jerasphealth

[jerasphealth]

Multiple Myeloma Early Symptoms

Multiple myeloma is a blood cancer that causes abnormal uncontrolled growth of a type of white blood cells called plasma cells. The affected plasma cells-now cancer cells-  rather than producing helpful antibodies they end up producing abnormal proteins, M Proteins, also known as paraprotein, that can cause harm to different body parts such as kidneys and bones. Myeloma cells unlike most cancers that exist as tumor or lump, multiplies and affects several bone marrow sites hence its name 'Multiple myeloma'. It's in the bone marrow where formations of blood cells such as normal white blood cells, platelets, and red blood cells take place. Multiple Myeloma cells crowd out the formations of these cells, resulting in a higher risk of infections, fatigue, anemia,  increased bleeding and bruising, and breakdown of bones leading to bone fractures.

Multiple myeloma cells attacks on blood cells and bones, resulting in overall effects on all body activities involving blood cells and bones such as immune system hence higher risk of infections, absorption of nutrients hence loss of weight and excessive thirsty as lots of water and nutrients are not absorbed as required by the body. Abnormal growth of cells and release of paraprotein results in the breakdown of bones hence bone fracture leading to the high-level release of calcium to the blood which affects kidney absorption potential. Fatigue is usually caused by anemia. MULTIPLE MYELOMA EARLY SYMPTOMS. Multiple myeloma symptoms can vary from person to person, sometimes during the early stages, there may be none. When signs and symptoms do occur, they can include:

Frequent infections

Increased bleeding and bruising

Weight loss

Bone pains especially in the back or chest

Numbness

Muscle weakness

Fatigue

Constipation

Excessive thirsty

You should make an appointment with your doctor when u experience persistent unexplained above symptoms. IS MULTIPLE MYEMOLA TREATABLE? Multiple myeloma is treatable, Yes. Treatments focus on controlling the disease, relieving symptoms, and prolonging life. Unfortunately, there is no cure for Multiple myeloma. Myeloma is relapsing-remitting cancer. That means it alternates between periods of symptoms and/or complications that need to be treated, and a stable period that does not cause symptoms and does not require treatment (remission). A relapse is when myeloma returns or becomes active again after a period of treatment.

RISK FACTORS

There is no known definitive cause of Multiple myeloma, although doctors believe there are factors that may increase your risk of Multiple myeloma.

Age: Older people mostly above 65 are at high risk to develop the disease than the younger ones.

Male sex: Women are at lower risk compared to men Black race: Black people are at twice a risk compared to white people

A family member with it: Many people diagnosed with this disease had a family member with it, so you are at risk if any of your family members was once diagnosed with a disease.

Overweight or obese: Obese people are at high risk of Multiple myeloma Also if u had being in contact with chemicals used in rubber manufacturing, woodworking, or firefighting; or herbicides, you are also at high risk of the disease.

[jerasphealth]

5 health benefits of Avocado

Avocados are a fruit belonging to the Genus Persea in the Lauraceae family. They have the highest fiber content of any fruit and contain vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium, magnesium, and folate.

Avocados contain four grams of protein, making them the fruit with the highest protein content.  These days, avocado has become a popular food among health-conscious individuals. It’s often referred to as a superfood, which is not surprising given its health properties. Even though they mature on the tree, avocados only ripen after harvesting. The easiest way to ripen avocados at home is by keeping them in a brown paper bag at room temperature for 2-4 days. You can speed up this process even more by adding a banana to the bag. The bananas will release ethylene gas, a natural plant hormone that aids in ripening fruit. Health Benefits May prevent cancer There is limited evidence that avocado may be beneficial in cancer treatment and prevention. Avocado extracts have shown to inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells in a laboratory.  A report in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry stated that the carotenoids and tocopherols (chemical compounds that may have vitamin E activity) in avocado were shown to inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cell lines in an artificial environment (in vitro).

Extracts from Hass avocados kill or stop the growth of pre-cancerous cells that lead to oral cancer. Hass avocados are year-round fruits known for their distinctive bumpy skin that turns from green to purplish-black as they ripen.

However, these studies were done in isolated cells and don't necessarily prove what may happen inside people. Human-based research is unavailable.

May Improve heart health

Avocados are a source of “good” fats, technically called monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. They are also cholesterol-free making them a great replacement for spreads such as butter or mayonnaise.

Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated fats, when consumed in moderation and eaten in place of saturated or trans fats, can help reduce blood cholesterol levels and decrease the risk for heart disease. Avocados are one of the few fruits that provide heart-healthy "good" fats.

If you’re aiming to promote heart health, consuming one Avocado a day would be a great start.

