Health

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who eat a gluten-free vegan diet could be better protected against heart attacks and stroke.  A gluten-free vegan diet was shown to lower cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and oxidizedLDL (OxLDL), as well as raising the levels of natural antibodies against the damaging compounds in the body that cause symptoms of the chronic inflammatory disease.The idea that we can influence our health by changing our eating habits has become a fashionable idea among lifestyle and consumer magazines. There is evidence that dietary changes can bring about health benefits. Recently researchers found that the gluten-free vegan diet not only reduced LDL and oxLDL levels and raised antiPC antibodies but lowered the body-mass index (BMI) of the volunteers in that group. Levels of other fatty molecules, including triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) stayed the same. In contrast, none of … Read more

Stephanie Kuleba is an 18-year-old high school senior, who was headed to college and then medical school, but felt she needed to be even more perfect Her breasts were asymmetrical and she had an inverted areola, so she went to have cosmetic surgery clinic in Boca Raton, Florida. But now she is dead. She died 24 hours after undergoing surgery, the victim of a rare reaction to anesthesia called malignant hyperthermia. Malignant hyperthermia is a rare life-threatening condition that is triggered by exposure to certain drugs used for general anaesthesia. In susceptible individuals, these drugs can induce a drastic and uncontrolled increase in skeletal muscle oxidative metabolism which overwhelms the body’s capacity to supply oxygen, remove carbon dioxide, and regulate body temperature, eventually leading to circulatory collapse and death if untreated. “This young lady’s death is a tragedy. Our hearts … Read more

Antibiotic resistance has been called one of the world’s most pressing public health problems. The number of bacteria resistant to antibiotics has increased in the last decade. Nearly all significant bacterial infections in the world are becoming resistant to the most commonly prescribed antibiotic treatments. Every time a person takes antibiotics, sensitive bacteria are killed, but resistant germs may be left to grow and multiply. Repeated and improper uses of antibiotics are primary causes of the increase in drug-resistant bacteria. Misuse of antibiotics jeopardizes the usefulness of essential drugs. Decreasing inappropriate antibiotic use is the best way to control resistance. Children are of particular concern because they have the highest rates of antibiotic use. They also have the highest rate of infections caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Parent pressure makes a difference. For pediatric care, a recent study showed that doctors … Read more

Menigitis is an inflammation of the meninges which are the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. Most of the time, the inflammation is caused by bacteria or viruses while the less common causes include fungi, protozoa, and other parasites. Sometimes certain medications, cancers, or other diseases can inflame the meninges, although such noninfectious cases of meningitis are very rare. Bacterial menigitis occurs in people of all ages but is more common in infants and young children and people above age 60. Teenagers and young adults are slightly more at risk for the disease because of time spent in close contact with many of their peers. Viral meningitis occurs in people of all ages, although it is more common in children. Many of the bacteria or viruses that can cause meningitis are fairly common and are more often associated … Read more

Definition: An increase in normal brain pressure can be due to an increase in cerebrospinal fluid pressure. It can also be due to increased pressure within the brain matter caused by lesions (such as a tumor) or swelling within the brain matter itself. Alternative Names: ICP; Intracranial pressure – increased Causes, incidence, and risk factors: An increase in your intracranial pressure is a severe medical problem. The pressure itself can be responsible for further damage to the central nervous system by causing compression of important brain structures and by restricting blood flow through blood vessels that supply the brain. Many conditions can increase intracranial pressure. Common causes include: severe head injury subdural hematoma hydrocephalus brain tumor hypertensive brain hemorrhage intraventricular hemorrhage menigitis encephalitis aneurysm rupture and subarachnoid hemorrhage status epilepticus stroke Symptoms: Infants: bulging fontanelle separated sutures lethargy vomiting Older children and … Read more