Tag-Archive for ◊ Dehydration ◊

Is It a Stomach Flu or Influenza?
Author: admin
• Friday, July 16th, 2010

Do you know the difference between stomach flu and influenza? “Stomach flu” is a popular term but not the true medical diagnosis. The proper medical term for stomach flu is gastroenteritis.

Sometimes people mistake symptoms of stomach flu or gastroenteritis for the viral infection we commonly call “flu,” which has symptoms of fever, congestion, muscle aches, and fatigue. Learn more about stomach flu and influenza so you can recognize flu symptoms and seek proper treatment.

How Does Stomach Flu Differ From Influenza?

Stomach flu actually refers to gastroenteritis or irritation and inflammation of the stomach and intestines (the gastrointestinal tract). Gastroenteritis may be caused by a virus, bacteria, parasites in spoiled food or unclean water, or another trigger such as lactose intolerance, which causes a reaction to dairy products.

Influenza (flu), on the other hand, is a viral infection that mimics a cold except that it starts forcefully with symptoms of fatigue, fever, and respiratory congestion. While more than 100 different virus types can cause a common cold, only influenza virus types A, B, and C cause flu. More severe cases of influenza can lead to life-threatening illnesses such as pneumonia.

In addition, while antibiotics can treat a bacterial infection, antibiotics cannot treat influenza because flu is caused by a virus.
What Are the Symptoms of Stomach Flu?

Symptoms of gastroenteritis or stomach flu include abdominal cramps, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. You may also have fever, headache, and swollen lymph glands, depending on the type of bug that causes it.

In severe cases of gastroenteritis, loss of bodily fluid can result in dehydration, a life-threatening condition that needs medical attention. Signs of dehydration include sunken eyes, light-headedness, increased thirst, dry or sticky mucous membranes in the mouth, lack of normal elasticity of the skin, decreased urine output, and decreased tears.

You can avoid dehydration by continuing to drink fluids and gradually eating a bland diet such as the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, and dry toast). A bland diet is easily digested and is unlikely to irritate your sensitive gastrointestinal system.

What Causes a Stomach Flu?

There are many causes of stomach flu, including bacteria such as E. coli, Campylobacter, Shigella, and Salmonella. Viruses can also cause stomach flu and are responsible for 30% to 40% of gastroenteritis cases in children. Common stomach flu viruses include norovirus or Norwalk-like virus, adenovirus, rotavirus, calicivirus, and astrovirus. Stomach viruses are notorious for spreading rapidly because of poor hand washing.

While not as common, parasites such as giardia and cryptosporidium can cause severe diarrhea and dehydration. Water-borne parasites are common in underdeveloped parts of the world that have unsanitary water supplies. It is recommended that travelers stick to bottled water to avoid water-borne parasites — a potential cause of stomach flu.

Some foods may irritate your stomach and also cause gastroenteritis. Reaction to dairy products in someone with lactose intolerance is the most common example. Severe reactions to seafood is another example.

A lack of good hygiene can result in a stomach flu. For instance, improper hand washing after using the bathroom or after changing a baby’s diaper can spread the infectious bug from person to person. Many doctors call stomach flu “a family affair” because it is so highly contagious and usually goes through all members of a family.
Who’s at Risk for Stomach Flu?

Those at high risk for stomach flu include pregnant women, infants, undernourished and immune-compromised people, and older adults.

In addition, the severity of infectious gastroenteritis depends on your immune system’s ability to resist the infection. Electrolytes (these include essential elements of sodium and potassium) may be lost as you vomit and experience diarrhea.
When Should You Call the Doctor About Stomach Flu?

If you experience symptoms of stomach flu and are weak and dizzy, you may be dehydrated. If you cannot drink fluids but continue to lose fluids through fever, vomiting, and diarrhea, you should call your doctor. If you are sleepy or unaware, you should definitely be taken to a doctor or hospital’s emergency department. Other signs that warrant medical treatment include:

* blood in the vomit or stool
* dehydration (check for little to no urination, extreme thirst, lack of tears, and dry mouth)
* fever higher than 101 degrees
* swollen abdomen or abdominal pain in the right lower part of the abdomen
* vomiting that lasts more than 48 hours

Is It a Stomach Flu or Influenza?
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Drinking Water to Maintain Good Health
Author: admin
• Sunday, June 20th, 2010

Drinking water is so important for good health. When you were a kid in school, you learned that each molecule of water is made up of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. You may also have learned that it was great fun to fill up your squirt guns with water, at least until the principal caught you. What you may not have learned, however, was how much water you needed in order to be a healthy human being.

Why You Need to Drink Water

Your body is estimated to be about 60 to 70 percent water. Blood is mostly water, and your muscles, lungs, and brain all contain a lot of water. Your body needs water to regulate body temperature and to provide the means for nutrients to travel to all your organs. Water also transports oxygen to your cells, removes waste, and protects your joints and organs.

Signs of Dehydration

You lose water through urination, respiration, and by sweating. If you are very active, you lose more water than if you are sedentary. Diuretics such as caffeine pills and alcohol result in the need to drink more water because they trick your body into thinking you have more water than we need.

