Surprising Things That Can Hurt Your Kidneys

Red Meat

Protein is essential to a healthy diet. But if your kidneys don’t work normally, high-protein diets -- especially those with lots of red meat -- can overtax them. Check with your doctor. You may need to eat small portions of different types of protein. Eggs, fish, beans, and nuts are all good sources.

Salt

In some people, too much salt can raise the amount of protein in your urine and speed up kidney decline. It also may lead to kidney stones, which can cause nausea, severe pain, and trouble peeing.

Smoking

Not only can it worsen high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes -- the two leading causes of kidney disease -- but it can interfere with medicines used to treat them. It also slows blood flow to the kidneys and can cause kidney problems in people who already have kidney disease.

Alcohol

Heavy drinkers -- men who have more than 14 drinks a week and women who have more than 7 -- double their risk of kidney disease. But a single binge session (more than 4 or 5 drinks in less than 2 hours) can sometimes cause “acute kidney injury.” That can lead to severe kidney damage, and you might need dialysis -- when a machine helps to do part of your kidneys’ work.

Sodas

If you have 2 or more diet sodas a day, you’re more likely to get kidney disease. In one study, diet soda-drinking women had 30% less kidney function after 20 years compared with other women. Sugar-sweetened drinks did not have the same effect.

Dehydration

Your kidneys need water to work properly. Not getting enough -- especially if that happens often -- can cause kidney damage. And there’s evidence that drinking water can lower your chances of kidney disease.

Pain Medication

Taken regularly, large amounts of over-the-counter pain medications -- acetaminophen, aspirin, and ibuprofen -- can damage your kidneys. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to tough it out. Talk to your doctor about what you’re taking and how much to see if you might need another option.

Illegal Drugs

The use of cocaine, heroin, or methamphetamine (not a good idea for a host of reasons) can cause kidney damage in different ways. Some of these drugs can lead to high blood pressure, as well -- one of the leading causes of kidney disease.

source:WEBMD

Diets You Should Never Try

Twinkie Diet

For 10 weeks in 2010, a Kansas State University nutrition professor cut down on his daily calories and ate mostly Twinkies, powdered doughnuts, and other junk foods. He lost 27 pounds. This may sound crazy, but he showed the basic rule of weight loss: Burn more calories than you eat, no matter what that might be. Bad news for junk food junkies, though: The lack of nutrition in this diet makes it a lousy idea for your overall health.

Ear Stapling

Put down the office supplies. This is dangerous, and it doesn’t work. The idea is a lot like acupuncture: A surgical staple is placed in the bowl of your ear. Some people say it decreases their appetite and helps them lose weight. But there’s no science to back that up. And it can lead to infection and may even change the shape of your ear.

Cotton Ball Diet

Yes, some people have actually tried this: Dip a few cotton balls in your favorite juice and swallow them. The idea is that they’ll fill your stomach so you eat less and lose weight. What could possibly go wrong? Choking, intestinal blockages, and eating harmful chemicals, to name a few. Seriously, don’t do this.

HCG Diet

This combines severe calorie cuts with a drug mainly used to help women get pregnant: human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Studies show it doesn’t help you lose weight, and it can have side effects. It might make you feel super tired, grumpy, restless, or depressed. It could also lead to fluid buildup in your body and even blood clots. Need more reasons to skip this? Doctors say drastic calorie cuts can be bad for you, too.

Apple Cider Vinegar Diet

Some people say they sip a bit before meals to curb their appetite and burn fat, but there’s little proof it works. It’s mostly harmless, but it could stop insulin and some blood pressure meds from working like they should. Plus, all that acid can be bad for your throat.

Cigarette Diet

In the 1920s, Lucky Strike Cigarette Company told Americans to “reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet.” And, boy, did they. Cigarette sales zoomed, and the idea that smoking prevents snacking is with us to this day. Whether that’s true is unclear. What is clear is that smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S

Tapeworm Diet

How did a health hazard become a diet fad? Yes, there are people who swallow a tapeworm -- on purpose -- to lose weight. An adult worm can live up to 30 years in your body. It stays alive by stealing nutrients from your food. Its eggs can cause cysts and infections. Just no.

