The role of the liver is very important for several reasons in the body. The functions the liver is responsible to help and perform include storing iron, producing bile to help with digestion, converting nutrients to energy, making proteins in the body, keeping infections away by removing bacteria and toxins, and creating substances that help blot to clot and heal a wound when needed. Fatty liver disease occurs when extra fat is stored in the liver. Although it is not always problematic or even symptomatic, some cases lead to liver damage. Fortunately, the condition can be reversed.
There are two types which are either alcohol-induced fatty liver disease or non-alcohol related. Alcohol-related occurs in about 5% of fatty liver disease cases. Non-alcohol related fatty liver disease occurs in one in three adults in the US. The exact cause is still unknown. Possible causes could be related to obesity, type 2 diabetes/insulin resistance, certain prescription medications, or having metabolic syndrome with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high triglycerides.
Fatty liver disease in about 7% to 30% of people can worsen over time. There’s a 3-part progression to worsening cases of fatty liver disease. First, steatohepatitis occurs, which is when the liver becomes swollen, indicating signs of damage. Second, fibrosis will occur when scarring is happening where the damage has taken place. Finally, cirrhosis of the liver can happen, and this Is where the scar tissue starts replacing the healthy tissue. Cirrhosis is serious because the hard tissue that has replaced the healthy tissue can block the liver from working altogether.
Not everyone will experience symptoms, but blood work could indicate elevated liver enzymes. This red flag can warrant having an ultrasound performed of the liver, having a liver biopsy, or having a special scan called a FibroScan. Some people might experience one or more of the following symptoms: yellow skin or in the pupils of the eyes, swollen abdomen and/or legs, weakness, nausea, loss of appetite, weight loss, and/or being extremely tired.
Naturally, the liver is resilient and can repair itself. Treatment/preventative measures include avoiding alcohol, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, consuming green tea, taking amla which has vitamin C and antioxidants to fight inflammation, taking turmeric, and consuming apple cider vinegar. Getting a yearly physical with a comprehensive blood panel is also highly recommended. Sometimes we don’t know what’s going on under the surface. We can then make informed decisions about natural approaches that are applicable and prospectively a route for treatment.
The ear canal often times gets buildup of a yellow substance we call earwax. The glands in the ear canal produce this substance for no exact known reason other than to trap particles and dust before they might reach the eardrum. Without realizing it, most of the time ear wax dries up and become a crust that drops out of the ear along with the debris. However, we know that when we take a Q-tip and wipe the inside of the ear, the aftermath isn’t always clean and nice. We all have ear wax, and we all have different amounts of it. Just like hair color or how tall you are, ear wax amount is determined by genetics. We don’t normally discuss ear wax quantity with others, so most of us don’t know the difference between having a lot versus having a little in comparison. We just know that sometimes we have more than other times.
When earwax is heavily built up, there can be a few signs letting you know this. You can feel you ears are plugged, you might feel dizzy, hearing might be difficult, the ears might be ringing, and the ears might be feeling a little painful. Having blockage or impaction can happen, but most of the time it’s from people using cotton swabs, bobby pins, or rolling napkins and trying to clean out their ears. On another note, people who use hearing aids and/or ear plugs usually do have more earwax buildup than others.
Earwax treatment and safe self-care approached do exist. At home remedies include using drops of baby oil, hydrogen peroxide, mineral oil, apple cider vinegar with rubbing alcohol, coconut oil, tea tree oil, almond oil, baking soda and water, and/or glycerin. There are over the counter kits that act like an irrigation system to flush the ears. The ear candling method is not recommended. This is when a hollow cone made of paraffin and beeswax is used that’s part of a cloth. One end is placed in the ear and the other is lighted with a flame. When the flame burns, a vacuum is created that hallows out the wax. When you have your regular yearly physical with your doctor, ask if earwax cleaning can be done. Most times the doctor has no problem doing this for you. Since you cannot see into your ear canal, you really don’t know how much is in there so it can’t hurt to ask. Your doctor does examine the canal as part of the physical, but never hurts to get cleaned up since you are there anyways. Wax on, wax off, and get that earwax out of there. Just another way to take care of the little things that are part of your health before the big things could potentially happen. Listen to your body, which means there can’t be wax impeding on the sound of your body’s messages.
Acai berries have become popular with the spread of acai bowls and smoothies available. This dark purple berry comes from Brazil and is considered a “superfruit”. Technically, they’re not a berry because they have a pit like an apricot, so they are from the drupe family. Most times, acai berries are mashed into a purple looking paste and consumed this way. They have a very short shelf life, so we typically can buy them frozen, in pressured juice form, or as a powder.
