Eczema is a skin condition in which the infection causes inflammation and irritation of the epidermis (outer layer of the skin). Alternatively known as atopic dermatitis or atopic eczema, it comes under a group of skin diseases which results in allergic conditions. Eczema is a common condition which affects more than 3 million people in the country including infants, children, and adults and can last for a couple of months depending on the severity of the condition. The rash results in itching which cannot be controlled and commonly appears on your face, back of the knees, hands, feet or on your wrists. Eczema causes the affected area to dry up and thicken. It can also affect pigmentation which causes discoloration in your skin highlighting the affected area particularly. Infants suffering from eczema will be affected severely since the rash can cause oozing, crustation of the skin on the face and scalp along with patches that can occur throughout the body. Causes of eczema are not known, but the condition has been linked to the body’s immune system. The immune system is designed to respond to various threats that might affect your overall wellbeing, thus keeping you healthy. However, an overactive response for tackling certain conditions can lead to the development of eczema skin. Other causes can be linked to an allergic reaction caused by certain substances like coming into contact with coarse materials, exposure to household products which might contain chemicals in them like soaps and detergents. Even an allergic reaction to animal dander can aggravate the skin condition. Noticeable symptoms of eczema Formation of reddish rashes which make the skin dry. Itching caused due to inflammation and dry skin, which will cause more discomfort at night. Patches on your neck, wrists, ankles, feet, hands, eyelids, elbows among other body parts.

H Pylori or Helicobacter Pylori is a type of bacteria that enter your body and find accommodation in your digestive tract. These types of bacteria survive in your digestive tract for several years, and they develop sores known as ulcers in the upper area of your small intestine or the stomach lining. Over time, this infection can result in stomach cancer. Symptoms of H Pylori infection is pretty common, and many humans and animals have these bacteria in their bodies. In a majority of the people, they do not cause an ulcer. Even if this bacterium causes an infection, it can be treated with the help of medicines. Better sanitation and clean water offer protection against these germs. The following symptoms of H Pylori infection can help conduct a better and timely diagnosis of the same. Flatulence, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation Stomach acids play a critical role in the immune system. They kill the bacteria and other harmful parasites that are absorbed through food and drinking water. Other functions of stomach acids include promoting protein digestion and encouraging the pancreas to produce digestive juices. The H Pylori bacteria interfere with the stomach acids in your body to cause digestive issues. Therefore, you experience diarrhea, bloating, constipation, and flatulence as well. Vomiting and nausea When the digestive process becomes abnormal, the entire functioning of the body gets damaged. That is what happens when one begins to show symptoms of H Pylori infection. Several patients have to deal with nausea when they get affected by this bacterial infection. Some patients show a vomiting tendency as well. It is easily mistaken for morning sickness due to pregnancy. GERD and Heartburn Do you frequently suffer from GERD (Acid Reflux) or heartburn? If you experience these symptoms of H Pylori infection, you might be suffering from the same.

Most people do not consider snoring as a serious problem. The fact of the matter is that loud snoring and the subsequent daytime fatigue can be a symptom of sleep apnea. This is a breathing disorder where breathing stops and restarts in a repeated manner while sleeping. If you suffer from sleep apnea, you feel fatigued and exhausted during the daytime. This situation can make a negative impact on your mood and relationship. Moreover, it is harmful to your health. Sleep apnea can be divided into different categories and they include complex, obstructive, and central sleep apnea. The most common type of sleep apnea is considered to be obstructive sleep apnea. The soft tissue available in your back throat remains in a relaxed state during sleep and this situation results in the blockage of the airway. How to cure sleep apnea? There are several treatment options available to get rid of this problem and ensure sound sleep. First of all, you must try to overcome the embarrassment associated with your snoring. Secondly, you have to make efforts to identify the symptoms of sleep apnea. Most effective home treatments to cure sleep apnea are changing your sleep habits and introducing lifestyle changes. What are the lifestyle changes to be made? If you want to cure sleep apnea, you must strive hard to lose weight. Most health experts and doctors agree with this argument. If you are a person struggling with obesity or overweight and have sleep apnea, you have to think about nutritional counseling. Alcohol intake must be limited strictly. If you are using sedatives or sleeping pills, you must stop this habit immediately because it can easily aggravate the symptoms. Another effective option is to get a lot of sleep. The frequency of the apnea episodes increases when you are not getting adequate sleep.

