Multiple sclerosis or MS

Multiple sclerosis (abbreviated MS, also known as disseminated sclerosis or encephalomyelitis disseminata) is an autoimmune condition in which the immune system attacks the central nervous system, leading to demyelination. Disease onset usually occurs in young adults, and it is more common in women. It has a prevalence that ranges between 2 and 150 per 100,000. MS was first described in 1868 by Jean-Martin Charcot.MS affects the areas of the brain and spinal cord known as the white matter, destroying a fatty layer called the myelin sheath, which wraps around nerve fibers and electrically insulates them. When myelin is lost, the axons of neurons can no longer effectively conduct action potentials. The name multiple sclerosis refers to the scars (scleroses – better known as plaques or lesions) in the white matter. Although much is known about the mechanisms involved in the disease process, the cause remains unknown. Theories include genetics or infections. Different environmental risk factors have also been found.Almost any neurological symptom can appear with the disease, and often progresses to physical and cognitive disability. MS takes several forms, with new symptoms occurring either in discrete attacks (relapsing forms) or slowly accumulating over time (progressive forms). Between attacks, symptoms may go away completely, but permanent neurological problems often occur, especially as the disease advances.There is no known cure for MS. Treatments attempt to return function after an attack, prevent new attacks, and prevent disability. MS medications can have adverse effects or be poorly tolerated, and many patients pursue alternative treatments, despite the lack of supporting scientific study. The prognosis is difficult to predict, it depends on the subtype of the disease, the individual patient’s disease characteristics, the initial symptoms and the degree of disability the person experiences as time advances. Life expectancy of patients is nearly the same as that of the unaffected population.

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Infants birth to six months

Dissatisfied with your weight?We're bombarded with scare stories about weight, from size zero to the obesity 'epidemic'. But a healthy weight is determined by different factors for each of us. Our expert advice is designed to help you achieve and maintain a healthy, life-enhancing weight.Overweight or underweight?Being the right weight has a positive effect on wellbeing but also on our health, as being the wrong weight can cause a range of medical problems.
Making the right choices when it comes to feeding new babies will help them get a good start in life. BreastfeedingThe Department of Health recommends that, wherever possible, infants are breastfed exclusively until six months of age.Breastmilk is the best source of nutrition for newborn babies, as it provides easily digestible nutrients in the right quantities. It's also packed with antibodies and helps to establish the baby's immune system.Babies breastfed exclusively are reported to be at less risk of stomach upsets and ear, respiratory and urinary tract infections than those who are bottle-fed formula milk. They're also less likely to become obese or experience constipation and vomiting. If there's a family history of allergies or diabetes, breastfed babies are less likely to develop these.Breastmilk contains substances that help the development of a baby's brain, retinas, gut lining and protective sheath for the central nervous system. Breastmilk also contains hormonal factors that help the baby's growth and development. It carries digestive enzymes, too, which help to digest the nutrients in milk, helping the baby's immature digestive tract.When not to breastfeedBreastfeeding isn't recommended for all women. For example, those who are HIV-positive risk transmitting the disease to their baby through their milk. If you're taking any medication, you should also check with your doctor or midwife before breastfeeding.Types of breastmilkDuring the first few days after birth, the mother's breasts produce a substance called colostrum. This yellowish fluid is packed with antibodies and is rich in protein, making it ideal for newborn babies. The colostrum soon changes and becomes thin and white (transitional milk). Then, after three or four days, the mature breastmilk starts to come through. At each feed the breasts produce two types of milk: foremilk, produced at the beginning of a feed; and hindmilk, which has more fat, energy and essential nutrients. As babies grow, it's important they receive the hindmilk in order to meet their nutritional needs.

