Does High Blood Pressure Cause Memory Lapse?

Over the course of time, there have been many pieces of evidence which are taken in order to prevent heart disease and even strokes. Such a thing may benefit your mind as well as the body. But, still, there are some things which are yet to be taken into consideration.

Study at the University of Pittsburgh

On the basis of a new study, some short-term memory lapse is often linked to aging. And, it may be caused due to high blood pressure.

It is not like people with high blood pressure loss their memory. But, there are lots of other inferior tasks which do require some sort of attention.

In July, on the basis of some study, around one-third of the Americans adults had high blood pressure. Such a pressure was meant to be a systolic one where the heart was unable to pump for pushing the blood. Also, hypertension was said to affect around one in five adults which is quite disturbing.

Further, by using a series of some sort of tests, a team of doctors measured the activity of the brain in different memory tests. Also, the study volunteers had the ultrasound image scans for measuring the blood supply to the brain.

And, what the results came out were really shocking. The scans showed that patients which had high blood pressure had fewer blood levels reaching their brains. But, when the blood flow was far too normal, then also the neurons didn’t get activated as they did in high blood pressure.

Now, such a slower memory activity which is known as “senior moments” is characterized by time to time memory lapses. Such memory loss usually occurs after the age of 50. The participants on which test was done were of the age 50 to 70. And, none of those were under modification when the study began.

On observing with a lot more keener consideration, some more interesting things came out. On the basis of studies, there was a strong link between heart disease and stroke. Both of them can occur due to high blood pressure and then, severe memory losses were seen in the patients.

Final Verdict

As of now, as per the above study and research, it is proven that High Blood Pressure does cause Memory Lapse. But, other than that, there might be some other reasons too for the Memory Lapse Condition.

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Healthy Eating for Women

Without a doubt, women are mysterious human beings. But that mystery must be resolved when it comes to healthy living and eating. To be honest, every woman, regardless of her age, must follow a healthy, nutritious meal plan to avoid health complications. Such a meal must be composed of the essential proteins, carbs, fats, vitamins, and minerals.

Hence, with an intention to let you eat the very right way, this blog will be a great boon to you. So, let’s move ahead and discover some vital healthy eating for women.

Eating- The Right Food

As a woman, you must always choose foods which are rich in nutrients. And with this, nutrient-rich foods will provide you energy throughout your busy lives and will keep you all day strong. Thereafter, a healthy eating plan composes of:

Three to four ounces of whole grain foods such as brown rice, brown bread, whole-wheat flakes, whole-wheat pasta and oats

• Three to Four Servings of low-fat dairy products such as Milk, yogurt, cheese etc
• Five or even more ounces of proteins such as chicken breast, eggs, seafoods, nuts and seeds
• Two to three cup of fruits- fresh and without any added flavor
• Two or Three Cup of fresh vegetables where broccoli, carrots can be the best buy

Iron Rich Foods

Ask your doctor about the ways that help you lead a healthy lifestyle, and he/she will suggest you full of nutrition foods. Especially prior to menopause, an iron rich diet is the best to keep your health in a much stronger position.

Foods which provide iron are spinach, fish, pork, turkey, chicken, beans, cereals, etc. For better absorption, it is advisable to eat plant-based iron-rich foods.

Calcium and Vitamin D

For healthier bones, joints, and teeth, women need to eat calcium-rich foods on a regular basis. Calcium keeps your teeth and bones stronger and prevents them from breaking. Some of the calcium-rich foods are dairy products such as milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.

In case of vitamin D, good sources of it include Eggs, salmon, and other healthy juices. You could get your vitamin D level tested and your doctor might prescribe you vitamin D supplements if your reports indicate vitamin D deficiency.

Wrapping Things Up

So, there you go. For a woman, beauty lies truly in being healthy and eating nutrient-rich foods. With this, you can get that flawless skin, lose extra fat, and make yourself look younger that your real age.

The next time you sit down for eating, better rejuvenate the above information. And, you will significantly surround yourself with a lot more healthy eating options, for sure.

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Health Checkup Tests Every Woman Should Go For

Being a woman is inevitably not an easy task. Every day is a new hustle for them as they will have to take care of their family. And, if you are working women, things might get much worse for you.

Hence, in this chaos based lifestyle, going through regular health checkups becomes a mandatory thing. Further, to let you know about different health check-up tests, let us go ahead and discover each, one by one.

