Urinary incontinence can be caused due to several factors such as obesity, repeated urinary tract infections and weak or stretched pelvic muscles. Urinary incontinence is defined as involuntary urination or loss of control over urination. A person suffering from urinary incontinence is unable to hold urine in the urinary bladder due to the loss of control over the urinary sphincter. The main symptom of urinary incontinence is the leakage of urine when a person doesn’t want it to. There are various types of urinary incontinence such as overflow incontinence, urge incontinence, stress incontinence, gross total incontinence, functional incontinence and mixed incontinence. Urinary incontinence is associated with risk factors such as smoking, obesity, old age, gender and a few other related conditions. There are certain drugs available for the treatment of this condition; however there may be some side effects of these drugs as well. Herbs act as an elixir not only for this condition but also for a variety of other problems with minimal or no side effects. Listed below are few herbs that quickly and effectively treat urinary incontinence. You are suggested to discuss with the doctor regarding administration and regimes to be followed whist using these.

Green Tea (Camellia sinensis)

• Effectively relieves symptoms of urinary incontinence.
• Safe for most people, however people suffering from high blood pressure or heart condition should consult the doctor before using it.

Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens)

• One of the best herbs to cure urinary incontinence related to prostate conditions such as prostatitis, prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia. Inform the doctor if you are using anticoagulants while taking this herb.

ST. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum)

• This herb treats the symptoms of urinary incontinence by preventing bladder contractibility.
• It acts as the best remedy for urinary incontinence caused due to emotional disturbance.

Usnea (Usnea barbata)

• Usnea has natural antiseptic properties and gives soothing effect on tissues.
• It also safely treats pain, fever and inflammation in addition to curing urinary incontinence.

Buchu (Agathosma betulina)

• Buchu is useful in treating genito-urinary infections such as cystitis, prostatitis, urethritis and dysuria.
• It has diuretic and perspiration encouraging properties.
• It is one of the best antiseptics and is used to cure irritable bladder as well.

Horsetail (Equisetum arvense)

• Horsetail has sedative and anticonvulsant properties. It is the most preferred diuretic.
• It removes bacteria in the bladder effectively and maintains natural levels of electrolytes in the body.

Devil’s Claw (Harpagophytum procumbens)

• Devil’s claw is highly potent against several disorders of gall bladder and pancreas.
• This herb assists in strengthening the bladder so that it can hold urine until the right time to empty it.

Herbs cited above are safe and do not have any potential for addiction. You can ask the doctor for the precautionary measures to be taken during herbal treatments. There is a medication that is as equally effective as herbs. It has been tested for side effects and approved for the treatment of urinary incontinence.

Effective Medication for Curing Urinary Incontinence

Generic Urispas acts as an antispasmodic medication and is used widely to treat urinary infections such as urinary incontinence, suprapubic pain, nocturia, urgency and dysuria. Generic Urispas is a muscarinic antagonist that produces relaxing effect on muscles of the urinary tract. The anticholinergic-parasympatholytic properties of this medication help to reduce smooth muscle tonus in bladder, which aids for lowering urge intensity, incontinence episodes and increases retention capacity. This medication can safely yet effectively treat urinary incontinence, provided you take it under the doctor’s supervision.

Back in the summer of 2008, people across the globe had focused their attention on Michael Phelps, the then 23 year old swimmer, who wore the crown of 8 gold medals in swimming. Michael set a whopping 7 world swimming records in Olympics that year. However, few are aware that Michael suffered from ADHD during his school days, which was really bothersome for his mother Debbie Phelps. As Michael was the youngest of the 3 of Debbie’s kids and the only boy, Debbie thought the lack of focus and the energy levels, etc. were typical character attributes of a boy. However, as the school days went on, the report sheets from his teachers demonstrated a continuous lack of focus. Michael, aged 9 was then diagnosed with (ADHD) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It shows elevated activity and energy levels and lack of concentration as in the case of Michael Phelps. ADHD and autism symptoms are quite similar, hence confusing. It’s important for the doctor to differentiate between the two.