The nutritional makeup of acai berries is unique compared to other fruits. In 100 grams, there are 70 calories, 4 carbohydrates, 2 grams of sugar, 2 grams of fiber. However, acai berries are a little bit higher in fat compared to other fruits, having 5 grams of fat in 100 grams. They are a good source of antioxidants because they contain anthocyanins. Their deep purple color comes from this, and anthocyanins can be found in other black and purple foods like black beans and blueberries. Anthocyanins have also been found to improve good cholesterol (HDL). Antioxidants are important to repair cellular damage caused by free radicals. Acai berries knock out the park with antioxidants. To measure antioxidant amount in foods, the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) score is used. Acai berries have a very high score of 15,405 compared to other fruits such as blueberries which have a score of 4,669. That’s almost three times higher.
The brain also benefits from eating acai berries because of their high antioxidant levels. Since antioxidants help fight the inflammation and oxidation of brain cells, memory and learning can be positively impacted. Acai helps with the “housekeeping” of the brain called autophagy. This is the process of cleaning out cells that are toxic and not working. As a result, new healthy cells can form.
Besides being a bit higher in fat, the effects of acai sound very promising. However, it’s important to read labels and watch for added sugars when eating acai. The bowls and smoothies can be loaded with other high sugar and carbohydrate containing foods, leaving a false perception of eating “healthy”. We can mislead but the terms “all-natural” and “organic” because they don’t equate to sugar free, fat free, and calorie free. Acai can be one of those healthy foods that are good for you, but not a daily fruit to consume in high amounts.
Bone broth has been given extra attention by health minded people. Bones and connective tissues of animals are simmered with water to make this broth, which doesn’t necessarily sound appealing to drink. The most common animals the broth is made form include chicken, beef, pork, lamb, bison, fish, turkey, and venison. There isn’t an exact recipe or correct way to make bone both, but usually a large pot of water, vinegar, and the animal parts are simmered to taste. Vinegar is the key ingredient because it pulls all the nutrients out of the bones. Salt, pepper, garlic, parsley, and thyme are commonly used ingredients as well.
Why would anyone want to drink the broth of animal parts? Animal bones are filled with vitamins and minerals our body greatly benefits from. These include calcium and magnesium which strengthen our own bones. Animal bones also have zinc, iron, vitamin A and B, as well as collagen. Simmering the bone parts releases all these nutrients so that we can drink and absorb the benefits.
Another purpose of bone both is its ability to improve the digestive system. It can help reduce inflammation in the digestive track. The collagen in bone broth turns into gelatin which has an amino acid called glutamic acid. Once in the body it converts to glutamine which helps the functioning of the intestinal wall. This fights against leaky gut and other gastrointestinal diseases. Collagen also aids with joint health. The other amino acids in bone broth (glycine and arginine) help fight inflammation. Glycine has also been shown to help with sleep. Deeper sleep, less waking up, and falling asleep faster have all been found by those who drink bone broth near dinner/bedtime.
Bone broth is packed with benefits and has very little calories. It can help with weight management because it is high in protein and low in calories. It can be homemade, or store bought. Bone broth dates to pre-historic times when hunter-gatherers used the left-over body parts of the animals they killed for food. Today, the benefits remain and what might seem like the part of the animal you would normally throw away, you could save (or freeze) to make use of for a healthy drink.
Mucus is part of life, and everyone has it. Especially during a cold or sinus infection, tissue after tissue can become filled with mucus. It can feel disgusting and sometimes embarrassing in front of others, but mucus serves a pertinent purpose. Some doctors even refer to mucus as the oil for the body’s engine. We find mucus in the lining of the nose, throat, sinuses, lungs, and mouth. It is a protective blanket to these areas to keep them from drying out. It is like a fly trap on our bodies that catches unwanted bacteria and dust before they can enter the body. Mucus is powerful because it contains antibodies that recognize which substances from the environment to filter out. The trapping nature of mucus is why it is sticky and gooey in texture.
Even when not sick, the body produces 1 to 1.5 liters of mucus daily. Most of it goes down the throat with saliva and is unnoticed. When a person becomes sick, that is when they notice the high amounts the body produces. It takes becoming sick or having bad allergies to trigger the mucus production into overdrive.
