Health

Cancer is something which is an unfortunate fact of life, one in two people will have direct contact with this disease in their lifetimes and whilst advancements are being made, for now we have to make do with what treatments that we have available. One of the most common types of cancer is breast cancer which occurs mainly in women but can also occur in men. Over the last 20 years we have seen huge progress in the treating of this disease and the mortality rate is incredibly high. If you have had some troubles with your breasts and recently discovered that you indeed have breast cancer, this will of course be a very difficult time for you. To help you to stay positive and deal with this news, we spoke to a breast cancer surgeon who offered the following advice.

Owning the Illness

Medical staff and professionals will of course have an action plan for how they will attack your cancer but they will need some help from you and it is on you to take ownership of this disease. After the initial anger, or emotional disappointment, it is time to start thinking about how you will take action. Instead of allowing something to grow inside you without knowledge of it, learn about the cancer and what it can do and also learn about how it can be killed off.

Consider Options

Depending on the stage of your cancer your doctor will likely have given you some options to think about in terms of treatment. For example the doctor may have recommended a mastectomy which involves removing ether one or both breasts. Alternatively you may have been offered a period of chemotherapy and it will be very important that you weigh up the pros and cons of each treatment and what it will mean to you.

Support

You do not have to go through this on your own and you can make use of support networks that are out there. Many cancer charities run support networks which could be a great way for you to open up about how you feel and what you are going through, sharing your story with others who are suffering from the same fate. Reach out to your local charities and get involved in the community, it can really help to make you feel more positive about everything that is going on.

Talk When Ready

There is absolutely no pressure on you to talk right now, take your time to absorb what you have discovered and when you feel ready to you can start talking with your friends and family about what is happening. There is no pressure on you here at all, take some time for yourself and only when you are ready should you start discussing your disease with other people.

There is a lot of hope to be found here so stay positive and keep an open mind. To learn more about health from the 60 Degree blog, click here.

More than 67 million Americans suffer from allergies. Common allergens like tree pollen, ragweed, and others are often in full force during the warmer seasons. Seasonal allergies in the spring tend to be the worst, as a wide range of trees, flowers, and plants bloom. However, even during the cooler months, allergens still pose a problem for millions of people.

While pollen production is very minimal during late fall and winter, indoor allergens like mold, mites, dust, and pet dander still cause a wide range of allergy symptoms and side effects. If you suffer from seasonal allergies, keep reading to learn how the condition affects your body.

What Are Allergies?

When your body is allergic to a substance, your immune system responds in various ways. Your body’s immune response can be quite mild, causing a runny nose or coughing. However, an allergic reaction can also cause anaphylaxis, which is life-threatening.

Allergic reactions start in the immune system. When a substance, like pollen, dust, or mold is encountered by someone who is allergic, the body produces antibodies to attack the allergen. This then causes runny nose, itching, wheezing, and itchy eyes.

So how do you become allergic to something? An allergy is developed when the body creates antigens against a substance. Depending on the immune system’s response, repeated exposure may increase the severity of the reaction.

How Seasonal Allergies Impact the Body

When you think about the side effects of seasonal allergies you likely think of:

• Watery/itchy eyes
• Itchy sinuses
• Ear congestion
• Coughing
• Sniffling
• Wheezing

While these are the most commonly experienced symptoms, seasonal allergies also cause a wide range of other symptoms that are often overlooked.

Fatigue

Chronic fatigue can also occur as a result of allergies. This is because during an allergic reaction, your body produces chemicals that can cause you to feel tired. Allergies can also make you feel fatigued in that they make it much harder to get sound sleep. There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to sleep when you’re coughing or sneezing every other minute!

The good news is that most allergy products contain ingredients that make it much easier to get the sleep you need to rest and heal.

Asthma

Another often overlooked side effect of allergies is asthma. In fact, the two conditions go hand-in-hand. During an allergic reaction you may experience allergic asthma, which occurs when you come into contact with an allergen. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, a large percentage of the 26 million Americans that suffer from asthma also have allergies.

Upper Respiratory Infection

When suffering from allergies, many people confuse their symptoms with a cold. For both conditions it’s not uncommon to have sneezing, coughing, post nasal drip, or a stuffy nose. For some these symptoms worsen and can turn into an upper respiratory or even a sinus infection. Tell-tale symptoms include fever, cough, and discharge from the nose and mouth.

