Kidney Diseases Are "Silent" Killers, And Can Develop At All Ages

Compared with other illnesses such as cancer and heart disease, kidney disease receives relatively little attention in the media and society at large. This is unfortunate because kidney diseases often come with few early warning signs. Furthermore, they can develop at any age.

On an average, one in ten people suffers from kidney damage at some point in their lives. This means that we all need to take kidney health more seriously and take as many preventative measures as possible.

In this article, you will learn about one of the most commonly-diagnosed kidney diseases, and how you can ensure that your kidneys remain in good shape.

What is Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)?

CKD is a fairly common condition in which one or both kidneys fail to work properly. It often goes unnoticed in the early stages. People are generally only diagnosed with CKD if a blood or urine test happens to be carried out for another purpose. During the later stages of CKD, a patient may feel tired, notice that their feet or hands are swollen, report feeling sick on a regular basis and see blood in their urine.

CKD can be caused by a variety of conditions that increase the kidneys’ workload. For example, diabetes and high blood pressure both demand that the kidneys work harder and this can result in long-term damage. Eventually, a person’s kidneys may show signs of greatly impaired functioning or may even stop working altogether. CKD is also linked to other negative health outcomes such as stroke and heart attack.

How to Treat Chronic Kidney Disease?

There is currently no cure for CKD. Instead, the emphasis is placed upon symptom management and retaining a good quality of life for the patient wherever possible.

In the cases of severely reduced kidney functioning, it may be necessary for a patient to receive regular kidney dialysis (in which a patient’s blood needs to be diverted through a machine to be cleaned because the kidneys can no longer perform this vital function) or even a kidney transplant. These measures can be inconvenient and financially costly.

However, many patients can gain control over their CKD and provided they take care of themselves can expect to lead relatively normal lives.

How can Kidney Disease be Prevented?

Fortunately, you can lower your risk of CKD and other kidney diseases by striving to live a healthy lifestyle. Since kidney disease is often the result of the kidneys being forced to work harder due to the presence of another chronic disease, it is a good idea to focus on the commonly recommended lifestyle strategies that keep the body in a state of overall health.

1. A Healthy Diet:

Diet plays a key role in the prevention of kidney problems and other major illnesses. Base your diet around vegetables, fruits, lean proteins and whole grains. Take care not to exceed recommended government levels of sugar, saturated fat and salt. DaVita, an organization for kidney patients and those keen to learn more about kidney health, has some great free recipes you can check out on their site.

2. Reduced Alcohol Intake:

Limit your alcohol intake to one or two drinks per day, and try to abstain entirely for one or two days each week.

3. Quit Smoking:

Do not smoke. If you are finding it hard to cut down on cigarettes, contact your doctor for advice on how to quit smoking.

4. Regular Health Checkups:

It is also important to get any other health conditions under control. For example, if you have high blood pressure it is vital that you attend regular check-ups as recommended by your healthcare provider and remain diligent in taking any medication you are prescribed.

5. Regular Moderate Exercise:

Finally, exercise has been shown to prevent or improve many chronic conditions. You should aim for at least 150 minutes of medium-intensity exercise every week. Find a sport or workout style you enjoy, as this means you are more likely to stick to your new schedule.

Not only will you reduce your risk of CKD, but you will also give yourself the best possible chance of avoiding other long-term conditions that commonly afflict people in the western world such as diabetes and heart disease.

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Signs Of Prostatitis And What To Do With It

What is prostatitis?

Prostatitis is the medical name given to swelling and inflammation of the prostate gland. This gland lies just beneath the bladder in men. Its role is to produce a fluid that, when combined with sperm cells produced in the testes, results in the production of semen.

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Some prostate problems including prostate cancer and chronic prostate enlargement tend to occur in middle-aged and older men. However, prostatitis is seen in males across the age spectrum. It can even occur in teenagers.

What are the symptoms of prostatitis?

A key symptom to watch out for is pain. Sufferers may report pain in the lower back, buttocks, pelvis and genitals. This symptom may be severe. Another important symptom is a change in urinary habits. Typically, a man with prostatitis will experience the need to urinate more often and he may find urination to be painful. Urination may also be difficult and occur in a “stop-start” pattern. Prostatitis can also result in sensations of pain accompanying ejaculation.

These symptoms can begin suddenly, but usually they begin gradually and may fluctuate over a period of weeks or months. They may be accompanied by flu-like symptoms such as joint pain, chills and a fever.