ADHD is believed to affect nearly 4 million adolescents and children in the US. Thanks to his mother’s support, behavior therapy and medication, Michael could channelize his elevated energy levels into swimming and become the youngest male swimmer to hold the record when he was 15. Everyday Health quoted Debbie as saying, “Michael’s thinking was zip zap, let’s move on to the next task. He just couldn’t stay focused.” When Michael’s mother received reports from his teachers that he was not at all staying focused, she guessed it was probably because Michael had learnt few things taught in school earlier, such as learning shapes and that’s why he was getting bored and not concentrating.

However, the same story continued in grade I, II and also III. Michael used to nudge other kids. His teachers had to slow him down. He used to ask too many questions. Michael’s pediatrician suggested testing for ADHD and that’s when Debbie came to know that Michael was diagnosed with ADHD.

Medication and Behavior Modification

Debbie took full charge of the situation with Michael and started stimulants during the week with the doctor’s advice. That helped him concentrate in school. During the breaks Debbie would work with Michael on behavior modification. She let him play sports such as cross country, lacrosse, baseball, swimming, etc. However Debbie used to make sure he finished his homework before participating in sports. Michael’s sisters also chipped in and they used to restrict him from doing some activities to make him aware of the importance of time. This time management later on became Michael’s biggest asset at the pool – kudos to Debbie and Michael’s sisters.

Medication for ADHD

Initially Michael was prescribed ADHD medication once a day – in the morning. Later on, in middle school, the dosage increased to twice a day. He used to hesitate to take medicine during lunch break in school. He wanted to take it no more. Debbie tried explaining him it was helping to stay focused. However, she took Michael to the doctor and his doctor thought of trying to let Michael go to school without medication. Whenever Michael used to come off the medication, his inborn gift helped him spend more energy at the pool. He was just becoming an intense swimmer then.

Parents of ADHD kids should first get expert assistance, just as Debbie did. Medication and behavior therapy give splendid results. Remember! ADHD kids are found to have great passion. Channelize this passion and energy and make the most out of this positive aspect of ADHD kids. God bless!

Psoriasis is a common skin condition that is characterized by patches or lesions mostly on the skin areas prone to pressure like knees, elbows, and near the belt buckle and bra line. Psoriasis affects a large part of the epidermis, which becomes scaly and sheds continuously. It usually disappears spontaneously in summer only to reappear in winter. It is an autoimmune disorder that is usually genetic in origin. The factors that lead to this disease are sunburns or lack of sunlight, alcohol consumption, mental stress, dryness of the skin, some medicines and infections. The typical skin lesions of psoriasis are thick, flakey, silver-white patches over the skin, known as scales. There can also be redness and irritation of the skin.

Psoriasis and vitamin deficiency

Deficiency of some vitamins can be a trigger factor for psoriasis. Vitamin A and vitamin D are essential for the maintenance of good and healthy skin. Lack of these vitamins can increase the risk of psoriasis in patients. So, increased consumption of foods rich in these vitamins is required for prevention of psoriasis. It is also essential for patients suffering from psoriasis to prevent the aggravation of the disease. Some good sources of vitamin A are beef liver, squash, whole milk, fortified foods, cod liver oil, cheese, pumpkins, carrots and halibut fish oil. The sources of vitamin D are fortified milk, cheese, fish, cream, oysters and butter. Patients can also take vitamin A and vitamin D supplements for faster relief from the symptoms of psoriasis. Vitamin A supplements can help in normalizing the activity of DNA in skin cells and Vitamin D supplements can reduce the rate of growth of abnormal skin cells, in psoriasis patients.

Symptoms of psoriasis

This disease typically presents with skin patches that are silver-white, along with redness of the skin. The skin becomes scaly and thick. The scales come off after mild rubbing making visible the tiny bleeding spots beneath it. Patients can complain of pain and itching over the joints. There can also be thickening of nails, brownish yellow spots on nails, a dent on the surface of nails and separation of the nail from its base. Patients may also complain of lot of dandruff and scaling over the scalp.

