PharmaPassport Health Tips Blog

July 26, 2010

Diet Soda is linked to Premature Births

Filed under: diets,pregnancy — Tags: aspartame, blood pressure, diet soda, high blood pressure, pregnancy, premature birth — Amanda @ 8:22 pm

Artificially sweetened soft drinks have been linked to high blood pressure and an increased risk of premature birth. A recent study examined almost 60,000 women at around 25 weeks of pregnancy. The women reported on their daily diet – specifically how many soft drinks they drank every day.

The study was conducted by the Statens Serum Institute in Copenhagen, Denmark. Lead Dr. Thorhallur I. Halldorsson said “It may be non-optimal for pregnant women to have a high consumption of these types of products”. Diet drinks sweetened with aspartame are considered to be good alternatives to their sugar-filled counterpart, but Halldorsson notes that there has been too little research on the safety of the consumption of artificial sweeteners. New studies have found a link between soft drinks and high blood pressure. High blood pressure increases the risk of premature birth.

After analyzing the results from the study of 60,000 pregnant women, it was found that 5% delivered their babies before 37 weeks. Women who had at least one serving of artificially sweetened soda a day while they were pregnant were 38% more likely to deliver their babies preterm than women who drank no diet soda at all.

The shocking find from the study was that women who had at least 4 diet sodas a day were 80% more likely to deliver preterm.

Only diet soda was linked to early delivery, not sugar sweetened soda. The findings propose that the artificial sweetener itself is the cause of the findings. However, researchers say that other possible causes for the link cannot be ruled out.

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July 22, 2010

Your Feet and Your Health

Filed under: anemia,diabetes,health — Tags: anemia, athletes foot, diabetes, feet, foot health, hair, hair loss, hypothyroidism, iron, thyroid — Amanda @ 7:02 pm

Your feet can tell you a lot about your health by sending you important signals. These signs can indicate that you have anything from anemia to diabetes. Pay attention to the signs your feet are sending you in order to stay in good health. Unsolved foot problems can lead to bigger problems in the future.

No hair – If you have hairless feet or toes, it might be an indication of poor circulation caused by vascular disease. Growing hair on your toes isn’t your body’s biggest concern when you have a vascular problem. Since your feet are the farthest from your heart, they are usually harder to reach when your circulatory system isn’t up to par.

A foot sore that doesn’t heal – if you have a sore on the sole of your foot that isn’t healing, it could be a sign of diabetes. High blood sugar levels can damage the nerves in the feet leaving you with cuts that don’t heal and can even go unnoticed. If you have an infected, foul-smelling sore on the bottom of your foot that’s been there a while, it might be a good idea to see a doctor about having your blood glucose level checked.

Cold Feet – Women usually tend to experience this every now and then because they have a lower core temperature than men. It’s usually nothing, but if you are having persistently cold feet in even normal conditions, you may be suffering from hypothyroidism. An under active thyroid can lead to irregular body temperature and metabolism.

Flaky Skin – If you have dry, flaky skin on your feet, don’t ignore it. This is a sign of athlete’s foot. This fungal infection usually starts with dry, itchy skin and then turns into swelling and blisters. It usually shows up first between the warm, moist cracks of your toes and can spread to other parts of the body.

Sunken, spoon-shaped indents on your toenails - This is a sign of anemia that makes your nail beds look like strange, spoon-like shapes. This happens when you don’t have enough iron in your body. You don’t have enough iron-rich hemoglobin proteins that transfer oxygen to the body through the blood.

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July 21, 2010

Natural Acne Treatments

Filed under: acne — Tags: acne treatment, clear acne, skin acne — Nicole @ 9:35 pm

For those of us who are weary of man-made medications, natural treatments often seem like an excellent alternative to the regular prescription acne medications, they’re inexpensive, have few side effects and are easy to store and use – but do they really work? Many natural methods of acne treatment have not been studied as well as the typical acne treatments, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they won’t work. For thousands of years, different cultures have used an array of natural methods to treat many different conditions, and acne is not an exception.

There are several different factors that contribute to acne. Most commonly, acne is the end result of bacterial, inflammatory and hormonal disturbances at the level of the oil pores. There are several natural treatment methods that address different factors which contribute to acne. A change in diet, for example, will affect the hormonal factors that contribute to acne, by supplementing any mineral deficiencies causing any hormonal imbalances. Different topical herbal preparations, with main herbal ingredients such as tea tree oil, basil tea and sandalwood, will address any inflammatory disturbances that have caused acne. Bacterial factors that contribute to acne may also be taken care of by a daily facial cleanse to remove all traces of dirt and bacteria.

Because there are different factors that can contribute to the cause of acne, not every treatment will work for every person. Talk to your dermatologist or doctor about an acne treatment that is likely to work for you, based on the type of acne you have and its severity. If natural products or methods aren’t working as an effective treatment for your acne, you may wish to talk to your dermatologist or doctor about taking an acne medication; either in addition to your natural treatment method or as a single treatment method.

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July 15, 2010

Is It a Cold or Allergies?

Filed under: allergies,colds — Tags: allergen, allergies, allergy symptoms, cold symptoms, colds, common cold, flu, seasonal allergies, sneezing — Amanda @ 6:33 pm

Its summer but you’re feeling lousy. You might have a runny nose, congestion and watery eyes, but you’re unable to tell if it’s a summer cold or seasonal allergies. Telling the difference between a cold and allergies is difficult to do – especially if you need to choose between Benadryl and Claritin. Read on to learn about the difference between cold symptoms and allergy symptoms.

