PharmaPassport Health Tips Blog

June 24, 2010

6 Uses for Melatonin

Filed under: health-tips — Tags: ADHD, breast cancer, cancer, cancer cells, epilepsy, insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome, melatonin, prostate cancer, seizures, sleep, sleep deprivation, sunburns, uv light, vitamin e — Amanda @ 6:44 pm

Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the brain and helps regulate other hormones and the body’s internal clock. Melatonin plays a huge role in when we fall asleep and wake up. When it’s dark out, your body produces more melatonin. When it is light out, the production of melatonin levels decreases. If you are exposed to bright lights at night, or darkness during the day, your body’s normal melatonin cycles. Jet lag, and shift work can drastically affect your melatonin levels. You can increase your melatonin levels by spending time in the sunlight, sleeping in complete darkness, and following your body’s urges to sleep and wake up. You can also visit a doctor for melatonin supplements. Melatonin is available in tablets, capsules, cream, and lozenges that dissolve.

Uses for Melatonin

Better sleep - Melatonin supplements can help you sleep if you have insomnia or disrupted sleep rhythms, or if you have naturally low melatonin levels. Studies found that melatonin reduces the time it takes to fall asleep, increases the number of sleeping hours, and boosts alertness during the day. The study found that melatonin supplements work better on people over the age of 55 who have insomnia. For people with primary insomnia, melatonin helped them fall asleep faster, sleep better, be more alert in the morning, and improve their overall quality of life.

Breast cancer - Studies suggest that low melatonin levels are associated with breast cancer risk. Women with breast cancer have lower levels of melatonin than those who do not have breast cancer. Experiments found that low levels of melatonin help the growth of cancer cells, whereas adding melatonin to these cells slows their growth. Other experiments found that melatonin can strengthen the effects of certain chemotherapy drugs used to treat breast cancer. A study of women who were taking tamoxifen for breast cancer but saw no improvement added melatonin to their medication schedule and found that their tumors shrunk in size in 28% of women.

Prostate cancer - Men with prostate cancer have lower melatonin levels than men without prostate cancer. Melatonin has been found to block the growth of prostate cancer cells. Taking melatonin supplements combined with conventional medical treatment improved survival rates in 9 out of 14 men with prostate cancer.

Sunburns - Studies tested melatonin alone and combined with topical vitamin E before exposure to UV light and found that gels, ointments, or lotions containing melatonin can protect against sunburn and other skin damage.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome - Studies suggest that people with IBS can take melatonin to reduce symptoms like abdominal pain. There were also some preliminary studies that found melatonin can help to improve other symptoms of IBS such as bloating and frequency of bowel movements. Further studies are required.

Epilepsy- Melatonin can reduce the frequency and duration of seizures in children with epilepsy. Talk to your doctor to find out if melatonin supplements can help your child.

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June 21, 2010

5 Reasons Why You Should Take Multivitamins

Filed under: health-tips — Tags: arthritis, calcium, cancer, folic acid, high cholesterol, menopause, pregnancy, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin c, vitamin e, vitamins — Amanda @ 6:02 pm

The food quality on the market today is not like it used to be and the human body needs a specific amount of vitamins to function properly. Since we get most of our vitamins from the food we eat, sometimes a multivitamin is needed to compensate for the vitamin deficiency’s in our diets. If you aren’t convinced that multivitamins are a necessity, here are some other reasons why you should take them.

1. Our bodies need to use more nutrients than normal to detoxify and eliminate substances from environmental pollution in the air, water, and food. The antioxidants including vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E are likely to decrease at a more rapid rate due to this pollution.

2. The busy schedules of our lives are contributing to our lack of vitamins. Our wavering eating habits, lazy chewing, eating on the run, and stress are causing poor digestion. This makes it hard for our bodies to take in all of the nutrients from our food.

3. Certain health conditions can increase your need for vitamins. During pregnancy, a woman’s body requires more folic acid and during menopause, they are more susceptible to calcium deficiencies. In addition, the use of pharmaceutical drugs can increase the body’s vulnerability to vitamin deficiencies since most medications reduce essential nutrients in the body.