Treatment and care of psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic disorder and can not be completely cured. The treatment of the disease involves preventing infections and controlling the symptoms. A combination of various therapies is used in treating psoriasis including antibiotics, vitamin supplements, topical creams and light therapy. Proper care of the skin is necessary to prevent aggravation of the condition. Patients should strictly avoid rubbing the skin, as it can irritate the skin and aggravate the condition. Patients are advised to get a good amount of sun exposure as lack of exposure to sunlight can trigger an attack of psoriasis. However, patients should also use a good sunscreen lotion to avoid sunburns.
A good mode of treatment for psoriasis is available in the form of Soriatane. It is a derivative of vitamin A and belongs to a class of drugs called retinoids. Taking large doses of this medicine can reduce the thickening and scaling of the skin and prevent the recurrent attacks of psoriasis. It is known that systemic administration of vitamin A is toxic and leads to liver damage or even death. However, Soriatane can be safely given to patients of psoriasis as it decreases the unwanted toxic effects of vitamin A and also enhances the beneficial effects of it by minimizing the scaling and thickness of skin. So, patients of psoriasis are advised to use of Soriatane for the effective treatment of the condition.

The most common symptoms of internal hemorrhoids are rectal pain, itching and bleeding after bowel movement. Internal hemorrhoids are usually swollen but small veins in the anal canal walls, however sometimes they can grow to be large veins that fall and project out of the anus. This causes excruciating pain in case blood supply gets cut off. External hemorrhoids may lead to thrombosis or clotted hemorrhoids. In case of bleeding, hemorrhoids can cause a painful lump.

Hemorrhoids are one of the most common causes of anal pathology and are often held responsible for any anorectal disorder by people. The term ‘Hemorrhoid’ is used to refer to both pathological structures and normal anatomical structures. In this content, the term ‘Hemorrhoids’ refers to pathological demonstration of ‘hemorrhoidal venous cushions’.  Hemorrhoidal venous cushions are typical structures present in the anorectum. Hemorrhoidal venous cushions are the most common triggers of anal pathology because of their tendency to prolapse and engorge, the extremely sensitive location and the abundant vascular supply.

Hemorrhoid treatment using Xylocaine is one of the best remedies to alleviate the symptoms of hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoid medications like Xylocaine Generic alleviate itching, burning and pain. Usually, a numbing agent is present in these medications. Xylocaine Generic medications can be applied as a foam or cream. The purpose is to relieve discomfort for a long duration, so that the patient heals naturally.

Hemorrhoid Treatment Using Xylocaine

Xylocaine medication can be used in the form of gel, spray, lotion, foam or cream to treat hemorrhoids. To begin, first clean and dry the affected area as directed by your doctor. Spread a thin layer of Xylocaine Generic medication on the affected area three times a day or as directed by the physician. In case you are using the spray, shake the canister well before use. Hold the canister approximately 5 inches from the suffered area and spray until wet. Prevent the contact of the medication with eyes or nose. Wash your hands after the usage of Xylocaine Generic. You will notice that with the usage of this medication for the duration prescribed by your doctor, the severe pain gets reduced a lot and may even completely vanish.

Xylocaine generic medication is the most effective and safe medication to treat hemorrhoids, however one should consult the doctor before the use. Your health care provider will give you the information about the usage. There are no serious side effects of hemorrhoids. People observe some common side effects such as a bit of stinging or burning, which is not serious and alleviates on its own. However, your health care provider would be the best person to talk to, in case you are allergic to certain creams or medications.

This is about the best medication for hemorrhoids – Xylocaine Generic. In addition to applying medication, if you follow certain precautions, it will help you relieve the symptoms and pain of hemorrhoids. Eating more fiber works, since fiber is softer and eases the passage of stools. Drink plenty of water because water is essential for fiber to work. Human bowel can be called as water recycling center and bowel movement contains only up to 200 ml of water. Your body reclaims the rest. Drinking plenty of water helps in fighting hemorrhoids. Avoid eating meat since it contains no fiber.

