Women's Health Archives - Smart Health Shop

Best Raw Probiotics for Women

Probiotics are living bacteria and yeast, which are suitable for your body. The recommended probiotics are in supplements and some foods like yogurt. When you take antibiotics, you are likely to lose good bacteria which are replaced by the probiotics. In women, they prevent urinary tract infections, boost immunity, and improve fertility. They also treat vaginal infections, clear up skin problems, and stimulate digestion. Ensure you consult to understand which probiotics are best in the market. The following are examples of the best probiotic for women.

Garden of Life Dr. Formulated women’s probiotics.

The daily probiotics offer maximum health benefits to female users. It has a stable shelf life and does not necessarily need refrigeration. It is dairy-free, gluten-free, soy, and vegetarian suitable. It is, therefore, not associated with any allergic reactions. The dosage is one capsule a day, designed to support vital women’s health benefits.

The benefits of use include; it aids in digestion support, to give you smooth digestion with the help of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus acidophilus, which also and prevents constipation.
It supports vaginal health, and the probiotics contain L. reuteri and L. fermentum, bacteria responsible for ensuring good vaginal health.

It is a strong probiotic that strengthens your immunity, and these probiotic supplements contain 50 billion CFU and 16 probiotics that are responsible for immunity boost and strengthening the entire body’s immune system.

Soetik High Strength 50 Billion Live Bio Cultures.

It is a potent probiotic with all essential Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains that works perfectly in conjunction with one another. It is gluten-free, soy-free. Yeast-free and dairy-free, thus suitable even for vegans. Take one capsule daily with a little liquid and preferably before taking food. It has various benefits which are; promoting the growth of healthy digestive tract bacteria, which helps relieve, most digestion discomforts. It is helped by the support of constipation relief, candida infection, and prevention of bloating and gas accumulation. Each capsule will deliver 50 B CFU helpful microorganisms to your digestion tract.

It improves nutrition and results in a healthy weight loss. It is every woman’s joy to maintain an ideal weight. Get this probiotic on the market and enjoy the benefits, because everyone wants probiotics for IBS that work.

Floragen Women’s Probiotics

These top probiotics boost 15 billion cultures of various bacterial strands to target women’s vaginal and digestive health requirements. Take one capsule daily with or without food. It is best stored in a refrigerator for maximum freshness and to maintain shelf life. It is associated with multiple strains of beneficial bacteria that; help to restore and maintain natural vaginal flora balance. It helps maintain a healthy vagina pH and helps ease the unpleasant side effects of antibiotics. It is among the best pre and probiotics.

Conclusion

For a woman, you need to continually use organic probiotics to maintain the body’s bacterial balance that results in good health. Probiotic gut bacteria are capable of making vitamin K, essential for blood clotting. Highest rated probiotics are readily available in some foods, for example, yogurts. Sometimes you need supplements to serve different needs. Do excellent research to determine what is a good probiotic for you. Also, consult with your doctor and ensure that you follow the prescription.

4 Benefits of Birth Control

The birth control pill is a convenient, safe way to prevent pregnancy, but did you know that it also offers other advantages? Doctors prescribe the pill for a number of reasons beyond pregnancy prevention. Here are some additional benefits you can expect from taking the pill.

Reduced Acne

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Hormonal birth control has been proven to reduce acne and keep breakouts in check. Research clearly shows a link between a woman’s menstrual cycle and acne flare-ups, so even if you adhere to an ideal skincare routine, your hormones can still cause breakouts.

Natural hormonal shifts in your body can lead to an increase of androgens, male-centered hormones that can cause excess oil under the skin. The links between acne reduction and certain types of birth control pills are so strong that many brands have petitioned the FDA to be approved as acne treatments. As such, your dermatologist might suggest going on the pill even if you’re not sexually active.

Reduced Cancer Risks

Multiple studies have suggested that taking oral contraceptives lowers the risk of certain types of cancers, specifically endometrial, ovarian, and colorectal cancers.

Women who have taken the pill have at least a 30% reduced risk of developing endometrial cancer, and this protective effect lasts for several years after discontinuing the pill’s use.

Oral contraceptives have a similar benefit on warding off ovarian cancer, lowering the risk by 30% to 50%. The longer you take the pill, the greater the protection. Studies suggest that a woman continues to benefit from this reduced risk of ovarian cancer for up to 30 years after stopping the pill.

The downside, however, is that oral contraceptives can slightly increase your risk of breast cancer and cervical cancer, but both these risks decline after a woman stops taking the pill.

Regulated Periods

One of the biggest benefits of taking the pill is that you can enjoy regular periods. In fact, many teen and adult women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are treated with an oral contraceptive to regulate their periods and reduce other hormonal symptoms like acne and oily skin.

The pill is frequently prescribed to younger girls whose periods are irregular or late, even if there’s no sign of PCOS. Birth control pills can even reduce the length and amount of menstrual bleeding for those suffering from excessive, abnormally frequent periods.

Reduced Risk of Osteoporosis

Women who take the pill during their reproductive years experience less bone thinning as they age. Many oral contraceptives contain estrogen, which is essential for warding off osteoporosis. Taking the pill now could help you enjoy a reduced risk of fractures and bone breaks after menopause. If osteoporosis runs in your family, talk to your doctor about the benefits of an estrogen-containing birth control pill.

