Colitis is a chronic disorder that exists as inflammation and sores in the inner lining of the large intestine or the colon and inflammation of the rectum. Certain foods tend to aggravate the conditions associated with colitis, such as fatigue, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, and increased urge to go for bowel movement. It is essential to eat foods that help to reduce flares and get essential nutrients also. Again, there are foods that should be avoided as they can act as a trigger. Here’s a comprehensive list of foods to avoid for colitis patients: Alcohol: Some people are intolerant to alcohol. It can trigger diarrhea as it can stimulate the intestines. Alcohol is a top food to avoid for colitis patients. Caffeine: Caffeine consumption often leads to frequent visits to the bathroom. Found in beverages such as coffee, tea, some carbonated drinks, and even chocolates, it is known to worsen the symptoms of colitis. Caffeine should be avoided by colitis patients. Carbonated drinks: Drinks such as beer and soda can irritate and trigger the digestive tract. They also contain sugar and caffeine. Dairy products: Dairy products should be avoided especially if you’re lactose intolerant. They tend to trigger colitis symptoms in some people but not everyone. Dried beans, peas, and legumes: These food items can increase bowel movement and can cause gas and abdominal cramps as they have high fiber content. Dried fruits: Fibrous foods that can stimulate bowel movement and trigger colitis symptoms should be avoided. Foods that contain sulfur or sulfate: These types of foods include milk, eggs, cruciferous vegetables, red meat, prunes, wheat pasta, and few others. They lead to increased gas production. Foods high in fiber: Similar to dried beans and legumes, they also cause abdominal cramping, gas and increased abdominal cramping. Meat: Meats, particularly red meat, may not be absorbed properly causing the symptoms to worsen during a flare-up.

With an alarming increase in the number of patients with adult onset asthma, it is important to have enough knowledge about the illness, its varied causes, prevention, and correct treatment. In general, asthma is detected in early childhood. However, in certain cases, an individual beyond the age of 20 years may be diagnosed with asthma, this condition is termed as adult onset asthma. Symptoms of asthma can occur at any point of time in life, and not necessarily only during childhood. Asthma is a disease where the sensitive airways have increased responsiveness towards various kinds of triggers such as allergens and irritants that obstruct the functioning of the airways. The muscles around the airways begin to contract and narrow the airway lining. The lining inside the airways experiences inflammation that causes the inner lining to swell up and secrete increased levels of mucus. This then causes extreme difficulty, and asthma symptoms such as coughing, tightness of the chest, shortness of breath, and wheezing. Depending on the severity of the illness, the types of adult onset asthma are categorized as: Mild intermittent asthma Mild persistent asthma Moderate persistent asthma Severe persistent asthma Adults have lowered lung capacity, which means that the volume of air that one can inhale and exhale within a second is much lower as compared to when they were younger. This also occurs due to the stiffening of chest walls and changes in the muscle structure after reaching middle age. Due to this decreased capacity, adult onset asthma often goes unnoticed by various doctors. Diagnoses can be done for adult onset asthma by investigating the patient’s medical history, clarifying the symptoms, and by using a spirometer to perform a lung functioning test. There are several triggers that lead to severe asthma attacks, such as climatic changes (dry/cold environments), vigorous exercises, hormonal changes, exposure to dust, animals, etc.

Constipation is one such problem that is suffered by most of the people after a certain age. The symptoms of this problem are often associated with IBS which is irritable bowel syndrome. One of the main symptoms of IBS is the problem of abdominal pain. This pain is related to the change in consistency or frequency of the bowel habit. The changed bowel habit could be repeated constipation or chronic or diarrhea. The bowel habit could change gradually. Apart from this, the symptoms could change as time passes. The symptoms could turn out be worse or could diminish as well. There are many ways in which constipation problem is defined. It is normally considered difficulty at stools, infrequent stools, or the feeling of not being completely empty during the bowel movement. Moreover, around 25 to 45 million people in the country suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Treating IBS and constipation IBS with constipation is mainly treated with a mix of various treatments for the sake of getting relief. This mainly includes making changes in medication, exercise, diet and stress management. The treatment should not only help in making the bowel problems easy but also to reduce the stomach pain, bloating etc. which are the common problems of IBS with constipation. It is important to note that you should not treat the problem of IBS with constipation by yourself. After noticing the symptoms, the doctor is the best person who can give the right medication. This is because the medicines are featured with health risks of supplements and laxatives. The below-mentioned tips will surely help you to deal with IBS with constipation in an effective way. Dietary changes: Fiber intake should be in good content as it reduces constipation. People should develop the habit of consuming fruits, vegetables, whole-grain bread, beans, and cereals on a daily basis.

