The effects of coffee on the kidneys

the effects of coffee on the kidneys

Coffee may be the most popular drink in the world. It contains a substance called caffeine. Caffeine can be naturally found not only in coffee but tea and chocolate. Medical practitioners usually add caffeine into pain relievers, migraine healers, etc. Caffeine is generally harmless but in some people, it has negative effects such as headaches, stomach upset, and jitters. For people with pre-existing kidney problems, coffee can also affect kidney function.

Here are the effects of coffee (or caffeine) on kidney function:

• Urinate more often. It is caused by diuretics effect of caffeine. 
• Dehydration. Since coffee has diuretic effects, you have to make sure that your fluid intake is enough to prevent dehydration. Dehydration is harmful for the kidney because it can cause acute injury and promote infection on the kidney and also urinary system.
• Urinary incontinence. Coffee can increase the risk of urinary incontinence, especially if you drink more than 400 mg of caffeine a day.
• Kidney stones. Caffeine can increase urinary calcium levels. In a research, it was concluded that there was a moderate increase in the risk of developing kidney stones (especially calcium oxalate stones, the most common type of stones) after a significant caffeine consumption.
• Kidney disease. In a study, it is concluded that people with polycystic kidney disease were more likely to develop larger cysts if they consume caffeine because caffeine can damage kidney function.

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High Cholesterol Symptoms

high cholesterol symptoms

Our body needs cholesterol but actually the need of cholesterol is already filled without additional food intake, because 80% cholesterol is synthesized in the liver and only 20% must be supplied from food. Unfortunately many people have hypercholesterolemia because of their lifestyle. Normally, reference range of cholesterol level is 160-200 mg/dL, and level more than 240 mg/dL is dangerous because it is a major risk factor for stroke and cardiovascular disease.

There are some high cholesterol symptoms:

• Pain or stiffness in the back of the head neck
• This stiffness is also up to shoulder
• Leg swelling
• Easy to accomplish
• Easy sleepy

There are 7 major causes of high cholesterol symptoms :

1. Daily food
2. Body weight, especially obesity
3. Sedentary living
4. Certain age
5. Congenital disorder of cholesterol metabolism
6. Family history of hypercholesterol
7. Smoking

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How to lower triglyceride level

how to lower triglyceride level

Triglyceride is a blood lipid substance that is stored in the fat cells. Increased triglyceride level is a risk factor for many metabolic disease. That's why, it is important for us to lower and to control our triglyceride level.

Excess calories will be stored in fat cells in the form of triglycerides. The function is to provide energy for body cells, to protect vital organs, and to help absorbing vitamins and minerals. Normal range of triglyceride level is less than 150 mg/dl.

These are some metabolic disease that is influenced by increased triglyceride levels:

1. Atherosclerosis. It is the basic mechanism of heart attack and stroke.
2. Diabetes. Increased triglyceride levels will stimulate the release of certain inflammatory cells called "cytokine" in the bloodstream. It will influence the body ability to control blood glucose levels.
3. Metabolic syndrome, that is formed of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and hypertension.
4. Fatty liver disease. Increased triglyceride level cause excessive fat cells to be stored in the liver so it can promote fatty liver disease.
5. Xanthoma. Increased triglyceride levels stimulate itch and acne is hands, foot, and buttocks.

How to lower triglyceride level?

1. Choose the good fat, avoid red meat, butter, and trans fat that are contained in the fast food, such as french fries.
2. Choose the good carbo, such as wheat, oatmeals, brown rice, and avoid refined fluor such as pasta, bread, and noodles.
3. Choose the good protein, high omega-3 fat, that are important in controlling excessive triglyceride synthesis, such as salmon, tuna, sarden, and for vegetarians, you can try walnut and almond.
4. Eat more vegetables and fruits, because they contain fibers that help controlling body weight and lower triglyceride level.
5. Control your body weight. The more kilograms means the more triglyceride level.
6. Physical exercise, to help lowering fat levels.
7. No alcohol. Red wine may be good for health and prevent cardiovascular attack but we have to know exactly about the limit.

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How to prevent migraine headaches

how to prevent migraine headaches

Migraine is a common disorder for many people, approximately affects more than 10 percents of the world population. To prevent migraine headaches, there are some healthy habit you can do. 

One thing you should remember is that the cure of migraine headaches is not permanently working. After few days, sometimes there will be another migraine attacks. It is believed that a healthy diet can prevent migraine headaches naturally. But bad lifestyle and habit can trigger it. 

