It couldn’t be more true,” nutritionist and CNN contributor Lisa Drayer said. “Basically, what I always tell people is, what you omit from your diet is so much more important than how much you exercise.” Think of it like this: All of your “calories in” come from the food you eat and the beverages you drink, but only a portion of your “calories out” are lost through exercise. According to Alexxai Kravitz, an investigator at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases — part of the National Institutes of Health, “it’s generally accepted that there are three main components to energy expenditure”: Basal metabolic rate, the amount of energy it takes just to keep your body running (blood pumping, lungs breathing, brain functioning) Breaking down food, scientifically referred to as “diet-induced thermogenesis,” “specific dynamic action” or the “thermic effect of food” Physical activity
For most people, basal metabolic rate accounts for 60% to 80% of total energy expenditure, Kravitz said. He cited a study that defines this as “the minimal rate of energy expenditure compatible with life.” As you get older, your rate goes down, but increasing your muscle mass makes it go up. About 10% of your calories are burned digesting the food you eat, which means roughly 10% to 30% are lost through physical activity. An important distinction here is that this number includes all physical activity: walking around, typing, fidgeting and formal exercise,” Kravitz said. “So if the total energy expenditure from physical activity is 10% to 30%, exercise is a subset of that number. “The average person — professional athletes excluded — burns 5% to 15% of their daily calories through exercise,” he said. “It’s not nothing, but it’s not nearly equal to food intake, which accounts for 100% of the energy intake of the body.” What’s more, as anyone who’s worked out a day in their life can tell you, exercising ramps up appetite — and that can sabotage even the best of intentions. According to calculations by Harvard Medical School, a 185-pound person burns 200 calories in 30 minutes of walking at 4 miles per hour (a pace of 15 minutes per mile). You could easily undo all that hard work by eating four chocolate chip cookies, 1½ scoops of ice cream or less than two glasses of wine. Even a vigorous cycling class, which can burn more than 700 calories, can be completely canceled out with just a few mixed drinks or a piece of cake.
“It’s so disproportionate — the amount of time that you would need to [exercise] to burn off those few bites of food,” Drayer said. The sentiment here is that you’ve “earned” what you eat after working out, when instead — if your goal is to lose weight — you’d be better off not working out and simply eating less. Of course, not all calories are created equal, but for simplicity’s sake, 3,500 calories equal 1 pound of fat. So to lose 1 pound a week, you should aim to cut 500 calories every day. If you drink soda, cutting that out of your diet is one of the easiest ways to get there. “The other thing is that exercise can increase your appetite, especially with prolonged endurance exercise or with weight lifting,” Drayer said. “It’s another reason why I tell people who want to lose weight to really just focus on diet first.”
“All this is not to say that exercise doesn’t have its place,” Drayer said. “It’s certainly important for building strength and muscle mass and flexibility. It can help to manage diseases, including heart disease and diabetes. It can improve your mood. It can help fight depression. But although exercise can help with weight loss, diet is a much more important lifestyle factor.” As the saying goes: Abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym.
00seshunarayanahttps://imedworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/MedWorks-Logo-02-300x300.pngseshunarayana2020-07-23 10:52:392020-07-23 10:52:39Why exercise won’t make us lose weight?
Appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix, a 3 1/2-inch-long tube of tissue that extends from the large intestine. One study suggests that the appendix may have some role in gut immunity, but nothing is definite. One thing we do know: We can live without it, without apparent consequences.
Appendicitis is a medical emergency that almost always requires prompt surgery to remove the appendix. Left untreated, an inflamed appendix will eventually burst, or perforate, spilling infectious materials into the abdominal cavity. This can lead to peritonitis, a serious inflammation of the abdominal cavity’s lining (the peritoneum) that can be fatal unless it is treated quickly with strong antibiotics. Sometimes a pus-filled abscess (infection that is walled off from the rest of the body) forms outside the inflamed appendix. Scar tissue then “walls off” the appendix from the rest of the abdomen, preventing infection from spreading. An abscessed appendix can perforate or explode and cause peritonitis. For this reason, almost all cases of appendicitis are treated as emergencies, requiring surgery.
In the U.S., one in 20 people will get appendicitis. Although it can strike at any age, appendicitis is rare under age 2 and most common between ages 10 and 30. Appendicitis occurs when the appendix becomes blocked, often by stool, a foreign body, or cancer. Blockage may also occur from infection, since the appendix can swell in response to any infection in the body.
What Are the Symptoms of Appendicitis?
The classic symptoms of appendicitis include:
Dull pain near the navel or the upper abdomen that becomes sharp as it moves to the lower right abdomen. This is usually the first sign. Loss of appetite Nausea and/or vomiting soon after abdominal pain begins Abdominal swelling Fever of 99-102 degrees Fahrenheit Inability to pass gas
Almost half the time, other symptoms of appendicitis appear, including:
Dull or sharp pain anywhere in the upper or lower abdomen, back, or rectum Painful urination and difficulty passing urine Vomiting that precedes the abdominal pain Severe cramps Constipation or diarrhea with gas If you have any of the mentioned symptoms, seek medical attention immediately, because timely diagnosis and treatment is very important. Do not eat, drink, or use any pain remedies, antacids, laxatives, or heating pads, which can cause an inflamed appendix to rupture. How Is Appendicitis Diagnosed?
Diagnosing appendicitis can be tricky. Symptoms of appendicitis are frequently vague or extremely similar to other ailments, including gallbladder problems, bladder or urinary tract infection, Crohn’s disease, gastritis, intestinal infection, and ovary problems.
The following tests are usually used to help make the diagnosis:
Abdominal exam to detect inflammation Urine test to rule out a urinary tract infection Rectal exam Blood test to see if your body is fighting infection CT scans and/or ultrasound How Is Appendicitis Treated? Surgery to remove the appendix, which is called an appendectomy, is the standard treatment for almost all cases of appendicitis.
