Tip of day

Symptoms of food allergy include: itching of the mouth, swollen lips, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal cramp and pain, difficulty in breathing, drop in BP.

Opioid (Pain) Medication May Decrease Testosterone

Opioid (pain) medication, including morphine sulfate and oxycodone, commonly used for patients with chronic pain or abused by those with addiction, carries many risks and side effects.  In addition to the most devastating complication of overdose, pain medication side effects include nausea, itching, constipation, depression, and endocrine abnormalities such as low testosterone in both males and females.  The focus here is on males, but females are also affected and remain understudied in terms of endocrine problems stemming from pain medication overuse.    

The issue of pain medications affecting the hormones produced by the brain are often not recognized, and are not well studied in pediatric, adolescent, or adult popluations.  A patient with narcotic medication addiction or those taking pain medication for chronic pain may have many symptoms which overlap with symptoms of low testosterone.  Opioids are among the most frequently prescribed analgesic drugs but may lead to low testosterone in 20 to 80% of men with decreased attention span, decreased sex drive (libido), fatigue, depressive state, erratic mood.  In addition,muscle loss, bone loss (osteoporosis), low blood count (anemia), erectile dysfunction, delayed ejaculation (semen emission) may occur.  In addition, the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus (increased blood sugar which has many negative effects on the body) are increased.  Chronic opioid use may also adversely affect sperm function (very few studies have addressed this).

The treatment of patients with low testosterone (due to pain medication) is the same as for those with low testosterone of other causes and is managed by a urologist.  Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) in multiple preparations may have beneficial effects on serum testosterone and qualtity of life.  An alternative to topical or injected testosterone would be the use of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG injection) or clomiphene citrate (oral pill) which act through a different mechanism to “turn on” the body’s natural testosterone production.

Matthew Wosnitzer, M.D.

Tip of the day

Don't immerse large severe burns in cold water. Doing so could cause a drop in body temperature (hypothermia), deterioratn of BP n circulation (shock).

Breaking Bad Habits: Why It’s So Hard to Change

If you know something’s bad for you, why can’t you just stop? About 70% of smokers say they would like to quit. Drug and alcohol abusers struggle to give up addictions that hurt their bodies and tear apart families and friendships. And many of us have unhealthy excess weight that we could lose if only we would eat right and exercise more. So why don’t we do it?

NIH-funded scientists have been searching for answers. They’ve studied what happens in our brains as habits form. They’ve found clues to why bad habits, once established, are so difficult to kick. And they’re developing strategies to help us make the changes we’d like to make.

“Habits play an important role in our health,” says Dr. Nora Volkow, director of NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Understanding the biology of how we develop routines that may be harmful to us, and how to break those routines and embrace new ones, could help us change our lifestyles and adopt healthier behaviors.”

Habits can arise through repetition. They are a normal part of life, and are often helpful. “We wake up every morning, shower, comb our hair or brush our teeth without being aware of it,” Volkow says. We can drive along familiar routes on mental auto-pilot without really thinking about the directions. “When behaviors become automatic, it gives us an advantage, because the brain does not have to use conscious thought to perform the activity,” Volkow says. This frees up our brains to focus on different things.

Habits can also develop when good or enjoyable events trigger the brain’s “reward” centers. This can set up potentially harmful routines, such as overeating, smoking, drug or alcohol abuse, gambling and even compulsive use of computers and social media.

“The general machinery by which we build both kinds of habits are the same, whether it’s a habit for overeating or a habit for getting to work without really thinking about the details,” says Dr. Russell Poldrack, a neurobiologist at the University of Texas at Austin. Both types of habits are based on the same types of brain mechanisms.

“But there’s one important difference,” Poldrack says. And this difference makes the pleasure-based habits so much harder to break. Enjoyable behaviors can prompt your brain to release a chemical called dopamine. “If you do something over and over, and dopamine is there when you’re doing it, that strengthens the habit even more. When you’re not doing those things, dopamine creates the craving to do it again,” Poldrack says. “This explains why some people crave drugs, even if the drug no longer makes them feel particularly good once they take it.”