Here are some ways of how to prevent migraine headaches:

1. On time eating. Skipping meals for any reason can affect our health. A strict diet is also a contributing factor for migraine attacks. If you think that strict diet will reduce your body fat, this will end up as a suddenly increased blood glucose and trigger migraine attack.
2. Regular exercise. A healthy body will make a healthy mind. To stay fit and active, do exercise regularly. This will help prevent migraine headaches.
3. Enough sleep. Too many sleep or lack of sleep will interfere your body rhythm. Ideally, an adult needs 6-7 hours of sleep and not more than 9 hours a day. Maintain your sleep schedule for a better result.
4. Stop smoking. Smoking and alcohol drinking can increase the risk of migraine attack. If you think that you can cope a migraine by smoking, please rethink. Nicotine doesn't only cause an inflammation in throat and lungs, but also can make you psychically addicted. Alcohol contains tyramine that can trigger migraine. If you excessively consume it, alcohol can cause migraine attacks.

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Why does baby cry when defecating

why does baby cry when defecating

Don't be too worry when your baby is screaming and has a changed facial expression while defecating. It may not be a serious medical problem for your baby. Defecating is a new experience for babies, and it is a normal thing. There are some reasons why does baby cry when defecating.

1. Body function is not perfect yet. Defecating while lying is difficult because it needs more pressure, so sometimes your baby will scream and cry. Babies can't sit and have to make an extra effort to coordinate abdominal muscles so the feces can be pushed. 
2. Constipation. If your baby cries while excreting, it may be caused by constipation. Dry feces, and or after few days of no defecation are signs of constipation. To relieve constipation, increase the fluid intake. Add more sugars to his formula milk to soften the feces. If your baby is more than 4 months, you can add fresh juice to his meal. If your baby is already able to take solid meals, add high fiber vegetables such as spinach, peas, pear, and plum. If you have tried all the things and constipation still continues, consult your pediatrician. 
3. Gassiness. Another reason why does baby cry when defecating is a gas pain. Gassiness is caused by inability to digest any nutrition from breast milk, lactation, or hyper syndrome (when mother has excessive milk production). Formula milk, constipation, and gastrointestinal infection can cause gassiness in your baby. Gassiness after drinking milk will be relieved by burping, gently massage your baby's stomach to release trapped air in his stomach. Give your baby some drops of fennel essence to reduce gassiness.

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Lung Cancer Symptoms

lung cancer symptoms

Lung cancer is a kind of cancer that has very bad survival. Generally, 15% of people in the USA diagnosed with lung cancer survive only 5 years after confirmed diagnosis. It is th emost common cause of cancer-related death in both men and women. Lung cancer's death rate is approximately 1.3 millions per year, worldwide.

It is very important to know the risk factors of lung cancer, such as:

• Smoking and secondhand smoke
• Exposure in home and work that may cause lung cancer, such as asbestos, silica, and chromium.
• Family history of lung cancer
• Chest radiotherapy
• Diet, such as arsenic in drinking water, beta-carotene supplements in heavy smoker.

Lung cancer symptoms are listed below:

• Chronic cough
• New wheezing
• Back pain, chest pain, shoulder pain, that are often worsened by deep breathing
• Shortness of breath
• Hoarseness
• Bloody mucus or coughing up blood
• Difficulty in swallowing
• Weight loss in short term
• Clubbing fingers and toes

Lung cancer treatment

• Surgery
• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy

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Obesity Increases The Risk of Migraine

obesity increases the risk of migraine

Body weight and chronic headache and also migraine are closely related, according to the research of Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, USA. "If you can reduce your weight, it will help you lower the risk of migraine", Dr. Lee Peterlin said.

Dr. Lee Peterlin has observed a population consists of overweight people age 20-55. Their Body Mass Index (BMI) are measured. 37% women with obesity have experienced many complaints related to headache, compared to 29% women with normal BMI. For men, 20% with obesity have experienced migraine compared with 16% who have normal BMI. Overall, this research consists of 22,000 subjects.

"We know that exercise and physical activity can reduce the risk of migraine, which directly can reduce the pain", Peterlin explained. The complete explanation will be published in annual meeting of The American Academy of Neurology in Seattle. As we know, migraine is a form of headache, accompanied by some symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, aura, and increased sensitivity to sound and light. The study also conclude that people age 55 and older are the highest risk to have migraine.

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What Are Colon Cancer Symptoms

what are colon cancer symptoms

Colon cancer is the third most common cancer in US men, after lung and prostate cancer, according to National Cancer Institute's reports. In women, it is the second most common cancer, after breast cancer. Overall, 1 in 17 people will develop colon cancer, or known as colorectal cancer. 

The spreading of colon cancer starts locally, so the symptoms are also local. What are colon cancer symptoms?