Generally, if appendicitis is suspected, doctors tend to err on the side of safety and quickly remove the appendix to avoid its rupture. If the appendix has formed an abscess, you may have two procedures: one to drain the abscess of pus and fluid, and a later one to remove the appendix. However, there is some research showing that treatment of acute appendicitis with antibiotics may eliminate the need for surgery in certain cases. Appendectomy: What to Expect Antibiotics are given before an appendectomy to fight possible peritonitis. General anesthesia is usually given, and the appendix is removed through a 4-inch incision or by laparoscopy. If you have peritonitis, the abdomen is also irrigated and drained of pus.
Within 12 hours of surgery you may get up and move around. You can usually return to normal activities in two to three weeks. If surgery is done with a laparoscope (a thin telescope-like instrument for viewing inside the abdomen), the incision is smaller and recovery is faster.
After an appendectomy, call your doctor if you have: Uncontrolled vomiting Increased pain in your abdomen Dizziness/feelings of faintness Blood in your vomit or urine Increased pain and redness in your incision Fever Pus in the wound
Can Appendicitis Be Prevented?
There is no way to prevent appendicitis. However, appendicitis may be less common in people who eat foods high in fiber, such as fresh fruits and vegetables
00seshunarayanahttps://imedworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/MedWorks-Logo-02-300x300.pngseshunarayana2020-07-23 10:43:042020-07-23 10:43:04What is Appendicitis?
Curried dishes around the world wouldn’t be as delicious without turmeric. Turmeric is an orange-colored spice native to India and Indonesia, revered for its culinary and therapeutic benefits. Turmeric gives the curry its bright yellow or orange color and contributes to its peppery, warm, and mildly bitter taste. It also provides a tangy and ginger-like fragrance.
Turmeric is a root crop known for its tough brown skin and bright orange flesh. For more than 5,000 years, this root crop has been cultivated in the tropical regions of Asia. During the 13th century, turmeric was introduced to western countries by Arab traders.
Its popularity has slowly spread across the globe. Today, the leading producers of this aromatic spice are India, Indonesia, China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Haiti, and Jamaica.
Turmeric has been used in the Chinese and Indian pharmacopoeia for thousands of years. It is known for its powerful anti-inflammatory properties, used in treating several conditions such as toothache, chest pain, urinary tract infection, flatulence, jaundice, menstrual discomforts, bruises, hemorrhage, and colic.
Today, researchers are investigating the countless benefits of turmeric and it has shown incredible promise in the prevention and treatment of cancer.
Curcumin versus Cancer Turmeric’s active ingredient is an extracted compound called curcumin. Studies have shown that curcumin helps prevent several forms of cancer including breast, lung, stomach, liver, and colon because of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It stops the development of cancer by interfering with the cellular signaling aspects of the chronic disease.
Lab results have found curcumin capable of… Inhibiting COX-2, an enzyme that causes negative inflammation, which can lead to cancer. Impeding vascular epithelial growth (a polypeptide that stimulates new blood supply) to starve cancer cells of their oxygen and fuel source. Inducing a tumor suppressor gene.
Stopping metastasis (spread from one organ to another) of cancer cells. Killing large cell B-cell lymphoma cells (the most common reason for non-Hodgkin lymphoma). Preventing regrowth of cancer stem cells. Based on a 2011 study conducted by the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, researchers found that the curcumin extract effectively differentiates between cancer cells and normal cells while activating cancer cell death (apoptosis). Investigators concluded, “Curcumin exerts its biological influence through epigenetic modulation, a process that continues downstream staying one step ahead of adverse genetic influences.”
One study was conducted to investigate how much curcumin colorectal patients could safely take. In the trial, participants took 3.6 grams, considered to be a high dose of curcumin. Results revealed that high doses of curcumin didn’t cause ill effects among colorectal patients.
Curcumin is not well absorbed in the blood but it is absorbed well into the colon lining, giving it an advantage against cancerous tissues in the colon. It can help prevent prostate cancer because of its ability to interfere with the spread of cancer cells and inflammatory responses that are considered to be the precursors of cancer development. Curcumin also fights prostate cancer by reducing the expression of sex hormone receptors in the prostate gland.
It has shown incredible promise in the prevention of cervical cancer, the leading cause of cancer death among women in developing nations. Curcumin’s anti-inflammatory property blocks the factors that induce human papilloma virus and activates cancer cell death within the uterine lining.
00seshunarayanahttps://imedworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/MedWorks-Logo-02-300x300.pngseshunarayana2020-07-23 10:38:522020-07-23 10:38:52Turmeric in cancer treatment
ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It is a medical condition. A person with ADHD has differences in brain development and brain activity that affect attention, the ability to sit still, and self-control. ADHD can affect a child at school, at home, and in friendships.
What Are the Signs of ADHD? All kids struggle at times to pay attention, listen and follow directions, sit still, or wait their turn. But for kids with ADHD, the struggles are harder and happen more often.
Kids with ADHD may have signs from one, two, or all three of these categories:
Inattentive. Kids who are inattentive (easily distracted) have trouble focusing their attention, concentrating, and staying on task. They may not listen well to directions, may miss important details, and may not finish what they start. They may daydream or dawdle too much. They may seem absent-minded or forgetful, and lose track of their things. Hyperactive. Kids who are hyperactive are fidgety, restless, and easily bored. They may have trouble sitting still, or staying quiet when needed. They may rush through things and make careless mistakes. They may climb, jump, or roughhouse when they shouldn’t. Without meaning to, they may act in ways that disrupt others. Impulsive. Kids who are impulsive act too quickly before thinking. They often interrupt, might push or grab, and find it hard to wait. They may do things without asking for permission, take things that aren’t theirs, or act in ways that are risky. They may have emotional reactions that seem too intense for the situation. Sometimes parents and teachers notice signs of ADHD when a child is very young. But it’s normal for little kids to be distractible, restless, impatient, or impulsive — these things don’t always mean that a child has ADHD.