With so many benefits the pill offers, maybe it’s time to talk to your doctor or an online provider to discuss your options. Telemedicine companies like Nurx provide the pill with or without insurance. You simply speak with an online provider who prescribes your birth control and then delivers it straight to your door. You can even enjoy automatic renewals and refills so you never run out. It’s never been easier to take advantage of the pill’s numerous benefits.

What can appendicitis do to you?

Do you experience pain in your lower abdomen quite often? Is it mostly to the right side? Has your abdomen bloated up? If you are experiencing any of these signs, then it’s bad news for you. These symptoms indicate that you have appendicitis. What is it exactly? Appendicitis is the condition where your appendix swells up and leads to fatal circumstances if left untreated. To correct the disorder, you either need to surgically remove the appendix, or reduce the inflammation using very strong antibiotics.

The appendix is a band of tissues forming a tube-like structure, with a length of 3 and a half inch. It extends from your larger intestine. There is not much important role that this organ plays in your body. Therefore you can easily survive without an appendix, with no serious consequences to worry about.

What is appendicitis?

When you are suffering from appendicitis, the best thing to do is to remove it surgically. Appendicitis is one kind of a medical emergency, which you need to treat immediately to avoid any further health threats. When you fail to treat appendicitis at the right time, your appendix will keep inflaming further. Gradually it will lead to a state where it can easily burst, spreading various infectious components into your abdominal cavity. Such activity can lead to a condition called peritonitis (inflammation of the peritoneum or abdominal cavity), which can prove to be lethal.

What is an abscessed appendix?

Before understanding abscessed appendix, you need to know what abscess is. An abscess is an infection that walls off from remaining part of your body. Sometimes pus may be formed within abscess, forming a film surrounding the appendix. The wound tissue then walls off your appendix from your abdomen, which prevents the spreading of infection. However, the abscessed appendix can perforate or burst, leading to peritonitis. This is the reason why you should never leave appendicitis untreated, to protect yourself from fatal consequences.

Causes of appendicitis

You suffer from appendicitis due to very peculiar factors. The major reason behind the disorder is that your appendix gets blocked, which can be because of:

Hard or constipated stool
The entrance of infection or foreign body
Cancer

Possible symptoms

Few of the classical signs of appendicitis have been listed below for your convenience:

A typical dull pain or soreness near your navel region (upper abdomen). Gradually you start feeling very sharp pain, as you move down towards the right side of your lower abdomen. This is the primary symptom of appendicitis.
You will not feel hungry, which will further contribute to the loss of body weight.
With the beginning of abdominal pain, you start feeling nauseous.
High fever with body temperature, ranging from 99 to 102 Fahrenheit.
Difficulty in passing gas.
Overall inflammation of your abdomen.

About 50 percent of the other signs of appendicitis starts appearing gradually.

Dull or steeping pain in both the upper and lower abdomen, extending to your back and rectum.
Extremely painful cramps.
Feel severe pain and discomfort during urination.
Vomiting due to excessive pain in the abdomen.
Diarrhea or constipation that is accompanied by gas.

If you are facing any of these symptoms, immediately contact your doctor for medical attention. It is very important that you diagnose and treat appendicitis at the right time. Avoid drinking or eating any food items that contain laxatives, using remedies for pain relief, antacids or heating pads. These factors may easily contribute to rupture of your inflamed appendix.

How to diagnose appendicitis?

Diagnosing appendicitis is a very tricky affair. This is because the signs of appendicitis are very close to other ailments of your digestive tract, such as:

Gallbladder associated issues
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Crohn’s disease
Infection of the urinary tract or urinary bladder
Gastritis
Problems related to ovary

Certain tests that can specifically help you identify appendicitis are:

Examination of rectum
Ultrasound or CT scan
Urine test for identifying infections in the urinary bladder or tract
Examination of the abdomen for detecting inflammation
Certain blood tests to check whether your body is combating any infections or not

Treatment for appendicitis

The safest and standard treatment that your doctor will propose in case of appendicitis is appendectomy. The procedure involves surgically removing of appendix so that there is no threat of rupture and infection in your body. However if abscess forms around your appendix, you need to undergo two different procedures.

One treatment will ensure that the abscess drains all the flow fluids and pus.
The other treatment involves the removal of your appendix surgically.

If you are in the initial stages of appendicitis, the doctor may prescribe you some strong antibiotics to treat appendix.

What to expect from an appendectomy?

Before appendectomy, you will be given antibiotics to fight and reduce inflammation of the peritoneum (peritonitis). Next, the doctor will perform general anesthesia on you before the surgery begins. The surgeon can either remove your appendix with the help of laparoscopy or through a cut of about 4 inches. In case you still have peritonitis, the surgeon will irrigate or drain out all the pus from your abdomen.

Do not be scared thinking how long you have to bed rest after the surgery. With the advancement in science and technology, no surgery is gravely difficult nowadays. You can easily move and walk around within 12 hours of appendectomy. To resume your casual daily activities, you need to wait for 2 to 3 weeks.

However, if you face the following symptoms post the surgery, instantly call up your doctor:

Blood in urine or vomit
Uncontrolled vomit
Feeling of dizziness
Fever
Presence of pus in wounds
A gradual increase in redness and pain at the site of incision
Increasing abdominal pain

Prevention

There is no particular way by which you prevent appendicitis. However, certain changes in your diet can help you lessen the chances. Go for foods that are very rich sources of fiber, like fresh vegetables and fruits and stay healthy.

