Asthma triggers

Asthma triggers                                                                  Home


Asthma is a chronic in ammatory disorder, characterized by reversible airway obstruction and hyperresponsiveness.
Severe asthma can be defined as follows:  Uncontrolled asthma which can result in risk of frequent severe exacerbations (or death) and/or  adverse reactions to medications and/or chronic morbidity (including impaired lung function or  reduced lung growth in children).

An asthma trigger is anything that causes asthma symptoms or makes asthma symptoms worse

Common asthma triggers are:

● Cigarette smoke

● Stress

● Getting sick with a cold, the flu, or a lung, ear, or sinus infection

● Strong cleaning products, such as bleach

● Strong perfumes or scents

● Air pollution

● Certain medicines, such as aspirin and other medicines for pain or fever

● Exercise

● Very cold and dry air

People can have other triggers, too. These include things in the environment that they are allergic to. These are called "allergic triggers." Examples of allergic triggers are:

● Dust mites – These are tiny bugs that are too small for you to see. They live in beds, couches, carpets, and other places in your home.

● Mold – Mold can grow in basements, showers, and other damp and wet places.

● Dogs and cats – People can be allergic to animal saliva, urine, or dander (flakes of dead skin).

● Pollen from trees, grass, and weeds

● Cockroach droppings


● Mice

10 Steps To Making Your Home Asthma Friendly  

1. Take it outside. One of the most common asthma triggers in the home is secondhand smoke. Until you can quit, smoke outside, not in your home or car.

  2. Good night, little mite! Dust mites are also triggers for asthma. For mite population control, cover mattresses and pillows with dust-proof (allergen impermeable) zippered covers. Wash sheets and blankets once a week in hot water.

  3. Play it Safe. Ozone and particle pollution can cause asthma attacks.  

4. A little goes a long way. Reduce everyday dust build-up, by regularly dusting with a damp cloth and vacuuming carpet and fabric-covered furniture. 

 5. Stake your claim. Household pets can trigger asthma with skin flakes, urine,  and saliva. Keep pets outdoors, if possible.  

6. Uninvite unwelcome guests. Cockroaches can trigger asthma. Don’t invite  them into your home by leaving food or garbage out. Always clean up  messes and spills and store food in airtight containers.  

7. Think before you spray. Instead of pesticide sprays, control pests by using  baits or traps. If sprays are necessary, always circulate fresh air into the  room being treated and keep asthma sufferers out of that room for several  hours after any spraying.  

8. Break the mold. Mold is another asthma trigger. The key to controlling  mold is controlling moisture. Wash and dry hard surfaces to prevent and  remove mold. Replace moldy ceiling tiles and carpet.

  9. Air it out. Reducing the moisture will control asthma triggers like mold,  cockroaches, and dust mites. Use exhaust fans or open windows when cooking and showering. Fix leaky plumbing or other unwanted sources of water.  


10. Plan before the attack. Work with your doctor or health care provider to  develop a written asthma management plan that includes information on  your triggers and how to manage them

References:

- Bernstein, J. A., Boulet, L., & Wechsler, M. E. (2018). Asthma,           COPD, and overlap: A case-based overview of similarities and       differences. Boca Raton: CRC Press.

- Wohlenhaus, K. (2010). Asthma information for teens: Health tips about managing asthma and related concerns including facts about asthma causes, triggers and symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. Detroit, MI: Omnigraphics.

- Lee, Y. C., Kim, S. R., & Cho, S. H. (2018). Severe Asthma Toward Personalized Patient Management. Singapore: Springer Singapore.

- (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.uptodate.com/contents/avoiding-asthma-triggers-the-basics?search=asthma triggers&source=search_result&selectedTitle=2~97&usage_type=default&display_rank=2

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What Is Scabies?

What Is Scabies?                                                           Home

Scabies is a skin condition caused by an infestation of the human itch mite called sarcoptes scabiei. These microscopic mites burrow into the skin and cause symptoms of itching and rash.

Most people with scabies only carry 10 to 15 mites at any given time, and each mite is less than half a millimeter long.