May Improve Vision.

Avocados are rich in the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, two phytochemicals that can help protect and maintain healthy cells in your eyes. Lutein is a natural antioxidant that is said to help maintain eye health as you age. According to The American Optometric Associate lutein is a carotenoid that filters harmful blue light from the sun and other light sources, this helps to maintain healthy cells within your eye.

May Improve Digestion.

Avocado's beneficial fiber helps promote healthy digestion. Fiber doesn't break down into energy as it passes through your digestive tract, but instead absorbs water to soften and loosen your stool. This helps combat constipation.

Avocados also are packed with essential nutrients, such as potassium, which help promote healthy digestive function. It’s also a low-fructose food, so it’s less likely to cause gas.

May help depression

Avocado is rich in tryptophan which may help with serotonin(feel-good chemical) production in your brain.

Consuming monounsaturated fats have been shown to reduce depression. (And balancing fat intake may help control depression).

[jerasphealth]

5 health benefits of Avocado

Avocados are a fruit belonging to the Genus Persea in the Lauraceae family. They have the highest fiber content of any fruit and contain vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium, magnesium, and folate.

Avocados contain four grams of protein, making them the fruit with the highest protein content.  These days, avocado has become a popular food among health-conscious individuals. It’s often referred to as a superfood, which is not surprising given its health properties. Even though they mature on the tree, avocados only ripen after harvesting. The easiest way to ripen avocados at home is by keeping them in a brown paper bag at room temperature for 2-4 days. You can speed up this process even more by adding a banana to the bag. The bananas will release ethylene gas, a natural plant hormone that aids in ripening fruit. Health Benefits May prevent cancer There is limited evidence that avocado may be beneficial in cancer treatment and prevention. Avocado extracts have shown to inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells in a laboratory.  A report in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry stated that the carotenoids and tocopherols (chemical compounds that may have vitamin E activity) in avocado were shown to inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cell lines in an artificial environment (in vitro).

Extracts from Hass avocados kill or stop the growth of pre-cancerous cells that lead to oral cancer. Hass avocados are year-round fruits known for their distinctive bumpy skin that turns from green to purplish-black as they ripen.

However, these studies were done in isolated cells and don't necessarily prove what may happen inside people. Human-based research is unavailable.

May Improve heart health

Avocados are a source of “good” fats, technically called monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. They are also cholesterol-free making them a great replacement for spreads such as butter or mayonnaise.

Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated fats, when consumed in moderation and eaten in place of saturated or trans fats, can help reduce blood cholesterol levels and decrease the risk for heart disease. Avocados are one of the few fruits that provide heart-healthy "good" fats.

If you’re aiming to promote heart health, consuming one Avocado a day would be a great start.

May Improve Vision.

Avocados are rich in the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, two phytochemicals that can help protect and maintain healthy cells in your eyes. Lutein is a natural antioxidant that is said to help maintain eye health as you age. According to The American Optometric Associate lutein is a carotenoid that filters harmful blue light from the sun and other light sources, this helps to maintain healthy cells within your eye.

May Improve Digestion.

Avocado's beneficial fiber helps promote healthy digestion. Fiber doesn't break down into energy as it passes through your digestive tract, but instead absorbs water to soften and loosen your stool. This helps combat constipation.

Avocados also are packed with essential nutrients, such as potassium, which help promote healthy digestive function. It’s also a low-fructose food, so it’s less likely to cause gas.

May help depression

Avocado is rich in tryptophan which may help with serotonin(feel-good chemical) production in your brain.

Consuming monounsaturated fats have been shown to reduce depression. (And balancing fat intake may help control depression).

[jerasphealth]

What do I need to know about hoarding disorder?

This is the persistent difficulty in parting with possessions regardless of their actual value.

How would I know I have a hoarding disorder?

The following are symptoms of hoarding disorder;

Difficulty in discarding possessions; the main reasons for this difficulty are the perceived or delusional value of such possessions accompanied by the strong attachment to such items. Feeling responsible for the fate of possessions and going to great lengths to avoid being wasteful or losing important information. These possessions can be magazines, newspapers. Old clothing bag, books mail, and paperwork but virtually any item can be saved. Do these people come back for these items with the sole purpose of searching for information? Probably not but there is always that nagging “you never know” voice.

Do you have those old school papers you can’t get rid of, why are you still keeping them?

Not all of these things are considered useless by other people some are very valuable but can be found mixed in piles with less valuable items.