How to digest food better without medicine?

Digestion is a normal physiological mechanism that your body undergoes on consuming food, in the form of solids or liquids. It is a process that your body participates in every day, every time you intake anything. There are two types of mechanisms involved in your process of digestion- mechanical and enzymatic actions. These two processes allow your body to utilize nutrients and energy from the foods that you consume. Energy gets stored in your body in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) molecules, helping you to carry out work.

If the digestion process is not proper, a lot of metabolic actions happening within your body cells gets disturbed. You not only end up with different digestive issues but also digestion associated various other health problems. Occasional symptoms may include- gas formation, acid reflux, constipation, nausea, heartburn, and diarrhea. If you experience such signs, then there is definitely a problem with your lifestyle. Your daily diet and lifestyle choices have a major impact on the health and functioning of your gut.

There are multiple factors that guide your digestion that you need to improve for proper breakdown of food. By following the guidelines given below, you can easily pace up and improve your digestion to make it more effectual.

Natural ways to improve your digestion

Find out the non-medicative ways to improve digestion:

Proper mastication of food

When you consume solid foods, it is very important that you chew them properly to help in better digestion. It is one of the most basic things that you can start off with. The better you chew, the more you officiate digestion effectively. The first place where your digestion initiates is in your mouth. The saliva that you secrete from salivary glands aids in the initial breakdown of the food into smaller, digestible pieces. Therefore, do not swallow large food pieces directly. Take your time in chewing your food properly, and then only swallow the smaller pieces.

Go frequent mini meals

There is no point in eating heavily at one meal, and then not eat anything throughout the day. Avoid consuming large portions of food at one go. Try eating mini meals at frequent time intervals. You may not know this, but doing so actually improves your digestion to a great extent. Do not overwhelm your digestive tract by eating big plates. To make your digestion process faster and better, take small snacks in every 3 to 4 hours. In this way, you can keep your hunger levels under control.

Keep your body hydrated.

Drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep yourself hydrated as much as possible. There are a number of health benefits of drinking ample water all day. You can not only improve your digestive power but several other functions of your body like skin health, excretion, etc. You may experience constipation as the most prominent health issue when you have water deficits in your body.

Constipation is a problem that primarily results from dehydration and dietary fiber deficiency. You feel difficulty in passing stools, which may lead to further serious bowel disorders. When you have an adequate water supply in your body, it aids in better and faster digestion. Water breaks down a number of nutrients for better absorption by your body. Some of the cool hacks to improve your water consumption rate per day are

Every time you drink water, preferably using a big cup
You may add different flavors to your water to make it more drinkable
Consume flavored or herbal tea every day
Instead of ordering soda drinks, prefer ordering water at restaurants

Eat products that contain ample probiotics

Probiotics are basically live bacteria that help you in improving your gut health, by aiding in healthier digestion. These are good bacteria that do not mess with your overall health, instead improves it. The food products that supply a lot of probiotics are kefir and yogurt. If you are not very sure of which product has probiotics present in I, check its label properly. When you see the names of bacteria on products such as Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium Infantis, blindly buy them.

Be active

Avoid leading a sedentary daily life. It makes your overall health worse, including both physical and mental states. Get into something energetic and full of actions. Go for regular morning or evening walks to keep your body active and strong. Take out sometime from your mundane routine and dedicate that to physical exercises like yoga or aerobics.

Such activities not only improves your digestive mechanism but also your overall wellbeing. However, do not exercise right after having a meal. Give some time for the food to settle down and then only start off exercises. It will help to stimulate your bowel functioning in a much better way, than a usual inactive lifestyle.

Get proper sleep every day

This is a very important factor that drives your digestion process in either a good way or the worse. Proper sleeping cycles are extremely necessary to monitor when it comes to digestion. You should use the rest button at the right hour of the day, to physiologically keep your body under-relaxation. This will undoubtedly help in better digestion. Although, do not hit the bed straightaway after consuming your meal. Give some time of around 2 to 3 hours to confirm proper digestion, and then only rest your body.

Monitor your food habits

Avoid taking beverages with a high amount of caffeine (like coffee), and smoking cigarettes. These two factors can affect your digestion in worse possible ways. Do not exceed your caffeine consumption limit of 400 mg per day, otherwise, it will alter your bowel functioning.

Final words

If you think that rapid digestion can aid you with weight loss results, you may be wrong. When the metabolic rate increases with increased digestion, it aids in weight loss but there are other factors as well. Stress on what you are eating and how right the balance is of various macro and micronutrients in your body. Restore your metabolic function with a healthy diet.

3 Proven Natural Ways To Lower The Levels of Prolactin

The secretion of prolactin in normal amount ensures a healthy and necessary change in the breasts. This hormone enables the production of milk in pregnant ladies. The prolactin is produced by the anterior pituitary gland, which undoubtedly plays a major part during pregnancy as well as lactation and delivery.

Prolactinoma or high amounts of prolactin is referred to as the condition when excessive prolactin hormone is produced by the pituitary gland.