Blood Pressure Checkup

According to the American Heart Association, if your blood pressure is below 120/80 millimeters, you must do the blood pressure test at least once in two years. With regular blood pressure check, you can keep a track of your health, and can live a disease free life.  

Cholesterol Check

Well, in this high cholesterol diet world, people are suffering tremendously due to LDL (Bad Cholesterol). If you are 20 years or older, you must measure your cholesterol at least once in five years. In case, if you are having a risk of heart disease, the cholesterol test count can increase with time.

Mammograms

Have you heard about mammograms? Well, it is a type of screen test for breast cancer. It usually contains compressing the breasts between plates with which the X-ray image can be captured. In case, if you have a family history of this case, you may have to do mammograms screening much earlier.

Bone Density Test

Women must go on for an osteoporosis bone density test at age 65. For this checkup, the DEXA scan will be performed. Here, you will lie on a table and a low power x-ray machine captures every image of your bone. However, the frequency of such screening depends on your bone density and plenty of other factors.

Body Mass Index

Starting from the age 18, women must do regular checkup for obesity which requires the body mass index (BMI) calculation. While there is no hard and fast rule for this, your doctor can do this check-up according to his experience.

Based on your BMI Number, you will know whether you are obese or have a perfect body. If you are on the obese side, you might need to tighten up the screws and start living a healthier life.

Conclusion

For a woman, being healthy should be the highest priority. Whether you are a teenager or old age women make sure to do regular checkups. And of course, there is a whole family in need of your love. So, move ahead, do the above checkups and live a peaceful and healthier life.

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Cardiac Issues in Thalassemia

Heart diseases are among the top reason behind death and morbidity in Thalassemia. Thalassemia major is classified by long-term inactive erythropoiesis. Anemia is also determined among its major complications.

This classification further develops physiologic adaptations in the cardiovascular mechanism. It also causes a number of deficiencies in pathologic and iatrogenic processes including splenectomy, iron overload, poor nutrition, stress, anxiety, weakness, and lung diseases. Thalassemia patients also suffer from cardiomyopathy, vascular aging and pulmonary hypertension.

The cardiovascular system of thalassemia patients is at a huge risk.  Chronic anemia, which is one of the companion health conditions for thalassemia suffers, demands more oxygen delivery from the cardiovascular system of a patient.

Increased Cardiac Output

The cardiovascular system does that by increasing the cardiac output, which causes increased cardiac dimensions and heart & pulse rate. That’s the reason why the cardio analysis of thalassemia patients is always abnormal. Their CXR, echo, holter, MRI, and other related diagnostic measurements are high.

Thalassemia patients also have low blood pressure or hypotension even with increased heart rate and cardiac output. 

This mainly happens because of poor resistance from the vascular system. This condition makes the patient’s condition highly vulnerable.

Iron Overload

Iron overload is a common complication for such patients. They get it through transfusional therapy. Iron surplus is atrocious for the body functions and parts that support healthy and normal cardiac activity.

Iron overload may also cause disturbance in insulin resistance and diabetes to thalassemia patients, worsening their condition. Adequate insulin resistance is essential for the utilization of cardiac energy.

Too much of iron content in the body affects thyroid and parathyroid glands that are important for metabolism and calcium regulation in the body.

Nutritional Deficiency

Nutritional deficiency is another factor that is present in thalassemia patients. Although this insufficiency is caused by the disease and allied health conditions, it does have a considerable impact of cardiac activities in the human body system.

Decreased Hemoglobin Level

The patient’s hemoglobin level is badly affected due to nutritional deficiency. It inherits chronic oxidative stress, furthering the intoxication of thalassemia. Vitamin (A, D, E, and K) levels adversely drop down, increasing the chances of cardiac and neurological toxicity.

Lung Conditions

Lungs too are not spared by the escorted complications of thalassemia. In the human body, lungs and heart are adjoining neighbors. Thalassemia patients have lung diseases - such as Inhomogeneous ventilation and small airways. When the hemoglobin of thalassemia patients is altered (with healthy blood), they experience easiness and more active.

Therefore, as you can see, each complication a thalassemia patient has to live with has an influence on his body’s cardiac and vascular activity. All these conditions lead to cardiac issues in thalassemia patients.

