How to realize your liver is ill?

Fats from foods, alcohol, smoke, and stress plays an essential role in liver health. Hepatic steatosis, a disease faced by more and more people nowadays, can be discovered by chance. To know when you should worry it is good to know how to realize your liver is ill.

The liver is detoxifying the body

The liver is a factory plant in one organ. Participates in the vital functions of the body, such as digestion, immunity, and cleansing, because detoxification cannot exist without liver. If nutrition and physical activity are not suited to individual physiology, internal organs store fat because our bodies don't store sugars but they turn it into fats and storage the fats on our internal organs.

Liver fat storage is called fatty liver or liver steatosis in medical terms

Charging the liver with overwhelming tasks causes a disruption of its functions and a slower metabolism.

Fat on internal organs is the one leading to metabolic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and metabolic X syndrome.

'Excessive consumption of lipids of all kinds, from animals or vegetables, also leads to the storage of fats on the internal, subcutaneous, and circulation organs. Stress is a contributing factor to most physical and emotional illnesses, and it is a fact of modern times,' says the specialists.

How to realize your liver is ill

First of all, we need to know that the liver does not hurt (there is now pain at the level of the liver), except under serious pathologies, such as liver cancer.

Pain occurs through the compression of neighboring organs. The gallbladder, in popular terms the bile, can hurt within several types of diseases such as bile dyskinesia, bile dyspeptic syndrome, and gallstones (biliary lithiasis - bile stones in popular terms).

Symptoms that occur when the liver is affected are:

l  nausea and vomiting

l  lack of appetite

l  continuous feeling of bloating

l  skin staining

l  sometimes a decrease in energy

At the same time, the eyes may turn yellowish, the urine darkens, and the feces are discolored.

The main risk factor that can cause an ill liver

The liver may be particularly affected by hepatic viruses. Unfortunately, the incidence of hepatitis B and C in some areas is increasing and the viral type is aggressive.

Moreover, alcohol and fat consumption are very toxic for the liver. Both are metabolized in the liver by the same enzyme. Next come the fast food, smoking, and drug use, which are also extremely unhealthy for the liver.

Allowed food

The liver is protected by eating green vegetables, animal proteins, such as egg whites, low-fat fermented dairy products, and lean meat.

At the same time, eating a small amount of food helps digestion, hence the liver.

Consuming unprocessed and slightly processed foods can be beneficial. At the same time, the consumption of vitamin C and vegetable juices are good for the liver.

Food that can cause illnesses of the liver

Products that are bad for the liver are fried foods, processed foods, canned foods, fats, alcohol in combination with fats, sweets in combination with certain dishes, and many more.

'The liver is a fundamental organ for the body. It is that organ that, as medical history says, regenerates by its own. We all have to take care of the function of the liver, but especially children, pregnant women, and people working in a toxic environment should pay great attention to their livers.

Nutrition is part of acute or chronic viral hepatitis. Inappropriate nutrition, that is to say, fast foods, excess fatty food, alcohol, affects hepatic function and prognosis of hepatitis. Hepatitis A is the easiest form of the five types and is not chronic. It is transmitted by dirty hands, the transmission being done orally. Types B and C are chronic and can take serious forms,' says a physician.

In conclusion

A combination of aspects, such as yellowish skin and eyes, nausea, vomiting, lack of appetite, continuous feeling of bloating, lack of energy, darkened urine, and discolored feces, are how to realize your liver is ill.

Pituitary Gland: Facts, Function & Disease

We often get used that when speaking or hearing about glands or endocrinology to  think about the thyroid gland. For many of us, the phrase 'you have problems with the gland' automatically means problems with the thyroid gland and we think it might be the most important endocrine gland.

Physiology tells us something else. That is, the 'conductor' of the entire endocrine system is a small gland that most of us ignore: pituitary gland.

Pituitary Gland: Facts

The pituitary gland is located at the base of the brain and consists of neurochipophysis and adenophobia. Hormones synthesized by adenophobia are:

l  growth hormone (somatotropic)

l  prolactin

l  melanocyte

l  adrenocorticotropic

l  follicle stimulating

l  luteinizing

Neurohyphophytis stores and releases vasopressin and oxytocin. Without hormones synthesized by the pituitary gland, other glands such as the thyroid, adrenal glands, ovaries, or testicles can not develop and can not function normally.

Pituitary Gland: Functions

These gland's hormones has a trophic role on thyroid and is involved in the synthesis of thyroid hormones, being indispensable for thyroid secretion.