Use Xylocaine generic medication daily and follow the instructions given above. You will notice that all the pain and bleeding from the rectal area goes away within a few days

Biological weapons are lethal materials, which are derived from pathogenic organisms, or substances that are artificially manufactured with the intention of using them to incapacitate and interfere with the biological processes against whom they are being used. These chemicals either kill or debilitate the opponent. Biological weapons may be deployed to target living organisms such as humans, vegetation and animals. Air, water and soil can also be contaminated with the use of such biological weapons.

Various types of microorganisms can be used as biological weapons. These weapons of mass destruction are easily attainable, highly lethal and do not cost much. They can be dispersed over a wide area in aerosol form and they are very contagious.

Some potential microorganisms that are capable of being used as biological weapons and their effect on people:

Anthrax (Bacillus anthracis):

These microbes are found in the soil and can be used as biological weapons against humans and animals. These microbes enter the body through inhalation or through open wounds and cause conditions like Pulmonary Anthrax Septicemia and flu-like symptoms.

Clostridium botulinum:

Soil is the natural habitat of these microbes and can be used as biological weapons to target humans. These microbes contaminate the food and water. The environment also gets polluted with these microbes. These microorganisms invade the human body through inhalation and by way of contaminated food and water. The effect of this biological weapon on humans is quite severe. It leads to double vision and vertigo, weakness, difficulty in swallowing, breathing and speaking and muscle weakness among others.

Clostridium perfringens:

These microbes dwell in the soil and in the intestine of the humans and other animals. Use of these microorganisms as a biological weapon is done to target mainly humans and domestic animals. Opens wounds are the way in for these microbes. Used as biological weapons these microbes can cause severe cramps in the abdomen, diarrhea and gas gangrene.

Ricin (Protein toxin):

These microbes are extracted from castor bean plants and may be used as biological weapons to principally target humans. The food, water and the environment gets contaminated with these microbes. Humans get affected through inhalation and by consuming the infected food and water. These microbes can also enter humans through injections. Once inside, these microbes can cause watery and bloody diarrhea, severe abdominal pain, weakness, fever, cough, pulmonary edema and vomiting.

Smallpox (variola virus):

These organisms are not found in their natural habitat anymore. They have been eradicated long time back. However, they can be made available from laboratory stockpiles. Humans are the main target host of these biological weapons. These microbes invade the body through inhalation and also infect bodily fluids. This virus can cause vomiting, rash on tongue and in the mouth, rash and bumps on skin and persistent fever.

Probable ways in which biological weapons can be deployed:

• Bombs or spray tanks could be used to generate clouds of biological material over specified targets or to cover wide areas.

• Submarines, balloons, aircraft and surface vessels could be used to launch similar attacks.

• Air, water and food supplies could be directly contaminated.

• Covert operations can also be utilized to contaminate water, food and air ventilating systems.

• Feeds, raw garbage, biologics can be used to introduce and spread animal diseases. These tools of warfare have little or no chance of detection.

Protection against biological weapons:

• Specially manufactured air filtration masks

• Various types of dust respirators

• Cotton handkerchief (8 layers)

• Bath towel (2 layers)

• Toilet paper (3 layers)

• Filter units at place of work

Normally the stomach acids and digestive juices, which are very important for the digestive process, remain in the stomach or digestive system where they perform the vital function of digesting the food and absorbing the nutrients from it. These juices are prevented from coming back into the esophagus by a valve which is situated at the end of the food pipe. This valve opens only into the stomach to allow the food into the stomach. If this valve malfunctions or fails due to build up of increased pressure in the stomach, then the digestive juices may be forced back up the esophagus. This situation is termed as acidity or acid reflux. The esophagus and throat linings are not equipped to handle such strong acids. Hence, there is intense irritation in the food pipe and throat. The burning sensation so caused due to the stomach acids traveling in the food, is normally termed as heartburn.

If this occurrence is infrequent, then it is not a cause for worry. However, repeated occurrences would definitely require medical help.