In a sense, then, parts of our brains are working against us when we try to overcome bad habits. “These routines can become hardwired in our brains,” Volkow says. And the brain’s reward centers keep us craving the things we’re trying so hard to resist.

The good news is, humans are not simply creatures of habit. We have many more brain regions to help us do what’s best for our health.

“Humans are much better than any other animal at changing and orienting our behavior toward long-term goals, or long-term benefits,” says Dr. Roy Baumeister, a psychologist at Florida State University. His studies on decision-making and willpower have led him to conclude that “self-control is like a muscle. Once you’ve exerted some self-control, like a muscle it gets tired.”

After successfully resisting a temptation, Baumeister’s research shows, willpower can be temporarily drained, which can make it harder to stand firm the next time around. In recent years, though, he’s found evidence that regularly practicing different types of self-control—such as sitting up straight or keeping a food diary—can strengthen your resolve.

“We’ve found that you can improve your self-control by doing exercises over time,” Baumeister says. “Any regular act of self-control will gradually exercise your ‘muscle’ and make you stronger.”

Volkow notes that there’s no single effective way to break bad habits. “It’s not one size fits all,” she says.

One approach is to focus on becoming more aware of your unhealthy habits. Then develop strategies to counteract them. For example, habits can be linked in our minds to certain places and activities. You could develop a plan, say, to avoid walking down the hall where there’s a candy machine. Resolve to avoid going places where you’ve usually smoked. Stay away from friends and situations linked to problem drinking or drug use.

Another helpful technique is to visualize yourself in a tempting situation. “Mentally practice the good behavior over the bad,” Poldrack says. “If you’ll be at a party and want to eat vegetables instead of fattening foods, then mentally visualize yourself doing that. It’s not guaranteed to work, but it certainly can help.”

One way to kick bad habits is to actively replace unhealthy routines with new, healthy ones. Some people find they can replace a bad habit, even drug addiction, with another behavior, like exercising. “It doesn’t work for everyone,” Volkow says. “But certain groups of patients who have a history of serious addictions can engage in certain behaviors that are ritualistic and in a way compulsive—such as marathon running—and it helps them stay away from drugs. These alternative behaviors can counteract the urges to repeat a behavior to take a drug.”

Another thing that makes habits especially hard to break is that replacing a first-learned habit with a new one doesn’t erase the original behavior. Rather, both remain in your brain. But you can take steps to strengthen the new one and suppress the original one. In ongoing research, Poldrack and his colleagues are using brain imaging to study the differences between first-learned and later-learned behaviors. “We’d like to find a way to train people to improve their ability to maintain these behavioral changes,” Poldrack says.

Some NIH-funded research is exploring whether certain medications can help to disrupt hard-wired automatic behaviors in the brain and make it easier to form new memories and behaviors. Other scientific teams are searching for genes that might allow some people to easily form and others to readily suppress habits.

Bad habits may be hard to change, but it can be done. Enlist the help of friends, co-workers and family for some extra support.

NIH

Tip of the day

Don't puncture a blister unless it's painful. Unbroken skin over a blister provides a natural barrier to bacteria and decreases the risk of infection.

The Health Implications of Botox

Botulinum Toxin, or Botox as it's more commonly known has been around since the early 20th century, but it wasn't until the early 1990s that doctors started using it as an anti-wrinkle treatment.

Nowadays, getting an injection of Botox can be part of a maintenance routine for many women and men just like going to the hairdressers or the spa every few months. It can be an ideal solution to keep skin looking youthful and line-free, but is it entirely risk-free?

The risks

One of the main risks with getting Botox is that as with any other cosmetic procedure, if your doctor is not highly skilled or experienced, you could end up with the dreaded "botch job." As the Botox needs to be injected precisely in the face to paralyse the small muscles in the face that cause wrinkles, putting it in the wrong place can cause the wrong muscles to paralyse, meaning that you may end up with a droopy expression or frozen look.

While this may go away over time once the Botox has worn off, it can also last weeks or even months. So making sure that the person administering your cosmetic procedure is fully accredited and experienced is of upmost importance.