What should you do if you are showing signs of prostatitis?

You should make an appointment to see a doctor if you believe you may have prostatitis. The doctor will conduct a rectal exam and will send a urine sample for testing in order to rule out other conditions. If you have prostatitis, you will be diagnosed with one of two types.

The first type is long-term or “chronic” prostatitis. This means that there is no clear underlying cause for the condition, and symptoms may come and go for a long time. The second type is “acute” prostatitis, which is often caused by some kind of bacterial infection in the urinary tract. For instance, a kidney infection may lead to prostatitis.

For chronic prostatitis, treatment focuses on relieving discomfort and improving urinary flow. Painkillers can be given for the former, and drugs called alpha-blockers for the latter.

In the event that you are found to be suffering from acute prostatitis caused by a bacterial infection, you will be given a course of antibiotics. You will also be advised to use painkillers. If the infection is severe, or is inhibiting your ability to pass urine, it may be necessary to receive treatment in hospital.

The outlook is generally positive for both types of prostatitis. Most men will make a full recovery, although some may find that they experience a relapse later on. Moreover, approximately 10% of those diagnosed with chronic prostatitis will later develop acute prostatitis. Doctors are not yet certain of the mechanisms underlying this link.

In many cases, the cause of prostatitis is never found. Men who have abnormal urinary tracts or suffer from certain kinds of autoimmune disease are thought to be at greater risk but more research is needed.

Misconceptions and myths

Myth: sexually transmitting infection

You may have heard some supposed facts and theories about prostatitis that are simply untrue. One common myth is that prostatitis is the result of a sexually transmitting infection. In reality, prostatitis is not usually transmitted via intimate contact. However, you are at elevated risk if you have had rectal (anal) intercourse.

Myth: like prostate cancer

Prostatitis is not to be confused with prostate cancer. The two conditions are completely distinct from one another, and there is no evidence to suggest that suffering from prostatitis increases one’s risk of prostate cancer at a later stage.

Myth: this condition is uncommon

Another misconception is that this condition is uncommon. This is not true – many men suffer from prostatitis at some point over in their lives. This is why it is so important to be aware of the symptoms and be prepared to take action if and when you notice them.

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This Is What Will Happen When You Miss Two Hours Of Sleep In A Week

You’ve probably had more than a few weeks when you just couldn’t get enough sleep. Maybe it was a big project, a late night at work, or you tossed and turned all night. Turns out, missing even 2 hours of sleep a week can have a detrimental impact on your skin.

When you don’t get enough sleep, it causes a stress reaction in your body. Stress results in the production of excess cortisol, the stress hormone. Cortisol blocks the production of collagen, which your body needs. Without it, your skin loses elasticity and becomes dull and dry.

This is why after a long night out, you wake up to skin with larger pores, redness, and an increase in wrinkles. Don’t believe it? Keep reading.

Lack of Sleep and Your Skin

There’s research to back up the link between lack of sleep and poor skin health. Researchers worked with a test group of 30 volunteers to test the effects of not getting enough sleep. The participants first slept for 8 hours. The next day, researchers took their pictures and tested their skin with a Visia machine, which is used to measure pores, red spots, and bacteria. The volunteers also answered a survey about their well-being and self-esteem.

For the next 5 nights, the women in the study slept only 6 hours a night. At the end of the time period, the researchers performed the same tests. The survey results indicated that the participants’ levels of self-esteem had decreased by 20%. They also reported feeling less attractive by 33% more than the first survey.

Images from the Visia testing showed a 45% increase in wrinkles and an 8% increase in red spots.

Take a look at the pictures below:

Left: 8 hours of sleep

Right: 6 hours of sleep

Source

As you can see, the images clearly show how missing just a few hours of sleep in the week can affect your skin. That said, this study does have some drawbacks. Specifically, the researchers not only used a relatively small sample size but were paid by Benson for Beds, a mattress sales company.

Beauty Sleep for Healthy Skin

The old adage is true, “Get your beauty sleep!” The reason sleep is so important for healthy skin is that your body repairs itself while you sleep. If you don’t get the recommended 7 to 9 hours a night, your body doesn’t have enough time to do everything it needs. This can leave you looking tired, run-down, and generally unhealthy.

