Symptoms, Causes, and Risk Factors of H. Pylori Infection

Symptoms, Causes, and Risk Factors of H. Pylori Infection

H. pylori infection or Helicobacter pylori infection occurs in one’s stomach during their childhood. It is also one of the common causes of peptic ulcers. According to the various medical research reports, around 50 percent of the world population is affected by H. pylori infection. However, most people don’t even realize it because they usually don’t fall ill from this bacterium. When you get signs and symptoms of peptic ulcer, your doctor will test whether you have H. pylori infection or not. Symptoms of H. pylori infection You might feel a burning pain in your stomach when you have an ulcer. This pain will stay for a few minutes or even hours. Generally, you will feel the pain of ulcer in the middle of the night or in between your meals whenever your stomach becomes empty. You will feel better when you take an antacid, drink milk, or eat something. Other signs and symptoms of H. pylori infection include the following. Not feeling hungry Vomiting Nausea Weight loss for unclear reasons Burping Bloating Ulcers can sometimes cause bleeding in your stomach or intestine. This can really be dangerous for your health. In case you find out the below symptoms of H. pylori infection, then you should immediately look for medical help. Dark red or black-colored blood in your stool Fainting or dizziness Trouble in breathing Becoming tired for no obvious reasons The color of the skin getting pale Coffee grounds like vomiting or vomit with blood Sharp and severe pain in the stomach Although it happens in a rare case, you should know that the H. pylori infection could cause cancer in your stomach. One of the first symptoms of H. pylori infection which might cause cancer would be heartburn. After a certain time, you may notice the following symptoms.
Rheumatoid Arthritis – Diagnosis and Treatment Options

Rheumatoid Arthritis – Diagnosis and Treatment Options

Rheumatoid arthritis is considered an inflammatory disease. It leads to swelling, pain, stiffness, and loss of movements in the joints of the body. One of the main causes of this condition is the malfunctioning of the immune system of the body, as it starts attacking the membrane linings of the joints instead of defending the body. One should always consult a doctor in the case they are diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. This is essential as a proper and timely diagnosis will help with starting a treatment plan. Diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis vary from person to person, and it can range from mild to severe. For most people, the condition turns out to be chronic and often lasts for a lifetime. For certain people the symptoms remain constant throughout; however, for others, the intensity of the symptoms varies from time to time. How is the treatment plan decided? Doctors use a variety of methods to treat rheumatoid arthritis. These treatment options are administered to the affected individual through various combinations and sessions depending on the condition. Most of the time, the treatment plans are curated on the basis of the individual’s condition. Communication is key and treatment is effective only if the patient is completely honest with their doctors. The patient should make a note of all the flare-ups and other symptoms and report them to the doctor as it would be important to devise an effective treatment plan for rheumatoid arthritis. A few common doctor-recommended options have been listed below that can help in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Change in lifestyle and behavior There are different changes that one can make from their side to help improve and manage their condition. Some of the common options have been listed as follows: Make sure to exercise and rest:
Foods to Eat and Avoid for Patients with Eczema

Foods to Eat and Avoid for Patients with Eczema

Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a condition that makes one’s skin itchy and dry. Although the exact cause is unknown, some studies have linked this condition to an overactive response of the nervous system to an irritant. Although topical creams and other types of medications can help manage the condition, doctors may recommend certain types of foods and lifestyle changes to coexist with the condition efficiently. Who are at risk of developing eczema? People who have a family history of eczema are at risk of developing the condition. Moreover, children and infants who are born into families having a history of allergic diseases such as asthma or hay fever are also at an increased risk of suffering from eczema. Which are some foods that can be beneficial for patients with eczema? Since people with eczema often develop food allergies, one will need to examine their personal food preferences to make sure there are no further risks of the same. Some of the most common allergy triggers are usually associated with food items such as eggs, cow’s milk, gluten, soy products, fish, nuts, and shellfish. However, not everyone with eczema responds in the same way to these food items. It is important to understand that eating certain foods will not cause eczema per se, but it may trigger flare-ups in those suffering from this condition. So, it is recommended to follow an eczema-friendly diet to help manage the condition in a better way. No two patients with eczema will have the same reactions to certain types of foods. Some of the important components of an eczema-friendly diet are almost the same as an anti-inflammatory diet. Fish is a natural source of omega-3 fatty acids which are capable of fighting inflammation effectively. Some examples of fish that have high levels of omega-3 acids include tuna, mackerel, salmon, sardines, and herring.
Skincare regime and top products for healthy skin