Accumulation of a large number of items; may tend to fill up the place to the point of inconvenience. An individual may not be able to cook in the kitchen sleep in his or her bed or sit on the chair because or of these places are occupied by items due to cluttering. Clutter is defined as a large group of usually unrelated or marginally related objects piled together in a disorganized fashion for other purposes tabletops, floor hallway. If an individual with hoarding disorder is found without clutter is due to the intervening of a third party e.g. family member, the spouse who forces them to clear it and put it in appropriate places e.g. basement or a store.

Animal hoarding; accumulation of large numbers of animals while failure to provide minimal standards of nutrition, sanitation, and veterinary care. the animals live in very deteriorating conditions while suffering from diseases starvation and poor living conditions. Animal hoarding maybe be a special manifestation of hoarding disorder

Other symptoms include indecisiveness, perfectionism, procrastination, difficulty in planning and organizing tasks, distractibility, and living in unsanitary conditions due to cluttering due to poor planning and organizing.

The major difference between animal hoarding and object hoarding is the extent of unsanitary conditions and the poorer insight into animal hoarding.

Who is mostly affected by hoarding disorder?

Symptoms of hoarding disorder first emerge as early as 11-15 years and start interfering with individual everyday activities around the mid-20s.

Pathological; hoarding in children can be easily distinguished from saving and collecting behaviors. However, this is hard in making a diagnosis because children do not control their living environments and discarding behaviors in the presence of parents and guardians.

Factors causing hoarding disorder

Genetic and physiological causes:

Hoarding behaviors is familial, about 50% of individual with hoards have reported having a family relative with hoarding disorder.

Environmental reasons; individuals with hoarding disorder have been through stressful and traumatic life events before the beginning of the disorder.

Temperamental reasons; indecisiveness is a prominent feature of individuals with hoarding disorder.

Other diagnoses with similar symptoms;

Neurodevelopmental disorder hoarding disorder is not diagnosed if the symptoms are of a direct consequence of a neurodevelopmental disorder such as autism spectrum disorder or  intellectual disability

Major depressive episode; if the accumulation of objects is due to the result of psychomotor retardation, fatigue, or loss of energy due to major depressive episode then hoarding disorder cannot be diagnosed.

Schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorder hoarding disorder is not judged if the acquisition of objects in large quantities is due to delusions or negative symptoms of schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder in OCD; the accumulation of objects is due to avoidance of onerous rituals (not getting rid of objects so as to avoid endless washing or checking rituals; however  OCD the behavior is distressing and the individual experiences no pleasure from it, unlike the hoarding disorder who feels a sense of accomplishment.

For OCD the excessive desire to acquire certain items is due to a certain obsession (the need to buy items that have been accidentally touched to avoid contaminating other people and not the genuine need to possess the items.

Imagine having both; when a person who hoards in the context of OCD while possessing bizarre items such as feces, urine, trash, nails, hair, used diapers, and rotten food though the accumulation of such items is very unusual for hoarding disorder alone. Although when hoarding disorder symptoms are diagnosed independently from  OCD both can be diagnosed.

Neurocognitive disorder; if the accumulation is judged based on the consequence of degenerative disorder such as neurocognitive disorder. The accumulation may be accompanied by self-neglect and severe domestic squalor along with other neuropsychiatric symptoms such as gambling and self-injurious behavior.

Effects of hoarding disorder

Clutter makes it difficult for basic activities such as e.g. cooking, cleaning personal hygiene, and even sleeping .when appliances are broken or utilities such as access to water broken repairing may prove difficult. Risk of accidents  such as fire and falling especially for the elderly, poor sanitation  and other health risks which physical health Social conflicts family relationships are frequently under strain. Conflicts with neighbors and local authorities  and some of the individuals are involved in the legal eviction Bankruptcy when they become shopaholics while everything ends up as clutter inside the house and due to difficulty in discarding possessions they can’t sell them.

Reference

Dsm v- American psychiatric association

[jerasphealth]

15 Weeks Pregnant: Body Changes, What to Eat & More

15 weeks is around the second trimester of the whole gestation period.

Body changes in the expectant mother’s body.

Weight gain-this is completely normal as the baby is going a lot more than the first trimester. Measure your weight regularly and it should be about 0.5 kg a week on average.

Enlargement of the rib cage around 2 to 3 inches to accommodate the widening of the lungs to carry more oxygen to the baby since the capacity increases.

Body pains and aches- unless they are unbearable this is completely normal. The uncomfortable pain may be a result of the growing belly that put excess pressure on the muscles and skeleton. All this to accommodate the growing fetus accompanied by the weakening of abdominal walls and increasing strain of muscles. In addition to that, hormonal levels are heightened (especially relaxin hormone) causing stretching of joints and ligaments in the body and this change correlates with back pain.

