Quality Prescription Drugs Health and Happiness Blog

August 26, 2010

Man Discovers a Bullet in His Head after 5 Years

Filed under: health — Tags: cyst, doctor, gun, gun shot, health, new year's, safety — John @ 8:41 pm

After recurring pain in his head, the man decided to finally go and see a doctor to discover what the root of the problem was. He went in expecting the doctor to tell him he had a cyst, but discovered he had a .22 caliber bullet lodged in the back of his head.

The man said that he remembered being hit in the head during a 2004 or 2005 New Year’s party, but quickly dismissed the blow as anything serious, as he was intoxicated at the time. The wound from the bullet would eventually heal, covering the bullet and leaving a bump in the man’s head. Only recently did the man decide to finally get this bump examined.

Police are not treating this incident as anything suspicious as they say the bullet most likely came from celebratory gun shot into the air as people welcomed in the New Year. The bullet has been successfully removed and from the man’s head and he should be able to leave the hospital later this week.

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August 25, 2010

Cautions of Energy Drinks

Filed under: nutrition — Tags: acidity, caffeine, canadian health care, cautions, dangers, energy drinks, high blood pressure, increased heart rate, insulin — Candace @ 7:54 pm

When you are tired and beat up and need to stay awake, what do you rely on? Energy drinks! An energy drink keeps you alive and rejuvenated. Energy drinks are becoming increasingly popular. In 2006 alone, over 500 different types of energy drinks were newly added to the market. These new non-alcoholic products were directed mainly towards teens. This makes it easier for teens to mix energy drinks with alcohol. Energy drinks are often confused with sports drinks although they are completely different.

Caffeine – Energy drinks contain caffeine which, although provides alertness, is also extremely addicting. There is also a high concentration of caffeine in energy drinks, which many people find controversial.

Contents – Energy drinks are made from caffeine, sugar, and other herbs which provide alertness. On the other hand sports drinks contain mainly electrolytes and sodium which helps the body to retain important liquids.

Acidity – Soda, pop, and energy drinks are very acidic. On the 14 point pH scale (1 being very acidic and 14 being very basic, with 7 being the normal pH level,) pop is in the acidic part of the spectrum at 2 pH; this is extremely acidic. Acids, sugars, and artificial sweeteners can shorten one’s lifespan. New diseases which are often associated with old age are now being found in younger people.

Insulin Levels – Energy drinks cause concerning levels of insulin. High dosages of sugar can cause the average person to feel like they are energy-full but after the high, there is a giant drop in insulin levels. The stimulants in energy drinks can boost the heart rate and blood pressure to dangerous levels.

Overuse – If one energy drink will give you a buzz for a couple of hours, then wouldn’t 3 of 4 give you a buzz that will last the whole night? If you read closely there is small writing on each and every energy drink that suggests you drink no more than 2 energy drinks per day.

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August 23, 2010

Shaping Up This Summer

Filed under: weight loss — Tags: calories, exercise, lose weight, nutrition, weight training — Nicole @ 9:25 pm

If you’ve found yourself to be overly conscious of your midline this summer, you’re not alone. Close to sixty percent of Canadians are struggling with the same problem. This fat that is stored on your midline has larger implications than making it difficult to fit into your favorite pair of jeans, this excess weight contributes to your risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type-2 diabetes, as well as heart disease and stroke. Summer is a great time to start getting in shape – the gorgeous weather outside and warm temperatures make for a comfortable workout environment before fall sets in. By starting a workout routine in the summer, you implement a habit that carries into the fall, and provides a healthy activity for when the skies become gray, as well as an excellent way to manage your weight.

Although the easiest way to lose that spare tire might seem to be a spot workout, say doing one hundred crunches per day; the best workouts incorporates aerobic activity, strength training and healthy eating in order to effectively help you to lose weight.

Aerobic Activity is essentially the calorie-burning component of any great work out, and helps to control weight by using the excess calories that would otherwise be stored as fat. Aerobic activities can include dancing, jogging, bicycling, racket sports, skiing, rowing or using aerobic equipment such as a treadmill or elliptical machine at your local fitness gym. Many other activities may also classify as aerobic activities, so long as they increase your heart rate and cause you to sweat. Many workout plans recommend that aerobic activity lasts for a significant amount of time, in order to burn as many calories as possible. Participating in an aerobic activity for half an hour to an hour each day is a crucial part of any effective workout training, and will help you get back into shape within weeks.