Long-Term Impacts of Untreated Seasonal Allergies

For most people, seasonal allergy symptoms are quickly remedied using medication or an alternative treatment. When your body is reacting to an allergy, it’s working overtime to prevent more serious side effects. However, if the allergy isn’t treated, the immune system eventually starts to slow down. This leaves room for more powerful allergy symptoms to occur.

An untreated allergy often causes infection and/or inflammation. This is because the immune system is weakened. A weak immune system isn’t able to fight off infection or inflammation, which can lead to headaches, sinusitis, ear infections, and asthma. Chronic sleep issues are another side effect of untreated allergies. Nasal congestion, coughing, and sneezing can cause poor sleep quality. This can lead to insomnia and even sleep apnea.

Other side effects of an untreated allergy include:

• Irritability
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Lack of concentration
• Moodiness
• Memory problems
• Decreased productivity

While an untreated allergy may not seem like a serious health issue, allergies leave your immune system and brain function extremely vulnerable.

Conclusion

While the typical symptoms of seasonal allergies are quite frustrating (and even a little painful!), the condition also causes a variety of other side effects. Though many don’t think of it, allergies can be deadly, especially if left untreated.

If you suffer from seasonal allergies, ensure you’re taking the proper precautions to minimize exposure. This includes staying indoors during high pollen times, replacing air filters in your home, and taking medication as needed.

There are a multitude of reasons why you may be scared to speak up about your health. If you find it difficult opening up to medical professionals like LloydsPharmacy about your health, simply continue reading to discover why it’s crucial to speak up about your health!

Why it’s important to speak up about your health:

You probably already know how important it is to protect your skin from the sun. You’ve heard that you should put on sunscreen, wear sunglasses, and limit your exposure during the hottest parts of the day.

Protection from the sun should be a part of everyone’s lifestyle routine, but did you know there’s more you could be doing to reduce your chances of developing skin cancer?

Here are a few surprising ways you can protect yourself from the sun that go beyond wearing long sleeved shirts and using plenty of sunscreen.

Window Treatments

You know you need to put sunscreen on when you leave the house, but did you know that you could be getting sun damaged skin inside your own home?

The UV rays from the sun can penetrate glass. That means, if you’re sitting by the window, you could end up damaging your skin. That’s where the right window treatments come in.

American Blinds has some great window treatment options that include:

• Solar shades
• Sheer shades
• Cellular shades

Don’t forget skylights! They could use shades too!

Window Film

The windows in your home aren’t the only windows that expose you to the sun. it isn’t uncommon for truckers to end up with uneven skin damage due to their exposure on the road, even when the windows are rolled up.

Window film is a must if you spend a lot of time in the car. It’s also a must if you travel with little kids in the car.

Window film isn’t just for the car though! Because it can provide great skin protection, you can use it on windows in your home. Not only will it protect you from UV rays, it can also provide you with more privacy.

Eat the Right Foods

Did you know the right foods can protect you from the harmful effects of the sun? A few include:

• Carrots because they are rich in beta-carotene
• Tomatoes because they contain lycopene and flavanols
• Olive oil because it contains healthy fats and vitamin E
• Green tea because it is high in polyphenols

You’ll be happy to hear that dark chocolate promotes anti-inflammation and is rich in flavonoids that can protect your skin from the sun too!

Wear Your Hair the Right Way

You spend a lot of time worried about your nose, cheeks, and chest. You may even understand the importance of using an SPF lip balm, but have you thought about how you wear your hair?

It isn’t uncommon for people to get burned on the head, especially if they have fine hair or light skin. Even a simple part in the hair can leave you susceptible to sun damage! That’s why you should wear your hair in a ponytail or wear a hat.

Don’t forget the sunscreen, but in order to truly protect yourself from the sun, you have to think outside the box. The ideas on this list will make sure you’re safe from the sun’s rays, no matter what!

