Diseases – Types Of Diseases – Diseases Treatments

The target for bad cholesterol is less than 130 milligrams per deciliter and the target for good cholesterol is over 45 milligrams per deciliter. Triglycerides should be at 150 or less.

The lifestyle changes that should be adopted for lower cholesterol are 1) To stop smoking as it increases dramatically the risk of developing heart disease, 2) If you have diabetes, the risk of heart disease increases with high cholesterol than if you are non diabetic. Hence keeping a healthy weight and an active daily routine inclusive of a daily exercise program is the way to go, and 3) A stress reduction program if you lead a stressful life should be engaged in. Programs such as yoga can be very helpful in this regard.

And now for the main part of how to lower your cholesterol effectively. This would consist of substantially changing your diet to include mainly those foods that are provided by Nature and reducing substantially those foods that are manufactured or man-made. The diet consist of the following food groups – vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts and seeds, ground provisions, lean meats and fatty fish.

We can begin with vegetables. These are filled with fiber and do a great job in mopping up and removing bad cholesterol from the system. They also aid in fighting cancer cells and reducing high blood pressure. All these activities by vegetables lead to a reduction in the risk of heart disease.

Fruits – These have inherently low calorific values and hence are low cholesterol foods. They also remove high cholesterol very effectively and are generally full of vitamins and nutrients that are vital for the body.

Whole grains, Nuts and Seeds – These are very high in dietary fiber and energy content. These are very good low cholesterol suppliers and are very good for any weight control program. They also contain lots of vitamins and minerals.

Lean Meats – These are very rich in proteins, minerals and other nutrients. Some examples of lean meats include poultry (chicken and turkey in particular). Avoid all red meats such as beef and pork or meats that are packed with animal fat. Dairy products made from whole milk should also be avoided.

Fatty Fish – These are important for their omega-3 fatty acids content. Certain fish are particularly good at providing this. These are salmon, sardines, tuna, mackerel and herring. Omega-3 is particularly effective in lowering triglycerides (fat in the bloodstream), slowing down plaque growth in the arteries and reducing inflammation.

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) gives certain guidelines for a low cholesterol diet. They say that trans-fat intake should be limited to 25% to 35% of total calorie intake. They also say that you should have 20 to 30 grams of fiber every day and your saturated fat intake should be limited to under 7% of total calories.

The ADA also contend that you should add plant stanols and sterols to your diet and eat frequent small meals per day instead of three large meals. Foods that contain plant stanols and sterols can be found naturally in vegetables, fruits, grains, seeds and nuts. Your bad cholesterol intake should be limited to 200mg/dl.

Saturated fats and trans-fats (animal fats, dairy products and certain oils) can be replaced with monounsaturated fats such as contained in olive oil, canola oil and peanut oil. Replace egg yolks with egg whites or maybe use oatmeal for breakfast instead of eggs altogether.

You can still be very creative in designing a cholesterol lowering diet but the foods that are consistently recommended are whole grains, fatty fish, plant stanols and sterols, nuts and seeds and fruit. Consult with your physician regarding these.

There is a disease that is ravaging our planet at the moment. There is no cure for this condition and it spreads with ease. This condition is called HIV/AIDS. Let us take a look at what being HIV positive means.

Your health

The virus attacks your immune system. It specifically targets the CD4 T cells. This severely weakens your immune system over time. At first you will not notice any effects of being HIV positive. As time progresses and the virus has time to destroy and infect more and more of your CD4 T cells the more it will become apparent that you are infected. This destruction of your immune system will allow other virus and bacteria to invade your system, further weakening your immune system. You will eventually succumb to one or another illness that a person with a fully functioning immune system would have been able to fight off. The most common culprits are pneumonia and tuberculosis.

Your social life

The virus spreads so quickly because people do not realise that they are infected or do not care about the health of other people and have intercourse with numerous partners. If you are aware that you are HIV positive you should take extra precautions if you insist on partaking in this kind of behaviour. Once your condition progresses you will realise how debilitating it is and you will most likely not want to give the virus to other people. This may cause a change in your social life. You may become less promiscuous or else you will take more care about who you sleep with and what precautions you take if you do sleep with someone. Or at least it should if you are a responsible person.

Your work life

As the virus takes its toll on your system you may find that you are not able to work as much as you were able to. Most companies do understand and will allow you to retire or resign with full benefits. This will decrease your income as your medical expenses increase which can cause a lot of strain.

Your insurance

It is now possible to get life insurance if you are HIV positive. You do have to show that you are taking your medication and making every attempt to keep the virus under control though.

If you are HIV positive your life is going to change dramatically over the course of the disease. Your immune system is going to become compromised and you are going to start to get ill more often. A responsible person would stop having intercourse with any person who is not HIV positive so as to not spread the virus any further. It is also advisable to make sure that you have life insurance in place for when the inevitable happens and your family is saddled with all the expenses that could be left from your medical treatments and other debts such as your home loan or car financing and credit cards. Being HIV positive means a lot of changes.

