There is a general misconception that cholesterol is bad for your health and heart. Fat is needed by the body to perform all metabolic functions. Not all cholesterol is bad. The fats that you consume, contain cholesterol in them (the levels differ depending on the food category). And it is the bad cholesterol that plays havoc with your heart health. A high level of bad cholesterol (LDL), low levels of good cholesterol (HDL) are a cause for concern. To maintain ideal cholesterol levels, wherein the levels of HDL is more than LDL calls for a proper diet and active lifestyle. What is good and bad cholesterol? HDL Good cholesterol or HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein) is healthy cholesterol that is needed by the body. High HDL levels, not only help in lowering the levels of LDL, they also help in prevent heart diseases and stroke. In fact, when a blood test is done to verify the cholesterol levels, doctors first read the levels of HDL. As long as the HDL levels are greater in proportion, in total cholesterol levels, you’re on the safer side. Numerous studies have proved that low HDL levels increase the risk of heart disease. LDL LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein) is bad cholesterol that causes plaque build up along the artery walls, causing blockages and resulting in heart attack.

Preterm labor is also known as premature labor. It happens when you’re pregnant, and your body is ready to give birth earlier than it should. Labor pains are considered to be premature if they occur three weeks before the expected due date. There are many ways in which doctors can prolong an early delivery. The longer the baby grows inside your body, it is less likely that the baby can have problems after birth. There are many ways in which you can tell if you’re about to have preterm labor. Following are some of the signs of preterm labor that you should watch out for. Causes of preterm labor Many factors increase the risk of preterm labor. Some of them include: Smoking : If you’re a chain smoker, there is a very high chance that excessive smoking can be one of the reasons. Being overweight or underweight : Being overweight or underweight before your pregnancy can also be a cause. No proper prenatal care : The risk increases if you don’t get enough prenatal care. Alcohol : Consuming alcohol and other drugs are some of the factors that increase the risk. Health conditions : Some health conditions like blood clotting, blood pressure, diabetes, and infections can affect you.

Diabetes is a chronic condition where the sugar levels in the blood become incredibly high. Today, diabetes is a widespread condition, mostly because of the kind of unhealthy lifestyle people lead.Contrary to popular opinion, having diabetes does not stop you from eating the foods you like, instead helps in including plenty of nutritious and healthy choices in your diet. A healthy diet is a foundation for the management of diabetes. A diabetes diet is the finest meal plan for almost every individual. It is a guide chart that tells you what kinds and how much quantity of foods you can pick to eat at different mealtimes. Paying heed to the guide chart is of high significance. Following your diabetes diet plan on a regular basis will help keep your blood sugar and weight in check. Start by with building and following diabetic meal plans. You must begin with breakfast followed by lunch and then dinner. Besides this, take two light snacks between the meals. A combination (combo) meal can give you about 1,400 calories each day. Consult with your dietician or doctor to figure out the best diabetic meal plans, so that you can keep your calories intake in check.

Testosterone, a hormone generated by the testicles, is required for boosting masculinity and muscle development. An increase in the levels of this hormone during adolescence is the reason why boys develop male characteristics such as facial hair and a deep voice. In addition to this, testosterone promotes red blood cell production, strengthens the bones, uplifts mood, and fosters mental capabilities. The levels of testosterone in the body peak during early adulthood and they begin to decline after the age of 40 years. Beyond the age of 50 years, men may complain of the symptoms of low testosterone levels such as alterations in sexual drive, impotence, anxiety, fatigue, gain in body weight, lowered muscle mass, and anemia. Although a reduction in the testosterone levels occurs as one grows old, it may occur owing to other health conditions such as infections, injuries, cancer treatments, hormonal or steroid drug consumption, stress, obesity, alcoholism, and severe illnesses. Normally, testosterone levels in the body range between 300 and 1000 nanograms per deciliter of blood. Men with levels less than this lower limit are deemed as suffering from low testosterone. This is a major concern for men. Hence one must consider consulting a doctor for low testosterone treatment.

Ear infections are most prominent in individuals during the rainy season. High outdoor temperatures such as those exceeding 38 o C could induce ear infections. Children are more vulnerable as compared to adults getting an ear infection. Ear infection symptoms often come into effect in little time. Timely treatment must be considered in case of severe ear infections. Different ear infections have different treatment methods. Symptoms of Ear Infection Pain in the ear Feeling unwell Low energy levels Inaudibility Discharge from the ear Feeling of fullness inside the ear Flaky skin both, in and around the ear Children and babies can have some other symptoms when they have an ear infection. These include: Irritability Restlessness Difficult in maintaining balance Disinterested in eating Tendency to rub or pull ears Let’s run through some of the key differences between inner and outer ear infections. Inner Ear Infections: Children are more vulnerable towards getting an inner ear infection. Most common causes are flu and colds. These affect the ear canal or the tube that connects the eardrum to the outer ear. Outer Ear Infections: Adults are more vulnerable, particularly in the age group of 45 to 75 years. The underlying cause is often something that irritates the ear canal.