Strength Training helps to shape up your body after aerobic activity. This component of an effective workout may include core exercises and weight training, which builds muscle in the body and additionally raises metabolism, allowing for more calories to be burned during aerobic activities. If you’re just starting a new workout regimen, take strength training slow. You may wish to consider enrolling in a boot camp or engaging a personal trainer to help you start your strength training on the right track.

Healthy Eating is an especially important component of any effective weight loss plan. Without engaging in a healthy diet, all of the work that you put into both strength training and aerobic training essentially goes to waste. A healthy diet means that you eat balanced meals of regular portion size, which include all of the essential food groups. By eating all of your grains, dairy products, vegetable and protein servings, you’ll be able to supply your body with the energy it needs to function properly every day. A healthy diet will not only promote your weight loss, it’ll make you feel good each day too!

Losing weight is an uphill battle that takes perseverance and planning, but with an excellent workout schedule that incorporates aerobic training, strength training and healthy eating, you’ll have no problem shaping up this summer.

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Chalk River Nuclear Reactor Is Once Again Producing Medical Isotopes

Filed under: health — Tags: cancer, diagnosis, health, heart, heart disease, medical isotopes, nuclear — John @ 9:25 pm

The Chalk River nuclear reactor, in Ontario, Canada, is finally up and running once again. The reactor, which will turn 53 years old later this year, was shut down May 15, 2009, originally for a month of maintenance. However, the reactor would stay inactive for 15 months as several repairs were made, including a heavy water leak.

The lengthy closure of this facility sent much of the medical world scrambling. The nuclear reactor is responsible for producing a third of the world’s medical isotopes. By closing the production for over a year, the world experienced a global shortage of the important isotopes.

The isotopes produced from the reactor are used in many tests, including those to diagnose cancer and heart ailments. During the 15 months where the isotopes were in short supply, doctors were forced to reschedule procedures and push back treatments. Thankfully now, the reactor is running smoothly and is once again producing the very important medical isotopes.

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Increased Risk of Asthma in Teens Linked to Tylenol

Filed under: Asthma — Tags: acetaminophen, Asthma, eczema, health, nasal congestion, safety, teenagers, teens, Tylenol — John @ 9:24 pm

Recently, a study in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine discovered something rather alarming. The results of the study suggest that teenagers who take acetaminophen, better known as Tylenol, have a much higher risk of developing asthma, allergic nasal conditions, and eczema.

If you are thinking “I’ll be fine because I only take Tylenol once and a while,” then you are very wrong. The study showed that teens that used acetaminophen at least once per year were up to 43% more likely to have asthma. If you take acetaminophen every month than your risk increased 2 ½ times. Teens who took acetaminophen at least once a month were 99% more likely to have eczema. Nasal congestion was also linked to acetaminophen use.

I’m sure that further testing will have to occur in order to determine if there are any other risks, especially if Tylenol is still safe for teenagers. While I believe that Tylenol will still be considered safe, it is important to monitor these kinds of events in order to protect the public, especially those that may be more affected by the risks of commonly used medicines. Teens are greatly affected by many interactions during their growing and developmental stages. Because there are so many important changes during the teenage years, the safety of medications for this age group must be thoroughly tested, as any internal reactions, especially with drugs, can cause serious damage.

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August 12, 2010

Exposure to Second-Hand Smoke Linked to Mental Disorders

Filed under: Smoking — Tags: cancer, depression, mental disorders, quitting smoking, second hand smoke, smokes, Smoking — Candace @ 4:32 pm

Smoking has been linked to depression and other mental health conditions, but recently it was found that not only smokers are prone to this, but also those exposed to second hand smoke are also at an increased risk.

The study looked at over 5,600 people who do not smoke, and about 2,600 who do smoke. Using a questionnaire the researchers found out that people who do not smoke, but are exposed to second-hand smoke were 1.5 times as likely to suffer from psychological symptoms as non-smokers who were not exposed to second hand smoke. Although people who actually smoke are 4 times more likely to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital than those who have not smoked or been exposed to second hand smoke, it is astonishing to find that those exposed people are also 3 times as likely to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital. It is still unknown whether those who establish mental health problems are more likely to start smoking or if smoking helps cause the mental health problems.