Nipples become darker and bumpier; the hormones cause the skin cell to produce more pigment. there also is the secretion of oily substance so that the nipples can become oily and soft during breastfeeding the secretion of this oil substance is due to the gland called Montgomery tubercles that are only visible during pregnancy. they are found around the nipples on the areola, they re-raised white bumps around the areola(the dark area surrounding the nipple, just like goosebumps).

Numbing, tingling Hands and feet- you’ve ever slept on your arm for a long time or sit on your leg and had that tingling feeling? That is the body’s way of telling you a particular area is not getting enough blood or you are compressing a nerve. However, this is just temporary during the second trimester and very common in the last trimester caused by carpal tunnel syndrome.

Sexual arousal(increased libido)- estrogen whose level rises during the second-trimester causes an increase of blood flow in the vulva and vagina lubrication hence heightened arousal and pleasure. The genital blood flow makes the clitoris hypersensitive. there is no harm in enjoying sex in this period is advised until the very late stages of your pregnancy.

Sensitive teeth and gums-it may be accompanied by bleeding gums especially during brushing teeth, it’s the pregnancy hormones making your gums swell hence likely to bleed. these same hormones make your sinuses to clog. If the symptoms of sinusitis are brutal seek medical help to get relieved.

Nose bleed; same thing hormonal changes cause a nose bleeds and if you are not losing a lot of blood do not be terrified as this is completely normal.

The good news is by this time nausea and vomiting symptoms are fading, unlike the first trimester, so the expectant mother is likely to get her appetite back. this is not a privilege for all women some women experience hyperemesis gravidarum which is an intense morning sickness accompanied by extreme vomiting and may require hospitalization, this may lead to complications like premature detachment of the placenta from the uterus(womb), which causes deprivation of the nutrients and oxygen to the baby. So go see the doctor!

Changes of the baby during 15 weeks of pregnancy’

From the size of kiwi fruit in week fourteen to the size of an orange or apple   fascinating right?  It is about 4.5 inches a nd weighs about 144 grams.

The outer part of the baby ears can be recognizable through the inner year continues to develop, hearing though not yet it's happening and you can start singing or read to that baby.

The skin is still translucent and vessels and skeleton can be seen, some bones like collar bone have already the development process through the bones from the hands and feet harden and become stronger this week.

Baby hair might appear on the scalp and eyebrows.

By 15  weeks the bay can make whole-body movements, their arms legs, stretch and breathing motions, they can go as far as sucking thumbs. When very still, focused and attentive some women can feel their baby moves as early as 15 weeks, they aren’t as strong as the “it kicked” during the 20- 22 weeks. these are first fetal movements and are known as “fluttering” and they are very subtle that some mothers don’t feel them at all.

FOOD A PREGNANT MOTHER IS ADVISED TO EAT AT 15 WEEKS A pregnant mother should consume a balanced diet to avoid pregnancy difficulties like high blood pressure, premature birth, preeclampsia (rise of blood pressure, swelling of face, hands, and feet. Although a balanced diet should be  some nutrients are very essential including

Protein- this is essential for the growth of the abyss brain and other tissues to grow, it also helps the growth of the mother's uterus and breasts. for every 1kg of a mother, she should aim to eat 1.52g of protein every day. So if the expectant mother is 65 kg she should eat 98.8g of protein daily. The protein foods include lean meat(low-fat content), nuts, eggs (not undercooked to avoid the risk of salmonella), fish,  and beans.

Iron; supplies oxygen to the baby and voids anemia and complications such as premature birth and pots Partum depression (feeling down after giving birth) is a mental health condition. The foods containing iron are meat (lean), green vegetables, groundnuts, cashew nuts, bread, cereal foods. Iron from animal products is absorbed way faster than that from plants. For those who are vegans  foods rich in vitamin c like oranges are highly advisable

Fluids- pregnant women need to stay hydrated at all times (8-12glasses a day). Water is essential for the formation of amniotic fluid, carries nutrients and wastes to and fro respectively, produces extra blood, lack of water can cause premature labor, neural tube defects reduced milk production, and low amniotic fluid. Stay hydrated queens!

Calcium &folic acid- calcium helps to strengthen a baby's bones and teeth and improves its circulatory system. Folic acid prevents neural tube defects (birth defects of brain, spine, or spinal cord including spina bifida which is the failure of the baby’s spinal cord to develop properly and anencephaly which is a baby born with brain or incomplete skull and normally becomes stillborn or dies few hours after being born), reduces risks of premature labour.No expectant mother wants any of that to happen to her baby. So take these calcium foods which include dairy, eggs, sardines, and salmon (with bones), fruit juices and greens, and foods containing folic acid include oranges, grains, green vegetables, cereals, and legumes.  The folic acid increment is available as one may not get enough from foods.