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Health And Beauty: Tackling nutritional problems for older people

Dissatisfied with your weight?We're bombarded with scare stories about weight, from size zero to the obesity 'epidemic'. But a healthy weight is determined by different factors for each of us. Our expert advice is designed to help you achieve and maintain a healthy, life-enhancing weight.Overweight or underweight?Being the right weight has a positive effect on wellbeing but also on our health, as being the wrong weight can cause a range of medical problems.
Maintaining health as we age can be challenging, so a diet rich in nutrients is increasingly important as we grow older. Factors that affect nutritionThere are many factors that influence nutritional status in older adults, and they can be broadly grouped into four main areas: Those that naturally occur during the ageing process, such as a reduced ability to absorb nutrients efficiently, or a sore mouth due to denturesDisease-specific conditions such as cancer, which place greater nutritional demands on people Some drugs that interact with nutrients and prevent absorption, for example aspirin, which can interfere with the absorption of vitamin CSocial influences, such as not being able to get to shops, or social isolationContinuing to enjoy food and to eat a diet that maintains nutritional status is key to coping with illness. Poor nutrition has been shown to increase the risk of infections, bed sores, chest infections and poor wound healing. Good nutritional status will help ensure a quicker recovery. Other common problems:Loss of tasteThe ability to taste flavours declines as we age. Food can often taste bland to older people so try:Using herbs and spices, tomatoes and other flavouring such as lemon juice to flavour food, but avoid using too much saltChoosing foods with a strong taste - go for strong-flavoured meats, sauces, dressings, mustards and picklesLoss of interest in foodOlder people can lose interest in food for a variety of reasons. Depression due to loss of independence or bereavement, or simply eating alone can reduce appetite.Explore the possibility of lunch clubs in your areaEat with company when you canMake meal times special by laying the table and presenting food in an attractive wayChoose a variety of foods where possible to keep the experience interesting Poor appetiteIf you're unable to eat much, try small appetising meals and calorie-rich snacks in between meals to boost nutrient intake. To increase your calorie intake, try the following tips:Fats and sugars provide energy and help food to taste good, so use these generously. Add extra cheese to sauces or grate on potatoes, add butter or margarine to vegetables, or enrich full-fat milk by adding dried milk powder. Try using sugar or honey on breakfast cereals.Eat pudding once or twice a day, such as yoghurt, milky puddings, ice cream, trifle, cake, fruit pie, sponge puddings with custard and ready prepared desserts. Cakes, biscuits, chocolate and crisps provide extra energy when eaten with meals, but ensure they don't spoil the appetite for more nourishing foods.Enriched-nourishment drinks, available from pharmacies and supermarkets, may be taken between meals to increase calorie intake, but shouldn't replace meals.Alcohol in small amounts can actually stimulate the appetite, but check with your GP first, especially if you're taking medication.

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Health And Beauty: Children's weight