Symptoms of mild dehydration include chronic pains in joints and muscles,lower back pain, headaches and constipation. A strong odor to your urine, along with a yellow or amber color indicates that you may not be getting enough water. Note that riboflavin, a B Vitamin, will make your urine bright yellow. Thirst is an obvious sign of dehydration and in fact, you need water long before you feel thirsty.

How Much Water do You Need to Drink?

A good estimate is to take your body weight in pounds and divide that number in half. That gives you the number of ounces of water per day that you need to drink. For example, if you weigh 160 pounds, you should drink at least 80 ounces of water per day. If you exercise you should drink another eight ounce glass of water for every 20 minutes you are active. If you drink alcohol, you should drink at least an equal amount of water. When you are traveling on an airplane, it is good to drink eight ounces of water for every hour you are on board the plane. If you live in an arid climate, you should add another two servings per day. As you can see, your daily need for water can add up to quite a lot.

Twenty percent of your water need will come from the foods you eat. The rest of your water need should come from the beverages you drink. Water is the best choice. Sodas have a lot of sugar in them, so if you drink sodas, you may take in more calories than you need. Herbal teas that aren’t diuretic are fine. Sports drinks contain electrolytes and may be beneficial, just look out for added sugar and calories that you don’t need. Juices are good because they have vitamins and nutrients.

Caffeinated beverages will also add to your daily water need. Even though caffeine is a diuretic, if you regularly consume caffeine, your body will regulate itself to that diuretic effect.

Drink Enough Water

It may be difficult to drink enough water on a busy day. Be sure you have water handy at all times by keeping a bottle for water with you when you are working, traveling, or exercising. If you get bored with plain water, add a bit of lemon or lime for a touch of flavor. There are some brands of flavored water available, but watch for extra calories.

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Water on The Brain
Author: admin
• Sunday, May 23rd, 2010

Failing to drink enough water can make your Grey matter shrink, making it harder to think, experts have warned.

Research shows that dehydration not only affects the size of the brain but also how it works.

Just 90 minutes of steady sweating can shrink the brain as much as a year of ageing, researchers believe.

Starved of water, the Grey matter is also forced to work harder to process the same information.

Over days and weeks, lack of fluid could impact on performance at work and school – and on exam results. But there is no need to panic – because after a glass of water or two the brain quickly returns to normal.

A team of scientists from around the UK scanned the brains of teenagers after an hour and a half of cycling

Some exercised in three layers of sweat-inducing clothing – including a binliner worn next to the skin, a hooded chemical warfare suit and a track suit. Others were much more lightly clad in shorts and t-shirts.

Those who were wrapped up lost around 2lb in sweat – and their brain tissue had shrunk away from their skulls.

Researchers Matthew Kempton and Ulrich Ettinger, of the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College London, said: ‘We saw a general shrinking of the brain tissue.

‘Fluid-filled cavities in the middle of the brain expanded and there was a corresponding shrinking of the brain tissue.

‘The people who lost the most weight had the most shrinkage of the brain.’

On average, the amount of shrinkage equated to 14 months of age-related wear and tear, or the withering away associated with two and a half months of Alzheimer’s disease.

The sweaty students did just as well when asked to play a computer game that tests the ability to plan and solve problems.

But the scans showed they used more of their brains to do it, the journal Human Brain Mapping reports.

Ben McGannan, of the study’s funders, water cooler firm Water for Work and Home, said: ‘We strongly believed dehydration was an issue affecting students’ performance but we sponsored this research to give us clear evidence.’

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7 Liquid Natural for Dengue Fever
Author: admin
• Tuesday, February 09th, 2010

Apart from lemon grass oil to ward off the danger of DHF, people often use guava juice. Many people claim successfully rescued from dengue fever because of guava juice.

DHF patients help by guava juice, not because guava, but because the large quantities of liquid juice into the patient’s body. The liquid, especially if taken up to 5 or 6 cups a day, much-needed patients who have lost a lot of blood plasma due to decreased platelets.

Any liquid, either plain water or solution water of salt and sugar or other fruit juices, if consumed in large quantities can help the healing process of dengue fever patients . Drinks in cans containing electrolytes is also recommended given to patients.

Here are some types of liquids that could give to people with dengue fever to avoid dehydration:

1. Coconut water
The UN World Food Agency (FAO – Food & Agriculture Organization) recognizes that the properties of young coconut water as a thirst-killing substances rich in natural electrolytes. Electrolyte and nutritional substance more than just drink the thirst-killing factory production. Mentioned in the FAO official website that the young coconut juice natural, delicious, rich in salt, sugar, and vitamins needed Olympic-class athletes and amateurs. In fact, the UN agency has patented a young coconut water is efficacious.

In the young coconut water has minerals potassium, sodium, chloride, and magnesium. These substances are electrolytes the body needs to help overcome the threat of shock in dehydrated condition. Besides potassium, also contains sugar, vitamins B and C and protein. Sugars and minerals composition contained in water is so perfect, that mentioned a similar balance with human body fluids.