IgA Nephropathy (IgAN) is also known as Berger’s Disease. IgAN is a common kidney disease that occurs slowly over many years. It is characterized by the accumulation of immunogloubulin A (IgA) in the kidneys interfering with the filtration process of the body leading to high blood pressure, blood and protein in the urine, and swollen hands and feet. While many patients live long lives without significant problems, others continue the disease process and have complete renal failure. There is no cure for this disease but there are medications and fish oil that can help. According to a Mayo Clinic report based on trials and observational reports between 1994 and 1999, fish oil showed mild to moderate usefulness when treating IgAN.

Fish oil remains a point of contention among nephrologists. There are essentially three groups: those who believe it is effective, those who believe the trials were flawed, and it is not effective, and those who recommend it but are not sure of its effectiveness. People who have been diagnosed with Berger’s disease should consult with their physician before beginning any therapy with fish oil as the dosages required are quite a bit higher than what is based on any label and in most cases above the dosages that are considered as “safe” by the Food and Drug Administration.

Fish oil appears, in some studies, to delay the progression of IgAN towards end stage renal disease over the long term. There is also a reduction of protein in the urine noted for some patients but this has not been proven in any studies. At the very best this is a mild reduction and is not a proven benefit of fish oil. Current philosophy is that an omega-3 fatty acid supplement may provide a slowing of the disease process in the beginning but may not provide any benefit over the life of the disease. As studies continue, proponents of fish oil hope that it will show increased effectiveness.

Instead of taking supplements, many people choose to increase their intake of oily fish such as mackerel, salmon, albacore tuna, cod, and herring. Fish are the best natural source of EPA and DHA since it has already been converted to a usable form. Plant sources of these essential fatty acids include the precursor to EPA and DHA in the form of alpha-linoleic acid also known as ALA. It comes from sources such as olive oil, flax seed, some marine vegetation, tree nuts, and safflower oil.

Patients taking fish oil to assist with their IgAN treatment should be aware of potential side effects and drug interactions. Patients with extremely high blood pressure may need to avoid the blood thinning action of fish oil due to the increased possibly of a cerebrovascular accident. There may also be an interaction between NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) again related to the blood thinning action of essential fatty acids. Large doses of fish oil have also been have also been related to immune system depression and may cause additional problems with patients who have a suppressed immune system.

Taking a fish oil supplement for IgAN is still under study and you should consult with your nephrologist before beginning any treatment. There is a long-term study being conducted by the Columbia Hospital at Medical Center in Dallas, TX. It is hoped that this study will shed some light on the effects of fish oil for patients with IgAN. Currently the effectiveness cannot be determined with any certainty but it is hoped that the short-term benefits that some patients receive may translate into longer-term benefits as studies continue. Despite the possible drug interactions and gastric upset that sometimes accompany fish oil, there have been no significant adverse reactions in any of the noted studies.

Related to Epstein-Barr virus, glandular fever is a viral infection transmitted through either direct contact with an infected person’s saliva or through droplets of saliva in the air. The disease is most often spread through sneezing, coughing, kissing, and sharing cups or drinks.

The most common early symptoms include fatigue, a painful sore throat and swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck. To confirm the diagnosis of glandular fever, a doctor will do a throat swab and culture. Glandular fever, which is known in some regions as mononucleosis, or mono, is a common condition and, like all viruses, resists drugs and other medical treatments.

Perhaps more of a nuisance than a threat, one of hallmarks of glandular fever is that it takes a very long time for the virus to run its course. From the time a patient is first exposed to the virus until the symptoms begins is usually between 7 and fourteen days. The symptoms may last, in varying degrees, for 6 to 8 weeks, and a patient who tests positive for glandular fever can remain contagious for as long as 18 months.

One of the primary symptoms of the illness is fatigue. The body is so busy fighting the virus, which mutates to survive, that all of its resources go into that battle. It is vitally important that patients with glandular fever rest when they are tired. Engaging in strenuous activity during this time increases the chances of a rare but very serious complication.

In less than 1% of patients with glandular fever, the spleen ruptures. The spleen must then be removed immediately or the patient may bleed to death. The spleen is a small organ protected by the ribs on the left hand side of the body near the back. Returning to heavy lifting or contact sports may play a part in this very rare complication, so safest course of action is to rest fully during the recovery phase.

Another symptom that affects many glandular fever patients is a very painful sore throat. The tonsils may be covered with white film or spots that show the body’s own defense systems are trying to keep the infection under control. A doctor my prescribe anti0imflammatory steroids to reduce the swelling of the throat. This medication may also reduce swelling in the spleen or lungs.

One approach to soothing the raw sore throat that comes with glandular fever is to gargle with warm, not hot, salt water. Ideally, the rinse used should be slightly warmer than body temperature. The salt water gargle helps gently cleanse the tonsils and rehydrate the raw, damaged membranes in the throat and mouth.

Swollen lymph glands are another sign of glandular fever. These can be located just below the back part of the lower jaw. To determine if the glands are swollen, the patient should tilt his face toward the ceiling and run the flats of his fingers across his neck near the back of the lower jaw. The swollen lymph glands will be tender to the touch and very obvious. Smaller lymph glands in the scalp may also swell. As the illness subsides, so will the swollen glands.