Cholesterol is either ingested in the food (about 25% ) we eat and some of it is produced by our body (remaining 75%). Cholesterol is needed by the body to produce steroid hormones and bile acids. It is an aspect that is required by the body and if in too much quantity, the same can cause havoc in the body. The best is to maintain the right balance of cholesterol in our diet. The same requires lifestyle and dietary modifications.

The first step in creating your low cholesterol diet plan is to eliminate foods high in saturated fat and bad cholesterol.

Low cholesterol foods diet mainly includes:

1. High-Fiber Diet- Soluble fiber reduces bad cholesterol. Good food sources are oatmeal, fruits and vegetables.

2. Cooking oil- Fats makes about 30 % of your days intake. A combination of oils works the best. Foods rich in saturated fats are butter, ghee, cream, and cheese. These need to be taken in moderation or avoided. Avoid fried foods. Not more than 10% of total calories should be from Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFA) and the remaining should be from Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFA). The best sources of PUFA are plant based oils, sunflower, corn, soybean, cottonseed and safflower. MUFA are found in the largest amounts in olive, canola, mustard, almond and peanut oils.

3. Avoid Trans fats- Read labels carefully and do not reuse oil used for frying.

4. Go lean- Choose lean meat and fish. Fish is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. Foods high in omega 3 help you lower down the risk of cardiovascular disease. Tuna and salmon are a good source of omega-3 to name a few.

5. Eat a wide range of fruits and vegetables- This will help ensure that your body meets all the vitamins and nutrient requirement. Fruits and vegetables are relatively low in calories. Apples and pears are known for soluble fiber, which reduces bad cholesterol levels. It is best that you eat good quantities of the same.

6. Include low-fat dairy products- avoid ghee, cheese, cream, paneer and butter. Opt for lighter and healthier options.

7. Exercise well - Exercise at least 30 mins per day. Workout will help you burn extra fat resulting in lowering cholesterol levels.

Cholesterol - How To Manage It?

When the natural moisture content of your skin begins to dry up, you experience dry skin. Although it is a temporary skin condition which occurs mainly during the winter or in a generally dry climate, for some people, it could be a problem for a lifetime.

Naturally dry skin tendencies v/s drying of other skin types
Naturally, the water content of a healthy skin is around 10 to 20 percent. This natural moisture level can dwindle due to many factors and the skin may show signs of drying. Thus you may end up getting dry, flaky, itchy and lifeless skin. People with naturally dry skin experience 75 percent more water loss than normal skin. Since the skin loses water and sebum (the oil secretion from the sebaceous glands within the skin), the topmost layer of the skin begins to dry. As a result, the top layer starts peeling away. These skin peels are called flakes.

Causes

You can experience dry skin due to excessively cold weather, which in most cases is accompanied by a lack of humidity.
Again, if your skin is exposed to too much heat or skin drying conditions like sauna baths or prolonged hot showers, you experience dry skin.
Applying skin cleansing materials or chemicals can also make the skin dry.
Some internal disorders like illness or infection can make your skin dry.
Treatment
When you have a perennially dry skin, you should moisturize it daily to keep it hydrated. You should consult a dermatologist for picking out the right skin cream for your skin. The appropriate moisturizer, if you have very dry skin should be oil or petroleum based. When you purchase the prescribed moisturizer or lotion, make sure you buy something which contains vitamin E, Shea Butter and Avocado Oil. Since these moisturizing agents aren t water based , they can lock in the skin moisturizer effectively.

Advantages of moisturising regularly

Dry skin is prone to wrinkle formation   When you moisturize daily, the collagen levels of your skin are restored, which can then effectively fight wrinkling and aging of your skin.
Prevents flakiness   Since the upper layer of your skin starts peeling off, your skin may appear dull, lifeless and flaky. The condition worsens when there is a cold weather outside. Moisturizing your skin daily will make your skin get a natural glow and stop flaking form occurring in the first place.
Reduces itchiness: Moreover, daily moisturizing will make your skin less itchy.
Moisturising reduces the negative effects of makeup: Not moisturizing dry skin will make it look less hydrated. Applying makeup on your dry skin directly is the worst thing you can do. This may spoil your makeup and make it look creasy and broken. Thus, you should keep your skin hydrated by applying moisturiser regularly.

Flaky Skin - Why You Should Moisturize it Daily?

Parents today, are more concerned about their child's healthy diet and hygiene compared to earlier days. They are more inclined towards quality when it comes to providing medical assistance to their children. They are also now well aware of the side effects of conventional drugs and are keen towards trying alternative treatments, which come with no side effects. 