2. Hexagonal Water
Chinese traditional medicine, always suggested  “live water” consumption. Never mentioned mean “life” is. In Korea, people who diligently take waterfalls in the mountains maintained their health, according to Yunjo Chung, MD, a doctor from the University of Korea. “Live water” could be a  rich water in oxygen content as the waterfall.

Korea has recently successfully patented a technology called Actimo to make water “life” that has oxygen and sold throughout the world. According to them, in the human body there are two forms of water compounds, pentagonal (pentagons) and hexagonal (hexagonal).

Hexagonal and pentagonal distinction was only based on its structure. Pentagonal water molecules form a series of water with a large group of bonds and unstable. As usual white water, hexagonal water is not tasteless and odorless. (see rubric You Need to Know in the 290th edition SENIOR)

3. Fruit juice
Lack of fluid because of dengue fever can also be overcome by water juice. Not always have guava juice. Can papaya juice, orange, or mango juice, as long as the patient likes.

Water content in the fruit high count, which varies between 65 to 92 percent, so that it can cover the lack of fluid from blood plasma absorb out of the vessel.

Michael T. Murray, ND, in his book The Complete Book of Juicing, write that juice is easily absorbed by body for its smooth and fluid. Known nutrients such as the intestine absorbed in the form of juice. Means juice helps the digestive process by accelerating the body’s absorption of nutrients high quality contained in the juice.

4. Guava
Although not medically proven, it never wrong to give the guava juice for dengue fever patients. Therefore, this exotic fruit has very high vitamin C.

Vitamin C is found in the flesh. Seeds are often not consumed also contains vitamin C. Mentioned in the book Foods that Heal, Foods that Harm, 90 grams of guava fruit is more than enough to meet the daily need of vitamin C in adults. The book also mentions, though it lost nearly 25 percent of the vitamin because the process of processing, packaging guava juice box is still a source of vitamin C is good.

Thanks to contain high doses of vitamin C is, immunity against bacteria in the body will increase. Any wound healing process go faster. In addition, blood pressure is also getting better because of this fruit is a good source of potassium.

To get the largest benefit, select fruit that had just ripe and still green and yellow. When fully ripe, store in the refrigerator. Do not forget to wash before made juice.

5. Alang-Alang
Wild plants named Latin Imperata cylindrica (L) Beauv has been often studied, foreign weeds have made patent medicines.
Research on this plant mention, reeds contain mannitol, glucose, sakharosa, malic acid, citric acid, coixol, arundoin, cylindrin, fernenol, simiarenol, anemonin, grit acid, resin, and alkali metals. Judging from the contents, the weeds are antipyretic (reduce heat), diuretics (urine shed), hemostatik (stop bleeding), and end the thirsty.

Traditional Chinese Medicine says, the weeds have a sweet and cool properties. The effect of this treatment plant enters the lung meridian, stomach and small intestine. With the launch diuretic properties urine, reeds useful to treat acute renal inflammatory disease.

Diuretic properties which remove useless body fluids is useful for controlling blood pressure is likely get high. Hemostatik properties that can stop the bleeding can also be used to overcome the nosebleed and internal bleeding.

These herbs in the body will infiltrate into the organs of the lungs, stomach and small intestine. Therefore, weed herb should not given to those who are weak stomach functions and urinary frequency.

Part of reed plants can be used as traditional medicine is a rhizome, either fresh or dried. Reed materials found in the Chinese medicine shop. Now readily available even reeds drink instant hot efficacious in eliminating. This instant beverages are available in herbal shops or Chinese medicine shop.

How to use, take one bunch or roll roots of the weeds. Wash and boil in three cups of water until the remaining one cup. Mix the juice of one lime juice with three tablespoons of water weeds such. Use as needed. Add sweetener if the herb for children.

6. Angkung
Angkung believed to help cure the disease meningitis, stroke, brain inflammation, liver disease, seizures, and lack of body fluids as well as in the case of dengue fever. However, unfortunately angkung very expensive price. Price one pill angkung reached USD 250 thousand. Angkung usually sold in packs of pills in Chinese medicine shop.

Careful when buying because the angkung market identified many false. The characteristics of the original angkung including pills wrapped in gold paper after opening the box. Angkung pill form like porridge, flexible but easily broken. Other characteristics, very quickly dissolves when brewed with hot water, even in less than 1 minute. Characteristics that are easily recognized are authenticity of the outer packaging is the hologram label and sign manufacturers.

In addition to the expensive cost, the benefits are not immediate angkung after drinking one or two eggs. Just felt Angkung savour to overcome severe illness taken regularly after 6 to 8 pills every day.

7. Daun Dewa
God leaves of plants can also be used as a substitute angkung. This plant-shaped bush. Leaf is part of the plant used as a medicine.
This herb is rich with various chemical ingredients such as saponins, ASIRI oils, flavonoids, and tannins. With the chemical content of the plant are useful as an anticoagulant (dilute blood clot), stop the bleeding, remove the heat, clean toxin.

Plant gods are also available in Chinese drug stores in capsule form. The price is relatively cheaper than angkung.

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