Pneumonia is an inflammation and infection of the lungs. This is a condition where the alveoli or the air sacs located in the lungs fill up with fluid and pus. It is because of this that oxygen cannot reach the infected individual s bloodstream. People with pneumonia generally have cough, fever, and breathing problems. At times, it can also result in chest pain.

This is a condition that can affect one or both the lungs. There are different forms of this disease. Pulmonary infection is considered one of the most common causes of this disease. It is a kind of infection related to gram-negative or gram-positive bacteria and viruses. Certain infectious agents sharing the similarities of bacteria and viruses might also result in pneumonia.

Symptoms of pneumonia in adults
The symptoms of pneumonia in adults include:

Fatigue
Fever
Coughing up slightly bloody, brown or green mucus
Weakness
Vomiting
Nausea
Headaches
Loss of appetite
Diarrhoea
Wheezing
Chills
Rapid breathing
Shortness of breath
Chest pain
The milder forms of this disease do not disturb the regular functions of the affected individual and are called  walking  pneumonia.

Signs of pneumonia in children
Unlike adults, kids suffering from pneumonia might not experience a fever or a nagging cough. They might have more subtle signs of this infection. However, children have relatively higher chances of being infected because they do not have fully-developed immune systems. Overall, the signs of pneumonia vary according to the age of an individual.

Pneumonia caused by bacteria like Chlamydophila pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae generally result in milder signs of the disease in kids. This kind of pneumonia is called walking or atypical pneumonia and is generally found among school-going children. Children suffering from mild pneumonia might not feel very sick, but they can have one or more of the following symptoms:

Low-grade fever
Dry cough
Tiredness
Headache
Irrespective of the age of an individual, it is always important to consult a specialist after determining the symptoms of pneumonia. Remember, it is a deadly disease and needs timely treatment.

How To Recognize The Symptoms Of Pneumonia?

Sit at the dinner table, and you'd find yourself invariably extending your hand to the glass of water on the side of your plate. While you may think it's absolutely necessary to have a glass of water during your meals, the truth is this habit of yours might be damaging your health. Read on to find out how.

1. It dilutes your gastric juices -
When the digestive acids (acids responsible for the digestion and breakdown of food as well as for killing infectious agents ingested with food) present in your stomach are diluted with water, they bring about a slowdown in the functioning of your entire digestive system. This slowdown results in food remaining lodged in your stomach for a longer period than normal, thereby causing indigestion.

Additionally, the reaction caused by the dilution of water and stomach acids can give rise to cramps in your tummy.

2. It reduces the saliva in your mouth -
The same thing that happens to the acids in your stomach, happens to your saliva as well. Water dilutes the saliva, which stops the breakdown of food in your mouth. Also, your saliva is responsible for stimulating your stomach to release digestive enzymes and prepare itself for the process of digestion. By drinking water with your meals, such signals sent by your saliva to your stomach become much weaker. All these together can make digestion very difficult.

3. It causes acidity -
Studies show that drinking water with your meals not only leads to the dilution of digestive enzymes, but also brings about a reduction in the secretion of digestive enzymes. This causes the undigested food in your stomach to leak into the lower part of your oesophagus (food pipe), causing acidity and heart burn. 

4. It increases insulin production -
Sipping on water in the middle of lunch (or any other meal for that matter) causes a spike in your insulin levels just as glycaemic foods (foods with high starch or sugar content such as honey, potatoes, white bread, rice to name a few) would. When your body is unable to digest food properly, it usually tends to convert the glucose filled part of that food into fat and stores it, reason why your blood sugar levels see an upsurge.

5. It adds to your weight -
Since drinking water causes an increase in insulin levels in your body (as the food you eat is converted to fat), it can result in the piling of extra weight on your body. This is because a weak digestive system is one of the major causes behind obesity.

Try having your meals with less salt and drink water 30 minutes before each meal to control your thirst when you're eating. This can help you in controlling the negative effects that drinking water with your meals can have on your health.

Make a wise choice and stay healthy. Feel free to ask me more questions you might have.

Watch What Happens When You Drink Water Along With Your Food. It'll Leave You Thinking!

Food poisoning happens when a person eats contaminated food that contains e-Coli and fungus. Food poisoning may lead to vomiting, nausea, and stomach ache. When the person recovers from the condition, doctors may suggest bland food for some time. It is necessary that patient eat simple food with lots of fluid to regulate their digestive system. Clear liquids will help you to rehydrate your body and gain strength for the recovery.

