What does it mean to have high blood sugar, and what does it have to do with diabetes? The two issues are interlinked as people with diabetes have high blood sugar levels, i.e., the disease results in excessive amounts of sugar in one’s blood. Diabetes affects 537 million adults, however, one in two people with the condition remain undiagnosed. So, understanding the disease is a crucial first step in dealing with the symptoms. Understanding high blood sugar and diabetes Diabetes is a serious metabolic disorder that is one of the most common health concerns around the world. The food we eat is broken down into sugar in our body, and this sugar is released into the bloodstream. The pancreas then releases a hormone called insulin to respond to the increase in blood sugar (or glucose). Insulin prompts the cells to use the blood sugar as energy or fuel to carry out different processes and life-sustaining activities in the body. However, when affected by diabetes, the body either does not produce enough insulin or cannot adequately utilize the insulin. This results in the accumulation of sugar in the bloodstream, and over time, this build-up of glucose can lead to serious health problems.

You may think that the cough you’ve had for the past few days is not a huge concern. But, a persistent cough, if not taken seriously, may result in quite a few chronic respiratory conditions. Respiratory diseases and conditions are quite common in the country. It is crucial to recognize what to look for and when to see a health care provider. This article lists some common symptoms and respiratory diseases and conditions. Common symptoms There are various common signs to look for in respiratory diseases and conditions. Some of the common symptoms are: Difficulty breathing Any difficulty in breathing should be evaluated and treated by the physician. Chronic cough If you have a stubborn and chronic cough that has not subsided in months, it may be an indicator of some respiratory ailment. Stubborn Mucus If you have been coughing up phlegm or there is drainage in the chest for more than a month, you need to get it treated by a health care expert. Severe chest pain If you experience sudden, severe, and lingering chest pain for more than a month, it may be a symptom of some respiratory conditions. Coughing up blood Coughing up blood is a serious concern, and it should be treated by a healthcare professional.

The cold and flu are contagious upper-respiratory illnesses caused by different viruses. Cold symptoms are milder than the flu and develop slowly. Flu symptoms often come suddenly and are typically more intense. Some cases of the flu can cause complications like sinus and ear infections and pneumonia. As the cold and flu share so many symptoms, it is important to know what you are dealing with before taking any treatment options. Causes Viruses that can cause a common cold include Rhinoviruses These viruses are the most common ones to affect you, but they do not make you seriously sick. Parainfluenza This virus can cause severe conditions such as pneumonia, especially in young children. Coronavirus There are different types of coronaviruses, of which only three or four of them are harmful. The spread of the influenza virus causes the flu. When people with the flu are coughing, sneezing, or talking, the spread of fluid on a surface can also infect someone if they come in contact with it. Common flu viruses are Influenza A This virus is quite harmful and is known to spread rapidly; it can be found in humans, pigs, and birds. Influenza B This virus is less severe and is found in humans.

According to the Scientific Reports Journal, sleep disorders are experienced by approximately 56 percent of the world’s population at least once in their lives. So, what are these conditions, and do they have any signs and symptoms? Do they cause a more significant impact on your overall health? How can you prevent them? This article discusses all these questions to help you know more on sleep disorders, in general, and certain types of the condition. What are sleep disorders? Sleep is a basic human necessity that allows the body to function optimally. Most adults need around seven to nine hours of uninterrupted sleep each night. These disorders, also known as sleep-wake disorders, are conditions that impact the quality and amount of your sleep. Lack of sleep is also linked to other chronic health conditions such as cardiac problems, diabetes, and hypertension. Common sleep disorders and their symptoms Insomnia Insomnia is a sleep disorder that interferes with a person’s ability to fall or stay asleep. There are two types of insomnia. These include short-term and chronic insomnia. While the first one lasts only for a few days, chronic insomnia lasts for a longer time. It occurs at least thrice a week and lasts for three months or longer.

Nearly one-third of the world’s population suffers from various allergies, and it manifests differently across cases. An allergic reaction occurs when your body’s immune system reacts to a harmless substance that does not bother most people. These substances, called allergens, are perceived as a threat, and the body releases a chemical called histamine in response, which produces allergic symptoms. In severe cases, allergies can lead to dangerous and even fatal symptoms. Common types of allergies The body can be allergic to any substance, but there are some commonly identified allergens, such as food, pollen, and pet dander. Depending on their nature, they enter your body through the digestive, skin, or respiratory systems. Food allergy Food allergies occur when your body creates antibodies against one or more food substances. Though any food substance can cause an allergic reaction in vulnerable people, there are certain foods that are the cause of most allergies. These include eggs, milk, soy, shellfish, peanuts, and tree nuts. Some of the most common symptoms of food allergies that you should know are: Hives Itchy feeling in the ears, throat, or mouth Vomiting Swelling around the eyes, lips, or in the mouth around the tongue In more extreme cases, food allergies may cause a severe reaction known as anaphylaxis with serious symptoms that include:

Through decades of research, more than 300 agents that cause infectious diseases have been discovered. These agents significantly impact your health and are transferrable to other seemingly healthy individuals, increasing the risk of exposure. Knowing the common symptoms and risk factors of these infectious diseases and how to keep them at bay is crucial to keeping yourself and those around you safe. Here’s everything you should know about these common conditions: Causes and risk factors At any given point in time, millions of microorganisms live inside your body. They are beneficial for your health and perform functions such as breaking down food and building your immunity. However, not all microorganisms are beneficial for your health. Some invade your body’s immune system and cause diseases. Infectious diseases are caused by the invasion of pathogens like parasites, bacteria, viruses, and fungi. And these pathogens are transferrable through contaminated food, water, and soil, other infected individuals, and stings and bites from certain bugs and insects. Common infectious diseases Millions of people are affected by infectious diseases around the world. Here are the most common infectious diseases to be aware of: Staph infections Staph is one of the most common infectious diseases existing in the country. This is a condition caused by the Staphylococcus bacteria strain and usually affects the digestive system, skin, bones, lungs, and heart.

