Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or IBS, leads to constant changes in bowel movements. While some individuals suffer from constipation, others experience diarrhea. This may be accompanied by abdominal pain and cramps, leading to difficulties in everyday life. Medical intervention is of utmost importance for IBS to help one deal with the symptoms, but some diets can also help manage the symptoms by avoiding foods that trigger the symptoms and adding foods that are good for IBS. Here’s a list of the best diets that have been suggested by experts to help ease one through the symptoms and avoid foods resulting in being triggers for IBS: High-fiber diet One of the most common elements needed to enable better bowel movement is fibers. On average, an adult should consume about 20-35 grams of fiber each day, but reports show that only about 5-14 grams are consumed as part of the daily diet by a majority of people. The best way to prevent constipation is to add in large amounts of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains so that the body gets ample nutrition. If high fiber intake leads to bloating, the type of fibers consumed should be soluble, and one should avoid grains. Low-fiber diet As stated earlier, some people experience diarrhea and gas as a major symptom of IBS rather than constipation.

Many philosophers believe that food is the best medicine; Hippocrates believed in that too. Despite the advances in medicine, healthcare technology, new surgical procedures, and medical discoveries, there are many diseases that still don’t have a cure. Scientists, doctors, and researchers are working against time to find a cure to many diseases like cancer, arthritis, asthma, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, etc. Sadly, the number of people affected by these diseases are increasing. Additionally, the financial costs involved to treat these incurable diseases is mind boggling. As a result, the effort to manage these diseases effectively with alternate and targeted therapies, genetic coding, diet, and lifestyle modification has gained popularity. Among other methods, diet change and lifestyle modifications are the least expensive. However, making these changes can be difficult. Modifications in one’s diet and lifestyle in addition with medication and frequent consultation with doctors is usually ideal. This works particularly well among young children suffering from chronic ailments like asthma. Asthma affects both children and adults. A child affected by asthma has to learn to manage the condition for the rest of their life. Although it is difficult, it is not impossible. Moreover, the use of corticosteroid inhalers for extended periods can cause a toll on one’s body.

Migraine is a headache varying in intensity for different individuals and is often accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine attacks can last for hours or even days, and the intense pain may hinder your everyday activities as well. While there isn’t any particular cause for a migraine, there are various triggers like hormonal changes, stress, anxiety, insufficient sleep, and improper diet. Certain medications like sleeping pills, environmental factors like loud noises, flickering screens, and bright lights can also act as triggers. Being aware of your triggers makes it easy to manage the onset of your migraine and get relief faster. While migraine attacks can be severe and you can easily get a prescription for it, some of you may prefer incorporating natural remedies, including foods that can help alleviate the pain: Bananas Bananas are a great source of vitamin B6, and they also provide you with serotonin. This vitamin is a headache-fighting powerhouse, and serotonin also acts as an antidepressant that lowers the amount of pain felt by the body. Vitamin B6 is also known to fight mental fatigue, making this a superfood when it comes to alleviating migraine. Ginger Its many healing properties make ginger a great natural medicine for ailments.

When an individual fails to have not more than three bowel movements in a week, they are said to be constipated. It can be caused by dehydration, lack of dietary fiber, physical inactivity, or even due to a side effect of certain medications. While taking medicines help, in the long run, they can be harmful. As a result, one must instead consume foods that are rich in fiber, as they help in easy passage of stools, thus relieving constipation. Fiber is an integral compound to relieve constipation. It is because it absorbs water, binds with fatty acids, and forms a gel-like substance. This enables the stools to get excreted with ease. A general rule of thumb states that all vegetables have fiber, and hence should be consumed in moderate quantities every day to keep your bowel movements healthy.  Here are some foods that you can try to prevent constipation: Raspberries Berries, in general, are a good source of fiber, but raspberries specifically are great. One cup of these delicious berries has 8 grams of fiber. You can whip up a delicious mix of raspberries and yogurt and eat a bowlful of this. Beans One cup of beans has more than 10 grams of fiber, which is more than almost any other food.

As the cost of living rises steadily, falling ill can burn a hole through your wallet. The medical bills coupled with aftercare costs can deplete your savings in no time. To avoid such situations, it is sensible to be prepared for the future. Health insurance policies are doing an incredible job of helping people manage their medical bills. If your employer doesn’t offer health insurance, you’ll have to choose your own health insurance policy. A health insurance policy will pay for your medical and surgical expenses, and it can reimburse you for expenses incurred due to an injury or illness. In most cases, the insurance company directly pays the healthcare provider. Though health insurance policies are quite beneficial, they can be complicated. There are various rules to adhere to — this is why you should thoroughly read the terms and conditions. To make an informed choice about choosing the right health insurance policy, take a look at some of the leading providers in the field. Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Cross Blue Shield’s (BCBS) history can be traced back to 1929. Today, the BCBS has 36 independent, community-based, and locally-operated companies under the BCBSA (Blue Cross Blue Shield Association). BCBS companies have been providing healthcare coverage to its members and have enabled them to lead a comfortable, worry-free life.

Nasal polyps are teardrops or grape-like shaped growth on the lining of your nasal passage. These growths are soft and painless, and hence, go undetected for the longest time. A benign condition, this can affect anyone but is most common in adults. While these growths are painless, they lead to blocking the nasal passage, which naturally leads to inconsistent breathing and those suffering from it also experience a decreased sense of smell. This is also a cause of frequent infections. Some symptoms to look out for Nasal polyps often go unnoticed but there are some common signs and symptoms that will help you recognize this condition. If you have felt some irritation or inflammation in your sinuses that has lasted for more than 12 weeks, these symptoms could mean you have nasal polyps. Consistently runny or stuffy nose Postnasal drip Decreased sense of taste Absent sense of smell Headache or facial pain Pain in the upper teeth Frequent nosebleeds Snoring Pressure on your forehead or face These symptoms overlap with the signs of chronic sinusitis and common cold, and therefore, it is advisable to see your doctor for proper diagnosis of your condition. If the symptoms make it difficult for you to breathe, immediate medical attention is required.