Here are some of the things that happen while you sleep:

1. Collagen Production

As part of the recovery process, your body produces more collagen while you rest. As previously mentioned, collagen helps fill in wrinkles by plumping up your skin. Fewer wrinkles mean you look younger and healthier

2. Increased Blood Flow

Your blood flow also increases as you sleep, leaving you with a beautiful, bright complexion. According to Michael Breus, PhD and Board Certified Sleep Specialist, “Sleep deprivation causes a decrease in blood flow to the skin surrounding your face. Skin becomes dull and you don’t get those rosy cheeks anymore.” Nobody wants that.

3. Reduces Dark Circles Under Your Eyes

Other benefits of getting enough sleep include reduced bags and dark circles under your eyes. When you don’t sleep enough, the decreased blood flow tends to show under your eyes – giving you dark circles. Besides getting enough sleep, you can also make sure your skin is hydrated and sleep on an elevated pillow to reduce bags.

How to Improve Sleep Quality

If your problem is tossing and turning at night, there are some things you can do to improve your sleep quality. Try to avoid caffeine at least 4 to 6 hours before going to bed. Remember, caffeine can be found in coffee, chocolate, and even some pain medicines. Also, make sure your bedroom is a relaxing and calming environment. This means, no tv’s, no computers, and no pets. Keep it dark, cool, and quiet.

To make sure you’re getting quality sleep, try a sleep app like SleepBot. With this application, you can track your motions through the night and find out if you snore, sleep talk, or roll around. Other similar apps include: MotionX and Sleep Cycle. Both of these allow you to set an intelligent alarm to wake you up when you need it.

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6 Things You Should Know About Binary Options

Binary options are a relatively simple form of investment – the one you can easily understand and utilize to make money on your investments. Investments in binary options are made in a hope that the asset or investment value will touch a particular target price on a given date

If you are good enough at anticipating the market, you will make money by getting a fixed amount in return but if you fail to predict the market, your investment will be worthless.

Anyone with an understanding of how the stock market works can learn what binary options are. Here is a simple list of 7 things you should know about them:

1. Binary Options are both regulated and unregulated

Binary options are both regulated and unregulated as some are even traded at NASDAQ whereas some are purely traded on the internet.

SEC also issued warning to the US traders in terms of trading in unregulated binary options.

It is extremely important that you know whether they are regulated or not. Reading expert advice on binary options tips will surely help you to understand their risks.

2. They are either call or put options

The call and the put are two basic and fundamental strategies used by investors dealing in binary options. And they are real simple to understand

If you believe that market is going to go up, you will buy a call option and otherwise you will buy a put option i.e. basically believing that market will go down.

3. Foreign vs US Binary options

If you are a US resident, note that foreign binary options are not regulated and you need to purchase binary options which are regulated under US Laws.

All major stock exchanges in the US allow binary trading under the regulated laws, therefore, you can easily trade i.e. buy or sell them in the hope to make a profit.

4. Don’t buy them through websites

There are a lot of websites which are offering binary options trade in an unregulated manner. They are not only scams but also are not regulated.

You should trade them through a registered broker or trader who is registered according to the laws of your country and listed with SEC or other regulated bodies. Most websites are not registered therefore stay away from them.

5. Your options to trade are limited

In all binary options, you always buy an asset- often called an underlying asset. Many exchanges, however, only allow trade in four types of assets i.e. stocks, foreign currencies, commodities, and indices.

If you are looking to trade on other types of assets such as property or bonds, such options will not be available. Since your options are limited therefore you need to be really specific and particular when choosing an underlying asset.

6. Time to hold a binary option can vary

In all binary options trades, you are required to hold the option up to a certain fixed period. This period can vary from merely 60 seconds to a year.

It is often the case that we fail to predict the future beyond few days, therefore, do not trade on binary options of the longer period until you fully understand the dynamics of your underlying asset. Binary options if fully understood and invested in a careful manner can make any investor a lot of money. If you are a new investor it is better to stay away from the investment methods, you do not understand fully.

If you understand this market, binary options can provide you a lot of flexibility to earn more and hedge your other investments to make more money. But be careful, it is not advisable to trade under the influence of your emotions.

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7 Ways To Protect Your Assets During A Divorce

According to statistics, nearly 40-50% of marriages in the U.S end up in a divorce. Besides being immensely stressful and emotionally draining, a divorce can also wreak havoc on your finances for many years to come. Here are a few tips to help you protect your assets during a divorce.

