Entries from August 2009 ↓

Valvular heart disease refers to numerous diseases and disorders of the heart valves.  The heart valves are tissue flaps that regulate the flow of blood through chambers of the heart.

There are four valves that control the flow of blood which are: tricuspid valve located at the right side of the heart between the right atrium and right ventricle; pulmonic valve located in the right side of the heart between the right ventricle and pulmonary artery; mitral valve located in the left side of the heart between the left atrium and left ventricle, and is the only valve that has two leaflets instead of three; and aortic valve located in the left side if the heart between the left ventricle and aorta.
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Another strange combination, earlobe creases and heart disease, isn’t it? What does earlobe has something to do with heart attack? These are the questions I once asked to myself when I first heard about it. I even look at a mirror to see if I got one and felt relieved when there was none. But how on earth earlobe creases and heart disease become interrelated?

Our earlobes are normally and actually smooth. On rare occasion, creases might be seen, and if they are present, this is supposed to mean something. It is said that creases on earlobes are sometimes associated with heart disease- a coronary heart disease to be exact.

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Drugs that lower blood pressure have proven effective over the years. The benefits of using them far outweigh the risk of side effects. Most people who’ve taken these drugs haven’t had any problems. Some of the drugs listed below can affect certain affairs of the body, causing in bad side effects.

Diuretics — Some of these drugs may decrease your body’s supply of a mineral called potassium. Symptoms such as weakness, leg cramps or being tired may result. Eating foods containing potassium may help prevent significant potassium loss. You can prevent potassium loss by taking a liquid or tablet that has potassium along with the diuretic, if your doctor recommends it. Diuretics such as amiloride (Midamar), spironolactone (Aldactone) or triamterene (Dyrenium) are called “potassium sparing” agents. They don’t cause the body to lose potassium. They might be prescribed alone but are usually used with another diuretic. Some of these combinations are Aldactazide, Dyazide, Maxzide or Moduretic.
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In the fast paced world that we live in it can be easy to neglect our health and wellness. We’re so busy racing through our day to day lives – family, friends, work, social engagements – that we don’t take the time to look after ourselves. It’s really no wonder that so many of us are tired and run down. What are some simple things that we can do to improve our quality of life?

Drink Drink Drink

You’ve heard it a million times and you’ll probably hear it a million more – drink more water!

Think about it: The human body is 72% water. A 5% drop in fluids creates a 25-30% loss in energy. A 15% drop in fluids causes death! At this point in time 66% of us aren’t drinking enough water, so over half the population isn’t running on all six cylinders to begin with – before things like bad air, bad food and stress take their toll.
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Almost one third of all people with diabetes don’t know they have it. The symptoms seem so harmless, like symptoms of just getting older. This article goes into the different types of diabetes and some of the common symptoms of each to help you understand diabetes a little better.

In this article we’ll go over the three main types of diabetes. They are Type 1, Type 2, Gestational diabetes.

Type 1 Diabetes

This type of diabetes has also been called insulin-dependent and immune-mediated diabetes. It occurs when your body can’t produce insulin. The immune system attacks insulin producing cells in the pancreas. This type of diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, and was previously known as juvenile diabetes.

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