Skin rashes can be uncomfortable, unsightly, and downright embarrassing. A skin rash might affect you for multiple reasons and knowing the cause or trigger for your skin rash will go a long way in treating and preventing their occurrence. A rash can be identified based on the appearance of the skin affected. The skin could be red, have bumps, become scaly and itchy. Moreover, there are a host of other ways to identify a skin rash. Make sure to take note of all the symptoms and the appearance of the rash. You can get a rash due to a multitude of reasons. The main reasons for rashes include: Allergens Medications Cosmetics Certain diseases Allergic contact dermatitis This condition covers any rash that occurs when the skin comes into physical contact with an allergen. Knowing what you are allergic to is imperative as you can then take care to avoid it. Sometimes, you can be allergic to multiple things. Taking an allergy test is the best way to tackle this type of rash. In case you still do not know the cause of your allergy, it is best you do not touch the rash. Use warm water and a mild soap over it. In most cases, the allergen sticking to your skin will wash away with this step. If the rash persists, you can use a hydrocortisone cream over the rash. If your rash is accompanied by blisters, then a cold compress can do wonders to relieve the pain. Use this compress three times a day until the blisters disappear. Drug rashes Drug rashes are any rashes that are caused due to the body’s reaction to certain medication. Drug rashes vary from being mild to life-threatening. Drug rashes can appear instantaneously or can even appear weeks later. There are three types of drug rashes:

Cancer has become widespread in today’s world. Out of the many types of cancer, lung cancer is becoming common. Rapidly changing lifestyle and food habits contribute to the increase in cancer cases. Habits such as smoking and excessive drinking lead to the development of this disease. Once a person is affected by lung cancer, they need to analyze their lifestyle and make healthy changes. One of the most important ways to prevent the onset of cancer is to consume healthy food. Given below is a list of foods that help fight lung cancer: Pears and apples As per recent studies, scientists have discovered that pears and apples have a certain amount of phloretin chemicals in it, which helps in the recovery of lung cancer. Phloretin helps in reducing the growth of tumors. They also prevent fibrosis in the lungs, due to the presence of photo-chemicals in them. Green tea Green tea contains compounds such as Theaflavin and Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate (EGCG). These compounds are mainly used in cancer-curing drugs. It is important to consume freshly made green tea and not the bottled ones available in store, as the bottled ones have less or no traces of these compounds. Salmon Increased intake of salmon helps in providing increased nutrition. Salmon consists of Vitamin D3, which is one of the powerful resources to heal or recover from cancer. In most cases, the intake of Vitamin D can be increased by being exposed to sunlight regularly. However, people undergoing chemotherapy face a higher risk of sunburns, and therefore, cannot be exposed to the harsh sun rays. In such cases, salmon and other food products can provide your daily dose of Vitamin D. Ginger Ginger has several health benefits and it is rich in antioxidants like 6-Shogaol. It plays a prominent role in preventing the development of lung cancer by reducing the level of metastasis or spread of lung cancer.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) refers to a problem that restricts the flow of air, leading to breathing problems. COPD is caused mainly due to smoking. The other causes of COPD include inhalation of gases, passive smoking, or exposure to pollution. COPD can be classified into three types. The common signs shown by people suffering from COPD are frequent lung infections, cough, and shortness of breath. Although COPD is not curable, it is preventable. Quitting the habit of smoking is the best way one can get relief of COPD. Other options include maintaining a healthy lifestyle and eating some energy-boosting foods that help lower the symptoms of COPD. Some energy-boosting foods which should be included for people suffering from COPD include: Whole grains Whole grains like millet, quinoa, and barley are a great source of energy-boosting foods for people with COPD. These grains are rich in vitamins, fiber, protein, and carbohydrates. Moreover, they do not have a high-calorie count. The carbohydrates present in whole grains help boost energy as they do not contain refined carbohydrates; these also provide a filling meal . Consuming whole grain foods help improve the digestion process and maintain a healthy weight. Fresh fruits and vegetables A healthy diet should include a good combination of fresh fruits and vegetables as it provides a lot of nutritional value. It is necessary to include fresh fruits and vegetables, especially if you have COPD, as it will help improve the symptoms. These are high fiber foods that possess antioxidant properties and help boost energy levels. Nuts Full of healthy proteins and unsaturated fats, nuts are perfect to boost energy for those suffering from COPD. Rich in calories, an intake of a handful of nuts helps to prevent COPD-related weight loss issues. Nuts are also rich in fiber and are a great source of vitamin E.