Probable causes for acidity and heartburn:

Heartburn is an indication of insufficient water in the higher part of the gastrointestinal tract. It could also be caused by

•    Eating foods which are rich and spicy

•    Eating food at a rapid pace without proper chewing

•    Eating hurriedly or under nervous tension

•    Irregular sleep

•    Smoking and alcohol intake

•    Pregnancy

•    Obesity

Preventive measures for acidity and heartburn:

•    Intake of at least 8-10 glasses of water daily

•    Chewing the food properly before swallowing

•    Eating food at a relaxed pace

•    Avoid skipping meals

•    Avoid lengthy time gap between meals

•    Avoid pickles, tomato ketchup, sauce, fried foods, hot spicy foods, chocolates, mustard, vinegar, too much coffee or tea, spearmint, peppermint, carbonated beverages, citrus fruits, etc.

•    Avoiding raw salad consisting of vegetables like radish, cabbage, peppers and onion.

•    Unripe high pectin fruits like unripe apple should be avoided.

•    A mixture of two tsp of raw honey with two tsp of natural apple cider vinegar along with water should be taken before meals.

•    Smoking and alcohol intake should be reduced.

•    Allow sometime between eating and going to bed.

Some home remedies for acidity and heartburn:

•    Sucking slowly on a piece of clove after meals provides instant relief and also helps in reducing the probability of other complications.

•    Eating a piece of Jaggery after lunch or dinner helps.

•    Eating a banana daily will ensure protective action against acidity and heartburn

•    One tsp juice of amla (Indian gooseberry) mixed with one tsp of chebulic myroblan to be taken daily.

•    Fennel has also been found useful for heartburn.

•    Ginger aids in preventing acidity.

•    Drinking water gives immediate relief from acidity.

•    Vanilla ice-cream or cold milk may also provide relief.

•    Chewing on a bubble-gum will provide instant relief from acidity.

•    Sometimes there is not enough acid in the stomach to digest the food properly. This leads to heartburn. Drinking a teaspoon of vinegar, which is an antacid, gets rid of the acid. Then, the body produces enough acid to digest the food and the heartburn stops.

•    Calcium is also quite effective in treating heartburn. A glass of milk or some yogurt or ice cream will do the trick.

•    Avoid bending or any other posture which will aid in the reflux of the food for 3-4 hours after meals.

•    A pillow with high elevation should be used while sleeping.

•    A few almonds should be eaten on feeling of heartburn symptoms.

•    Coconut water should be consumed 4-5 times a day.

•    After every meal chew on some carom seeds.

Thrombosis of the jugular vein can occur either in the internal jugular vein or in the external jugular vein. Actually, a clot found in the internal jugular vein is more caused by thrombosis of other veins, or by neck vein line insertion (catheterization). This condition can lead to many complications like systemic sepsis, superior vena cava syndrome, subclavian vein thrombosis, empyema, renal failure, cerebral edema, septic arthritis etc.

• Causes of thrombosis of the jugular vein:

As has already been mentioned above, thrombosis in the jugular vein mostly occurs in patients who are hospitalized and have neck catheterization, that means insertion of neck central line. The main causes behind this condition are deep neck infection, neck and head malignancy, neck massage, trauma, polycythemia or use of intravenous drugs. These are a few of the causes for jugular vein thrombosis to occur.

• Diagnosis of thrombosis in jugular vein:

To diagnose thrombosis of the jugular vein at the earliest stage is difficult as the signs and symptoms of this condition are very subtle. Neck pain and swelling on neck is found in internal jugular thrombosis. The swelling can also be seen in upper extremities. In some cases, pain and swelling could also be absent. As compared to internal jugular vein thrombosis the cases of external jugular vein thrombosis are very few. External jugular vein thrombosis takes place mostly because of neck catheter insertion. External vein thrombosis can transmit to internal jugular vein thrombi.

There are various tests done to diagnose thrombosis of the jugular vein, they are as follows:

• Contrast venography
• Ultra sonography
• Contrast enhanced CT scan
• MRI
• Nuclear medicine scan

By performing these tests, jugular vein thrombosis can be diagnosed.