Testing the blood sugar is vital for a person if their diabetic blood sugar level is critical. For people who are diabetic, self-testing of the blood sugar can help them manage the kind of treatment which might be required. This blood sugar level can be tested at home with the use of a small glucose meter which can measure the diabetic blood sugar level. Need for testing the diabetic blood sugar levels People who suffer from diabetes and their diabetic blood sugar level is critical benefit a lot from testing. In addition, the blood sugar testing or the self-monitoring of blood glucose can also provide a range of ways in which management of diabetes can be done. This checking of diabetic blood sugar level will help a person judged on how he or she is reacting to the treatment goals. Such testing will also help in understanding on the exact course in which diet and exercise are affecting the blood sugar levels. This testing will also help in understanding the ways in which illness is affecting the blood sugar levels. In addition, high and low blood-sugar levels are also checked through such testing. When blood sugar testing should be done A doctor is an appropriate person to decide the timing as to when this diabetic blood sugar level testing is to be done. This blood sugar testing also depends upon the intensity of diabetes and the treatment plan to be followed. Type 1 diabetes In case a person is suffering from type 1 diabetes, the doctor might recommend blood sugar testing four to eight times a day. This testing should ideally be done before a person takes meals, before or after any kind of exercise has been done and occasionally during the night hours. If illness strikes a person with impunity, this checking for the blood sugar level might be carried out more often.

American Gastroenterological Association opines that probiotics are good bacterial strains which benefit the health of its consumers. It would help people with digestion if taken on a regular basis. It is also supposed to work as a shield against illness-causing bacteria. The best way to include this bacterium in your diet is through yogurt which consists of living organisms. In the USA, most brands of yogurt contain probiotics however the idea is to consume the one in which the organisms have been added after the heating process. Thus, you need to check the label to ensure that you are buying the right thing. The one to purchase must have “live and active cultures” on the packaging. Here is a list of the most popular brands that make the best probiotic yogurts. Activia Activia, which is manufactured by the world-renowned company, Dannon, is available in an array of flavors like mixed berry, strawberry, vanilla, prune, and cherry. It comprises of several healthy varieties of probiotics such as Streptococcus thermophilus, Bifidobacterium lactic and Lactobacillus bulgaricus – a specific probiotic culture meant for digestion and regularity. ‘Applied and Environmental Microbiology’ published a study in the July 2006 issue conducted by Marina Eli where he mentioned that both Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus survived through the entire digestive pathways continuing to enhance regularity and digestion. Dannon says that each 4-oz serving of yogurt is filled with billions of live cultures for the consumers to take benefit of. Yoplait Original The manufacturer ensures that Yoplait Original contains scientifically proven probiotic cultures along with vitamins A, D, and calcium. Though it has several cultures it lists Lactobacillus acidophilus as its main organism. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, this is most widely used probiotic. It helps in forming substances that would make your stomach or intestines non-friendly toward bad bacteria which may make you ill.

IBS, irritable bowel syndrome is a condition that affects the colon. IBS is accompanied by pain in the abdomen and change in the bowel movements. It is diagnosed based on the severity of the symptoms of IBS. Since IBS is a collection of symptoms, therefore it is called a syndrome. IBS is of different types depending on its symptoms, such as IBS-D for diarrhea, IBS-C for constipation, IBS-M (both diarrhea and constipation) and IBS-U (neither diarrhea nor constipation). Signs of IBS: Diarrhoea, gas, bloating, rectal bleeding, weight loss, constipation, and muscle in stool are some of the probable symptoms of IBS. Causes of IBS: There is no specific reason for the IBS. It is assumed IBS is caused by an infection. The intestines swell up. The problem may even continue for a lifetime. In some cases, the intestine muscles contract and relax during the digestion process. The causes and effects of IBS are different among people. Contractions in IBS may cause bloating, diarrhea, and gas. Weak contractions make it difficult for the food to pass which causes constipation. Activators of IBS: Different factors such as stress, hormones, and foods cause IBS among individuals. Some food products such as cabbage, fats, beverages, alcohol, chocolate and milk products cause IBS problems. The IBS problems accentuate during stressful durations. Stressful situations at the workplace, home or office can cause IBS frequently. Women suffer from IBS more than men, and the problem worsen during the menstrual periods. Effects of IBS: Regular instances of constipation and diarrhea lead to the development of hemorrhoids. Restricting the intake of several food products can result in loss of essential nutrients. IBS worsens the life quality. People with IBS generally feel high stress and anxiety. Once if IBS is diagnosed, you need to visit the doctor for tests and treatments.