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Can Thyroid Problems Cause High Blood Pressure?

Well, the causes of thyroid severity are plenty. But, the main question that needs to be answered by the medical science with some rock-solid evidence is “Can thyroid problems cause high blood pressure?”

Let’s discuss the evidences and inclinations we have regarding the question.

Thyroid Hormone causes high blood pressure.

The development of thyroid produces a type of hormone which regulates the overall body metabolism. This release also affects the way how our body consumes or uses the energy you consume through our diet and lifestyle habits. In addition to that, it also influences our mood, heart rate, muscle function, bone strength, and the energy level.

In case, the thyroid gland is producing too much thyroid hormone, it may leads to hyperthyroidism.

Now, be it any kind of thyroid disorder, it may lead to high blood pressure which is also known as hypertension.

A Take on Hyperthyroidism and Hypothyroidism

1. Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism is when the immune system constantly stimulates the thyroid gland and develops into a certain type of tumor. This tumor causes an increment in the rate of thyroid hormone production.

In other cases, it can also be caused by temporarily infecting the thyroid. This causes an increase in the thyroid production which makes the blood pressure go up a bar. Further, with this, the patient faces both diastolic and systolic blood pressure which results in hypertension.  

2. Hypothyroidism

If you are dealing with abnormal levels of thyroid hormone, it may result in high blood pressure scenario. Yes, hypothyroidism is caused due to the insufficient intake of iodine or due to various impairment thyroid conditions.

It can also occur due to an issue in pituitary gland. One result of hypothyroidism can lead to arteries being less pliable which is often known as vascular resistance.

At last, these arteries cause a rise in the diastolic blood pressure which serves as the entry point for different diseases.

Wrapping Things Up

So if you are trying to find out an answer to the above question, I hope you now have got one. Even in today’s world where the medical line is at gloom, still, people are suffering from high blood pressure.

The majority of it is caused due to different thyroid problems. However, research and development in the medical science are going in the right direction, and we can hope for better, lasting results to help people suffering hypertension and hyperthyroidism.

As of now, to avoid such medical conditions it is advisable to see your doctor and get your conditions and problems diagnosed before things take an ugly and irrecoverable turn. Hence, as a person of well being, go through the above essential information, know a bit more about thyroid. And spread the good word of mouth, all the way with your loved ones.

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Can Ovarian Cancer Be Prevented?

Cancer is an unproliferated growth of cells. Ovarian cancer, as the name depicts is a type of cancer that begins in the ovaries (a female organ that produces eggs). This can remains undetected until it gets spread within the stomach and pelvis.

The age bracket that is affected most is 41-60 and more. According to the American Cancer Society, 1 in every 75 women is diagnosed with ovarian cancer. It must be diagnosed in early stage so to avoid fatality. Though, in early stages, it is very hard to detect this type of cancer, but in later stages it is associated with certain symptoms.

Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer

The most common symptoms include:

• Pelvic or abdominal pain
• Bloating
• Urge of frequent urination
• Upset stomach
• Fatigue
• Constipation
• Pain during sex
• Back pain
• Abnormalities or Irregularities in woman’s period
• Abdominal swelling followed by weight loss

How to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer?

There are several strategies to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer. But, the most important is by staying on a healthy weight and avoiding hormone replacement therapy before menopause. Other factors include are:

Oral contraceptives: Usage of birth control pills can decrease the risk of ovarian cancer and its carrier, BRCA.  Those women who take oral contraceptive pills for 3 or more years have the tendency to lower down the risk of ovarian cancer by nearly 50% as compared to those who never have used oral contraceptives.

Breastfeeding: The longer a woman breastfeeds, the lower the chances of ovarian cancer.

Gynecologic Surgery: Tubal ligation and hysterectomy are two surgical methods that can reduce the risk of ovarian cancer. Women who have undergone tubal ligation and hysterectomy have minimal risk of developing cancer.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle: Consumption of blueberries, spinach, Endive, Kale, Onions, fish and tomatoes can reduce the risk of ovarian cancer, as they possess certain anti-cancerous properties.

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Can Laughing Cure Cancer?

Image: Johns Hopkins Medicine

Ideas like “Laughter is the best medicine” and “Laughter can cure almost every disease” are not new. Although oncology, the science or study of cancer, is yet to conclude whether laughter is curative for cancer, medical science is sure about one thing and that is, laughter is the best complementary medicine that can help in the recovery of cancer patients.