Vitamin D and fatty acids – like calcium vitamin d  in building the baby’s bones and teeth.it is not present in many foods but can be obtained from the morning sun even though the body generates it's own vitamin D. Cereal and milk, egg yolk, beef liver, cheese 9 just to mention a few the supplements can be obtained especially fr those who live in polar regions. Fatty acids support the heart, brain, and eyes, prevent premature labor, increase birth weight, and reduces the risk of the mother falling into depression. Vegetable oils, fruits, nuts animal fats, are some of the sources of fatty acids.

N.B

Alcohol in the first trimester can cause the baby to have abnormal facial features however alcohol deprives growth and cause harm to the central nervous system, refrain from it at all costs!

Do not smoke

! It causes baby defects like the sudden death of infant syndrome or cleft lip or cleft palate( this is an opening on the baby's lip or in the roof of her mouth. Of course, it can be treated but if you can avoid it you should.

Working out is good as it helps reduces aches, bloating and constipation helps a woman to sleep better. It also helps one to have a normal delivery, without unnecessary complications. Avoid being idle unless strictly advised by the doctor to have a bed rest. Almost there queens, a new life is about to join yours!.

[jerasphealth]

Types of Seizures, their Causes, Symptoms and First Aids

Seizures refer to changes in behavior, movement, and in the level of consciousness caused by abnormal brain electrical activities.

Before a seizure happens, there may be warning signs. Changes in feelings or sensations or behavior changes can be a warning sign that a seizure may be approaching.

Changes in sounds, tastes, smells, and feelings are also commonly reported. An aura is considered to be the first real symptom of a seizure, and many people may find the aura hard to describe. However, others may have no signs or symptoms of an impending seizure.

During a seizure, a person may lose the ability to swallow, have difficulty speaking, experience twitching or jerking movements in the body, and even experience convulsions.

They may lose consciousness, see flashing lights, experience visual hallucinations, and feel out of body sensations.

The unprovoked and recurrent occurrence of seizures commonly causes epilepsy. A single seizure lasting more than five minutes or two or more seizures within a five-minute period without the person returning to normal between them is known as Status Epilepticus and it is a medical emergency that may lead to permanent brain damage or death and requires immediate medical help

HOW MANY TYPES OF SEIZURES ARE THERE?

Seizures can be categorized based on where the onset of abnormal brain activity took place. It can also be classified as an unknown onset if it is unknown where it began.

GENERALIZED SEIZURES

These happen when nerve cells of both the right and left hemisphere of the brain misfire. Epileptic activity occurs throughout the entire brain. They can make you have muscle spasms, blackout, or fall.

There are six types of generalized seizures

TONIC-CLONIC SEIZURE

A tonic-clonic seizure is a type of generalized seizure that usually lasts one to three minutes, but may last up to five minutes.

Tonic-clonic has two stages symptoms, a loss of consciousness stage followed by muscle convulsions stage. Loss of consciousness stage may last up to ten seconds, Muscles convulsion stage usually lasts less than two minutes.

This seizure can make a person cry loudly caused by the passage of air between vocal cords(also called vocal folds) and it is not caused by pain.

It can cause muscle jerks/spasms causing a person to fall to the floor and lose consciousness. sometimes can cause loss of bladder control due to increased pressure hence a person may wet himself/herself. The child may bite the tongue, which may cause bleeding. Tonic-clonic seizures were formerly called Grand Mal seizures.

First Aid

Do not restrain the person.

Do not insert anything in the mouth.

Protect the child from further injury.

Roll the child on his/her side after the seizure subsides.

If seizures last more than five minutes or occur one after another without recovery between seizures an individual must seek medical help.

During the post-ictal state( a short period after seizure). During this time, the person will need to rest due to fatigue, confusion which may last from five minutes, hours, or even days. Rarely, this state may last up to two weeks. There is no evidence that tonic-clonic seizures cause brain damage.

ABSENCE SEIZURES

Also called petit mal seizures, is a non-motor type of seizure that consists of a period of unconsciousness with a blank stare into space for a few seconds.

Other symptoms include chewing movements, stopping speech in the middle of a sentence, rapid breathing, fluttering eyelids, slight movements, or tugging at clothing. It is called “absence” seizures because it’s like the person isn’t really there (loss of consciousness).

Absence seizures are brief, usually lasting only 2 to 10 seconds. It can be controlled by anti-seizure medications.

