Jan
28
Eczema is a condition that causes the skin to be irritated, itchy and dry. It can be very irritating for sufferers. It affects an enormous number of people to varying degrees but, unfortunately, atopic eczema cannot be cured.
However, it can be managed effectively with emollients so that symptoms can be minimised. In a recent survey of childhood eczema, 59 per cent of respondents said that looking after a child with eczema had a considerable impact on family life and regularly affected family plans.
- Eczema affects one in five children and one in twelve adults
- As well as the physical symptoms, eczema can cause low self-esteem and lack of confidence
- 20 per cent of children with eczema are often bullied because of their skin condition.
Eczema gets its name from the Greek word ‘ekzein’, meaning to boil. This is probably why you will often hear people with eczema say that their skin feels dry, hot, red, inflamed and painful.
There are many different types of eczema with differing degrees of severity. In mild cases, a person’s skin may appear dry, scaly, red and itchy and may occasionally affect their sleep. In more severe cases, the skin may be bleeding, crusting, weeping and prone to secondary infection.
Who Gets Eczema?
It is children that often suffer from eczema, although it can be seen in people of all ages. The most common type among children is atopic eczema, affecting as many as 15% of children by the age of seven.
It is a genetic condition ie it runs in families, but it will often skip a generation. Importantly, children with eczema will often have other conditions such as asthma and hayfever. Many children will ‘grow out’ of their condition only to see it reappear in later life. In 65 per cent of children, all symptoms will have disappeared by the age of seven. By the time they reach 16 years old, 75% will be eczema free.
For adults, the cause of eczema can be quite different. It is possible that a person’s skin is reacting to something that they have come into contact with at work on in the home. Alternatively, the cause might be environmental (eg hot weather) or linked to a particular medication or pre-condition such as poor circulation.
In babies and children, the symptoms most often affect the cheeks, forehead and limbs, whereas in older children and adults it often occurs in skin folds such as the elbows and crease of the knees.
Different types of eczema
Atopic Eczema
This is the most common type of eczema in children.
It often starts in small patches on the cheeks, around the mouth and neck and then spreads to other parts of the body, such as knees and elbows. The skin will be dry and itchy and prone to flare-ups. Triggers include soap, pollen, house dust mites, central heating and scratchy clothing.
Contact dermatitis
This is the most common type of work-related skin disease. Two types are seen, namely, irritant contact dermatitis and allergic contact dermatitis. The irritant form is caused by irritants such as soap, detergents, bleach, cement or raw food.
The allergic form is caused by an allergy to a substance such as nickel, perfume, cosmetics and topical medications. The symptoms include dry, red, split, cracked, weeping, painful, itchy and stinging skin. It can occur suddenly even if the person has been used to a substance for many years.
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Jan
18
Have you got any of these symptoms that signal the onset of type II diabetes?
If you believe that you’re at risk of developing type II diabetes, then consider adding these items to your weekly shop: leafy green vegetables, some avocados, nuts and whole grains. Each of these foods is high in magnesium – a nutrient that, according to the results of a new study, may be a key player in preventing type II diabetes.
You may not be aware of a condition known as Metabolic Syndrome (or MSX) which is a set of symptoms that puts you at high risk of heart disease and type II diabetes. It is estimated from UK research that 1 in 4 people may be affected by this. The main symptoms include excessive abdominal fat, elevated triglyceride levels, low HDL (these are the good guys of the cholesterol world), hypertension and a fasting glucose level that would indicate possible insulin resistance.
Having three or more of these symptoms are all that’s required to diagnose MSX.
Magnesium
In 2005, researchers collected dietary and medical data from more than 11,000 women over the age of 45 who participated in the ongoing Women’s Health Study. Results showed that subjects with the highest magnesium intake had a 27 per cent lower risk of developing Metabolic Syndrome (Diabetes Care, Vol. 28, No. 6, June 2005).
The following year, Northwestern University researchers reported on a study in which dietary and medical records for more than 4,600 healthy subjects were followed for 15 years. As in the earlier study, the highest intake of magnesium was linked with a significantly lower risk of MSX. These results are not entirely surprising. Previous research suggests that magnesium helps heart muscles relax, reduces blood pressure, and helps control homocysteine and C-reactive protein levels.
Can You Lower your risk of diabetes through magnesium supplements alone?
The latest magnesium/diabetes research comes from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. The Karolinska team reviewed seven large studies similar to the two above – in each study, dietary and medical records were followed over a long period. Four studies tracked diet only, while three studies reviewed dietary habits and supplement intake. The combined studies included more than 286,000 subjects.
Six of the studies found a significant association between high magnesium intake and a reduced risk of type II diabetes. The sources of magnesium – whether from diet or supplements combined with diet – were equally effective. The diabetes risk dropped by 15 per cent for every 100mg increase in magnesium intake (Journal of Internal Medicine, Vol. 262, No. 2, August 2007).
Could you be suffering from a magnesium deficiency?