Luteinizing and follicle stimulating hormones are also called gonadotropos and have a role in regulating the menstrual period in women and spermatogenesis in men. Their abnormal secretion leads to infertility.

Adrenocorticotropic hormone is adrenocorticotropic trophic, with adaptive metabolic effects. Hypersecretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone leads to Cushing's disease, which has obesity, hyperglycemia, and hypertension as its symptoms.

Prolactin together with estrogen and adrenal steroids are essential hormones for the normal development of the mammary gland. It is absolutely necessary for lactogenesis (milk production). Its excess secretion leads to galactorea, amenorrhea (lack of menstrual cycle), infertility, hirsutism (excessive hair growth with a male appearance).

Growth hormone has an essential role in normal development, especially of skeleton and soft tissues.

It also intervenes in regulating general metabolism. Its absence in the child and teens leads to pituitary nanism - the child does not increase in height, but has a normal intellect.

Its excess leads to acromegaly or gigantism, which is the sharp increase in skeleton and viscera.

Its secrecy is influenced by physical exercise, sleep, blood glucose, diet, and some medications.

The question that naturally comes to mind from these succinct data about the roles played by hormones secreted by the pituitary gland is that if there are treatments in the cases of disorders. Yes, there are some treatments. There are treatments that can help people with pituitary disorders to live a normal life.

Pituitary Gland: Diseases

Children

In the case of children diagnosed with pituitary nanism, in time, proper treatment helps them develop harmoniously and lead a normal life.

Therefore, it is important that parents consult their pediatrician and endocrinologist when their baby does not have a similar stature to his or her colleagues.

We should never ignore the child's changes in development compared to other children of the same age, especially in cases where the birth was difficult or the child has suffered brain injury.

Adults

In the case of adults, the signs of pituitary hormone deficiencies or excesses occur slowly. Fortunately, pituitary pathology is usually benign.

Constantly, we ignore early warning signs that our body does not work normally. We do not take into account the sudden drops in weight, the pains and feelings of discomfort, the state of depression without reason, the changes in the skin structure, the size of the hands and feet, the changes in the voice.

Many times we blame aging when, in fact, they are sometimes the first signs of serious illnesses.

If you experience symptoms or signs that are worrying or persist for long time, do not hesitate to consult your endocrinologist specialist.

Pathology by hormone categories can be described as follows below.

Gigantism, acromegaly or pituitary nanism

All these three diseases represent an increase (in the case of the first two) or a decrease of growth hormone secretion – GHS.

Gigantism means a uniform but too strong development of the human body and internal organs, but because there may be a possibility that one of the viscera can not maintain this increase in the total increase, as well as the fact that there may be metabolic deficiencies, the hearts of people suffering from severe gigantism often stops working until maturity.

The most famous case of gigantism was a person who has reached 2.42 meters at the age of 18, but who died immediately after that age.

Acromegaly is the abnormal development of the extremities in particular, the upper and lower limbs, and especially of the hands and feet, which can exceed the growth of the rest of the body, so it is not a harmonious growth.

In the case of a lower secretion the same hormone (GHS) we will speak of a pituitary nanism, which means a person who does not develop enough both in height and as a total size,. These people present in the long run less complications or less serious complications than the first two pituitary gland disease.

Excess prolactin

Can be secreted excessively as a result of antihistaminic treatments or more often antipsychotic or contraceptive medications while the hypo-secretion may be due to certain cephalosporin antibiotics.

Abnormal prolactin secretion may be implicated as an adjacent factor in certain mammary tumors.

Vasopressin Secretion

Insipid diabetes is caused by a pituitary pathology, and in this case the vasopressin synthesis and secretion is the one in cause.

Insipid diabetes can be both congenital and in this case we are talking about primary insipid diabetes, but it can also be obtained after a resection surgery at this level, may be post-traumatism (trauma to the pituitary gland localization), but maybe occurring as a result of a meningeal infection or a sarcoidosis-type pathology.

In this case, vasopressin which is acting on the kidneys and which controls an adequate water level will no longer be able to achieve this role, ultimately leading to the pathology called Insipid Diabetes.

LH and FSH

LH and FSH increase may be due to hydrocortisone, spironolactone, and the decrease in secretion of these hormones is most often due to hypothalamus.

Another cause may be due to medical-induced pathology, namely during fertility therapy or more specifically in the case of egg donation.

