A sharp, nasty pain down your back is a problem many of you are forced to deal with. It’s one of the most common problems faced by men and women of nearly all age groups. The primary reason being modern work and lifestyle patterns demand that you stay seated for at least six to eight hours every day. Adolescents and students are another groups prone to back muscle pain. Back muscle pain can occur because of lifting heavy weights, because of an accident, etc. In short, there can be many reasons that could give rise to a crippling back muscle pain, and it is something that you cannot easily deal with. The treatment for back muscle pain is a topic that is addressed by many medical groups. In this context, we see that a large variety of methods exist, to treat back pain. In fact, depending on the nature of the pain, a wide variety of treatments can be applied to provide much-needed relief. Treatments for back muscle pain Just as back muscle pain could arise out of various reasons and could be triggered by different agents, the right treatment must be administered based on the specific needs of the patient. The following are some of the pain relief measures administered for back muscle pain: OTC pain relievers : Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain relievers, also known as NSAIDs can provide relief from acute back muscle pain. These drugs include Advil, Motrin, and others that contain Ibuprofen, which have all been proven to provide swift relief from acute or chronic back muscle pain. However, these must only be taken on a doctor’s prescription. Arbitrary administration of medicines will not provide relief and is highly unadvisable, even dangerous. Muscle relaxants : Muscle relaxants can provide relief from intense or chronic back muscle pain.

Vitamins are necessary for the body’s optimum functioning. Traditionally, our intake of vitamins has been through the food we ingest or the atmosphere around us. Some studies are beginning to point at vitamins as preventive measures for a growing number of ailments. Vitamin D is known to help with cholesterol absorption and is a crucial aspect of heart health. Our skin usually absorbs it through sunlight. Vitamin C helps prevent autoimmune disorders, combat eye disease as well as heart disease. There are many examples of vitamin based preventive measures that tackle everything from skin issues to cancer. However, our intake of vitamins has taken an unhealthy turn with changes in our lifestyle. It is almost impossible to get our daily intake of vitamins through natural means alone. That’s why vitamin supplements have become essential for healthy lives and longevity in mind. Here are a few reasons why you must ensure that you get your dose of vitamins: Vitamins are necessary for keeping up your energy levels. In the absence of vitamins, the body has to work harder, thus making you feel tired. It is imperative that you supplement your nutrition with vitamins. Vitamins are known to affect your brain’s functions. It is especially true for the part of your brain that regulates your mood. Thus, vitamins are a good way to boost your mood, Vitamins are a great way to regulate stress and anxiety. Vitamin B, in particular, has been shown to have a direct link with our nervous system. Our muscles are constantly being broken down by free radicals. Vitamins inhibit these free radicals and help maintain the strength of your muscles. Vitamins have been proved to have a strong link with short term memory. Studies have shown that people who take vitamins have a better ability to retain short term memories.

There are two kinds of cholesterol – good and bad. LDL is the bad cholesterol, while HDL is the good cholesterol. What we eat can directly affect our cholesterol levels, which is why it is so important to avoid foods that are high in cholesterol. There are foods that help reduce cholesterol, so they should be consumed regularly in decent quantities. Two strategies can be followed to reduce cholesterol levels: Adding food that lower LDL or low-density lipoproteins Cutting back on foods that boost LDL levels Reducing bad foods Harmful LDL is found in saturated fats and trans fats. Saturated fats are found in animal products like red meat, eggs, whole-fat dairy products and some vegetable oils like coconut oil, palm oil, and cocoa butter. Saturated fat can increase the LDL cholesterol levels. Trans fats should be completely avoided as the body does not need them at all. A lot of food containing trans fats have been banned in the country. Trans fats are a byproduct of the chemical reaction that converts liquid vegetable oil into solid margarine or shortening. This helps prevent liquid vegetable oils from turning rancid and getting spoilt. These fats have no nutritional value and have been scientifically proven to be bad for heart health. They increase LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. They are so bad for the health that they even reduce the good HDL cholesterol. Weight and exercise also affect the number of fats circulating in the bloodstream. A sedentary lifestyle reduces HDL and extra weight increases LDL levels. How to reduce cholesterol with foods Soluble fiber is delivered by certain foods that bind cholesterol in the digestive system along with other precursors. This fiber pushes the cholesterol out of the system before it gets into the circulatory system. Others may contain plant sterols and stanols that block the body from absorbing cholesterol.