• Intermitten diarrhea or constipation
• Red blood spot in the stools or rectal bleeding, similar to hemorrhoids.
• "Pencil stools": stools that are thinner than normal
• Feel of uncomplete bowel
• Abdominal discomfort, bloating, cramp, frequent gas pain.
• Fatigue and pale skin

colon cancer symptoms 

If the tumor is getting larger, the colon cancer symptoms are systemic, such as:

• Unexplained weight loss which is losing weight when not dieting
• Extreme tiredness, easy to be tired
• Loss of appetite
• Anemia and jaundice

If you experience the colon cancer symptoms above, first thing to do is going to the doctor to get some diagnostic examinations of colon cancer. The doctor (usually a digestive surgeon) will perform a sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy to exam to condition of colon mucosa.

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Dandruff Natural Treatment

dandruff natural treatment

Dandruff is a common hair problem, marked by white and itchy flake of the skin scalp. It is not contagious but sometimes can be embarrassing and not easy to treat. Dandruff is caused by a yeast-like fungus, named pityrosporum or malassezia. Actually the microorganisms are normally found in the scalp, but in certain conditions such as: stress, immunosuppression, hormonal imbalances, infrequent shampooing, illness, or increased oil production, there will be an inflammation on the scalp and then increase the dead skin cells production. The dead cells will appear as white flake called dandruff.

The good news about dandruff, now the experts have found dandruff natural treatment. What are they?

Biotin

It is a water-soluble vitamin B substance. The function is to help breakdown fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. There are biotin supplements in the market, and also found naturally in some foods, such as: egg yolk, liver, milk, barley, royal jelly, soy, and brewer's yeast. Biotin is also naturally produced by the microorganisms in the intestines. There are some conditions that cause biotin deficiency such as: long term use of antibiotics and raw egg whites eating habit.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Make a mix of 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar with 1/4 cup of water. Pour it into a spray bottle and spritz it on your hair until reach the scalp. After that, wrap you hair with warm towel for about 15 minutes. Do it regularly twice a week.

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil contains antibacterial and antifungal substances. A study has concluded that 5% of tea tree oil used as shampoo solution can significantly reduce dandruff. Now there are many shampoos contain tea tree oil in the drug store and supermarket.

Tar Shampoo
Tar shampoos have been proven as dandruff natural treatment for hundred years. The tar works to decrease cell turnover effectively. It has a strong odor, may stain the shaft or lighter-colored hair but the staining is not permanent. For sensitive skin, it can cause irritation.

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How To Increase HDL Levels

how to increase HDL levels

HDL cholesterol is a protective risk factor for cardiovascular disease, such as stroke, heart attack, and peripheral arterial disease. The higher HDL levels, the lower risk of cardiovascular disease. HDL levels below 40 mg/dl is considered an increased risk of coronary artery disease EVEN those people have normal total cholesterol level and LDL cholesterol level.

These are some steps about how to increase HDL levels:

1. Stop smoking. Cigarettes consist of many oxidants and harmful substances. Besides that, smoking alone is a major risk factor of cardiovascular disease.
2. More exercise. It is very hard to do, but still the best way to gain more HDL level. Exercise, especially the aerobic ones such as rapid walking, jogging, bike riding, for approximately 20-30 minutes per day can be an effective way to raise HDL levels. Duration of exercise is the more important factor than the intensity.
3. Gain normal weight. Obesity is a minor risk factor for cardiovascular disease because it tends to raise LDL levels and reduce HDL levels. Reducing weight can increase HDL levels for you who are in obesity. Important to know that if you have an excess weight especially in abdominal area, you have to pay attention to that. Calculate your waist to hip ratio is important when determining whether you want to concentrate on weight loss.
4. Alcohol. One or two drinks per day, especially red wines, can significantly raise HDL levels. Some studies conclude that red wine gives many advantages such as reduction in triglyceride levels and increase HDL levels, in people with normal body mass index (BMI). So you must keep in mind that you should in a normal BMI first before you can gain benefits from red wine consumption.
5. No more trans fatty acids. Gradually eliminate the consumption of trans fatty acids from your diet because it can increase you LDL levels and reduce HDL levels.
6. Eat more monounsaturated fats, such as avocado, canola oil, olive oil, peanut butter because it can increase your HDL levels without increasing total cholesterol levels.
7. Eat this food to gain more HDL levels:
• Foods containing omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish, salmon, etc
• Calcium supplementation
• Cranberry juice
• Tomato juice
8. More fibers to your diet, such as oatmeal, vegetables, fruits, legumes, at least two servings per day. 

Drugs for raising HDL

• Statins (simvastatin, rosuvastatin) is not effective to raise HDL. It is effective to reduce LDL levels.
• Fibrates (gemfibrozil, fenofibrates) is also not effective to raise HDL. It is effective to reduce triglyceride levels.
• Nicotinic acid (niacin) seems to be the most effective in raising HDL levels. Niacin is a one of vitamin B. This drug has side effects such as flushing, itching, and flushes. Because of that, taking niacin must be supervision of a doctor.

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