What you might really have: vasomotor rhinitis
Doctors usually blame congestion, watery eyes, and serious bouts of sneezing on allergies, but unless you recently moved or changed jobs, it's rare to develop allergies in your 20s and 30s. Instead, your symptoms may be the result of vasomotor rhinitis, a condition triggered by nonallergen irritants, such as perfume, smog, and cigarette smoke, that inflame your nasal mucous membranes, says Patricia Wheeler, M.D., an associate professor of family medicine at the University of Louisville. The allergy medicines you're prescribed won't provide relief.
Your strategy: Schedule a skin-prick test to identify any allergies. No dice? Then it's time to go over potential triggers with your doctor.
Diagnosis: torn meniscus What you might really have: iliotibial-band friction syndrome
The average doctor's first step in diagnosing severe knee pain is an MRI. The test is so sensitive that it almost always reveals tears in the meniscus, the cartilage in your knee joint. "Nine times out of 10, it's normal wear and not the source of the pain," says Ronald Grelsamer, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon at Mt. Sinai Hospital of New York. Surgical treatment "will lead away from the real problem." An MRI won't reveal injuries to your IT band — fibers stretching from your hip to your knee — a source of knee pain that's treated with physical therapy or orthotics.
Your strategy: Request an Ober's test, a physical exam that reveals injuries to the IT band.
Diagnosis: sinus headache What you might really have: migraines
Researchers at the American Headache Society examined 100 people with brain pain and found 86 percent of those who thought they had sinus headaches actually had migraines. "If a doctor hears 'facial pressure,' he'll assume sinus headache," says Craig Schwimmer, M.D., an otolaryngologist in Dallas, Texas. But sinus meds can't defeat the heavyweight of headaches.
Your strategy: Mark every headache you have on your calendar. If they occur regularly for more than 2 weeks, call a neurologist.
Diagnosis: bronchitis
What you might really have: asthma
If you hack it up hard after each cold you catch, the culprit could be "hidden" asthma, says Sidney S. Braman, M.D., a professor of medicine at Brown University medical school. "You shouldn't develop a nagging cough with every cold," he says. "If so, a bug may be triggering asthma you didn't know you had."
Your strategy: Set up a pulmonary-function test to measure lung strength. Lung capacity lower than 80 percent may signal asthma.
Diagnosis: appendicitis What you might really have: an inflamed lymph node or stomach virus
Despite advances in diagnostic screening, 16 percent of appendectomies are performed on patients who don't need them, according to a recent University of Washington study. Appendicitis can be deadly, so doctors are quick to remove the 6-centimeter organ before doing a CT scan to confirm the diagnosis. An inflamed lymph node or virus could produce similar symptoms (and not require surgery).
Your strategy: If blood tests reveal that your white-cell count is over 10,000 cells per microliter, ask for a CT scan of your stomach.
© 2010 Rodale Inc. All rights reserved.
Five most common misdiagnoses for men
7 quick health checks could save your life
The head-in-the-sand approach isn't much of a health-maintenance strategy. Sure, a number of miscellaneous ailments resolve themselves without medical attention. But denial can also leave you dead. A smarter move: Regularly assess your health with a few morning inspections that are easy and accurate. They aren't replacements for routine doctor visits — our legal department wants that made clear — but these DIY checkups can help you sort the trivial from the troubling.
Check for... gums of horror What's the big deal? Any redness, inflammation, or bleeding of your gums might be due to gingivitis, a condition that can progress to periodontal disease. This, in turn, is linked to heart disease — the number one killer of men. How? The bacteria from periodontal disease enter your bloodstream, potentially causing inflammation elsewhere in your body, including your heart. The result: atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. What's more, periodontal disease can signal diabetes. "Blood vessels deliver oxygen and nourishment to body tissues and carry away the tissues' waste products," says Robert Pick, D.D.S., a gum specialist at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. "Diabetes causes blood vessels to thicken, which slows the flow of nutrients and the removal of harmful wastes. This can weaken the gum tissue's resistance to infection."
