sunshineandhealthcare: June 2012

Friday, 29 June 2012

Are you suffering from ear infection?

Complaining about recurring ear pain frequently? If so, then chances are you may be suffering from an ear infection. And although this can be treated easily, it could lead to more serious issues in the long run if ignored or left untreated.
But before finding out how an ear infection can be treated, you need to find out the reason why you developed an ear infection in the first place. Doing so would enable you to get the correct treatment in order to get rid of the issue effectively.

Ear infections are generally of two types; the outer ear infections which are collectively called as Otitis Externa, and middle/inner ear infections which are collectively called as Otitis Media. And here are some of the most common causes for both kinds of infections.

Impotence is the inability of a man to perform the sexual act satisfactorily. It may consist of a weak erection, inability to gain an erection, loss of sexual desire, premature ejaculation or loss of normal sensation at the time of ejaculation.

Stomach pain is one of the most common ailments that everyone experiences. It can be caused due to various reasons like indigestion, PMS, gas formation, irritable bowel syndrome etc. Common stomach pain can be treated with simple remedies that are harmless and effective. If the pain persists after trying these remedies then you must consult the physician as it may indicate some other ailment.

Bathing is a part of everyday life. Most people wake up in the morning, lather in the shower, rinse and start the day. But choosing the right bath soap is especially important because of its direct contact with the skin and also because there is possibility of wrong choice of soap leading to skin problems.

Whether it is a bath soap in bar or liquid form, its primary goal is to cleanse the skin. It can also help to soothe the skin and ensure it stays healthy. Moreover, the right type of soap for bathing can be determined by the type of skin. Skin types ranges from normal, dry, oily, or sensitive types. Some individuals, however, have a combination of different skin types.

Benefits of Cooking

Many people struggle to find the time or motivation to cook with many competing priorities in their lives. In my view, cooking is one of the single best things you can do for your health. Here are a few reasons why cooking is so good for you. Use this as inspiration to get back in the kitchen!

what Causes Epilepsy?

Epilepsy is a nerve disorder that causes frequent seizures.
Epilepsy affects 3 million people, and more than 300,000 children younger than 14 have it. Some children eventually grow out it, but many children who are diagnosed with epilepsy continue to have seizures into adulthood. Seizure disorders like epilepsy may run in families.

Are you a heavy salt eater? Experts warn that eating too much salt over time may affect the lining of blood vessels, increasing the likelihood of developing high blood pressure.

THERE is no confirmed cure for HIV/AIDS at present, though possible treatment for the scourge of the disease had been discovered.

Enlarged Prostate : Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment

Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer develops in a man's prostate, the walnut-sized gland just below the bladder that produces some of the fluid in semen. It's the most common cancer in men after skin cancer. Prostate cancer often grows very slowly and may not cause significant harm. But some types are more aggressive and can spread quickly without treatment.

Ban Blue Light in the Bedroom
Insomnia feeds on the minor details of modern life, like the soft blue glow from a cell phone, or digital clock resting on your bedside table. The short waves of blue light may interfere with sleep. Turn off TVs, computers, and other blue light producers an hour before sleep. Cover any blue displays you can't shut off.
Avoid Naps
Napping makes matters worse if you have trouble falling asleep. But if you must nap, keep it brief, 20 minutes or less -- and do it early in the day. Any shut-eye within eight hours of your bedtime can sabotage a good night's sleep. When an afternoon slump hits, go for a short walk, drink a glass of ice water, or call a friend.

Nigerians Selling Their Kidney For $30,000 Abroad

The global economic crunch that is affecting all sphere of life is really having its tolls on Nigerians abroad who have resulted selling their kidneys and other sense organs for money.

These Nigerians abroad whose lives have been so unbearable for are actively seeking markets to sell their kidneys online and have been making journeys to countries in Asia, – Malaysia and India particularly, to sell usually just one of their two kidneys for over $30,000.

If you skip the scrambled eggs breakfast because you’re worried about the fat or cholesterol affecting your heart health, here are some reasons you shouldn’t avoid eating whole eggs.

2 Ladies Die After Taking Gentamicin 280mg Injection

Two ladies, all bearing the name Florence (surnames withheld), one of which is a student of the Benue State University, Makurdi, have been confirmed dead after taking gentamicin 280mg injection.

According to the Director General of the National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Paul Orhii, who disclosed this in an interview with LEADERSHIP, yesterday, the incident occurred in Gboko and Makurdi, the state capital.