The cause of prolactinoma is way too many. It can be caused due to the side effects of drugs, pituitary tumors, and hypothyroid disease. Women who are not nursing or have conceived are also seen with high levels of prolactin.

This causes irregular periods, breast pain, enlargement of breasts, and production of sudden milk. In men, high levels of prolactin can cause infertility and erectile dysfunction. You must follow these natural treatments to take care of the high levels of prolactin in your body.

What are the symptoms of prolactinoma?

Before you go ahead and take a look at the ways you can take care of high levels of prolactin. it is important to know all about the symptoms. Prolactinoma means the excessive production of prolactin and it basically has an impact on women and their reproductive systems.

However, there are multiple symptoms of these diseases that are connected to both men and women. Women notice a disruption in their menstrual cycle more easily. You can overcome prolactin level via generic cabergoline from one and only safe generic pharmacy

The symptoms that are seen in both men and women –

The interest in copulation reduces.
Bone density reduces.
Increased headaches and impaired vision.
Infertility
The production of essential hormones is reduced.

Women face the problem of discharge of milky liquid even though they are not pregnant or breastfeeding due to high levels of prolactin. Painful intercourse, excessive growth of hair, dry vagina, and irregular menstrual cycle are some of the many problems that increased prolactin levels bring.

How can you lower the levels of prolactin?

It remains unknown what is the major cause of increased levels of prolactin. However, according to different studies and research work it can be proved that medications often lead to such problems. Abnormal thyroid levels, injured chest, tumor in the pituitary gland, pregnancy, and even breastfeeding can cause it. You can cure hyperprolactinemia with generic cabergoline 1mg

Here, are a few natural ways to take care of the increased prolactin levels.

Eat Well, Stay Healthy –

Your diet needs to consist of both vegetables and fruits. Choose dark green and leafy vegetables to optimize your health and lead a better life. Your diet should also comprise of legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, soybeans, and fish (especially the ones found in cold water). There are also several types of food which are directly connected to offering benefits and lowering the levels of prolactin.

A direct link has been noticed between the levels of Vitamin B6 and that of hyperprolactinemia. A deficiency in Vitamin B6 can cause this problem. So, keep in mind that you need to consume more bananas, potatoes, chicken, spinach, and wild salmon.

Food that is high in zinc levels can also prove beneficial for reducing prolactin levels. The list will comprise of beef, turkey, shellfish, and beans. You must consult a doctor if you are planning to consume nutritional supplements.

Use the medicines that are found in nature –

Nature can offer solutions to every problem that we are facing including the problems that high levels of prolactin bring with it. You can make the most of this 100% effective herb which has been proven beneficial for lowering the prolactin levels. It is known as Vitex Agnus Castus or Chaste Tree. Since the beginning of time, the chaste tree has been used to take care of several menstrual disorder.

The herb has earned itself the name for hormone balancing effects. If you are wondering how it works then this is how. The chaste tree will bind itself to the dopamine receptors this will then prevent prolactin release from the pituitary. However, you need to be extremely patient for the chaste tree to show its effects. It takes around four months to show any sign of change. It is advisable to consult your doctor before you consume it.

Have you given homeopathy a thought?

In recent years homeopathy has earned its importance and is used as a crucial tool to maintain the balance in hormones in a natural way. The use of natural substances in small amount enables the body to heal faster and better.

The different remedies of homeopathy are based on the kind of symptoms a patient is facing. According to several trusted medical practitioners, homeopathy offers a long-lasting effect which is gentle yet powerful. You can even safely consume homeopathy medicines with other ongoing treatments.

These are some of the natural and proven ways to lower the levels of prolactin.

How hydrolyzed Collagen powder Boosts Your Body

Collagen is an essential element in health. It is something that has been proven scientifically. Besides, you can get powder collagen, cream, cosmetics, and pills form. You can purchase hydrolyzed collagen powder amazon.com.

Collagen is an essential protein that is in your body and available in the skin, muscles, blood, cartilage, bones, and ligaments. However, your body produces this collagen on a regular basis although it continues to slow down with age.

On the other hand, other lifestyles habits are able to bring collagen production like sun exposure, smoking, and an unhealthy diet. Moreover, you will find that some health conditions are depleting collagen storage. So, lacking such an essential building block, you will start experiencing sagging skin and wrinkles or joint pain.

In case you start using collagen products, it will take some time before adding collagen consumption. Here are some benefits you will experience with collagen:

Improving digestive health

When you use collagen supplements, they help in supporting and strengthening your protective lining of the digestive tract. It is essential because the alterations that take place in the barrier function of the intestine. In case you have a leaky gut syndrome, it will allow particles to pass into your bloodstream. It is something that causes inflammation.

Easing joint pain

Your cartilage continues to weaken and deteriorating with age. So, you will start experiencing stiff and achy joints. However, you can up your collagen intake and therefore reduce the symptoms of arthritis and reduce joint pain.

According to research conducted, it was proven that the people who used collagen supplements and had severe rheumatoid arthritis. They found that they had reduced the swollen joints. It’s therefore recommended for easing the joint pain.

Helping to build muscles and burn fat

It is essential to supplement with collagen because it’s a component of the muscle tissues. So, using the supplement will have a big impact on building muscle mass.

Collagen, on the other hand, contains glycine which is an amino acid that helps in the synthesis of creatine. It is something that helps to provide fuel muscles that help to power yourself through the workout.