Cancer has become widespread in today’s world. Out of the many types of cancer, lung cancer is becoming common. Rapidly changing lifestyle and food habits contribute to the increase in cancer cases. Habits such as smoking and excessive drinking lead to the development of this disease. Once a person is affected by lung cancer, they need to analyze their lifestyle and make healthy changes. One of the most important ways to prevent the onset of cancer is to consume healthy food. Given below is a list of foods that help fight lung cancer: Pears and apples As per recent studies, scientists have discovered that pears and apples have a certain amount of phloretin chemicals in it, which helps in the recovery of lung cancer. Phloretin helps in reducing the growth of tumors. They also prevent fibrosis in the lungs, due to the presence of photo-chemicals in them. Green tea Green tea contains compounds such as Theaflavin and Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate (EGCG). These compounds are mainly used in cancer-curing drugs. It is important to consume freshly made green tea and not the bottled ones available in store, as the bottled ones have less or no traces of these compounds. Salmon Increased intake of salmon helps in providing increased nutrition. Salmon consists of Vitamin D3, which is one of the powerful resources to heal or recover from cancer. In most cases, the intake of Vitamin D can be increased by being exposed to sunlight regularly. However, people undergoing chemotherapy face a higher risk of sunburns, and therefore, cannot be exposed to the harsh sun rays. In such cases, salmon and other food products can provide your daily dose of Vitamin D. Ginger Ginger has several health benefits and it is rich in antioxidants like 6-Shogaol. It plays a prominent role in preventing the development of lung cancer by reducing the level of metastasis or spread of lung cancer.

Dogs love smelling things. They want to put their snout on anything that comes across their path, be it garbage on the sidewalk or blossoming flowers in a park or garden. While some things are downright disgusting, other items can be toxic to your dog’s health. Certain plants can cause diarrhea and other serious issues like liver damage. Hence, it’s important to keep your dog away from the plants mentioned below. Sago palms These popular indoor ornamental palms are found in warmer climates. Every part of this plant is toxic to your dog. If consumed, it can cause severe vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, tremors, and seizures. Aloe vera Aloe vera is another common household plant grown mainly because of its many beneficial properties. However, its gooey gel contains some components that are toxic for dogs. It can cause lethargy, stomach problems, vomiting, and diarrhea. Elephant’s ear Elephant’s ear is a beautiful plant commonly found in warm climates. This plant can be harmful to dogs as it contains glass-like insoluble oxalate crystals, which can result in severe irritation, swelling in the mouth, vomiting, and diarrhea. Azaleas All parts of the azalea plant, including the flower, leaves, seeds, and honey made from its nectar, are toxic to dogs. Signs of ingestion include hypersalivation, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle weakness, eye problems, slow heart rate (bradycardia), heart arrhythmia, low blood pressure, cardiovascular collapse. In some cases, it can even cause death. Ivy Some of the most common types of ivy are the English ivy and Devil’s ivy, also known as Golden Pothos. All of them are toxic to your furry pet. If consumed, it can lead to mouth and stomach irritation, foaming, excessive drooling, vomiting, and diarrhea in dogs. Snake plant Snake plants are one of the most common household plants in the world since they require little maintenance.