Your weightExpert advice to help you maintain a healthy weightDissatisfied with your weight?We're bombarded with scare stories about weight, from size zero to the obesity 'epidemic'. But a healthy weight is determined by different factors for each of us. Our expert advice is designed to help you achieve and maintain a healthy, life-enhancing weight.Overweight or underweight?Being the right weight has a positive effect on wellbeing but also on our health, as being the wrong weight can cause a range of medical problems.
In the UK, the number of obese children continues to rise. Currently, just under one in five children between the ages of two and ten is obese.Obese children tend to become obese adults. This increases the risk of developing certain diseases, such as type 2 diabetes. If you think your child might be overweight or obese, check with your GP. They'll be able to advise you on how to provide the right support for your child to help slow or halt their weight gain and allow them to grow into their weight.Even if your child doesn't have a weight problem, it's important to establish healthy eating habits early on so they don't gain any excess weight.Good nutrition in childhood is vital for growth and development. Establishing healthy eating and activity patterns while children are young can lead to life-long habits that will help to determine whether or not they're healthy as adults.What's a healthy diet?Children need a varied diet that provides enough energy and protein for growth and repair, and contains all the essential vitamins and minerals. Encouraging by exampleThe best way to improve your child's diet is for them to see you enjoying healthy food options.Introduce new foods from an early age. It's normal for children to reject new foods at first, but this doesn't mean they'll never like them. Research shows most children will eat them if you try again a few days later.Don't pressure your child to clear their plate. Encouraging them to eat when they're not hungry can result in them eating more calorie-rich foods. It may also lead weaken your child's innate ability to respond to signals of hunger or fullness, so that they overeat.Small children need to eat regularly, but keep snacks to defined times rather than allowing continual grazing. Snack foods don't have to be sweets or biscuits. Try slices of fruit or vegetable sticks instead.Portion sizePortion sizes have increased over the years, especially when it comes to ready meals and snacks. This means children have become used to eating more calories than they need. High nutritional quality is more important than large quantities. Small children don't need as much food as adults. Think twice when serving meals and make sure theirs is smaller than a typical adult serving.Avoid the supersize, kingsize and '25 per cent extra' foods. Seek out mini and fun-size foods instead.TreatsSnacks during the day should be planned rather than spontaneous, so children can establish feelings of hunger and fullness. Offering a sweet pudding as a reward when your child eats their greens reinforces the idea that vegetables are unpleasant and something to be endured, while desserts are a treat. Try offering non-food rewards, such as a story or trip to the park, instead.Foods such as cakes, sweets, crisps and sugary drinks should be kept as party or holiday foods, not everyday items.How many calories?The following table shows the estimated average daily calorie requirements for young children. The figures assume the child is of average weight with reasonable physical activity levels. It should be used as a guide only.[an error occurred while processing this directive] Encouraging activityChildren are naturally active, so don't stop them tearing round the house even if you're craving a few minutes of peace and quiet.Some sedentary behaviour, especially watching TV, is linked to increased intake of food, especially those high in fat, salt and sugar. If your child demands snack foods, try plain popcorn, vegetable sticks or slices of fruit instead.Better still, turn off the TV or computer and get them out riding their bike, playing in the park or doing any physical activity they enjoy.

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Health And Beauty: Hearing Loss Tests

Audiologists specialize in hearing loss and related disorders. If you’re suffering from hearing loss or tinnitus (ringing in the ears), your doctor might refer you to an audiologist for a complete evaluation. Let’s take a look at what you can expect from an audiology examination.When you arrive at the audiologist’s office, you’ll be asked several questions about your medical history and your hearing loss. Your answers will help the audiologist become familiar with your needs, formulate a treatment plan, and make referrals if necessary.Next, the audiologist will perform a physical examination of your ear using a tool called an otoscope. This tool allows the doctor to peer inside your ear canal to check for excessive wax, blockages, infection, or irregularities that need to be addressed. Once the physical exam is done, the audiologist will conduct a tympanometry test. During this test, the audiologist uses a probe to determine how your eardrum responds to a change of pressure inside the ear. It’s a painless test that helps identify problems which would decrease the eardrum’s flexibility, such as infection or fluid build-up.After the tympanometry test, the audiologist will administer an audiometry test. This test evaluates how well you can hear different tones at different volumes. First you’ll listen to sounds through a pair of headphones. Then the doctor will put a bone vibrator behind your ear to determine how well your inner ear conducts sounds. The results of the testing will tell the audiologist whether you have conductive hearing loss, sensorineural hearing loss, or a mixture of both.When all the testing is complete, the audiologist will explain the results to you. They will make a recommendation based on their findings. Then you can ask any questions you have regarding your treatment plan.Some of the tones you hear during the audiometry test might be uncomfortable for a brief time, but audiology exams are generally painless and very useful for diagnosing and treating your hearing problems.For answers to your hearing loss questions and to learn more about Bay Area hearing loss treatments, contact the skilled Los Gatos audiologist at Los Gatos Audiology and Hearing Aid Center.

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Health And Beauty: The Role Of Protein As A Fat Burner