• Treatment of jugular vein thrombosis:

To treat internal and external jugular vein thrombosis different methods can be applied. Which method is suitable is depended upon the type and severity of the disease. Here are all possible treatment therapies to treat thrombosis in jugular vein.

Thrombosis in the internal jugular vein which has no complications can be treated by surgery. However, in the case of deep neck infections it needs to be drained of the collected fluids and also the debridement of infected tissues is required.

Excision of the Internal jugular vein may be required in cases of intra-luminal abscesses to prevent serious complications. However, most of the times post-anginal sepsis can be cured with medicines and in such cases there is no need of surgery. Antibiotic therapy is effective in such cases; very rarely this therapy is not successful. It is important to note that there can be persisting fever in some cases; particularly, with metastatic infection.

These are the treatments for jugular vein thrombosis. It is important that this disease is diagnosed at the earliest so that further complications can be avoided.

Those who need to insert a neck central line should consult with their health care provider about the precautions they can take to avoid thrombosis in the jugular vein and also any further complications. Take extreme care of yourself and follow all the instructions of your health care provider carefully.

There are various kinds of parasites that infect living beings. Parasites are living beings that need other living beings (hosts) for their survival. They take nutrition from the host and cannot complete their entire life cycle without the host’s help. Many of these parasites can cause severe diseases in humans. There are a large amount of parasites that need human beings for survival, either during a certain stage of their life or throughout. Most of these dreaded cases are found in developing countries especially in the tropical and sub-tropical regions of Asian and African continents, yet their impact can be felt anywhere, for e.g. the U.S. has more than seven million cases of trichomoniasis every year. Almost one and a half million cases of toxoplasma and another two million of giardia can affect Americans every year thus making parasitic infections a considerably serious threat albeit on a smaller scale. So lets understand what kind of parasites affect humans.

Parasites

Parasites that affect humans can be classified into three main categories: helminthes, protozoa and ectoparasites.

• Helminths are wormlike living things that can be seen without the need of external aids. Helminths can survive without their host for certain stages of their life, especially when these multi-cellular beings in their adult form need to reproduce. They are unable to reproduce inside the host and will seek to move out for completing their lifecycle. Helminths are further classified in three main categories: flatworms, thorny-headed worms and roundworms.
• Protozoa are unicellular organisms that thrive within the human body. The internal environment of a human body is ideal for their reproductive activities, although they can survive outside as well. There are two major types of human-detrimental protozoa that are classified on the basis of their transmission from one host to another.

1. One is the infected feces to mouth of new host type in which the protozoa exist in the human intestine. This type of protozoa moves out of the host body through the fecal matter excreted from the intestines. When the infected feces comes in contact with water, food or other humans the protozoa get transferred to it. When this contaminated water, food or the unhygienic items with the protozoa come in contact with the mouth of a suitable host; these protozoa infect the new person.
2. The other mode of transmission is through carriers like mosquitoes, flies, etc. In this mode the parasite is present in the host’s blood. When the carrier bites an infected person, the parasites from the blood get transferred to the carrier. When this infected carrier bites another host, the parasites get transferred, infecting this new host. Malarial parasites are the most prominent parasites in this category.

• The third category of parasites is ectoparasites, which are not always easily visible to the naked eye, but need human hosts for their survival. These organisms survive on human blood by sucking it, usually on the outside or just below the human skin. In most cases they act as germ carriers, increasing the sphere of infection by moving from one infected host to another. Ticks, lice, fleas, etc. are examples of ectoparasites.

Various ways in which parasites reach human hosts

Animals – Animals especially pets are highly conducive grounds for development and spread of parasites that can harm humans. Diseases caused by such sources are termed as zoonotic diseases. Meat of infected animals, when not cooked properly may contain various parasites that can be transferred to the human host eating it. Cows with cryptosporidiosis can transfer the parasite if they contaminate drinking water or fruits watered by the contaminated water that are consumed by humans without washing properly. Household pets too spread quite a few parasites such as hookworms and ascarids.