Best Food to Eat After Food Poisoning

When a person is recovering from food poisoning, it is suggested by the doctors that patients eat food items which are easy to digest and light on the stomach. The best food items to eat after food poisoning is:

  Banana

  Rice

  Apple sauce

  Toast

The four food items suggested above are bland in taste and high in starch. These food items are easy to digest and helps the upset stomach. It also helps in reducing the symptoms of diarrhoea. These are readily available and also works with kids. Since banana is high in potassium, it helps in the regulation of lost electrolytes. You can also introduce food items like yoghurt, bone broths, turkey, plain potato to gain strength after food poisoning.

Recovery From Food Poisoning

Food poisoning is life-threatening, and immediate doctors treatment is required. If you have consumed contaminated food in small quantity then there are chances that you will recover from food poisoning within 48 hours.

However, severe levels of food poisoning require hospitalization and an IV dose of medicines.

Food Items to Avoid After Food Poisoning

Food poisoning weakens your digestive system and pathogens in your body. So the foremost thing you should discard from your kitchen is the food that you suspect is the culprit of food poisoning. Also relax your stomach with clear liquids, juices, and soups. They are easy to drink and does not make you feel nauseated.

Avoid food items and drinks like:

  Alcohol

  Caffeine

  Spicy food items

  Dairy products like butter and cheese

  Sugar juices

  Junk food

  Processed food like eggs and meat are not suggested by the doctors since they are heavy to digest and may bloat your stomach. You must try green leafy vegetables in your diet and keep your food clean and bland. You must also avoid food that causes bloating and gas.

Who Are at Risk of Food Poisoning?

Mostly, kids, infants, and pregnant women are at risk of food poisoning. Kids and infants are prone to food poisoning and may suffer from severe conditions like botulism and diarrhoea. They can also come in contact with cold easily which may result in stomach illness. Pregnant women are also at serious risk of food poisoning. Eating contaminated food during this fragile condition can affect the child in the womb. Conclusion Food poisoning is an unpleasant condition and requires medical attention immediately. This situation may take a few days to recover completely. It is highly dangerous to kids and infants as compared to adults. The person recovering from food poisoning should not haste into a regular lifestyle and should start with a healthy diet for fast recovery. Bland food not only helps in digestion but also relieves the patient from diarrhoea and bloody stools.

Food Poisoning - Know Diet After It!

Ulcer pain can be uneasy and unbearable at times. It is caused by a bacterium known as the H. Pylori. Pain medication, lifestyle changes, and healthy eating habits can ensure pain relief from this condition. Here is a list of 4 best ways to get instant pain relief from an ulcer:

Medication - H. Pylori is often found in the digestive tract. Doctors suggest various combinations of antibiotics kill this bacterium. Some of those include tetracycline, levofloxacin, metronidazole, and tinidazole. These are prescribed as per the resistance rate of the bacteria. There are other sets of medication that blocks acid production in the body. These drugs which commonly go by the name of PPIs include esomeprazole, lansoprazole, and pantoprazole. The third set of medications reduces acidity in the stomach and gives instant relief. They are readily available over the counter and goes by the name antacid. The final line of medicines that are often prescribed by doctors includes Cytotec and Carafate. They protect the tissue lining of the intestine and the stomach.
Consumption of cranberry - Cranberry has multiple health benefits. One of those includes the ability to fight against bacteria of the urinary tract. They also do not allow the bacteria to settle on the surface of the bladder. Cranberry in the form of juice, supplement and as a whole can be consumed daily to get relief from the stomach ulcer. It should be taken in specific quantity as too much of cranberry consumption can upset the stomach. Packaged cranberry juice from the market can be avoided as they contain high level of fructose which can unsettle the stomach.
Flavonoids - A compound known as bioflavonoids are known to be extremely helpful for pain relief from an ulcer. These compounds naturally occur in many vegetables and fruits such as soybeans, berries, apples, legumes, green tea, broccoli and berries. Bioflavonoids available in red wine and citrus food should be strictly avoided as they can trigger ulcer pain. Bioflavonoids should be taken in measured quantities as too much consumption of it can cause harm in blood clotting. It can be consumed in the form of supplements if the body doesn t receive the same from the daily diet.
Deglycyrrhizinated licorice - This compound is nothing but licorice with the sweet flavour pulled out of it. A study showed that they are capable of completing curing the ulcer containing bacteria by inhibiting their growth. Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice is available in the form of candy and can be consumed once the pain starts. Supplements too are available in the market. Not more than 2 ounces of Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice should be consumed in a day as they can cause fluctuation in blood pressure and lead to heart diseases.



