A significant statistic was recently released on the number of Americans suffering from diabetes or pre-diabetes. Over 100 million Americans are suffering from one of these two conditions and this number is only expected to rise with time. Processed food and junk food does us more harm than good and sadly, many people do not know their limits. If you continue to consume junk foods, it will lead to weight gain and you might suffer from either high blood pressure or high levels of sugar in the blood. Why suffer from these diseases in the first place when you can control what you eat? Living a life dependant on pills and medications is not appealing and hence exercising and following a proper diet is essential. Of the many diet plans available in the market today, the 1200 calorie diet plan is quite popular and with good reason. In this article, we will discuss the pros and cons of this diet plan and help you determine whether it is worth taking up or not. What is the 1200 calorie diet plan? The 1200 calorie diet plan is believed to be very effective when it comes to tackling weight loss. Our bodies require a certain amount of energy to function and in order to maintain a healthy look. We get this energy from the food items we eat and following an intake of just 1200 calories per day encourages the burning of stored fats in the body. Hence, this way, your body will lose weight while compensating for your limited calorie intake. While maintaining the requirement of nutrients, avoiding junk food and maintaining a lowered calorie intake, the body should respond well and help you achieve the weight you dream of. While this will take time, the method is spot on. The details of the 1200 calorie diet are given below:

Want to make a great impression on people? Well! A bright and beautiful smile can do that. To have a bright and beautiful smile, you must have clean white teeth because yellow or brown spotted teeth can spoil the whole scenario. Mouth is the only part in our body which cannot shed itself naturally, and it is the home to almost 600 species of bacteria, the majority of which are clinging to the teeth. We need to clean our teeth in the right manner to fight the bacteria. We have to do it within 24 to 48 hours otherwise it will turn into a yellowish plaque. The acid formed by plaque can lead to decaying of the teeth. If the plaque is not removed and stays deposited for several days, it can turn into a hardened tartar and has to be removed by a professional only. Saliva can neutralize the acid, but if tartar starts to accumulate then it’s a tough job. In the long run, it can create a risk of developing gingivitis, tooth decay, periodontal disease, etc. A bright white smile with clean mouth free of plaque is not very tough to achieve. Regular cleaning and following some easy tips can give an excellent result. Let’s have a close look at the ways to keep the mouth clean and free of plaque. Brushing Teeth To prevent plaque formation, you need to brush your teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste and a toothbrush with soft bristles. You must brush for at least two minutes. Brushing should not be very harsh. The brush strokes will be short and vertical with moderate pressure. As you are done with cleaning, rinse the toothbrush appropriately, shake it well to dry it properly. According to the president of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, Mr.

Diabetes can take a toll on every organ of your body if not controlled. Diabetic foot pain is one of the complications of severe, uncontrolled diabetes. First, diabetes restricts the blood flow to your feet, which then deprives them of nutrients and oxygen. The second complication is numbness of feet due to peripheral neuropathy caused by diabetes. Diabetic foot pain or sores, when left untreated, may even lead to amputation of the limb. Diabetic foot pain treatments are based on the severity of the condition and the causes. It is important to discuss diabetic foot pain and sores with your doctor in order to ensure it does not lead to serious complications. Most diabetics develop foot pain and ulcers, but good foot care measures can help prevent serious complications. What causes diabetic foot pain? Diabetic foot sores commonly occur under big toes and the balls of your feet. They are caused due to the breaking of skin tissue and exposure of layers underneath. Severe sores may even affect the bones of your feet. Infected foot sores may even lead to amputation of your feet. First signs of foot sores are drainage from your feet, unusual swelling, redness or irritation, and bad odor from one or both feet. Diabetic foot pain and ulcers are mainly caused due to a lack of healthy blood flow to the feet. This blocked blood flow results in the formation of a black tissue that surrounds the ulcer. Diabetic foot pain is usually caused due to the following. Poor blood flow – Poor blood flow is a vascular disorder that makes it difficult for wounds or ulcers to heal. High blood sugar – Hyperglycemia or high sugar levels hamper the healing of an infected foot ulcer. People with type 2 diabetes find it extremely difficult to manage infected ulcers.