4. The food industry isn’t helping our vitamin deficiencies. Modern agricultural techniques are leaving the soil deficient of minerals causing the food grown there to share the same deficiencies. After the foods have been harvested, they are often stored for long periods of time and transported great distances. This depletes the food of important vitamins. The processing, preserving, and cooking involved with our food doesn’t help either. This also contributes to nutrient depletion and makes it difficult for us to be nutritiously satisfied from foods alone.

5. Vitamins and minerals will improve your overall health. Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Folic Acid, Beta Carotene, and Vitamin B6 have all been proven to help in the treatment of high cholesterol, arthritis, birth defects, and even cancer

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Top 10 Proven Risk Factors for Stroke

Filed under: stroke — Tags: abdominal obesity, alcohol, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, low physical activity, risk factors, smoking, stress, stroke, unhealthy eating habits — Tanveen @ 4:31 pm

A recent study was performed using people who have just had their first stroke. Approximately 6000 people from twenty-two countries were studied from March 1, 2007 up until just last month. It was found that ten risk factors contribute for approximately 90% of all strokes. These risk factors include:

Smoking: Smokers are at an increased risk of stroke in comparison to non-smokers. Smoking damages the cardiovascular system significantly.

High Blood Pressure: Hypertension is known to be the number one cause of strokes. Treatment for high blood pressure is necessary in order to lower your risk.

Blood Lipids: A high level of blood of blood levels puts one at risk of stroke.

Low Physical Activity: If you are an inactive person your chances of stroke are significantly higher than active individuals. Lack of physical activity can cause many other health problems as well.

Abdominal Obesity: Many people in the United States are facing the same problem- obesity. Eating right and physical exercise are very important in order to obtain a normal weight.

Unhealthy Eating Habits: Developing a balanced meal plan is necessary in order to avoid stroke. Diets high in cholesterol, saturated fat, or unsaturated fat should be avoided.

Cardiovascular Disease: Any current heart problems or heart problems of the past put you at a greater risk of having a stroke in comparison to someone who has had no heart problems. Your family background can also have an impact.

Diabetes: Having diabetes increases the risk of stroke, but there are many things you can do in order to reduce that risk.

Stress: Many health problems can be traced back to stress. Stress has a negative impact on your body. Reducing stress is very important.

Alcohol Intake: Those who consume alcohol in large quantities or abuse it are at a high risk of stroke. Two drinks per day are recommended for men and one for women.

There are a lot of risk factors that you have no control over like your age, family backgrounds, and gender. You can however work towards limiting the list up top. In order to lower your chances of stroke avoid the list above as much as possible and work towards developing a healthier lifestyle.

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June 16, 2010

Are Depression and Heart Disease Linked?

Filed under: depression — Tags: depression, heart disease, heart surgery, risk — Tanveen @ 4:45 pm

Depression and heart disease are closely related. Depression can lead to heart disease, and heart disease can lead to depression. It has been determined that those suffering from depression are at an increased risk of developing heart disease. As well, people who currently have heart disease or have gone through a heart problem have a greater chance of becoming depressed.

Heart disease, although not always the case, is noticed relatively quick. Depression on the other hand is difficult to detect in some people. It may not be a severe form of depression, but if present, it will definitely have an effect on your body.

How Do I Know If I am Suffering From Depression?

You no longer have interest in the things that you used to be interested in.
You are always tired and do not feel like doing anything.
You are having difficulty making everyday decisions
You feeling bad about yourself and the things you do.
Your appetite has changed.

After having had a heart problem it is easy for people who have never been influenced by depression to become depressed. There is no definite reason as to why this happens. Many different factors contribute to the development of depression. In this case it is probably the increased feeling of weakness and vulnerability that arises from having an impactful event such as a heart attack.

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June 14, 2010

Short People More Likely to Develop Heart Disease

Filed under: cardiovascular disease — Tags: cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, heart disease, height, short people, study, tall people — Tanveen @ 5:15 pm

Many different factors determine how susceptible a person is to heart disease. For example, your family background, age, gender, physical health, and eating habits play a large role. Some of these factors you have no control over and here’s another one to add to the list- your height.

In a recent study it was found that short people are 50% more likely to die prematurely of cardiovascular disease than tall people. Women under five feet and men less than five feet five inches are considered short.

