Diabetes UK (Version 3, March 2014) has found 3.2 million people are diagnosed with diabetes in the UK in 2013. Also, by 2025, five million people might have diabetes in the UK. While diabetes is a serious problem, your health may get worsened if you find you are suffering from foot problems because of diabetes. Yes, it has been found that many Britons who have diabetes suffer from foot problems. So, if you have diabetes, Type 1 or 2, you must take proper care of your feet to keep it healthy and fit in all seasons and weather.

If you have a rash on your face or hands, you notice it immediately. Unfortunately, most of the time a rash or cut in our foot goes unnoticed which if left untreated for a long time leads to serious complications such as amputation.

If you don't control diabetes, it starts affecting your nerves, muscles, sweat glands and disrupts blood circulation in the feet and legs resulting in amputations. You must therefore check your feet every day when suffering from diabetes to prevent foot related complications. Mostly, people suffer from lower limb amputations according to the findings of Diabetes UK. In 80% cases, amputations in diabetes patients are preventable. You must visit a good doctor every month to get your feet checked properly.

The check-up may include carefully seeing your foot skin, whether any rashes or redness has appeared and reading the pulses and temperature of your foot.

How Can Diabetes Affect Your Feet?

Diabetes can cause two main problems that can affect your feet: Diabetic neuropathy and Peripheral vascular disease.

• Diabetic Neuropathy

If you don't control diabetes and the glucose level in your blood constantly rises, it will soon lead to nerve damage. Damaged nerves in your foot and legs might cause pain and lead to lose of sensation in your foot. This loss of feeling is medically known as "sensory diabetic neuropathy". It might happen you had a cut in your foot but you didn't have any pain or sensation until your parents or friends told you had a cut.

Leaving cuts untreated for days might lead to serious complications including fungus infection. Moreover, your foot muscles may stop functioning because of damaged nerves in the foot muscles. Inactive foot muscles might lead to exerting too much pressure on one area of your foot leading to balance and posture problem. According to some studies, many amputations lead to foot ulceration due to nerve damage and poor blood flow to the foot and leg. Various studies have also suggested that there are about 80,000 people with foot ulcers in the UK.

• Peripheral Vascular Disease

If you have diabetes, it will surely affect the flow of blood to your foot and legs. Without proper blood flow, it will take time to heal any cut or bruises. Poor blood circulation in the arms and legs is medically termed as "peripheral vascular disease". The condition also affects blood flow to the heart. If you have a cut which is not healed quickly, chances are you will develop ulcers or gangrene, which is death of tissue due to lack of blood.

Tips for Diabetes Foot Care

• Daily Care

You must wash and clean your feet with mild soap and warm water. After drying your foot, apply moisturizer cream or lotion on your feet to prevent dry skin. Do not soak your feet in warm water, as you might develop fungus infection.

• Weekly Care

To prevent ingrown toenails cut your toenails straight with a nail clipper. Round the corners of your toe nails or cut down the sides to make them smooth.

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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease or in short, COPD, refers to lung diseases that could include chronic bronchitis, emphysema and chronic obstructive airways disease. This disease affects the lungs of people and they usually have difficulty in breathing. The difficulty in breathing is caused due to the narrowing of the airway and this causes obstruction in the flow of air to and from the lungs.

Causes of COPD

The most common cause of COPD is smoking. Even though this disease can also be caused by pollution, dust, fumes and genes, these causes are very rare and most of the people who suffer from COPD are those who smoke.

The more a person smokes, the more likely is that person to suffer from COPD or increase the severity of the disease. Everyone knows that smoking is bad for the lungs. The more smoke that goes in, the more the lungs get inflamed. This leads to scarring of the lungs, which makes the airways thicken and become narrower. The lungs also become less elastic. All these changes lead to formation of phlegm, mucus, breathlessness and other breathing problems, leading to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Most Likely Affected by COPD

COPD usually presents itself when a person is about 35 years old. The problem is that most people who smoke do not notice the signs of COPD and simply dismiss it as a cough because of the smoking. They either live with COPD or it often gets diagnosed when they are in their fifties. If the following symptoms start to occur, especially for those who smoke, it is advisable to visit a doctor and get checked so that this disease can be diagnosed and treated as early as possible.