In this medical procedure, it is trying to stop the menstrual cycle, and then a hypersecretion of these hormones to produce eggs as reliable and as large as possible, so if this procedure is not done with the utmost caution, more harmful complications may occur that may lead to pituitary disorders of this hormonal secretion.

An insufficient secretion of these hormones will lead to fertility problems, namely the endocrine infertility category.

TSH

An alteration of TSH can occur through a feedback mechanism in case of a thyroid pathology and more precisely in hyperthyroidism, namely excessive secretion of thyroid hormones which by negative feed-back will inhibit TSH hormone secretion by the pituitary gland.

Enlarged Prostate: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

It is normal for a man's prostate to grow during his adult life. In some men, this does not involve any serious symptoms, but for others, increased prostate may involve problems that affect not only the health of the prostate but also the quality of life.

Enlarged prostate: Facts

An enlarged prostate affects one in five men aged between 50 and 60 years and is even more common in older men.

Symptoms are problematic and can cause difficulties in your personal life and work because it deprives the affected person from sleep.

Drug administration or surgery can aggravate the situation in some cases, especially in cases where they are not imperative.

On the other hand, there are some lifestyle changes that can make a difference when it comes to enlarged prostate.

The prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system, is located beneath the bladder, between the rectum and the base of the penis. Because the prostate partially envelopes the urethra, through which the urine passes when eliminated, the enlarged prostate can produce difficulties in urination.

When the prostate grows, it can press on the bladder and the urethra, creating the sensation of urination even when the bladder is not full, preventing the urine from flowing naturally.

This feeling becomes stronger when the muscles at the base of the bladder begin to contract, even in the case of a small amount of urine.

Over time, this constant pressure can weaken the bladder muscles and, consequently, the bladder can not properly empty, always leaving some urine behind.

The medical term for enlarged prostate is benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The word benign means that this growth is not cancerous and the word hyperplasia means abnormal growth or multiplication of cells.

BPH is the most well-known non-cancerous form of cell growth in men and does not cause prostate cancer.

Enlarged Prostate: Causes

It is perfectly normal for the prostate to grow during puberty until it reaches the size of a nut. Around the age of 25 begins to grow again, slowly.

Prostate growth is not the same for all men. In some men it grows more than in others.

Changes that occur in male sex hormones as a result of the aging process influence the growth of the prostate.

Androgen hormones, like testosterone, affect prostate growth. Prostate converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), another powerful androgen hormone which stimulates cell growth in prostate gland tissue. This is the major cause of the enlarged prostate.

Enlarged Prostate: Risk factors

Age is a major risk factor for enlarged prostate. According to an analysis of benign prostatic hyperplasia, published in Urology Reviews, prostate gland growth is a phenomenon that is strictly related to age and is manifested in almost all men since the age of 40 years.

The information obtained from autopsy studies around the world shows that the prevalence of benign prostatic hyperplasia is about 10% in men around the age of 30, 20% in men of 40 years old, 55% on average in men at the age of 60 years, and reaches to 85% on average in men aged between 70 and 80 years.

Studies show that there is no doubt that long-lived men will exhibit certain features of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

A study by the Mayo Foundation and Clinic found that out of the more than 2,000 men involved in the study, around 500 (25%) reported cases of enlarged prostate in the family.

The chances of having moderate or severe urinary symptoms were higher in those who had cases of enlarged prostate in the family compared to those who did not.

These results show that men with a family history of enlarged prostate have a high risk of developing symptoms and signs of benign prostatic hyperplasia, and the risk is even greater in men with relatives diagnosed at younger ages.

Enlarged Prostate: Symptoms

When the prostate is enlarged, it pushes on the bladder and urinary tract. This can cause problems, such as:

l  Frequent urination, especially during the night

l  Difficulty at urination

l  Urine needs more time to start flowing (despite the need to urinate)

l  Tension during urination

l  Smaller urine flow and a longer time until urination finishes

l  The sensation that the bladder is not empty after urination

There is not always a direct relationship between prostate size and symptoms. Some men with enlarged prostate may not show symptoms, and others who do not have enlarged prostate may experience all sorts of problems.

Approximately one-third of men with enlarged prostate have lower urinary tract symptoms that may affect the quality of life.

Symptoms of the lower urinary tract include symptoms such as frequent urination, especially during the night, and discharge symptoms, such as too much jet, incomplete urination, and spilling of urine after urination.

In some men, the symptoms may crumble over time, while others may remain unchanged or worsen over time, requiring surgical intervention.

Occasionally, men who suffer from enlarged prostate can suddenly feel a difficulty urinating or can not urinate at all.