The NAFDAC DG narrated that one of the ladies had gone to a road side pharmaceutical store in Makurdi to purchase some drugs for an ailment that infected her and that the chemist wrongly recommended the drug and gave her the injection which led to her death on the spot.

Orhii further revealed that the other lady, who he said was from Gboko, had also gone to a hospital in the area for treatment and that she was equally injected with the gentamicin 280mg drug and she died few minutes after taking the injection.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the incident occurred in a popular hospital in Gboko, a major town in Benue State and home of the Tiv nation.

The NAFDAC Director General in the interview said that the fake gentaicin 280mg was causing deafness, unnecessary bleeding and death and stated that the agency had placed a ban on the importation and use of the drug in the country.

He advised members of the public to beware of the use of counterfeit drugs and said that any medical expert who was caught prescribing fake drugs would be sanctioned by law.

Tuesday, 19 June 2012

Ondo State Spent ₦500m On Medical Assistance in 3 Years

Ondo State government, on Wednesday, said it had spent about ₦500 million on medical assistance to indigent persons in the last three years. Apart from this, government also distributed ₦67million to no fewer than 65 persons under the Medical assistance scheme aimed at providing succour for those that are not able to pay for their medical requirements.

Breastfeeding is known as a natural contraceptive method for staying away from pregnancy. Breastfeeding reduces the fertility of a woman and suppresses ovulation.
However, pregnancy cannot be ruled out altogether while you are breastfeeding. Many women who become pregnant while breastfeeding do not know their pregnant status as they are not menstruating.However, there are other symptoms and signs that you can watch out for to find out if you are pregnant while you are breast feeding.

THE Director-General (DG) of the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration Control (NAFDAC), Dr Paul Orhii, has said no fewer than 350,000 cases of cancer is now being diagnosed annually in the country.

Piles (haemorrhoids) usually settle down in a few days without any treatment. However, there are a number of treatments that will reduce the itching and discomfort that haemorrhoids can cause.

Lifestyle changes are usually the first step of treatment.

Dietary changes
If your haemorrhoids are a result of constipation (being unable to empty your bowels), try to keep your stools soft and regular. By making changes to your diet, you can avoid straining while on the toilet.
Increase the amount of fibre in your diet. Aim to eat 25-30g of insoluble fibre every day (insoluble fibre is fibre that the body cannot digest, so it passes through the bowels and helps other food and waste move through more easily), such as wholegrain bread and cereal, and raw fruits and vegetables.
Drink lots of water. Aim to drink six to eight glasses of fluid every day and avoid too much caffeine (which is found in tea, coffee and coca-cola).

Obstructed defecation may result from anal stenosis, pelvic floor dysfunction, or abnormal rectal fixation. The most common cause of anal stenosis is scarring after anal surgery, in particular, inexpertly performed hemorrhoidectomies. Other causes include anal tumors, Crohn’s disease, radiation injury, recurrent anal ulcers, infection, and trauma.

Pelvic floor dysfunction, alternatively referred to as nonrelaxing puborectalis syndrome, anismus, or paradoxical pelvic floor contraction, is a functional disorder in which the neuromuscular function of the pelvic floor and anus is normal but voluntary control is dysfunctional.

In health, the puborectalis is contracted “at rest” maintaining the anorectal angle. During defecation, the muscle relaxes and evacuation occurs. In nonrelaxing puborectalis syndrome the patient does not relax the puborectalis and instead maintains or increases (paradoxical contraction) the anorectal angle. Thus, the patient performs a Valsalva maneuver against an obstructed outlet and elimination does not occur or is significantly diminished.

Diet plays an important role in predicting what can be the fate of an individual in terms of health. Experts say that wrong eating habits are the main causes of obesity today that opens the door to diseases such as diabetes.

No doubt,everybody has one food or the other that is their favourite dish. For some people it is rice. Other people would easily go for amala or pounded yam, depending on the local food highly preferred in their home community.

Too little sleep? Stroke risk spikes in healthy adults

Attention, busy middle-aged folks. You may be healthy and thin, but if you habitually sleep less than six hours a night, you still could be boosting your risk of a stroke.
That’s the surprising conclusion of a new study being presented Monday at SLEEP 2012, the annual meeting of the nation’s sleep experts.
Getting too little shut-eye appeared to more than quadruple the risk of stroke symptoms among healthy, normal-weight people aged 45 and older, according to a study of some 5,600 people followed for up to three years.The really important take-home message is this: Don’t blow it off. Sleep is just as important as diet and exercise.Experts recommend that healthy adults get between seven and nine hours of sleep a night.