Skincare regime and top products for healthy skin

Everyone wants to look their best. Being appreciated for your looks and beauty is something everyone enjoys. Beautiful, healthy skin is something that you’re often born with. But that said, with the right care you can alter your skin’s texture, look, and attractiveness. A skin care regime is of the utmost importance to improve and maintain your skin’s health. Skin is the largest organ of the body. It’s vital to take good care of your skin to ensure it stays healthy and timeless. Taking care of your skin- The skin being the outermost protective layer of tissue of the body is of great importance to the well being of the human body. It serves the following functions: It helps regulate your body temperature It protects your body from external elements and microbes It acts as a waterproof barrier for your internal tissues It provides a natural complexion to the person It is generally your skin that faces the brunt of harsh environmental elements like heat, cold, pollutants, and dirt. If you neglect proper skin care or other factors that are harmful, your skin can face several problems. Some commonly faced skin problems include: Rashes Disease Skin peeling or eczema Boils Pigmentation Acne or breakouts Blemishes Chronic skin problems To avoid this, it’s essential that you keep your skin clean and get rid of the of dirt and other pollutants you’re exposed to daily. Know the 3-step care for a good skincare regime- Taking care of your skin involves keeping it clean and maintaining its balance. Skin care experts stress that a basic 3-step skincare regime, that you should follow every day, can ensure supple, healthy skin for longer. The 3 essential steps are: Cleansing This mainly involves washing and cleaning the skin with a cleanser that rids the skin of pollutants, dirt, and makeup.
You Probably Did Not Know About These Treatment HIV Side Effects

You Probably Did Not Know About These Treatment HIV Side Effects

You treatment HIV drugs may be causing side effects as severe as the symptoms of the infection itself. Known when you need to seek help. The HIV or Human Immunodeficiency Virus causes an infection in your body. This virus works by attacking the immune system cells of your body. In general, your immune system is equipped to isolate foreign viruses, and create antibodies to fight against them. For some reason, this process does not work with HIV. Not only does the immune system find itself unable to attack the HIV, it also begins to actively deteriorate under the effect of the virus. The virus actively targets and destroys the T-helper cells or CD4 white blood cells. The treatment HIV depends on the strain of HIV you have contracted. The most common type of HIV all over the world is of the HIV-1 strain. The HIV-2 strain is most commonly found in Western Africa, with a few stray cases seen in Europe and India. What to Do before Treatment HIV starts The first thing to do before treatment HIV starts is to speak to your doctor about all aspects of your medical history including what prescriptions you are on, what over-the-counter (OTC) medications you take, and whether you use any alternative therapies or recreational drugs. Do not lie to your doctor, or withhold any information from him/her. Your treatment HIV medications may have adverse effects with other medications or drugs you may be using. You doctor will be able to ward off any such complication if he/she knows what medications you are on. The primary focus of treatment HIV plans is to actively fight the virus in the body. However, over the years, a strong secondary focus has been the reduction of any side effects faced by using treatment HIV medications.
What to Expect from Hepatitis C Treatment

What to Expect from Hepatitis C Treatment

Learn more about the types of hepatitis C treatment medications, and whether you are eligible for the new hepatitis C treatment options. The number one cause of liver cancer, hepatitis C is also the number one reason people have to undergo liver transplantations. This medical condition is the result of contracting a virus by coming into contact with infected blood. Sometimes, hepatitis C can spread through sexual intercourse too. Though it is a curable condition, the rate of cure stayed at lower than 50 percent for the longest time. Most of the hepatitis C treatment options put the patient through a lot of pain and turmoil. Standard treatment options included painful injection of interferon medication as well as ribavirin pills. Instead of working on the virus that is causing the illness, these medications worked by boosting your immune system to fight off the virus better – but fight you had to. Times have changed since, and new hepatitis C treatment options are working in a quicker, safer, and painless way. Here is everything you need to know about hepatitis C treatment and what you can expect from it. Will You Be Treated At All? The first thing to understand is that you may or may not get any form of hepatitis C treatment depending on a number of factors such as how much damage has already been caused to your liver (is it worth saving?), how much of the HCV (hepatitis C virus) you actually have in your body, what other health conditions you are handling, and lastly, what genotype of the HCV you have. The problem is that the medication used in standard hepatitis C treatment tends to cause severe side effects, and may or may not even work for you. Acute Hepatitis C Treatment You can only get treated for a specific medical condition like hepatitis C if you know that you have the condition in the first place, or you suspect that you may have it and get diagnosed.
Constipation – Causes and Risk Factors Associated With It