This condition is called acute urinary retention and requires immediate medical attention to remove the discomfort created.

Acute urinary retention is an unpleasant and potentially dangerous condition. It usually occurs in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate) and is often triggered by certain factors such as cold weather, a drug that prevents the bladder from contracting, or excessive alcohol consumption.

Other factors that can cause acute urinary retention are some invasive procedures for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia, acute bacterial prostatitis, and viral infections.

Enlarged Prostate: Conventional treatment

Treatment for enlarged prostate depends on the severity of the symptoms and the risk of complications, such as urinary retention.

Most men with enlarged prostate have mild to moderate symptoms and can manage them without needing serious treatment plans, by only using mild medication.

But for other men, the symptoms can be extremely serious or painful and may worsen over time, so a treatment plan may be necessary.

A study that have been conducted between 1989 and 1999 and which has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine involved 695 men with prostate cancer who were either cautiously supervised, or radical prostatectomy (removing the gland Prostate cancer), and who have been kept under observation until the end of 2012.

The results, at an evaluation of over 23 years, show a substantial decrease in mortality after surgery, especially where the surgery was based on age or risk tumor.

Medication against enlarged prostate is another solution. Most men with enlarged prostate will either follow the symptoms to see how they develop or take medication. The alpha blockers can relieve the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia within weeks, but they will not prevent prostate growth.

5-alpha reductase inhibitors are used to reduce enlarged prostate, but their effect will be seen after six months or more.

Surgery should be the last solution. There are surgical techniques used to remove or destroy the prostate's tissues. Intervention is only needed when complications occur, when the symptoms of the enlarged prostate become too severe, and when there is no other way to remove the discomfort.

The trans-urethral incision of the prostate is the most common intervention to cure the enlarged prostate. The surgery involves removing tissue that obstructs the prostate by laser or electric current.

Enlarged Prostate: Natural remedies

Changes in lifestyle and diet

Certain lifestyle changes can improve the symptoms of the enlarged prostate. Here are some recommendations for those who prefer to postpone medication or surgery:

l  Limit or eliminate alcohol and caffeine consumption

l  Limit the consumption of liquids in the evening

l  Try urinating at least once every three hours

l  Engage in physical activity

l  Keep a healthy weight

l  Increase intake of healthy fats (omega 3, 6, and 9 foods)

Exercises to strengthen the pelvic area (Kegel exercises)

Pelvic exercises or Kegel exercises can strengthen the pelvic diaphragm muscles, improving the abnormal or involuntary loss of urine that occurs in men with enlarged prostate.

These exercises, which involve contracting and then relaxing the muscles, help the bladder and close the sphincter. Because it can be difficult to locate the muscle, it can be done during urination. Contract the muscle, letting the urine flow slowly and then stopping the urination for about 20 seconds.

Generally, it is recommended that men practicingand repeating these exercises for 3 to 5 times a day.

Herbal supplements

The following plants are helpful in benign prostatic hyperplasia:

l  Dwarf palm tree - The dwarf palm has long been used as a therapeutic remedy for urinary dysfunction caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia. Studies show that dwarf palm tree helps to improve urinary dysfunction and overactive bladder in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Dwarf palm tree is known as a safe remedy, even in the long run.

l  Nettle roots - A study conducted in Japan found that nettle root has hydrophobic compounds, like steroids, that inhibit the activity of prostate tissue, which can suppress cellular metabolism and prostate growth.

l  Pumpkin seed oil - A study published in the Korean nutrition journal, entitled Nutrition Research and Practice, found that pumpkin seed oil has the ability to reduce the symptoms of an enlarged prostate within three months. Maximum urinary flow was progressively improved after six months.

Diarrhea: Causes, Symptoms & Treatments

Diarrhea is the elimination of three or more soft stools on a day, and/or an increase in stools frequencies compared to normal. It is a common problem, it may take several days, and disappears on its own. Diarrhea affects all age groups, but is particularly dangerous in infants, young children, and the elderly. Diarrhea may be acute (short-term, about 3-5 days) usually due to a viral or bacterial infection, or it may be chronic (at least four weeks long) that occurs in connection with a functional disorder or an intestinal disease. As a severity, diarrhea can be from mild and self-limiting to very serious forms that can threaten life.

Diarrhea: Causes

Diarrhea occurs when liquids ingested or produced in the gastrointestinal tract do not absorb properly. Normally, the intestine absorbs water from food. When the food bowl moves through the intestine too quickly (accelerated intestinal transit), water is no longer absorbed and soft, non-legged stools appear.