Attention, activity, and self-control develop little by little, as children grow. Kids learn these skills with help from parents and teachers. But some kids don’t get much better at paying attention, settling down, listening, or waiting. When these things continue and begin to cause problems at school, home, and with friends, it may be ADHD.
How Is ADHD Diagnosed? If you think your child has ADHD, make an appointment with your child’s doctor. He or she will give your child a check-up, including vision and hearing, to be sure something else isn’t causing the symptoms. The doctor can refer you to a child psychologist or psychiatrist if needed.
To diagnose ADHD, doctors start by asking about a child’s health, behavior, and activity. They talk with parents and kids about the things they have noticed. Your doctor might ask you to complete checklists about your child’s behavior, and might ask you to give your child’s teacher a checklist too.
After gathering this information, doctors diagnose ADHD if it’s clear that:
A child’s distractibility, hyperactivity, or impulsivity go beyond what’s usual for their age. The behaviors have been going on since the child was young. Distractibility, hyperactivity, and impulsivity affect the child at school and at home. A health check shows that another health or learning issue isn’t causing the problems. Many kids with ADHD also have learning problems, oppositional and defiant behaviors, or mood and anxiety problems. Doctors usually treat these along with the ADHD.
How Is ADHD Treated? Treatment for ADHD usually includes:
Medicine. This activates the brain’s ability to pay attention, slow down, and use more self-control. Behavior therapy. Therapists can help kids develop the social, emotional, and planning skills that are lagging with ADHD. Parent coaching. Through coaching, parents learn the best ways to respond to behavior difficulties that are part of ADHD. School support. Teachers can help kids with ADHD do well and enjoy school more. The right treatment helps ADHD improve. Parents and teachers can teach younger kids to get better at managing their attention, behavior, and emotions. As they grow older, kids should learn to improve their own attention and self-control.
When ADHD is not treated, it can be hard for kids to succeed. This may lead to low self-esteem, depression, oppositional behavior, school failure, risk-taking behavior, or family conflict. What Can Parents Do? If your child is diagnosed with ADHD:
Be involved. Learn all you can about ADHD. Follow the treatment your child’s health care provider recommends. Keep all recommended appointments for therapy. Give medicines safely. If your child is taking ADHD medicine, always give it at the recommended time and dose. Keep medicines in a safe place. Work with your child’s school. Ask teachers if your child should have an IEP. Meet often with teachers to find out how your child is doing. Work together to help your child do well. Parent with purpose and warmth. Learn what parenting approaches are best for a child with ADHD — and which can make ADHD worse. Talk openly and supportively about ADHD with your child. Focus on your child’s strengths and positive qualities. Connect with others for support and awareness. Join a support organization for ADHD to get updates on treatment and other information. What Causes ADHD? It’s not clear what causes the brain differences of ADHD. There’s strong evidence that ADHD is mostly inherited. Many kids who have ADHD have a parent or relative with it.
ADHD is not caused by too much screen time, poor parenting, or eating too much sugar.
ADHD can improve when kids get treatment, eat healthy food, get enough sleep and exercise, and have supportive parents who know how to respond to ADHD.
00seshunarayanahttps://imedworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/MedWorks-Logo-02-300x300.pngseshunarayana2020-07-23 10:36:292020-07-23 10:36:29WHAT IS ADHD IN CHILDREN?
Proven Health Benefits of Dates Dates are the fruit of the date palm tree, which is grown in many tropical regions of the world. Dates have become quite popular in recent years.
Almost all dates sold in Western countries are dried.
You can tell whether or not dates are dried based on their appearance. A wrinkled skin indicates they are dried, whereas a smooth skin indicates freshness.
Depending on the variety, fresh dates are fairly small in size and range in color from bright red to bright yellow. Medjool and Deglet Noor dates are the most commonly consumed varieties.
Dates are chewy with a sweet flavor. They are also high in some important nutrients and have a variety of advantages and uses.
This article will discuss 8 health benefits of eating dates and how to incorporate them into your diet.
1. Very Nutritious Dates have an excellent nutrition profile.
Since they’re dried, their calorie content is higher than most fresh fruit. The calorie content of dates is similar to that of other dried fruits, such as raisins and figs.
Most of the calories in dates come from carbs. The rest are from a very small amount of protein. Despite their calories, dates contain some important vitamins and minerals in addition to a significant amount of fiber.
A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving provides the following nutrients:
Calories: 277 Carbs: 75 grams Fiber: 7 grams Protein: 2 grams Potassium: 20% of the RDI Magnesium: 14% of the RDI Copper: 18% of the RDI Manganese: 15% of the RDI Iron: 5% of the RDI Vitamin B6: 12% of the RDI Dates are also high in antioxidants, which may contribute to many of their health benefits.
SUMMARY Dates contain several vitamins and minerals, in addition to fiber and antioxidants. However, they are high in calories since they are a dried fruit. 2. High in Fiber Getting enough fiber is important for your overall health.
With almost 7 grams of fiber in a 3.5-ounce serving, including dates in your diet is a great way to increase your fiber intake.
Fiber can benefit your digestive health by preventing constipation. It promotes regular bowel movements by contributing to the formation of stool.
In one study, 21 people who consumed 7 dates per day for 21 days experienced improvements in stool frequency and had a significant increase in bowel movements compared to when they did not eat dates.
Furthermore, the fiber in dates may be beneficial for blood sugar control. Fiber slows digestion and may help prevent blood sugar levels from spiking too high after eating.
For this reason, dates have a low glycemic index (GI), which measures how quickly your blood sugar rises after eating a certain food.
SUMMARY Dates are high in fiber, which may be beneficial for preventing constipation and controlling blood sugar control.
3. High in Disease-Fighting Antioxidants Dates provide various antioxidants that have a number of health benefits to offer, including a reduced risk of several diseases.
Antioxidants protect your cells from free radicals, which are unstable molecules that may cause harmful reactions in your body and lead to disease.