So far it is only known that mental health and smoking are connected, but further research is needed to develop these ideas. Now that these risks have been increased, smoking warnings are becoming increasingly serious. Smoking has been linked to heart disease, lung cancer, cancer of the larynx, cancer of the oral cavity or esophagus, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and most recently, mental conditions. Exposure to second-hand smoke has been linked to causing sudden infant death syndrome, acute respiratory infections, ear problems, severe asthma, slowing lung growth in children, and mental diseases.

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Eight Ingredients That Will Turn You Off Smoking Forever

Filed under: Smoking — Tags: quit smoking, quitting smoking, smoking facts, why quit smoking — Nicole @ 4:32 pm

Each cigarette in a pack of smokes contains thousands of chemicals, including up to six hundred additives and flavorings. When a cigarette is ignited, approximately four thousand chemicals are released – and then inhaled into the lungs. If you smoke, you’ve probably heard of numerous reasons to quit, and also the numerous conditions that can be caused by smoking. These chemicals are responsible for the damaging conditions caused by smoking, and will continue to cause damage for as long as you continue to expose yourself to them.

Eight of the Friends in Your Cigarette:

Nicotine: This chemical is supplied in the tobacco in your cigarette, and is additionally the reason that you keep smoking. The addictive component of nicotine causes you to crave your next cigarette, and makes quitting smoking nearly as hard as breaking a heroin or cocaine addiction. Nicotine influences your brain within seven seconds of inhaling smoke from a cigarette, causing your blood pressure to rise and the tiny blood vessels under your skin to constrict, causing wrinkles.

Tar: This ingredient is the main contributor to the throat and lung cancer that can be caused by smoking cigarettes. Tar additionally leaves yellowing stains on your fingers, teeth and lung tissue.

Carbon Monoxide: If you’ve visited a house that has been built in the last five years, you may have noticed that it was equipped with a carbon monoxide detector, because no amount of carbon monoxide is safe to come into contact with. This poisonous gas has a drastic effect on your body and inhibits your ability to absorb oxygen, limiting the amount of physical activity that you are able to participate in.

Hydrogen Cyanide: This chemical is the poison that is used in the gas chambers; it’s already recognized as a lethal substance. Although the dosage found in cigarettes is relatively small, hydrogen cyanide is still able to disable the filter system in your lungs by damaging the tiny hairs that usually prevent toxic substances from entering your lungs.

Benzene: This chemical was originally used in many industrial products, but has since been removed because of its high toxicity and additionally because it was linked to the cause of leukemic cancer within the body.

Formaldehyde: This chemical is generally used in the process of embalming, which is implicated to preserve dead bodies. Formaldehyde is additionally a substance that is also known to cause cancer.

Arsenic: Do you remember that ant problem you had last year? It was so bad that you had to put out ant traps, which definitely took care of the problem. Arsenic is the poisonous substance that is generally found in ant poison, and has the same effect on the inner tissues of your body as those poor ants – extermination.

Phosphorus: The inhalation of this chemical will cause severe damage to your body over time – prolonged phosphorous poisoning is associated with serious bone decay.

When you smoke a cigarette, you expose your lungs, bloodstream and organs to these eight chemicals, plus another three thousand nine hundred and ninety-two chemicals that haven’t been mentioned. If you ever needed a reason to quit smoking, just what you’re smoking might be the reason you’re looking for.

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Conceiving After a Miscarriage

Filed under: pregnancy — Tags: miscarriage, pregnancy — Tanveen @ 4:32 pm

Having a miscarriage can be a very traumatic event for most women. Often women who were soon to be mothers are not able to move on after having lost their child. On the other hand, there are also many women who only realize they were pregnant after having a miscarriage or in some cases do not know at all. This type of miscarriage occurs so early that the women who is pregnant may not have even missed her first period yet.

A recent study was conducted where approximately 30 000 women were studied. The results have been derived from the years 1981- 2000 and from women who went to Scottish hospitals. The discovery made was that women who conceived within six months of their miscarriage were more likely to have a healthy pregnancy with little complication. It was found that the longer women waited after their miscarriage the more risks ad complications they were subject to.

Women who became pregnant within six months of their miscarriage had a better chance of delivering a baby without having a caesarean, having a baby of normal weight, and not delivering prematurely. They also had a 66% lower chance of having a miscarriage in comparison to women who waiting up to a year to become pregnant again.

