image source

The stomach cancer has become a bane of the entire world, and the people suffering from such cancer find it hard to overcome the odds and battle against the disease. Most of the people associate stomach cancer with bacteria, but the most worrying cause of stomach cancer is the tobacco cigarette. In smokers, heartburn is the major symptom of the stomach cancer. The situation tends to get worse within no time, as the effects of stomach cancer become notable within few days. When the smokers inhale the smoke and nicotine, the esophageal valve is damaged big time. With this, the acids from the stomach flow back to the esophagus paving the way towards the stomach cancer.

Nicotine displaces the bile salts into the stomach from the small intestine. The bile salts cause huge damage to the stomach lining, which are primarily responsible for the digestion of food. The presence of nicotine in tobacco cigarettes damages the entire stomach lining, leaving the person in extreme agony. In addition, the carcinogens present in the nicotine disturb the functioning of the stomach as well.

Most of the times, the smokers have to face stomach-ulcers leading towards the stomach cancer. The ulcer is accompanied with the sore stomach lining. Initially, the smokers have to face the peptic ulcer, which itself can be quite severe in its effects. The peptic ulcer can be fatal for the chain smokers, as the constant intake of nicotine can worsen the situation altogether. According to a research, the death rate of regular smokers having peptic ulcer is increasing rapidly. If you are a habitual smoker and diagnosed with peptic ulcer or the stomach cancer, then it is not the end of the road for you. Once you are diagnosed with the stomach cancer, then quitting smoking can prevent the situation from deteriorating any further., but if you do find it very hard to quit smoking, then switch to an alternative like electronic cigarettes.

Discomfort in the abdominal area is the first symptom of stomach cancer for the tobacco smokers. Other than that, vomiting and dark stools are also indicative of stomach cancer. Only 18% of the smokers having stomach cancer have survived the odds. These figures must set the panic alarms ringing, as the tobacco cigarettes can turn out to be fatal for you. If you observe persistent symptoms of stomach cancer, then you must be willing to consult the doctor at the very outset. The price of the tobacco cigarettes are not the bucks you pay for, rather developing cancer is the ultimate price you have to pay for smoking the tobacco cigarettes.

Like many other types of cancer caused by smoking, stomach cancer is curable as well. All you need is the early detection, and along with that, quitting smoking can serve to be a great way out for you. Persistence is the key, and if you are intending to enjoy a healthy lifestyle, then you have to quit smoking and persist with it. The only way you can avoid the stomach cancer is by quitting smoking, and if you are looking to live a healthy life for the years to come, then quitting smoking would ease your nerves big time.

image source

Cervical cancer, as its name indicates, is the cancer of the cervix. For the patients of this disease, the normal cells on their female cervical area transforms abnormally into cancer cells. Cervical cancer is caused by the virus called HPV or the human papillomavirus. This virus is usually obtained through sexual intercourse with somebody affected. Many types of HPV virus have been discovered and not all of them can cause cancer. Certain HPV virus could lead to genital warts instead. Furthermore there are some HPV strain variants that don’t cause any symptoms at all.

However, HPV can stay in your body undetected. And only after several years will the cancer be discovered. HPV can be easily diagnosed through a Pap test. Such test can detect the changes in the cervical cells and determine if they were indeed cancerous or not. Aside from a Pap test, the doctor may request the patient to undergo biopsy for a more accurate diagnosis of the disease.

The treatment of cervical cancer in its early stages is easier than discovering it later on. Cervical cancer can easily be prevented too, if regular Pap tests were done. Right now, there is a vaccine against this disease as well. There are times when cervical cancer is asymptomatic. However, when certain symptoms do appear, it will include vaginal bleeding, abnormal changes in one’s menstrual cycle, painful sexual intercourse, and bloody vaginal discharges.

Cervical cancer is usually treated through surgery. The common methods used are hysterectomy and the removal of lymph nodes in the pelvis area. And depending upon the extent of the damage of the cancer cells, the ovaries and the fallopian tubes may have to be removed as well. For the later stages of cervical cancer, the usual cancer therapies such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy will be applied as well.
Author: Jane Jasko is a blogger and a mother to be who writes about women’s health and pregnancy issues at http://www.cervicalmucus.net.