Mucus does change color from time to time. Looking down at a tissue of mucus doesn’t always produce the same picture. It can be yellowish, green, brown, or even red. When a person is sick, the immune system sends white blood cells to the protective areas with mucus which produces the green color. However, that doesn’t mean that every batch of mucus when sick is green. When the nose is dry or irritated it can produce brown or red mucus. The nostrils contain many red blood vessels, and a small amount of blood can show up in mucus.
A person can never fully get rid of mucus from the body, but it’s nice to be alleviated of such vast production when sick. There are over the counter antihistamines and decongestants that can help. Decongestants cause the blood vessels that line the nostril to narrow, which reduces blood flow. These dry up the mucus and make it thick. Antihistamines block or limit histamines which are triggered by allergic reactions and cause a running nose. Guaifenesin can also be used which thins out the mucus and makes it easier to get out of the body. A more natural route is using a neti-pot to remove mucus with a nasal irrigation. However, washing too much of the bad out can also wash some of the good out too.
Mucus is normal. We all have it. It serves a purpose. Yes, it can be irritating and disruptive, but its protective role in blocking bacteria is part of what our body needs. Just blow it out when there is too much. There are worse nuances we deal with.
Our heart is at work literally 24/7 for us and without it doing this constant job for us, well, we know the consequences. An irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) can pose complications that increase the risk of having a stroke or even heart failure. It can be frightening for someone and can also impact their daily living. Atrial fibrillation (A-fib) is a type of arrythmia that causes a rapid heartbeat, and the person will notice their heart rate is abnormally high. It may come and go or be persistent. Either way, A-fib poses the threat of being chronic. The irregularity of the condition is what troubles many people and complicates treatment.
When atrial fibrillation is happening, the upper chambers (atria) of the heart and the lower chambers (ventricles) are beating out of sync. Some people experience no symptoms at all, while others may get short of breath, have fast heartbeat palpitations, have chest pain, feel lightheaded, not be able to exercise, and/or feel weak. Having A-fib and episodes associated with it are not life threatening, but treatment is needed to prevent strokes.
The heart has 4 chambers. The upper 2 are called the atria and the lower 2 are called the ventricles. The upper right atrium contains a group of cells called the sinus node. The normal heart rate range is between 60 and 100 bpm. The A-fib heart rate can range from 100 to 175 bpm. The sinus node is the heart’s pacemaker. Its job is to produce the signals that orchestrate each heartbeat to take place. Normal conduction takes place as follows:
- The sinus node signal travels to the 2 upper atria.
- The signal travels through a chamber that connects the atria and ventricles called the atrioventricular node (AV node).
- The signal tells the heart to contract which is a squeezing action that sends blood to the heart.
However, when A-fib takes places, the signals that begin in the upper chamber get chaotic. This makes the upper chamber shake. The AV node has mixed signals coming in as it’s trying to connect with the ventricles. This is what leads to the irregular heartbeat that is fast.
Causation for having A-fib could possibly be from having high blood pressure, having had a heart attack, prior heart surgery, a heart defect, family history, obesity, sleep apnea, thyroid disease (hyperthyroidism), heart valve problems, alcohol, stimulants, and/or viral infections. Some of these risks are controllable lifestyle factors, while others are not.
Treatment could involve medications, surgery, and/or cardioversion which resets the heart rhythm. Medication includes beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, blood thinners, digoxin which can help control heart rate mainly at rest but not during activity, and/or anti-arithmetic medications. Cardioversion can be done electrically or via drugs. Electrical cardioversion shocks the heart to reset rhythm. Drugs can be administered through IV or by mouth. Surgery could involve a cardiac ablation which uses extreme heat or cold to create scars in the heart that will block the abnormal signals. A doctor might also insert a catheter to do this which has hot and cold sensors on it. There are two types of ablations that can take place. AV node ablation involves destroying the electrical signal connection all together. A pacemaker will then be needed for life. Sometimes A-fib can come back after an ablation so it will have to be repeated, or another form of treatment will need to take place. The other surgery is a maze procedure which is when the heat or cold is used to create a scar tissue pattern (maze) in the upper chambers which will interfere with the heart signals that cause A-fib to occur. This is open-heart surgery.
The heart is at constant work and when it has any complications, we know not to ignore them, or we may not be here to see tomorrow. Heart health is vital, and we need to do what we can to be advocated for our health and we need to live in a way the supports rather than jeopardize our wellness. Diet and exercise are pertinent and eliminating habits that compromise your health needs to happen. Temporary satisfaction is not worth a lifetime of poor-quality living as a result. Don’t beat your heart up or it won’t beat for you.