Compared to similar types of fruit, such as figs and dried plums, dates appear to have the highest antioxidant content.
Here’s an overview of the three most potent antioxidants in dates:
Flavonoids: Flavonoids are powerful antioxidants that may help reduce inflammation and have been studied for their potential to reduce the risk of diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and certain types of cancer. Carotenoids: Carotenoids are proven to promote heart health and may also reduce the risk of eye-related disorders, such as macular degeneration. Phenolic acid: Known for its anti-inflammatory properties, phenolic acid may help lower the risk of cancer and heart disease. SUMMARY Dates contain several types of antioxidants that may help prevent the development of certain chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s and diabetes. 4. May Promote Brain Health Eating dates may help improve brain function.
Laboratory studies have found dates to be helpful for lowering inflammatory markers, such as interleukin 6 (IL-6), in the brain. High levels of IL-6 are associated with a higher risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Additionally, animal studies have shown dates to be helpful for reducing the activity of amyloid beta proteins, which can form plaques in the brain.
When plaques accumulate in the brain, they may disturb communication between brain cells, which can ultimately lead to brain cell death and Alzheimer’s disease.
One animal study found that mice fed food mixed with dates had significantly better memory and learning ability, as well as less anxiety-related behaviors, compared to those that did not eat them.
The potential brain-boosting properties of dates have been attributed to their content of antioxidants known to reduce inflammation, including flavonoids.
However, human studies are needed to confirm the role of dates in brain health.
SUMMARY Dates may be helpful for lowering inflammation and preventing plaques from forming in the brain, which is important for preventing Alzheimer’s disease. 5. May Promote Natural Labor Dates have been studied for their potential to promote and ease late-term labor in pregnant women.
Eating these fruits throughout the last few weeks of pregnancy may promote cervical dilation and lower the need for induced labor. They may also be helpful for reducing labor time.
In one study, 69 women who consumed 6 dates per day for 4 weeks prior to their due date were 20% more likely to go into labor naturally and were in labor for significantly less time than those who did not eat them.
Another study of 154 pregnant women found that those who ate dates were much less likely to be induced compared to those who did not.
A third study found similar results in 91 pregnant women who consumed 70–76 grams of dates daily starting the 37th week of pregnancy. They were in active labor for an average of 4 fewer hours than those who did not eat dates.
Although eating dates appears to help promote labor and reduce labor duration, more research is needed to confirm these effects.
The role dates may have in pregnancy is likely due to compounds that bind to oxytocin receptors and appear to mimic the effects of oxytocin in the body. Oxytocin is a hormone that causes labor contractions during childbirth.
Additionally, dates contain tannins, which are compounds that have been shown to help facilitate contractions. They are also a good source of natural sugar and calories, which are necessary to maintain energy levels during labor.
SUMMARY Dates may promote and ease natural labor for pregnant women when consumed during the last few weeks of pregnancy.
6. Excellent Natural Sweetener Dates are a source of fructose, which is a natural type of sugar found in fruit.
For this reason, dates are very sweet and also have a subtle caramel-like taste. They make a great healthy substitute for white sugar in recipes due to the nutrients, fiber and antioxidants that they provide.
The best way to substitute dates for white sugar is to make date paste, as in this recipe. It is made by mixing dates with water in a blender. A rule of thumb is to replace sugar with date paste at a 1:1 ratio.
For example, if the recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar, you’ll replace it with 1 cup of date paste.
It is important to note that although dates are high in fiber and nutrients, they are still fairly high in calories and best consumed in moderation.
7. Other Potential Health Benefits Dates have been claimed to have a few other health benefits that have not yet been extensively studied.
Bone health: Dates contain several minerals, including phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium. All of these have been studied for their potential to prevent bone-related conditions like osteoporosis (1, 21). Blood sugar control: Dates have the potential to help with blood sugar regulation due to their low glycemic index, fiber and antioxidants. Thus, eating them may benefit diabetes management.
8. Easy to Add to Your Diet Dates are incredibly versatile and make a delicious snack. They are often paired with other foods, such as almonds, nut butter or soft cheese.
It is important to note that dates are high in calories and their sweet taste makes them easy to overeat. For this reason, they are best consumed in moderation.
The Bottom Line Dates are a very healthy fruit to include in your diet.
They are high in several nutrients, fiber and antioxidants, all of which may provide health benefits ranging from improved digestion to a reduced risk of disease.
Dates are definitely worth adding to your diet, as they are both nutritious and delicious.
This is one of several kinds of oral (mouth) cancers. Like other cancers, it happens when cells divide out of control and form a growth, or tumor. There are two types. One is called oral tongue cancer because it affects the part you can stick out. The other happens at the base of your tongue, where it connects to your throat. This type is often diagnosed after it has spread to the lymph nodes in your neck. Tongue cancer is less common than many other types. Most people who get it are older adults. It’s rare in children.
Symptoms One of the first signs of tongue cancer is a lump or sore on the side of your tongue that doesn’t go away. It may be pinkish-red in color. Sometimes the sore will bleed if you touch or bite it.
You may also have: Pain in or near your tongue Changes in your voice, like sounding hoarse Trouble swallowing If you have a sore on your tongue or in your mouth that doesn’t get better in a couple of weeks, see your doctor. If the problem is at the base of your tongue, you may not notice any symptoms. Your dentist may find signs of tongue cancer during a checkup, or your doctor might notice something during a regular exam.
Causes The human papillomavirus (HPV) can cause cancers on the base of the tongue. HPV also can infect your genital area and cause cervical cancer, penile cancer, and anal cancer. It’s the most common sexually transmitted infection. There are many types of HPV. The ones that raise your odds of getting cancer are called high-risk HPV.
Other things that may raise your chances of getting tongue cancer include:
Tobacco use Alcohol use Jagged teeth Not taking care of your teeth and gums
Your genes also may play a role in whether you’re likely to get tongue cancer.