Caffeine Diet

Guzzling gallons of coffee may curb your appetite and help you burn a few more calories, but not enough to make you lose much weight. Plus, too much caffeine can boost your blood pressure, make you sick to your stomach, and keep you up all night. The result: Those extra pounds come right back. And some caffeinated beverages, like soft drinks and special coffees, are high in calories, fat, or both.

Kick the Soda Can

A 12-ounce cola has about 150 calories and 10 teaspoons of sugar. That’s 4 teaspoons more than most women should have in an entire day and 1 more than most men should. Too much sugar in your diet is bad for your teeth, can make you gain weight, and isn’t good for your heart. That may be because it can raise your blood pressure and put harmful fats in your bloodstream.

Don’t Pop That Top

Water

When you’re thirsty, reach for a glass of water -- your body will thank you for it. This naturally sugar-free option is good for you in many ways. Staying hydrated helps keep your body the right temperature, gets rid of waste, and even helps your joints move

Homemade Lemonade

If water by itself isn’t your thing, spruce it up with some lemon and a little sugar. That sweet-and-sour combo can sneak it -- and its health benefits -- right past your taste buds.

Coffee

Part of your soda craving could have something to do with the caffeine in soft drinks. Try a cup of coffee instead. Even with a teaspoon of sugar, about 15 calories, it's better for you than a typical soda.

Tea

Replace that soda with a cup of tea, especially the green variety. It may be linked to a lower risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. But be careful not to add too much sugar, or you’ll tilt the scale back the wrong way.

Spritzer

A little juice in some sparkling water is kind of like a soda and may be a way to scratch that soft-drink itch without the empty calories. But juice has as at least as many calories per ounce as most soft drinks, so a little splash is all you want.

Red Wine

Instead of a mixed drink with soda at the bar, go for a glass of red wine. It has fewer calories and may help protect the blood vessels in your heart, plus prevent blood clots. But don’t overdo it, and don’t start drinking alcohol if you don’t already. It can have harmful effects as well.

New Ritual

Old habits die hard, particularly when it comes to sugar. If you enjoy a soda every day at 3 p.m., it may be tough to kick it unless you replace it with something else you enjoy, say a cup of coffee or a square of dark chocolate.

Diet Soda

Don’t think of this as a good substitute. Research shows that the artificial sweeteners in diet sodas can throw off your metabolism, make you gain weight, and increase your risk for diabetes and heart disease. And a study of more than 3,000 women (mostly white) showed that two or more diet drinks a day can be hard on your kidneys.

source:WEBMD

Essential Screening Tests Every Woman needs

Why Screening Tests Are Important

Remember that old saying, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"? Getting checked early can help you stop diseases like cancer, diabetes, and osteoporosis in the very beginning, when they’re easier to treat. Screening tests can spot illnesses even before you have symptoms. Which screening tests you need depends on your age, family history, your own health history, and other risk factors.

Breast Cancer

The earlier you find breast cancer, the better your chance of a cure. Small breast-cancers are less likely to spread to lymph nodes and vital organs like the lungs and brain. If you’re in your 20s or 30s, your health care provider should perform a breast exam as part of your regular check-up every one to three years. You may need more frequent screenings if you have any extra risk factors

Screening With Mammography

Mammograms are low-dose X-rays that can often find a lump before you ever feel it, though normal results don’t completely rule out cancer. While you’re in your 40s, you should have a mammogram every year. Then between ages 50 and 74, switch to every other year. Of course, your doctor may recommend more frequent screenings if you’re at higher risk.

Cervical Cancer

With regular Pap smears, cervical cancer (pictured) is easy to prevent. The cervix is a narrow passageway between the uterus (where a baby grows) and the vagina (the birth canal). Pap smears find abnormal cells on the cervix, which can be removed before they ever turn into cancer. The main cause of cervical cancer is the human papillomavirus (HPV), a type of STD.

