Monthly Archives: November 2017

Flu season occurs during the fall and winter months, between October and February. It is possible to get the flu during other times of the year, however, it is not as common. The flu season peaks during the winter, particular December, therefore, it is important that you get the flu vaccine now.

Symptoms of the Flu

The symptoms of the flu can keep you bedridden for a week or longer. The symptoms of the flu include:

• High fever (101 or higher)
• Extreme fatigue
• Muscle aches and pains
• Headaches
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Dry, unproductive cough
• Loss of appetite

In some cases, the flu can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, which can land you in the hospital. This is especially true in the elderly and people who have conditions and illness that have compromised their immune systems.

Types of Flu Vaccines

Your best defense against the flu is to be vaccinated every year. If you were vaccinated last year, it won’t protect you from the flu this year. This is because the flu vaccine only lasts for so long. Also, each year, the flu strain is different, therefore, you would need a different type of vaccine. There are a few types of flu vaccines available. The one that you choose would depend on your own situation.

• Standard dose: The standard dose vaccine is recommended for people between 6 months and 64 years old. It is administered using a needle injection.
• High dose: The high dose vaccine is recommended for people 65 years of age or older. Also, people with compromised immune systems should go with the high dose vaccine. This vaccine is also administered using a needle.
• Flu-Mist: The Flu-Mist vaccine is recommended for people between 2 and 49 years old. This vaccine is not given via injection like the others. It is given through a spray that goes up your nose.

Why Do People Avoid Getting the Flu Shot?

There are some people who avoid getting the flu shot because they are worried about the side effects associated with the vaccine. The side effects are often very mild and they include:

• Redness and soreness at the injection site
• A fever that lasts for less than 24 hours
• Slight fatigue

There are some people who avoid getting the flu shot because they are worried that it will give them the flu. There is no active virus in the standard dose or the high dose vaccines, therefore, you cannot get the flu by getting vaccinated. The Flu-Mist does contain a live virus. However, it isn’t enough to cause you to contract the flu.

The flu is a very contagious disease. It can be spread in the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It can also be spread if you touch something that a person who has the flu has recently touched. There are ways to prevent catching the flu such as washing your hands frequently and avoiding people you know are sick. The best way to keep from getting the flu is to get the flu vaccination every year at the beginning of flu season.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a condition you may suffer from if acid from your stomach flows back up the esophagus into the mouth. The condition is diagnosed by your family physician, and sometimes your dentist. The reason why dentist notice this condition is because the acid from the stomach can eat away at the enamel of your teeth. Sometimes ulcers will form in the mouth as well if the condition is severe. Receiving proper treatment for this condition fast is essential for protecting your esophagus and oral health from damage.

What are the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease?

Some of you may know gastroesophageal reflux disease as heartburn. That is because the condition can cause a burning sensation in the chest, which usually always occurs after eating foods that do not agree with you. Other common symptoms that come with this condition are:

• Trouble swallowing
• Sensation of something stuck in your throat
• Chronic coughing
• Breathing difficulty due to inflammation of the airways
• Trouble sleeping due to acid coming up the throat while you are laying down
• Weight loss from not wanting to eat with the condition

What causes this condition?

The condition is caused by sphincters in the esophagus relaxing too much and staying open instead of closing up like they are suppose to during digestion. Conditions that cause the sphincters to relax too much are:

• Pregnancy
• Cancer of the esophagus
• Obesity
• Lack of bowel movements
• Sluggish digestive system

With that said, smoking, drinking, drug abuse, certain medications and overeating can cause the condition also known as GERD to wreck havoc on your body. This is why some doctors commonly recommend lifestyle changes first before prescribe medications to help treat the condition.

What lifestyle changes can be made to help rid GERD?

One of the biggest causes of GERD is overeating, or eating too much of a healthy diet. Simply changing your diet up and consuming healthier whole foods that nourish and heal the body is one of the ways to rid the condition for good. Whole foods consist of fruits and berries, fresh vegetables, grains and nuts, grass fed meats, fish, raw dairy products, and healthy fats. Whole foods do not consist of any type of food that contains preservatives, artificial ingredients, dyes, and pesticides. This is because foods that contain those ingredients can usually cause GERD to flare up and worsen. The ingredients also causes cancers and obesity. Another helpful way to rid GERD is by losing the extra body fat through exercising regularly. Other lifestyle changes that can cure the condition are:

• Quitting smoking and drinking
• Changing medications
• Eating less acidy foods

What are the treatment options for GERD?

If lifestyle changes alone do not help rid GERD, your doctor may recommend over the counter or prescription anti acid reducers. However, a series of test will need to be done first to help diagnose the condition so the proper treatment can be given. Those test include:

• Upper endoscopy
• pH probe test
• Xrays
• Manometry test

Bottom Line for GERD

If you suspect you may be suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease it is essential that you make an appointment with your doctor to get a proper diagnoses and treatment plan. Leaving the condition untreated could lead to your esophagus becoming damaged. If that happened you may end up needing surgery to repair it. With that said, surgery is usually unlikely because again this condition is most of the time easily treated with lifestyle changes and acid reducers.