Glowing skin is an indication of perfect health condition and also the fact that your health is not declining with the passing phase of time. Yet, the efforts that are usually being made to retain the suppleness of the skin are more with an eye on appearance, rather than health reasons. Interestingly to win over the inevitable process of aging, most of us believe and rely on various types of cosmetics. In fact, there is bountiful of beauty products in the market that claims to contain various antioxidants that can help you reverse the cycle of aging. Investigations and researchers in the beauty space have however claimed that such products rarely provide any effective result! Hence, are anti-aging vitamins a myth? Simply no! However, they act better when consumed as dietary nutrients, rather than creams that are to be applied to the skin! Three anti-aging vitamins can do wonders for your skin and can help you fight the process of aging. In this article, we will examine their benefits. Selenium One of the prime anti-aging vitamins that we talk about here, is selenium. This is one of the elemental nutritive intakes that can help a person prevent the dreaded disease of skin cancer.

If the changing seasons make you sneeze your head off, instead of putting a spring in your step, you might have a pollen allergy. Pollen allergies or hay fever is an allergic reaction to the pollen released by plants. Pollen is a fine powder released by plants during their reproductive cycles. Pollen is fine enough to travel through the air, which helps plants to reproduce. However, the protein in the pollen can be easily inhaled or ingested via the nose, mouth, ears, or eyes which can trigger an allergic reaction in some people. Approximately 30% of adults have some level of pollen allergy. Pollen is not only released by flowering plants but also by grass, trees, and weeds. Flower pollen allergies are more common in spring. Grass pollen allergies are more common in summer, and in autumn, pollen allergies from weeds are predominant. This makes pollen allergies a year-round ordeal for some people, that can be quite uncomfortable and impedes their daily lives. Pollen allergy signs and symptoms If you have a pollen sensitivity, every time you breathe in or come in contact with pollen, you might notice pollen allergy signs such as: Sneezing Itching Redness of the eyes A runny nose Coughing Watering eyes Difficulty breathing Pollen allergy signs can also include worsening of asthma and other respiratory conditions in people who are predisposed.

Any type of allergy can be exhausting. Most allergies can make the strongest of us feel weak and worn down. Sinus allergies are some of the most excruciating ones. These allergies can overwhelm most people and can make even the most trivial day-to-day tasks seem overwhelming. Studies have shown that allergies if left untreated can worsen. This can cause infections as well as complicate the functions of the body in numerous ways. These range from stomach ailments to complicated heart issues. This is why doctors recommend treatment as soon as possible. The recommended approach towards allergies has always been prevention. Protecting the body means preparing and understanding allergies. The first crucial step towards combating allergies would be to understand what the possible sinus allergy signs are. Once the sinus allergy signs have been identified, the next step is symptomatic treatment. This means treating the symptoms to help weaken the overall allergy. The ideal situation for this form of treatment is that the allergy itself will become manageable and heal itself. However, if the body doesn’t recover naturally, medication is recommended. It is crucial to identify key sinus allergy signs by recognizing the symptoms of the possible allergy when it begins to manifest at an early stage.

The healthy vagina hosts a small number of yeast fungus along with other bacteria. When the number of yeast increases, it is called a yeast infection. Yeast infections can occur multiple times and for many reasons. Primarily, when the balance of the bacteria in the vagina is affected, the number of yeast cells increases. Causes of yeast infections Not keeping your vaginal area dry: If the moisture level of your vaginal area increases, the yeast cells will find the perfect conditions to multiply. Not changing your tampon or pads regularly keeps moisture around. Even wearing tight underwear that doesn’t allow for airing out the vagina can cause moisture to build up. Taking antibiotics: Antibiotics do not discriminate. Taking antibiotics can destroy all the good bacteria in your vagina. These bacteria keep the yeast cells in check. Without them, the yeast cells will multiply. High blood sugar levels: Yeast requires sugar for energy. High sugar levels guarantee to make the yeast cells stronger. Having sex with an infected partner: Yeast is contagious. If you engage in sex with a partner who has oral yeast, or even penile yeast, you can get infected easily. Having sex often with an uninfected partner can change the pH of your vaginal area.

The kidneys are bean-shaped organs that play a vital role in keeping the human body functioning properly. It has many functions and the most important is waste removal. If the kidneys fail, it can put your life in danger. This is where kidney dialysis comes in. The kidneys are located on either side of your spine, in the upper abdominal cavity. The right kidney is situated at a slightly lower level than the left because of the space occupied by the liver above it. The function of the kidneys The kidneys filter out waste, maintain body fluid levels, regulate acidity levels in the body, and aid in the formation of red blood cells. Filtering out wastes and toxins: The kidneys filter out urea, excess salt, and toxins from the blood. Urea is one of the waste products created during cell metabolism. The wastes are passed out of the body through urine. Regulating body fluid levels: The kidneys monitor and react to all changes in the body fluid level throughout the day. If the fluid level rises, they pass out more urine, if the fluid level falls, the kidneys pass out less urine. Red blood cells creation: When the kidneys do not get enough oxygen, they signal the bone marrow to produce more RBC, by sending out a hormone called erythropoietin.