Screening for Cervical Cancer

During a Pap smear, your doctor scrapes some cells off your cervix and sends them to a lab for analysis. You should get your first Pap smear by age 21, and every 3 years after that. If you're 30 or older, you can get co-testing with HPV tests at least every 5 years.  If you're sexually active and at risk, you'll need vaginal testing for chlamydia and gonorrhea every year. 

Vaccines for Cervical Cancer

Two vaccines, Gardasil and Cervarix, can protect women under 26 from several strains of HPV. The vaccines don't protect against all the cancer-causing strains of HPV, however. So routine Pap smears are still important. What’s more, not all cervical cancers start with HPV.

Osteoporosis and Fractured Bones

Osteoporosis is a state when a person’s bones are weak and fragile. After menopause, women start to lose more bone mass, but men get osteoporosis, too. The first symptom is often a painful break after even a minor fall, blow, or sudden twist. In Americans age 50 and over, the disease contributes to about half the breaks in women and 1 in 4 among men. Fortunately, you can prevent and treat osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis Screening Tests

A special type of X-ray called dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) can measure bone strength and find osteoporosis before breaks happen. It can also help predict the risk of future breaks. This screening is recommended for all women age 65 and above. If you have risk factors for osteoporosis, you may need to start sooner.

Skin Cancer

There are several kinds of skin cancer, and early treatment can be effective for them all. The most dangerous is melanoma (shown here), which affects the cells that produce a person’s skin coloring. Sometimes people have an inherited risk for this type of cancer, which may increase with overexposure to the sun. Basal cell and squamous cell are common non-melanoma skin cancers.

Screening for Skin Cancer

Watch for any changes in your skin markings, including moles and freckles. Pay attention to changes in their shape, color, and size. You should also get your skin checked by a dermatologist or other health professional during your regular physicals.

High Blood Pressure

As you get older, your risk of high blood pressure increases, especially if you are overweight or have certain bad health habits. High blood pressure can cause life-threatening heart attacks or strokes without any warning. So working with your doctor to control it can save your life. Lowering your blood pressure can also prevent long-term dangers like heart disease and kidney failure

Screening for High Blood Pressure

Blood pressure readings include two numbers. The first (systolic) is the pressure of your blood when your heart beats. The second (diastolic) is the pressure between beats. Normal adult blood pressure is below 120/80. High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is 140/90 or above. In between is prehypertension, a sort of early warning stage. Ask your doctor how often to have your blood pressure checked.

Cholesterol Levels

High cholesterol can cause plaque to clog your arteries (seen here in orange). Plaque can build up for many years without symptoms, eventually causing a heart attack or stroke. High blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking can all cause plaque to build up, too. It's a condition called hardening of the arteries or atherosclerosis. Lifestyle changes and medications can lower your risk.

Checking Your Cholesterol

To get your cholesterol checked, you’ll need to fast for 12 hours. Then you’ll take a blood test that measures total cholesterol, LDL "bad" cholesterol, HDL "good" cholesterol, and triglycerides (blood fat). If you’re 20 or older, you should get this test at least every five years.

Type 2 Diabetes

One-third of Americans with diabetes don’t know they have it. Diabetes can cause heart or kidney disease, stroke, blindness from damage to the blood vessels of the retina (shown here), and other serious problems. You can control diabetes with diet, exercise, weight loss, and medication, especially when you find it early. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the disease. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults.

Screening for Diabetes

You’ll probably have to fast for eight hours or so before having your blood tested for diabetes. A blood sugar level of 100-125 may show prediabetes; 126 or higher may mean diabetes. Other tests include the A1C test and the oral glucose tolerance test. If you’re healthy and have a normal diabetes risk, you should be screened every three years starting at age 45. Talk to your doctor about getting tested earlier if you have a higher risk, like a family history of diabetes.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. It’s spread through sharing blood or body fluids with an infected person, such as through unprotected sex or dirty needles. Pregnant women with HIV can pass the infection to their babies. There is still no cure or vaccine, but early treatment with anti-HIV medications can help the immune system fight the virus.