In addition to this, there are some side-effects of getting injected with Botox that will subside after a while including bruising, swelling, bleeding and headaches, which many people will experience but can be uncomfortable.

The right procedure

It's important to know before you book an appointment that not all wrinkles can be smoothed out with Botox too. While it's ideal for using on fine lines, those deep wrinkles that have been caused by the weight of sagging skin can't simply be made to disappear with an injection of Botox.

If you want your skin to be completely smooth, then a combination of Botox and wrinkle and line fillers may be the best solution for you. Botox works well on wrinkles which are caused by moving muscles, such as laughter or frown lines, whereas fillers can be used on immobile wrinkles where there are no muscles to paralyse.

The benefits

Of course, the benefits of having a Botox treatment is that it's one of the few anti-wrinkle treatments on the market that actually work. While it might be a hefty price to pay up-front, it beats having to buy endless supplies of anti-wrinkle cream, which probably don't work anyway!

With Botox the results are instant, the treatment usually takes minutes and doesn't require any surgery, and it's also long-lasting, usually needing topping up every three to six months.

It's also not just used for smoothing wrinkles: Botox can be used as an anti-sweating treatment by injecting it into the armpits, and it can also be used to relieve migraines and headaches.

So if you're thinking of getting this procedure done, make sure you talk to a cosmetic specialist before you jump in. They'll be able to explain whether the procedure is right for you and will talk you through the process so you can decide whether you want to use Botox or opt for another cosmetic procedure.

Andrew Weber

Tip of the day

At least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity such as walking is recommended daily.

Guide to Juice Cleansing

Though people have been using juice cleanses and fasts for centuries to improve health, they’ve never gotten quite the attention they have in recent years. From celebrities doing the Master Cleanse to lose weight for movie roles to celebrity doctors singing the praises of the latest cleanse or cleanse products; knowing how to go about a cleanse and which one is right for you can be difficult. This guide to juice cleansing is meant to help you get started on the right foot.

Why A Juice Cleanse?

Though weight loss seems to be the biggest motivator for trying a juice cleanse, there are far better reasons to do it. Sure, dropping a few pounds is a nice perk, but the point of a juice cleanse is, after all, to “cleanse” your body of toxins and get your body functioning and feeling better.

It’s in the Juice

What sets a juice cleanse apart from the dozens of others that you’ll see in stores is that a juice cleanse—a true juice cleanse—uses pure juices that you get from the fruits and vegetables yourself using a juicer. Tempting as it may be to buy a cleansing kit or products claiming to be cleansing juices in stores; getting the most from a juice cleanse really does require using clean juices that have not been processed in any way. The only way to achieve this is to invest in a juice, which fortunately have become less expensive in recent years. And, to ensure you get the most out of the cleanse, opt for organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible.

Along with the juice and pulp from fruits and vegetables, you can also add a few extra ingredients—natural, of course— to the juice to help you get more nutrients from your cleanse as well as other benefits. For example, adding some fresh ground ginger root to your juice can help you keep tummy troubles at bay while you’re cleansing. Ginger also adds a little extra zing to juice and is a particularly nice complement to pears. Herbs also offer various health benefits while also helping to keep things interesting as far as flavor goes. And, powdered psyllium is another great addition to juices for the extra fiber it provides.

How Long to Cleanse

If you’re new to juice cleansing, then it’s advisable to start off slow. Not only because it’s a drastic change in your eating, but also because setting lofty goals such as cleansing for a week or longer when you’re not accustom to it sets you up for failure which can completely derail your efforts and put you off of getting healthy. Aim for a 3-day weekend juice cleanse if you’re new to cleansing, like Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. It’s easily manageable and you have more free time on the weekend to experiment with different juice recipes. The weekend also allows you the comfort of being at home and not at work when your digestive system starts to rid your body of all those toxins, if you know what I mean!

Though there are those who swear by juice cleanses that last weeks; anything more than 7 days is not advisable. As many vitamins and nutrients as you get in your juice, a cleanse has its deficiencies and isn’t meant to be followed long term.