Sometimes in life we decide to take a break from activities, people, places, and things. This is taking a pause which means not being involved with something/someone for a period. A break means you will return to the activity, person, place, or thing that you took the break from. This is opposed to stopping and not returning which would be a “break up”. A break can be a dangerous decision when there is not a definite return date. Having a vague or approximate return date leaves room for procrastination, distraction, and taking part in alternatives choices (good or bad). There are several reasons a person might choose to take a break from something or someone.
Feeling a sense of burnout can influence the decision to take a break. You could feel like all your time, energy, and focus is on this one thing or person. The all-consuming pressure to uphold what is currently happening is difficult to imagine sustaining for the projected future. The thing or person has caused missing out on other parts of life that you desire to include. There isn’t a balance anymore. You want to test what it would feel like without the presence of the thing or person in your life. You have not decided to fully subtract or end this part of your life, but the readiness or attachment isn’t one hundred percent clear to you. Finances can be part of this. Maybe the cost is impactful, so you want to try to save the expense for a time.
Being able to do something on your own without the thing or person can be a factor. For example, you want to see if you would be okay single for a time. You want to see if you can exercise by yourself for a time. You want to see if you like something/someone better. The comparison can take place during a break. Pros and cons can be measured. Alternatives can be investigated.
A break is trying something without that thing or person/people for an allotted time. This might be 30 days of no alcohol. This could be 5 months of leave from work. Breaks can be set for a time. When there is not a set time, a break can be for however long and sometimes that break leads to a non-return. The term break can also ease the blow or termination. For example, rather than end a relationship, you take a break.
Sometimes taking a break can be self-destructive. You take a break from working out, maybe for a vacation. Then you must motivate yourself as you tell yourself when you are going to start again and actually follow through. You can leave something or someone up in the air about your return, so the break can be selfish because of your indecision. On the other hand, you could have no intention of returning and out of fear or ease, you just don’t want to tell that place/person you aren’t coming back.
The bottom line is that a break can be both good and bad. It can be eye-opening or self-sabotage. It can be shorter or longer than you thought. It can be forever. It can be an excuse or lie or out of avoidance. If you have ever been on the receiving end of a relationship when someone says they want a break, you are well aware of the uncertainty in the air. The “stay tuned” or “to be continued” makes a break unclear. Sometimes waiting to see what happens puts life in a place where confidence in truth is tested. “Be careful or it will break”, may be the sign of caution we need when it comes to taking breaks.
Eating our vegetables is a common early lesson we learn about nutrition. Some of us didn’t get dessert until we ate all the vegetables on our plate. Broccoli and cauliflower are two types of veggies often consumed together and are considered part of a healthy diet. They both are cruciferous vegetables, which are a family of foods that come from the Brassica genus. They have the flower type shape coming out of the stem. There’s plenty of good reasons to eat broccoli and cauliflower, which are very similar but also have some differences between them. What’s best about both of them is that they’re both low in calories (about 30 calories per one cup) and packed with nutrition, most notably having a good amount of fiber.
Either can be eaten raw, cooked, fresh, or frozen. There are many recipes and dishes that incorporate them. They are often used on appetizer platters, for snacks, on salads, and can even be swapped out for certain grains. Cauliflower has become popular replacing pizza crust and rice. Either can be enjoyed in practically any sauce or dip like hummus. Baked or sautéed, either can please an array of tastebuds.
Some of the benefits of eating broccoli and cauliflower include all of the micronutrients they contain which are copper, potassium, folate, and manganese. They are also high in vitamin C, which is important for bone health, wound healing, and having a strong immune system. To be more detailed, broccoli is higher in vitamins C and K, but cauliflower has more vitamin B and vitamin B-6.
Another reason to eat broccoli and cauliflower is because they are high in sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol. Therse are sulfur-rich antioxidants that help ward off chronic disease, reduce inflammation, and prevent cellular damage. Broccoli is high in lutein and zeaxanthin which are good for eye health. Cauliflower contains other important antioxidants which are vanillic acid, protocatechuic acid, and coumaric acid.
Again, they both have nearly 2 grams of fiber (broccoli 2.5 grams) in a one cup serving, which is helpful for digestion, heart health, and controlling blood sugar. We might prefer one more than the other. We might prefer them prepared a certain way. We might not even like them at all. In any case, the nutritional benefits are irrefutable. We can refuse to eat our vegetables, but we can’t refuse why they should be part of our diet.