Transmission

through direct and prolonged skin-to-skin contact, as may occur among family members or sexual partners, Transmission through fomites (eg, clothing, bedclothes, or other objects) used by a person with classic scabies is uncommon; however, fomite transmission is more likely to occur in the setting of crusted scabies due to a much higher parasite burden

Scabies Symptoms

• Intense itching, especially at night

• A pimple-like rash

• Scales or blisters

• Sores caused by scratching

Another hallmark of scabies is the appearance of track-like burrows in the skin. 

 Itching and rash may affect much of the body or be limited to common sites such as:

• Between the fingers

• Wrist

• Elbow

• Armpit

• Penis

• Nipple

• Waist

• Buttocks

• Shoulder blades

a person gets scabies they usually have no symptoms during the first 2 to 6 weeks they are infested

Treatment

Acroding CDC:

In addition to the infested person, treatment also is recommended for household members and sexual contacts, particularly those who have had prolonged direct skin-to-skin contact with the infested person. Both sexual and close personal contacts who have had direct prolonged skin-to-skin contact with an infested person within the preceding month should be examined and treated. All persons should be treated at the same time to prevent reinfestation. Scabies may sometimes be sexually-acquired in adults, but is rarely sexually-acquired in children.

Bedding, clothing, and towels used by infested persons or their household, sexual, and close contacts (as defined above) anytime during the three days before treatment should be decontaminated by washing in hot water and drying in a hot dryer, by dry-cleaning, or by sealing in a plastic bag for at least 72 hours. Scabies mites generally do not survive more than 2 to 3 days away from human skin.

According Health Line:

According to the American Academy of Dermatologists (AAD), some common medicines used to treat scabies include:

• 5 percent permethrin cream

• 25 percent benzyl benzoate lotion

• 10 percent sulfur ointment

• 10 percent crotamiton cream

• 1 percent lindane lotion

Your doctor may also prescribe additional medications to help relieve some of the bothersome symptoms associated with scabies. These medications include:

• antihistamines, such as Benadryl (diphenhydramine) or pramoxine lotion to help control the itching

• antibiotics to kill any infections that develop as a result of constantly scratching your skin

• steroid creams to relieve swelling and itching

Complications of scabies

Scratching the rash can cause skin infections like impetigo.

Scabies can make conditions like eczema or psoriasis worse

How Soon Will Scabies Go Away?

According webmed: 

Scabies medications can kill the mites and eggs quickly, and patients can usually return to school or work 24 hours after starting treatment. However, the itch may persist for a few weeks. This is the result of an ongoing allergic reaction in the skin. If the itching continues for more than four weeks or a new rash appears, see your doctor. It may be necessary to reapply scabies medication.

References:

- https://www.slideshare.net/aashupatel98478/scabies-54261586

- https://www.healthline.com/health/scabies#treatment

- https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/ss/slideshow-scabies-overview

- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/scabies/

- https://www.uptodate.com/contents/scabies-epidemiology-clinical-features-and-diagnosis?search=scabies&source=search_result&selectedTitle=1~84&usage_type=default&display_rank=1

- https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/scabies/treatment.html

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Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency

Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency                                                           Home

    Vitamin B12 is also called cobalamin, Vitamin B12 is important for the way the body works, and people who don't have enough of it may feel tired or have a lack of energy.

Once diagnosed, vitamin B12 deficiency can usually be treated successfully with B12 injections and sometimes with B12 tablets.

Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency:

• -         Depression or mood impairment
• -         Irritability
• -         Pale skin
• -         Numbness or tingling
• -         Constipation, diarrhea, loss of appetite, or gas
• -         Heart palpitations
• -         Disturbed vision
• -         Dementia
• -         Sore, red tongue
• -         Problems walking
• -         A lack of energy or lethargy
• -         Extrapyramidal signs (eg, dystonia, dysarthria, rigidity

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How Forex trading affects health?

How Forex trading affects health?                               Home

      Forex, The foreign exchange market is the "place" where currencies are traded. Currencies are important to most people around the world, Basically, the Forex market is where banks, businesses, governments, investors and traders come to exchange and speculate on currencies. The Forex market is also referred to as the ‘Fx market’, ‘Currency market’, ‘Foreign exchange currency market’ or ‘Foreign currency market, The need to exchange currencies is the primary reason why the forex market is the largest, most liquid financial market in the world

How Forex trading affects health?

