If you are concerned about your heart s health, it is important for you to make some dietary modifications. Simple changes in your everyday diet may offer benefits, which help in preventing future heart problems. If you suffer from high blood pressure or high cholesterol or have atrial fibrillation.

Here are some tips regarding the best diet for protecting your heart:

Believe in the food hype: Having healthy meals is certainly beneficial and makes a big difference to your heart health. Consuming meals which contain vegetables, grains, low fat dairy and lean meat will allow you to live a longer and healthier life.
Avoid crash diets: A crash diet may be effective, if you want to fit in a dress within one month. However, for improving your heart health, undertaking different fad diets is not useful. Meals in which a certain type of nutrients such as carbohydrates or fats are ruled out are not beneficial as well. You should have a sensible approach towards your diet and focus on food products such as vegetables, whole grains and lean meat.
Do not overeat: Overeating will lead to weight gain and commonly, many people get heart attack after taking a big meal.
Eat less salt: You should consume less amount of salt in your diet and do not eat more than one teaspoon of salt a day. Avoid any food item which contains high amounts of sodium. Salt is responsible for increasing blood pressure.
Limit your intake of alcohol and caffeine: In case you suffer from atrial fibrillation, you should avoid caffeine and any other stimulant as they tend to trigger the symptoms. You must drink moderately as consuming more than one drink a day increases your risks of having heart problems.
Choose meat wisely: You should avoid red meat, which contains large amount of saturated fats as these are not good for the heart. You should choose the leanest cuts of meats and trim all fat from it. You should opt for cuts such as flank, rump roast, tenderloin and sirloin. Pork tenderloin, chicken and turkey breast are other alternatives.
Add fish to your diet: Fish is essential for improving your heart health. Try to avoid having deep fried fish and choose grilled fish or roasted fish, which are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. Consume fishes like tuna, salmon, trout and sardines.
You should also add whole grains to your diet. They are effective in controlling blood sugar and lower the chances of diabetes. Hence, the risks of heart diseases are less if you do not have diabetes. Whole grains also help with weight loss, which is beneficial for the heart.

7 Tips for a Healthy Heart

Herpes is caused due to the presence of the herpes simplex virus in your body. Herpes can appear on multiple areas of your body, but more commonly manifests in the genitals as well as the mouth. The two types of herpes are HSV-1 (oral herpes) and HSV-2 (responsible primarily for the outbreak of genital herpes). 

Causes of Herpes Simplex:

Herpes is contagious in nature and can be passed to you by having sexual intercourse with anyone who has been infected. HSV 2 is the primary form of the virus, which is transmitted in this manner. 
Herpes could be transmitted to an infant from their mother if she was infected while pregnant. 
It can also get passed through direct contact like using the same plates or spoons or even the sharing of lip balm. Even kissing can spread the virus if the infected person has cold sores.
Symptoms of Herpes Simplex:

The presence of blistering sores within the mouth or in the genital area is a telltale sign that you may have contracted genital herpes.
If you are having painful urination then you should check with your doctor for the herpes virus.
Continuous itching in certain areas such as the genitals.
Not wanting to eat, having a fever could also be symptoms of herpes simplex virus in your body.
Herpes can spread to your eyes and is known as herpes keratitis. It can cause pain in your eyes.
Diagnosis of Herpes Simplex:

The common way to diagnose herpes is with an actual physical exam. Doctors will generally look out for sores on your body and may also check for some similar symptoms which might indicate herpes simplex. 
HSV testing (alternately called herpes culture) is done to check the presence of a virus on the genitals. A fluid sample from the genitals is sent to laboratory for tests and will require a visit to the health center.
There are blood tests to look for antibodies for both forms of HSV to diagnose the infections. However, this test is done only when there is and absence of sores or visible symptoms.

Herpes - 5 Signs You are Suffering from it 

Food is one of the most common ways of getting an infection, and so the stomach is more prone to infections than other body parts. Whether it is eating raw or uncooked foods or unhygienic foods, the stomach bears the brunt of one s bad food practices. The only consoling factor is that it is equally easy to treat a stomach infection if some simple measures are adhered to. 

Read on to know some of the easiest and most effective ways to treat a stomach infection.