How to Prevent the Spread of Malaria

Natural immunity only partially protects only a limited number of people. Prevention is the key to wiping out malaria—keeping mosquitoes away from people, either by physically blocking them or by eliminating them from the environment. There are many ways to do this.

Countries affected by malaria use a multifaceted approach to stopping this scourge. First, antimalarial drugs can be given to prevent epidemics, particularly in areas with small outbreaks. The second approach uses mosquito control to prevent outbreaks. The third approach, still under development, will prevent the disease through vaccination.

Also called as uterine fibroids, fibromyomas or just myomas, fibroids are tumors that are characterized by the growth of fibrous and muscle tissue in the uterus. Usually non cancerous, fibroids can occur inside the uterus in a variety of sizes, and can be as small as a pea or as large as a musk melon.

Pregnancy is a very delicate process and anything that tampers with the reproductive organs can lead to difficulty in consumption and possible infertility. When this is the case, the subject of conceding twin girls becomes a little bizarre for discussion.
Is it really possible for women to plan in such a way that they get twin girls naturally without any artificial methods? Many swear by certain methods that can indeed lead to the conception of twin girls without the involvement of any genetic factors. Let’s see how.

Why you should quit smoking

Smoking cigarette and/or tobacco has been confirmed by medical experts as a dirty, harmful habit. a researcher has enumerates the harmful effects of tobacco smoking and why it is better to quit the habit altogether.

Tobacco comes from the leaves of the tobacco plant, Nicotiana tabacum. It can be consumed or used as a pesticide and still in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines. The leaves are dried, cured, aged and combined with other ingredients to produce a range of products such as cigarette, cigar, pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco as well as wet and dry snuff.

A cataract is a clouding of the eye's natural lens, which lies behind the iris and the pupil.
Cataracts are the most common cause of vision loss in people over age 40 and is the principal cause of blindness in the world. In fact, there are more cases of cataracts worldwide than there are of glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic.

Contrary to the opinion of many, a medical expert has said that intake of sugar does not cause diabetes.

Dr Jokotola Adeleye, a diabetologist, spoke at the launch of Journalist Action Against Diabetes at the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Iyaganku, Press Centre, Ibadan.

It was at the instance of Strategies for Improving Diabetes Care in Nigeria (SIDCAIN), a group, whose vision is to prevent diabetes and hypertension through education at primary and secondary healthcare levels.

Babies do not come with a set of instructions, just lots of good advice and well-meaning support. New mothers and fathers can all relate to that first time alone with their newborn child -- a feeling of awe, dread, helplessness and wonder combined -- and it doesn't get any easier for the next 20 years. Just when one hurdle goes down, up comes another. The second child can be an easier task -- despite the different personalities of the siblings -- but there is always an unspoken wish to hear the things they never mentioned about parenting, from pregnancy to the day they pass their driving test

The basic principles of healthy eating are the same before, during and after pregnancy -- plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein. Nevertheless, a pregnancy diet requires special attention to a number of nutrients, and the foods that contain them. Lack of folate, a B vitamin, in the diet may produce birth defects and calcium and vitamin D are important for mummy and baby -- for strong bones and teeth.

Avocadoes
Avocadoes are an excellent source of folate, or folic acid, as well as potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin B6 -- which may also help with morning sickness as well as baby's development. Avocadoes go well on a whole grain roll, are more healthy than mayonaisse but high in calories, so use in moderation.

Secrets of Great Hair

Eat Fish and Nuts for Healthy Hair
The same nutritious foods that are good for your body promote stronger, healthier hair. The protein and omega-3 fatty acids in salmon and nuts produce a healthier scalp. Nutrients found in leafy vegetables, beans, and carrots are also good for your hair. Beware of fad diets aimed at quick weight loss. Deficiency of some nutrients, such as zinc, biot
Protect Shine with Lukewarm Water
Hot water can strip the scalp of sebum, which is the protective oil that acts as a natural conditioner and gives hair its shine. This doesn't mean you have to suffer through cold showers to avoid dull hair. Instead, use lukewarm water to wash your hair. Pamper the scalp by massaging it while you shampoo.