Specific Health Concerns

Some people worry about x-ray technology because they’ve heard it can cause specific health problems. To better understand the potential risk associated with x-ray exposure, it’s important to understand how radiation can impact our bodies in specific ways.

Genetic Mutation

Research suggests that significant x-ray exposure could negatively impact a subject’s ability to conceive. When male gonads are exposed to x-ray radiation, gene mutations may result in deformities of the man’s offspring. That said, the risk is amazingly slight. For example, research indicates that it would take more than 2,000 x-rays to impact a male’s reproductive system and 10,000 to affect that of a female.

Leukemia/Cancer Risks

Overexposure to radiation has been shown to cause skin problems that closely resemble bad burns and cancers. Because it has the ability to penetrate deep into the body, x-ray radiation may also penetrate bone marrow and affect blood production. In this way, excessive radiation may cause leukemia in certain people; however, this is incredibly rare. In fact, in the last 46 years, there have only been 87 documented incidents of leukemia developing as a result of – not just x-rays – but exposure to thorium and radium as well.

Prenatal Risks

According to the Mayo Clinic, because patients are subjected to only small amounts of radiation, the risk of cellular damage is extremely low. That said, the risk may be higher for women who are carrying a child. Due to rapid cell division which occurs during pregnancy, unborn fetuses may be especially sensitive to the effects of x-ray radiation. Though still quite small, this risk sometimes leads health care providers to choose other diagnostic tests, such as ultrasound, as an alternative to x-ray technology.

Alleviating Fears

Although x-ray radiation may have the power to cause health problems; studies have demonstrated that it would take thousands of exposures to cause a problem. That said, as health professionals become aware of people’s concerns, many are taking steps to make their patients feel more comfortable. According to Philadelphia dentist, Dr. Kenneth Siegel, his office uses a special panoramic digital x-ray machine, which emits less radiation than traditional dental x-ray technology.

“Our x-ray technology reduces radiation exposure by 90 percent,” he said. “Additionally, we offer a system called Tru-Align that further limits radiation exposure to the area where we need it.”

Minimizing Risk

Although medical experts agree that x-rays pose little risk to patients, many people prefer to limit exposure to minimize whatever risk exists. If you’re concerned about potential problems linked to x-ray radiation, talk to your healthcare provider and let him or her know you’d prefer to avoid x-rays when possible. You can also alleviate concerns by seeking providers who use modern technologies that limit radiation exposure.

About The Author

Ryan Lawrence writes for Off-Topic Media. Thanks to Dr. Ken Siegel for his contributions to this story. Dr. Siegel uses digital x-rays and other pieces of high-tech equipment to provide cosmetic dental services to the Philadelphia area at his practice, Dental Excellence of Blue Bell.

Citations

• http://bloodjournal.hematologylibrary.org/content/14/10/1137.abstract
• http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/x-ray/MY00307/DSECTION=risks

The Paleo Diet is fast gaining unprecedented popularity. Whilst much of Paleo flies in the face of conventional wisdom, could this in fact be the key to a healthy life?

What is Paleo?

Paleo isn’t just a diet, it’s a lifestyle. And rather than a fad diet to follow for a few weeks, it’s a way to live for the rest of your life.

In a nutshell, a Paleo diet completely omits grains, legumes and dairy. Grains and legumes have only been eaten by man for 10,000 years ago – but unfortunately in this time our bodies haven’t evolved as much as you’d think – meaning we don’t handle these foods very well – in particular the proteins they contain. Grains and legumes can be very inflammatory, acidic and break down to sugars in the blood stream.

Whilst these are some big exclusions, the Paleo diet includes a huge wealth of foods. Meat, fish, eggs, vegetables fruit and nuts are on the menu. The focus is on good quality foods. Ideally organic produce and grass fed meat. Whole, real foods.

When people make the move to Paleo, they often struggle with breakfast. A traditional breakfast may include things like toast and margarine, orange juice, cereal and skimmed milk. The very things we want to avoid! However, a Paleo Breakfast is actually easy – there are so many options. Eggs, meat and vegetables are a great place to start.

