Affecting an incredible eight million-plus people in the United States, Gout is a serious form of arthritis that causes insurmountable pain in the joints. The condition, which is one of the oldest prevailing medical illness in society, develops due to the accumulation of uric acid in the joints, mostly troubling overweight adults and men. Delving further, here are seven must-know facts about this condition. In women, it is more common after menopause Gout basically occurs due to the accumulation of uric acid, which then forms needle-shaped structures in the joints and leads to pain, inflammation, and redness. Estrogen, a hormone found in women, naturally leads to uric acid being released through urine. However, after menopause, their estrogen levels start to drop, which makes the uric acid content in their blood rise. Gout can take birth even with normal levels of uric acid While most patients suffering from gout have a high concentration of uric acid in their bloodstream, some gout attacks can even occur with normal uric acid levels — a rare condition termed as asymptomatic hyperuricemia. Alcohol increases its risk Along with meat, fish, and poultry, alcohol consumption drastically increases the chances of developing gout. This is because alcohol has a high content of purine, a chemical compound that breaks down into urea in the body.

A good night’s sleep is necessary for overall health and well-being, but conditions like back pain can disturb sleep. The National Institutes of Health says that about 80 percent of adults in the country suffer from backache. Its exact cause may vary, but one of the most common issues is sleeping on the wrong mattress. Choose from these top mattresses for managing back pain for restful sleep: Helix Midnight LUXE This mattress has zoned lumbar support coils to support the spine and soft foam for optimal comfort. It is a popular choice for side sleepers as the luxury memory foam provides pressure point relief on the hips and shoulders. It is an ideal choice for relieving lower back pain without compromising on comfort. The Helix Midnight LUXE is a medium-firm mattress and comes with an ultra-breathable cover to keep you cool and comfortable while you sleep. You can get a 100-night trial and a 15-year limited warranty on the mattress. Saatva Classic Mattress This mattress has a durable dual-coil design that allows more airflow to keep you cool through the night. The responsive innerspring balances weight and the spinal zone technology provides excellent back support and aligns the spine in all sleeping positions, making it one of the top mattresses for managing back pain.

Contact lenses have evolved. Initially, they were meant only for people with nearsightedness, farsightedness, or some other type of vision impairment. They could do what glasses did, only in a more sophisticated and appealing way. Today, however, contact lenses can be used by anyone to enhance their vision or just for fashion. Regardless, here’s a definitive list featuring the best contact lenses of 2021 that you can buy today. Biotrue ONEday contact lens This lens by Bausch & Lomb is an excellent choice if you put in long screen hours. It comes with Surface Active Technology that keeps your eyes 98% moisturized for up to 16 hours a day. This prevents itching and reduces the risk of long-term vision loss. Thanks to its unique peri-ballast design, the lens is a great option for patients with astigmatism. Acuvue Oasys with Hydraclear Plus contact lenses Comfort is a big thing when it comes to contact lenses. The Acuvue Oasys, which was released in 2005, doesn’t just lay great emphasis on comfort but delivers as well. In 20 clinical studies, seven out of 10 patients said that the Acuvue Oasys was the most comfortable contact lens they had ever worn! It works on the patented Hydraclear Plus that makes you feel like you’ve just put the lenses on even after hours.

It has been observed that those who have schizophrenia, a chronic psychological illness, usually have diets that are unhealthy, low in fiber and fruit, and high in saturated fats. Unhealthy eating habits typically lead to other health problems which can also put people with schizophrenia at high risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and more. According to research, dietary changes do really help manage schizophrenia. Here are some best and worst foods for schizophrenia. Foods to eat Fruits Many studies show that people with schizophrenia usually do not get enough fiber, and thus, need to eat fruits. Some of the best sources of fiber are apples, pears, and raspberries. Fiber not only helps reduce bad cholesterol but also helps in digestion, thereby reducing the chances of certain health problems associated with schizophrenia such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Vegetables Vegetables don’t have heart-heavy cholesterol, are packed with essential vitamins and fiber, and are low in calories and fat. Veggies like sweet potatoes, kidney beans, and lima beans contain potassium that could help in keeping blood sugar in check. The best food for schizophrenia is spinach as it is high in folate, which could help in easing symptoms of schizophrenia. Apart from spinach, folate can also be found in asparagus and black-eyed peas.

Asthma, being a chronic condition, has no specific diagnosis or treatment, which is why identifying the causes will help better understand the symptoms. Causes of asthma Various allergies, smoking, consumption of tobacco, environmental factors, stress, tension, obesity, and even genetics can be leading causes of developing asthma symptoms with very few visual indicators to identify the cause. Common symptoms of asthma One of the common symptoms of asthma is a dry cough with phlegm. Home remedies can give temporary relief until the severity of the condition can be diagnosed, and a recommended course of treatment can be prescribed for the same. A number of respiratory problems like difficulty in breathing, wheezing, respiratory infections, and shortness of breath are all caused due to the airways being blocked persistently, thus interrupting air flow going to your lungs. A cough is a very common symptom and does not necessarily indicate that a person might be in the beginning stages of developing asthmatic problems. However, a chronic cough is a clear indicator that the condition has been induced due to both internal and external allergens, which then is a clear cause for concern. There are many ingredients that you can use at your home to counter at best cope with the after-effects of asthma symptoms to alleviate some of the discomforts caused.