• Frequently occurring breathlessness

• A continuous cough accompanied by phlegm

• Chest infections

Prevention and Treatment of COPD

The best way to prevent COPD is to stop smoking. The more you smoke, the more likely you are of getting this disease. In order to stop smoking, you need to consciously change your entire lifestyle and try your best to quit smoking. This can be done with the help of nicotine patches or chewing gum. Visit a doctor to guide you on how to reduce your smoking the correct way.

Even for those who already suffer from COPD, it is necessary to stop smoking immediately. Even though the lung damage cannot be treated, you can use various medicines in order to keep the COPD under control. Some may need to carry an inhaler for the breathlessness or may be prescribed medicines to relieve the pain.

Very few people may have to go in for surgery if this condition gets serious.

People with COPD should also make an effort to exercise regularly, practice breathing exercises and try to improve their quality of life in order to keep this condition under control.

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Urinary incontinence is a problem that many women suffer with. Although there are men who experience this condition as well, it is much more prevalent in women. According to statistics there are approximately 25 million Americans who have some form of urinary incontinence and over 200 million people worldwide. 80% of these people are women.

Only one in 8 people who have urinary incontinence are actually diagnosed while the remaining continue to suffer the often unpleasant and embarrassing symptoms. There are various lifestyle and dietary changes one can undertake that can help alleviate some of the symptoms associated with urinary incontinence.

Symptoms of Urinary Incontinence: This loss of bladder control is chiefly characterized by a problem in controlling one's urination. It is often an involuntary leakage of urine that can occur in everyday moments such as when laughing or coughing. This makes it a very stressful event for those who experience it. There are two types of incontinence and they are known as stress incontinence and urge incontinence. The stress type was described above. Urge incontinence is more severe and involves larger amounts of urine leaking and a frequent feeling of needing to urinate. Most women will have a combination of these two.

Causes of Urinary Incontinence: Women will often get stress incontinence from having had children or from gaining too much weight. Excess weight can weaken the bladder muscles leading to this condition. With urge incontinence it remains unclear as to what the initial cause is. However it could be due to some sort of irritation to the bladder.

Testing and Diagnosis: When seeing your medical provider you will receive a series of tests to determine if you have urinary incontinence. These include a bladder stress test and a urinalysis. If the doctor wants more advanced testing it may include a urodynamic test, ultrasounds and a cystometry test which helps to measure pressure on the bladder.

Once the doctor determines your diagnosis he or she will then be able to prescribe a course of treatment that will help alleviate and potentially completely control the incontinence. These are some of the medications that you may be prescribed;
Imipramine which is an antidepressant, Duloxetine which is also an antidepressant; low dose estrogen in a cream topical form and anticholinergics which work to make the bladder calmer.

Dietary and Lifestyle Changes: Of course in addition to these medical treatments there are numerous things you can do to help yourself with this problem. There is a common misconception that reducing your fluid intake will help make you urinate less frequently. This is not the right approach as it could lead to dehydration. You should stay hydrated for your health and this should be 6-8 glasses of water daily.

Include other beverages that you may be drinking towards this total amount. You should limit caffeine, alcohol and soda from your diet as these can be irritating to the bladder. Try to avoid drinking fluids at night.

Sugar: Eating too much sugar is unhealthy in general and particularly so if you have urinary incontinence. Sugar can also irritate your bladder. Many foods have hidden sugar in them so always read labels carefully. Sugar includes products that contain fructose and honey. Cranberry juice: there has been a common misconception that cranberry juice helps with urinary incontinence in women. It is helpful with urinary tract infections. However with urinary incontinence it can aggravate the problem due to its acidity.

Lifestyle changes: Exercise is very important to helping this condition. There are specific exercises known as "Kegal" methods. The Kegal method is exercise that strengthens the pelvic muscles thus helping you to have more control in urinary flow. With continued use you should see an improvement.