Constipation – Causes and Risk Factors Associated With It

Constipation is a bowel condition due to which the bowel movements of an individual are hard and occur less often than normal. Almost everyone experiences this condition. It is not usually serious, as the person suffering from constipation feels much better when the body is back on track. The normal time frame of constipation varies greatly from person to person. Some people might have it three times a day some only once or twice a week. Constipation that takes longer than 3 or more days is usually considered as too long a time frame. After three days, the stool or feces become harder and becomes more difficult to pass. The general symptoms of constipation include: Trouble having bowel movements Having few bowel movements Swollen or dry belly pain with the feeling of nausea Hard or small stools Causes of constipation can be due to several reasons. Poor diet or poor bowel habits are the two main causes of constipation. Constipation causes problems in eliminating of stool, whether it is physical, functional, or voluntary. Most common causes of constipation include Poor diet Constipation can be caused due to eating only those foods that are rich in animal fats (which are usually found in dairy products, meat, and eggs) and refined sugar. Having a low fiber diet can also result in constipation. This is because the fiber content in the food helps in better digestion and maintains stool consistency that is easy to pass. Insufficient fluid intake Lack of fluid in the daily diet can lead to hard and dry stools. Fluid is absorbed by the intestine, consuming enough fluid maintains the water content and keeps the stool soft enough for passage. Caffeine and alcohol Consuming beverages rich in caffeine and alcohol result in increased excretion. This results in relative dehydration. This, in turn, leads to constipation as enough water is not retained by the stool.
8 Natural Ways to Lower Blood Sugar Levels

8 Natural Ways to Lower Blood Sugar Levels

The fast-growing lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits have all led to the rising of blood sugar levels. It is seen that high blood sugar can be treated by regular exercise and intake of a healthy meal. There are a number of treatment options that can help to keep your blood sugar under check. High blood sugar is the condition wherein the body’s ability to use or produce insulin gets affected. If you too are continuously finding ways on how to lower blood sugar levels and do not want to get treated using medicines, then here are a few ways of you can reduce it. Stay hydrated It is always advisable to drink water as much as possible. Drinking ample water helps in keeping the blood sugar levels under control. Also, if you drink enough water, the kidneys will flush out excess blood sugar from the body. It should be kept in mind that beverages that are sweet or sugar-sweetened water is not good for health as it raises the chances of diabetes and also drives weight gain. Increase the fiber intake in your daily diet Fiber is seen as an important constituent that plays a crucial role in sugar absorption. It also helps in slowing the process of carb digestion. There are different types of fiber and each one has a distinct role to play. The two types of fiber are soluble and insoluble. While both of these are equally important for the body, the soluble fiber has blood sugar lowering qualities. So, ensure that you have a high-fiber diet that not only fights against type 1 diabetes but also actively reduces high blood sugar. Some of the foods that are high in fiber include legumes, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, to name a few. Doctors too recommended having soluble dietary fiber as an effective home remedy to lower blood sugar levels.
Six Great Benefits of The Apple Cider Vinegar Diet

Six Great Benefits of The Apple Cider Vinegar Diet

In today’s fast-paced life, we are all tied to unhealthy eating habits, fried food, and a sedentary lifestyle. There is hardly any time to maintain a healthy weight. While you are considering following a strict diet regime, we are here to tell you a more helpful and handy diet plan—apple cider vinegar diet. Right from promoting a healthy weight loss to cleansing the digestive tract and stimulating growth hormones, the apple cider vinegar diet has a number of benefits. Let us take a look at some of the benefits of the apple cider vinegar diet. Helps in reduction of appetite Did you know that apples are rich in pectin, which is a naturally-occurring substance that helps in making a person satiated after a meal? The apple cider vinegar diet does help in healthy weight loss as it contains pectin. By being on an apple cider vinegar diet, you will be able to suppress your appetite, and it would keep you away from consuming excessive calories. Promotes digestion It is very common these days that apple cider vinegar diet is used for a healthy weight loss. But how does this happen? Well, having a diet that has apple cider vinegar would stimulate digestion and clean the digestive tract and remove unnecessary substances from the consumed food. This also helps in smooth bowel movements. We also know that it is unhealthy if the food remains for longer duration in the intestines. The fats from the food get absorbed if they remain for longer duration and do not get digested. Stimulation of appetite is one of the best benefits of apple cider vinegar and keeps your appetite under control, thereby promoting healthy digestion as well. A great source of potassium Yes, it is! If you are thinking of eliminating salt from your daily diet and cannot even imagine the tasteless plates of meals, then do not worry.
4 Popular Testosterone Supplements for Men Over 50