Drink it right: What you drink and how you drink makes a lot of difference to the way your stomach infection will respond. The vomiting, diarrhoea and sweating is robbing the body of a lot of fluids, and so replenishing this fluid along with minerals is very essential. Ensure you drink a lot of clear liquids like water, coconut water, clear soups, sports drinks, and other energy drinks. Electrolyte replacement can be added to improve their efficacy. Herbal teas like ginger tea and peppermint tea are highly recommended to soothe the stomach too. At the same time, avoid caffeine, strong black tea, alcohol, and chocolate as they are detrimental to the already affected stomach.
Eat right: Even on a regular basis, you are what you eat. So, when your stomach is already infected, eating right assumes a lot more importance. Go easy on the stomach and give it something easy to digest, yet of high nutritional value. Banana, rice, apple, and toast (abbreviated as BRAT) is very easy and packs in good nutrition for the recovering stomach. Avoid a lot of fibres, fatty foods, greasy foods, sugars, and dairy products which are hard for the stomach to digest. Eat small meals, but eat a lot more frequently than you otherwise would.
Rest well: With the body losing a lot of fluids and nutrition along with it, the body would naturally feel very tired and fatigued. Let the body run its course, and give it the rest it demands. In the next couple of days, once the virus has run its course, this will resolve.
Medications: Stomach infection is usually caused by a virus, and so antibiotics do not play a curative role here. However, if you have high fever or body aches, Tylenol or acetaminophen can be used sparingly. If diarrhoea or vomiting is severe, loperamide or promethazine can also be used. However, this should be substituted with sufficient rest and nutrition (solid and liquids).
If these are not helping and you are not able to keep the food down, visit the doctor. Sometimes, a day or two in the hospital may be required for complete cure and recovery.

Stomach Infection - Easy Tips To Help You Treat It!

If stressed, consuming certain food and medications can trigger skin rashes. This kind of rash is called hives. It is also known as urticaria. Anyone can be affected by hives, at least 20% of people are affected by hives at some time or the other in their lives. The itching could be severe or mild. It starts as a patch of scaly white skin that develops into red welts over time. To make sure the itching does not worsen, scratching, emotional stress, alcoholic drinks and exercise should be avoided.

Symptoms
1. Itchy bumps that are raised and are either red or flesh coloured
2. If the hive is pressed in the middle, the skin whitens this symptom is called blanching.
3. The hive formation can appear anywhere, disappear and then reappear somewhere else.

Common Triggers
1. Certain food like shellfish, eggs, peanuts and other nuts
2. Certain medicines like antibiotics, ibuprofen and aspirin
3. Insect bites or stings
4. Physical causes like pressure, sun exposure, cold, exercise and heat
5. Latex
6. Blood transfusions
7. Bacterial infections
8. Pet allergens
9. Viral infections like the common cold, hepatitis and infectious mononucleosis
10. Certain plants like poison ivy and poison oak
11. Pollen

Treatment
There is no distinct cure for hives. But you can control its symptoms in the following ways:
1. Antihistamines help in blocking histamines, which cause the allergy symptoms. Non sedating or low sedating Antihistamines will be mostly recommended by your doctor.
2. If episodes of hives are several, it may require limited treatment with prednisone. Prednisone will be able to lessen the symptoms.
3. If the symptoms get severe enough so much so that it swells up your tongue and you have problem breathing, then the doctor might prescribe an epinephrine. However, these symptoms can mean another thing, an anaphylaxis shock. Epinephrine is the only treatment for an anaphylaxis shock.

Prevention
If what caused hives to break out is figured out, then measures should be taken to avoid or eliminate the triggers.
1. Avoid eating food items that triggered the symptoms in the first place
2. If harsh soaps, frequent bathing cause hives, they should be avoided
3. Tight clothing should be avoided
4. If cold triggers hives, then wear warm clothing, wrap a scarf and do not swim in cold water.
5. Avoid sun exposure and wear sunblock
6. If a specific medication is causing the hives, inform your doctor.

All About Hives

Abdominal pain can be triggered by a number of factors. Sometimes, it's mild enough to be overlooked while at others, the pain can be debilitating. Most abdominal problems start with the same symptoms and hence the cause of this pain can be a little difficult to pin point. In many cases, the location of the pain can help understand the factors that are triggering it.