What are you waiting for?

People are often dubious about cutting out grains, legumes and dairy, so here is my challenge. Just try it. For 30 days, completely commit and eat a strict Paleo diet. The whole month – no cheating. If you don’t feel better, nothing lost, just don’t do it again. But if you do fell better, well – it could be the start of a whole new you! What have you got to lose?

Suz blogs on The Paleo Network about all aspects of leading a healthy, Paleo lifestyle.

Juices and leafy greens go hand in hand

We’ve written about the cancer-fighting properties of leafy greens and juices before. In fact, greens are the most potent cancer fighting foods, and you should intake them in abundance if you wish to avoid diseases. As for juices – they are the easiest way to consume green leafy vegetables in big volume. Imagine eating a whole heap of salads or spinach – that seems pretty boring. However, a glass of green vegetable juice takes just a minute to drink and contains all the protection our body cells need during the day.

Green juice recipe

Unlike conventional cooking, juicing allows a lot of creativity. You can interchange ingredients according to your taste and find your best combination out of hundred possible ones. Naturally you can spend a couple of minutes online and find a green juice recipe that sounds best to you – and start tweaking it later on.

The main ingredients of any green juice recipe you can find online will most probably be kale, celery, cucumbers, mint, spinach, lettuce, romaine, lime or lemon, ginger, parsley, cilantro and a lot more. Diversity is key here. Blending everything that you’d have a hard time eating in raw form but you know is healthy would be a good logic to follow. Add some carrots, orange or blueberries if you want to increase the antioxidant cancer preventing properties of your drink.

Using the right equipment

Most devoted juicing enthusiasts recommend using a blender rather than a juicer. Or, a part juicer part blender, like Vitamix – the reason is that you still need to consume some of the fiber that’s left out in the pulp. A blender gives you a thick smoothie that is not only full of microelements and enzymes, but is full of nutrients and can serve as a whole meal. You will see some of the recipes use fruit such as apples, pears, coconut and grapes, which makes the drinks contain even more calories.

A green juice made out of fresh vegetables with the help of a proper blender will be a great breakfast for anyone. Just experiement enough with te recipes and find the vegetable combination that clicks with you.

Yvonne Carter writes for BordeHole, a web magazine on lifestyle ideas in our changing world.

Electric Cigarette, which is known as an e-cig or electronic cigarette, is nicotine vapor free, tar free and odorless. These types of cigarette are free from all sorts of chemicals found in a traditional cigarette. In electric cigarette the vapor gives flavor, physical sensation and smoke, which is similar to the tobacco but deprived of tobacco’s combustion.

However, there are still more to know about this revolutionary product, so below we bring you all the benefits of electric cigarettes.

Benefits Of Electric Cigarettes:

•    These are completely ash free cigarettes. It means, there will be no more burn holes in clothes, car interior or carpet. Since electric cigarettes do not light up and do not heat, it is impossible to burn anything with it. After smoking it, one needs to simply put it back in the pocket without having to wait to cool it down.

•    It is odorless. Now, one does not have to face the inconvenience of pseudo smell after smoking the original cigarette. When the e-cig is inhaled, only water vapor is puffed out. So, when one smokes even at home or at office spaces, non-smokers will have no complaints about it.

•    The vapor produced in the electric cigarette is less harmful than the common cigarette.

•    With e-cig, one can save a lots of money, as one refill provides much more drags than the traditional one. The $2 (approx.) cartridge containing e-liquid gives equal drags to $6 of cigarettes (approx.). This saves up to $4 on every original pack of cigarette.

•    E-cig produces non-toxic vapor when inhaled. The only vapor produced is of water, which is totally a ‘green’ alternative to the common cigarette.

•    The so-called ‘passive smokers’ will no longer have to suffer the effects caused due to tobacco smoke. This is not only beneficial for electric cigarette smokers but also for people around.

•    They are non-flammable. One does not need to carry books of matches or lighters while smoking electronic cigarette.