Exhaust fumes from diesel engines do cause cancer, a panel of experts working for the World Health Organization says.

It concluded that the exhausts were definitely a cause of lung cancer and may also cause tumours in the bladder.
It based the findings on research in high-risk workers such as miners, railway workers and truck drivers.
However, the panel said everyone should try to reduce their exposure to diesel exhaust fumes.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer, a part of the World Health Organization, had previously labelled diesel exhausts as probably carcinogenic to humans.
IARC has now labelled exhausts as a definite cause of cancer, although it does not compare how risky different carcinogens are. Diesel exhausts are now the same group as carcinogens ranging from wood chippings to plutonium and sunlight to alcohol.

Fat accumulation in particular areas bothers every one. It varies among men and women; men tend to get a pot belly whereas women are more prone to gaining weight on their hips and thighs.
It generally happens during middle age, when the pace of life gets slowed down and your lifestyle becomes more sedentary.

Is sex after menopause healthy?

As people grow older, they long to have a satisfying sexual life. But regardless of the biological and physiological changes due to ageing that affect the quality of their sexual life, sex is not a
taboo in the elderly.

No one is too old for an enjoyable sex life and the desire for intimacy is timeless. Many researchers have confirmed that older people continue to enjoy sexual activity into their 80s and 90s. Regardless of this, women’s sexual health is quite important at any age. It is crucial and has many benefits, including improved self-image, nurtured partner relationships, and increased motivation to address health concerns.

There are many reasons for a woman to get breast pain. Also called as Mastalgia, breast pain is quite common in women who are in their menstrual and menopausal stages. Certain conditions like cysts, wounds, lumps, trauma, medications or heaviness can also cause breast pain in women. However, a lesser known factor that has the potential to cause mastalgia in women is acid imbalances.
Fatty acid imbalances can create a series of health related issues in the body, breast pain being one of them. Accordingly, a fatty acid imbalance would affect the breast tissue sensitivity and make them more vulnerable to the circulating hormones which in turn would cause breast pain.
In this case, the woman in question would experience a sharp burning sensation in her breast coupled with tightness in the breast tissue. The pain arising from fatty acid imbalances can also be constant or occur occasionally when the imbalance is severe.

What you need to know about hair colour

WHEN it comes to colouring your hair, everything and anything goes! Not only do different types of hair colour give you different results, the chemical processes you already have on your hair can greatly affect the colouring process and results you get.

You can consult with your hair stylist for her input and professional advice. Before you choose a colour, you need to first choose which type works best for you.

HIV positive people with natural resistance to the AIDS virus could hold the key to creating a vaccine.

Approximately one in 300 HIV positive people have a natural resistance to the virus that means they can control it without taking retroviral drugs. Scientists now believe that the key to developing a vaccine against the disease could be held within the cells of these individuals.
People with HIV have a high number of ‘killer cells’ or cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) that fight the HIV virus. But despite having these cells in high numbers, the majority of patients still go on to develop the AIDS virus and need to take drugs in an attempt to control its progress.

Infertility is a condition in which a man and woman try to have children but the woman does not become pregnant. Primarily, infertility affects 15% to 20% of couples who wish to conceive. Approximately one-third of cases result from male factors, one-third from female factors, and one-third from combined factors. It is therefore crucial to evaluate both partners before deciding on any form of natural or artificial intervention.

WITH the noticeable increase in rainfall and a drop in the temperature of the weather across the country, more individuals may become susceptible to this illness.

Although a cough is usually regarded as a mild health disturbance, it is often an indication that the body is fighting a serious infection which goes undetected until it reaches an advanced stage.

According to a World Health Organisation report, over 133,000 Nigerians die annually from tuberculosis, a silent killer with cough as a symptom.
Coughing is a reflex action that there is something in the respiratory system that shouldn't be there. It is actually one of the body's defence mechanisms against things like dust, liquid or other kinds of particles from entering the lungs such that the lungs constrict and force air out so that the disturbance can be expelled.

SOME children on the streets are mentally challenged. There is, therefore, an urgent need to rehabilitate them, the Head, Department, Social Welfare Services, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Mrs Felicia I. Akhidenor, has said.

She urged the federal and state governments, individuals, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), philanthropists and corporate organisations to support her suggestion.

Delayed ejaculation — sometimes called impaired ejaculation — is a condition in which it takes an extended period of sexual stimulation for a man to reach sexual climax and release semen from the penis (ejaculate). Some men with delayed ejaculation are unable to ejaculate at all.