Generalized pain can be simply be triggered by indigestion. On the other hand, it could also be a symptom of a number of illnesses like irritable bowel syndrome, appendicitis, viral gastroenteritis and intestinal obstructions etc. However, the former are more common. This type of pain resolves itself without medical intervention.

In other cases, abdominal pain can be localized to the upper or lower abdomen on the right or left side or in the centre of the abdomen. This sort of pain is usually sporadic and comes and goes with great intensity. In most cases, this sort of pain is a symptom of a serious problem and should not be ignored. One of the most common examples of localized abdominal pain is the pain caused by appendicitis in its later stages. Severe pain that is located just above the centre of the belly button could be a sign of pancreatitis. A burning sensation and severe cramps in the center of the stomach could point towards stomach ulcers that could cause perforations if left untreated. Other causes for this type of pain include endometriosis, ovarian cysts, angina, kidney infections and a spleen infection.

Mild stomach pain whether localized or general can be relieved using home remedies and does not often require medication. However, if the pain is severe or if it comes on suddenly, you must immediately consult a doctor. Another reason to consult a doctor is if the pain persists for more than 24 hours. If the pain is accompanied by black or bloody stools or vomiting and nausea, do not ignore it. Black stools are often an indicator of the presence of blood in the digestive tract. Abdominal pain that worsens with movement or is tender to touch is also something that should be shown to a doctor. Other reasons to consult a doctor are abdominal pain with persistent vomiting following meals and unexplained weight loss and a loss of appetite.

The bottom line is, that when it comes to abdominal pain, it's better to consult a doctor and be told that there's nothing to worry about rather than self medicate and wait for it to worsen.

Abdominal Pain & When To Consult A Doctor

One of the most debilitating conditions that anyone can experience is migraine. They can severely limit you by affecting your personal and professional life as you are in constant pain. Migraine can manifest in a type of headache with intense pain, an acute sensitivity to light, vomiting and nausea. Often described as a severe throbbing pain in the head, it may stop you from completing regular daily tasks and may delay or postpone your work.

How can migraines be treated?
The exact cause for these debilitating migraine pain hasn't been pointed out yet, but certain triggers such as stress, hormonal changes in the menstrual cycle, sun exposure, bright or flashing lights, among many others have been identified. The first line of defense for you would be to understand and identify what your triggers are. Once that is done, you can try and avoid them. If these still trigger a migraine or are about to trigger one, you can immediately take medications or steps to control it or at least lessen the pain to go through your day. Some of the options you can employ to this effect are mentioned below.

Medications to prevent a migraine attack: The medications mentioned here are specialized treatments and can only be taken after a consultation with a doctor. If you are deemed as a candidate for preventative medication for migraines, then either one or a combination of drugs from the following may be prescribed to you.
Valproate and Topiramate are anti-seizure medications which can be used to prevent migraines.
Propranolol, a type of beta blocker and used for cardio vascular problems, has proven to be very effective in preventing migraines.
Onabotulinumtoxin A or a type of Botox, has shown a lot of promise in preventing migraines and is being slowly rolled out as a proper drug as a treatment option.
Certain antidepressants have also shown to be quite effective in reducing the symptoms of migraines as well.
Medications to relieve pain: Some of the go to medications that help relieve your pain from migraine are mentioned below. Although some of them are OTC (over the counter) drugs, it is best advised that you consult with your doctor for medications which suit you better. The side effects of these medications can be bad and thus, it is not advised to continue them in the long run and to find other means to control pain from migraines. Some of the medications to relieve pain temporarily are:
Triptan is a drug used to treat severe migraines
Caffeine along with Ergotamine can also help dull the pain and deal with it.
Ibuprofen and aspirin and Acetaminophen are common pain killers that you can use
Codeine, which contains opioids are also used to treat this problem.
Metoclopramide and chlorpromazine are two examples of anti-nausea medications as vomiting along with nausea may frequently accompany your migraine.
Always remember that these medications can have strong side effects if not taken properly, therefore do not just pop a pill, consult your physician first and know which one should you take and how frequently. 

Severe Headache - Can it Be Migraine?

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