Studies prove that conventional drugs suppress diseases and antibiotics hamper digestion. But homeopathy on the other hand, offers natural remedies, which are safe, and has long-lasting effect by boosting your body's immunity.

Below are some of the conditions, in which homeopathy works wonders with the kids:

1. Acute conditions such as cold, flu, sore throat and stomach infections, etc. These conditions are self-limiting. Homeopathic remedies not only cure these acute problems, but also prevent their recurrence.

2. Chronic diseases like eczema and allergies are cured completely and never reoccur when treated with homeopathy. In both the above cases, homeopathy works miraculously. Alongside the healing process, it boosts the child's self-defense mechanisms to fight against diseases. While antibiotics may be too harsh for the child's body, homeopathy is a safer option, since it does not have any side effects.

Homeopathy is also effective in treating colic, earache and reduces pain and discomforts. Some of the common problems of children where homeopathy works well are fever, teething, vomiting, diarrhea, dysentery, kidney diseases, infant colic, jaundice, eczema, convulsions, ear infection, fungal infections, warts, thyroid problems, and other growth related problems.

Not just physical symptoms, homeopathy also treats mental and emotional disturbances.
- You can take help of homeopathy treatment if the child is cranky or restless, and it is very beneficial even in case of hyperactive children.
- It is also effective in increasing concentration.
- Homeopathy works perfectly for specially challenged children as well.
- One of the plus points with homeopathic medicine is that it is easy to administer given their light doses and consumable taste.
- In addition, injections are not required. Furthermore, homeopathic treatment helps in all stages of childhood.

Homeopathy is a holistic system of medicine. It works on improving immunity rather than only curing the disease. Thus, it is very important to complete courses in homeopathy medication. Even though handy, homeopathy does not allow self-medication. It is always advisable to seek a doctor's help.

Homeopathy Is Best For Children 

Are you aware of dengue, a fever which is currently on the rise? Dengue is a painful fever, which is caused by one of the four dengue viruses. It is a mosquito borne disease. The virus which causes dengue is related to yellow fever causing virus. Dengue is also referred to as break bone fever. It is transmitted via the bite of an Aedes mosquito infected with dengue. This type of fever has no proper cure and hence, prevention is the best policy.

Symptoms
The symptoms of dengue start appearing four to six days after the infection. They include sudden, high fever, pain behind the eyes, fatigue, nausea, severe muscle and joint pain, skin rash, vomiting and mild bleeding in the nose or gums. In some cases, the symptoms are very mild and are commonly mistaken for another viral infection. Severe problems such as the dengue hemorrhagic fever may occur from the infection.

Treatment
The juice from the leaves of carica papaya mixed with sucrose is given to a patient, which helps in increasing the count of platelets. This may lead to some movement.

Prevention

There is no vaccine, which immunizes dengue and the best way of prevention is to prevent yourself from getting bitten by infected mosquitoes, especially if you live in a tropical climate. The prevention tips include protecting yourself and making an effort to reduce the mosquito population. Here are some important prevention tips for dengue:
Stay away from residential areas which are very heavily populated.
Use mosquito repellents, even when you are at home.
Wear long sleeved clothes and long pants when going out.
Make sure that your windows and doors do not have holes in them. Use mosquito nets while sleeping, if you do not have an air conditioner.
Get rid of places and areas where mosquitoes can breed in order to reduce their population. These may include cans, old tyres and areas where rain water gets collected.
If someone at home gets dengue, you should make efforts to protect yourself and the rest of your family members. A mosquito, which bites an infected family member, may spread the infection to others as well.
In case you experience any symptom of dengue, it is important for you to consult a doctor immediately. He will be able to guide you with a proper diagnosis and treatment based on the latter.

Dengue Fever - Why Prevention Is Better Than Cure?

The term cirrhosis refers to liver scarring due to various diseases and conditions such as chronic alcoholism and hepatitis. Each time the liver gets injured, it tries to repair itself, resulting in the formation of the scar tissue. With the progression of cirrhosis, a number of tissues generate making the task of liver difficult. Since the liver is an important organ of the body due to its functionalities such as detoxification and nutrient generation, reduced function of liver poses a serious threat to the body.

Symptoms of liver cirrhosis:
Unfortunately, cirrhosis doesn t portray any conspicuous symptoms that can be easily identified until the scarring has reached a level of threat. Some of the common signs and symptoms of this disease include fatigue, nausea, itchy skin, drowsiness, enlarged breasts, testicular atrophy, fluid in the abdomen, bleeding from the mouth, leg swelling, redness in palms etc.