Cold and cough are not very serious health conditions but may be an indication of other illnesses. A person may experience a cough may be due to chest congestion or throat infection or allergies or tuberculosis, or even gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). An acute cough develops suddenly and lasts for short durations, while a chronic cough lasts for more than 3 to 8 weeks. A chronic cough that does not have any obvious cause and lasts for several weeks is a cause of concern. A chronic cough can cause a considerable amount of discomfort and be a hindrance to your work and home routine. A chronic cough can strain the muscles of your chest and leave your throat feeling raw and painful. There are chronic cough remedies which aim at eliminating the cause of cough. Cough due to cold can be cured through simple home remedies, while serious infections of the throat or lungs may require antibiotic medication. Mild throat infections may be treated by gargling with warm salt water. Causes of a chronic cough Cough occurs when dust, virus, bacteria, food particles or pollen irritate the nerve endings present in the airways between throat and lungs. The body tries to clear the blockage by coughing. Before moving on to chronic cough remedies, it pays to take a look at the various causes of a chronic cough. Common causes of a chronic cough are as follows: Postnasal drip Asthma, cough-variant asthma with a cough as the main symptom Chronic bronchitis Any type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Viral or bacterial infections of the throat or lungs Medications for treating other illnesses like high blood pressure Smoking Chewing tobacco Acid reflux. Other causes of a chronic cough that are less common include the following: Cystic fibrosis Lung cancer Heart failure Bronchiolitis A whooping cough Bronchiectasis Top 10 home remedies for a chronic cough Identifying the cause of a chronic cough is primary to decide on chronic cough remedies.

A pulmonary embolism can have many symptoms that are associated with other medical conditions like heart disease. However, if you do identify any of these symptoms in yourself or others, contact your nearest medical emergency services as it can be a life-threatening situation. What is a Pulmonary Embolism? A pulmonary embolism is a block in blood vessels associated with your lungs. These blockages can restrict blood supply to the lungs and deplete oxygen levels in the body because the lungs are affected. It can also lead to other complications. Mostly, pulmonary embolism is caused by blood clots, and a major cause of these blood clots is deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Deep Vein Thrombosis DVT is a condition in which a blood clot develops in a vein that is deep in your body and not near the surface. These blood clots commonly begin at the calf muscles or thighs. However, these deep-vein blood clots can also begin somewhere else in the body. Wherever they begin, they can travel through the bloodstream and reach vital organs in your body, like your lungs. When the block occurs in a blood vessel that is connected to the lungs, it is a pulmonary embolism. Some of the most common causes of DVT are as follows: A leg fracture that damages a blood vessel which leads to blood clotting Obesity which can exert pressure on your legs A catheter inserted into a vein Hereditary – Other members of your family, previous generations, have had DVT Smoking Hormone medications Hormone fluctuations like pregnancy Being seated for a long time Some medical conditions like cancer, heart disease, and irritable bowel syndrome Surgery can also result in blood clots Pulmonary Embolism Symptoms and Diagnostic Tests A pulmonary embolism is caused by a blockage in the arteries that supply blood to your lungs.

One of the most crippling diseases that can affect the lungs today is pneumonia. Of course, as with any infectious disease, there are many steps that you can take to avoid such an infection, but they aren’t always 100% efficient. Also, like with most other infections, bacteria are often the biggest culprit in adults. The infection in itself causes difficulty in breathing because it blocks the air sacs in the lungs and fills them with fluid or pus. Here are the symptoms, causes, and, most importantly, treatments that one can follow. Understanding Pneumonia Symptoms The symptoms of the infection depend greatly on how long the infection has been manifesting. This is why when these symptoms ever surface, one should get the possibility of Pneumonia ruled out as soon as possible. The symptoms can also be mild, severe, or life threatening. General pain around the chest area Coughing with phlegm and other types of mucus discharge A high body temperature that fluctuates Sweating and chills accompanied by shortness of breath Remember that these are just the basic symptoms of the infection. Depending on the state of your general health and well-being, your age, your symptoms may include other things as well. Symptoms influenced by age differ greatly for infants. They have difficulty eating, drinking, or swallowing in general. They are also likely to show a lack of energy and vomit frequently. People on the other end of the spectrum will probably suffer from a body temperature that falls dangerously low during the infection. However, by far, the most interesting collection of symptoms come from the kind of infection that has plagued you. Viral pneumonia is likely to show the above-stated symptoms and resembles flu when it comes to the same. It also includes wheezing, but bacterial pneumonia is different. Bluish lips and a blue tint in the nails along with a general sense of confusion are only some of the symptoms that are involved when it comes to bacterial pneumonia.