The endocrine system is responsible for the production of multiple hormones in the human body. These hormones regulate important functions that help the body to heal itself, control metabolic functions, regulate mood and sleep, and aid in growth and development. However, certain endocrine conditions result in disruption in the production of hormones and interfere with bodily functions, leading to more severe disease. Some of these endocrine conditions are discussed below: Endocrine system The endocrine system consists of various glands in the human body that produce hormones. The glands monitor the number of hormones produced and release these hormones into the bloodstream, from where they travel to various parts of the body. A few important glands and organs, as well as the hormones that are produced, include: Pituitary gland This is the most important gland that tells other glands what to do. It is located in the brain. It makes essential hormones, such as the growth hormone and the thyroid-stimulating hormone. Thyroid gland This gland, located in the neck, makes the thyroid hormone that controls metabolism and growth. Pancreas This is an organ that makes insulin and glucagon hormones that regulate blood sugar levels. The pancreas is located behind the stomach.

Hearing aids are generally used up for various health problems which include hearing loss, semi-conductive hearing loss, as well as single-sided deafness. Hearing aid campaign is usually observed by an audiologist, who themselves fit in the device in patient’s ear according to a type of hearing loss treatment. Hearing aids are unable to solve the problem of hearing loss because they are just an aid which makes the sound audible so that the person can hear clearly. Hearing aids comparison is not a cup of tea as the number of brands provides the best quality product. One can choose their hearing aid according to their budget and the quality that they need. Let us look at some hearing aids in detail: Phonak Audeo B Direct B90 B-Direct is the basic hearing aid which provides direct connectivity with Android with the help of Bluetooth to do phone calls, but on the other hand, there are some of the limitations of this new feature such as it does not support A2DP which means it is not able to stream the audio aside from the phone calls. Also, the phone calls are mono and this set can be used for both iPhone as well as Android.

Are your teeth yellow despite regular brushing? Well, a bright white smile is always sought after, but not all are blessed with pearly dentures. Yellowing of the teeth is a sign of poor oral hygiene. There are some causative factors that cause your teeth to yellow. These include smoking, aging, genes, and certain foods like coffee, soy sauce, red wine, and curries, which can lead to discoloration of the teeth. Fortunately, it is easy to reverse the yellowing effect on the teeth and get back your pearly whites right at home. Yes, with the best teeth-whitening toothpaste. Use it regularly and you can smile your way to shiny, bright, white teeth. So, if you’ve been scouting for the best teeth-whitening toothpaste that whitens your teeth and maintains high levels of oral hygiene, try out the below-mentioned brands. Blanx White Shock This is a low-abrasion toothpaste that needs to be used daily for visible effects. The ideal way to ensure teeth whitening is to brush for at least 5 minutes, allowing the toothpaste to have optimum contact with your teeth. Brush thrice a day and in about 4 weeks, you will see your yellowed teeth transform to pearly whites. The toothpaste’s patented ActiluX ingredient ensures that your teeth stay white and bright.

Finding the right body wash for yourself is very important especially if you have a very active lifestyle where you start your day with the gym, head to work and then have a physical activity for a hobby. The right body wash for men not only cleans your entire body and keeps it fresh, it also deep cleans your pores to avoid odor causing bacteria to settle in and produce that strong odor that comes with perspiration. A lot of shower gels and body washes for men come with odor fighting, deep clean and deodorizing features that keeps your body smelling fresh all day. Here are 4 of the best and most affordable body washes for men you can choose from – Old Spice Old Spice has been in the industry of deodorants for men for what seems like decades. It is one of the most old fashioned yet most trusted brands for men’s deodorants, shaving products and colognes. Since a few years, Old Spice started manufacturing body wash for men and shower gels with strong manly scents as well as odor fighting and deodorizing properties. Since men usually have extremely active lifestyles and tend to have more body heat, they sweat much more than women.

Vitamin D, also known as the ‘Sunshine Vitamin’ is essential for our body. Vitamin D is vital as it helps the body to absorb calcium, the important mineral for promoting bone growth and maintaining bone density. While a large proportion of vitamin requirements are met through your diet, there are a very few natural foods that contain vitamin D. These include fortified milk and cereals, fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, and mackerel. The recommended daily dosage of vitamin D is 400 IU for children up to 1 year, 600 IU for those in the age group 1 to 70 years, and 800 IU for those aged over 70. Studies have proved that Vitamin D intake has an effect on reducing the risk of certain types of cancer, improves cognitive health, reduces the risk of multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis, and osteomalacia. Vitamin D is helpful to treat inherited disorders, plaque-type of psoriasis, and rickets as well. Hence, it is very important that you get the recommended dose of vitamin D. If inadequate, supplements can be taken under advice from a doctor. Here are some of the best vitamin D supplements that can help meet the recommended daily dosage. These supplements are the best for those who live in cold places and do not get sufficient exposure to the sun.