HIV Screening Tests

HIV can be symptom-free for many years. The only way to find out if you have the virus is with blood tests. The ELISA or EIA test looks for antibodies to HIV. If you get a positive result, you'll need a second test to confirm the results. Still, you can test negative even if you’re infected, so you may need to repeat the test. Everyone should get tested at least once between ages 13-64.

Preventing the Spread of HIV

Most newly infected people test positive around two months after being exposed to the virus. But in rare cases it may take up to six months to develop HIV antibodies. Use a condom during sex to avoid getting or passing on HIV or other STDs. If you have HIV and are pregnant, talk with your doctor about reducing the risk to your unborn child.

Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death after lung cancer. Most colon cancers come from polyps (abnormal masses) that grow on the inner lining of the large intestine. The polyps may or may not be cancerous. If they are, the cancer can spread to other parts of the body. Removing polyps early, before they become cancerous, can prevent it completely.

Screening for Colorectal Cancer

A colonoscopy is a common screening test for colorectal cancer. While you’re mildly sedated, a doctor inserts a small flexible tube equipped with a camera into your colon. If she finds a polyp, she can often remove it right then. Another type of test is a flexible sigmoidoscopy, which looks into the lower part of the colon. If you’re at average risk, screening usually starts at age 50.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma happens when pressure builds up inside your eye. Without treatment, it can damage the optic nerve and cause blindness. Often, it produces no symptoms until your vision has already been damaged.

Glaucoma Screening

How often you should get your eyes checked depends on your age and risk factors. They include being African-American or Hispanic, being over 60, eye injury, steroid use, and a family history of glaucoma. People without risk factors or symptoms of eye disease should get a baseline eye exam, including a test for glaucoma, at age 40.

Ask Your Doctor About Screenings

It's good health sense to talk with your doctor about screening tests. Some tests, such as a Pap test or breast exam, should be a routine part of every woman’s health care. Other tests might be necessary based on your risk factors. Proper screening won’t always prevent a disease, but it can often find a disease early enough to give you the best chance of overcoming it.

source:WEBMD

11 Surprising Foods That Cause Gas

Apples

The teachers’ favorite contains sorbitol, a sugar that's naturally in many fruits. Some people's bodies can’t absorb it properly, which gives them gas and bloating. It can cause diarrhea, especially for children.

Blackberries

Maybe you've enjoyed them fresh, in a juicy cobbler, or dried in teas. Their natural sugar is good for people who want to cut back on sweets, but it's not always good for the gut. If you have a problem digesting sorbitol, you may feel bloated, have belly pain, or have diarrhea, gas, or nausea.

Watermelon

This popular summertime treat is high in fructose, a sugar in fruit. Your body can have trouble digesting it, so you might get gas. It’s rare, but the problem might be in your genes. Doctors call that a "hereditary fructose intolerance." A blood test can tell if you have it.

Artichokes

These veggies have a sugar called fructan that helps set-off gas. If you don’t feel well after you eat them, just stay away from them

Potatoes

Spuds are usually a safe choice for a dinner side item. The starch gives some people gas and bloating, though.

Shiitake Mushrooms

These famous fungi can make you get a little funky. Blame it on mannitol, another natural sugar. It can give you gas -- and if you eat too much of it, it also can act like a mild laxative.

Peas

Love them or hate them, these soft, green veggies have a chain of sugars called galacto-oligosaccharides that feed gut bacteria and cause gas. This can make for a not-so-pleasant post-meal experience.

Coffee

The caffeine in your favorite daily jolt might be making you bolt to the bathroom. Dial back on the java if you feel an urgent need to go or you get  a stomachache after drinking up.

Soda

The bubbly favorite is a gas machine for some folks. Blame the high amounts of added fructose.

Chewing Gum

You gasp air as you chew, which brings gas into your gut. “Sugar-free” types of gum often have sorbitol and xylitol as sugar substitutes. Those give some people gas or even act like a laxative.