Gums that are salmon-pink in light-skinned people, or a bit darker in dark-skinned people, indicate that your mouth is healthy and bacteria are in check, says Dr. Pick. But if your gums are red and swollen, and they bleed after brushing, you may have gum disease — or worse. Begin daily flossing, and see your dentist for an intense, below-the-gumline cleaning and application of antibiotics.
Check again in: 1 week
Check for... clogged nasal passages What's the big deal? Take a deep breath. Did you inhale through your nose or through your mouth? If it was your mouth, then your nasal passages may be obstructed, probably due to allergic rhinitis, the symptoms of which can include sneezing, itchy eyes, runny nose, and general stuffiness. Or if those symptoms accompany coughing and wheezing, you might have asthma. "Asthma can permanently reduce lung function if it's not treated quickly," says Bradley Marple, M.D., a rhinologist at the University of Texas Southwestern medical center. Clogged nasal passages can also contribute to sleep apnea, a condition that's usually also accompanied by snoring and about 20 pounds of extra body weight. Consult a physician right away if you have all three symptoms.
To flush out the allergens, pollutants, and mucus that either cause or worsen congestion, try a nasal lavage before bed. Mix 1/4 teaspoon of salt into 2 cups of warm water, and fill a bulb syringe with the solution. Bend over a sink, cock your head to one side, and insert the tip of the syringe no more than a half inch into one of your nostrils. Squeeze the bulb until all the saline solution has run out through the other nostril. Repeat on the other side. (Not good with recipes? Try Simply Saline, an OTC saline solution with a built-in applicator.)
Check again in: 1 week
Check for... runaway heart rate What's the big deal? Your resting heart rate (RHR) indicates how hard your heart is working to pump blood. It's not only a good indicator of your overall fitness, but it can also signal diabetes or heart disease if it's high. In fact, Italian researchers found that having an RHR above 70 beats per minute (bpm) increases your risk of dying of heart disease by at least 78 percent
To check your resting heart rate, pee first; a full bladder may elevate your heart rate. Then sit for a minute or two before taking your pulse at either your neck or your wrist. Count the number of times your heart beats in 15 seconds, and then multiply that number by 4 for your bpm. As a rule, 40 to 60 bpm indicates a high level of cardiovascular fitness, notes Adam St. Pierre, M.S., an exercise physiologist at the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine. "A regular cardio exercise program should knock a beat or two in your heart rate within 2 to 8 weeks," he says.
Check again in: 1 week
Check for... the wrong kind of belly What's the big deal? Men gain weight around their middles, and studies have shown that deeply seated abdominal fat (called visceral fat) bumps up your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and some types of cancer.
Unlike the fat that resides just under the skin, visceral fat collects deep within your abdomen, filling the spaces between your organs and increasing the risk of inflammation throughout your body. Worse, it can lead to insulin resistance, which forces your pancreas to boost insulin production in order to clear your bloodstream of glucose, says Michael Jensen, M.D., a Mayo Clinic endocrinologist. (Insulin resistance is a precursor to diabetes.)
Your belly is bulging from visceral fat if you can't pinch or grab a fold. Have some belly to burn off? Step 1: Watch what you eat. To figure out how much you should be taking in, simply multiply your target body weight by 11. That's your daily calorie allotment. Then make sure you're burning about 2,000 calories a week through exercise. In a Duke University study, that amount of activity reduced visceral fat stores by 7 percent.
Check again in: 1 week
Check for... moles behaving badly What's the big deal? Most men diagnosed with melanoma — usually after age 40 — have had it for some time and either ignored the signs or simply didn't notice them. Melanoma in a guy is typically found on his head, neck, or upper back, so it's tough to spot and catch early.
"After your shower, scan your skin for anything that looks unusual," says Linda K. Franks, M.D., a clinical assistant professor of dermatology at New York University. Specifically, check for the ABCDE's of mole surveillance: asymmetry, borders (blurry or jagged edges), color (black or multihued), diameter (more than a quarter inch across, or growing), and evolving (changing size or shape). If you note any alarming marks, have your dermatologist eyeball them and perform a biopsy if necessary.
Of course, the best way to beat melanoma is to prevent it, so use sunblock as well. Dr. Franks recommends Olay Complete SPF 30 Defense, a nongreasy lotion that provides UVA and UVB protection and also includes a moisturizer.