Diagnosis Your doctor will examine your mouth and ask questions about your symptoms. He may recommend an X-ray or CT (computerized tomography) scan — several X-rays are taken from different angles and put together to show a more detailed picture.
He also may take a sample of tissue from your mouth to test (a biopsy). Treatment Your treatment will depend on where your tumor is and how big it is.
Surgery is often the best way to remove a tumor from the part of your tongue you can see. Your doctor will probably take out some healthy tissue and nearby lymph nodes as well, to make sure all the cancer is gone.
If the cancer is on the back of your tongue, you may have radiation therapy (X-rays and other radiation). Sometimes the best treatment is a combination of chemotherapy, or cancer-fighting drugs, and radiation.
You might need therapy afterward to help you chew, move your tongue, swallow, and speak better.
You’ll need regular checkups to make sure the cancer hasn’t come back.
Prevention We know that many cases of base-of-the-tongue cancer are caused by HPV. Some things that may make you less likely to get this type of cancer are:
Don’t use tobacco in any form. Avoid heavy or frequent alcohol use. Take good care of your teeth and gums.
Peripheral artery bypass is surgery to reroute the blood supply around a blocked artery in one of your legs. Fatty deposits can build up inside the arteries and block them.
A graft is used to replace or bypass the blocked part of the artery. The graft may be a plastic tube, or it may be a blood vessel (vein) taken from your body (most often the opposite leg) during the same surgery. Peripheral artery bypass surgery can be done in one or more of the following blood vessels:
Aorta (the main artery that comes from your heart) Artery in your hip Artery in your thigh Artery behind your knee Artery in your lower leg Artery in your armpit
Symptoms of a blocked peripheral artery are pain, achiness, or heaviness in your leg that starts or gets worse when you walk.
You may not need bypass surgery if these problems happen only when you walk and then go away when you rest. You may not need this surgery if you can still do most of your everyday activities. Your doctor can try medicines and other treatments first.
Reasons for having arterial bypass surgery of the leg are:
You have symptoms that keep you from doing your everyday tasks. Your symptoms do not get better with other treatment. You have skin ulcers (sores) or wounds on your leg that do not heal. You have an infection or gangrene in your leg. You have pain in your leg from your narrowed arteries, even when you are resting or at night. Before having surgery, your doctor will do special tests to see the extent of the blockage.
Risks for this surgery are:
Bypass does not work Damage to a nerve that causes pain or numbness in your leg Damage to nearby organs in the body Damage to the bowel during aortic surgery Excess bleeding Infection in the surgical cut Injury to nearby nerves Sexual problems caused by damage to a nerve during aortofemoral or aortoiliac bypass surgery Surgical cut that opens up Need for a second bypass surgery or a leg amputation Heart attack Death
PAD is a common disorder. It most often affects men over age 50, but women can have it as well. People are at higher risk if they have a history of:
Abnormal cholesterol Diabetes Heart disease (coronary artery disease) High blood pressure (hypertension) Kidney disease involving hemodialysis Smoking Stroke (cerebrovascular disease) Symptoms The main symptoms of PAD are pain, achiness, fatigue, burning, or discomfort in the muscles of your feet, calves, or thighs. These symptoms most often appear during walking or exercise, and go away after several minutes of rest.
At first, these symptoms may appear only when you walk uphill, walk faster, or walk for longer distances. Slowly, these symptoms occur more quickly and with less exercise. Your legs or feet may feel numb when you are at rest. The legs also may feel cool to the touch, and the skin may look pale. When PAD becomes severe, you may have:
Impotence Pain and cramps at night Pain or tingling in the feet or toes, which can be so severe that even the weight of clothes or bed sheets is painful Pain that is worse when you elevate your legs, and improves when you dangle your legs over the side of the bed Skin that looks dark and blue Sores that do not heal
Things you can do to control PAD include:
Balance exercise with rest. Walk or do another activity to the point of pain and alternate it with rest periods. Over time, your circulation may improve as new, small blood vessels form. Always talk to the provider before starting an exercise program. Stop smoking. Smoking narrows the arteries, decreases the blood’s ability to carry oxygen, and increases the risk of forming clots (thrombi and emboli). Take care of your feet, especially if you also have diabetes. Wear shoes that fit properly. Pay attention to any cuts, scrapes, or injuries, and see your provider right away. Tissues heal slowly and are more likely to get infected when there is decreased circulation. Make sure your blood pressure is well-controlled. If you are overweight, reduce your weight. If your cholesterol is high, eat a low-cholesterol and low-fat diet. Monitor your blood sugar level if you have diabetes, and keep it under control.
00seshunarayanahttps://imedworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/MedWorks-Logo-02-300x300.pngseshunarayana2020-07-22 20:56:372020-07-22 20:56:37Leg By pass surgery for Peripheral Artery disease
The world’s ancient systems of healing have prevailed despite the saturation of modern conventional medicine for one reason… they work. And because of this, they have been incorporated into the everyday lives, spiritual philosophies, health habits, and cultural customs of billions of people on the planet. Perhaps in no other healing tradition is this more evident than in the ancient practice of Ayurveda.
Let’s explore what Ayurveda has to say about the very modern dis-ease of cancer and look at the ayurvedic treatment for cancer. Ayurveda’s Herbs Are Already Being Studied A quick look through the National Institutes of Health research database at studies that have investigated the most common Ayurvedic herbs tells the tale. To date there have been close to 500 studies conducted on cumin, 650 on fennel, and 2,500 on ginger.
Interestingly, there have been just under 10,000 research studies done on turmeric and curcumin − including 3,500 studies on how turmeric alone and in combination with other herbs can help fight cancer.
Most health-conscious individuals are aware of the healing power of these Ayurvedic spices and may even be aware of some of the other principles around Ayurveda. However, few grasp how these individual modalities are part of a cohesive and complex system of medicine that has been in existence for over 5,000 years. The Basic Principles of Ayurveda The term Ayurveda translates to “the science of life.” Thus, Ayurveda does not just deal with the treatment of the physical body. It also focuses on balancing and harmonizing all aspects of a person’s mind, body, and spirit as well as that of society as a whole.