First Aid

It usually takes a very brief moment and a person becomes fully conscious without knowing what just happened it’s better to tell him or her what happened and inform him or her of anything important s/he missed.

ATONIC SEIZURES.

Also called Drop seizures, it occurs when electrical activity in brain surges suddenly causing loss of muscle strength. This sudden loss of muscle strength can cause a person to fall on the ground. If a person is holding something, s/he might drop it, usually lasts less than 15 seconds.

Atonic seizures are more likely to happen to people with severe types of epilepsy known as Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome.

First Aid

As the person falls he/she may hit the head or injure any body part it’s better to analyze the injury and address it or seek professional help.

Due to this risk of falling, people who tend to have atonic seizures may need to wear a helmet to protect their heads.

TONIC SEIZURES.

Refers to about 20 seconds sudden stiffness/tension of body, arms, or legs muscles ( extensor muscles). If happens while standing, a person may fall to the ground, but it’s rare. The tonic seizure usually happens during sleep.

CLONIC SEIZURES

During a clonic seizure, a person may experience rhymical jerking movements caused by muscles repeatedly stiffening and relaxing. These motor symptoms can affect the whole body or individual parts of the body such as the arms or legs. These movements cannot be stopped by restraining the person.

A person may temporarily lose consciousness, followed by confusion.

MYOCLONIC SEIZURE

Myoclonic means ‘muscle jerk’. “Myo” means of muscle or relating to the muscle, and “clonus” means muscular spasm involving repeated, often rhythmic, contractions.

Myoclonic seizures are usually very brief arrhythmic jerking motor movements that last less than 1 second.

A person can experience myoclonus in hiccups or in a sudden jerk that may wake a person up as h/she just falling asleep. These things are normal they do happen even to people without epilepsy.

FOCAL SEIZURES

The term focal is used instead of partial to be more accurate when talking about where seizures begin. Focal seizures can start in one area or group of cells in one side of the brain.

Focal seizures are split into two main categories, focal onset aware, and focal onset impaired awareness.

Focal Onset Aware Seizures: a small part of one of the lobes may be affected and the person remains conscious.

Focal Onset Impaired Awareness: It affects a large part of the hemisphere. A person is confused or their awareness is affected in some way.

[jerasphealth]

5 Health Benefits of Chamomile Tea

Chamomile is one of the most ancient herbal medicine known to mankind. It is a member of Asteraceae/Compositae family and represented by two common varieties viz. German Chamomile (Chamomilla recutita) and Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile). To make chamomile tea, the flowers are dried and then infused into hot water. The dried flowers of chamomile contain many terpenoids and flavonoids contributing to its medicinal properties. Health Benefits of Chamomile Tea... 1. May Improve Sleep Quality Traditionally, chamomile preparations such as tea and essential oil aromatherapy have been used to treat insomnia and to induce sedation (calming effects). Chamomile is widely regarded as a mild tranquillizer and sleep-inducer. Sedative effects may be due to the flavonoid, apigenin that binds to benzodiazepine receptors in the brain. A 2015 study published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing demonstrated the effects of chamomile tea on sleep quality and depression. The study consisted of a group of 80 Taiwanese women who claimed to have poor sleep quality. The women were divided into two groups, a control group and an experimental group, which drank chamomile tea for 2 weeks. The experimental group scored significantly lower when it came to reporting sleep inefficiency compared to the control group. These findings are promising, but more studies are necessary to determine the extent of chamomile tea’s effects on sleep. Nevertheless, drinking chamomile tea before bed is certainly worth a try if you have trouble falling or staying asleep. 2. May help in blood sugar control. Some studies have found that chamomile tea can lower blood sugar in people with diabetes. Research does not show that chamomile is a viable substitute for diabetes medications, but it may be a helpful supplement to existing treatments. Similarly, a 2008 study of rats found that consistent consumption of chamomile tea might prevent blood sugar from increasing. This effect reduces the long-term risk of diabetes complications, suggesting that chamomile could improve diabetes outcomes. 3. May improve heart health. It has been suggested that regular use of flavonoids consumed in food may reduce the risk of death from coronary heart disease as it can help lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol known as LDL cholesterol. One study took a group of 64 individuals between the ages of 30 and 60 and divided them into experimental and control groups. The experimental group consumed chamomile tea three times per day immediately after each meal for eight weeks. Those who drank chamomile tea showed significantly lower levels of serum insulin levels and insulin resistance related to diabetes. More research is necessary to confirm chamomile tea’s role in promoting heart health, but it certainly couldn’t hurt to include it in your diet. 4. May slow or prevent osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is the progressive loss of bone density. This loss increases the risk of broken bones and stooped posture. While anyone can develop osteoporosis, it is most common among post-menopausal women. This tendency may be due to the effects of estrogen. A 2004 study found that chamomile tea might have anti-estrogenic effects. It also helped promote bone density, but the study's authors caution that further research is needed to prove this apparent benefit. 5. May prevent against Cancer The antioxidants found in chamomile tea have been linked with a inhibition of certain types of cancer. Most evaluations of tumor growth inhibition by chamomile involve studies with apigenin which is one of the bioactive constituents of chamomile. Studies on preclinical models of skin, prostate, breast and ovarian cancer have shown promising growth inhibitory effects. In a recently conducted study, chamomile extracts were shown to cause minimal growth inhibitory effects on normal cells, but showed significant reductions in cell viability in various human cancer cell lines. Additionally, one study of 537 people observed that those who drank chamomile tea 2–6 times per week were significantly less likely to develop thyroid cancer than those who did not drink chamomile tea. Side Effects of Chamomile Tea Chamomile tea is a fairly safe tea for the majority of the population to consume. There are, however, a few things to keep in mind including the amount you should consume and potential side effects. Chamomile also has sedative effects so that should be considered. Allergies If you are allergic to flowers in the daisy family, you want to be careful consuming chamomile tea. Chamomile tea should be avoided if you have allergic reactions to chamomile, chrysanthemums, daisies, marigolds and ragweed. Surgery Chamomile has small amounts of coumarin, which can act as a blood thinner. While typically only problematic in high doses, you should avoid drinking chamomile tea two weeks before surgery to avoid interactions with drugs. Pregnancy Since long-term effects on chamomile and pregnancy are still in the infant stage when it comes to research, it is usually recommended to avoid chamomile while pregnant. You should consult with your physician before taking chamomile in conjunction with pregnancy or with supplements and medications.