1. Assess Your Liquid Assets

It’s easy to become emotional during a divorce and attach sentimental value on keeping the house or car. Instead, you’ll want to focus on assessing the value of joint liquid assets such as savings accounts and investment portfolios. Receiving the house during a divorce proceeding may not be as financially advantageous as it may seem initially if you can’t afford the property taxes and upkeep costs. Finding a buyer can also be a hit or miss depending on the current real estate market.

Make sure to assess the value of your assets correctly. For example, the value of an investment portfolio of stocks and bonds may fluctuate drastically over time. The value of a vehicle will also depreciate with time. You may want to focus more on assets that are less depreciable depending on how risk averse you are.

2. Consider Taxes When Appraising The Value Of Your Assets

Many people going through a divorce appraise their assets incorrectly because they forget to consider the tax implications on investment and retirement accounts. A retirement account is worth less than the stated balance because of the deferred tax payment owed upon withdrawal. If a party chooses early withdrawal, he or she will also be hit with a penalty in addition to taxes.

3. Protect Your Credit Rating

Both parties will be held responsible for joint account credit card debt accrued during the marriage. It’s a good idea to pay this debt off and close the accounts as soon as possible.

You will also want to obtain a credit report from the three main reporting agencies; Equifax, Trans Union and Experian. This will let you know the status of each account on your credit report including if it is a joint or individual account, the current balance and payment history.

If you have joint accounts you’ll want to pay them off and close the account. If you’ve added your spouse as an authorized user on any individual credit cards, you may want to contact your creditors and have them removed as a user.

4. Look For Hidden Assets

We like to think of our spouses as honest people but it’s actually quite common for individuals to hide their assets throughout the duration of a marriage. A business owner may add a friend on the payroll in order to hide income. Securities may have been sold without being accounted for.

According to Los Angeles divorce lawyer Steven Fernandez, “Lying during divorce proceedings is against the law. When someone signs a Financial Affidavit, which is a formal disclosure of finances, he or she is swearing under perjury to disclose any and all information pertaining to income, assets, and expenses.”

5. Revise Your Will & Designated Beneficiary

If you don’t want your ex to receive any funds in case of your demise you’ll need to update your will. Getting divorced doesn’t automatically void your existing will. You may also want to update beneficiary information for any retirement, life insurance, and investment accounts if you don’t want your ex inheriting all of your hard earned assets.

6. Be Careful When Dating

Never move in with someone you’re dating before your divorce is finalized since this may affect spousal and child support payments. A judge may deem you as having more money available if you are splitting living costs with another person. If you do plan to date, keep it discreet. Dating during divorce proceedings may also fan the fire and cause your spouse to become more emotional and less cooperative.

7. Change All Important Passwords

Change the log-in and password for your online banking account. Your spouse may have access to old passwords and may be logging in to see what you’re up to and keep track of your expenditures in order to use it against you in court. Some spouses go as far as installing a key logger in order to monitor their ex’s online activity. Protect yourself by changing your password and installing anti-virus softwares that will be able detect spyware.

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10 Things you Should Know about E-Cigarettes

E-cigarettes or e-Cigs as they are normally called are battery-powered devices, which deliver nicotine to our bodies without inhaling the smoke inside. E-Cigs are in common use in the US since 2008 and were only regulated by FDA in 2014.

The crucial difference between cigarettes that are conventional and e-cigarettes is that e-cigarettes don’t feature tobacco. Using e-cigs can be complicated and here are 10 things you need to know before shifting to e-cigs:

1. They are more complicated

Traditional cigarettes are easier to store and handle but e-cigs are complex in nature. A simple e-cig comprises of different components, which combined together to deliver the right experience for you.

Many cigarettes comprise of three parts that are distinct: a capsule, which carries a fluid solution containing variable numbers of additional substances, seasonings, and nicotine. It contains a vaporizer and a battery which powers the cigarettes. You can also choose from various best e-liquid flavors to further increase the overall taste and flavor to your cigarettes.

2. The cost involved in e-cigarettes

After the initial purchase, the all-inclusive cost involved is relatively low as compared to the traditional cigarettes. If you want to simply switch to an electronic version of a cig, this could be one of your biggest motivations to start using them.

3.They are not safer alternatives

Though e-Cig do not contain tobacco, it is not just the tobacco which causes cancer. There are other additional chemicals within the e-Cigs which can create more serious health issues for you. The vapors which are created by the e-Cigs by heating the flavored liquid inside still contain nicotine, which is injurious to health.