Insects – Just like animals, insects too play a major part in the spread of parasites. Due to the huge population density and variety of insects in a comparatively small area, the possibility of spreading parasites increases proportionately. Parasite carrying insects are known as vectors. Vectors usually form a very important part of parasite development, usually getting affected by it as well. Malarial and dengue related parasites enter mosquito blood stream through the saliva as the mosquito feeds. The parasites develop within the mosquito and are then transmitted to another host when it feeds again.

Blood – This happens when normal blood comes in contact with blood infected by parasites. There are two most likely conditions in which blood to blood transmission of parasites can occur. One is when users share needles, syringes etc. When a person having parasite infection in the blood shares a syringe with a normal person, the parasite may transfer to the normal person. The other most likely way is blood transfusion in which the blood donor has parasites in their blood and this blood is used for a normal patient. Parasites like toxoplasmosis, malaria, babesiosis, African trypanosomiasis, chagas disease etc. can be spread in this manner. Yet, due to the increasing control in blood donor screening as well as the menace of diseases like HIV being spread through sharing of needles; the likelihood of parasites being passed in this manner has reduced.

Food – This is another primary source of parasite infiltration. Parasites that survive through undercooked meat, fish and vegetables can enter human body system and start their lifecycles. Unhygienic eating conditions, dietary habits, contamination due to unclean food service, etc. can easily contribute to the parasite’s human body entry. Cyclospora cayetanensis, giardia intestinalis, and Cryptosporidium spp. are some of the most common parasites likely to infect hosts through food.

Water – Due to its abundance in the world and its overall importance in human life, human beings cannot resist water. Not only is it used for normal essential activities like drinking, cleaning, bathing, etc. it is also a major factor in human leisure activities. This increases human contact with water. Proportionately possibility of parasites that use water, as method of spreading in humans, is also quite high. Especially untreated water or water in leisure activities or water in natural conditions is the main source of parasitic infiltration in humans.

Precaution for Travelers

One of the most susceptible demographic amongst the U.S. population, most likely to encounter parasitic infiltration, are travelers that visit developing countries. Due to various social, political, economical reasons; developing countries are unable to maintain the required amount of sanitation and public health conditions that will control parasite infections in their citizens. Hence it is essential that travelers visiting these countries understand the overall situation and take as many precautions as possible to avoid contracting the parasites. Apart from the information given above about how parasite infection occurs, travelers should observe the following general precautions (this list is not comprehensive and may need additional precautions based on the travel destination):

1. Travelers should learn about their travel destination and understand all advisories issued against their place of visit.
2. If there are any vaccines or prophylactic treatments, available for possible local infections, then the travelers should take them and learn about their availability at the travel destination.
3. Travelers should discuss with their personal physician for any precautions to be observed to prevent parasite infections that are specific to the travel destination.
4. Travelers should maintain hygienic conditions and consume food & water from trusted sources like municipal water supplies. They should drink water boiled for at least a minute only or else use only bottled water.
5. Travelers should avoid water sports, swimming and other recreational water based activities.
6. Travelers should follow good habits such as cleaning and washing hands regularly.
7. Travelers should use insect repellants even in places where vector borne infection is less likely.
8. Travelers should only use pasteurized milk or dairy products.
9. Travelers should use proper protective clothing and take all care to avoid exposing skin as much as possible.
10. Travelers shouldn’t eat uncooked, raw food or unpeeled, unwashed vegetables and fruits. Users should avoid roadside food.

In this article we are going to discuss about corns, boils and fever blister and home remedies for each of them. First of all let us see corns.

• Home remedies for corns:

A corn is thickened skin which causes irritation and pain. Corns mainly appear on the feet and sometimes also on fingers. You can try the below given home remedies for treating corns.