Check again in: 1 month
Check for... stiff muscles What's the big deal? Poor flexibility in your upper back can predispose you to lower-back pain and injury. If you sit at a desk for long hours without moving, or if you're doing a lot of lifting to build your chest muscles but not stretching them out and not strengthening your upper back, your shoulders and neck will hunch forward, notes trainer Bill Hartman, P.T., C.S.C.S. This will limit your upper-back mobility, causing you to overuse your lower back and leading to pain and discomfort.
Stay limber with a pec stretch. Stand in a doorway with your right forearm and palm resting fully on the jamb, and your arm bent 90 degrees. Now lean into the doorway and away from your arm until you feel the stretch. Hold for 30 seconds, and repeat with your left arm. Follow this with your favorite barbell row, dumbbell row, or cable row for 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps to balance your pushes.
Check again in: 2 weeks
Check for... lousy memory What's the big deal? Can't recall where you just placed your socks? You're probably stressed out. The stress hormone cortisol temporarily short-circuits memory.
Check your memory — and improve it — with an "N-back" exercise in the morning. Pick a word, such as "economy," while you're watching the morning news. Every time someone says the word, come up with the word that person said two (or five) words before it. "This exercise can evaluate how much you can deal with mentally at one time, and then boost it," says Bridgid Finn, Ph.D., a research scientist at the Memory Lab at Washington University in St. Louis. Then consider going for a run. Cardiovascular exercise shunts extra oxygen to your brain, boosting your mental acuity in general. In fact, a recent Duke University review of studies found that cardio work improves attention, brain-processing speed, and memory. It'll help bust that stress, too.
Check again in: 1 week
© 2010 Rodale Inc. All rights reserved.
New moms get enough sleep, just not good sleep
Contrary to popular belief, new mothers may often get a decent amount of sleep in their babies' first few months -- but it's not a good-quality sleep, a new study suggests.
The study, which followed a group of new moms, found that on average, the women got just over 7 hours of sleep per night during their babies' first four months. That is within what's generally recommended for adults, and, based on past studies, more than the average American gets.
On the other hand, the study found, that sleep is also frequently disrupted -- with the women typically being awake for a total of two hours overnight.
The finding may not sound surprising, especially to parents. But the study does challenge a central assumption about new mothers' typical sleep patterns, according to lead researcher Dr. Hawley E. Montgomery-Downs, an assistant professor of psychology at West Virginia University in Morgantown.
That assumption, she told Reuters Health, has been that most new moms are sleep-deprived -- that is, not getting enough hours of sleep.
So the advice on how to combat daytime fatigue has focused on countering sleep deprivation, Montgomery-Downs said -- such as the age-old adage to "nap when your baby naps."
But the current results, reported in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, suggest that new mothers' highly fragmented sleep is what's behind their daytime fatigue.
That sleep pattern, Montgomery-Downs said, is similar to what's seen with certain sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea, where people log enough hours in bed, but get little restorative, good-quality sleep.
Sleep occurs in repeated cycles that each last about 90 minutes to two hours. Depending on how often a new mom is waking up, she may get few or no full cycles of sleep, Montgomery-Downs noted.
And a quick daytime nap is unlikely to counter that.
"We need to think about what kinds of strategies can help consolidate sleep" for these mothers, Montgomery-Downs said. One tactic, she suggested, could be for breastfeeding moms to find time to pump milk and store it in bottles so that they do not have to be the ones to always get up with the baby.
And while quick naps might not do much, Montgomery-Downs noted that "if you're one of the lucky parents" whose infants typically nap for at least two straight hours, taking that time to sleep could be helpful.
The findings are based on 74 new mothers who were followed between either the second and 13th week of their infants' lives, or between the 9th and 16th week. The women kept track of their sleep patterns using sleep "diaries," and also wore a wristwatch-like device called an actigraph that recorded their movements during the night.
Contrary to expectations, the researchers found that the women's average sleep time was about what it should be, at 7.2 hours. Instead, sleep fragmentation was the issue.
Relatively few mothers tried napping as a countermeasure. By the third week of their infants' lives, less than half of the women in the study said they napped, and among those who did, the average was twice per week.