Hemorrhoids are quite a common disease. Three out of four adults suffer from the disease at some point in time in their lives. The disease may or may not come with symptoms. If hemorrhoids do come with its symptoms though, expect to feel itching, discomfort, and bleeding. The disease is commonly called piles and is characterized by the swelling of veins in the anus and the lower rectum. The onset of the disease may be a result of strain during bowel movements or increased pressure on these veins during pregnancy. Whatever be the case, it usually develops under the skin around the anus and inside the anus. While the disease has a number of causes, the cause of the onset of the disease is often unknown in individuals. If you are suffering from the symptoms of hemorrhoids, visit a doctor immediately. Here is how you can seek hemorrhoid pain relief. Hemorrhoid pain relief methods There are several hemorrhoid treatment options available in the market. You can choose to buy over-the-counter medications, or practice home remedies. Several treatment methods aim at easing the symptoms of the disease until the symptoms clear up on their own. Here are a few methods to get quick hemorrhoid pain relief. Taking a warm bath: One of the most underrated treatment methods, sitting in a tub of warm water can do you a world of good. Make sure that the water in the tub is just enough to cover your legs. It helps reduce irritation and ease the swelling caused by hemorrhoids. You can also choose to add other ingredients to the tub. These include the likes of apple cider vinegar and a cup of Epsom salt. Both go a long way in helping to reduce the symptoms of the disease even further. You can also apply apple cider vinegar directly to hemorrhoid, but be aware, this may sting and irritate the swollen skin even more.

Restless legs syndrome is a very poorly understood disorder. It affects the nerves and causes several problems while you sleep. It includes twitching, burning, pain triggers, crawling, and tingling in the legs at night! Such is the sensation that sparks a desperate need to move your legs. This can cause serious sleeping disorders in intense cases. Putting aside its unpleasantness, it is a challenge to manage its symptoms. It has a tendency to sabotage the quality of life as it seeps into your sleep cycle. It affects over 10% of the population in the country and requires immediate attention in order to live a healthy and fulfilling life. Here are a few effective home remedies for restless legs syndrome. The best thing you can do at times is to keep your mind distracted. If you think about how the condition is going to hinder the activities of your life, it will have a greater impact than it already does. Do activities that will keep your mind at ease. Anxiety can worsen the condition so do not take any unnecessary stress. Stimulate your mind by solving puzzles, reading, knitting, or having meaningful conversations. If you let the condition take over your mind, it is likely to have a greater impact on the quality of your life than it already does. This is one of the best home remedies for restless legs syndrome. Train your brain to accept the symptoms of this condition. There is no need to panic before its onset. You may be in bed at night and anticipate the consequences of the condition. Train your mind to be calm during extreme situations and stress-free. There are several programs available for the same. If you are mentally prepared for the condition, it is likely that it will improve your sleep cycle and quality of life.

When the normal and clear lens of your eyes start clouding, that condition is called cataract. Eyes have proteins and when they start to form clumps, they prevent the lens from sending a clear picture to the retina. The job of the retina is to convert this picture into a signal and send it to the optic nerve. This is then passed to the brain, which recognizes the images. When afflicted by cataract, you feel as if you are looking through a foggy window, where the image is not clear. This is going to make it difficult for you to read, see any kind of expression or drive a car. You need to get started with the treatment as soon as you notice the symptoms of cataract. It develops really slowly and does not seem to have any effect on your eyesight at the early stage. But as time passes, this problem begins interfering with your vision and your daily activity is affected. Yet there are ways to avoid high-cost cataract surgeries. Treatment options for cataract There are a number of cataract treatment options available. Most people think that the surgery alone can treat this eye condition. Since cataract surgery cost is quite high, you should consider the other options as well. There are other treatment options available which are low cost. There are non-surgical methods that can help in improving the vision of the affected. In a surgery, the clouded lens is replaced with new ones. Non-Surgical options for cataract treatment The first step towards the treatment of Cataract is to improve the quality of your vision. When you observe cataract symptoms for the first time, then you will experience blurry or cloudy or double vision, sensitivity to light, reduction in night vision, and also problems with your eyewear.