     Forex causes to stress, Everyone who has ever held a job has, at some point, felt the pressure of work-related stress. Any job can have stressful elements, even if you love what you do. In the short-term, you may experience pressure to meet a deadline or to fulfill a challenging obligation. But when work stress becomes chronic, it can be overwhelming - and harmful to both physical and emotional health.
     While some workplace stress is normal, excessive stress can interfere with your productivity and performance—and impact your physical and emotional health. It can even mean the difference between success and failure on the job. You can’t control everything in your work environment, but that doesn’t mean you’re powerless—even when you’re stuck in a difficult situation. Whatever your work demands or ambitions, there are steps you can take to protect yourself from the damaging effects of stress and improve your job satisfaction.

Some common workplace stressors are:

• Low salaries.
• Excessive workloads.
• Few opportunities for growth or advancement.
• Work that isn't engaging or challenging.
• Lack of social support.
• Not having enough control over job-related decisions.
• Conflicting demands or unclear performance expectations.  

    Studies suggest that the inability to adapt to stress is associated with the onset of depression or anxiety.

See Table 1

Table 1

	Top Causes of Stress in the U.S. 2014
	Cause	Factors
1	Job Pressure	Co-Worker Tension, Bosses, Work Overload
2	Money	Loss of Job, Reduced Retirement, Medical Expenses
3	Health	Health Crisis, Terminal or Chronic Illness
4	Relationships	Divorce, Death of Spouse, Arguments with Friends, Loneliness
5	Poor Nutrition	Inadequate Nutrition, Caffeine, Processed Foods, Refined Sugars
6	Media Overload	Television, Radio, Internet, E-Mail, Social Networking
7	Sleep Deprivation	Inability to release adrenaline and other stress hormones

Some of the most significant health problems related to stress:
1. Heart disease: Researchers have long suspected that the stressed-out, type A personality has a higher risk of high blood pressure and heart problems. We don't know why, exactly. Stress can directly increase heart rate and blood flow, and causes the release of cholesterol and triglycerides into the blood stream
2. Asthma. Many studies have shown that stress can worsen asthma. Some evidence suggests that a parent's chronic stress might even increase the risk of developing asthma in their children.
3. Obesity.
4. Diabetes
5. Headaches
6. Depression
7. Gastrointestinal problems
8. Alzheimer's disease
9. Premature death: A study looked at the health effects of stress by studying elderly caregivers looking after their spouses -- people who are naturally under a great deal of stress. It found that caregivers had a 63% higher rate of death than people their age who were not caregivers.

References:
- https://www.stress.org/daily-life/
- https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/stress-at-work.htm
- http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/work-stress.aspx
- http://www.nytimes.com/health/guides/symptoms/stress-and-anxiety/possible-complications.html
- http://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/features/10-fixable-stress-related-health-problems#1

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How to Train Your Brain ?

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How to Train Your Brain?      

   We do not just lose muscle over time - our brains can atrophy, too. More specifically, your brain's cognitive reserve - its ability to withstand neurological damage due to aging and other factors without showing visible signs of slowing or memory loss - diminishes through the years. That can make it more difficult to perform mental tasks. But just as weight workouts add lean muscle to your body and help you retain more muscle in your later years, researchers now believe that following a brain-healthy lifestyle and performing regular, targeted brain exercises can also increase your brain's cognitive reserve.

1. maintaining brain fitness: Brain Exercise (like DS games do), physical Exercise, Proper Nutrition, and Stress Management.

2. Nutrition: While most "brain supplements" or "brain vitamins"
3. manage your stress
4. Physical Exercise
5. Brain Exercise: reading 20 minutes every night
6. Eat a good breakfast
7. Laugh

8. Staying centered throughout the day will help keep you from being derailed by negative energy that tries to consume your  confident, positive attitude.

9. There are always things that may come up when you are staying  active and focused on positively completing your day, but that's  where the other exercises like staying centered are extremely going to help you stay positive throughout.

10. Create word pictures. Visualize the spelling of a word in your   head, then try and think of any other words that begin (or end)   with the same two letters.

11. Draw a map from memory. After returning home from visiting a new place, try to draw a map of the area; Repeat this exercise    each time you visit a new location.

