health education | wellness

Author: Amy

What to do when Taking Antibiotics? Three Things To Do

What do you do when antibiotics are necessary?

Sometimes supportive and self-care are not enough to fight an infection. There are times when you will need to take antibiotics when you have a bacterial infection. Examples of such infections are bacterial pneumonia and primary Lyme disease. Antibiotics help to kill the bacteria so that you recover. When you are taking this medicine, there are a few things you want to do to ensure that you feel your best and recover as quickly as possible.

1. Take the Full Prescription

It is important that you take the full amount of pills even if you feel better. Not taking the entire course can also put you at risk for developing antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This can be a very serious and potentially life-threatening infection.

2. Stay Hydrated

Some antibiotics can dehydrate you, so it is important that drink plenty of water. How much you need depends on your general health and your doctor can guide you as to how much you should drink. When you take each dose, you should make sure to drink a full glass to ensure the pill dissolves properly.

3. Eat Fermented Foods or Take a Probiotic Supplement

When you take antibiotics, they do not know the difference between the bad and healthy bacteria in the body. Your body has a variety of healthy bacteria that is important for things like digestive health and optimal immunity. To prevent the death of the good bacteria that your body needs, you can use a probiotic supplement. This will help to prevent some of the problems that can result from the death of the good bacteria, such as diarrhea and stomach problems.

Fermented foods are an excellent source of probiotics. Examples of such foods are yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut and miso.

If you cannot eat fermented foods, choose a probiotic supplement that is high quality. Ask your doctor if you have questions. He or she can help you to ensure that it provides the good bacteria that you need to preserve the healthy bacteria. Recent studies have shown that

If you have any other questions about what to do when taking this medicine, talk to your doctor. It is important to follow all prescribing instructions exactly to ensure a proper recovery.

September 27, 2015
Complementary Health Modalities to Help Your Patients
Why complementary health?

The opportunity for patients to benefit from a growing number of health care treatments is wonderful, and health care providers should take advantage of these different complementary therapies and treatments. It was not that long ago, for example, that acupuncture was considered a fringe modality outside of the mainstream in North America. Meanwhile people in China had been touting its benefits for centuries. Today, however, acupuncture is widely prescribed across the USA and is oftentimes covered under standard health insurance plans.

Similarly, modalities such as massage therapy can be highly beneficial in accelerating healing or promoting greater range of motion and freedom from pain in patients who have a muscular injury or a condition such as arthritis. Even something as simple as basic exercise – like walking, swimming, or yoga – may be an ideal therapy for all kinds of patients. Those who are recovering from a heart attack or stroke, for instance, may derive great help from simple physical movements that improve their circulation and balance. Those supplementary activities can also help you as a health care provider monitor their heart rate and blood pressure with accurate baselines and strategic benchmarks.

In Western medicine there is also less emphasis in med school, for instance, on diet – while there is a great deal of required study regarding pharmacology. All heath care professionals know, however, that diet – including the proper daily intake of essential vitamins and minerals – is a key to health and wellness. Without a good diet the immune system is weakened and without proper nutritional support healing is impeded and delayed. So one of the alternative modalities that every patient should be introduced to is helpful guidance and insight into diet and nutrition.

Common Complementary Health Modalities
- energy medicine
- body-based manipulations such as massage
- mind-body modalities like biofeedback, meditation, and hypnosis
- biologically-based treatments such as herbal remedies
- integrated-based treatments that combine allopathic and complementary medicine such as functional medicine
The reality is that many patient seek complementary health treatments anyways so it is better that they can be open and honest with their physicians. To stay informed regarding all the different modalities and therapies available, you can refer to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. That organization funds research into alternative medicines and follows developments.
September 21, 2015
Benefits of Drinking Green Tea
Tea drinking has been associated with various health benefits for centuries. The benefits of most teas are mostly due to their high content in flavonoids, which are plant-derived compounds that are, in fact, antioxidants. Green tea is made from the Camellia sinensis plant, native to China and dating back thousands of years. It is not only a tasty beverage, but a well-recognized medicinal herb, especially appreciated by practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine – naturopathy and herbology.

The most popular mode of consuming the plant is hot tea, often called an herbal infusion or tisane, but over the last decade, green tea liquid extracts and capsules have become readily available in American health food stores and pharmacies. The benefits of green tea are very popular and well-known.