Scientific studies have recently been conducted to verify the fact that if you eat more protein, especially during a lowered calorie diet, you will wind up losing less muscle tissue than those who don't. It should be pointed out here that the number one thing to remember when losing weight with any method, is to make sure you don't lose too much muscle mass. Muscles increase the metabolism greatly which means if we lose enough of it, our metabolism can drop sharply.Muscles burn fat because they need calories for maintenance. So the more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn daily. People who go on starvation diets lose large amounts of muscle tissue. When these people return to normal eating habits, their metabolism will actually work slower from the lost muscle mass. They will tend to put on even more weight than they initially lost from dieting and losing weight becomes even harder and frustrating.Protein is a word that literally means "of prime importance". It is an essential nutrient that is used to build the body, especially the muscles. It's also used to build organs, hair, hormones, nails and many more body parts. The human body cannot operate or survive without adequate protein. People who tend to have issues with their weight were found to eat much less protein than needed. Your protein needs will be much higher if you regularly engange in exercise or are very mentally active.Protein is such a useful tool for weight loss in many ways, one of them being for it's thermic value. Of all the food types, protein has the highest thermic value which means that it is the hardest to digest and uses up more calories in the process. Taking longer to digest, it will leave you feeling satisfied for a longer period of time. It also doesn't cause your blood sugar level to spike too quickly.An important aspect of protein is that it's made up of what's called amino acids. There are actually 12 essential amino acids that the body is unable to produce by itself and has to acquire them from external food sources. The majority of people are deficient in certain amino acids. This is either because they simply don't consume enough, or that they don't eat foods that have high quality protein within them that the body can easily assimilate. Eggs and yogurt contain protein of high biological value. What this means is that we can use this type of protein much easier than other types. Another good source is whey protein powder.If the foods that you eat regularly are low in nutrients and amino acids, your body will be hungry more often. This is because it needs to eat a lot to get those nutrients that it needs. If on the other hand, you started to eat nutrient-dense foods, the body will need less food and only need food when it needs calories for energy. This is actually one of the biggest reasons why people fail on crash or fad types of diets. They feel intense hunger when depriving their body from what it really needs.It needs to be mentioned here that when cook protein, parts of it actually get transformed and destroys certain key amino acids. Protein is sensitive to heat, so it is a good idea to add a few raw protein sources to your current diet. These could include seeds, yogurt, nuts, fruit, some vegetables, whey and cheese that have not been cooked. This will provide you with all 12 of those essential amino acids that the body craves. It can then produce the other acids from the initial 12.To also help preserve the muscle tissue in the body, you can do more exercise or weight training. If your body needs it's muscle for frequent motion, it will tend not to use them as fuel. It will begin using stores of fat to feed the muscles and cells in the body.

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A great article with Ten easy steps to help you get great 6 Pack Abdominals. Lots more exercises on our website, link is at the end of this article.

A great article with Ten easy steps to help you get great 6 Pack Abdominals. Lots more exercises on our website, link is at the end of this article.1. Dance! If you don't like the gym, dancing & aerobics are a great social way to get a weeky dose of exercise. The upbeat music and the new friends that you will make mean the time will pass very quickly.2. New food. Put down the ice cream, hide the biscuits and change your butter to low fat spread. Change your eating habits so you are eating more fresh fruit and vegetables. Eating less salt, sugar & fatty foods will give you plenty of energy.3. Drown the fat in water. Make sure you always have plenty of water around to drink, you'll automatically eat less and your body will be in a much better conditon overall.4. Walking to skinnyville. Take the stairs instead of the lift, everytime you do that you're giving yourself a cheap work out.5. Watch a funny film. When you laugh your stomach muscles tense up naturally, giving them a mini work out. You will notice that if you have a laughing fit that you double over because your muscles do start to hurt after a while.6. Scrub like Cinderella. Put your back into the weekly clean and concentrate on tensing your stomach muscles each time you are scrubbing or using the vacuum.7. Game time. Another great way of escaping the dull gym routine is by playing games instead, soccer, basketball & tennis will give you a great work out. You will also be more likely to push yourself a little bit harder if you are competing with someone else.8. Swimming is a great way to warm down after a work out, its also an intense session all on its own. You'll get a great work out for the muscles & you'll find it relaxing.9. Ramble on! A nick walk or a cycle will help burn off even more pounds & its always nice to see the great outdoors.10. It’s crunch time. Embark on a short set of sit ups or crunches at a time rather than throwing yourself into 3000 in one go. Making it more achievable will make it easier to begin. Those 6 pack abdominals are just round the corner.If you'd like to learn some great strategies for improving your health check out our website for 6 Pack Abdominals

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