Hard Candy

You swallow air when you suck these treats. Plus, some candies are sweetened with xylitol, mannitol, sorbitol, or other sugars that make some people get an upset stomach.

source:WEB MD

5 Silent Signs Of A Psychiatric Disorder

Psychiatric disorders like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia do not appear all of a sudden. There are small changes that happen to an individual over a long period of time until the disease fully develops. These signs and symptoms might be too subtle in the early stage for other people to notice until they become obvious. But an early detection of any irregularity proves to be more beneficial for the patient in the long run.

It is important to know the telltale symptoms of mental disorder to distinguish between what is regular and what is not.

1. Withdrawal: Everyone needs some quiet time to cool off and relax but if a person continuously withdraws him/herself from social occasions and avoids meeting or speaking to friends, it could be a sign that something is wrong. Losing interest in life, work and people are symptoms of depression and psychotic disorder.
2. Thinking problems: Having trouble concentrating, remembering, understanding and explaining oneself in a coherent manner are some common signs of mental disorder.
3. Anxiety: Excessive stress and anxious behavior for a prolonged period are not normal. Frequent heart palpitations, headache, shortness of breath, racing mind and restlessness are cries of help that need to be heard.
4. Emotional outbursts: Sudden dramatic outbursts for no apparent reason, frequent mood swings and feeling distressed are potent signs of mental illnesses. These kinds of behavior are seen as part of a person's nature and so they are often unnoticed.
5. Changes in appetite and sleeping patterns: Oversleeping may be a sign of depression and insomnia could be a sign of anxiety. Changes in appetite and not caring about oneself or the world are indicators of a mental problem.
6. source:lybrate.com

Why You Need Vitamin C

Good for a Cold?

Your immune system needs vitamin C to work right. But extra won't help you avoid a cold, unless maybe you're an extreme athlete, live in a very cold place, or you just need more anyway. Supplements might shorten a cold or ease its symptoms -- if you were taking them before you got sick.

Prevents Cell Damage

Vitamin C helps you get rid of chemicals that damage your cells and DNA. It's considered an antioxidant: It neutralizes "free radicals" in your body created by pollution, cigarette smoke, sunlight, radiation, and simply turning food into energy. That could help keep many parts of your body working better for longer and protect you from diseases, including Alzheimer's and cancer.

Builds Skin, Bones, Muscles, and More

Your body would fall apart without the protein collagen. Collagen fibers twist around each other to form scaffolding for your bones, cartilage, skin, and muscles (including your heart). They're also in ligaments,tendons and blood vessels. You need collagen to grow new skin and make scar tissue when you get cut and to keep your skin from getting wrinkles. And your body can't make collagen without vitamin C.

Brain Booster

You need vitamin C to make key hormones that carry signals from your brain all over your body. These include serotonin, dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. They affect your mood, memory, motivation, and how you feel pain. For example, serotonin plays a role in keeping your daily sleep cycle on track. It's also what a common drug for depression works on.

May Preserve Sight

The vitamin A in carrots isn't the only thing that's good for your eyes. Some studies show that vitamin C might slow age-related macular degeneration (AMD) from getting worse, but it won't prevent the disease. Other studies suggest a link between vitamin C and a lower risk of cataracts.

Fights Cancer

Very high doses of vitamin C, especially through an IV, may slow the growth and spread of cancer cells. It can help chemotherapy and radiation work better. It may help you feel better and have fewer side effects, too. But it can also make treatments less effective. The FDA hasn't approved vitamin C as a cancer treatment, so check with your doctor to see if this therapy makes sense for you

From Fruits

Look beyond the usual oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes. Berries -- strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cranberries -- are also good sources. So are papaya, kiwi, pineapple, cantaloupe, plums, and watermelon. Even bananas, apples, and pears have some.

Fresh and raw are best because vitamin C breaks down over time and when heated

From Veggies

Bell peppers are big winners. Load up on leafy greens (kale, Swiss chard, collards, and the like), cabbage, and bok choy. Crunch into broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. Tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and winter squash are also good sources.