•    One can breathe fresh with electronic cigarette. It makes one to feel and look better, and probably more active and healthier in the long run.

•    It comes in various flavors.

Remember: “Electric cigarettes are the best alternative to smoking original cigarettes.”

Tyler Snider is a blogger and an ex smoker who beat the nasty habit with e-cigs.
Now he writes for 1ecigreview.com, the best e Cig Reviews website.

Quantrim uses two very basic and natural ingredients which have been known for their medicinal properties for centuries. In fact, there are written records of their use in curing many medical conditions dating back centuries. The key ingredients are bladderwrack (Fucus vesiculosus) and Cleavers (Galium aparine) which are found in the United Kingdom and Europe. Unlike other herbal diet pills Quantrim does not need expensive and exotic ingredients to be sourced and then manufactured.

This not only makes it more affordable but also better in the long run as most ingredients that have to travel long distances to be encapsulated after harvesting lose theit benefit as soon as they gathered. Not to mention that is easy to get the freshest and best quality ingredients to be used to make the pill.  They may not have been actively studied and used in pharmaceutical products but have been intrinsic part of home remedies for many generations.

Main benefits of Quantrim

• Improved metabolic rate
• Better digestive power
• Burning off the excess fat stored in the body
• Helping to make you look slim especially thighs, bottom and stomach.
• Curbing of appetite and lesser calorie intake
• Increased energy levels in the body
• Feeling of overall wellness
• Easily lose 2-3 lbs a week
• Herbal ingredients ensure that there are no side effects from use

A look at the wonder ingredients

Bladderwrack (Seaweed) is a known weight loss facilitator and has been used for this purpose since ancient times. It is a natural and big source of chelated iodine. Chelated iodine is essential for manufacturing thyroid stimulating hormone or TSH. If the TSH levels are low then the metabolic rate will also be low which will in turn lead to increased weight gain and fatigue. Bladderwrack is also a great element to induce a strong feeling of satiety in the system. The herbal compounds work actively to make you feel full for a very long time. As a result carving for food is less and calorie intake is effectively controlled and managed. It also comes loaded with essential nutrients, minerals, vitamins, amino acids and antioxidants to induce overall wellbeing.

Cleavers is a basically a weed which is known to have excellent diuretic properties. It prevents water retention and bloating and thereby prevents further weight gain. It is also a great agent for detoxifying the lymph system and enable better circulation. This means that toxins, wasted tissues and stubborn fat cells are easily washed away with the help of cleavers.

Manufactured under “Traditional Herbal Registration” license (THR) and under strict and regulated environment, Quantrim easily follows the high pharmaceutical standards, known as GMP.

If you would like to find out more about this natural product and require more information please visit http://quantrimuk.co.uk/

Rosacea is a common dermatological condition that causes inflammation to skin usually on the midface but it can be found on other parts of the body such as the back and neck, symptoms can start at any age but it primarily affects people between the ages of 30 and 60. Rosacea sufferers commonly have fair skin and complexions, anyone who has this skin condition can develop the ocular version of it.

Although skin rosacea affects women more than men, ocular rosacea affects men and women in equal measure. Among people who have skin rosacea, there’s no way to tell who will develop eye symptoms. However, the development of styes, red, painful lumps near the edge of the eye, may be an early sign of ocular rosacea.

Ocular inflammation ranges from minor irritation, dryness, and blurry vision, sensitivity to light and redness to potentially severe ocular surface disruption and inflammatory keratitis. Patients frequently describe a gritty feeling and they commonly experience conjunctivitis  and blepharitis, blepharitis symptoms include inflammation of the eyelid, flaking of skin from the eyelid and the feeling that there is a foreign body in the eye.

Other ocular findings include lid margin and conjunctival telangiectasias, eyelid thickening, eyelid crusts and scales, chalazia and hordeolum, punctate epithelial erosions, corneal infiltrates, corneal ulcers, corneal scars, and vascularization. Sight-threatening disease is rare with rosacea; however, keratitis can result in sterile corneal ulceration and eventual perforation if not treated aggressively.

There is no cure for rosacea, there are medications that will control it, but if left untreated the condition will get worse.