In Ayurveda, a person is seen as being made up of five primary natural elements: ether (or space), fire, water, air, and earth. These elements manifest and combine in the body in certain physiological ways. How these elements express themselves are called Doshas − Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Dosha-balancing is at the very heart of the Ayurvedic healing system.
In basic terms, each Dosha is responsible for specific functions in the body. Vata, for example, is associated with the air and ether. It is responsible for movement − including circulation, respiration, elimination, and nerve impulses. Pitta is said to be associated with water and fire and is responsible for metabolism, including cellular metabolism. Finally, the Kapha Dosha is governed by water and earth. It is responsible for growth and protection, including the protection of the cerebral and spinal fluid and the mucosal lining of the stomach. It is also responsible for the growth of new tissue. How Ayurveda Sees Cancer In Ayurveda, any imbalance in the body system is caused by the overexpression or under expression of one or more of the Doshas. Hence, all disease begins with them. Dosha imbalance can lead to dis-ease according to the following basic stages:
Accumulation − where one or more of the Doshas has increased Aggravation − as levels increase for one Dosha, this causes the remaining Doshas to become imbalanced Overflow − the accumulated Dosha spreads into the body carrying Aama, or toxic waste products Localization − the Dosha settles at a weak site in the body Manifestation − i.e. symptoms Disease − this would be the point where a conventional doctor would make a diagnosis of dis-ease, such as a particular kind of cancer According to Ayurveda, unbalanced physiology (Doshas) leads to faulty inherent intelligence leading to malfunctioning of genes and gene behavior leading to diseases like cancer,” says Dr. Virender Sodhi (MD, ND) of the Ayurvedic and Naturopathic Medical Clinic in Washington State.
“We all make cancer cells every day but our immune system is very sharp and not only recognizes the bad faulty cells but also sends its own army to destroy it. That is why the balance of mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health is a very important part of healing.” For Ayurvedic Treatment of Cancer, Prevention is Key Of course, the concept of prevention is not strictly relegated to Ayurveda. Changing your lifestyle to include more live foods, vegetables, and organic, grass-fed meats while reducing processed foods is part of it. In addition, reducing stress, getting adequate amounts of sleep and exercise, reducing your toxic burden, and fortifying the body with quality supplements are all good practices for health and vitality no matter who you are.
These days, more people are learning about ancient systems such as Ayurveda in order to provide an overall game plan for preventing cancer. They are doing this not only for their physical health, but for a quality life in general. Today in the U.S. and all over the world, thousands of people practice yoga and take healing herbs associated with Ayurveda every day.
There may be some Ayurvedic modalities you may not be as familiar with, however:
Abhyanga: Abhyanga means massage and is a key part of Ayurvedic therapy. It usually involves oils prepared with specialized Ayurvedic herbs and essential oils for lymph drainage, detox, and relaxation. Shirodhara: Shirodhara is a kind of massage that is done by gently pouring warm herbalized oil over the forehead. Shirodhara is said to synchronize brain waves patterns and help to coordinate and calm the body as well the mind. For those who wish to prevent breast cancer, Stanya Shodhana massage uses castor, coconut, olive, or other herbalized or non-herbalized oils to gently massage the breast area. This is for detoxification and to help immobilize accumulated toxins in the mammary glands. Swedana: Swedana is an herbalized steam bath. In this procedure, the head and heart are kept cool while gentle hyperthermia is applied to the rest of the body. This procedure is said to remove both physical and emotional toxins lodged deep within the tissues. Garshana: This is dry lymphatic skin brushing. This procedure helps increase circulation and cleanses the pores of the skin. Basti: Basti is an enema using Ayurvedic herbs in order to pull toxins out of the colon. Panchakarma: Panchakarma means “five treatments.” It is designed to use up to five of the above modalities (and others not mentioned) in order to engage all five senses for a deeply detoxifying experience for mind, body and soul. Panchakarma is individually tuned to each individual’s health needs. Check with an Ayurvedic center near you to see if they offer this service. Basti (enema) is usually performed at the end of a Panchakarma treatment in order to get rid of loosened impurities. It is also used to introduce Ayurvedic medicines into the blood and tissues in the most effective way possible.
00seshunarayanahttps://imedworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/MedWorks-Logo-02-300x300.pngseshunarayana2020-07-22 20:40:282020-07-22 20:40:28Could You Benefit From Ayurvedic Treatment For Cancer?
Causes According to Harvard Health Publications, 80 percent of gallstones are made of cholesterol. The other 20 percent of gallstones are made of calcium salts and bilirubin.
It’s not known exactly what causes gallstones to form, though there are some theories.
Too much cholesterol in your bile Having too much cholesterol in your bile can lead to yellow cholesterol stones. These hard stones may develop if your liver makes more cholesterol than your bile can dissolve.
Too much bilirubin in your bile Bilirubin is a chemical produced when your liver destroys old red blood cells. Some conditions, such as liver damage and certain blood disorders, cause your liver to produce more bilirubin than it should. Pigment gallstones form when your gallbladder can’t break down the excess bilirubin. These hard stones are often dark brown or black.
Concentrated bile due to a full gallbladder Your gallbladder needs to empty its bile to be healthy and to function properly. If it fails to empty its bile content, the bile becomes overly concentrated, which causes stones to form.
Symptoms Gallstones can lead to pain in the upper right abdomen. You may start to have gallbladder pain from time to time when you eat foods that are high in fat, such as fried foods. The pain doesn’t usually last more than a few hours.
You may also experience:
nausea vomiting dark urine clay-colored stools stomach pain burping diarrhea indigestion These symptoms are also known as biliary colic.