Reversing skin aging

Among other benefits of using collagen, these are the most known experience that a user gets positive results. It promotes that growth of vibrant skin. It is an essential protein that helps to provide the skin with elasticity and therefore appearing healthy and youthful.

When you continue to age, collagen continues to decline, loose skin, fine lines and dryness occur. So, you have to ensure you supplement your collagen level using supplements.

Reducing cellulite

Collagen helps to keep your skin healthy and glowing. However, it is an essential supplement that helps to improve the appearance of stubborn cellulite.

For cellulite, it is when the fat skin’s layers push up against lumpy appearance and connective tissues.

Conclusion

So, when you increase your intake of collagen it helps to build up your tissues lining your gastrointestinal tract. So, it will promote better gut health. However, there is research conducted in regards to the effects of using collagen supplements in your digestive system.

Top benefits of using Neem leaves

Neem or Azadirachtaindica is a very common tree that you can easily spot in every neighborhood. However, are you well aware of the benefits of this tree and its leaves? Each and every part of this tree, starting from bark and leaves to its stems, has immense medicinal properties. The flowers, fruit, and roots are not common for medicinal usage, but you can still find them in use sometimes.

You can use neem leaves to cure the following health issues:

Leprosy
Bleeding Nose
Stomach problems
Eye disorders
Attack intestinal worms
Skin ulcers
Loss of appetite
Heart diseases as well as cardiovascular disorders
Diabetes
Gum problems like gingivitis and periodontitis
Liver disorders
As a birth control tool since neem leaves facilitates abortion

If you have malaria, you can use the bark of neem to cure it. Other uses of neem bark include treating intestinal and stomach ulcers, reducing pain, skin diseases and fever. You may use the flower for controlling phlegm, treat intestinal worms and even reduce bile production. The fruit of neem helps you to cure urinary tract diseases, hemorrhoids, bleeding nose, intestinal worms, phlegm, leprosy, and diabetes. You may also use the fruit to treat eye disorders and heal wounds effectively and rapidly.

Seed oil and seeds of neem can help you with birth control benefits, and also treat intestinal worms and leprosy. Neem is an antiseptic agent so you can use its stem, fruit and root bark as an astringent and tonic. You can use neem twigs and stems for curing asthma, cough, low sperm count, diabetes, intestinal worms, and urinary disorders.

Instead of using toothpaste and toothbrushes for cleaning your teeth, you can chew neem twigs for keeping your teeth healthy. To keep your skin healthy, you can directly apply neem paste to treat lice on your head, and skin ulcers. You may even consider using neem paste for healing wounds quickly, for softening your skin and treat other skin problems.

Health benefits offered by neem:

If you read ancient textbooks on Ayurveda, you will find the mention of neem in them. Neem contains a lot of beneficial phyto-compounds such as Nimbin, ninbinene, nimbolide, nimbinen, and nimandial. All these phytochemicals have antifungal, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties that help you to boost your immune strength. Since you will find all these compounds present in neem, it makes neem a medicinal plant. Antifungal agents like nimbidol and gedunin present in neem leaves help in treating fungus in your nails, ringworm, and athlete foot.

Neem helps in improving your immune system to fight microbial infections, as well as detoxifies your blood. It stimulates the proper functionality of your liver, and overall ensure a healthy digestive and respiratory system. You can use neem leaves to treat malaria, by applying it on your skin as a mosquito repellent.

Fights viral diseases

The extract that you get from neem leaves on crushing, helps in absorbing and eliminating viruses from your body. Neem paste helps you to cure skin warts, smallpox, and chicken pox. If you are affected with herpes simplex virus (HSV), use neem extract as it is toxic to the virus. You will experience a faster healing process on applying the paste on affected zones. To relieve yourself from cold sores, you can prepare a tea out of neem leaves to make a magic infusion. Treat viral skin diseases like eczema, itching, inflammation, and irritation with neem leaf extract.

Improves your heart health

Neem leaves work as a blood cleanser, by removing all toxic elements from your circulatory system. To control your blood sugar level, drink neem extract by infusing it with boiling water. Neem also acts as an antioxidant, fighting free radicals generated in your body cells. It helps in dilating your blood vessels to improve overall blood circulation and relaxes irregular heartbeats and high heart rate. This is, in turn,enriches your heart functioning and keeps you away from cardiac arrests, high blood pressure, and strokes.

Cancer

You can lessen the risk of cancer and tumor cell formation by consuming neem leaves. Neem has various polysaccharides and limonoids that helps to alleviate cancer progression.

Acts against poison.

If you get any sort of insect bite, use neem extract on the affected area. Neem has anticlotting factors present in it to cure ulcers, inflammation and even poisons.

How effective is neem for your skin?

Helps as a moisturizer- you can use neem leaves in the form of a paste to keep your skin soft and healthy. If you have any scars or pigmentation due to acne, neem is the solution! You can heal minor wounds by mixing neem extract with turmeric paste and apply on the injured area.
Fights acne- you can store the green extract of neem in a bottle and use it directly on your skin to treat acne. If you have sensitive skin, you can dilute the extract by adding little water to it and then apply. You can use a face pack containing neem extract to treat problems related to acne, blackheads, and pimples.
Skin toning- neem leaves work as wonders as a skin toning agent. Instead of using a chemical toner, go for natural neem extract. Take a cotton swab and dip it in neem water after boiling it. Apply gently on your skin before going to bed at night. This potion will help you get a rejuvenating and healthy glowing skin the next morning.