If ocular rosacea is left untreated, it can affect the surface of your eye (cornea), particularly when you have dry eyes from a tear deficiency. Inflammation of your eyelids (blepharitis) can cause secondary irritation of the cornea from misdirected eyelashes or other complications. Ultimately, these conditions can lead to vision loss.

The cause of ocular rosacea, like skin rosacea, is unknown, but it may be due to a combination of hereditary and environmental factors. A number of factors can aggravate both skin and ocular rosacea.

Some of these factors include; consuming hot foods or beverages, drinking alcohol, eating spicy foods, caffeine, being in extreme hot or cold conditions, sunlight, being stressed, angry or embarrassed, strenuous exercise and taking medication that dilates blood vessels including some blood pressure medication.

Avoid Alcohol

People with rosacea should avoid consuming alcohol, in tests 2 of 3 people with the condition suffered what is known as a flare up after just one alcoholic beverage. Red wine was the worst offending drink for sufferers to consume.

Do not assume that because someone suffers from rosacea they are a heavy drinker, alcohol is more of a trigger for the condition. It is not the cause.

Why does alcohol affect the rosacea sufferers?

Alcohol causes this reaction because like some blood pressure medication it dilates blood vessels, drinking water and sucking on ice cubes in between alcoholic drinks has been found to help sufferers enjoy a few drinks without suffering a flare up. This is because water dilutes the alcohol and ice cubes have a cooling/soothing effect.

Making dietary changes to find out what affects you can be a great way to control many conditions including rosacea, what affects one person may not affect another.

If you suffer any of the above symptoms or suspect you may have a form of rosacea it is advisable to seek medical advice, as we said above if left untreated symptoms can get worse. One London based clinic is successfully treating rosacea through diet and laser therapy, they are called pulse light clinic.

Almost all pregnant women hate putting on extra weight during pregnancy, but let’s face it, its part and parcel of the pregnancy process. A lot of women despise gaining weight during pregnancy and most mothers blame pregnancy for their increased weight after delivery. Often than not, women want to know the essentials of losing weight while pregnant, or even if it’s safe for the unborn baby. Well, maintaining and losing weight during pregnancy calls for uttermost precision and care, at least when it comes to the unborn baby’s health. Weight gain for a typical full term pregnancy ranges extensively from twenty five to fifty pounds. With the following weight loss advice during pregnancy, you can maintain and lose excess weight during pregnancy.

• Take a diet plan low in Glycemic index; Abnormal and quite uncontrollable cravings are the principal causes of massive weight gain during pregnancy. Yearning for all the wrong, unhealthy foods at some epic times during pregnancy is common in many pregnant women, and undeniably, a vastly known part of pregnancy. These unhealthy cravings, while perfectly normal, ought to be controlled. There are actually some foods with a low Glycemic Index that help balance your sugar levels during pregnancy. As a matter of fact, these Glycemic index foods help reduce the highs and lows in the body glucose level. Consequently, you are able to lose substantial weight during pregnancy.
• Eat small, healthy, regular meals; Losing weight while pregnant is more or less like losing weight when you are not pregnant and any health fitness expert will tell you that a change of diet is mandatory in any weight loss process. One of the most prevalent dietary changes include eating smaller, healthy meals five to six times a day instead of the routine two to three large meals a day. Well, you will not in any way be consuming unnecessary extra calories, but keeping your body sugar levels consistent. Eating light several times a day during pregnancy will help prevent fluctuation of blood glucose levels, which as a matter of fact, induce the abnormal cravings during pregnancy.
• Exercise regularly; Well, you might be thinking that this is too imposing on the baby, and might be harmful in the long run. Losing weight while pregnant incorporates some light exercise regimens that are perfect for any pregnant woman. Exercising lightly and regularly during pregnancy is becoming increasingly popular nowadays, particularly as pregnant women strive to maintain and lose weight. Besides losing weight, exercise during pregnancy can lessen popular pains and discomforts that are part of any pregnancy.