Everyone has a bad habit, whether it be biting their nails or something more serious like smoking, and most people come to a time in their lives where they want to quit, but they may need a bit help and support. For some people, it looks like their friends saying, “Hey, you’re biting your nails again, stop.”, but for others, it looks like treatment programs and major lifestyle changes. Here the focus will be on bigger addictions that might take a little bit more to overcome. Now the question is: why do they want to overcome these addictions? Here are six reasons to quit that bad habit.

No more “walks of shame”.

Anyone who has a major bad habit has their own walk of shame whether it be picking up cigarettes or staggering home drunk. For a lot of people, this is the worst part of their addiction, and they’d be more than happy to have this disappear forever. Quitting the habit will take care of that. One doesn’t have to do this walk of shame anymore; it can save a lot of pride, and pride is an important thing in life. So is self-image, so if the walk of shame is gone and self-image is restored, the overall quality of life will be better, and that’s something that is worth the work.

One can save money.

Saving money is another important aspect. Money is another important thing in life, and while money can’t buy happiness, it can take away stress. More money and less stress are two reasons why one should consider quitting their bad habit. Cigarettes or alcohol or drugs can burn a hole in your pocket in the long run and having that extra saved money can help one start a new hobby. 

One may be healthier.

There are a lot of health risks that come with habits like this. When one gives up the bad habit, they give up some pretty major health risks. A longer and better life may be in store once one takes the first steps of breaking the habit.

Relationships will improve.

There’s probably more than one person in one’s life who doesn’t approve of those habits and once the habits are gone the relationships may improve markedly with those people. Especially if those people are close friends or family, it may be worth it.

It can be doable.

Stopping an addiction can be easier than one would think with the right tools. There’s everything from self-help books to twelve-step programs or quitting alcohol through an Allen Carr program. It still takes a lot of work, but it is more doable than people realise.

One will have more free time.

Now there’s a lot more free time, so what does one do with it? There’s a handful of hobbies that one can consider getting involved in from sports to music to crafts. With all the new free time the world is at one’s fingertips–time to explore!

 Dried fruit has been around for centuries, as the art of preserving certain fruit was a good way to make sure that people were still able to enjoy fruit even in the colder seasons. By drying fruit, water was removed, and this prevented microbes in the fruit from growing. Drying fruit under the sun is still the most common way of preserving it, although other methods, such as forced drying in dehydrators, is also being used today. If you’re thinking of purchasing dried fruit for your food business or food establishment, there are some considerations and factors you need to think about. Let’s find out what these are so you can choose the best dried fruit for your needs.

The available fruit

Not all fruit is dried, but a lot of fruit can be dried. This includes apples, blueberries, apricots, cranberries, figs, dates, grapes (which can result in dried grape variations such as sultanas, currants, and the ever-popular raisins), papayas, mangoes, plums (which results in prunes), and pineapples. These are only the most common and popular ones, however, and more fruits are being experimented on as innovations come up.

The specifications of dried fruits

Most dried fruit can be 100% fruit, which means that they contain no additives. But there are other dried fruits which can be comprised of only 61% fruit. Additives such as sulphites may be added to the dried fruit so their flavour can be retained. Sulphites are also effective at retaining the colour of the fruit, preventing the fruit from browning. Be careful, however – some individuals may be sensitive or allergic to sulphites, so if you are serving dried fruit or producing dried fruit products, sulphites should be added to the list of ingredients. Sulphites can often be found in fruits such as dried mangoes, apples, pineapples, and apricots. Another additive or preservative, which is potassium sorbate, is usually found in prunes and dried figs, although most individuals aren’t allergic or sensitive to it.

Other additions

Sometimes, a small quantity of oil is added to various dried fruit, which includes raisins, dates, and cranberries. The oil can help with the preservation of the fruit’s flavour and may also prevent each piece from sticking together. The oil doesn’t really make a big difference when it comes to adding fat to the fruit, and most individuals don’t have any problem with it either.

When you are choosing dried fruit for your business, make sure to get it from a good wholesale dried fruit supplier. A good supplier will be able to offer traceability and transparency – which means that they can tell you exactly where the fruit is coming from and how it is produced. It’s better to go for quality every time.

CAPT Martin Lloyd Sanders is a valiant captain that works hard to protect his countrymen, a war hero and an officer at the US Public Health Service. In a recent interview, he discussed the health problems faced by US veterans that few people know about. It is worth noticing that while most people tend to talk about PTSD and similarly discussed conditions, statistics show that many other health problems are common among US veterans, including those discussed below, which are not that well-known.