Catechins, or otherwise known as apigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) are important constituents of green tea with anti-infective and antibacterial effects. They also have antifungal activity against human-pathogenic yeasts such as Candida albicans. Catechins are more powerful than vitamins E and C in halting oxidative damage to cells, but they also have many other disease-fighting properties. The best thing about the benefits of green tea is that the tea is usually not heavily processed before it reaches your cup.

There have been numerous studies proving green tea is good for your whole metabolism. It even reduces risk of several cancers and heart disease. What is good for your heart is also good for your brain. Researches continue to demonstrate that natural remedies, especially green tea, are perhaps the most effective option for flu and cold prevention, as well.

Green tea against the flu and cold

The common cold is an upper respiratory viral infection and it typically causes a runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, coughing, mild fever and sore throat. It is very common, in fact, over one billion colds happen each year in the United States alone, which is more than three colds per person. The cold is caused by many different viruses, most of them classified as rhinoviruses. A cold can last up to three weeks and is almost always self-limiting. Cold viruses are nothing but infections because they can get easily spread through the body fluids and secretions.

During the flu and cold season, with all those people coughing and sneezing around you, you may be able to avoid getting sick or at least reduce the number of days when you’ll be experiencing the symptoms by an average of 36 percent – if you drink green tea regularly. A squeeze of lemon juice will improve the benefits of green tea because it makes the antioxidants from the tea more available for your body to absorb.

The benefits from green tea come from its richness in polyphenols, catechins and flavonoids, which are known to have antioxidant, antimicrobial, antifungal, alkalizing and immune-stimulating qualities. Flavonoids are antioxidants that reduce inflammation. Drinking green tea will help you reduce discomfort from a sore throat. Gargling is another great way of using green tea for a sore throat. This tasty beverage does not only protect the tissue from infection and boost the immune system, but also directly kill viruses, bacteria and fungi. Although green tea alone won’t exactly protect you from all the viruses 100%, it will reduce the strength and duration of symptoms.

The University of Florida and the Nutritional Science Research Institute have completed a clinical trial research on a certain product which has a specific combination of ingredients, among which are green tea catechins. The study has shown that it can enhance the body’s immune system significantly, resulting in a decreased incidence and duration of flu and cold symptoms.

The randomized, placebo-controlled research conducted at the University of Florida followed 120 healthy people for a period of three months. One group of people took placebo capsules, while the other took green tea capsules. The research has shown that green tea capsules, thanks to a significant amount of catechins have the following effects:
- A decreased number of people having flu and cold symptoms by 32 percent
- Decreased number of symptom days by 36 percent
- Decreased need for medical treatment with prescription drugs due to flu and cold symptoms by 58 percent
- Increased immune function by 28 percent
Although it is complicated to study the benefits of green tea due to hundreds of varieties available, along with numerous ways to process and store it, there is a proven general agreement that it is all about the catechins. They strengthen your immune system and help you successfully fight away flu and cold viruses.

Although catechins take the leading role, green tea also contains an alkaloid called theophylline which helps open your airways. Theophylline will allow you to avoid having a blocked nose and constantly running out of breath.

A recent study in Japan has also revealed the true power of green tea, especially when it comes to fighting the flu in children. Green tea has been known to contain antiviral components that prevent influenza infection. An observational study has been conducted to determine the exact association between green tea consumption and influenza infection among schoolchildren in a tea plantation area of Japan. The research consisted of anonymous questionnaire surveys undertaken twice during the cold season from November 2008 to February 2009. Each questionnaire was completed and submitted by 2663 pupils across elementary schools in Kikugawa City located in a tea plantation area. The results have suggested that the consumption of 1-5 cups of green tea on daily basis may prevent influence infection in children.

Green tea is a very powerful natural food. According to many medical experts, it is the best beverage you could ever choose to drink, especially in cold and flu season. A cup of green tea a day keeps the cold away.

References:
- US National Library of Medicine; National Institutes of Health: Effects of green tea catechins and theanine on preventing influenza infection among healthcare workers: a randomized controlled trial; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21338496
- Green tea consumption is inversely associated with the incidence of influenza infection among schoolchildren in a tea plantation area of Japan;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21832025
- Anti-infective properties of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a component of green tea;: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23072320
- Specific formulation of Camellia sinensis prevents cold and flu symptoms and enhances gamma, delta T cell function: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study
September 11, 2015
What Causes Poor Adrenal Signaling?