Diarrhea may also occur when there is an excess of water introduced from the body into the intestine.

Diseases that can cause diarrhea include:

l  infections

l  inflammations

l  malignancies

l  abdominal trauma

l  obstructions

l  certain medications such as antibiotics, purgatives, and laxatives

Diarrhea can occur in many gastrointestinal or digestive conditions. The most common cause is viral gastroenteritis (digestive virosis). Other causes that frequently cause diarrhea are inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis) and irritable bowel syndrome.

Gastrointestinal Causes:

l  Appendicitis.

l  Bacterial infection (with Salmonella, Shigella, Escherichia coli, Clostridium difficile, Campylobacter).

l  Parasitic infections (Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba hystolytica, Cryptosporidium)

l  Candida of the gastrointestinal tract.

l  Viral gastroenteritis (digestive viral disease caused by rotavirus, Norwalk virus, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus, hepatitis viruses.

l  Surgery in the digestive tract.

l  Diverticulitis.

l  Intolerance to certain foods (eg lactose, fructose) or allergies.

l  Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis).

l  Bowel obstruction.

l  Irritable bowel syndrome (diarrhea alternating with constipation).

l  Use or abuse of laxatives.

l  Pancreatitis or gall bladder diseases.

l  Traveler's Diarrhea - Many people suffer from this type of diarrhea that occurs when traveling in foreign countries, and it is caused by a bacterial infection or a parasiticv infection and is accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

l  Low absorption syndromes (celiac disease, tropical disease, short bowel syndrome, intestinal lymphangiectasis).

Other causes of diarrhea can be:

l  Alcohol abuse

l  Liver disorders

l  Antibiotics

l  Bulimia

l  Diabetes

l  Hyperthyroidism

l  Addison's disease

l  Vitamin B3 deficiency (niacin)

l  Side effects of drugs (magnesium antacids, some antihypertensives, chemotherapy, quinine)

l  Radiotherapy

l  Slerodermia

l  Amyloidosis

l  AIDS

l  Colon cancer

l  Stress or anxiety

In some situations, diarrhea can accompany very serious conditions, such as:

l  Dehydration

l  Food poisoning

l  Bowel obstruction

l  Perforated ulcer

l  Higher digestive hemorrhage by breaking esophageal varicose vein

l  Severe abdominal trauma

Diarrhea: Symptoms

Symptoms of diarrhea include:

l  Cramps

l  Abdominal pain

l  Bloating

l  Nausea

l  Decreased appetite

l  Urgent urge of defecation

l  Blood stools

l  Mucus or undigested foods in stool

l  Dehydration

l  Fecal incontinence (involuntary loss of feces)

l  Pain or rectal burns

l  Flatulence

l  Fever

l  Chills

l  Dizziness

l  Syncope (fainting)

l  Flu-like symptoms

l  Muscle aches

l  Increased heart rate (tachycardia)

l  Shortness of breath or increased breathing rat

l  Weakness and weight loss

One of the most serious complications of diarrhea is dehydration. This is manifested by:

l  thirst

l  rare urination

l  dry skin and mucous membranes

l  fatigue

l  headache

l  confusion

l  increased heart rate

l  depression of the fountains in infants

Other complications include anemia (if the stools have blood), electrolyte imbalance, and malnutrition.

Diarrhea: Treatment

Treatment of diarrhea is not hard and can be applied by everyone, at home without previously consulting a doctor.

There are dozens of medicines that combat diarrhea and that can be bought from pharmacies without a prescription for your doctor.

Also, natural therapy is beneficial to combat diarrhea. Lots of plants and fruits combat diarrhea, and some of them are dealing this situation even faster than the medicines from the pharmacies. Some of these natural remedies are:

l  Wormwood (Artemisa absinthium)

l  Horse tail (Equisetum arvense)

l  Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

l  Ginger

l  Bananas

l  Boiled rice

Diarrhea: When you have to go to the doctor

Urgently go to the doctor if diarrhea is accompanied by:

l  Blood or melamine stools (black stools containing digested blood)

l  Confusion and disorientation

l  Difficulty in moving

l  Dizziness

l  Syncope (fainting), change in consciousness or lethargy

l  High fever (more than 39 ° C)

l  Tachycardia or tachypnoea

l  Rectal bleeding

l  Rigid abdomen

l  Haematemesis (vomiting with red blood, or vomiting formations like 'coffee grounds' - partially digested blood)