Have you been battling with high cholesterol problems and are wondering how to lower LDL cholesterol levels? High cholesterol increases the risks of heart attacks and diseases. Although treatment may help improve your cholesterol levels, you still need to make essential lifestyle changes to boost the cholesterol-lowering power of the treatment. To help you make healthy lifestyle changes, some effective tips have been listed below on how to lower LDL cholesterol levels. Making some changes in the diet can help reduce the level of fat in the body and help enhance your heart’s health. The following changes can help you be on your way to having a healthy heart: Eliminate trans fats – Often labeled as partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, trans fats are used in store-bought crackers, cookies, cakes, as well as in margarine. They raise the levels of cholesterol in your body and that’s why most hydrogenated vegetable oils are not recommended for use when the LDL levels in the body are high. Reduce saturated fats – Primarily found in full-fat dairy products and red meat, saturated fats can raise your cholesterol levels. By decreasing consumption of saturated fats, you will be able to reduce LDL cholesterol levels in your body. Increase the intake of soluble fiber – Foods that are rich in soluble fiber are great at lowering cholesterol levels naturally. The soluble fiber reduces the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream. Therefore, consider eating more fiber-rich foods such as barley, yams, oats, sweet potatoes, oat bran, and other types of potatoes. Beans or legumes like black beans, peas, pinto beans, garbanzo beans, and kidney beans are also excellent sources of soluble fiber. Vegetables are also rich in soluble fiber so consider including beets, eggplant, carrots, okra, and Brussels sprouts in your diet. Some good fiber-rich fruits are oranges, passion fruit, berries, apricots, apples, pears, and nectarines.

Many factors can have a serious impact on the cholesterol levels in the body. To control these levels, having a proper and well-maintained diet is the most important thing on the priority list. Cholesterol and the saturated fat available in the food you consume increases the cholesterol levels in your blood. The prime factor is the saturated fat; however, you cannot undermine the importance of the cholesterol contents available in your food. You must consume foods that contain a reduced amount of saturated fat and cholesterol to decrease the blood cholesterol level. You can also refer a cholesterol level chart to keep track of your blood cholesterol. In a cholesterol level chart, you would find the various levels which would help you decide in which section the cholesterol level falls. The following points are essential as they contribute to knowing the factors that affect the cholesterol levels in the body. Body weight is an indicator of your cholesterol levels When your blood cholesterol levels rise, you become very susceptible to heart diseases. As per the cholesterol level chart, weight is an important risk factor for heart ailments. When one’s weight increases, the cholesterol level also increases. However, when one starts to lose weight, they can reduce the level of LDL cholesterol. It also helps reduce the triglyceride levels and optimize the HDL cholesterol levels. Never underestimate the importance of physical activity Physical activity is an important aspect that you need to consider. If you are not physically active, you are putting yourself at risk for heart diseases. Regular physical activity not only reduces the LDL or bad cholesterol levels but also increases the HDL or good cholesterol levels. When you are physically active, achieving the desired weight loss goal becomes easier. Focusing on being physically active at least for 30 minutes a day will help you see LDL levels decline on the cholesterol level chart.

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.

Fiber is very important for our system. It does not just help with the digestion but also reduces the risk of hypertension, stroke, and other heart diseases. Most people do not get sufficient fiber, and so you see it affecting their health in different ways. The list of high-fiber foods won’t affect your health in any negative way. It only benefits you as fiber foods take longer to digest. In this time, all the essential nutrients and vitamins are absorbed by the body. How fiber helps the human body To understand what fiber does in your body, you first need to know that there are two kinds of fibers—soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber turns into a gel and slows the digestion process. This lowers your blood glucose and lowers your cholesterol. Moreover, the insoluble fiber stays in the same form and is the bulk of the stool. It makes the process of digestion a lot easier. Not having sufficient amounts of fiber can lead to constipation. Fiber regulates the speed of your digestion and makes sure that the body gets all the required nutrition. At the same time, you need to have fibers in the right amount. Here is a list of high-fiber foods that you need to include in your diet every day. Beans Beans are the answers to all the good things that your body needs and is hence included in the list of high-fiber foods. They have the necessary proteins, vitamins, and minerals that will aid in digestion and make you strong. If you don’t have much of it in your diet, then you should start eating it. However, having too much of it can make you gastric. So, limit your intake of beans. You can choose from lima beans, broad beans, black beans, kidney beans, and so on.