A yearly physical or even just a normal visit to the doctor can involve having your blood pressure checked. Not everyone understands why or how important this information can be. Understanding the basics about blood pressure can lead to making better health decisions. This first piece of information to learn is that the top number is called systolic pressure and the bottom number is called diastolic pressure.
When having blood pressure checked, the doctor will put an inflatable cuff around the upper arm. Then they will use a stethoscope to listen to the blood moving through the arteries. The doctor will inflate the cuff which will cause it to tighten around the arm. As the cuff becomes deflated, the doctor will listen through the stethoscope to determine systolic blood pressure. When the noise that goes away from the deflation stops, the doctor can then take the diastolic reading.
A normal systolic pressure is below 120. When the heart beats, it squeezes and pushes blood through the arteries to be carried to parts of the body. This creates forceful pressure on the blood pressure, and systolic pressure is the reading of that amount of force. If the reading shows between 120-129, this is considered elevated. A reading of 130-139 is considered hypertension, which is stage one of high blood pressure. A reading of 140 or more is considered stage 2 high blood pressure. Finally, a reading of 180 or more may be a medical emergency and one should go the hospital immediately.
A normal diastolic pressure is lower than 80. This is determined by the amount of pressure in the arteries that exists when the heart quickly rests between beats. During this “rest” the heart is filling up with blood and getting oxygen. Even though a normal reading is below 80, if systolic pressure reads between 120 and 129, a person can still have high blood pressure. A reading of 80-89 is considered stage 1 hypertension, 90 or more is stage 2 hypertension, and 120 or more is a medical emergency in which one should go to the hospital immediately.
Depending on the reading, a doctor will just check each year at a physical or if there is any indication of elevation may ask for the person to have it checked every 3 to 6 months. They might even recommend an easy at home monitor. A good reading requires abstaining from smoking, exercise, or caffeine at least 30 minutes prior. Checking it at the same time of day is also important. The person should be sitting in a chair with both feet on the floor and a doctor can should the proper arm positions. Blood pressure can be a silent killer, so it is important to be aware. Untreated high blood pressure can result in stoke, heart attack, or kidney damage.
A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or reduced. Every minute counts when it comes to helping or saving someone who might be having a stroke. The warning signs of a stroke include the acronym FAST:
F – face- when the person smiles do one of the side droop?
A – arms – when the arms are raised does one arm drop down?
S – speech – when making a short statement does the person slur or speak strangely?
T – time – answers are yes then someone needs to call 911 immediately.
A stroke can happen gradually or suddenly. It is important to know that a stroke can happen to anyone at any time. Warning signs include:
- Confusion or trouble understanding people.
- Difficulty speaking.
- Numbness or stiffness in the arm, leg, or face, particularly on one side.
- Trouble seeing.
- Severe headache.
Although strokes can happen to anyone, there are certain circumstances that put one at higher risk. Some conditions can be prevented while others can’t be changed:
- Tobacco: Nicotine makes blood pressure go up. It thickens the blood and makes it more likely to clot.
- High blood pressure: If a person’s blood pressure is higher than 140/90 then a person is diagnosed with hypertension.
- Diabetes: This condition damages the blood vessels which make a stroke more likely to occur.
- Heart disease: A person might have a defective heart valve, irregular heartbeat, or atrial fibrillation which can all raise the risk of strokes.
- Being overweight: This increases the chance of stroke. The heart needs exercise.
- Age: The chances of a stroke double every decade after age 55.
- Medications: Some drugs such as blood thinners can made a stroke more likely because of bleeding.
- Gender: Men are more likely than women to have strokes.
- Family: Genetics can play a role, and strokes can be a common occurrence among relatives.
- Race: Strokes are more common among African Americans and Hispanic Americans.
When a stroke happens, the brain is not able to get enough oxygen. Without oxygen, the brain becomes damaged almost immediately. That is why getting help immediately is critical. A doctor will determine is a person had an ischemic stroke (the most common type) or a hemorrhagic stroke (bleeding in the brain). The brain and body can be paralyzed and damaged for life so every second helps. The bleeding needs to be stopped immediately. Understanding the cause of the stroke can help treat the symptoms and reduce the likelihood of reoccurrence. Self-health care is critical. Don’t wait until it is too late to make sure you have normal blood pressure, are in the normal weight range, and properly take care of any existing heart conditions.