It is quite easy for women to become magnesium deficient. High stress and menstruation can reduce magnesium levels, while a heavy intake of starches, alcohol, diuretics and some prescription drugs (such as antibiotics) can increase urinary excretion of magnesium. If a blood test shows your magnesium level is low (a normal range is anywhere between 0.66 and 1.23 millimoles per litre), you can help make up this shortfall by taking 500mg of magnesium per day. Magnesium gluconate and chelated magnesium are the preferred supplement forms. As always, talk to your doctor before adding magnesium to your supplement regimen.
Can simple dietary and lifestyle changes can ward off Type-2 diabetes?
In addition to increasing your magnesium intake, you can reduce your chances of getting type II diabetes by cutting down on the amount of refined carbohydrates (present in white bread and pasta) you consume. Instead, eat more high fibre foods and protein, which produce a much lower insulin response. Other foods to consume more of are vegetables, beans and pulses, which release sugar into your bloodstream at a slower rate.
Other factors that contribute to TypeII diabetes include being overweight (80 per cent of diabetics are overweight), a sedentary lifestyle, ageing (over 40’s are more at risk) and a family history of diabetes and smoking. The good news is that simple dietary and lifestyle changes can make a big difference to your likelihood of developing the disease. In a study of over 3,000 people with impaired glucose tolerance, it was found that lifestyle changes (dietary modifications plus regular exercise) was almost twice as effective as the drug metformin, in reversing symptoms (US National Institute of Health – The Diabetes Prevention Programme).
So, make sure you take steps to lose any excess weight. This can be helped by taking regular exercise. It’s not necessary to spend hours down the gym; just 30 minutes of brisk walking or cycling three or four times a week is adequate. Exercise increases the insulin sensitivity of your cells, so less insulin is required to transport glucose into them.
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Jan
3
Hypertension – the silent killer!
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Each year, high blood pressure, also called hypertension, leads to the premature death of five million people worldwide. Sadly, the rate of death from high blood pressure increased nearly 30 percent in the last decade alone. This silent killer has become an epidemic among nearly all ethnicities, genders and age groups. So, what should YOU be doing to avoid being one of these statistics.
High Blood Pressure… What is it?
What is blood pressure? Blood pressure, at a basic level, is the force pushing on the arteries by your blood as it passes through them. Someone with high blood pressure has a force that is putting higher than normal pressure on the arteries. This puts more stress on the body and the heart has to work much harder to get the blood pumped through the arteries. Consequently, it can actually enlarge and damage the heart, possibly leading to a heart attack, stroke, aneurysm and other heart problems if left untreated.
How is Blood Pressure Measured?
Testing your blood pressure is extremely quick and simple. The actual measuring of blood pressure is done with the help of a blood pressure monitor, which most people are familiar with. It is highly recommended that you get your blood pressure checked regularly and particularly if you think you suffer from high blood pressure. Unfortunately, there are no symptoms for high blood pressure, hence the name ’silent killer’. There are many monitors available for personal use, measuring the BP from the arm, wrist or finger.
Once tested, you will get a readout showing two numbers. Your blood pressure is measured as one number "over" another number, such as 120/80. The top number is your systolic pressure or the measure of the blood pressure while the heart is beating and the bottom number is your diastolic pressure or the pressure when the heart is at rest.
What is considered High Blood Pressure?
The results of the test will vary depending upon a number of factors. Height, weight, fitness level, age, pregnancy and general health of a person are all significant. In a normal adult, a reading of greater than 140/90 over three consecutive readings measured at greater than six hour intervals. In a pregnant woman, it is defined as a reading over 140/90 over two consecutive readings six hours apart.
Is there a cure for high blood pressure?
Fortunately, there is a natural way to lower your high blood pressure. It is also highly recommended to seek medical advice if you suffer from hypertension. Unfortunately, many high blood pressure medications (diuretics, beta blockers, ACE inhibitors, alpha blockers and vasodilators) can have very unpleasant side effects. Adopting some, or all, of these recommendations will help reduce your blood pressure and get those numbers down.
1. Try and exercise for 30 minutes continuously at least 4 times a week! Exercise equals a strong, efficient heart. If this is too much for you, something as simple as a brisk walk can help.
2. Lose those extra pounds! This might appear impossible… however, you would be surprised what will happen if you eat smaller portions and keep exercising!
3. Pass on the salt pot! Sodium reduction is a key to your high blood pressure treatment.
4. Eat more grains, fruit and vegetables.
5. Reduce your intake of alcohol.
6. Potassium is helpful in lowering your blood pressure. Eat bananas, citrus fruits, low-fat milk and some vegetables.
7. Dietary magnesium. Potassium and magnesium usually go hand-in-hand for lowering blood pressure. Eat whole grains, dark green leafy vegetables and most nuts.
8. Calcium is important. This mineral will be a god-send to hypertension sufferers. Consider low-fat dairy products and calcium supplements.
9. Garlic has become a popular supplement and should be part of your regular dietary intake. It is no wonder, it has great benefits to help your high blood pressure. Capsules are available if you don’t like that curry.
10. What about hawthorn? A powerful natural anti-oxidant can help get that BP lower.
11. Multivitamins can lower your blood pressure.
12. Try to relax, if only occasionally! I know it sounds simple, but you would be surprised how this can help.
Finally, don’t stop here! This is just the start for getting your life back to normal and lowering your blood pressure. You are dealing with a deadly disease if left untreated.
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