Autoimmune Disorders

These are diseases that happen as the immune system is attacking healthy tissue. Martin Lloyd Sanders mentions that these are disproportionately common with veterans and the main culprit is stress. While post-traumatic stress disorder is often discussed and is a really serious mental health issue, it is not the end of the suffering noticed by veterans. PTSD causes damage that will cause various symptoms, including the development of autoimmune disorders.

Hearing Loss

The possibility that a US veteran will suffer from some type of hearing loss is much higher than people believe, according to CAPT Martin Lloyd Sanders. This is because of the nature of the job. Military personnel often stands close to firing guns, jet engines or is exposed to explosions. Military service is officially listed as a high-risk occupation for hearing. Dampened aural sense is just the beginning, with numerous other symptoms being prevalent because of exposure to vibration and extreme noise. Ear ringing, for instance, is something that many veterans report.

Lung Problems

Lung problems are common among veterans because of where they were stationed and is more common for those that were deployed overseas. For instance, soldiers stationed in Iraq, at Balad AFB, reported that air was filled with smoke that was coming from the waste disposal burning of the base. Various items were burned there, including paint, metals, medical waste, chemicals, plastics and munitions. Unfortunately, being close to such a burning pit often causes serious lung problems. Smoke toxins led to various eye, lung, skin and even cardiovascular problems.

Traumatic Brain Injuries

Commonly referred to as TBI, traumatic brain injury is a very serious health issue affecting head trauma recipients. Something like this can happen following any object hitting the head, explosive blasts, and heads striking objects, like in car accidents.

In veterans, TBI is often caused by roadside explosive blasts as they were deployed in active war zones. Even if the soldier sits at a large distance, pressure waves caused by explosions will cause damage to brain tissues. Contrary to popular belief, the brain is much more delicate than people say and constant exposure to explosions can lead to TBI.

Final Thoughts

US veterans are faced with numerous health problems and unfortunately, the help offered to them is much less than what it should be. People like Martin Lloyd Sanders fight to make a change but this is hard to do since most people do not even know about the high risks mentioned above, which is just a part of all that could go wrong in a war zone.

Back pain affects more people than many of us realize. Most of us experience back pain at some point, whether it’s through an accident or injury or through the simple act of bending and tying a shoelace and thereby straining our backs. But if your back pain has become chronic, you need relief from the pain. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to help you deal with back pain, and they’re worth a try if you want to feel better, even if only temporarily.

• There is a vicious cycle when it comes to back pain: when you don’t sleep enough, you can get back pain. But when you have back pain, you can’t get the sleep you need. So, what should you do? One thing you can do would be to find a good position for sleeping. You can try to lie on your side rather than on your back. But if you feel better sleeping on your back, you can put a pillow underneath your knees. Pay attention to your mattress as well; a firm mattress is better for back pain.
• You should also watch your posture. The truth is, slouching isn’t good for you. And if you slouch all the time, your back pain can only become worse. If you have to work at a desk, keep your back straight and avoid slumping. Keep your shoulders in a relaxed position with your body leaning against your chair’s back. For further relief, put a pillow or small rolled up towel in the area between your chair and lower back.
• If your back pain has become too intense, you may certainly be tempted to rest and lie down. In the past, many doctors recommended bed rest when it came to back pain. But not anymore – today, doctors say that too much bed rest (more than 48 hours, for instance) may result in worse pain or complications. The best thing you can do is begin moving around again – you can try being more active with activities such as swimming, yoga, or simply
• See a chiropractor. The thing with chronic or regular back pain is that if it goes on for too long, it can begin drastically affecting your quality of life. But although you can take medication for it, such as over-the-counter pain relievers, often, this is not enough. Perhaps further issues need to be addressed, and this is where the help and expertise of a chiropractor can be very useful. A Cirencester chiropractor such as one from Dyer St. Chiropractic can give you an assessment and examination and provide you with a plan for treatment, whether it’s through manipulation, massage, mobilisation, a home exercise plan, or even medical acupuncture. With proper professional help, you have a better chance of addressing your back pain once and for all.