[jerasphealth]

All you need to know about body dysmorphic disorder.

Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all? I think the evil queen had body dysmorphic disorder.

What is it?

This is the mental disorder where someone has perceived idea that they look ugly, unattractive or deformed and no one else around them sees that.

Signs that a person has body dysmorphic disorder.

Worries of perceived defects; people with body dysmorphic disorder believe they look ugly or unattractive abnormal or deformed. The individual observations may look very slight on completely unnoticed by other people. These concerns range from looking unattractive/ not right to ugly to hideous or monster. Preoccupations can focus on one or many body areas like skin; stuff like acne, paleness or scars can make this individual very concerned. Facial hair (excessive or lack of thereof ) and body organs like nose (size and shape).

Quick question; do you have that body part that makes you lose confidence to the point of actually hating it.

Excessive comparing themselves with other people-; in response to this worries to being imperfect and low self-esteem, one may end up comparing themselves to others in terms of appearances. “am I uglier than”. Is my nose bogger than hers. “do I look fat in these jeans? how fat? Father than Mellissa?

Excessive grooming; this involves styling, combing(always), shaving, plucking, or pulling hair due to the desire to always look perfect.

Camouflaging; This is the covering areas with defects with makeup or hats, clothing to cover disliked areas. Some individuals are excessively tan to look less pale. This is always accompanied by compulsive shopping of beauty products. Some individuals excessively tan to darken “pale” skin or diminish perceived acne.

Compulsive skin picking ( pimples and whiteheads); intended to improve perceived skin defects. This is common and can cause skin damage, infections and ruptured blood vessels.

Repeated checking for flaws or defects on mirrors and other reflecting surfaces and examining them directly. One might even pause where they are going to check their jaws on a reflecting window

Social anxiety, low self-esteem, depressed mood, perfectionism; people with body dysmorphic disorder have delusions that people will take special notice on them and mock them because of how they look. Since they are ashamed of how they look, they are reluctant to share their concerns with others. Some may try cosmetic improvements and surgeries to improve how they look

Bias for negative/threatening interpretations- this is because it has been associated with executive dysfunction and visual process abnormalities. Every look or act they get from other people may lead to them overthinking that it concerns with how they look.

Muscle dysmorphia;

this is a form of body dysmorphic disorder occurring almost exclusively in males, consists of the preoccupation that one’s body is too small or insufficiently lean or muscular. Individuals with this form of the disorder have a normal looking body or even muscular. They may also be occupied with other body areas like skin and hair. Majority of their diet or even exercise excessively and this often leads to body damage.

Some reach a point of using potentially dangerous anabolic-androgenic steroids and other substances to try to make their body bigger and more muscular.

Body dysmorphic disorder by proxy is a body dysmorphic disorder in which individuals are worried about defects they perceive in another personal appearance.

What makes someone to have body dysmorphic disorder?