Can you use neem extract for hair care?

Yes, of course, you can! This medicinal plant has so much to offer that you cannot even think of. Take a handful of fresh neem leaves and add them in a cup containing boiling water. You can now use this neem infused water for rinsing after you shampoo your hair. Since it got antibacterial properties, it will help you cure hair loss problems, dry scalp, and dandruff issues.

Neem has a lot of health benefits but you should remember to use it under controlled measures. Make it your daily routine for using neem extracts to take good care of your skin, hair and overall health.

How to fight digestion issues during pregnancy?

Congratulations! You are undoubtedly both anxious and thrilled on being pregnant, aren’t you? Well, you might be feeling a little nauseous all the time, but that is natural. Moreover, morning sickness, as you may call it, is extremely common that can happen to you during pregnancy. Another common thing like morning sickness is a digestion problem, which surely gives you quite a lot of troubles.

Already you have so many restrictions regarding your diet and lifestyle. When digestion issues top that all, it can actually be very frustrating. You think, “okay, what else do I need to alter in the diet now? Aren’t the existing ones enough?”

On the other hand, the good news is that the nausea signs usually go away within 3 months of pregnancy. However, the bad news is these 3 months can be extremely traumatic and frustrating. You may get nausea due to a lot of factors like gassiness, constipation, and acid reflux or heartburn. These symptoms tend to become worse, as your pregnancy ascends. Well, you can actually get rid of these digestion problems and in turn, fight nausea with these simple small steps.

Digestion problems during pregnancy

Check out easy ways to fight digestion problems when you’re expecting:

Constipation

In normal conditions, your bowel pushes out stool through a process called peristalsis. During this time, the muscle linings in your bowel start contracting and relaxing in an undulating motion.

When you are pregnant, your progesterone level goes very high. This makes it hard for your bowel muscles to continue the motion of contraction and relaxations. Thus, you literally struggle to pass your stool comfortably by peristalsis.

Generally, when you do not have enough supply of dietary fiber in your foods, you get constipation. However, you should keep in mind that constipation during pregnancy is not exactly because of the dietary fiber deficit. It is the progesterone hormone elevation that is actually making you suffer.

Heartburn

It is actually acid reflux, which means you are having extreme acidity that is causing a burning sensation in your chest. It is also a very common problem that you face during pregnancy, caused by your very own progesterone hormone.

This sweet friend of yours can land you up in a lot of troubles during pregnancy. However, you should always learn to seek solutions for such issues rather than getting frustrated. During this condition, progesterone poses an effect on your sphincter muscles lining the esophagus above your stomach. This muscles normally restricts acids formed in your stomach within your stomach itself. However, due to progesterone impact, these sphincter muscles relax and releases the acid upwards reaching your esophagus. Thus, you feel a painful burning sensation on your chest.

Food Aversions

You mostly feel nauseous towards food items in your initial trimester, and it is manageable too. During this time, you feel irritated and pukish with the smell of certain foods that you’re normally very fond of. It is absolutely normal to feel this way while being pregnant.

You mostly feel nauseous when your blood glucose level goes down. At the time of pregnancy, this is exactly what happens. From nausea, you develop a sense of food abhorrence that makes you feel like vomiting all the time.

How to cure digestion issues during pregnancy?

To combat constipation, the first and foremost thing that you should do is drink lots of water all day. If you keep your body hydrated throughout the day, a lot of problems related to your flushing system resolves.

Eat foods that are rich in vitamin C and magnesium. These nutrients help in supplying water to your bowels, in order to ease out the process of peristalsis. Are you eating supplements containing lots of iron? If you are anemic, consult with your doctor to give you other alternatives. Iron promotes constipation to a great extent. So, you better check your diet schedule.

To get rid of heartburn, go for small meals that have high calories and nutrient content. Always eat at a slower pace, and chew the food properly before swallowing. Do not drink a lot of water while having your meals, since it fills up your appetite faster. You may sip herbal tea, ginger tea, peppermint tea or water in between your meals to ease the digestion process. Never lie down on a bed or couch after you eat meals. Always sit up straight to complete your digestion properly. Wear clothes that are loose to feel comfortable while eating.

When you are feeling nauseous, it means you and your baby is out of energy (glucose). To overcome nausea, you need to eat foods rich in carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are excellent sources of glucose. You may also have a cup of ginger tea due to vitamin B6 supplements, to ward off nausea.

Now coming to food aversion, try out some variations that you think might work for you. Go for baked yams with ample clarified butter or have bone broth. Have meals supplemented with cottage cheese, yogurt or tofu. If you are not a dairy person, try out cottage cheese with a coconut milk base. Have fermented cod liver oil in your foods, along with scrambled eggs (more the yolk, better the results).

Additional tips to improve digestion

To keep your body healthy and active, remember to exercise every day for at least half an hour. It will help you intensify digestion process and also ease bowel motions, thereby eliminating chances of constipation. Go for a nice morning or evening walk, or stroll down the park to keep your body active and flexible.