There are various treatment options for the common problem of asthma. It is a long-term disease that usually has no cure but can be dealt with minor adjustments, medications and lifestyle changes. Most people see that their asthma gets cured as they age, so most of the asthma treatment options involve controlling the disease. A proper asthma treatment plan helps: Prevent chronic and troubling symptoms like shortness of breath, tightness in chest and coughing. Reduce the patients need for medicines considered to be a quick relief. Maintain steady levels of lung function. Maintain a steady breathing rhythm to enable sleep throughout the night. Maintain normal levels of everyday activity. Avoid, monitor and prevent emergency asthma attacks that may need immediate attention. The best way to control asthma and manage it as a part of everyday life is to partner with the doctor completely and follow strictly the instructions and medications routines that are recommended. How can one take in active role in controlling and treating asthma? Here are some tips to control asthma. Be aware of the condition and how and when it affects you. Work alongside your doctor and identify and treat other health conditions that may potentially interfere with the management of the main problem of asthma.

Statins are the first type of medication prescribed to bring high LDL cholesterol within normal limits. However, they can have varied side-effects, and even be ineffective, in case your cholesterol problem stems from a genetic disorder. Read on to know about the different alternatives to statins that can help treat high cholesterol. Medication Below are a few alternatives to statins that your healthcare provider might recommend. Bile acid sequestrants Sequestrants bind themselves to bile acid in the intestines and get flushed out of the body via the stool. The liver starts absorbing more cholesterol if it senses a drop-in bile acid content. This entire cycle ends in effective reduction of LDL (bad) cholesterol. Bile-acid-binding medicines include colestipol, cholestyramine, and colesevelam. Ezetimibe The second most recommended form of treatment – ezetimibe, is an inhibitor medicine that has a two-pronged approach to lowering your cholesterol. It first blocks proteins that facilitate the absorption of cholesterol in the small intestine, decreasing the cholesterol levels reaching the bloodstream. Second, the inhibitors work to reduce the amount of cholesterol available to the liver. This forces the liver to make up for the loss, by absorbing cholesterol from the bloodstream. Together, these effects can successfully lower your cholesterol levels.

Lower back pain is a disorder involving the nerves, muscles, and bones of the back. It is a common problem that everyone suffers from at some point in their life. As the pain affects the lower end area of the spinal cord – the lumbar region, the condition is also called as lumbago. The lumbar region is a complex structure of joints, muscles, ligaments, and nerves all of which perform together to give support to the upper body. Muscles in the L1, L2, L3, L4, and L5 regions of the vertebrae are responsible for flexibility and rotation of the hips. The nerves in this area support the muscles in the limbs. If any muscles or bones are strained in this area, it can impact a person’s routine tasks. The pain symptoms can be in the form of a dull ache to a sudden stabbing sensation that can affect the body’s mobility. Daily activities like standing up straight, bending or moving around may become painful and strenuous. The condition may occur in an acute form as a repercussion of an injury or a health condition. Over time the swelling in the muscles or the nerves heal, and the pain subsides. However, if the pain extends over a few weeks, then the condition becomes chronic, and effective measures need to be taken to assuage the discomfort.

The blood sugar or blood glucose level will indicate the amount of sugar in the bloodstream of a person at an instance. The sugar is carried to the cells of the body to provide energy to the different parts of the body. Our body derives this sugar from the different dietary items that we consume. The blood sugar level is controlled by the human systems so that the glucose levels are never too high or too low. The sugar in the blood is not the same as sucrose or the sugar that we consume – it is in the form of glucose. The level of blood sugar or glucose alters throughout the day. It is the lowest in the morning before you have your breakfast. It rises soon after meals but then settles after an hour or so. In a healthy person, the level of blood sugar in a fasting state will be below 99milligrams per deciliter. However, in patients with diabetes, this level is a lot more fluctuating. The main aim here is to maintain the level of blood sugar within 130 mg/dl before meals and less than 180mg/dl after their meals. What Is A Glucose Chart Or A Blood Sugar Chart?

Sickle cell anemia is an inherited disease in which the initially flexible, round red blood cells become crescent moon- or sickle-shaped. As a result, blood flow through small vessels slows down or stops, leading to various symptoms. The only cure for sickle cell anemia is a stem cell or bone marrow transplant. However, recent studies have shown that certain herbs and their blend can also provide relief. Read on to learn more about the herbal management of sickle cell anemia. Niprisan herbal extract formula Nigeria has the highest number of sickle cell patients in the world. To help its citizens fight the disease, the Nigerian government’s National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) developed a herbal formula called Niprisan that has shown promising results. It is made with extracts from four different plants: Piper guineense seed: Also called the West African pepper or Guinea pepper Pterocarpus osum stem: An African timber Eugenia caryophyllus: Also called cloves Sorghum bicolor: Also known as sorghum, great millet, durra, jowari/jowar, or milo The main active compounds of these herbs are piperine, chavicine, capsaicin, and cubebin. The medicine is unlikely to cause significant side effects. Fagara zanthoxyloides Herbal management of sickle cell anemia involves a few other herbs as well, which have shown promising results.

An unhealthy lifestyle coupled with the amount of stress we are burdened with to achieve the “perfect life” has left us combating various serious health issues. Some of these ailments are hereditary, whereas, some of them are self-created. And, then there are those ailments that fall under both these categories. Diabetes is one such ailment that is known to have its roots firmly planted in our genes and can be a result of our reckless lifestyle as well. However, if normal blood sugar levels are maintained, people can easily coexist with diabetes and lead a normal life. Whichever treatment a person opts for controlling their diabetes, it involves maintaining normal blood sugar levels. A rise in the blood sugar levels leads to a string of other problems. So, the key to living with diabetes involves taking steps to maintain normal blood sugar levels. Diabetes isn’t an ailment that can be cured completely. So, one must follow these tips to maintain normal blood sugar levels. Lose weight Obesity is the root cause of a wide-range of disease or is known to worsen an already existing condition. Excess weight makes the person resistant to insulin, and this, in turn, disrupts the normal blood sugar levels in the body.