Daytime fatigue, a problem reported by many new mothers in other studies, is a concern for several reasons, according to Montgomery-Downs. One is that, in some women, sleep problems and exhaustion may contribute to postpartum depression.
Beyond that, Montgomery-Downs said, fatigue can also hinder people's ability to drive safely or hurt their performance at work.
She argued that mothers' fragmented sleep and daytime fatigue call for a reconsideration of maternity work leave in the U.S. Right now, national policy states that workplaces with 50 or more employees have to offer up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave; the U.S. is the only Western country that does not mandate some amount of paid parental leave.
So many women, Montgomery-Downs said, may have to go back to work at a time when "they should really be taking care of themselves."
SOURCE: http://link.reuters.com/vyp28n
Go ahead and argue, it can be good for ur health
A little arguing now and then is good for you, if done for the right reasons, a new study suggests.
The results show when people experience tension with someone, whether their boss, spouse, or child, sidestepping confrontation could be bad for their health. Avoiding conflict was associated with more symptoms of physical problems the next day than was actually engaging in an argument.
Bypassing bickering was also associated with abnormal rises and falls of the stress hormone cortisol throughout the day.
"Relationships have important influences on how we feel on a daily basis, especially the problems in our relationships," said study researcher Kira Birditt, of the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan. "How we deal with problems affects our daily well-being," she said.
Previous research has shown married couples who avoid argumentsare more likely to die earlier than their expressive counterparts. Another study found that expressing angercontributes to a sense of control and optimism that doesn't exist in people who respond in a fearful manner.
The study was presented here on Aug. 12 at the 118th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association.
To fight or not to fight In a previous study, Birditt and her colleagues found that the most common way for people to deal with their interpersonal problems is to simply avoid them. The researchers wanted to know the health impacts of this avoidance behavior.
They analyzed data from 1,842 adults ages 33 to 84 who took part in the Nation Study of Daily Experiences. Each day for eight days, participants were asked whether they had engaged in an argumentor whether they had experienced a situation in which they could have argued but decided to let it pass without a fight. The subjects also gave saliva samples for four of the days.
Most participants, 62 percent, said they sidestepped arguments at some point during the study, 41 percent reported engaging in conflict. Twenty-seven percent of participants indicated no tension.
Those who had some type of tension (whether they avoided it or not) reported more negative emotions, such as feeling upset or angry, and physical symptoms, including nausea or aches and pains, than did people who didn't experience any tension during those eight days.
However, avoiding conflict was associated with having more of these physical symptoms the following day, Birditt said.
Stressed out Abstaining from arguments was also linked to an unusual daily cortisol pattern. Typically, a person experiences a peak in their cortisol levels just after waking, and the stress hormone declines throughout the day. People who avoided arguments saw a sharper rise in their morning cortisol levels and a slower decline over time. "They're less able to calm down over the course of a day," Birditt said.
While the researchers aren't sure what this could mean in terms of overall physical health, it's thought that any abnormalities in daily cortisol patterns could be problematic, Birditt said.
Interestingly, those who argued actually saw a lower rise in their morning cortisol levels. This might be because "people who have lots of arguments and chronic stresses in their relationships are less reactive to tension over time," Birditt said. Essentially a ticking bomb versus one that's already released its power in a more gradual way.
Future work might shed light on the cortisol-arguing link and its impact on health. In addition, Birditt hopes future work might reveal whether it's better to avoid arguments in certain situations, say with a coworker, and engage in them in others, like with a spouse.
About Calories and Weight Gain
Calories and Weight Gain
Body needs vary within individuals for maintaining a stable metabolic function. Metabolic function is defined as how quickly a body uses energy - in this case how many calories it uses per day to maintain function. Between 2000-2500 calories per day is considered an average amount of calories needed to keep your metabolic rate in constant and consistent activity.
Adding 1000 extra calories per day is gaining weight at 2 pounds per week. Some caloric needs may exceed 2500 calories per day; the key is to increase the needed calories by at least 1000 calories per day, since you need calories to gain weight.