Uric acid is a compound that consists of the elements carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen. The composition is such that six carbon atoms combine with four hydrogen atoms, four nitrogen atom, and three oxygen atoms to form a molecule of uric acid. It is a component found normally in urine. It is created when the body breaks down compounds called purines. A higher level of uric acid in one’s urine is suggestive of the fact that there is a kidney disease. Uric acid levels in the urine increase if the patient is subjected to treatment that results in weight loss, such as chemotherapy. Some of the primary foods that contain a high level of purines are mackerel, dried beans, dried peas, liver, anchovies, beer, etc. A high level of uric acid concentration in the blood of the human body is termed as hyperuricemia. This is also a concerning cause of kidney stone and it can lead to gout (a form of inflammatory arthritis). Symptoms of higher/lower uric acid levels There are various symptoms that are easily attributable to higher uric acid levels. However, in the case of lower uric acid levels, there are not many directly identifiable symptoms. Also, due to the occurrence of lower uric acid levels in the world population being only about 0.5%, the symptoms are barely recognized and so, solid medical experience is required to distinguish and pinpoint the deficiency. Lower uric acid levels might be due to the existence of Wilson’s disease (abnormal accumulation of copper in vital organs), Fanconi syndrome (reabsorption of waste products by the bloodstream, allowed by the kidney). Low consumption of food that lacks in purine also results in the lower uric acid levels. This is called hypouricemia. The symptoms for hypouricemia are bone pain or feeling weak (due to Fanconi syndrome), dehydration due to the excessive passing of urine from the body.

Eczema, which is also known as atopic dermatitis, is a chronic condition that affects the skin and makes it itchy and inflamed. This condition is most prevalent among young children and infants. Infants who have eczema usually develop red, itchy patches on their forehead, scalp, and cheeks, while older people often develop these on their hands and feet, wrists, and ankles. Is there a link between eczema and food allergies? Studies suggest that around 35% children, aged below five, suffering from eczema suffer from food allergies as well. These allergic reactions may trigger symptoms such as flare-ups, itching, hives, flushing, wheezing, gastrointestinal problems, vomiting, heartburn, and abdominal pain. This is why it is essential to get young kids with eczema tested for food-related allergies. However, in many cases, children with eczema and food allergies tend to lose their allergy towards products, such as soy, milk, and wheat, after a few years. Once the allergy has completely gone, the child can resume eating these foods, and their symptoms will not worsen. But, before they are allowed to consume such trigger foods, one should check with a doctor for the same. Are certain foods responsible for causing eczema flare-ups? Diet can be considered partly responsible for causing flare-ups in children with eczema. When one tweaks their child’s diet and excludes certain trigger foods, the condition could improve. Since finding these trigger foods is not an easy task, one will need to work in unison with an allergist. Some of the foods that can be considered as triggers for eczema flare-ups include the following: Eggs Milk Peanuts and tree nuts Fish Soy Shellfish Wheat products However, it is important to note that these foods may worsen the symptoms of eczema, but may not cause the condition itself. Following a fixed list of foods to eat and avoid may not always be beneficial as what may cause an allergy in one may be completely harmless to the other.

Shingles also called herpes zoster is a type of viral infection and a painful rash can be associated with this disease. At some point, a large number of people develop shingles and the varicella zoster is the virus that causes this infection and it is the same one that causes chickenpox. If you had suffered from chickenpox during your childhood days, the shingles virus will stay dormant in your body and it reactivates after a certain period to cause a shingles rash. The rash can affect any part and the first symptom of the shingle is the pain. In addition to the rash, you can find fluid-filled blisters within a few days and there can fatigue, light sensitivity or fever as well. You cannot find a magical solution for shingles. Anyhow, antiviral medications are available for reducing the symptoms and you can find several types of shingles ointments to treat this condition. Baking soda or cornstarch paste A past can be made with the help of water and cornstarch or baking soda to reduce the itching tendency involved with shingles. You have to add two parts cornstarch into a cup and one part water must be added to get the expected consistency. This mixture can be applied to the rash and it can be washed off after 15 minutes. This process has to be repeated many times in a day. Zovirax ointment Zovirax is a very popular prescription ointment cream for addressing the symptoms of shingles. It contains acyclovir, an anti-viral medication, and this shingles ointment is commonly used for treating cold sores and genital herpes found in your mouth. This product also offers good results when it comes to healing the skin lesions and you can use it to prevent the spread of the virus. All lesions need to be covered with Zovirax ointment and the only area you need to avoid is your eyes.