Signs of Lung Cancer

Lung cancer does not have a lot of noticeable signs in the early stages. Most people do not usually get a diagnosis until when the disease has progressed. However, there are signs you can look out for that will show if you have lung cancer. Noticing the signs can help you get diagnosed at the early stages.

Unending cough

You should be keen on any new cough that is prolonged. A normal cough that is associated with a cold or respiratory infection is likely to go after a week or at most, two weeks. However, a persistent cough can be a sign of lung cancer. If you notice a cough lingering for more than two weeks, you should visit your doctor to have more tests done.

Cough changes

You should also pay attention to your cough if it starts changing. It is especially the case if you are a smoker. Some things to look out for is if your cough gets deeper if you get an increased amount of mucus or start seeing blood.

Breathing changes

A lung tumor can cause fluid buildup in the chest, and the cancer can also block or narrow an airway. One way you can identify this is if you notice that you start getting easily winded or have extreme shortness of breath.

Pain in the chest area

Lung cancer is known to cause chest pain in some patients. The chest pain may be sharp, constant, dull or intermittent. It can also occur throughout the chest or can be confined to one spot. The pain can be due to enlarged nymph nodes or metastasis to the lining around the lungs, the chest wall or ribs.

Wheezing

You experience wheezing when the airway becomes constricted, inflamed or blocked. It can be easily diagnosed as a symptom of allergies or asthma and treatment is simple. However, if the cancer blocks the airway, wheezing might also occur and should be taken seriously.

Drop in weight

One common symptom of any type of cancer is loss of weight. If you notice that you have lost about 10 pounds without trying to lose weight, you should find out the reason.

Bone pain

If the cancer progresses, it might spread to the bones leading to bone pain. The pain might increase and usually gets worse at night. You should take note f any unexplained neck, back, chest, shoulder or arm pain that worsens at night.

Headache and fatigue

If the cancer spreads to the brain, you might experience headaches. However, it can also mean that the cancer is putting unnecessary pressure on the superior vena cava that triggers the headache. Another thing to look out for is fatigue even when you have not done any work. If the fatigue does not wear off even after resting, then you should visit your physician to find out the cause.

Nervous system problems

There are patients who experience nervous system problems when the cancer causes the immune system to start attacking parts of the nervous system. It can lead to muscle disorders characterized by difficult getting up from a sitting position, loss of balance and lack of steadiness in the arms and legs, weakness in the hips and trouble swallowing.

If you notice any of the above symptoms, it is important to visit a physician as soon as possible. Early screening is important especially if you are at high risk of getting the disease.

Stomach cancer is slow growing and takes years for it to reach a stage that is life threatening. With that said, knowing the signs of the cancer can help with an early diagnoses and provide you with the proper treatment necessary for healing your body.

What causes the cancer?

The causes of stomach cancer seem to be chronic inflammation within the digestive system and polyps. Other common causes are lifestyle habits such as:

• Overeating
• Smoking
• Consuming alcohol on a regular basis
• Exposure to environmental factors that are harmful to the body
• Suffering from chronic viruses
• Genetics
• Having Type A Blood (reasons are uncertain to why)

What are the early signs of stomach cancer?

People often don’t recognize the signs of stomach cancer as cancer because they are commonly confused with the flu, indigestion, nausea and vomiting, chronic heartburn, bloating and loss of appetite. If you experience these common health conditions often, or all together these could be the early signs that stomach cancer has invaded your body. This means it’s time to set up an appointment with your doctor for proper screening of the disease. If cancer is found treatment plans with be discussed to help rid it from your body.

How is stomach cancer diagnosed?

Stomach cancer is diagnosed with a basic blood test, but sometimes other testing is necessary to confirm that it has infected the lining of the stomach or other areas of the body. Those tests are:

• Biopsying the tissues of the stomach lining
• X-raying the digestive system
• Upper GI screening
• Upper endoscopy test

What are the treatments for stomach cancer?

The common treatments for stomach cancer are surgery to remove the cancerous parts within the stomach and sometimes chemotherapy or radiation treatments to kill off the cancer cells. Sometimes all three treatments are necessary to cure a patient from cancer if it is severe. Taking vitamins and supplements to boost the immune system along with the common treatments are also helpful in aiding in the body’s natural healing process. Your doctor will go over the best treatment options for you if cancer is found in your body along with any lifestyle changes that might need to be made to help with a more successful healing process.

What are some end thoughts to keep in mind?

The only way to treat and cure cancer from the body successfully is to recognize the symptoms, get a proper and early diagnoses and receive an effective treatment plan that works with your body. Other ways to protect yourself from cancer and to aid in the healing of it is by eating a healthy diet, exercising, staying hydrated, taking your daily vitamins and living an eco-friendly lifestyle free of harmful toxins.