Diabetes is a chronic condition where the sugar levels in the blood become incredibly high. Today, diabetes is a widespread condition, mostly because of the kind of unhealthy lifestyle people lead.Contrary to popular opinion, having diabetes does not stop you from eating the foods you like, instead helps in including plenty of nutritious and healthy choices in your diet. A healthy diet is a foundation for the management of diabetes. A diabetes diet is the finest meal plan for almost every individual. It is a guide chart that tells you what kinds and how much quantity of foods you can pick to eat at different mealtimes. Paying heed to the guide chart is of high significance. Following your diabetes diet plan on a regular basis will help keep your blood sugar and weight in check. Start by with building and following diabetic meal plans. You must begin with breakfast followed by lunch and then dinner. Besides this, take two light snacks between the meals. A combination (combo) meal can give you about 1,400 calories each day. Consult with your dietician or doctor to figure out the best diabetic meal plans, so that you can keep your calories intake in check. How many calories you should consume ideally depends on your age, weight, health conditions, and lifestyle. Smart food choices for diabetes The 8 primary elements of diabetic meal plans are: Fruits Vegetables Low-fat or nonfat dairy products Yogurt Whole grains Beans Lean meats like fish and poultry Legumes including peas, lentils, and dried beans These heart-healthy foods are high in nutrients and low in calories and fats. A heart-healthy diet comprises a perfect balance of carbohydrates, fat, fiber, vitamins, and protein. It is the mainstay of medications and activity levels. Sticking to a daily diabetic meal plan may seem to be quite challenging at first, but once you have the meal plan in place, you will start enjoying it.

A neurodegenerative disorder, Parkinson’s disease affects almost four million people worldwide. This disease involves the progressive deterioration of your bodily and motor functions because the dopamine-producing cells in your brain get affected. Most common Parkinson’s disease symptoms: The problem with Parkinson’s disease is that it is hard to say that you are affected because most of the symptoms associated with this disease are common to other diseases, as well as old age. By the time the doctors diagnose these symptoms, patients would have lost over 60% to 80% of the brain cells that produce dopamine. Here are the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease: Shaking and Tremors : This is one of the first and most common Parkinson’s disease symptoms. Starting with your arms or feet, you might find your body shaking or experiencing mild tremors coursing through your body. This happens only on one side of the body initially, and you can experience these tremors on your lips, chin, and tongue as well. Over the course of time, these tremors extend to the other side of the body. Research shows that when the affected person is physically or emotionally stressed, the tremors seem to worsen, and when the patient is more relaxed, these tremors don’t occur often. Freezing Of Movements : All of a sudden, you might find yourself unable to move, especially when walking. Muscle Rigidity And Stiffness : At the onset of Parkinson’s disease you might find that there is a reduction in the swing of your arm when you walk, mostly on one side. This occurs because the muscles have stiffened. Other parts of your body can experience muscle rigidity as well. Sometimes, you might find it difficult to move your neck or other parts of your body. Your muscles tend to hurt as well, especially when you move them.

The A1C tests are performed to track the blood sugar levels in a person’s bloodstream. It is widely known to be the standard measure of diabetes and prediabetes. It’s carried out to determine the patient’s blood sugar levels, and so that they can be given the right treatment. The term ‘lower A1C levels’ means to lower your blood sugar levels. There are a number of measures that you can take to keep your body’s blood glucose levels low.. This article will point out the various ways through which you can lower A1C Levels and protect yourself. The Different Ways To Lower A1C Levels There are a large number of ways a person can lower their blood sugar or blood glucose levels. Here are a few of them: Plan ahead A plan to lower A1C levels is a plan to lower the amount of glucose that’s flowing into your bloodstream. You need to make a plan well in advance and stick to the plan. A plan to manage your blood sugar level must be well-rounded and target every aspect of your health that could result in your blood sugar rising. It won’t just include a list of foods that you should eat and shouldn’t eat, it’ll also include when you should eat these foods, in what quantity, what precautions to take, and so on. In addition to this, you need to carefully manage your weight. If you’re overweight or suffer from obesity, you’ll need to be doubly careful to ensure you bring your weight into a healthy range. A proper physical balance is essential and goes a long way towards lower A1C Levels. Diabetes medical plan A diabetes medical plan will include a large number of details such as the emergency numbers of doctors and nursing homes that must be contacted in case an emergency arises.