Asymptomatic gallstones Gallstones themselves don’t cause pain. Rather, pain occurs when the gallstones block the movement of bile from the gallbladder.
According to the American College of Gastroenterology, 80 percent of people have “silent gallstones.” This means they don’t experience pain or have symptoms. In these cases, your doctor may discover the gallstones from X-rays or during abdomen surgery.
Complications and long-term risk Acute cholecystitis When a gallstone blocks the duct where bile moves from the gallbladder, it can cause inflammation and infection in the gallbladder. This is known as acute cholecystitis. It is a medical emergency.
The risk of developing acute cholecystitis from symptomatic gallstones is 1 to 3 percent.
Symptoms associated with acute cholecystitis include:
intense pain in the upper stomach or mid-right back fever chills appetite loss nausea and vomiting See a doctor immediately if these symptoms last more than 1 to 2 hours or if you have a fever.
Other complications Untreated gallstones may cause complications such as:
jaundice, a yellowish tint to your skin or eyes cholecystitis, a gallbladder infection cholangitis, a bile duct infection sepsis, a blood infection pancreas inflammation gallbladder cancer
Risk factors for gallstones Many risk factors for gallstones are related to diet, while some factors are uncontrollable. Uncontrollable risk factors are things like age, race, gender, and family history, which can’t be changed.
An ancient cleansing and rejuvenation program, panchakarma is a series of individualized therapeutic treatments that clear ama (toxins) and excess doshas (subtle energies) from the deep tissues of the body. According to ayurveda’s ancient texts, panchakarma can both prevent and cure disease, and it is particularly successful with chronic illnesses that allopathy hasn’t conquered, such as allergies, arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, and migraines. On a deeper level, panchakarma can increase an individual’s sense of clarity and inner peace. That’s why yoga practitioners have used it to improve the quality of their spiritual practices for centuries.
Although Joe had never done yoga before, he was willing to give panchakarma a try. He could afford the $2,000 fee, and the treatments were luxurious. Every morning for five days, he was slathered in warm aromatic oil by two massage therapists standing at the left and right side of his body, mirroring each other’s strokes. He then sat in a square white fiberglass steam box for a sweat treatment. Next he rested face-up on a table as a technician poured a thin, continuous stream of warm oil between his eyebrows from a copper vessel, then dusted his body with a sweet-smelling mixture of sandalwood-rose powder and chickpea flour. By the end of these treatments, Joe’s mind was quiet and his muscles had melted into profound relaxation.
According to ayurvedic theory, these preparatory procedures liquefy the body’s impurities and push them toward the gastrointestinal tract. Joe’s main panchakarma treatment, which began on the third day, was a mild daily enema with herbs specific to pitta and liver function to help the impurities exit his body. In the afternoons and evenings Joe rested, took gentle yoga classes, and attended lectures on ayurveda.
“Panchakarma had a profound emotional, physical, psychological effect on me,” he says. “By the end of the program I felt ten years younger.” Hoping for scientific proof, Joe tested the efficacy of panchakarma through blood work. “I asked my lab to do a basic blood chemistry profile and a hepatitis C viral load test the day before I started panchakarma and then a few weeks after my treatments were over,” he says. The results were impressive: The first profile revealed that Joe’s viral load was in the low range at 297,086 virons per milliliter, but that an abnormal number of his liver cells were dying daily. After panchakarma, his viral load decreased by over 100,000 virons per milliliter, and his liver cells returned to normal.
In the weeks and months that followed, Joe’s energy gradually improved, and some of his excess pitta symptoms, such as irritability and itchiness, began to subside. Inspired, he began to follow Lad’s road map to health: eating a diet of bitter, cooling, protein-rich foods (avoiding hot, spicy, sour fare); taking pitta-pacifying herbs; reducing his intake of alcohol and coffee; self-administering mild oil enemas; exercising moderately; and practicing specific asanas.
At Lad’s suggestion, Joe returned for panchakarma every few months for four years. Each time that Joe repeated his pre- and post-panchakarma blood work, the tests showed a substantial decrease in his viral load and a rebalancing of his liver enzymes. And it wasn’t just panchakarma that affected his blood chemistry. In December 1999, he intentionally abandoned all of Lad’s lifestyle advice for 60 days, then repeated the blood tests. His viral load skyrocketed to over 1,500,000 virons per milliliter and his liver cells began dying off again in abnormal numbers. That was enough to convince Joe that the lifestyle changes had a profound effect on his health. (One month later, after another five-day panchakarma treatment, his viral load plummeted by 1,100,000 virons per milliliter and his liver enzymes normalized yet again.)
Joe returned to his ayurvedic lifestyle, and although his HCV symptoms didn’t subside immediately, his fatigue, digestive problems, and hypoglycemia disappeared over the course of three years. Then his restless legs syndrome faded away. To this date, Joe has gone to panchakarma 17 times and tries to follow his road map with an attitude of moderation. “I know what’s good and bad for me, and I try to make good choices more than 50 percent of the time,” he says. “My viral load has stayed in the low to medium-low range for the last four or five years, and my liver enzymes have all stayed within the normal range. I have not been able to clear the virus, but I’m completely symptom-free. None of my Western doctors have admitted it’s possible that panchakarma and ayurvedic lifestyle changes could produce such dramatic results, but I have the empirical data to prove it.”
Cleansing in a Toxic World Many ayurvedic experts believe that even healthy people need regular panchakarma treatments today because our environment is so polluted. According to research cited by Maharishi Ayurveda, up to 100,000 synthetic chemicals (including PCBs, dioxins, and pesticides like DDT/DDE) are used in modern industrial and agricultural processes. Traces of these chemicals pervade our food, water, air, and even our own bodies, and some are associated with allergies, reproductive disorders, certain types of cancer, and other diseases.