Stomach Ulcer - 4 Best Ways To Get Pain Relief!

Tuberculosis refers to an infectious disease associated with the lungs, which is mostly caused by bacteria. There are two types of tuberculosis, that are pulmonary tuberculosis and extrapulmonary tuberculosis. There are various types under each type of tuberculosis. Here are some the possible treatments for both pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis.

What is pulmonary tuberculosis?
Pulmonary tuberculosis is a type of disease in which bacteria invade your lungs. It is possible that the bacteria in your lungs could kill you. However, fortunately if you have been taking the right medicines for your bacterial infection you can get cured immediately. The name of the bacteria which causes tuberculosis is known as the Mycobacterium tuberculosis. However, Mycobacterium tuberculosis can attack other parts of the body as well. When this happens, it is known as extrapulmonary tuberculosis.

What is extra-pulmonary tuberculosis?
Extrapulmonary tuberculosis is when tuberculosis affects in parts of the body other than the lungs. There are many parts of the body which tuberculosis can affect, including the lymph nodes, nervous system as well as the bone and joints. Luckily, it is easily curable.

Treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis
Firstly, it is worth noting that latent tuberculosis has no symptoms and there is no way you can pass it to another person either. However, it is still crucial that you take treatment for it. If you do not complete your treatment, then your tuberculosis will progress to a very dangerous form of tuberculosis. This is known as multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis is sometimes abbreviated as MDR TB. There are plenty of medicines which people are recommended to cure tuberculosis. These include:
1. Isoniazid
2. Rifampin
3. Ethambutol
4. Pyrazinamide

Treatment for extrapulmonary tuberculosis
Extrapulmonary tuberculosis has pretty much the same symptoms as pulmonary tuberculosis. This is because extrapulmonary tuberculosis is the exact same disease which occurs to the patient, it is just that it affects a different body part. Therefore, the exact treatment recommended for pulmonary tuberculosis can be used to cure extrapulmonary tubercul

Types Of Tuberculosis: Pulmonary and Extra-Pulmonary and Treatment For Them

Everyone knows that drinking a cup of coffee before bed can leave you tossing and turning for hours. Eating the right food not only gives the body the right kind of nutrition, it also affects the quality of your sleep. While some foods are sleep deprivers, others are sleep enhancers. Here are a few such types of food that you can include in your diet to improve your sleep.

Cherries: Cherries are rich sources of melatonin. This is the chemical responsible for controlling the body s internal clock. A serving of tart cherries in their raw, whole form or a glass of cherry juice(without added sugars) can improve sleep quality and help treat chronic insomnia. It can also be used to fight jet lag.
Walnuts: These nuts are rich sources of an amino acid known as trytophan. Trytophan boosts serotonin and melatonin production thus regulating the body s sleep-wake cycle. This can help you fall asleep faster and avoid tossing and turning.
Milk: A glass of warm milk is a well known home remedy for insomnia. Milk or any form of dairy is rich in tryptophan. As mentioned above, this helps people fall asleep faster by regularizing their circadian rhythm. Additionally, calcium also helps regulate muscle movements and calms the body by fighting stress and stabilizing nerve fibers. If you don t like the thought of plain milk, you could try other forms of dairy like cheese and yogurt.
Rice: Jasmine rice and other forms of white rice have a high glycemic index. This means that the body digests rice slowly and hence releases glucose produced during digestion very gradually into the body. This helps cut down the time it takes to fall asleep. A gradual absorption of glucose in the body also prevents a  sugar high  and its accompanying crash. This helps prevent waking up in the middle of the night and ensures that you sleep through the night comfortably.
Bananas: Bananas are great not only for your overall health but also for your sleep cycle. Bananas are rich sources of magnesium and potassium. These are natural muscle relaxants that promote sleep. They also help fight sleep disorders such as restless leg syndrome and muscle cramps to give you a more restful sleep. Bananas are also rich in carbohydrates that are slow to digest and hence make people fall asleep faster. Combining bananas and milk is a sure shot way of falling asleep faster.

5 Foods For a Good Night Sleep

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