From the Daily Mail:
It's great news for cheese and butter fans - scientists have found that eating dairy food doesn't increase your risk of a heart attack.
Nutritionists surveyed thousands of middle-aged people and found that even those who ate more than half a kilo {1.1 lbs} of cheese did not seem to suffer from increased risk.
Contrary to earlier beliefs that saturated fat might lead to a heart attack, researchers found that nutrients in dairy products actually counteract the harmful effects.
[....]
Her team doesn't believe the saturated fats in dairy products are harmless, but suggest other nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D and potassium may protect against heart disease for all but those who ate the most of them in their study.
[Full story]
Author's disclaimer: All content within this site is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. The author is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made by a user based on the content of this site. The author is not liable for the contents of any external internet sites listed, nor does he endorse any commercial product or service mentioned or advised on any of the sites. Always consult your own medical practitioner if you're in any way concerned about your health.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Heart Disease
Coronary heart disease is the biggest killer in the UK [and most Western societies]. But medical advances mean that having heart disease is no longer a death sentence and there are lots of things that you can do to reduce your risk.
[Click on this link to read all about understanding Heart Disease, Heart conditions, How to prevent Heart disease, etc.]
Author's disclaimer: All content within this site is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. The author is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made by a user based on the content of this site. The author is not liable for the contents of any external internet sites listed, nor does he endorse any commercial product or service mentioned or advised on any of the sites. Always consult your own medical practitioner if you're in any way concerned about your health.
Post-traumatic stress disorder
From BBC-Health, with many thanks:
Any of us can go through an overwhelming traumatic event, and most get over it without help. But about one in three go on with symptoms for many months or years – this is called post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
After the traumatic event you can feel grief-stricken, depressed, anxious, guilty and angry. In PTSD you may also:
It could help to go back to where the traumatic event happened, but make sure you feel ready for this. Take care with driving – you‘re more likely to have an accident .
Don't be hard on yourself or expect too much. PTSD symptoms aren't a sign of weakness, They’re a normal reaction of normal people to terrifying experiences. Don't avoid other people, drink or smoke a lot, miss sleep or meals.
You will know you’re on the road to recovery when you:
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) helps to think differently about your memories, so that they become less distressing and more manageable. It involves relaxation to help you tolerate the discomfort of recalling the traumatic events.
Eye movement desensitisation & reprocessing (EMDR) - uses eye movements to help the brain to process flashbacks and to make sense of the traumatic experience.
Group therapy - talking with a group of people who have been through the same or similar traumatic events can help you feel less alone and isolated.
Medication - antidepressant tablets will reduce the strength of symptoms and relieve any depression. If you are so distressed that you can't sleep or think clearly, you may need tranquillising medication, although not for more than ten days or so.
[BBC disclaimer: All content within BBC Health is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. The BBC is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made by a user based on the content of the BBC Health website. The BBC is not liable for the contents of any external internet sites listed, nor does it endorse any commercial product or service mentioned or advised on any of the sites. See our Links Policy for more information. Always consult your own GP if you're in any way concerned about your health.]
Author's disclaimer: All content within this site is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. The author is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made by a user based on the content of this site. The author is not liable for the contents of any external internet sites listed, nor does he endorse any commercial product or service mentioned or advised on any of the sites. Always consult your own medical practitioner if you're in any way concerned about your health.
Any of us can go through an overwhelming traumatic event, and most get over it without help. But about one in three go on with symptoms for many months or years – this is called post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Causes
Examples of traumatic events which could cause PTSD include:- Getting diagnosed with a serious illness
- Having (or seeing) a serious road accident
- The unexpected injury or violent death of someone close
- Being taken hostage or prisoner-of-war
- Continuing physical or sexual abuse
- Rape
- Mistreatment in prisons or torture
Psychological
- Remembering things clearly can help you understand what happened and, perhaps, help you recover.
- Avoidance helps you not become exhausted from remembering a trauma. It keeps the number of ‘replays’ down to a manageable level.
- Flashbacks force you to think about what has happened and decide what to do if it happens again. Being 'on guard' means that you can react quickly if another crisis happens and can give you the energy you need to carry on afterwards.
Physical
- Vivid memories keep your levels of adrenaline high, you will feel tense, irritable and unable to relax or sleep well.
- The hippocampus is the part of the brain that processes memories. In PTSD, high levels of stress hormones, like adrenaline, may stop it from processing the memories of the event, producing continuing flashbacks and nightmares.
Symptoms
Symptoms of PTSD usually start within six months, and sometimes only a few weeks after the trauma.After the traumatic event you can feel grief-stricken, depressed, anxious, guilty and angry. In PTSD you may also:
- Have flashbacks and nightmares, reliving the event in your mind, again and again.
- Avoid thinking and feeling upset about it by keeping busy and avoiding anything or anyone that reminds you.
- Be ‘on guard’ – you stay alert all the time, can’t relax, feel anxious and can’t sleep.
- Feel physical symptoms – aches and pains, diarrhoea, irregular heartbeats, headaches, feelings of panic and fear, depression.
- Start drinking too much alcohol or using drugs (including painkillers).
Treatment
Try to get back to your usual routine, talk about what happened to someone you trust and try relaxation exercises. Eat regularly, take exercise and spend time with family and friends.It could help to go back to where the traumatic event happened, but make sure you feel ready for this. Take care with driving – you‘re more likely to have an accident .
Don't be hard on yourself or expect too much. PTSD symptoms aren't a sign of weakness, They’re a normal reaction of normal people to terrifying experiences. Don't avoid other people, drink or smoke a lot, miss sleep or meals.
You will know you’re on the road to recovery when you:
- think about it without becoming distressed
- don’t feel constantly under threat
- don’t think about it at inappropriate times
Support
Psychotherapy helps by remembering the event, going over and making sense of it, your mind can do its normal job of storing the memories away and moving on to other things.Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) helps to think differently about your memories, so that they become less distressing and more manageable. It involves relaxation to help you tolerate the discomfort of recalling the traumatic events.
Eye movement desensitisation & reprocessing (EMDR) - uses eye movements to help the brain to process flashbacks and to make sense of the traumatic experience.
Group therapy - talking with a group of people who have been through the same or similar traumatic events can help you feel less alone and isolated.
Medication - antidepressant tablets will reduce the strength of symptoms and relieve any depression. If you are so distressed that you can't sleep or think clearly, you may need tranquillising medication, although not for more than ten days or so.
Helping someone with PTSD
Remind yourself that they are irritable and jumpy because, in a way, part of them is still in the traumatic situation. Give them time to tell you about what happened. Ask general questions, and don't interrupt or talk about your own experiences.[BBC disclaimer: All content within BBC Health is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. The BBC is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made by a user based on the content of the BBC Health website. The BBC is not liable for the contents of any external internet sites listed, nor does it endorse any commercial product or service mentioned or advised on any of the sites. See our Links Policy for more information. Always consult your own GP if you're in any way concerned about your health.]
Author's disclaimer: All content within this site is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. The author is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made by a user based on the content of this site. The author is not liable for the contents of any external internet sites listed, nor does he endorse any commercial product or service mentioned or advised on any of the sites. Always consult your own medical practitioner if you're in any way concerned about your health.
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