With a jam-packed schedule, do you wake up and get ready to eat waffles topped with chocolate sauce for breakfast? Then amidst the back-to-back meetings, do you quickly grab a soda, burger, and fries for lunch? Does your dinner regularly comprise of pasta or spaghetti? Do you often remain thirsty and don’t hydrate regularly? If this is what your daily dietary routine looks like, your kidneys are silently yearning for help. Kidneys are vital for your health and play an essential role in the well-being of your body. Kidneys perform the following essential functions: Eliminate toxins Filter the blood Absorb minerals Neutralize acids Damage to the kidneys can often go unnoticed for a long time, as kidneys can function with as little as 20% of its capacity. Therefore, prevention is better than cure holds true in the case of kidneys. If you have any kidney disease, you should know which products are harmful and which are beneficial for your condition. Vitamins for kidneys are essential nutrients that our body needs to grow, develop normally and maintain its functions. Here are some vitamins for kidneys which are essential for the maintenance and recovery of your kidneys. Vitamin A Vitamin A is a fat-soluble compound that is generally classified as retinoids. Retinoic acid promotes embryonic development and is needed for normal immune function. Vitamin A is transported through to retinol-binding protein (RBP). These vitamins for kidneys are recommended to be consumed in a liquid form. Recommended Dosage : Daily Reference Intake (DRI) of 700-900 ug/day. Sources : Liver Fish liver oil Dairy Products Butter Eggs Red and yellow colored fruits and vegetables Dark green leafy vegetables 2) Vitamin B12 Known as Cyanocobalamin, B12 is found in high protein foods. Thus, patients who consume low amounts or remain on very low protein diets for an extended period may have insufficient B12 levels.

Today, breast cancer treatment options are no longer limited to one or two options, all thanks to the advanced technology and development of the medical industry. The survival rate of patients with breast cancer has increased, an early detention has become possible, and a new approach to curing breast cancer is practiced by doctors today. With so many options to choose from, it becomes necessary that you gather enough information about all the treatment options before you pick what would work best for you. Doctors recommend various treatment options after carefully studying your cancer type, size of the tumor, to what extent it has spread, other medical conditions you are suffering from, and your overall health. In this article, you will learn about some of the top treatment methods that are recommended by the doctors to treat the most common type of cancer in women in the country. Breast cancer surgery Most women opt for a breast cancer surgery as their primary treatment to get rid of breast cancer. Breast surgery is done using different surgical procedures. Some of the conventional surgical methods used are as follows: Lumpectomy- It is effective for getting rid of the small tumor. In a lumpectomy, the surgeon operates and removes the cancer tumor and a small amount of healthy tissue surrounding the tumor. If the cancer tumor in your case is large, then your doctor might tell you to undergo chemotherapy to shrink the size of the tumor first, and then get a lumpectomy done. Mastectomy- If cancer has spread all over your breast, then the doctor might recommend you get your entire breast removed. The surgical process of removing of the entire breast tissue which includes the lobules, fatty tissue, and the nipple is termed as the mastectomy. Removal of both the breast- If you have a strong family history of breast cancer and have one breast suffering from cancer, doctors might suggest getting both the breasts removed to avoid the risk of getting breast cancer in future.

Addiction is a menace, a social-evil that has been ruining and claiming lives as you speak. People often trivialize the ill-effects of an addiction, calling it a habit instead of recognizing the risk it poses. People can get addicted to drugs, alcohol, gambling, sex, Internet, etc. It can be anything that the individual likes or relates to as a stress reliever. Substance abuse, more commonly known as drug abuse, is on the rise, particularly among teenagers and young adults who are more susceptible to adopt this destructive habit. However, everything’s not lost; you can always seek help for your loved ones at addiction rehab centers that are meant to help people overcome their addiction and embark on the route to sobriety. Here are some of the top addiction rehab centers that have amazing programs meant to help people return to normalcy and retaining the same even after they overcome the addiction. Recovery Centers of America Addiction to anything can traumatize the individual and their families. So, the onus lies on finding the best addiction rehab center for your loved ones. Recovery Centers of America has been hailed as one of the top addiction rehab centers, providing treatment for all types of addiction. Their individualized approach to treating the patients include drug and alcohol detoxification, individual and group therapy, case management, family counseling services for patient and the family, life-skills training, psychiatric care, and recovery resources meant to support the patients for life. Hazelden Betty Ford Center Another popular addiction rehab center that has its branches spread across the nation is the Hazelden Betty Ford Center. In addition to the traditional 12-step program that is a part of addiction rehab centers, this addiction rehab center provides evidence-based treatment, specialized programs for patients with undertones of mental disorders, and recommends 90 days of residential treatment, which has yielded favorable results; this organization has reported 80% rate of recovery.