Scientific research suggests that many environmental toxicants are fat soluble and become lodged in the lipid layers of our cells. In a two-month longitudinal study conducted in 1998 at the Raj Maharishi Ayurvedic Health Spa in Fairfield, Iowa, panchakarma helped lighten the body’s toxic load of all 18 participants by reducing the level of several fat-soluble pesticide compounds, including beta-HCH and certain PCBs, by an average of approximately 50 percent compared to controls.
Panchakarma can slow the aging process and enhance vitality. According to the ayurvedic tradition, panchakarma has a host of other benefits. As Lad explains, “panchakarma removes free radicals, balances cholesterol and triglycerides, regulates blood pressure, and introduces antioxidant enzymes into the body. And because it’s a wonderful source of stress management, panchakarma can even prevent heart attacks, stroke paralysis, and cancer.” Panchakarma can also slow the aging process and enhance vitality and mental clarity. It’s a “cleansing and rejuvenating program for the body, mind, and consciousness,” he says.
How Does Panchakarma Work? First, an ayurvedic practitioner determines whether you are strong enough to withstand a cleansing regimen, and rules out contraindications such as hypertension, congestive heart failure, and (for women) pregnancy and menstruation. Then he or she assesses your current body-mind state (vikriti) and compares it to the unique ayurvedic constitution with which you were born (prakriti). Both your prakriti and vikriti are a unique blend of the three doshas—vata, pitta, and kapha—and numerous factors can disrupt their delicate balance. As Lad explains, “The wrong diet, habits, and lifestyle, along with seasonal changes, repressed emotions, and stress factors can…change the balance of vata, pitta, and kapha… which affects agni, the gastric fire, and produces ama, or toxins.”
Ama clogs us on all levels and, when left unchecked, becomes the breeding ground for disease. Described in ayurvedic texts as cold, heavy, wet, and sticky, it develops from environmental toxins and internal toxins generated by poorly assimilated food. If you have high cholesterol, hardened arteries, tooth tartar, a coated tongue, joint pain, body odor, or excess mucus, you have the physical symptoms of ama. Energetically, it lurks in the system as fatigue; mentally, ama creates dullness, irritability, and greed. According to ayurveda, panchakarma addresses the root causes of disease by removing years of accumulated ama (along with excess vata, pitta, and/or kapha) and fine-tuning your agni. The job of your ayurvedic practitioner is to tailor a program to rebalance your body and mind.
Traditionally ayurveda recommends doing panchakarma at the junction between each season to clear out impurities generated during the previous season and help you transition smoothly into the next. Lad says that early spring is always a good time to do panchakarma because it can help reduce your sensitivity to pollen and prevent colds.
Panchakarma is a three-stage process that typically lasts for three to ten days in Western ayurvedic clinics. The preparatory phase begins with internal oleation, during which you will drink increasing amounts of ghee (clarified butter) in the early morning and afternoon to lubricate the body’s subtle channels, or srotas. Next, your ayurvedic practitioner will ask you to go on a “sensory diet,” avoiding TV, loud music, drastic weather conditions, strenuous exercise, travel, and sexual activity for the length of your treatment. You’ll also be asked to avoid sugar, caffeine, and alcohol, and to eat light, warm, cleansing dishes like kitchari (basmati rice and mung dal cooked with spices and ghee). As Lad explains, “During panchakarma, your agni, or digestive fire, becomes low. Kitchari is the best food to eat because it is easy to digest, burns ama, detoxifies the body, and balances the doshas.”
The next step is external oleation. Each day, you receive a deep ayurvedic massage that softens and saturates your body with nourishing herbalized oils tailored to your needs. Then a gentle stream of oil is dripped onto your forehead to release mental and emotional strain. These procedures liquefy deep-seated ama in the body’s seven tissues, or dhatus. A daily therapeutic sweat treatment (often in the form of a steam bath) further loosens impurities and dilates the srotas, so the ama and excess doshas can move toward the gastrointestinal tract. Within three to seven days, your ayurvedic practitioner will sense that your excess doshas and ama have become “ripened” and are ready to be released via your main panchakarma treatments.
Traditionally, panchakarma comprises five main procedures, or karmas, that your practitioner can choose from, but since Westerners often find vamana (therapeutic vomiting) and raktamoksha (blood purification through herbs or mild bloodletting) too unpleasant to try, only three are common in the States. Nasya involves putting medicated drops of herbalized oil or powders into the nose to treat diseases of the head, including colds, toothaches, and migraines. Virechana uses strong purgatives to cleanse the small intestine and cure excess pitta problems such as hyperacidity, colitis, and skin diseases. But basti (medicated enema) is perhaps the most profound. According to an ancient text called the Charaka Samhita, basti provides a full 50 percent of panchakarma’s benefits. The colon is the seat of vata, and when this dosha is out of balance, it plays a key role in the development of disease. Recognizing that the colon provides nourishment to the entire body, just like roots for a tree, Charaka wrote, “Basti works from head to toe.” It treats all vata disorders, including constipation, back pain, arthritis, osteoporosis, and impotence.
After your main treatments are over, your ayurvedic practitioner will guide you through “post-procedures” to help you reap the full benefits of panchakarma. Because your digestive system (agni) rests during panchakarma, it’s important to transition back to your regular diet slowly and carefully. If you overload your agni with heavy foods, you’ll generate new ama and the disease process will start all over again. You’ll also need to protect the delicate state of your nervous system by gradually easing into your regular, workaday life. Your practitioner will send you home with your own road map to healing.
As Lad explains, “The purpose of panchakarma is not just to get well but to purify and strengthen the body so that future diseases will not occur.” That’s why he recommends doing rasayana (rejuvenative herbal therapy) once you’ve regained your strength. He offers a metaphor for ayurveda’s philosophy of cleansing and rejuvenation: “If you want to color your shirt, wash it first, then dye it so the color will shine. Your body is the shirt, panchakarma is the washing, and rasayana is the dyeing.”
00seshunarayanahttps://imedworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/MedWorks-Logo-02-300x300.pngseshunarayana2020-07-22 18:52:582020-07-22 18:52:58What is Panchakarma?