As I mentioned before, women who have lost their child after having them in their womb for upwards of five months will probably take longer and wait until they have their next pregnancy. This occurs for a number of reasons. Many women grief for the child they lost and are just scared for their next pregnancy.

The results found from this study do not encourage women who have just had a miscarriage to jump into their next pregnancy even if they are not ready for it. It is predicted that these results are the way they are because women are just more careful right after having their miscarriage.

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July 27, 2010

7 Mosquito Bite Remedies

Filed under: remedies — Tags: advil, anti-inflammatory, bug bites, calamine lotion, immune system, itching, mosquito, swelling — Amanda @ 8:24 pm

It’s that time of year again – its mosquito season! Get out your “Off” bug spray and calamine lotion out to prepare for those annoying, itchy, and swollen mosquito bites.

All people experience different reactions to mosquito bites. A bite can swell up to an alarming size or remain as a small bump. The reason for this is simple; when a female mosquito (males do not bite) lands on you and inserts her proboscis into your skin, some of her saliva enters your skin as well. The saliva contains proteins that stop your blood from clotting which allows her to drink. After she has bitten you, the saliva remains in the wound and provokes an immune response from your body. The swelling can go away quickly but the itching will remain until your immune system has fully broken down the saliva protein left in your skin.

Mosquitoes tend to bite children more often than adults so make sure you give your child the proper bug protection to ward away pests. If you or your child is suffering from itchy or painful mosquito bites, here are some ways that can ease the itch!

1. Clean the Area- Wash the infected area with soap and water to wash away any bacteria left on the skin

2. Stop Scratching! - Avoid scratching the area – it seems that as soon as we start scratching it becomes more and more itchy. Not to mention this can cause bleeding and scarring.

3. Stop the Itch - Apply anti-itching medications like calamine lotion and cortisone creams on the bite before you even touch it. This will prevent itching before it becomes unbearable.

4. The Itch Won’t stop! - If the itch is too much to handle, rub a topical anesthetic containing pramoxine on the bite right away. Medications like PrameGel and Caladryl work wonders.

5. Sooth and Cool - Apply an ice pack to the area for temporary relief and to prevent you from scratching

6. Use a Homemade Remedy - Try a rubbing on a homemade remedy like a paste made of baking soda and water, or put a dab of toothpaste on the bite for soothing relief. A freshly cut onion can also help.

7. If You’re Allergic - If you tend to experience allergic reactions to mosquito bites, use an anti-inflammatory medication like Advil, Motrin, or Alleve to reduce pain, redness, itching, and swelling.

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July 21, 2010

The Truth About Cholesterol

Filed under: cholesterol, cholestrol, heart conditions — Tags: bad cholesterol, good cholesterol, high cholesterol, ldl cholesterol, low cholesterol, lower cholesterol — Nicole @ 8:48 pm

Cholesterol is a type of fat that is found in the blood that your body uses on a regular basis to make cell membranes, vitamin D and hormones. There are two forms of cholesterol – low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL). LDL cholesterol is often regarded as the bad form of cholesterol because it can build up plaque along the arterial walls. However, while high levels of cholesterol are not normal, they are not necessarily the prime indicator for the risk of heart-attack that they are perceived to be. In fact, there are several studies that have shown that low levels of cholesterol can lead to many other serious conditions as well.

Cholesterol plays numerous roles in the biochemistry of our bodies. It aids body repairs, and is often found in scar tissue. Cholesterol helps the body to digest food and additionally waterproof the cells within our bodies. Much of our bodily functions can be attributed to cholesterol in some way. Some researchers suspect that a healthy level of cholesterol may reduce the risk of cancers. When the body is not able to produce enough cholesterol, whether it’s because of cholesterol-lowering drugs or other reasons, the natural balance of the body is interrupted; leading to an array of problems including blood sugar problems, edema, infertility, reduced libido, allergies, chronic inflammation and difficulty healing.

It’s true that high cholesterol can contribute to the risk of heart attack, stroke and heart disease; however, it’s also extremely important to remember that low cholesterol isn’t necessarily a good thing either. The best way to control your cholesterol so that it remains at a healthy level is through diet and exercise. If it’s not possible or effective for you to manage your cholesterol in this way, and you plan to use a cholesterol-lowering medication, you may wish to talk to your doctor about taking a CoQ10 supplement, which will ensure that your cellular energy production remains normal.

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