What exercise is ultimate during pregnancy? Well, women are different, so there are exercise regimens that will work on particular pregnant women and not work on others. Nevertheless, walking is an excellent low impact but ultimate weight loss exercise. Moreover, walking doesn’t cost any pregnant woman a thing, not even a cent! Swimming, stationary cycling, yoga and Pilates are also wonderful low impact exercises available to any woman who desires to lose weight during pregnancy.

Follow the above steps ultimate for losing weight while pregnant, and feel beautiful and wanted during and after the whole pregnancy process. To know more about weight loss diet you can visit this website.

Chuck Maroun holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Wichita State University. Chuck Maroun is the editor of www.plandiet.org.  Chuck is an expert in the areas of weight loss, diet plan creation and diet execution. Chuck maintains a regular blog on the site. Chuck regularly posts content about how to choose the right diet strategy for your lifestyle and how to maximize weight loss on your diet.

We’ve all heard the back and forth debate on whether or not moderate alcohol use is good for you. Experts may not be able to agree on the benefits of moderate drinking, but they have no problem in agreeing that alcohol use in large quantities is a bad thing, especially if the person doing the drinking does so on a regular basis.

Aside from the obvious problems associated with alcohol abuse and alcoholism and the diseased livers that we all saw pictures of in health class, there are other, lesser-known consequences of drinking too much.

Here’s a diseased liver pic just in case you forgot what they look like.

Obesity…And Everything That Goes With It

You’ve almost certainly heard of a beer gut because it’s a real phenomenon. Men and women who drink large quantities of alcohol are more likely to gain weight. Beer can certainly contain more calories than other types of alcoholic beverages, but cocktails can also add to the waistline because alcohol itself carries calories.

You’re also likely to eat more while you’re drinking, and even after drinking, because alcohol can stimulate hunger and because you’re having a good time. The loss of inhibition that intoxication brings can lead to more than promiscuous sexual behavior. It can affect your eating habits as well.

Obesity can also lead to obstructive sleep apnea and can exacerbate any sleep apnea that is already present. Moreover, according to Dr. Mark Dunayer of Rockland County, New York, alcohol itself can cause problems for people who suffer from sleep apnea. “Alcohol is a depressant, and it affects every part of your body. Your brain becomes more sluggish in sending signals to the rest of the body. The muscles in your throat and neck relax when you drink [alcohol]. All of this is bad news for a person who has sleep apnea, and it can literally lead to someone dying in their sleep, or at the very least make for a terrible night of apneic episodes that puts a huge strain on the person’s organs,” says Dunayer.

Death by Cancer

Breast cancer, esophageal cancer, laryngeal cancer, liver cancer, oropharyngeal cancer, and prostate cancer are all types of cancer that can develop as a result of excessive alcohol use. According to the CDC’s Alcohol-Related Disease Impact (ARDI) report, during the period from 2001-2005, 2,749 people died as a result of some type of cancer that developed as a direct result of their alcohol consumption (http://1.usa.gov/RvLqLN).

Death by Stroke

Where moderate alcohol consumption may have a beneficial effect on cardiovascular health, excessive consumption can wreak havoc on the human body. The thinning effect that alcohol has on blood can, in excess amounts, cause spontaneous bleeds in the brain when blood vessels in the brain burst.

A 2010 study completed by doctors associated with Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center found that stroke risk is elevated for 24 hours after alcohol consumption, with the greatest risk in the hour following drinking an alcoholic beverage (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20634479).

Being A Killjoy When It Comes To Alcohol

I enjoy the occasional drink, but drinking to excess is just never a good idea even if you have a great time while you’re doing it. According to the aforementioned ARDI report, from 2001-2005, 80,374 people died alcohol-related deaths. That’s more than 80,000 families who were affected by a preventable death.

When you look at these stark facts, it’s hard to justify not switching to coffee, water, soda, or some other non-alcoholic beverage after you’ve had a couple of drinks. Doing so will mean you’re more likely to be able to attend the next company party, barbecue, night on the town, or any occasion where you enjoy a drink (including your next birthday).

About The Author

Jonathan Fashbaugh writes for Off-Topic Media and Given Life Ministries. You can circle him on Google+.