Burning Calories with Working Out
Exercise does burn calories so to gain weight while exercising requires having more calories in your diet when working out. Calorie supplements can give you the extra boost you need. The best weight gain supplements will provide the most calories and the most extra nutrients like protein, carbohydrates, fats, sugars, fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Calorie Supplements and Weight Gain
If you are a patient fighting a disease like cancer or AIDS, there may be times when, despite your best efforts, you don't want to eat. Even if you have the option of high calorie, nutritious and tasty meals, you may be too tired, nauseous or just not in the mood. In times like these, calorie supplements can come in handy. Nutritional and calorie supplements should not be a staple in your diet, but they can be a real help in a pinch. These calorie supplements, especially when they are nutrient, vitamins and minerals can help you maintain a weight, or add calories when you are trying to gain weight.
High Calorie Foods
Packaged foods have the nutritional value and calorie count on the label. Chose the brand of product with the higher calories if you have a choice. Look in dietary and nutrition books for a list of high calorie foods for weight gain. Try to avoid Packaged foods packed with salt and preservatives. Salt will help you retain water, which makes your weight appear higher then it really is. Focus on highly nutritious foods with natural fat content like eggs and avocados.
Calories
Calorie usage depends on activity levels, the more active, the more calories are used. It takes 1.5 calories a minute to keep the body operating smoothly, without additional activity. When the activity level increases the rate of calorie usage goes up. If you are exercising regularly and find that you are not putting on weight, in the form of muscle, you may want to look at introducing a calorie supplement into your diet. This will give you the extra calories you need for weight gain and should offer extra nutrients and vitamins to maintain your health and well being.
Extra Calories
Gaining weight requires finding extra calories when you have meals or snacks. Add sugar to your coffee, put sugar on your cereal, add dressing to your salads, choose high calorie brands of a product, choose the higher calorie canned fruit, Choose raisins over grapes, cook oat meal with milk, put butter and sour cream on your potato, put cheese on sandwiches, use mayonnaise with tuna. All can add extra calories for gaining weight.
Gaining Weight and Calories
Gaining weight requires more calories than your body needs. The body needs1.5 calories each minute just keeping the body functioning. With additional movements, that amount can more than double to over 180 calories per hour. High calorie foods and calorie supplements provide the extra caloric intake needed to exceed the functional amount of calories. Every extra calorie is needed to gain weight
The Effect of High Calories on the Body
Gaining weight is a challenge and requires a dedication to add those extra pounds. It need not be a long term activity. A weight gain diet is rich but is not a permanent process. Reach your goal and then maintain with less rich foods. Proper dental hygiene will neutralize the effect of sugar, a six month plan to gain weight is not a lifetime of rich eating, and proper exercise will tone the body and exercise the muscles, including the heart. The objective is to gain only the wanted extra pounds not continue to add excessive weight with higher calorie foods.
Protein Shakes and Weight Gain
Protein shakes alone are not effective for weight gain. Protein has been found to speed up metabolism in the body, so the body utilizes more calories more quickly. The more calories you use, the more you lose weight, not gain weight. Protein alone is a spiral away from weight gain. A combination of protein, fats and carbohydrates gain weight. .
Getting Extra Calories
Become a high calorie detective by reading food labels and nutritional books. Not all ice cream or canned fruit is alike for offering high calories. Choose the high calorie brands. Avoid the diet sodas and add salad dressings. Butter the toast and add jams and jellies. Add sugar to your tea and coffee. All calories add up. A high calorie supplement is also ideal for adding extra calories for gaining weight. Remember though, its better to add a lot of healthy extra food into your diet, than to gain weight eating a bunch of junk food.
Caloric Content
You need to choose high calorie foods for weight gain. A few examples of high calorie foods are: English muffin with butter: 345 calories, 1 cup mashed potatoes: 200 calories, apple pie slice: 400 calories, 4 slices of bacon: 700 calories, 2 fried eggs: 215 calories, 2 pork chops: 500 calories, coconut cream pie slice: 450 calories, 8oz chocolate milk: 290 calories, 1 cup chili and beans: 300 calories, avocado salad with dressing: 350 calories, ¼ pound T-bone steak with melted butter: 600 calories, 8 oz cheese ravioli: 625 calories.