The study was performed with approximately three million people. The tallest people were compared to the shortest people in order to get the most accurate results.

For many years scientists have been trying to prove the effect height can have on premature death by heart disease. It has always remained contradictory. However, these recent findings may have convinced a greater number of people. Professor Jaakko Tuomilehto of the University of Helsinki (in Finland) comments, “The results are unequivocal: short stature is associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease.”

There are many different theories that explain why short people are more susceptible. One theory states that short people tend to have smaller coronary arteries that thus can become clogged easily leading to Coronary Heart Disease. Coronary arteries are the arteries that take blood to the muscle tissue of the heart.

Whether you are tall or short your lifestyle choices will have an exponentially greater effect on your health than your height. Even if you are not making the right choices now, you can change and learn to adapt to a healthier lifestyle.

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June 10, 2010

6 Unadvertised Uses for Aspirin

Filed under: health-tips — Tags: acne, aspirin, chlorine, clotting, dandruff, fever, hair color, headache, joint pain, mosquito bites, pain, pain relief — Amanda @ 11:35 pm

Aspirin is a mild, non-narcotic analgesic that works by inhibiting the production of body chemicals that are necessary for blood clotting and also sensitize nerve endings to pain. Aspirin is actually derived from the bark and leaves of the willow tree. In 1830 scientists realized that it was the component “Salicin” in the willow plant that was responsible for pain relief. After that scientists began trying to find ways to isolate that compound and turn it into a more usable form of medicine. Apart from treating headache and fever symptoms, aspirin has many helpful uses in everyday life.

1. Acne – Add water to crushed aspirin to create a paste that you can apply to your acne. The salicylic acid in the aspirin will dry out your pimples and since aspirin is an astringent, it will reduce their redness. They should be less noticeable after a couple uses. This is a good alternative if you don’t want to spend lots of money on drugstore acne products.

2. Clothing Stains - Aspirin can also be used to remove sweat stains from clothing. Dissolve a couple aspirins in half a cup of warm water and apply it to the stained fabric. Let it soak for a couple hours and then wash the clothing. The stains should disappear!

3. Fresh Flowers - Before putting cut flowers into a vase, dissolve an aspirin tablet in the water. This will help keep the flowers fresh and let them last longer.

4. Dandruff - Aspirin can help you with your dandruff problems. Crush two aspirins and mix them with your shampoo. Let the mixture soak in for about 3 minutes before rinsing your hair. You will have a less flaky scalp!

5. Hair Color - For those of you who love to swim you may know that the chlorine in pools can give your hair a yellowish or faded color. Dissolve 10 aspirins in a glass of water and rub the solution into your hair. After 10 minutes rinse it out an wash your hair as you usually would.

6. Bites – Aspirin works wonders on bug bites!! Wet an aspirin tablet and rub it over a mosquito bite or bee sting. You should feel instant relief!

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June 9, 2010

The Advantages and Disadvantages of High and Low Metabolisms

Filed under: health-tips — Tags: diet, energy, exercise, high metabolism, low metabolism, metabolism — Tanveen @ 4:14 pm

Metabolism is essentially the energy required to sustain yourself. For example, active individuals who eat balanced meals tend to have a high metabolism as opposed to inactive individuals who tend to have a low metabolism. Having a lower metabolism as opposed to a higher one is far more common. Your metabolism is not purely determined by how much you exercise, but also by other factors such as: family background, body composition, gender, age, and eating habits.

Often when people think of high metabolism they see it as a great advantage and people with low metabolisms envy this perk that some people have. However, you will notice that having a high metabolism is not necessarily always beneficial. People in a situation like that below often find that they have no one to relate to because of their rare predicament.

“I have tried everything! I am 21 years old and have a very high metabolism. I only weigh 105 pounds and am skinnier than everyone I know. My bones stick out in all the wrong places and I can’t do anything about it. I eat approximately 3000 calories a day but yet I am unable to gain even a pound. I don’t know what to do!”

Most people have the tendency to want to lose weight even though they have a healthy body size. All without realizing that there are people who would do anything to have a healthy body like theirs. If you are in the situation above or even one that is not as extreme you should contact your doctor and begin treatment if necessary.

