Foods to avoid morning sickness

Morning sickness, as pregnancy nausea and vomiting is still popularly called, is probably the most talked about and infamous of all pregnancy signs and symptoms. And that is no surprise, because hanging over the toilet every day is certainly very unpleasant! The vast majority of pregnant women – as many as three quarters – suffer from morning sickness. It can be triggered by certain foods or smells, or can seemingly strike randomly. Some women vomit regularly, while others just feel nauseous. 

• No matter how often you feel sick, at what time of the day, and whether morning sickness actually makes you vomit or not, you probably wish it would just go away already! Thankfully, there are many things we can do to get some relief. Here are some dietary changes you can make to reduce your pregnancy nausea at least a little bit. These are some tried and tested tips from women who have gone before you.

• Low blood sugar levels and pregnancy nausea are closely linked. You can avoid a dip in your blood sugar levels by eating small meals frequently. Snacks that are rich in proteins are the best, and many women find that eating every few hours makes them feel a lot better

• A deficiency in vitamin B6 can cause nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, so boosting your levels of this vitamin may fight morning sickness. You can do this either by taking supplements, using herbs rich in Vitamin B6, or through food sources.

• Eat a bland cracker or a dry slice of toast before getting out of bed. This really helps many pregnant women get through their first trimesters. Herbalists sometimes recommend that you put a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar into a cup of hot water and drinking it while still in bed as well.

• Ginger is a great remedy for nausea, whether you are pregnant or not. It can be used in tea, fresh ginger can be chopped up for use in Asian meals, or you can by the sugared version.

In addition, avoiding the smells and foods that you have found to trigger your nausea is a good idea, if possible. Common triggers include smells of coffee, fish, and dusty rooms. Physical activity and fresh air can also aid in combating morning sickness.

Online Diagnosis for the Baby Boomer Generation

Ever heard the expression “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks?” Well, pardon the comparison, but for America’s Baby Boomers, computer technology, social networking sites, Groupon and email are all the rage with today’s Internet savvy Boomer generation. As the health care industry is naturally progressing, it makes sense that the Internet is playing a large role in this evolution. When you combine the need for health care with a computer confident demographic, you now have set the perfect scene for online diagnosis and treatment all in one place. 

 

Statically Baby Boomers are taking the Web by storm. There are currently more than 16 million seniors engaging in social sites including MySpace, Twitter and Facebook. Last year, the oldest known Twitter user 104-year-old Ivy Bean gained a huge following across the world and remained active with her tweets until her death in July. She serves as just one example of the collective change in the way older generations perceive technology.

So how does this apply to health care?

Think about the last time you went to a doctor. You may have had a quick exam but the majority of the time you spent during the face-to-face visit was probably spent discussing medical history or perhaps certain symptoms. The diagnosis for many non-life threatening conditions, such as erectile dysfunction or hair loss therapy, is made largely through the patient’s discussion of symptoms. Imagine not having to leave your home to get the same level of healthcare? You cut down on gas costs, office visit fees and time spent in the waiting room. For many, especially those who may no longer be able to drive or have mobility limitations, this solution is ideal.

Currently developers are working on products that will allow doctor’s access to live information from the patient, including vitals like heart rate, blood pressure and temperature. Software which permits doctors and patients to “meet” via webcam is already being used today.

So why isn’t everyone ready to welcome this type of health care with open arms? Unfortunately, like nearly every industry, there are some companies who have compromised patient safety simply to turn a profit. Perhaps the most commonly recognized example of this is the online Viagra market. Unsolicited email after email seems to fill the average email junk folder and everywhere we look there are offers for “enhancing” this or “lengthening” that.

In men 65 years old and older, 15-25% experience erectile dysfunction and many will go to great lengths to remedy the condition. The medical world has acknowledged the fact that throughout a man’s life, he may easily be one of the 75% of men who experience ED at some point in their lives.

So here’s where online diagnosis factors in. Websites who offer prescription medication without an online medical assessment are illegally abusing the system of online health care.  Those who also offer “generics,” soft tabs and quick dissolve versions of Viagra are dangerous non-FDA approved counterfeits.

But imagine if the Web was free of these sinister “rogue” pharmacies? If you were experiencing a condition that didn’t require a psychical hands-on exam wouldn’t you be more comfortable seeking medical help from the comfort of your own home? What if your hair was beginning to thin? A doctor would not need to examine your scalp to see that you are experiencing male pattern hair loss. These are just two of the conditions that the Baby Boomer generation can greatly benefit from receiving an online diagnosis. In addition, those vowing to quit smoking in the New Year may also benefit from the availability of online medical consultations to receive the prescription medications needed to help make the process of quitting an easier one.