Pneumonia refers to the infection of the lungs in which one or both the air sacs get inflamed with pus or fluid. It is a common condition affecting people in the US and affects anyone from infants to adults. If reports are to be true then more than one million people need hospitalization to treat pneumonia every year. While eight to ten million people get affected with this infection. Breathing difficulty, chills, fever, or a cough with pus are some of the most common signs of pneumonia. Patients who get the condition diagnosed at an initial stage generally experience mild complication while delaying treatment can be life-threatening. Pneumonia prognosis – Pneumonia, being one of the most common respiratory infections in patients, is also responsible for claiming multiple lives every year. However, a proper pneumonia prognosis of the disease can help in curing the condition at the very onset and reduce threats to life. Pneumonia prognosis is generally made by advising a few medical examinations to the patient based on the symptoms of infection. Blood examinations – This is one of the most common ways of diagnosing any disease and pneumonia is also not an exception. Blood tests are recommended for confirming the infection by identifying the organism leading to the infection. Pulse oximetry – While a blood test is a primary measure required for predicting and determining the pneumonia prognosis, it is not the single measure that can help in identifying the condition completely. That is the reason, many doctors advise patients to get pulse oximetry done. It helps in identifying the oxygen level in blood and determines if there is any hindrance in the normal functioning. X-ray of the chest – If there is any indication of pneumonia in blood tests, doctors suggests chest X-rays to visualize the extent of the infection.

A mattress is a necessity more than a luxury. Many people tend to delay buying the mattress for some reason or the other. The budget issue, lack of awareness that a full mattress could do a lot of damage to your body, and much more are some common reasons for the same. But there’s that one time when you realize that you simply cannot watch the news or go about with your day-to-day activities without the right mattress on your back. So, you will end up browsing options for the best-rated mattresses. There could be a lot of shopkeepers around the top malls you visit trying to sell you a mattress. However, with so many options, don’t you think that buying a mattress can get overwhelming? This is true when you begin to experience pain with the wrong mattress, and you realize that getting the right one is going to make a lot of difference. Rummage online Before you go ahead and buy a real mattress, did you try understanding what kind of mattresses work best for your age and body type? With complicated spinal diseases coming along the way, you better be prepared for choosing a mattress that could actually be beneficial health wise. This is the reason why there are so many best-rated mattresses that have especially found favor among buyers. In case you really confused about this because I’m to go and talk to your doctor about the probable health condition you could be having and seek his or her recommendation. Of course, you will have to look into the comfort aspects as well since your doctor good only be of medical assistance and not of mattress assistance. Do not fall prey to gimmicks There is the latest trend of tagging mattresses as Orthopedic or medically approved, but you will have to remember that there is no particular medical authority that has been going around certifying such mattresses with these tags.

There are various treatment options for the common problem of asthma. It is a long-term disease that usually has no cure but can be dealt with minor adjustments, medications and lifestyle changes. Most people see that their asthma gets cured as they age, so most of the asthma treatment options involve controlling the disease. A proper asthma treatment plan helps: Prevent chronic and troubling symptoms like shortness of breath, tightness in chest and coughing. Reduce the patients need for medicines considered to be a quick relief. Maintain steady levels of lung function. Maintain a steady breathing rhythm to enable sleep throughout the night. Maintain normal levels of everyday activity. Avoid, monitor and prevent emergency asthma attacks that may need immediate attention. The best way to control asthma and manage it as a part of everyday life is to partner with the doctor completely and follow strictly the instructions and medications routines that are recommended. How can one take in active role in controlling and treating asthma? Here are some tips to control asthma. Be aware of the condition and how and when it affects you. Work alongside your doctor and identify and treat other health conditions that may potentially interfere with the management of the main problem of asthma. Avoid things and triggers that make asthma worse. Maintain a decent level of physical activity despite asthma as it is an important part of a healthy lifestyle and it helps prevent other health conditions apart from being good for mental health. There are medicines available that help an asthma patient stay active and pursue physical activities with ease. Work with health experts to follow a good action plan that helps manage the problem. An action plan aimed towards managing asthma involves receiving guidance on the medicines and exercises and lifestyle changes required, avoiding triggers of asthma, tracking the severity and level of the problem, actively responding to symptoms that are getting worse and seeking and receiving emergency care whenever required.