Remember to consume at least 28 grams of dietary fiber each day to facilitate better digestion. Among fruits, go for bananas, oranges, apples, mangoes, and strawberries. Eat green and leafy vegetables and whole grains for proper good fiber supply.

Whenever you are changing your diet routine, always consult your dietician. If you feel any sort of discomfort in the diet, talk to your doctor and ask for suggestions. Do not alter anything on

All you should know about Ulcerative Colitis

When you hear about Ulcerative Colitis (UC), you may often confuse it with Irritable bowel disease (IBS) or Crohn’s disease. Although the symptoms are quite similar, the diseases are far different. UC also falls under the category of inflammatory bowel disease. However, it majorly targets your colon or large intestine. The disease results in causing irritation in your colon, which further leads to swelling or inflammation. When your colon gets swollen due to irritation, it results in the formation of sores or ‘ulcers’ on its walls.

You need to remember that there is no specific cure for Ulcerative Colitis. However, there are medical and surgical treatments available for adverse cases when you don’t have any other options left. If you can cure UC with the right form of treatment at the right stage, you may prevent adverse consequences. When the condition of your colon becomes worse, there is no other way but to go for surgically removing it.

What are the causes of Ulcerative Colitis?

In simple words, UC is mainly caused when your immune system fails to work effectively. The immunological functioning of your body decides whether you are capable of resisting infection or becoming susceptible to it. There are various immunological barriers in your body that marks and ensures absolute protection from harmful invasion of microbes.

Here is an example for you as in what goes wrong with your immune system during the normal and abnormal defense.

When you have a common cold under normal conditions, your immune system identifies foreign bacteria or viruses as intruders and fights. However, in UC your immune system identifies the good bacteria in your gut, food, and cells lining the colon as intruders. Thus, your body’s own immune system turns against you. WBCs or white blood corpuscles normally protects you during infections, but now turns against the walls of your colon. Such kind of undesired immunological mechanism causes inflammation in your colon linings and results in the formation of ulcers.

If you seek the attention of doctors to know why UC happens, they might not be able to reason you. It is still not quite medically clear as to why ulcerative colitis happens in the first place. The possible reasons to support your questions may be an unhealthy lifestyle, environmental factors, and food habits. Adding on to that, another prominent reason behind UC can be a genetic predisposition. If you have UC running in your family for generations, there is a possibility that you may inherit the disease. Stress and anxiety are not directly related to causing UC, but you never know how it’s contributing towards its induction.

Possible symptoms of ulcerative colitis:

The most prominent sign of ulcerative colitis that you will experience is bloody diarrhea. If you closely observe your stools, you may also notice the presence of pus. These two symptoms are clearly indicative of the fact that you have ulcerative colitis. Other characteristic features of being affected by UC are:

Dehydration
Cramping pain in your belly
Feeling of fullness or not hungry
Sudden loss of body weight
Abnormal discharges for emptying your colon at once
Fever
Pain in your joints or soreness
Fatigue or tiredness
Mouth ulcers or canker sores
Skin sores
A certain feeling like your colon is still not empty even after going to the bathroom
Pain in the eyes when you suddenly look at bright lights
Anemia (lowering of the number of RBCs in your bloodstream)
Difficulty in controlling your stools or hold it

These symptoms may abruptly hit you right away, subside after some time and again come back. Ulcerative colitis can bother you for several weeks, months or even years. You need to be very careful with your food habits during such vulnerable times.

One more thing that you should remember while looking for a cure for UC, is to never confuse Ulcerative colitis with Crohn’s disease or irritable bowel disease. The treatment may go horribly wrong if you think the other way.

Even though Crohn’s disease also causes swelling of your abdomen, but it doesn’t concern any region of the digestive tract. For ulcerative colitis, it is not just any region but specifically the large intestine and inner lining of your colon. Irritable bowel disease also reflects some of the signs of UC, but it does not cause ulcers or inflammation. IBS is strictly restricted to causing problems within the inner lining of muscles of your intestines.

How to diagnose Ulcerative Colitis?

When you visit a doctor regarding the treatment of ulcerative colitis, he will first give some diagnostic tests for detection. Different tests are assigned to different forms of bowel diseases. You will be suggested the tests specific to UC, distinct from any other gut diseases. Some specific blood tests will help you identify whether you are anemic or have inflammation. You may be asked to perform stool tests as well for the detection of any unnatural pus in it. Stool tests will majorly reveal if you have any parasites or infection causing microbes in the lining of your colon. Through these tests, you may also see traces of blood in your stool that you couldn’t normally figure out. Other diagnostic tests include flexible sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy.

In flexible sigmoidoscopy, the doctor majorly focusses on not the whole colon but just its lower part. Through your butt, the doctor will insert a bendy tube in the lower colon area. This tube has a small camera and a light source to capture images for detection of ulcers and inflammation.
In a colonoscopy, the doctor scans your entire colon for the presence of ulcers and swollen areas, unlike flexible sigmoidoscopy. During the detection, the doctor may even introduce a blue colored dye within your colon. Such kind of advanced colonoscopy is known as chromoendoscopy. The doctor uses color dyes for the detection of regions in your colon that has been affected by ulcerative colitis.

Sometimes doctors can even perform a biopsy, by removing small chunks of your colon for UC diagnosing tests. X-rays are generally not used for UC detection.