4. They may not help you quit smoking

The overall evidence about whether they can help you quit smoking is quite early and there are no scientific studies to back this claim. Ultimately, if you are willing to quit, you have to put in more efforts.

5. You can smoke and vape at the same time

E-Cigs are flavored. Therefore, many smokers find it attractive to vape and smoke at the same time to have the different experience. Though you can smoke and vape at the same time, but it is too dangerous as you will be inhaling nicotine in both the cases.

6. They are regulated

FDA issued regulations for e-Cigs and there are some strict regulations due to the fears that the kids or teens may be involved in smoking e-Cigs and may be normally graduate to smoking actual cigs when they fully grow up.

7. They can explode too

With Samsung Galaxy Note7 exploding fiasco. It now seems that everything battery powered can explode. There are recorded instances where batteries simply blew up and caused serious risk hazards for users.

8. Each Brand can contain the wide range of chemicals

There are no standards to follow when it comes to adding other chemicals in e-Cigs. Depending upon the brand, e-liquid refills and cartridges can come in distinct sizes containing unusual chemical composition.

So, make sure you are not over-exposed to the chemicals which may be harmful to you.

9. They are refillable

Probably. The biggest advantage of e-Cigs is the fact that they are refillable. Refillable containers or liquid cartridges are most cost-effective in nature and provide the opportunity to refill them with different flavors as you build your tastes and preferences.

10. Children can smoke e-cigs too

E-cigs come in sweetened flavors also, and such flavors are mostly attractive to children. Where e-Cigs are not regulated, children can smoke them too merely due to their sugary flavor.

Above is a list of simple facts you should know about e-Cigs before you opt them for use. You must be sure that you understand the risks of switching to e-cigs and must read all the latest research so that you can minimize the threats to your health.

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When You Do Not Sit Straight, These 4 Terrible Things Can Happen To You Skeletal System

Most people were told to sit up straight during school, but despite this lots of adults have bad posture. This is because many people, such as office workers, spend the majority of their days sat down.

However, a bad posture can cause lots of different health problems, and it can even affect the skeletal system. When people slouch, hunch over or slump forward while they are sat down they create misalignment along their spinal column.

Here are 4 things that can happen to you if you have bad posture.

1. Loss Of Height

As you grow, your skeletal system coordinates with muscle fibres to make sure that your body is aligned and balanced. However, chronic poor posture will negatively affect growth, as it places extra stress on the vertebrae of the spine. This causes the connective disks to quickly wear down, compressing the bones in the spine. This can lead to reduced height and strength.

2. Joint Stress

Your joints are protected by connective tissue that helps to cushion the joint when it moves. The amount of connective tissue is directly affected by how much weight the joint bears, and a misaligned spine will put extra weight and pressure on certain joints throughout the body. This means that some joints will carry more weight than they should, causing the connective tissue to wear away. This can result in long-term pain and degraded supportive connective tissue. This most commonly affects joints in the spine, shoulders and knees, which can cause other health problems later in life.

3. Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis happens when the connective tissue between joints is worn down, which means there is nothing to protect the bones in the spine from rubbing together. This can be caused by bad posture as bad posture disrupts the load bearing balance of joints in the back. This can cause the affected joints to calcify and fuse to nearby bones, which can be extremely painful. Osteoarthritis cannot be reversed or cured, but the pain can be managed with medication and various forms of physical therapy.

4. Spine Misalignment

If you have good posture, the upper cervical curve, mid thoracic curve and lower lumbar curve of your spine all balance together along an invisible vertical line. The line runs from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet, and it makes sure that everything in your body is balanced perfectly as your spine isn’t angled to either side or pushed forward. However a bad posture will disrupt spine alignment by putting extra pressure on one curve, which can cause pain and long-term structural damage to your body.

How To Improve Your Posture

There are a few different things that you can do to improve your posture while you are sitting down.

You can buy a chair that is ergonomically designed to provide proper spinal support. If you want to buy one, make sure that you find one that is designed for your height and weight. If you can’t buy a new chair, you could try placing a small pillow at the bottom of your spine for lumbar support.

Align your back with the back of the chair when you are working, as this will stop you from leaning forward or slouching too much. Re-align your back with the chair whenever you realize that you are slouching.

Keep both of your feet on the ground while you work. If your feet don’t reach the ground use a footrest.

Make sure that your computer or laptop is angled upwards towards you. This will force you to sit upright, rather than encouraging you to slouch to properly see the screen.

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