A lot of people are not aware that poor adrenal signaling or adrenal fatigue has existed for as long as humankind has. However, what is really surprising is the fact that it has reached epidemic proportions in the last 50 years or so. There are plenty of reasons for this happening, but the primary reason for its rise lies in people’s lifestyle.

In our everyday lives, unexpected challenges and inevitable situations naturally come, whether we like it or not. It is important to learn to deal with these challenges in a graceful and resilient manner.

The adrenals are the glands situated on top of the kidneys. They produce hormones that help the body to deal and cope with stress. Epinephrine ( aka adrenalin) increases your blood pressure and heart rate and initiate the fight or flight response. Cortisol is a hormone that helps with the production of energy and regulation of metabolism. It is responsible for stress management. Aldosterone, another hormone produced by the adrenal glands, helps to regulate blood pressure.

That being said, you must understand that what causes adrenal fatigue is the adrenal glands failing to cope with depression and stress. But the only way you can truly understand this condition is by knowing how your adrenal glands have suffered over time and finally reached this point. Even though you know these glands are not performing the way they are supposed to, what are the real reasons behind it? If you wish to learn more, read on.

Lack of Sleep

There may be times where you may have been burning the candles at both ends. If you are unable to find a proper balance between work-life and are unable to fit in more activities into a day, chances are you are not getting enough sleep. Previously, people slept for at least 9 hours every day, but now people tend to do with less than that. According to the latest findings, it has been noted that the average American sleeps for no more than 6.1 hours. However, those suffering with adrenal fatigue sleep a lot less.

Even though it does not look like much, not getting enough sleep is stressful and in no way aids your condition. But if you do manage to get enough sleep, you are giving your body the time it needs to repair itself. Since the human body is an amazing self-healing organism, you need to rest and get enough sleep to give it time to work and recover.

Emotional Stress

One of the major reasons why people suffer from adrenal fatigue is due to emotional stress and there is no doubt about it. Stress could come from any area of your life, but the effect remains the same. In the short term it does not look like much, but in the long term it can have disastrous effects.

Trauma

There are plenty of other reasons why you could be suffering from adrenal fatigue, and trauma could be one of those reasons. Moments of severe emotional or physical trauma can have long lasting effects. Initially, traumas were not given much importance, but new evidence suggests that these incidents could considerably impact your health all the while affecting adrenal performance and hormonal balance in the latter years.

Keeping the aforementioned factors in mind, you now know the major factors that contribute to adrenal fatigue. The only way you can ever overcome a problem is by understanding it in the first place, and now that you have, you are well on your way to treating this condition once and for all.

To learn more about cortisol, read this article, What does cortisol do?

To learn more about symptoms of poor adrenal signaling read this article, adrenal signaling symptoms.

September 9, 2015
Ways to Better Educate Patients About the Flu

Influenza season is always a dreaded time, and everyone is anxious to protect themselves and their families from catching the flu. But every year new influenza strains crop up, and some of them spread like wildfire. So it is essential that patients be as educated as possible about the nature of influenza and the proactive measures they can take to guard against catching the flu or spreading it to others.

One of the challenges for health care providers when it comes to influenza education, however, is that many people already feel as though they know everything about it. The flu is so common and has been around for so long, that patients may have a tendency to tune you out when you start talking about it, thinking that there is nothing new to know.

To combat this tendency and better educate patients about the flu, it helps to conduct a year-round informational campaign. Instead of just reminding patients about influenza once or twice a year when flu season rolls around, for example, or talking to them about it when they come to you because they have already contracted it, make it an ongoing conversation. That way your advice will always be in the front of their minds as a gentle and constant reminder.

Free Resources for Flu Education

Another great way to make influenza education more relevant and vivid is to take advantage of information provided by organization such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

This organization’s expertise is presenting the material in an eye-catching and consumer-friendly way. You can order or download and distribute from the CDC, for example, all kinds of free flyers, booklets, fact sheets, and posters and use those to bolster your year-round patient education initiatives. You’ll also find them in Spanish, which can been a huge help to patients who may be more comfortable with that language.

Be sure to use newsletters, social media connectivity, and other opportunities to dialog with your patients as a way to keep them informed and share with them website links, statistics, and preventative tips. They’ll appreciate your concern and effort and by keeping the issue front and center you’ll be more successful at encouraging them to take the right steps and make the healthy choices regarding influenza prevention and care.

September 8, 2015