In the next few years does it seem probable that all face-to-face doctors’ visits will be deemed unnecessary? Of course not, but the Baby Boomer population may be the first generation to experience the benefits of online diagnosis as technology continues to evolve.

Emily Murray is a journalism school graduate and the communications specialist for KwikMed.com, which utilizes physicians licensed to prescribe online to safely bring online diagnosis and prescribing to patients across the country.

Emotional Eating: 3 healthy ways to satisfy your craving

Emotional eating is a problem that many people face when trying to lose weight. Eating because of your emotions and not because you are hungry is one of the fastest ways to gain back any weight that you many have lost. It is also the best way to prevent you from losing any weight. Psychologically, you are sabotaging yourself without even knowing it. Emotional eating could occur for a number of reasons. There are people who eat because they don’t think they’ll ever look the way they want to. This is not true. There are always new exercises to try and ways to become the best you. You may emotionally eat because you are bored, angry, anxious, or lonely. Realize that these are not good reasons to start eating. The following are three tips to help you weed away from emotional eating and get you on the right track to losing weight.

1. Water can do wonders. Quench your hunger with a tall glass of cold water. Water is a great, calorie free substitute to any food that you may eat. Make it a regular thing to always have water around. Carry a water bottle. Anytime you feel the need to eat, take a sip of water. It is likely to stop you from going and getting something to eat.

2. Write down your emotions. Keep a journal of how you feel every time you feel the need to eat when you’re not actually hungry. Examine why you think you eat too much. Once you understand why you eat too much, you will be able to find ways to stop the unneeded eating. You will start to find a pattern in the reasons why you start to eat. Recognize that your habits can change. Attack the problem. Find a better solution than breaking out the food and eating.

3. Find a healthy alternative. If you find it too hard to fight the craving of eating, find one healthy food, of your choice that you will go to when you feel the need to eat. Choose a food that is low in calorie and high in nutrients like a grapefruit, avocado, or celery to eat when you really need it. Portion this small snack. Have a small plastic bag prepared with a very small serving of your chosen food. This will prevent you from overeating even the healthy food.

These three tips may seem like easy tasks but may actually take some time to get used to. You have to be willing to stop emotional eating to end it. Take control of your eating and get ready to feel better about yourself with every little bit of progress that you make.

This post has been provided by Nicolas D'Alleva. Nicolas is the president and CEO of Specialty Answering Service, a company providing answering services to medical practices and businesses in the health field.

Acoustic Neuroma Gamma Knife Surgery

The human body is a complex system, and is subject to more malfunctions and diseases than one could possibly imagine. Some health problems are a mere annoyance, while others can be deadly. Some come on slow, while others make their symptoms felt as soon as the condition manifests. The health issue we will discuss today is acoustic neuroma:

What is Acoustic Neuroma?

Acoustic neuroma is a benign tumor of the vestibular nerve that starts in the base of the skull and slowly expands into the skull cavity. They appear in the inner ear, and in most patients the symptoms appear progressively. Symptoms include slow, progressive destruction of hearing in the affected ear, a sense of imbalance and altered gait, vertigo, nausea, and vomiting. While the tumor does not always grow in all patients, if it does grow, it can lead to increased pressure on the cranium, leading to severe headaches. Growth can also put pressure on the brainstem, which can affect many different nerves. Due to their proximity, facial nerves may also be affected, which can result in weakness of the face, decreased movement of facial muscles, sensory impairment, numbness of the face, and loss of taste.

How Can Acoustic Neuroma be Treated?

As of now, microsurgery is the only way of physically removing an acoustic neuroma. However, Gamma Knife surgery has proven to be a safe and effective way of neutralizing acoustic neuromas. The Gamma Knife method uses gamma radiation to kill the tumor, so no incision is needed for this type of procedure. There may be some discomfort during the procedure due to the patient’s need to wear a special headset; however, there is no invasive surgery performed and no recovery period. Unlike microsurgery, acoustic neuroma radiosurgery does not physically remove the tumor. Instead, it enables the doctor to control, halt, and in some cases even reverse the growth of the tumor. The results are comparable to that of Gamma Knife trigeminal neuralgia treatments – the tumor is controlled and rendered harmless without the need for cutting open the patient and surgically removing it.

If you have never heard of radiosurgery before, then consult with your doctor about it. However, keep in mind that many general practitioners are not trained in radiosurgery and therefore may not have enough information to give you a proper recommendation. You should consult with a Gamma Knife specialist before you make a final decision as to whether or not to try out radiosurgery.

Erick D. Smith is a blogger from San Diego, California who writes about Gamma Knife surgery. If you're suffering from an acoustic neuroma then you might also want to look into acoustic neuroma radiosurgery.