It is a well-established fact that every person wants to stay fit in this era marked by a sedentary lifestyle. There are many ways to keep that dreaded belly fat away with exercise being one of them. However, exercise alone cannot work well unless it is supported by a healthy, nutritious diet. Low-fat yogurt is a superfood that adds on to the immense amount of advantages that a regular box of yogurt already provides. Hence, for all the fitness freaks out there, don’t miss out on this one. Generally, yogurt is made by carefully fermenting cow’s milk; however, some manufacturers also make use of soy or goat’s milk. Now, depending on the type of yogurt made, that is, whole, skimmed or non-fat, the time duration involved in the fermentation process will vary. There have been mixed reviews about low-fat yogurt with some swearing by its health benefits while others calling it another marketing gimmick by food processing companies. In simple terms, low-fat yogurt has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Here are some things you need to know about low-fat yogurt. Probiotics – This refers to the set of bacteria that is good for the human body, particularly the gastrointestinal tract. Low-fat yogurt naturally contains these microorganisms and helps improve metabolism to a great extent. Some manufacturers take an extra step and add more of these good bacteria, thereby making low-fat yogurt extremely healthy. But these additional bacteria come with a huge price tag. Nutrition content – As the name suggests, this product is characterized by fermentation of low fat or skimmed milk. The nutritional figures will depend upon the type of brand you purchase since products of every company differ in terms of price and quality. Approximately, a normal box would contain 3.8 grams of fat, 15 mg of cholesterol, and 400 mg of calcium.

Are you worried about cleaning your bathroom properly? Several people are of the opinion that bathroom cleaning is a tedious and time consuming process. If you are among them, you do not need to panic because these 10 bathroom cleaning tips will teach you how to make bathroom cleaning hassle-free, enjoyable, and result oriented. Offer maximum protection against mildew You need to realize that bathrooms are highly vulnerable to mildew growth. For reducing the spread of mildew, you must promote best air circulation. Keeping the bathroom windows open whenever possible ensures optimal air circulation. When you are running water, it is always advisable to switch on the bathroom. If you don’t have bathroom fans or windows, you can depend on dehumidifiers. Give special attention to clean the ceiling Most people spend maximum time for cleaning the tiles and fixtures in the bathroom. Unfortunately, they forget about the ceiling. It is a place where a lot of grime and mildew accumulate and you might be able to see a lot of spots as well. For cleaning the ceiling, a mop bucket needs to be filled with white vinegar and water in equal proportion, and a long-handled sponge mop should be dipped into this mixture before applying it to the ceiling to clean one section at a time. Clean mirrors carefully using a microfiber When you clean bathroom, you must make special efforts to clean the mirrors. A microfiber cloth is the best option and if you can manage to get flat weave, it will be perfect. This is one of the 10 bathroom cleaning tips where you just need to combine vinegar and water. This environment-friendly solution can be used to clean the mirrors with the help of microfiber cloth. Use natural products to clean the tiles Dirt and gems easily accumulate on the grouting between bathroom tiles.

Women face a daily challenge to keep their faces healthy and hair free. Due to which there’s an increase in demand for face hair removal treatments. There are many natural face hair removal treatments most women try at home before yielding for external ways of face hair removal treatments. Some women suffer from hormonal imbalance that leads to facial hair growth due to which they have to opt for laser treatments and other creams that promise hair reduction or hair thinning. Most of you must have noticed that face hair removal treatments are not as effective as it is claimed, and this is not because they were ineffective but because they cannot change your internal hormonal imbalance. The best face hair removal treatment for women includes a proper diet and lifestyle that brings the hormones back in their balanced form, resulting in reduction in facial hair growth. If you have notices unwanted and abnormal facial hair growth, there are chances that your internal system is not balanced. Before you opt for solutions to reduce facial hair, make sure you consult a doctor. If you eat right and cut down on the intake of junk food, alcohol, smoking, and drugs (if any) and instead start consuming healthy food like vegetables, fruits, and natural organic products, you will see the positive effects on the body. In addition to this, keep yourself active with various exercises like dance, yoga, Zumba or brisk walking. This will help you reform your health and get rid of facial hair naturally without spending money. This will also help in stabilizing your health. However, women do have facial hair that naturally grows in some parts of the body. The minimal hair that women have above their upper lip can be removed permanently and temporarily. Some women get their upper lip hair removed using wax, but that isn’t a permanent hair removal solution.