• Fresh lemon: Take a fresh lemon and make one or two slices. Apply them on the corns and keep them in place for at least 2 hours. Lemons will relieve the pain soon.
• Vinegar: Soak a piece of cloth and wrap it around the toe. The vinegar will start healing the corn. Use this remedy throughout the night and day for better results.
• Papaya: Papaya has great healing properties. Take 1 teaspoon of papaya juice and apply it on the corn. Let it dry for 2 hours or so. This remedy will reduce the pain and will also help in healing the corn.

• Home remedies for boils:

Boils are caused by infections. A red nodule, which is painful, comes out on the skin. As it grows it formulates pus and causes lots of itching and also irritation. It could be a single boil on different parts of body or many boils at one place. To treat boils the home remedies are:

• Garlic with onion:  Take garlic juice together with onion juice in equal quantity. Apply it on the boils in order to ripen them and then break them to expel the pus.
• Cumin seeds: Make a paste of cumin seeds with water. Apply this paste on boils in order to get rid of boils.
• Bitter gourd: Bitter gourd can also be a very effective remedy for boils. Take 1 cup bitter gourd juice, add one teaspoon of lime juice. Now sip it slowly on an empty stomach. It will help in curing boils.

• Home remedies for fever blisters:

Fever blisters can be spread easily with skin to skin contact as they are contagious. Here are a few home remedies to find relief from fever blisters.

• White vinegar: to reduce the irritation caused by fever blisters, soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and apply that on it. You will get fast relief.
• Salt: Make your index finger wet and then put it into some table salt. Place your finger on the fever blister with gentle pressure for a minute. Continue doing this two times per day, for 2 to 3 days.
• Honey: Honey has antibacterial and antifungal properties. Apply honey on fever blisters and it will work wonderfully to heal your fever blisters.

With the help of Grandma’s remedies you can nicely treat corns, boils and also fever blisters at home. These remedies are all easy to apply and also are very effective. So try them out to get relief from all these painful and irritating health problems.

There is no need to mention that the heart is one of the most important parts of our body. When this heart is weak it leads to heart failure. Weak heart means weak heart muscles and that is referred to by the medical term – Cardiomyopathy. In this condition the heart is unable to circulate blood throughout the body. There are some reasons behind these weakened heart muscles and they are as follows:

• Causes of weak heart muscles:

There are many possible conditions which may lead to weak heart muscles. The main reason is that when blood flow is too slow then it causes more pressure on the heart. This slow blood circulation provides insufficient amount of oxygen and nutrients in the body cells, (which are required for them to function normally.) And when this pressure increases it starts thickening the chambers of the heart, or in order to hold more blood the heart starts expanding. In such conditions the muscles of the heart are weakened.

There are mainly two types of Cardiomyopathy: first is dilated Cardiomyopathy and the other is hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. We are going to talk about both of them one by one.

• Dilated Cardiomyopathy:

Dilated Cardiomyopathy takes place when one of the ventricles (mostly the left one) gets dilated and results in weakening the muscles. This condition causes the pumping action to weaken; that means the blood pumped in each heart beat is low in quantity and this leads to inadequate supply of blood to the body’s organs.

• Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy:

This type of weakness in the heart muscles is generally caused by genetics that run through families. In hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy the ventricular muscles tend to become thick and ultimately result in stiffness. Thus it weakens the function of the heart and leads to serious heart conditions.

• Symptoms of weak heart muscles:

It is easy to recognize the symptoms of weak heart muscles. The body cells which do not receive an adequate amount of blood gradually stop functioning due to lack of oxygen and nutrients. As this happens, the fluid that is in the blood vessels starts seeping into the surrounding tissues. This causes swelling in the legs as well as in the ankles and also it causes water to be retained in the body.  Excessive fluids can accumulate in the digestive track or lungs which will show up as troubled breathing and decreased appetite. As the heart becomes unable to circulate sufficient amounts of blood in the body; you may face fatigue, tiredness and weakness and this will make your daily tasks harder.

In some severe cases symptoms of ‘weak heart muscles’ can result in an enlarged heart, cough with blood, shortness of breath and also irregular heartbeats.

In some people there no symptoms and they might not even know that they are suffering from Cardiomyopathy until it is too late.