Colds are caused by viruses that trigger symptoms because of your body’s immune response. The common cold is contagious and causes symptoms like coughing, sneezing, and congestion. Allergies, on the other hand, are not caused by a virus but by an overactive immune system. When harmless substances (like pollen) enter your body, your body over-reacts and releases the chemical histamine into your blood stream. This causes swelling in your nasal passages, coughing, sneezing, and itchy or watery eyes. Allergies are not contagious, but can be commonly mistaken for a cold.

How to determine if you have a cold or allergies:

Colds

Symptoms of a cold are slightly different than symptoms of allergies. Colds tend to last anywhere between 3 days and 2 weeks. They are most common in the winter, but you can catch a summer cold. The symptoms tend to take a few days to appear after the infection with the virus occurs.

Common symptoms: aches, fever, cough, fatigue, sore throat, and runny or stuffy nose (yellow mucus). It is not likely that you will have itchy or watery eyes if you have a cold.

Allergies

Symptoms of allergies can last days to months – as long as you are exposed to the allergen that triggers your symptoms. Allergies usually occur in the spring and summer months when pollen and allergens are more likely to be airborne, but allergies can occur at any time of year. Usually your symptoms will occur immediately after you have been exposed to an allergen.

Common symptoms: Itchy or watery eyes, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose (usually clear mucus), and sometimes fatigue. If you have allergies, you will never have a fever or aches.

The symptoms of colds and allergies are very similar; however the main difference is that colds don’t normally last more than 14 days.

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July 12, 2010

6 Tips for Migraine Relief and Prevention

Filed under: headaches — Tags: calcium, calcium deficiency, headaches, health, migraines, omega 3, pain medications, topamax — Amanda @ 8:59 pm

Migraines affect the lives of over 28 million Americans. The world health organization estimates that there are 303 million people worldwide who suffer from migraine headaches. These headaches are intense and can even disrupt peoples lifestyles. They seem to be caused by changes in the level of the hormone serotonin which shrinks the blood vessels. When serotonin levels are low, the blood vessels swell. The swelling can cause pain and migraine headaches. Here are some tips on how to prevent and relieve migraines.
1. Omega 3 –The tissue surrounding the brain becomes inflamed when you have a migraine and omega 3 lessens the cells reaction to inflammation. Take omega 3 everyday to help lessen migraine pain.

2. Calcium– Calcium deficiencies can increase migraine symptoms. That’s why women are more susceptible to having migraines. Most women have low calcium levels during ovulation. The hormones that regulate calcium react with the high hormone levels causing low calcium levels and triggered migraines.

3. Preventative measures – There are several preventative prescription medications that are used to treat migraines. Topamax, for example, is a medication that prevents migraines from starting. Topamax cannot, however, treat a migraine that has already begun. There are other pain medications available for a migraine that has already started. Despite what you believe, over-the-counter medicines like Motrin and Excedrin are both great at reducing the pain of a migraine.

4. Ice Packs – Freezable neck pillows are perfect for wrapping around your neck where your migraine hurts. Ice packs work too. Migraines are different than regular headaches. In a normal headache, your blood vessels get smaller and tighter. With migraines, they expand and become more open. Putting ice on a migraine constricts the blood vessels helping the pain, but if you put ice on a regular headache you might find that it becomes worse.
5. Sleep – Sleeping your migraine off is the easiest way to get away from the pain. Sleep is often the best remedy for any minor illness.

6. Exercise – Exercise will improve your overall health – and the length and severity of your migraines. Many people who suffer from chronic migraines find that exercise makes their headaches more manageable and less painful.

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July 5, 2010

6 Ways to Keep Your Heart Healthy

Filed under: healthy living,heart condition,heart disease,high blood pressure — Tags: beta-carotene, cholesterol, dieting, exercise, healthy living, heart disease, high blood pressure, quitting smoking, stroke — Amanda @ 9:06 pm

Heart disease is preventable, and maintaining a healthy heart will increase your quality of life. There are many everyday things you can do to ensure your heart is working at its best.

1. Don’t Smoke! Smoking is the worst thing you can do for your lungs and heart. If you are having trouble quitting, try eating sunflower seeds and oat straw infusion for a month before you quit. This will reduce your body’s craving for nicotine and strengthen the blood vessels and nerves before the impact of withdrawal.

2. Get More Beta-Carotenes - These reduce your risk of a stroke by 40%. Foods containing beta-carotene are carrots, cabbage, sweet potatoes, spinach, and apricots. Beta-carotene’s lower your cholesterol levels.

3. Embrace Garlic Breath – Garlic has the amazing ability to lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, strengthen the heart muscle, improve the immune system, stabilize blood sugar, and lower risk of stroke.

4. Exercise! The best thing you can do for yourself is to be active daily. Skipping rope is the best for your heart, but even walking and swimming and great exercises for your heart – as long as you are exercising on a regular basis.

5. Show affection - Recent studies have found that people who are lovingly touched everyday have a lower risk of developing heart problems than people who are not touched by others.

6. Be consistent - try not to be inconsistent in your eating habits. On and off dieting, fasting, and binging cause an imbalance in your electrolyte levels which will weaken your heart muscle and eventually lead to heart damage.

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