Environmental factor

; body dysmorphic disorder has been linked with high rates or childhood neglect and abuse. Parents and guardians are the first teachers of the child. They are also the first people the child completely trusts and believes. The scars or pain they cause to the child can last for ages.

Throwing reckless comments like “ look at big fat nose” “distorted jaws” “you are fat/ugly”. These comments last in a child lifeway longer after the parents has even forgotten that they mentioned them.

Genetic and physiological

- if you have a relative especially first degree like father or mother who had obsessive-compulsive disorder(OCD); the body dysmorphic disorder can be elevated.

Although body dysmorphic disorders are similar clinical features in body dysmorphic disorder; males are likely to have genital worries and muscle dimorphic while women have a comorbid eating disorder.

Another diagnosis with similar signs that can easily be mixed up with body dysmorphic disorder are;

Normal appearance concerns

; the difference between the normal appearance concerns and body dysmorphic disorder; firstly for normal appearance cancers the defects are visible not just slightly and not only to the individual also other peopleAlso, body dysmorphic disorder is being characterized by excessive appearance-related preoccupations that are time-consuming and cause distress or impairment function.

Eating disorder;

Fears of becoming fat are considered symptoms of an eating disorder rather than body dysmorphic disorder. However weight concerns are set, symptoms of both and in that case, both can be diagnosed.

Illness anxiety disorder;

people with body dysmorphic disorder are not worried about having a serious illness and do not have elevated levels of somatization

Psychotic disorders;

the majority of people with body dysmorphic disorder have delusional appearance beliefs. appearance-related ideas or delusions are common in body dysmorphic disorder. Although delusions even appearance delusion is a psychotic symptom, a person is diagnosed with body dimorphic disorder because other psychotic disorder symptoms are absent.

Anxiety disorders;

social anxiety and avoidance are common in body dysmorphic disorder. however unlike social phobia, agoraphobia and personality avoidant disorder, body dysmorphic disorder focuses worry on perceived appearance flaws.

Major depressive disorder

; major depressive disorder and depressive symptoms are common in individuals with body dysmorphic disorder. body dysmorphic disorder should be diagnosed in in depressed people only if the criteria for body dimorphic disorder are met.

Obsessive-compulsive and related disorders;

the worries of obsessive-compulsive disorder differ from those of body dysmorphic disorder because the latter focuses only on appearance. when skin picking is intended to improve the appearance of perceived skin defects body dysmorphic disorder is diagnosed and not skin picking disorder. When hair plucking is intended to improve perceived defects in the appearance of facial or body hair body dysmorphic disorder is diagnosed instead of trichotillomania(hair-pulling disorder).

Shubo-you is the Japanese diagnostic systems similar to body dysmorphic disorder meaning “ the phobia of a deformed body”.Body dysmorphic disorder is international and it appears all races and cultures have more similarities than differences.

What are the consequences of body dysmorphic disorder?

Poor functioning on the quality of life;

people experience in their job (missing work), academic(missing school), or role function (as apparent or guardian). About 20% of youth with body dysmorphic disorder are dropping out of school.

Housebound;

to avoid social activities and functions people be I housebound 9staying indoors0 even for years in severe cases avoiding all kinds of relationships and intimacies.

Suicide risk;

rates of suicidal attempts are high in both adults and adolescents with body dimorphic disorder

On severe cases, individuals may perform cosmetic treatments or surgeries on themselves dermatological are most common though others like ental may be performed. the bad thing is body dysmorphic disorder responds poorly to such treatments and often make stuff worse. Individuals may take legal or violent action to the clinician because they are dissatisfied with the outcome.

Piece of advice, no one is perfect it's what makes us humans and not gods. The cover girls/ men and social media girls/ gents shouldn't pressure to be that way; because believe me even they don't look like that. Live a healthy life and enjoy it. It's the best we can do for our bodies and mind.

[jerasphealth]

https://www.jerasp.com/2020/12/14-weeks-pregnant.html

[jerasphealth]

The bacteria that causes pimples is known as propionibacterium acnes (p.acnes)

[jerasphealth]

https://www.jerasp.com/2019/09/psychology-healthy-eating.html?m=1

[jerasphealth]

You can’t escape followers, i’ve already glued the door shut

Nice try followers, but I replaced all the glass with rubber.

Too late followers, I’ve already cloooggged all the toooiiiiillleeeetttts

[jerasphealth]

Multiple myeloma is a blood cancer that causes abnormal uncontrolled growth of a type of white blood cells called plasma cells

[jerasphealth]

Schizophrenia is a mental illness that affects how the brain works, learn symptoms associated with this illness