Can Insulin Resistance from Poor Sleep Be Reversed Easily ?
Poor sleep can lead to insulin resistance, which is a progenitor of type 2 diabetes.
There are several things you can do to reverse insulin resistance that’s caused by or made worse by poor sleep—as well as influenced by other factors. (more…)
Can High Blood Sugar Make You Dizzy? Why & Solutions
You know that low blood sugar can make your head spin, but can high blood sugar too make you feel dizzy or lightheaded?
The answer is yes, but the way this happens is not what you’d expect. (more…)
Can a Lot of Salmon Be Unhealthy?
Believe it or not, a lot of salmon—so rich in health-giving omega-3 fats—can actually be unhealthy.
Since day one we’ve all heard how good fish is for the body, particularly salmon. But is there a such thing as too much salmon for your own good? (more…)
Will Stopping Synthroid Eventually Kill You?
Underactive thyroid or hypothyroidism is a potentially fatal condition. If you quite taking your Synthroid, you’ll die.
It may not be overnight, but it WILL happen. So keep taking that tiny pill first thing every morning.
It literally replaces a very crucial hormone that your thyroid gland is failing to produce adequate amounts of.
However, many people don’t think of it this way. Among them are those with a diagnosed underactive thyroid.
Hypothyroidism or “low thyroid” is commonly associated with cosmetic issues such as hair loss, dry skin, a puffy face and fat gain, plus annoying issues such as feeling cold when nobody else in the room does, having constipation or having a hoarse voice.
But this is a lethal condition without treatment.
Will Quitting Synthroid or Lovenox Kill You?
“Yes, it will,” says Susan L. Besser, MD, with Mercy Medical Center, Baltimore, and Diplomate American Board of Obesity Medicine and board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine.
The Master Gland
Dr. Besser explains, “The thyroid gland is one of the ‘master control’ glands of the body. It regulates metabolism.
“So, if your thyroid doesn’t function, eventually your other systems will not function properly — including your heart (you can develop dangerous abnormal rhythms).”
How long before death results from quitting thyroid medication?
Dr. Besser explains, “I can’t tell you how long the process would take — there are too many variables, like underlying heart issues or other chronic health problems.”
Though it’s pretty blunt to state, “You’ll die if you don’t take your thyroid medication,” here are some of the complications of untreated underactive thyroid.
Heart Problems
• Heart failure
• Heart disease
Myxedema
• A life threatening condition resulting from untreated low thyroid.
• Can be set off by infection or sedatives.
• Signs include high intolerance to cold; drowsiness; lethargy; unconsciousness.
In summary, it’s simple: Without the master thyroid gland functioning well, various body systems will begin failing.
So if you decide to stop taking that tiny little Synthroid pill — you’d better get your affairs in order.
Dr. Besser provides comprehensive family care, treating common and acute primary conditions like diabetes and hypertension. Her ongoing approach allows her the opportunity to provide accurate and critical diagnoses of more complex conditions and disorders.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: ©Lorra Garrick
Why Do Very Elderly People Have Purple Bruises on Arms?
‘Those nasty looking purple “bruises” on your elderly mother’s or grandfather’s arms are not as harmful as they look.
But they can easily resemble marks from elder abuse.
Don’t be alarmed if these purple marks begin showing up on their skin; it’s common among the very elderly. (more…)
Can You Get a Good Workout Having Sex?
According to the “sex is a good cardio workout” myth, hookers should be in excellent cardiovascular condition!
Though there’s a strong association between how FIT a person is and how active their monogamous sex life is, you cannot deduce from this that sex is a good cardio workout. (more…)
Chest Pain from Bread: Doctor Explains Why and Solutions
That heavy, uncomfortable feeling in your chest when you eat bread — a unique chest pain that no other food causes.
What truly is going on here?
How can bread cause chest pain in the first place?
“Bread itself is not the cause of chest pain,” says Stacy Mitchell Doyle, MD, resident physician of FoodTherapyMD and long-time advocate of plant-based nutritional protocols.
So right off the bat, you’ll want to eliminate any ingredients as a culprit.