Medicare health plans are provided by private companies and are beneficial to individuals who enroll in them. They offer several financial benefits for healthcare services and cover a wide range of conditions. Medicare has four parts: hospital insurance, medical insurance, an alternative way to receive Medicare benefits, and prescription medication coverage. Let’s understand these in detail. Part A – Hospital insurance Medicare Part A covers hospital or inpatient expenses, including the cost of hospital stays, skilled nursing care, hospice care, and limited home healthcare services. Individuals usually pay a deductible or can opt for copayments. Part A premium usually depends on the number of years an individual has worked for. Part B – Medical insurance Medicare plans under this type cover the costs of a range of healthcare services, including: Visits to the doctor Tests, screenings, and other preventive services Vaccinations Pneumococcal shots Outpatient mental healthcare Counseling Physical therapy and chemotherapy Medical supplies and equipment like wheelchairs Outpatient Diabetes Self-Management Training (DSMT) Part B coverage can also extend to the expenses for other healthcare services depending on an individual’s medical necessities. Everyone is required to pay a monthly premium for Medicare Part B. Part C – Medicare Advantage Private companies approved by Medicare offer Medicare Part C or Advantage plans.

Physicians often need to carry a lot of medical devices for remote treatments. While injections and medicines fit easily into their doctor bags, carrying an ultrasound machine is next to impossible. Or at least it was, until innovation in digital health. Now, small wireless devices can conduct medical assessments and produce data in minutes.  Here are some emerging portable medical devices that are making healthcare accessible. Vscan Air by GE Healthcare This small cutting-edge device lets physicians take ultrasound scans on the go. Professionals can share the pictures with a mobile phone and conduct a diagnosis. Vscan Air assesses cardiac activity, central venous volume and detects fluid accumulation in the heart. The device is as big as a regular phone. It’s easy to hold and delivers quick results, which makes it a fantastic portable medical equipment for physicians who tend to attend to emergencies. KardiaMobile 6L by AliveCor A pocket-size ECG device that helps physicians diagnose conditions like atrial fibrillation. It gathers data and sends it to a phone, after which the information can be shared with multiple doctors to get a second or third opinion. This device is FDA-approved, which means more consumers can now benefit from it. The KardiaMobile 6L also provides improved insights into abnormal rhythms of the heart.

Astigmatism is linked to distorted and hazy eyesight. It generally occurs due to an imperfection in the eye’s curvature. Corrective contact lenses are a viable option to improve the vision in such cases. People can consider several types to determine which will provide the greatest vision correction. Toric, gas permeable, and hybrid lenses are the three well-known kinds of contact lenses for astigmatism. Read on to know what these lenses do and how different they are from each other. Toric contacts Soft toric lenses correct the imperfection in the eye with meridians of different powers. Their three-dimensional CD-like design lets the lens rotate and adjust the correction. When aligned with the right power, the vision is clear. Different kinds of design features are available. Some have thick and thin zones, some are slightly sliced up at the bottom, while others are heavier than the standard ones. People will have to try different toric lenses to find the one that fits the eyes perfectly. Gas permeable (GP) contacts Gas contacts act as a substitute for the malformed cornea. With this type of lens, the light is able to reach the retina in such a way that it lends sharp clarity to the eyes.

Individuals often start experiencing deterioration in vision as they age. This gradual loss of vision in people hampers their close-range vision. This condition is common in people in their mid-40s and is known as presbyopia. To correct such loss of vision, doctors may recommend either bifocal or multifocal contact lenses. Multifocal lenses can be of different types. Some of these types are listed below. Concentric multifocal contact lenses In these lenses, the near and far viewing zones are arranged adjacent to one another in an alternating concentric pattern on the lens. The design in which the center-most region helps view distant objects is known as a center-distance design and is common. In some cases, when the person is already near-sighted or prefers to have the center be a near viewing zone, they can opt for a center-near design. This type of design of contact lenses is known as a simultaneous vision design. Aspheric multifocal contact lenses Although aspheric multifocal contact lenses are similar to simultaneous vision design, their viewing zones are slightly different. Instead of having alternating concentric rings of near- and far-viewing zones of shorter thickness and area, aspheric multifocal lenses are designed so that they have a distinct central region that allows you to have a comfortable vision of far away objects.

Meningitis B leads to inflammation of the liquid that lines the spinal cord and brain. It occurs due to an infection caused by the Neisseria meningitidis bacteria and can lead to dizziness, poor appetite, and a flu-like condition. As people can get sick quickly after contact with an infected person’s saliva, it is important to know symptoms and act when they appear to oneself or others. Symptoms of meningitis B As Meningitis B can progress quickly, speak to a doctor if the following symptoms occur: Fever Since the fluid around the brain swells up, patients will initially develop a fever as the body tries to combat the bacteria. Fever, however, can occur due to several infections, so it may be far-fetched to rule it out as a singular indicative of meningitis B.  Headache along with nausea Headache can range from a dull pain to a throbbing sensation and may be generalized all over the head and not always at specific points. Patients may also feel like vomiting and may experience recurring episodes of nausea. Severe cases may include confusion and drowsiness. A rigid neck Moving the neck will feel painful, especially bending it forward might lead to more pain. Some patients also complain of a sore throat.