The diverticular disease was sporadic before the 20th century but now it is quite common especially in the western countries. Diverticulitis is the most severe kind of diverticular diseases. The diverticula or pouches are formed in the intestinal wall, they are bacterially infected and inflamed and they form diverticulitis. The diverticulitis often comes with many complications. The diverticulitis treatment guidelines should be followed to combat diverticulitis; otherwise, it can lead to some serious health complications. Here are a few things related to diverticulitis. The common symptoms of diverticulitis There are several stages of diverticulitis. They vary from mild to severe with simple to complicated symptoms. These are: Abdominal pain occurs typically in the lower left side of the abdomen Fever Nausea Vomiting The increased urge for urination, frequent urination, or feeling of a burning sensation at the time of urination Constipation Diarrhea Blood in stool The causes of diverticulitis There are multiple factors responsible for causing diverticulitis. These are: A low-fiber diet The lack of dietary fiber in food is considered one of the main reasons for diverticulitis. Heredity From research, it is seen that there is a link of heredity with diverticulitis. There is at least 50 percent of the potential risk of diverticulitis which comes from genetics. Obesity Obesity is one of the main reasons for diverticulitis. It raises the risk of diverticulitis and its bleeding. Lack of physical workout The lack of physical exercise and living a sedentary life always increase the chance of diseases like diverticulitis. Smoking From studies, it is proven that smoking can cause diverticulitis and its complications. Certain medications Regular intake of aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like NSAIDs may raise the chance of diverticulitis. The opiates and steroids can increase the risk of the perforation, the severe difficulty of diverticulitis. The deficiency of vitamin D From the studies, it is proven that people with less amount of vitamin D are more prone to diverticulitis and its complications.

Feeling pain is healthy as it is the body’s mechanism of signaling that something is not right. In fact, people who can’t feel pain like leprosy victims are often at risk of severe injuries like burns. Normal pain is supposed to be momentary even while it is acute. Even in the case of severe injuries, the pain will last until the wound is healed. When pain lasts longer than a healed injury or condition, it is termed as chronic pain. Severe chronic pain can be disabling as it reduces flexibility, mobility, and strength. The number of people seeking chronic pain management tips keeps on growing due to a myriad of factors. Chronic pain affects about 100 million people in the country alone. What causes chronic pain? It has been found that there are two characteristics that set apart chronic pain from acute pain. Chronic pain lasts for longer than six months. This usually happens when injuries fail to heal properly, when there is nerve damage, and when the joints or bones are affected by injury or aging. Neurologists are of the opinion that chronic pain happens when the nervous system remains in a permanent reactive state even after an injury heals. This reactive state becomes a cycle as the persistent pain elevates the reactivity in an upward spiral of pain. Neurologists say this leads to a state known as central sensitization, characterized by pain spreading to other parts of the body in proximity to the affected body parts. Chronic pain is often accompanied by other physical and mental problems. Sleep disorder, fatigue, lack of appetite, and irritability are commonly observed in people with chronic pain. Some of the more common types of chronic pain include the following: Lower back pain Neck pain Arthritis Cancer Damaged nerve pain Psychogenic pain (also known as ghost pain) While the main causes and mechanisms of chronic pain are yet to be fully understood, people with the following conditions are likely to suffer chronic pain:

Are you unable to lift your hand above your head without feeling any discomfort? Well, this can be a symptom of a frozen shoulder or a rotator cuff injury or a dislocated shoulder. As per an estimate, about 67% of people in the country suffer from shoulder pain at some point over the course of their lives. The shoulder is made up of bones secured in place by muscles, tendons, and ligaments. It is one of the most mobile joints. The well-combined joints and muscles help you perform all activities like allowing the shoulder to move freely in different directions, raising your arms over your head, throwing a baseball, or scratching your back. Joints are used in almost every day-to-day activity, and their regular wear and tear can create a lot of problems and pain. Here are a few reasons for shoulder pain symptoms. Rotator cuff tendonitis There are several reasons for shoulder pain, and the most common of these is the rotator cuff. A recent study showcased two-thirds of people having shoulder pain had a rotator cuff problem. The rotator cuff is a tough sheath of tendons and ligaments that support the arm at the shoulder joint, keeping the ball of your upper arm bone centered in your shoulder socket, making it easy to raise and rotate your arm. Performing some motions regularly can lead to inflammation of the rotator cuff tendons, also known as tendonitis, which can cause shoulder pain. With tendonitis, shoulder pain symptoms and weakness are often mild at first and barely noticeable when you move the joint; after a while, they can grow more severe and occur all the time. Change in activities to avoid provoking the pain can help heal the tendons. The good news is that rotator cuff tendonitis can improve with time.