Ozempic® injections are recommended to type 2 diabetes patients as a last resort to bring their blood sugar level under control after all other medications have failed to show any positive result. For those who are not acquainted with Ozempic®, you must know that it is a non-insulin subcutaneous injection that acts as a natural hormone in our body and lowers glucagon secretion. It helps to improve glycemic control in adults who are suffering from diabetes mellitus. Though using the Ozempic® injection pens is easy, there are some official instructions that you need to follow to ensure that you are taking the injection the right way. Here are a few things that you need to know about Ozempic® dosage: Instructions to use Ozempic® Ozempic® does the work of a glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 receptor agonists and helps to manage the blood sugar levels of patients who are suffering from type 2 diabetes. At the start of the treatment, the doctor will recommend a dosage of 0.25 mg of the subcutaneous injection, once a week. The patient must continue this for four weeks. In the first four weeks, though the medicine will not bring down your blood sugar level dramatically, it will kickstart the treatment process. It lowers the blood glucose levels by stimulating insulin production and lowering the secretion of the peptide hormone, glucagon. After the first four weeks, the doctor might advise you to increase the dosage to 0.5 mg, once every week. If the doctor observes that your body does not show any significant signs of glycemic control even after taking a 0.5 mg dosage once in a week, then he or she might tell you to increase the dosage to 1 mg per week. Generally, doctors don’t recommend a higher dosage of Ozempic® than 1mg. When should one take a dose of Ozempic®?

Our pets can mean the world to us. With cats being among them and one of the most adored creatures, these furry loved ones deserve great care on our behalf. When it comes to choosing the right foods and healthy diet options for cats, it is essential to choose one that comprises an adequate amount of nutrition with the right protein and healthy fat levels. However, choosing the right one considering the plethora of options available in the market can be a daunting task. In the following, some of the popular food treats for cats and also some healthy diet options have been listed to help you make an informed choice. The price of the product does not always determine the quality of the food. Always read through the ingredients and make sure it meets all essential nutritional values for your pets. Look for high-grade animal and edible proteins, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and carbohydrates which would all make a portion of wholesome food with natural ingredients. Some of the popular food treats with these benefits include the following: Merrick Purrfect Bistro Grain-Free Canned Food This product is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants that can help in developing and strengthening muscles. It is a wet food with a grain-free chicken recipe. American Journey Grain-Free Dry Cat Food It is a dry variety of grain-free cat food that is made of real meat with digestible resources such as fruits and vegetables that help in easy digestion. Weruva Your cat will love this tasty wet food which is made of natural animal proteins with no added preservatives or artificial coloring. Purina Beyond® Indoor Grain-Free Food A tasty meal for your cat prepared from fresh salmon and chicken is a thickened source of protein and other essential supplements. If packaged food might seem to be expensive at times, cat owners can resort to delicious cat food recipes that they can make from the items available in their pantry.

High cholesterol makes you extremely vulnerable to a lot of health complications including stroke, heart attack, and other types of heart diseases. How to lower cholesterol? The cholesterol available in your body can be controlled with the help of medications; however, the most preferred method would be to bring the right lifestyle changes. Even if you are using medications, changes in your lifestyle can speed up the cholesterol-lowering effect. Consume healthy fats Following unhealthy eating habits has become common practice nowadays. People are after junk foods and over a period of time, they develop unhealthy eating habits. If you’re wondering how to cholesterol, you must introduce some changes in your diet to lower your cholesterol and lower your heart. Excess consumption of saturated fats is not a good option. These types of fats can be found in dairy and red meat products and they increase your total cholesterol and bad cholesterol called LDL. Doctors advise people to keep the daily calories from saturated fat to below 7 percent. The healthier options of fat are monounsaturated fats and these types of fats can be found in canola oils and olive oil. You can eat low-fat dairy products and leaner cuts of meat to have healthy fats. Remove foods that contain trans fats from your diet Trans fats raise your bad cholesterol (LDL) and they also reduce the quantity of HDL or good cholesterol. When you keep on consuming trans fats, you are increasing the chances of getting affected with heart attacks. Fried foods are the main source of trans fats and several commercial products available in the market also contain these types of fats. If you consume products like snack cakes, crackers, and cookies; you are absorbing these unwanted fats. Small quantities of trans fat add up when you keep on consuming processed foods, and you should avoid food items that contain partially hydrogenated oils.