Staying On Track

One of the best ways to help keep your cleanse on track is to not let yourself get bored. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different fruits and vegetables. Even the strangest combinations can make for some very tasty juice! Try some combinations on your own or try out some of the many juice cleanse recipes available online. Try sweet, savory, and a combination—whatever you’re craving. The more interesting the flavors, the easier it is to stick to your cleanse.

Along with enjoying the juices you’re drinking during your cleanse it will be a lot easier if you drink enough to not feel hungry all the time. This could be anywhere from 8 to 12 cups juice of a day. Drink plenty of water as well to help curb hunger and keep things moving. It is a cleanse after all! And if you’re especially worried about hunger, then pick up some condensed greens powder to add to your juice cleanse. They provide you with extra nutrients that will help with hunger and keep your energy levels up during your cleanse. They are easily found at health food stores and in most grocery and department stores where supplements are sold.

Juice cleansing may not be easy and it may not be the magic ticket to the perfect body all on its own, but its benefits to your health are well worth it. Not only does it cleanse the body of a lot of the not so great stuff we put into it every day, but it also offers us an opportunity to get in a lot of the vitamins and nutrients that we so often neglect to get enough of.

Adrienne Santos-Longhurst

Tip of the day

A good balance between exercise and food intake is important, as this helps to maintain muscle strength and healthy body weight.

An Easy Knee Flexibility Exercise

Here is an easy maneuver that anyone owning a rocking chair can do. Start using your rocking chair as an exercise tool.

Sit upright in the chair. Make certain your feet can touch the floor. Gently slide your butt and body toward the front of the chair. Do this until your thighs and lower legs form a 90-degree angle. Plant your feet firmly on the floor.

Start to gently rock back and forth. Only rock forward until you feel a mild stretch along the frontside of your knee. You may want to hold the stretch. It is up to you. Stop as soon as you feel pain.

Do this for about 5-10 minutes.

If you are like me, your knee will be swollen afterwards. My tkr joint was commonly warm after doing this mild stretching maneuver, also. Applying some ice for 5-10 minutes does the trick.

Hope this helps others going through the same thing.

As always, check with your medical care provider prior to starting any new exercise regime.

Marie Buckner

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Tip of the day

Smoking damages collagen and elastin which are the fibers that give your skin its strength and elasticity.

Pregnancy: Tips for Eating More Fruits and Vegetables

However, during pregnancy there are unique nutritional requirements for you and your growing baby.

Strategies for Eating More Produce

1. Buy pre-cut, pre-washed fruits and vegetables. If you are eating less veggies and fruits because preparation is a hassle, this approach will help you rise above the challenge. Packages of baby carrots or celery sticks are great on-the-go snacks.

2. Add frozen vegetables to canned soups, casseroles, and pasta dishes. For example, when you’re heating a can of soup, throw in some of your favorite frozen vegetables to maximize your veggie intake. To your favorite pasta sauce, add sautéed celery, carrots, onions, and mushrooms.

3. If you don’t like eating vegetables, “drink” them in soups or shred them into your favorite dishes. Good choices include broccoli and cheese soup, butternut squash soup, ginger and carrot soup, tomato soup, and roasted vegetable soups. Shredding and pureeing fruits and veggies into your favorite dishes helps boost your intake of fresh produce. Shred carrots into meatloaf, muffins, or casseroles.

4. Add fresh fruit to your yogurt. Fruit parfaits are a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth and get both calcium and fruit servings. Toss together slices of fresh bananas, strawberries, and pineapples. Next, in a parfait dish, add layers of yogurt, granola, and the fruit mixture and repeat.
Use pureed fruits as a sauce for your main entrees. Pureed cooked fruits like apples or pears can be used as a sauce for chicken or turkey.

5. Be sure to eat a wide variety of produce in an array of colors. Also, try to stick to whole fruits and vegetables rather than juice since whole fruits will help you better reach your fiber goals. In addition, whenever possible, buy organic fruits and vegetables.

everydayfamily