Obesity: If you are overweight or obese your urinary incontinence condition will be further aggravated. Losing weight and being fit will certainly help you. For example if you have a heavy abdomen you will put additional pressure on your bladder and further weaken the muscles. When you take the weight off you will naturally strengthen these muscles that are not burdened any longer.

Other techniques: There has been success for many women by trying to control the urge to urinate when when they feel an overwhelming need to do so. Your immediate sensation is to run to the bathroom to alleviate yourself. However if you can try to retrain your bladder to wait a bit longer you may eventually stop urinating as frequently. Start slowly and with what you are comfortable in doing. For example, begin with trying to wait 10 minutes before urinating when you get that urge to go. Work your way up to 15 to 20 minutes if you can. This technique can eventually train your bladder and you will not need to urinate as frequently as before.

Clearly urinary incontinence is a problem for many women and can definitely affect the quality of their lives. By incorporating a sound plan that includes medical intervention and lifestyle and dietary changes you see experience significant improvement and controlling over this condition. Remember as with any dietary or lifestyle changes, always consult with your medical provider before doing so, particularly if you have any disease or are taking prescription medication.

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Shaken baby syndrome, or SBS, is a form of child abuse. It occurs when an abuser, generally an adult, violently shakes an infant or small child. The shaking motion creates a whiplash-esque motion that causes severe acceleration-deceleration injuries.

This type of injury, or abuse, is thought to affect between 1,200 and 1,600 children every year in the United States alone. The injury type is not restricted to the United States. All countries have the problem to some degree. One remarkable feature of shaken baby syndrome is that there is, typically, no external evidence of trauma. When a baby is shaken and strikes a hard object, this is called shaken impact syndrome, in many cases.

Shaken baby syndrome, as a concept, was originally described in the early 1970s. The description was based on a theory and a wide variety of circumstances and was posited by Drs. John Caffey and Norman Guthkelch. Dr. Caffey was a radiologist while Dr. Guthkelch was a neurosurgeon.

While it may sound minor, shaken baby syndrome is a major cause of mortality in infants. When it is not fatal, it can produce lifelong disabilities due to neurological damage. It is estimated that up to 50% of all deaths related to child abuse are due to shaken baby syndrome. Between one fifth and one quarter of all infant victims of shaken baby syndrome die due to their injuries. When the baby does not die, the consequences are serious as well. They include visual impairment (blindness), motor impairment (cerebral palsy), and cognitive impairments.

Small children up to the age of three are particularly vulnerable to brain damage due to being shaken. This is due to a variety of anatomical factors. For starters, babies' heads are larger and make up a larger proportion of their body weight than adults' heads. In addition, a baby's neck muscles are weak and cannot help prevent violent motions.

Another problem is that infants' heads do not have myelin sheaths. Myelin sheaths are part of the brain's structure but are not developed completely until adolescence. As neurons gain myelin during development, the water content of the brain is reduced. As a consequence, babies' brains have a higher percentage of brain water than adults. Because of the high water content, babies' brains are softer and more susceptible to acceleration-deceleration injuries as well as diffuse axonal injuries.

In shaken baby syndrome, rotation injuries are especially damaging and particularly likely to occur in shaking trauma. The types of injuries caused by shaking injuries are generally not caused by falls or impacts due to normal play. Those injuries are typically due to linear forces.
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Joseph Devine

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When we say foods are high in calories, we think they must be unhealthy. The foods that we have mentioned are very dense in calories but they are still a healthy diet in moderation. We need at least some dietary fat for our hormones to function properly and to absorb minerals and vitamins. Doctors recommend not less than 15% fat from your diet. Check out the following healthiest fat and high cal foods.

Olive Oil

Olive oil is the best alternative to stick on margarine and butter, it is very important to keep serving size in mind. Just one tablespoon of olive oil has 120 cal. Yes olive oil is high in fat, it is high in mono-unsaturated fat and it has several health benefits including maintaining healthy cholesterol levels and lowering the risk of cardiovascular diseases, breast cancer, and Alzheimer's. You can use olive oil with salads, roasted veggies and as a replacement for margarine.

