Simple Cures, Simple Preventions Part V

HEALTH & LAB TECHNOLOGY

Part V: Simple Cures, Simple
Preventions

THE 4-H CLUB

Are you an exclusive member of the 'other ' 4-H
Club?  If you don't know it by now, you are not
alone.  Simple 'Preparation" 4-H  you can do for:

HEADACHE

How often do you hear "Not tonight
dear, I have a headache?"  Sex and
stress can give you a headache and an excuse.  Cluster headaches and
migraines are the most painful kind.  According to a research study,
80% of people with cluster headaches have sleep apnea, a disorder where you
temporarily stop breathing several times during the night.  Simple cures to
do:

• Stop smoking and don't drink alcohol. 
  
• Avoid the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat and
  sunglasses.  Drink water or herbal tea.
  
• Don't skip on your meals.  Pack some snacks if
  you're going on a road trip. 
  
• Make a list of trigger foods.
  
• Put a portable ice pack on your head or a warm
  compress on your neck or the back of your head..
  
• Dental surgery, head injury, and toothache can
  lead to headache.  Surgery may have affected the surrounding nerve tissue
  leading to changes in the brain processes.
  
• Have a cup of coffee to knock out your tension
  headache.  A study by the Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago found
  caffeine to be better than ibuprofen in providing faster pain relief for half
  an hour sooner.   Check over-the-counter pain relievers like aspirin
  and acetaminophen, it may already include caffeine as ingredient. 
   The National Headache Foundation recommends limiting to two caffeinated
  beverages a day.
  
• Take a shower and spray that headache away.
  
• Massage temples, forehead, shoulders, and neck.
  
  
• Sleep in comfort on your king-size bed and
  pillow.  Wear an eye mask to shut out bright light.  Too much sleep
  or lack of it can bring on a headache.

HEARTBURN

Burn, baby, burn!  You get that burning feeling,
woe-oh-oooo, burning feeling....in your chest.  More than 5 million people
walk to hospital ER asking is it heartburn or heart attack?  One out 4,
it's just a severe heartburn.  However, get help immediately if you
experience sudden, severe pain along with sweating, light-headedness, and
nausea.   Better safe than sorry.  According to a
study, you're 11 times more likely to develop cancer of the esophagus if you
have a recurrent heartburn or acid reflux.  It's serious and 8 out  10
folks say it bothers them at night and don't get better sleep. Simple
preventions to put out the fire:

• Don't overstuff - eat 5 or 6 small meals rather than 3
  heavy ones.  Avoid spicy and acidic foods - chocolate, citrus fruits,
  tomatoes, pepper, and  vinegar.  Take small bites and chew with
  your mouth closed.
  
• Skip dessert and chew gum.  Chewing increase the
  flow of saliva, which helps neutralize stomach acid.  Wait a few hours
  after you last meal before going to bed. 
  
•  Walk around the block to calm your
  worries.
  
• Sleep on your left side - your esophagus angles a bit
  to the left side where it connects to the stomach.  Stomach acid is more
  likely to flow into your esophagus and stay there if you sleep on your right
  side.  Sleep with a foam wedge under your upper body and raise the head
  of your bed about 6 inches with wooden blocks.
  
• Stay inside when pollen and mold levels are high in
  the spring and fall.  Close your windows and turn on the
  air-conditioner.  People with acid reflux get more upper respiratory
  symptoms such as stuffy nose, coughing and sore throat.  This
  allergy-driven process is a different kind of reflux called eosinophilic
  esophagitis due to increase of eosinohils . 
  
• Eat banana to calm your chronic cough and soothe your
  burning indigestion. 

HEMORRHOID

Here we go again! Burn, baby, burn.  This time
it's that painful, burning feeling down your anus - making 40% of adults in the
US uncomfortable, itchy and embarrassed.  Hemorrhoids are the varicose
veins of the anus.  It may be due to constant constipation, chronic
diarrhea, and pregnancy.  Simple preparation H you can do to relieve
your suffering and keep your secret:

• Eat prunes, prune juice, or psyllium if you have a
  constant constipation.
  
• Fiberize (not too much!) and be regular with
  whole-wheat bread, brown rice, and plenty of fruits and vegetables.  It
  helps move things quickly through your digestive system.
  
• Drink more than 8 glasses of water to soften your hark
  rocks and bowel movement.  Don't drink alcohol.
  
• Place a cold pack over your hemorrhoids and rest for a
  few hours.
  
• Don't sit for a long time in front of your computer or
  watch TV.  It can put pressure on your rectal veins.  If you have to
  sit, put soft cushion like my friend Ahmed.
  
• Buy over-the-counter drugs that have the following
  ingredients - hydrocortisone to relieve swelling; benzocaine and pramoxine for
  numbing and cooling effect on inflamed skin.  Or find natural relief from
  aloe vera gel to reduce skin irritation.
  
• Slim down - extra weight put pressure on rectal
  veins. 

HYPOTHERMIA

Older folks are especially at risk because their body
become less sensitive to cold weather.  Most of them are on fixed income
and can't afford the high cost of home heating.  Half of all
hypothermia-related  deaths occur in people age 65 or older.  Symptoms
include confusion, low blood pressure, shallow breathing, sleepiness, slow
reactions, slurred speech and a weak heartbeat.  What to do to keep you
warm and cozy - believe it or not, global warming may not be an inconvenient
truth after all as AL Gore and wacko environmentalists declare.

• Dress in layers, wear gloves, and a hat when going
  out.  You don't have to look like you're going to climb and conquer Mt.
  Everest  - winter coats and jackets are quite fashionable and
  attractive.
  
• Set the thermostat to 70 degrees in the winter. 
  If you live in an apartment building, call the manager if you feel too
  cold for your own good.  Make a call to the Mayor's office and
  complain if it remains unheeded. 
  
• Don't turn a cold shoulder - call your elderly
  neighbor and relatives during the deep freeze.
  
• Don't go outside in severe winter storm.  If
  you got stuck at ground zero and minus zero, tough luck!  So be
  prepared by keeping survival kit, emergency provisions such as snacks,
  candies, canned-food, warm blankets, water-proof jacket, and pencils not
  pens.  Get cozy and share body heat if you must.  Shivering is one
  way to keep the body warm.
  
• Drink hot soup, coffee, or tea.  Avoid alcohol
  and smoking.
  
• Know your medications - drugs that interfere with your
  body's natural heat-regulator include barbiturates, tricyclic antidepressants,
  and benzodiazepines.
  
• If someone you knew is suffering from hypothermia,
  call 9-1-1 immediately.  Until help arrives, get the person out of any
  wet clothes and provide dry clothing.  Don't let the person lose
  consciousness by talking gibberish, playing music or making
  noise.