It's better to steam or microwave vegetables if you're going to cook them. These methods tend to destroy less of the vitamin.

How Much Do You Need?

Adult men should get 90 milligrams every day. Women need 75 milligrams, but more when they're pregnant or breastfeeding. Your body can't make it. But most people who eat a variety of vegetables and fruits daily get more than enough vitamin C from their food.

If you want to take a supplement, look for the inexpensive ascorbic acid form. Check with your doctor about how much is right for you.

Smokers Need More

When you smoke, you'll have lower levels of vitamin C in your body. It may be because you have more free radicals to get rid of. You should aim for an extra 35 milligrams every day to make up for it.

People who are around smokers are also affected and should try to get more vitamin C, too.

Too Little

Through the 1700s, sailors on long trips would die from scurvy because they had little or no vitamin C in their diet. It's uncommon today, but people who don't eat well or abuse alcohol or drugs might be low. Medical conditions, such as some cancers and kidney diseases, can also cause problems. Symptoms include being tired, swollen or bleeding gums, loose teeth, achy joints, thickened skin, bruises, and cuts that don't heal right

Too Much

Your body can't handle a lot of vitamin C, and you'll pee out what it doesn't use. More than 2,000 milligrams a day for adults can cause stomach trouble, belly cramps, and diarrhea. Big doses can also lead to kidney stones

Partner With Other Nutrients

Put red peppers in your spinach salad. Have some broccoli with your baked beans. Or add strawberries to your oatmeal. Vitamin C helps your body use the kind of iron found in plants, which doesn't get absorbed as easily as the kind in meat and fish.

Vitamin C also teams up with other antioxidants, especially vitamin E and flavonoids. Bonus: They're often found in the same foods.

source:WebMD

How To Control Hair Fall Through Ayurveda

Hair fall has a direct impact on the way you feel about yourself, your self esteem and confidence. It is also true that it is a very common problem and can be controlled and stopped completely through proper treatment. Ayurvedic treatment for hair fall has long term effects and it brings out the best results since the issues get rectified from the inside, preventing them from coming back.

Ayurveda and Hair Loss

According to Ayurveda, hair fall is associated with body type that varies from person to person and also the stability of mind-body structure. Hair is considered a byproduct of bone formation, as stated by Ayurveda. The tissues which are responsible for the development of bones are also responsible for hair growth. Diet, yoga, meditation and medicated herbal oil massage are the Ayurvedic treatments generally recommended for hair loss.

Here are some ways through which Ayurveda addresses the problem of hair fall:

1. Dietary modifications 

It is important to identify the lifestyle habits that cause hair fall problems. Consumption of alcohol, meat, coffee, tea and smoking are some of these habits. Hair fall can also be aggravated due to intake of too much greasy, spicy, oily, sour, fried and acidic foods.

Here are some ways suggested by Ayurveda to beat hair fall: 

1. Hair growth can be stimulated by drinking fresh juices of Pomegranate, carrot, spinach and Kokam.
2. Sesame seeds promote hair growth as they are rich in magnesium and calcium.
3. Cow's Ghee is a trusted remedy to resolve all scalp-related problems.
4. Green vegetables and fruits are rich in fiber and hence help in preventing hair fall.
5. To make the roots of hair strong, foods rich in vitamin C, vitamin B-complex, sulphur and zinc must be consumed, which are found in whole grains, soybeans, buttermilk, nuts and milk.
6. Yoga and meditation: Inverted asanas help in stimulating the blood flow to the head. Additionally, practicing deep breathing exercises to control anxiety, stress and keep the mind balanced is also advisable.
7. Ayurvedic herbs and medicated oil: Bhringaraaja, Brahmi, Amla, Neem, Ritha and Ashwagandha are some ayurvedic herbs rich in essential nutrients that help in reducing stress and promoting hair growth. Different types of oils including coconut oil, brahmi oil, amla oil or mustard oil are useful to control hair fall.
8. source:lybrate.com