescents who are experiencing their first menstrual period. 
2. Fibroids
Fibroids most commonly occur around the age when women can get pregnant. Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous growth on the uterus.
3. Ectopic pregnancy
An ectopic pregnancy is when a fertilized egg stays in the fallopian tube, but does not reach the uterus.
4. Blood thinners
These are medicines, which are usually anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
5. Problems with iud
A non-hormonal intrauterine device is a t-shaped device used for birth control which is inserted into the uterus.
6. Adenomyosis
This is a condition in which the muscular wall of the uterus also gets the lining of the uterus intermingled with it. However, this condition is rare and only happens in middle aged women with several children.
7. Pid
Pid stands for pelvic inflammatory disease and refers to any infection within the organs of the reproductive system.
8. Cancer
Uterine, ovarian and cervical cancer are just some of the cancers, which may cause heavy menstrual bleeding.
9. Other diseases
Liver, kidney and thyroid diseases are all included.

Possible Causes of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding

Tennis elbow is a condition which is characterized by a sharp pain on the outer portion of the elbow. This condition is also called  lateral epicondylitis  and it occurs when the muscles of the elbow are overused. The symptoms of pain tend to occur near the forearm when you bend your elbow or try to grip an object.

Causes
The elbow joint comprises of muscles which facilitate movement of the wrist, elbows and the fingers. There are tendons present in the elbow which join the muscles and bones, thus regulating the forearm muscles. When the muscles of the elbow are overused, then it can lead to inflammation and tears in the muscles.

This condition is so called as it is usually caused by playing certain sports, primarily tennis. It may also be caused by activities that put repetitive stress on the elbow. If the same pain occurs around the inner portion of the elbow, it is called a  golfer s elbow .

Prevention
The best treatment method to prevent tennis elbow is to strengthen your elbow muscles. You need to follow a regulated strength and stretching program directed at strengthening the muscles of the body, including the elbows.

Here are some tips to prevent tennis elbow:

Try to stay in good shape physically.
Use proper technique when you are carrying out any activity that involves the elbow.
Avoid overstressing the elbow joint with repetitive movements as it can cause injury to the tendon.
The muscles of the shoulder, arm and the upper back should be strengthened to prevent tennis elbow.
For movements that require you to twist your arm or grasp things, you can use a counter force brace to protect your elbow. This brace is worn on the forearm which redistributes pressure on the muscle. A counter force brace is recommended for people who are at an increased risk of tennis elbow.

Tennis Elbow - Tips To Help You Prevent It!

A head full of shiny and healthy hair remains a dream for most of us. Hair loss is one of the problems caused not only by cosmetic impact but also by major psychological effects like low self-esteem, reduced confidence, and other personality issues. Ways to restore hair are always in demand; however, what is more important is to reduce hair fall. Read on to know some of the common ways of preventing hair fall.

Environmental factors
Emotional stress
Ageing
Genetics
Nutritional deficiency
Excessive smoking
Hormonal imbalances like thyroid
Anemia
Unhealthy hair products
Infections of the scalp
Chronic medical conditions like diabetes
Chemotherapy
This list can go on and on, however, when seeking treatment for hair loss, the doctor will be able to identify the underlying cause and suggest an appropriate treatment.

Hair oil massage: Coconut oil, almond oil, castor oil, gooseberry oil, and olive oil can all be used to provide nourishment to the hair. These restore moisture and nourish the scalp and help in restoring hair growth. For best results, use warm oil and apply slight pressure on the scalp. Repeating this process weekly will ensure best results.
Gooseberry: Vitamin C deficiency is one of the main causes of hair fall, and gooseberry is rich in vitamin C. Not just that, it also has high anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial and exfoliating properties, which promotes hair growth and a healthy scalp. Amla powder or paste is available easily and can be mixed with water or lemon juice and left on the scalp for about an hour before washing it off.
Fenugreek: This is rich in ingredients and is highly useful in preventing hair loss. Fenugreek seeds contain hormone antecedents that enhance hair growth and help in rebuilding hair follicles. The seeds can be soaked in water overnight and ground to a smooth paste which can be applied for about an hour and then washed off.
Aloe vera: The alkaline property of aloe vera reduces the scalp pH, which promotes hair growth. It also has enzymes essential for promoting hair growth, reducing scalp inflammation, improving luster, and relieving scalp itching. A spoonful of aloe vera juice in the morning has multiple benefits on the body.
Eggs: Eggs are rich in proteins and minerals and are one of the best conditioners for hair. They also help in hair growth. It can be mixed with olive oil and applied on the hair and washed off after an hour.
Losing hair can lead to bald spots and eventual baldness, which can be easily controlled in a timely manner using the above measures.

Hair Fall - 12 Things Behind It!

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