PharmaPassport Health Tips Blog

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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March 18, 2010

7 Oral health signs you can’t ignore

Filed under: anemia,diabetes,gum disease,HIV,infection,osteoporosis,pregnancy,sensitive teeth,Uncategorized — Amanda @ 10:04 am

Gum Disease – Premature Birth

You may be more likely to have a premature baby if you are pregnant and have gum disease. The link between the two conditions is not entirely explained, but underlying inflammation or infection could be to blame. Pregnancy and its connected hormonal changes can worsen gum disease. Talk to your dentist about how to protect yourself and your baby.

Eroded Tooth Enamel – Eating Disorders

Eating disorders such as bulimia can take a significant toll on the health of your teeth. The stomach acid from continuous vomiting can erode tooth enamel, and the gums between teeth, especially on the tongue side of the upper front teeth. This increases the risk for decay in these places and can increase tooth sensitivity. Extreme erosion can cause changes in bite, and back teeth can become smaller. Some teeth can even be lost due to eating disorders. Tooth erosion can take about 3 years to become noticeable, but not all bulimics have it. constant vomiting can also cause the salivary glands to swell and the tissues in the mouth to become dry.

Swollen Gums – Pericoronitis

Pericoronitis may occur when wisdom teeth only partially break through the gum. This creates an opening for bacteria to enter around the tooth and cause infections. In pericoronitis, food and plaque can get caught underneath a flap of gum around the tooth and can irritate the gum. If the infection is severe, it can swell and extend beyond the jaw to the cheeks and neck. Pericoronitis causes pain, infection, and swollen gums around the molar teeth.

Thrush – HIV, Diabetes

Thrush is an infection in the mouth that is caused by candida fungus (yeast). Thrush can affect anyone, but it occurs mostly in people with weakened immune systems (HIV) and in people who use the drug prednisone. Antibiotics can also disturb the natural balance of organisms in the body and cause thrush. Oral thrush causes lesions on the tongue or cheeks. These can be painful and may bleed when scraped. This is due to the body’s weakened immune system and its inability to defend itself against infections. People with HIV/AIDS can also have symptoms of dry mouth. Other medical situations that make candida infections more likely to occur include uncontrolled diabetes, cancer, dry mouth, or pregnancy. People who smoke or wear dentures that don’t fit properly are also at an increased risk.

Tooth Loss – Osteoporosis

The bone disease called osteoporosis can affect any bone in your body., such as your jaw bone. If you develop osteoporosis in your jaw, you may experience tooth loss due to erosion of the jawbone. This will cause minor facial deformities and pain in and around the temporomandibular joint, which is what connects the upper and lower jaws. The bones around the roots of the teeth are also susceptible to osteoporosis.

Bad Breath – Gum disease

There are many illnesses that can cause bad breath. Some important ones to familiarize yourself with are respiratory tract infections (pneumonia or bronchitis), chronic sinus infections, postnasal drip, diabetes, chronic acid reflux, and liver or kidney problems. Chronic bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth can more commonly be warning signs of gum disease. Gum disease is caused by a buildup of plaque on your teeth. The bacteria creates toxins that irritate the gums. Another sign of gum disease is bleeding gums. When going untreated, gum disease can damage the gums and jawbone. Prevent gum disease by thoroughly brushing and flossing your teeth on a regular basis. Other dental causes of gum disease include poorly fitted dental appliances, yeast infections in the mouth, and dental caries.

Pale Gums – Anemia

Your gums can become sore and pale, and your tongue can become swollen and smooth if you have anemia. Your body doesn’t have enough red blood cells that contain enough hemoglobin when you have anemia. Your body doesn’t receive enough oxygen and you will experience a number of symptoms.

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December 28, 2009

Your Fingernails and Your Health

Filed under: anemia,bronchitis,fingernails,hair loss,heart disease,iron,liver,lung disease,psoriasis,respiratory disease,Uncategorized,vitamins,zinc — Amanda @ 1:52 pm

The state of your fingernails can provide clues about your overall health. Simple things like color and shape can indicate complicated health conditions such as chronic bronchitis. Pay attention to the signs that your nails give you in order to take care of yourself.

Nail Pitting - Tiny indents in the nails are normal for people with psoriasis. These depressions can also result from nail injuries and cause your nails to crumble. Sometimes pitting is associated with things like chronic dermatitis or alopecia areata which causes hair loss.

Nail Curling - Nails that are soft and curl into the shape of spoons could indicate iron deficiency anemia.

Brittle and weak nails - Indicates a lack of vitamin A or an Iron deficiency.

Horizontal Ridges (Beau’s lines) - these deep crevices can indicate circulatory problems, diabetes, or can be caused by an illness such as pneumonia.

Yellow Nails - If you have a yellow discoloration on your nails it could be signs of a respiratory condition. Yellow nails will often grow slowly and thicken. Sometimes, when nails are affected with this condition, they may detach from the nail bed and come off. This is not always a sign of a respiratory illness. Yellow nails are caused when nail growth slows down.

Red Nail bed - At the bottom of the nail is the nail bed. A red nail bed can indicate heart problems.

White Nail bed - A white nail bed can indicate an iron deficiency causing Anemia, or liver problems

White spots - White spots on the nails can indicate a Zinc deficiency.

Darkening Nails - If your nails are becoming darker, you may have insufficient vitamin B12 levels.

Rippling Texture - Rippling of the nail surface can in indicate psoriasis or arthritis.

Clubbed Nails – This occurs when your fingertips become bigger and your nails curve around the fingertips. Low oxygen levels in your blood causes clubbing and can be a sign of lung disease. Clubbing can also be associated with inflammatory bowel disease, cardiovascular disease and liver disease.

Hang Nails – The stray pieces of hard skin around your nails can be a sign of a lack of protein, folic acid, or vitamin C.

Loose Nails - a condition know as onycholysis can cause your nails to become loose and detatch from the nail bed. This may also be associated with injury or infection, thyroid disease, drug reactions, reactions to nail hardeners or acrylic nails, or Psoriasis.

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