Delayed ejaculation can be temporary or a lifelong problem. Possible causes of delayed ejaculation include certain chronic health conditions, surgeries and medications. Treatment for delayed ejaculation depends on the underlying cause.

10 shocking ways fashion affects your health.

1: Skinny jeans

Skinny jeans may be fashionable, but wearing skin-tight denim and other close-fitting trousers can have health repercussions for both women and men. For men, wearing tight trousers can cause overheating of the testes, lowering sperm count and causing fertility problems. For women, wearing skinny jeans can increase your chances of developing thrush. Furthermore, squeezing into skin-tight trousers can cause nerve compression, leading to tingling or numb thighs.

Ideas for breakfast and a healthy lifestyle

Because it's Thursday morning and we need a hearty breakfast to successfully face the week ahead, here are three foods which, according Doctoroz.com, not only gives us a great dose of energy, but reduces the risk of cancer by substances they contain and the fight against the development and growth of cancer cells.

Ever tried Cashew nuts? Crunchy and tasty, they are actually seeds that grow in the fruit, called cashew apple, a fruit with sweet and refreshing taste and with a size of 5 - 11cm, which can be in shades of yellow or red. And the fruit and leaves are edible and very healthy, but the Cashew nuts are a delight rich in valuable properties for humans.

Many people, especially diabetics, think of honey as a safe substitute for table sugar in sweetening their foods and tea. However, experts say that generally, there’s no advantage to substituting honey for sugar in a diabetes eating plan because both honey and sugar will affect the blood sugar level.

Talk to any honey enthusiast; he is likely able to give a list of reasons why this natural sweetener is a superior sweetener to table sugar. He would say that honey is a quicker source of energy and a richer source of minerals, and that it is less fattening.

They contain a large amount of sugar. They may have as much as 18-39 mg of sugar in each can. Large amounts of sugar have been known to contribute to obesity and diabetes and sugar is a short-term way of increasing energy. After the sugar effects have worn off, you are likely to feel worn out and more tired than before.

Different types of tea for treating various diseases

Even if you are not a tea lover, you should include in your diet as often as possible, even for its value. But people in front of a large diversity, which tea should we choose? Well, as there are many types of tea, as there are many problems that need to treat or prevent them ... So you knowingly choose tea.

How to drink more water every day

Why should we drink water daily
As the old slogan says, we are "80% water" and the water is vital for the human body. More specifically, water is essential for all body processes, from digestion to excretion, including maintaining an optimum temperature of the body.

But how many of us respect the "two liters of water a day"?

Few. How many times have you realized at the end of the day, that you did not drink more water? Even if you drink other liquids, this does not compensate and the body suffers! Apparent lack of thirst, lack of time, stress or simply forgetting, all causes of dehydration can be dangerous to expose ourselves daily.
Here are five ideas that can help us reach our goal, that is to drink water, how much can.

To drink water ... in our honor!

Drink water, so as it should, can sometimes seem a real effort. Therefore, let us lessen the 'burden' by applying these simple tips:

1.Determine which is the amount of water you need, because it varies from person to person. How do you calculate? Divide your weight (number of pounds) to 30 and find the necessary amount of water in liters. If you're lazy to calculate, drink 2 liters per day, not much you can not go wrong;
2.If you simply forget to drink water, which can be very dangerous, get a wristwatch to set the alarm every hour, remembering that ... the case to be thirsty. Drinking small amounts of water every hour is very possible that later in the day, to be optimally hydrated, not forcing your body;
3.If you can not give up juices or simply do not like the taste of water, put half a glass of juice and fill it with water. Thus you will satisfied the needs and pleasures.
4.Make a bet with a colleague at work or school, which of you will drink more water to the end of the day, you will be too good!
5.Remember to drink water in strategic moments of : 2 glasses of water immediately after waking (will help your body to start the day refreshed), a glass of water before a shower (helps lower blood pressure) and a glass of water before bed (reduces risk of heart attack or stroke). You may drink more water before bed, but there is a risk that all night to sit on the road from bedroom to bathroom.

When you drink too much water ...

If you drink water in industrial quantities, can suffer from hyponatremia, a condition common among athletes who consume large amounts of water during long distance running. Thus, they lose even more salt in the body, besides the sweat and this can affect the brain, heart and muscles.

So it is best to drink water when you are thirsty, but be sure to be thirsty quite often!