4 Popular Testosterone Supplements for Men Over 50

Testosterone, a hormone produced by the adrenal glands, is predominantly found in men. However, this hormone is also present in small quantities in women. Normally, the testosterone produced on a daily basis is enough for supplementing a man’s virility but additional supplements can be taken over and above the daily production. Testosterone levels are mainly linked to the changes that a man undergoes when they attain puberty. These levels tend to affect the genital transformation, sperm production, libido of a person, behavioral traits, beard and body hair, skin related changes, muscle growth and development, controlling the fat metabolism in the body, and bone density among many others. There should be a balance of the naturally present testosterone produced by our body and the additional supplements that you plan to take in order to boost your development. The best testosterone supplements can be prescribed to people who are experiencing first-hand symptoms due to changes in levels. The warning signs are generally reduced sex drive, sperm production that gets affected due to stress, and unexplained changes in the fat metabolism which results in weight gain, among others. These symptoms can be experienced anytime and not necessarily for men who are above a certain age limit. However, as time goes by, your natural bodily functions, which are mainly affected by testosterone levels, will not function in the way they used to. This is where consuming some of the best testosterone supplements on a regular basis for the prescribed dosage will help counter these changes. The common symptoms of low testosterone levels over a certain age includes a lower sex drive, reduced muscle mass, depleting energy levels, and problems in achieving and maintaining an erection. Men above the age of 50 commonly face these problems and thus tend to opt for testosterone supplements. Here are some of the best testosterone supplements for men who are above the age of fifty:
Here Are 10 Ways on How to Cure ED Naturally

Here Are 10 Ways on How to Cure ED Naturally

As many as 30 million men in the country are affected by erectile dysfunction. The condition can be diagnosed when a person is constantly unable to reach or maintain an erection during sexual activity. If the condition lasts for more than a couple of weeks or months at a stretch, a person can be diagnosed with ED. While the most common cures for ED include prescription drugs, vacuum pumps, surgeries, and even implants, many patients look for natural cures for ED. Some of the most common options to cure ED naturally have been listed below. Exercise Often ED is caused due to bad lifestyle choices. These may include regular smoking, an excess of alcohol consumption, inactivity, and the like. While keeping clean for some days may help cure ED naturally, exercising is a great option that is known to make several positive changes. Exercise not only improves physical health but also improves blood flow that is essential for a strong erection. Exercising regularly increases nitric oxide in the blood vessels and controls blood pressure. Many experts believe that exercising daily can have better effects than even Viagra. Apart from cardio, weight training is known to raise the production of testosterone which in turn also increases erectile strength and sex drive. Sleep well Often, a haphazard routine and a disturbed sleep schedule can adversely affect a person’s sex drive and may lead to erectile dysfunction. Poor sleep patterns are known to affect the testosterone levels in men resulting in a weak concentration of sex hormones. One of the best answers on how to cure ED naturally would be to improve your sleep pattern, stick to a stringent sleep routine and adapt your body clock accordingly. Reduce stress Several emotional and psychological factors are responsible for the occurrence of erectile dysfunction. Similarly, stress regarding work, finances, and relationship troubles may be the real cause of ED.
7 Effective Home Treatments to Treat Spinal Stenosis in The Long Run

7 Effective Home Treatments to Treat Spinal Stenosis in The Long Run

With age comes a variety of ailments. Even though a person might have tried their level best to maintain a healthy life, aging would make them vulnerable to various ailments. The common health issues that older adults face include joint pains, back aches, knee pain, etc. It is an accepted fact that with age, the wear and tear cause our joints to weaken, and we aren’t as strong as we were during our heydays. One of the most common ailments that affect a majority of the population above 50 years of age is spinal stenosis. What is spinal stenosis? Spinal stenosis is a disorder that affects the spinal cord, causing the spinal canal to narrow. The spinal canal is a passage of nerves that spread to the center of the back. When the spinal canal starts narrowing, it exerts a lot of pressure on the spinal cord and the nerves on the back, which in turns causes excruciating pain in the back, sciatica, and nerve-related problems. Causes of spinal stenosis Spinal stenosis is mostly the collateral damage caused by arthritis. Since arthritis causes thickening of ligaments, disc changes, and bone spurs, it would exert pressure on the spinal cord, and thereby cause spinal stenosis. The other causes of spinal stenosis are herniated discs, injuries, tumors, and Paget’s disease. The symptoms of spinal stenosis The symptoms of spinal stenosis manifest itself in the form of sciatica, which is characterized by a pain that begins from the legs and spreads to the lower back and buttocks. Other symptoms of spinal stenosis include foot drop, loss of bladder movement, and experiencing difficulty in standing and walking. Though there are various medical treatments for spinal stenosis, home treatments work better in the long run. Home treatment for spinal stenosis Regular exercise Though the person might suffer from a backache, this shouldn’t confine them to a sedentary lifestyle.