Causes of liver cirrhosis:
There could be an array of reasons for the occurrence of liver cirrhosis. The major causes include an accumulation of fat in the liver, chronic alcoholism and chronic hepatitis. Some of the other reasons include cystic fibrosis, bile duct deformation, Wilson s disease, hemochromatosis, schistosomiasis, continuous consumption of medicines such as methotrexate, a disease involving glycogen storage and Aalagille syndrome.

Complications involved in liver Cirrhosis:

High blood pressure: Cirrhosis results in slow blood movement through the passage of the liver resulting in an increased pressure on the vein that is responsible for carrying blood from the intestine to the liver. This increases the blood pressure in the body.
Swelling of abdomen and legs: Portal hypertension can result in accumulation of fluid in the leg and the abdomen due to the liver s inability to producing an important protein known as the albumin.
Spleen enlargement: Portal hypertension is responsible for changing the shape of the spleen. Decreased count of WBC and the platelets indicate towards portal hypertension and cirrhosis.
Bleeding: Portal hypertension doesn t let the blood flow in its normal path. It directs the blood to flow through smaller veins. The veins, in turn, swell and burst to cause a massive amount of bleeding.
Apart from these some of the other complications involve jaundice, liver cancer, infections, bone diseases and liver failure.

Diagnosis:
Liver cirrhosis doesn t get detected easily. It is often diagnosed with a routine blood test. Some of the lab tests that can help to identify cirrhosis include blood work to check organ function of liver and kidney. Your doctor might suggest other tests such as MRI scan, CT scan or liver biopsy.

Treatment:
Treatment for the underlying cause of liver cirrhosis is done to keep the disease under control. A doctor might treat you for weight loss, alcohol dependency, complications related to hepatitis, portal hypertension and hepatic encephalopathy. For advanced cases where the liver stops functioning, a doctor might suggest a patient go for a liver transplant.

Liver Cirrhosis - What You Must Know About It?

Eczema is a skin condition which is characterized by rough, cracked, red, itchy and inflamed skin. Sometimes it can also cause blisters. Eczema is also known as atopic dermatitis. It is a severe condition which starts during infancy and can go on throughout childhood. While some people may outgrow this condition, the rest might have it till adulthood.

Causes of Eczema:
1. Irritants- Certain irritants found in vegetables, meats, juices extracted from fresh fruits, disinfectants, shampoos, detergents and soaps can cause eczema.
2. Allergens- Dandruff, mold, pollens, pets and dust mites can also contribute to Eczema.
3. Microbes- Certain bacteria such as Staphylococcus Aureus, fungi and viruses can also cause eczema
4. Food products- Many people are allergic to food products such as wheat, soy products, seeds, nuts, eggs and dairy products. This might contribute to Eczema.
5. Stress- This doesn t cause eczema but can aggravate the symptoms of it.
6. Hormones- Women usually experience worsening of Eczema during certain stages of their menstrual cycle or during pregnancy.

Symptoms of eczema in infants and children:
1. Rashes appearing on the cheeks and scalp
2. Rashes which bubble up before fluid discharge
3. Rashes which cause itchiness and lead to disturbed sleeping; continuous scratching and rubbing can result in skin infections
4. Rashes which can appear behind the creases of the knees and the elbows; these rashes are also common on the legs, creases of the buttocks, ankles, wrists and neck.

Symptoms of Eczema in adults:
1. Rashes on the nape of the neck
2. Rashes on the eyes, face and neck
3. Rashes that can cause extremely dry skin
4. Extreme discomfort caused due to itching
5. Scaly skin caused due to rashes
6. Rashes which can result in skin infections
7. Lichenification, a condition wherein the rashes thicken and develop knots, is also a possibility.

How is Eczema treated?
1. Topical ointments and corticosteroid creams- These are anti-inflammatory medications which relieve symptoms of eczema such as itchiness and skin inflammation.
2. Antibiotics- These are usually prescribed if there is any underlying bacterial skin infection.
3. Antihistamines- These mainly reduce scratching at night. In some cases, it can also cause drowsiness.
4. Topical calcineurin inhibitors- This is a drug that suppresses activities of the immune system. It helps to prevent flare-ups and decrease inflammation.
5. Barrier repair moisturizers- These types of moisturizers repair the skin and reduce water loss from the skin.

Eczema - 5 Ways It Can Be Treated!

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