Homemade Granola

It is one of the foods that have always been classified as healthy. It is important to check the nutrition facts on granola package. Mostly it is made with natural ingredients such as oats, nuts and seeds; granola is full of nutrients. These are high in calories about 300 cal per half cup. Homemade granola is best way to enjoy it from guilt free. Keep your serving size to ¼ to ½ cup and you can enjoy with plain yogurt or milk.

Avocado

Creamy, smooth and nutritious avocado have it all. They are full of vitamin C and K, potassium, fiber and many other nutrients. A half avocado gives you 15 gm of the good monounsaturated fat, and despite technically being a fruit, they have almost no sugar (0.2 gm per one half). Keep in mind a whole avocado ranges between 300 and 500 cal.

Almond Butter

Like granola, almond butter is yet another rich in nutrients food you can enjoy, but it can be loaded with added sugar and fat. Nuts generally are high in cal, around 190 to 200 calories per handful. One serving size of almond butter (2 tablespoons) has about 4 gm of protein, 2 gm of fiber, and 18 gm of fat. It also has iron, vitamin E and magnesium. A little bit of almond butter goes a long way- one serving size has up to 200 calories. Avoid reduced fat versions of almond butter, because they actually have higher sugar content. Plus, try to buy almond butter with the fewest added ingredients, and the low in sugar and sodium contents. Natural brands usually have fewer additives compared to their commercial counterparts.

Dark Chocolate

Most of us have heard it: dark chocolate is good for you. It is full of nutrients and antioxidants plus it may help lower your blood pressure and can control blood sugar level, and additionally boost your mood. One bar of chocolate can have around 530 cal. Munch on one bar throughout the week or pick up individually wrapped dark chocolate for 50 cal a piece. While these foods are high in calories, they certainly can be part of a diet that promotes health and of well-being.

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Children are supposed to be fit, happy and healthy, isn't that how you want your child to be? It will pain your heart to know that more and more children are falling into the vicious circle of this medical condition and experiencing juvenile diabetes symptoms at a very early age. Studies have shown that the children, including the teenagers are showing symptoms of diabetes, which are usually the Type 1 category of diabetes.

Though most people are not quite aware of it, that their children can have diabetes at a very young age. One must take their children for a blood test if any of the early juvenile diabetes symptoms are being noticed by the parents in their kids. Early detection of this medical problem will help you to give your kid you early treatment.

What do you mean by 'juvenile diabetes symptoms'?

Juvenile diabetes is the Type 1 form of diabetes in the children and also the teenagers. Children, in most of the cases of diabetes, were detected with diabetes, Type 1. During this medical condition the pancreas present in the human body, in this case, the child's body, cannot create the insulin. Insulin is a substance which is needed by every human being to control the level of sugar, which exists in the bloodstream of the human being. Insulin helps the glucose to break down in the body in the form of energy. Therefore, without the formation of insulin in the body, the amount of glucose present in the body rises and this results in diabetes (Type 1). The symptoms of diabetes in children (juvenile diabetes) are same as type 1 diabetes in patients.

How to prevent children from suffering from juvenile diabetes symptoms- type 2?

The juvenile diabetes symptoms children shows are quite common with any other diabetes patient, men or women. Children get this medical condition due to various reasons and knowing about these reasons can help you to prevent this dreadful medical condition from affecting your kid's health. As you all know by now, Type 1 is less severe than the Type 2 class of diabetes and due to this, avoiding the risks and triggers which causes Type 2 of diabetes is a must for your children, especially if there is a history of diabetes present in the family.

There are some specific ways through which you can safeguard your kids from juvenile diabetes symptoms and signs of Type 2 diabetes. The most common reason of children getting diabetes is due to overweight and obesity which is increasing amongst children. Hence, the easiest way to keep your child away from the high glucose level in the body is by making them fit and offering them a proper healthy diet.

Things to do to keep your child away from Type 2 and juvenile diabetes symptoms are:

· Exercising or playing an outdoor sport every day so that they get regular workout
· Healthy diet - small meal within every three to four hours, less fried foods and sugary items
· Restrict the hours they watch television and also do computer
· Take your kids on hiking and camping, let them participate in every kind of physical activity
· Do not let them become a couch potato and always keep their weight balanced and maintained

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