On the other hand a low metabolism can mean that your body can gain weight very easily. For some people this may be a result of poor nutrition and thus depriving their bodies of food for long periods of time. Neither of the two extremes is appealing or a good situation to be in. Somewhere in between is where most people should aim to be.

There are some factors that affect metabolic rate on which you have no control over such as your increasing age or your gender, but you can still work towards a better metabolic rate. An inevitable trend that occurs is a decrease in metabolism as you age. This is why you need to prepare for it, or not let it get the better of you if you have already reached that point in life.

Four Ways to Boost Your Metabolism

Set up an exercise regime that you can follow through with. The development of muscle inceases metabolic rate significantly. More muscle means that more calories will be used up to maintain the body.
STOP DIETING! Dieting puts your body in “survival mode”. As a result of low food intake your body thinks that it is starving and thus trys to conserve as much energy as possible.
Drink lots of water.
Have a good night’s sleep.

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June 7, 2010

Two Year old Indonesian Baby is addicted to Cigarettes

Filed under: health-tips — Tags: cancer, heart disease, lung cancer, nicotine, quitting smoking, secondhand smoke, smoking baby — Amanda @ 11:37 pm

There have been recent reports about a two year old baby named Ardi Rizal in Indonesia who is addicted to nicotine and smokes over 40 cigarettes a day. Ardi was given his first cigarette by his parents in order to provide him with pain relief but he has become addicted and now throws tantrums if he doesn’t get his fix. His parents, unwilling to make him stop smoking, feel that his habit is uncontrollable. His father Mohammed said “He looks pretty health to me, I don’t see the problem.” His mother is unable to deny him of cigarettes because of his tantrum throwing and withdrawal complaints.

The baby is already dealing with the effects of cigarettes as he can barely move by himself. He can no longer keep up with the other toddlers. Being so young his body cannot handle the toxicity of the cigarettes and condition is on a path to quick deterioration.

Child advocates are publicizing the damage that second hand smoke can do to a child, and they are speaking out about the pressure put on children to smoke in countries where 1/3 of the population uses tobacco and cigarettes as a mean of narcotics where they can be bought for a few cents.

Even parents in North America are underestimating the damage that second-hand smoke can do to their children. Even parents that smoke outside are putting their children at risk. Cigarettes don’t need to be smoked near children to damage a child’s health. Kids can still absorb some of the nicotine through the fumes that contaminate dust particles settle in carpets, toys, and furniture. The worst part is that these fumes can contaminate household objects for many months before they dissipate. The American Lung Association has found that secondhand smoke exposure causes disease and premature death in children and adults who don’t smoke, secondhand smoke contains hundreds of chemicals known to be toxic or carcinogenic (formaldehyde, benzene, arsenic, ammonia ect), and secondhand smoke causes 3,400 deaths from lung cancer and up to 69,600 deaths from heart disease every year. It is important to think about young Ardi Rizal’s condition and consider quitting smoking in order to protect your family’s health and well-being.

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June 4, 2010

5 Skin Signs You Can’t Ignore

Filed under: health-tips — Tags: addison's disease, aspirin, eczema, ginkgo biloba, high blood pressure, hypothyroidism, photo sensitivity, skin, thyroid, vitamin c, vitamins — Amanda @ 12:23 am

Medical conditions affect all parts of the body including fingernails and skin! Here are some serious skin warning signs that you can’t afford to ignore.

1. Long dark lines in the palms

If you have long deep dark lines in the palms of your hands it could be a sign of an adrenal insufficiency – like Addison’s’ disease. Other signs of Addison’s disease include dark pigmentation around scars, lips, and knees and knuckles. People that suffer from Addison’s disease have low blood pressure and salt loss. If you ever have any unusual visual symptoms you should let your doctor know as soon as possible.

2. Sun Rashes

If you’re taking a photo sensitizing medication or if you have sensitive skin, you may develop an itchy rash that is hive-like or looks like eczema. Sometimes the chemicals in certain medications can cause a person to have an increased sensitivity to light. You’ll know if it’s a sun rash if it occurs only on areas that were recently exposed to sunlight. It can feel very uncomfortable and cause a tightening feeling – especially in the face around the lips – and last longer than a sun burn. Check your prescription medications for photo-sensitizing chemicals. Some medications will say “can cause chemical photosensitivity”. Be sure to wear a high SPF sun block but be aware that this may not prevent a sun rash. Your best defense is to stay in the shade and wear hats and loose clothing at the beach.