Apple cider vinegar is known to have been used for many purposes since ancient times. Fermentation of the cider of apples obtained by crushing and pressing apples gives you apple cider vinegar. Known to be used in a variety of ways, from cooking to heart health to losing weight, apple cider vinegar is very useful. Most of all, apple cider vinegar for gout is one of the most well-known uses of apple cider vinegar A Brief Understanding of Gout Gout is a form of arthritis that can afflict anyone. Most typical symptoms of gout would include pain in the joints; mostly, the joint that connects at the base of your big toe. These are sudden attacks of pain, accompanied by incidences of swelling and redness around your joints. You are most likely to experience severe bouts of pain in your joints like wrists and knees. You are also likely to experience pain in certain other parts of your body, such as the ankles, elbows, fingers. This pain can last from 4 hours to as long as 12 hours. Such episodes of pain often result in a lingering effect of discomfort. After a point of time, you may also experience problems in moving your joints normally. Apple Cider Vinegar for Gout Although your doctor may prescribe you with medications to help deal with the problems associated with gout, most of these come with their own side effects. Apple cider vinegar for gout in this sense is a good alternative medicine that can help you deal with the symptoms of gout without having to deal with any side effects. Gout occurs as a result of the problem of increased levels of uric acid in your blood. When there are increased levels of uric acid in your blood, it tends to crystallize and then it starts causing pain in your joints due to accumulation.

Most of us are unaware of the disease named deep vein thrombosis as it hardly has any symptoms. To begin with, this disease leads to the formation of blood clots in our veins. This blood clot can be found in any part of the human body but is especially found in the thigh area. This disease is closely related to some other types of health problems which include post-phlebitis syndrome, thromboembolism, and post-thrombotic syndrome. There can be several causes of this disease. However, the symptoms of deep vein thrombosis can differ with the intensity and cause of the disease. Here are certain causes of deep vein thrombosis. Paralysis: Blood clots begin to form when our legs remain in a constant position for a longer period of time. If a person is a paralytic then he/she can easily fall prey to this disease. Pregnancy : During pregnancy, the pressure felt upon the veins of the legs or pelvis increases and this might result in a blood clot. In fact, a blood clot might remain for at least six weeks after delivery. Obesity: If you are overweight then the chances of a blood clot in your legs or pelvis might increase. Family history: Those who have a family history of deep vein thrombosis then there are chances that they might suffer from this disease. Each and every disease has some symptoms. Symptoms can give a clear idea about the occurrence of a disease. However, symptoms of deep vein thrombosis are very rare and only a few people can understand it. Nonetheless, there are some common symptoms that one may encounter if he/she suffers from this disease. Excessive pain in the affected areas of your leg and usual pain from the calf. The affected area becomes either bluish or reddish. The affected area seems to be quite warm in comparison to the surrounding areas of the body.

Formerly known as manic depression, bipolar disorder refers to a mental health condition wherein the patients have extreme moods swings, from emotional highs (bipolar mania/hypomania) to emotional lows (depression), with such mood swings occurring multiple times a year. Such mood swings (which are symptoms of bipolar disorder) tend to affect the patient’s ability to think clearly, perform daily activities, and exercise good judgment. It is typically diagnosed in the teenage years or early twenties. However, these bipolar mania symptoms can continue throughout the patient’s life. In bipolar mania, a person tends to demonstrate extreme behavior, particularly an abnormally good mood, strong bursts of energy, hyperactivity, and strongly increased creativity or aggression. The bipolar mania symptoms manifest differently in different people and can last for anywhere from days to a week. Sometimes, attacks might last as long as a few months; usually, they require hospitalization or medication to be kept in check. Manic episodes are often interspersed with periods of depression where the person suffers from exhaustion, hopelessness, and sadness, in other words, the opposite of mania. These are also strong symptoms to watch out for. Bipolar patients may also experience hypomania, which is a milder form of mania and, generally, a more manageable symptom. What are its causes? While some people have a genetic predisposition to developing bipolar disorder, research shows that there is no clear-cut cause for it. Some studies indicate that abnormal thyroid functioning, imbalances in neurotransmission, disturbances in the circadian rhythm, and high levels of the cortisol hormone could be the possible causes. There are also environmental and psychological factors that could trigger episodes of bipolar mania. Some of them are as listed: Substance abuse : While substance abuse does not actually cause bipolar disorder, drugs such as ecstasy, cocaine, and amphetamines can trigger attacks of mania.