Pain, stiffness in joints and swelling are the main symptoms of an arthritis onset. Rheumatoid arthritis is a major kind that is an autoimmune disease where your immune system affects your joint. Fortunately, there are snacks that help ease rheumatoid arthritis pain in humans. A study by the American Health Association mentions that around 24% of rheumatoid arthritis patients have had severe symptoms because of a bad diet. Garlic Garlic has anti-inflammatory properties. It helps strengthen the immune system. A study conducted among 1892 people was found that eating garlic reduced the chances of women get arthritis. A specific component in garlic is the reason for reducing the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Fatty fish Salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout, etc. are high in omega 3 which are fatty acids. They are known to be an anti-inflammatory food. Research showed that 33 people who used to eat fatty fish on a daily basis at least four times a week. This helped decrease inflammation and reduced the risk of the onset of arthritis, osteoporosis, etc. Supplements made from omega 3 have proven to increase mobility in arthritic patients, relieve pain, and reduce stiffness in joints. American Health Association always suggests nutritionists and dieticians to tell the customers to have fatty fish and salmon oil etc. in their diet. This is one of the easiest snacks that help rheumatoid arthritis. Broccoli One of the healthiest snacks that help ease rheumatoid arthritis. This has known to reduce inflammation in both animals and humans. A study conducted by the medical center of excellence in Ohio found that 1005 women who had any kind of cruciferous vegetables showed lesser inflammation on their joints and less swelling. Sulforaphane present in broccoli was found to block inflammation and alleviate pain in arthritic patients. In dogs and cats intake of broccoli on a long-term basis has helped alleviate inflammation.

Is it possible to prevent breast cancer? While there is no foolproof method that can eliminate the risk of breast cancer, there are some natural ways by which you may be able to protect yourself. There is nothing you can do about risk factors like genetics, age, etc. But, research suggests that there may be some remedial measures that you can adopt. These include: Diet One of the first things that you can do is tweak your diet and focus on eating more vegetables while cutting down on meat. What you need to do is include more colored vegetables and fruits in your diet. The plant pigments called flavonoids are known for their anti-cancerous properties. When you consume more of these flavonoids, you significantly reduce the risks of breast cancer. Some foods which contain flavonoids are oranges, apples, black tea, melons, chamomile tea, and aromatic herbs. Cut down on meat Not only must you add more fresh fruits and veggies to your diet, but you must also cut down on the consumption of processed meats like ham, sausage, hot dogs, bacon, bologna, etc., which are known to contain carcinogens. The relation between cancer and meat is the strongest in colorectal cancer, but it is also possible that excess processed meat consumption may cause breast cancer. Work out While a healthy diet can help, working out every day is recommended to reduce the risks of cancer in general. Physical inactivity is a key reason for nine percent of breast cancer cases. When you stay active physically, you can reduce the risks of cancers, osteoporosis, and heart diseases. It is recommended that you get at least 300 minutes of exercise each week. It could be any activity that you like doing like swimming, cycling, walking, or dancing. Post-menopausal care A good way to keep breast cancer at bay is to lose extra body fat, especially post-menopause.

If your eyes feel gritty like they have sand stuck inside them, appear red, burn, and/or sting, then you could have dry eyes. Dry eyes occur when the tiny glands within and around the eyelids don’t produce enough tears to keep the eyes healthy and your vision clear. Healthy tears, which are produced by eyes, keep the surface of the eye hydrated, comfortable, and smooth, washing away debris and dust and protecting them from infection. However, factors such as age, medications, and certain diseases tend to result in the eyes producing fewer tears. A person can experience dry eyes when the eyes do not produce the right kind of tears for clearing out dust/debris particles or keeping the surface well-lubricated. While there are cases wherein the doctor might have to treat underlying diseases or issues for helping your eyes produce tears, there are also some natural home remedies for dry eyes that one can follow to find relief. Warm compresses Tears are made of mucus, water, and oil, all of which the eyes require for staying healthy and moist. Flaky, inflamed eyelids could end up clogging the oil-producing glands along the eyelid’s edge, resulting in dry eyes. To help loosen the clogged oils and ease the irritation, take a clean washcloth, wet it with warm water and wring it before placing it over your closed eyes for a minute. After that, gently press the eyelid’s edge with your finger for squeezing out the clogged oils. The heat and the moisture helps loosen up the glands that are clogged with oils. Warm compresses done every day also help lessen inflammation, long after your eyes feel better. Wash crusty lashes Crusty lashes need to be cleaned. Cleaning out the eyelids and the surrounding hair and skin helps get rid of any eyelid inflammation.