Dr. Doyle explains, “It is that mechanically, it is being poorly digested and stuck at the junction of your stomach and esophagus.”
The esophagus (“food pipe”) is behind your sternum, so any irritation to it will cause pain in the chest area.
Shutterstock/Magic Mine
“Any food bolus can cause these symptoms,” says Dr. Doyle.
“However, some foods may also be more likely to cause acid reflux, which results in irritation and spasming of the esophagus.
“These are spicy foods, alcohol, tomatoes and peppermint. This spasming causes chest pain, which can be indistinguishable from the chest pain caused by the heart.
“The solution is to eat small bites, eat slowly and chew your food well.”
And insert sips of water to help smooth out the process.
Of course, it can sometimes be challenging to slowly eat your favorite kind of bread — being that bread is so delicious and goes with so many foods and is an easy staple for any meal of the day.
But you’ll find that the chest pain, which can sometimes feel like a pressure, won’t occur if you take your time eating bread with smaller mouthfuls.
The Esophagus Is a Muscle
The esophagus is a muscle, actually, so it’s capable of going into spasms, just like skeletal muscle is.
And you may already know just how painful a skeletal muscle spasm is.
For example, have you ever gotten a calf cramp in the middle of the night? If so, you know how freaking painful this can be. Muscle spasms aren’t pretty.
How about a toe cramp? The pain is horrendous though very transient.
If you still continue to suffer chest pain from eating bread, you may want to cut back on bread and replace it with something that’s more health-giving to the body, such as brown, wild or basmati rice; barley; quinoa; or lentils.
FoodTherapyMD™ is the brainchild of Dr. Mitchell Doyle and recognizes that phytonutrients, the substances that make plant food so amazing, can be tailored to fight specific disease states.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: ©Lorra Garrick
Why Do Weather Reporters Noisily Gulp Air when Talking?
Do you cringe while listening to weather or sports reporters loudly gulp air after every sentence, including short sentences?
What is UP with this most annoying phenomenon that seems to be far more prevalent among people who give the weather? (more…)
Does Adult Wearing Diaper to Sleep Cause More Bed Wetting?
Is it actually possible to unwittingly “train” your body to wet your bed more if you sleep with adult diapers?
If you’re sick and tired of bedwetting and have finally decided to buy the so-called diapers for adults, you may be in that bigger-than-expected percentage of adult bed-wetters who wonder if use of these padded devices will somehow encourage more wetting of the bed. (more…)
Dizziness when Blowing Nose: Can Cancer Cause This? What Else?
Do you usually get hit with a wave of dizziness during or immediately after blowing your nose and can’t get the idea of cancer out of your mind?
“Dizziness when you blow your nose is not due to cancer,” begins Susan L. Besser, MD, with Mercy Medical Center, Baltimore, and Diplomate American Board of Obesity Medicine and board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine.
True Cause of Dizziness Related to Blowing the Nose
Dr. Besser explains, “It is due to sudden blood pressure changes. When you blow your nose, a phenomenon called Valsalva happens.
“The forceful nose blow causes the blood pressure in the chest to rise for a few seconds.
“This causes a drop in the ability of the blood to return to the heart, which causes you to get dizzy or faint for a few seconds until the pressure equalizes.
“It is not a cancer problem, although anything that causes problems with blood flow (either a blockage from arteriosclerosis or a mass compressing the blood vessels) can cause the same effect.”
Forceful blowing of the nose can also cause it to bleed because the blowing ruptures tiny blood vessels. This, too, is not caused by cancer.
Make a point of being more gentle when blowing your nose. If forcefulness is the only way to “get everything out,” then you should try a nasal irrigation system — also known as a neti pot.
Nasal irrigation will moisten and loosen up all the gunk in there, making it easier to expel, requiring less forcefulness.
Nasal irrigation. Aikhan/creativecommons
Sleeping with a humidifier near your head may also prevent dryness from causing you to awaken with sinuses packed with dried chunks of mucous.
Dr. Besser provides comprehensive family care, treating common and acute primary conditions like diabetes and hypertension. Her ongoing approach allows her the opportunity to provide accurate and critical diagnoses of more complex conditions and disorders.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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