3. Purple stains

Purpura is often confused with a bruise because it looks like one. The difference is that it lasts longer and isn’t caused by a bump or a bang. Purpura is caused by broken blood vessels under the skin. It can be caused by many conditions including bleeding disorders and scurvy. It is most common in older adults whose skin is more fragile by years of sun damage and weakened vessels. Excessive use of aspirin, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, blood thinners, and ginkgo biloba can make Purpura spots worse. Purpura discoloration starts red and eventually turns purple. It can last for a long time before turning brown and slowly fading. The color doesn’t go away when you press on it, and it can cover large areas of the body or show up in small specks. If you notice extensive signs of Purpura, tell your doctor.

4. Pale skin and blue nails

If you have paler than usual skin on the face and palms, and a pale blue tinge at the base of your fingernails you may be suffering from Anemia. This can be because of an iron deficiency, blood loss from bowel disease, or ulcer disease. Anemia also causes your gums, lips, and mouth tissues to become lighter than usual. Other symptoms of Anemia include dizziness, fatigue, headaches, and shortness of breath. Consult a doctor if you have signs of anemia.

5. Yellow skin, orange palms

This doesn’t mean that you’ve eaten too many carrots – it can possibly be the doings of your thyroid gland. Hypothyroidism can cause an increase in beta-carotene levels in the blood. If your thyroid gland cannot metabolize the vitamins as quickly as it should, beta-carotene can build up and cause your skin to turn orange or yellow in color. Your skin may also feel cold and dry. Fatigue, weakness, and aching are also major signs of hypothyroidism. You can, however, get orange skin by a heavy diet of carrots, carrot juice, sweet potatoes, and squash. If you haven’t been snacking on these foods then you may want to go see a doctor about your thyroid.

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June 1, 2010

The Rise of Antidepressants in America

Filed under: depression — Tags: antidepressant, behavior, depression, drug, medication, mental health — John @ 11:31 pm

Antidepressants have achieved the number one spot for the most prescribed class of medications in the United States. While depression is a very serious condition, I am beginning to wonder why so many people are said to suffer from depression. The whys have always been very difficult to overcome.

I would like to lead by saying; if you do have serious depression then medications may be necessary, as major depression can make it difficult if not impossible to even get up every morning. However, has the number of depressed American citizens increased or simply the number of prescriptions?

Over-prescribing medications has become a very serious ordeal in America. Sometimes, certain issues may be resolved by seeing a therapist and just telling that person what has been troubling you. Medications can be expensive and unnecessary.

However, if there is a real rise in depression among Americans, then I am worried about the future. Perhaps, alternative methods of dealing with more minor depression should be used before medications. If you believe you may be suffering from depression try to use a few of these steps.

Access the situation – Try to evaluate what is the reason for your troubles. The best way to do this is to step back from the situation and look at your problems as if you were a neutral party. Access the problem in an unbiased way and try to come up with a resolution.

Write – Writing can be a very soothing and relaxing process. It is a good, safe, and relatively easy way to express any emotions you may have bottled up inside of you. Don’t try to over think what you are writing, simply sit down with some paper and a pen and write whatever you feel. You may often be able to express your true emotions better this way instead of talking or thinking things through.

Talk to a friend – Find a reliable and trustworthy person. This could be your childhood friend, your mother, a coworker, anyone you feel completely comfortable with. Then tell them what you’re going through, and try to work out what may be causing you to feel the way you do. Ask them for advice, as they can view your situation from a different perspective.

Talk to a professional – Although it may seem weird to talk to a complete stranger about your personal issues, therapists can really help sort out your emotions. These people have been trained to deal with these sorts of problems. Think of this as something similar to going to the doctor for a very personal problem. You may not be completely comfortable with someone treating an embarrassing or deeply personal problem, but you know that a doctor has received training on how to deal with these issues.

Medications – If you find that nothing is working, and you are really struggling to live comfortably, then you may need medications. For some people who are suffering from major depression, medications are the only way to deal with their condition.

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