Dietary Changes for Better Endometriosis Management Aid

It is estimated that 5 million women in the US suffer from endometriosis. The numbers could actually be higher, but considering the nature of the disorder, it is frequently misdiagnosed. Some women wait years for an accurate diagnosis.

Endometriosis is a disease caused by the abnormal growth of the endometrium outside the uterus. The endometrium is the lining of the uterus. When it grows on the fallopian tubes, ovaries, along the pelvis or even on the colon, it can cause debilitating symptoms. During the regular menstrual cycles, the lining breaks down. In patients with endometriosis, it has nowhere to go. This can lead to cysts, heavy periods, severe cramps during and outside the menstruation and in some cases, infertility. The condition is a painful one, and it can remain undiagnosed for years.

Sometimes, women with endometriosis can lack the specific symptoms completely, which makes the real number of sufferers much higher. Severe cases of endometriosis can cause the lining of the uterus to grow in other parts of the body like the brain or lungs.

Causes

The exact causes of endometriosis are unknown. There are some frequent theories regarding the appearance and evolution of the condition.

One of the most frequent theory is that during menstruation, blood mixed with endometrial cells flows back into the fallopian tubes. The cells install on different organs and start to grow outside the uterus.
A second theory widely-popular with specialists is that endometrial cells are carried through the bloodstream to different parts of the body.
Immune system disorders contribute to the development of the condition, according to another theory. When the immune system doesn’t properly detect and eliminate endometrial cells from outside the uterus, they install and spread in different areas of the body.
The genetic factor is also floated as one of the causes of endometriosis. The condition can sometimes run in families.

Still, the medical world hasn’t discovered the exact causes that lead to endometriosis.

Symptoms

One of the most common symptoms in women with endometriosis is cramping during menstruation. In time, the cramping can worsen and become debilitating. Scar tissue formation is another cause of severe pain in women struggling with the condition. Scar tissue formation in areas where it doesn’t belong, like the fallopian tubes, bowels, brain or lungs can lead to further medical issues.

Although cramping during menstruation is normal in all women, the intensity is severe and debilitating, in women with endometriosis. It also amplifies over time. All women who experience pelvic pain should visit their gynecologist, especially if the pain is present long before their menstruation, at the beginning of the ovulation. Pain during intercourse, frequent urination, fatigue, and gastrointestinal problems are also common symptoms of the condition.

One of the ways most women with the condition find out about it is when they visit a medical practitioner for infertility issues or bleeding between periods.

Diagnosis

The only way to get a certain diagnosis is through laparoscopy. The intervention is a minor surgery where the doctor inserts a thin scope into the abdomen to analyze pelvic organs and remove endometrial tissue. In some cases, the specialist might want to perform a series of other tests, the head gynecologist at Emu Health says. Usually, doctors will perform a pelvic exam, together with an abdominal or vaginal ultrasound. While these tests cannot identify endometriosis, they can outline other conditions related to it, like cysts and fibromas. These tests are also performed to exclude other causes of the patient’s symptoms.

Treatment

There is no definitive treatment for endometriosis. However, hormonal treatment and painkillers, together with laparoscopy tissue removal will be performed. Hormonal treatment for women who want to get pregnant consists of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist. The hormone stops ovulation and is only prescribed for six months at a time. Pregnancy can occur only after the treatment stops.

Laparoscopy and laparotomy are common interventions used to treat endometriosis. However, the condition will return within two years.

Dietary Changes for Endometriosis Management

According to several studies, eating a healthy diet might stop the development of the condition. A 2013 study showed that women who ate more vegetables, fruits and omega-3 fatty acids were less likely to experience the usual symptoms. On the other hand, women who ate trans fats, red meat and drank large amounts of coffee were more likely to develop endometriosis. While not all studies offer consistent proof in favor of dietary changes, anecdotal proof shows that it’s possible to prevent the condition’s development through a diet consisting of:

Vegetables;
Fruits;
Omega-3 fatty acids;
Whole grains;
Unprocessed foods.

While endometriosis cannot be prevented, eating the types of foods mentioned above might help. Avoiding foods that increase estrogen levels like caffeine and alcohol will help decrease the intensity of the symptoms.

Diet for Endometriosis

Women with endometriosis should consider a diet that prevents and reduces inflammation and estrogen level spikes. Healthy fats, fruits, and vegetables, as well as unprocessed foods, seem to help with decreasing the symptoms. Healthy fats can be found in the following foods:

Olive oil;
Olives;
Avocados;
Salmon;
Nuts
Fatty fish.

A gluten-free diet seems to also help reduce endometriosis symptoms. A 2012 study suggested that almost 80% of the women who partake in the study reported a decrease in their symptoms after they adopted a gluten-free diet. FODMAP diets have also become popular among women with the condition. It involves eliminating certain carbs and irritating foods from the diet. Endometriosis is causing severe gastrointestinal problems, and the main goal of this particular diet is allowing the intestine to heal and recover. After complete elimination of irritating foods, a person can start reintroducing them, to see which ones cause worse symptoms.

While dietary changes are absolutely necessary to lower the discomfort caused by the condition, frequent visits to your gynecologist are also important. Supervising the condition’s evolution and making adjustments to your hormone and painkiller prescription, in accordance with your condition’s evolution, is important for better general health.