Read also:
- Brain 
- Top food that can strengthen your memory & Free Brain Training

References:
- https://www.powerofpositivity.com/7-tips-how-to-train-your-brain-to-stay-positive/
- http://www.everydayhealth.com/longevity/mental-fitness/brain-exercises-for-memory.aspx
- http://www.wikihow.com/Train-Your-Brain-for-Free

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Does everything in the banana bag meet the needs of critically ill patients or those with underlying medical conditions?

Does everything in the banana bag meet the needs of critically ill patients or those with underlying medical conditions?
                                                                                                 

Bananas: Health benefits, facts:                                            Home

The banana bag has been a long-standing treatment for vitamin and electrolyte deficiencies in patients with chronic alcohol use disorder (AUD) admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). It contains a combination of 100 mg of thiamine, 1 mg of folic acid, 1-2 g of magnesium, and a multivitamin formulation in either normal saline or dextrose in water solution.
It’s unclear whether everything in the banana bag meet the needs of critically ill patients or those with underlying medical conditions, such as Wernicke’s encephalopathy (WE). This was the focus of research published in the August 2016 issue of the Critical Care Medicine Journal, and its findings are essential knowledge for pharmacists as preparations for critically ill patients undergo changes.

1.Asthma

A study conducted by the Imperial College of London found that children who ate just one banana per day had a 34% less chance of developing asthma.

2.Cancer

Consuming bananas, oranges, and orange juice in the first two years of life may reduce the risk of developing childhood leukemia. As a good source of vitamin C, bananas can help combat the formation of free radicals known to cause cancer. High fiber intakes from fruits and vegetables like bananas are associated with a lowered risk of colorectal cancer.

3.Digestive health

Bland foods such as apple sauce and bananas are recommended for diarrhea treatment. They are part of an approach known as the BRAT diet; this stands for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast.
Electrolytes like potassium are lost in large quantities during bouts of diarrhea and may make those affected feel weak. Bananas can replace these lost nutrients.
Bananas can also help to promote regularity and replenish potassium stores

4.Bananas have been considered one of the healthiest options for fruit consumption for many years due to its impressive nutritional content, which includes vitamins like vitamin C, vitamin B6, riboflavin, folate, pantothenic acid, and niacin, as well as trace amounts of other vitamins. In terms of minerals, bananas deliver a significant amount of potassium, manganese, magnesium, and copper. Bananas are also good sources of dietary fiber and protein

5.Thiamine

This essential vitamin is often low in patients with alcohol abuse histories, and its deficiency can also lead to WE. Usually, WE’s sole symptom is mental status change, a nonspecific marker that’s common in critically ill patients. In addition, much higher thiamine doses are needed to treat or prevent WE compared with what’s needed in other conditions, so the 100-mg dose may be insufficient to treat WE patients and prevent further complications.

6. Folate

Deficiency of this nutrient is also common in chronic AUD patients. It can lead to psychosis, agitation, and sleep disturbances in high-risk individuals. Intravenous (IV) folate is preferred because oral absorption is decreased in critically ill patients. Thus, IV folic acid at 400 mcg to 1000 mcg is appropriate for these patients.

7. Magnesium

This mineral plays an important role in most cell processes, including cointeracting with thiamine. Little evidence indicates that magnesium supplementation is important in chronic AUD patients; however, other benefits of magnesium supplementation, such as suppression of cardiac arrhythmias, supports its use in this patient population.

8. Multivitamin

This provides low doses of daily vitamins that normal patients would need; however, critically ill patients may have more severe vitamin deficiencies that won’t respond to low-dose vitamins. Its use in the banana bag appears to be arbitrary.


Bananas provide a variety of vitamins and minerals:

• Vitamin B6 - .5 mg
• Manganese - .3 mg
• Vitamin C - 9 mg
• Potassium - 450 mg
• Dietary Fiber - 3g
• Protein - 1 g
• Magnesium - 34 mg
• Folate - 25.0 mcg
• Riboflavin - .1 mg
• Niacin - .8 mg
• Vitamin A - 81 IU
• Iron - .3 mg

Related to :
- How to lead a healthy lifestyle
- Fruits With Amazing Health Benefits

References:

- http://www.pharmacytimes.com/resource-centers/vitamins-supplements/whats-a-banana-bag

- http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/271157.php

- https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/fruit/banana.html

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