Nasal congestion is one of the common problems among many people. The nasal congestion causes pressure on the sinus which causes cold, fever, cough, etc. The nasal membranes get inflamed and irritated when some allergens get stuck in the nose. The cold, running nose or stuffed nose is caused to send the allergens out of the nose. Some Tips for Nasal Congestion relief: The noise has to be moist all the time, and this can be done in many ways: Using a humidifier can help in retaining the moisture in the nasal membranes. Breathing from the vessel filled with hot water can help in n asal congestion reliefs . Some essential oils such as Eucalyptus oil, mint oil, etc. can be added to water to get more relief. Keeping yourself hydrated by drinking lots of water is essential as there will be a loss of water when suffering from cold. Nasal saline sprays can be used to keep the membranes of the nose moist. The nasal irrigators or bulb syringes available in the market can be used to keep the insides of the nose moist. The irrigator liquid can be prepared from distilled or sterile water. You can get relief from the cold by placing a wet towel on the face which is soaked in warm water and rinsed. If you place your head at a height by placing 2 to 3 pillows, then it becomes easy to breathe, and there will be relief in nasal congestion. Pain relieving medicines will not reduce the cold but the pain-relieving medications such as acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, and Naproxen can help in getting relief from the symptoms of the cold. Nasal sprays help in giving relief from sinus conditions such as the stuffy nose. The ingredients such as phenylephrine help in opening up the nasal path.

Dupuytren’s contracture is a condition that leads to the curling of the fingers and may result in crippling hand deformities. It affects the facia, i.e. the fibrous tissue underneath the skin of the palm and fingers. People suffering from Dupuytren’s disease experience the fibers in the fascia tightening or contracting over time. This causes the fingers to be pulled inward. What are the symptoms of the disease? One of the prominent symptoms includes the development of small lumps and nodules in the palm. While these may feel tender and sore in the beginning, the discomfort goes away over time. The disease progresses slowly, and as the condition worsens, the nodules lead to the formation of tough bands of tissue under the skin. These bands then cause the fingers to bend and curl forward, making it difficult for one to perform daily activities. It is important to be aware of such symptoms and get them treated before they worsen and hinder one’s lifestyle. Some of the methods to treat Dupuytren’s contracture are mentioned below: Non-surgical methods These methods are usually recommended for early stages of Dupuytren’s disease. Some doctors recommend stretching the fingers and palms in mild stages of the condition. One is also advised to consult a physiotherapist before using any stretching exercise to treat the condition. Anti-inflammatory medications These medications are injected into a Dupuytren’s module to reduce swelling. The treatment requires multiple doses of injection to considerably reduce the size of nodules and might not prove to be effective in the later stages, when more thickened tissues have been formed. Anti-inflammatory injections can slow the progression of the disease but will not help in uncurling the fingers if the contracture has already occurred. Enzyme medications If the fingers have become bent already, the doctors may recommend a mixture of enzymes to be injected in the affected area.

Histamine is a chemical that triggers allergic reactions in the body as the immune system’s way of defending the body against foreign matter. It triggers symptoms like a scratchy throat, sneezing, and itchy eyes. Most allergy medications contain antihistamines to combat the symptoms. Apart from medications, certain foods contain nutrients that act as natural antihistamines and may help ease allergies. Here are a few foods that can help combat allergies. Vitamin C Among all natural antihistamines, vitamin C is one of the most effective ones when it comes to dealing with allergy symptoms. The vitamin also boosts the immune system as foods that contain it have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Adding foods like oranges, lemon, lime, kiwi fruit, and cantaloupe melon to the diet can help relieve allergy symptoms. Bromelain Bromelain has anti-inflammatory properties and is often useful for alleviating inflammation and swelling of the sinuses due to allergies. It also helps treat respiratory distress caused by allergic reactions. Bromelain is available as a supplement, but it is also naturally present in pineapples. That said, it is recommended to have pineapples in moderation as the fruit also contains histamine. Probiotics This is another highly beneficial group of foods that act as natural antihistamines. Foods with probiotics are good for the immune system and may also help ease allergy symptoms. Probiotic foods contain healthy microbes and are good for gut health and the digestive system. Yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and miso are a few probiotics that can help soothe allergies like allergic rhinitis. Quercetin Quercetin is an antioxidant flavonoid that is commonly found in apples and onions. This natural antihistamine can alleviate respiratory distress that may occur due to allergic reactions. Dietary sources of this enzyme also include honey, raspberries, red grapes, cherries, green leafy vegetables, and citrus fruits. Quercetin is also available in the form of supplements.