Evidently, stress is the most common cause of cancer. Laughing relieves stress and thus, helps in the treatment and prevention of cancer. A stress free life that is full of laughter is considered the best preventive cure for cancer.

Another factor that can be held responsible for cancer is weak immune system.

Not only prevention, a heavy dose of laugher on a regular basis also helps in recovery from the disease. A patient who has been diagnosed with cancer experiences a great deal of stress.

Participating in laughter clubs gives them power to deal with stress during and post treatment phase.

This blog elucidates some of the biggest benefits of laughter:-

Laughter scares away stress and anxiety.

As neurology says, the human brain is designed to react positively during less or no stress moments. Going for a laughter session or maybe watching a hilarious comedy show on television can do away the presence of stress from your life.

When you laugh there is no time for stress.

When in diseased condition or during the treatment or recovery phase, time doesn’t seem to passing. However, having a circle of friends, with whom you can share some splashes of laugher, can helps you pass your time easily and happily.

Laughter supports cardiovascular system.

According to a cross sectional study done by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (United States) in association with the Epidemiological Association of Japan, “Daily frequency of laughter lowers the prevalence of cardiovascular and heart diseases.”

With lower chances of cardiovascular diseases, strengthened immune system, and friends to laugh and talk with, who would have a life influenced by stress?

To sum up, here are a few ways to keep away from stress and make yourself happy. Begin your stress-free journey by practicing smiling in the mirror and also in front of others. Show gratitude. Saying thanks even for small favors from others will help you develop friendship with them. Help others. 

Helping others who need your help give a joy of its kind. Rejoice such small moments occasionally. Spend time with family and friends. Only they are the people you can trust. They will always be with you no matter what comes up.

With these benefits of laughter and living stress free, one can circumvent the chances of life-threatening illnesses including cancer.

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Can High Blood Pressure Cause Red Eyes?

Blood shot eyes, also known as red eyes is a condition in which the blood vessels in  the white part of eyes get dilated or swell, causing redness. Along with the heart and kidney problems, high blood pressure can also damage eye causing several eye diseases. Hypertension especially causes damage to the blood vessels of retina, the back area of the eye where the image focus. This type of disease is known as hypertensive retinopathy.

Red blotches on the whites of the both eyes can be the sign of hypertension. According to Ian Grierson, professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Liverpool, High blood pressure results in the expansion and even bursting of the blood vessels, leaving red marks in the eye. 

When the pressure of blood increases, it causes strain on blood vessels. The blood vessels of eyes are very thin and due to this pressure, they gets swelled up causing small hemorrhages in the eyes. As soon as the blood pressure gets normal, the redness diminishes.

Diagnosis of Hypertensive Retinopathy

The hypertensive retinopathy is being diagnosed using an instrument named ophthalmoscope. This instrument projects light at the back of the eyeball. The doctor thus looks for the symptoms which include following:

• Narrowing of blood vessels
• Bleeding caused at the back area of the eye
• Swelling of the central area of retina
• Spots on the retina

How to Treat Hypertensive Retinopathy?

The best and only possible way to treat hypertensive retinopathy is by controlling your high blood pressure.

Preventive Measures for Hypertensive Retinopathy

In order to prevent hypertensive retinopathy, certain measures need to be followed such as: maintaining optimal weight; strictly following a balanced nutritional diet recommended by a physician or nutritionist; exercising regularly or burning your calorie consumption; and last but not the least, taking the prescribed medication for high blood pressure every day without a miss.

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Can Dizziness Be Caused By High Blood Pressure?

There have been a lot of studies which have been done on the effects and side effects of dizziness on human beings. In the finds until recently, the focus was on to dig out the root cause of dizziness. Just for your information, a patient may feel dizziness or faint frequently due to high as well as low blood pressure conditions.

Now, to find an answer to the question, “Can Dizziness be Caused By High Blood Pressure?”, let us first move ahead to understand what dizziness is.

What is Dizziness?

Dizziness can be defined as one of the most common symptoms which prompt a person to seek medical care. The term is sometimes difficult to understand as it has plenty of the other meanings associated with it. In relation to blood pressure conditions, dizziness means a patient faints or loses alertness for a while due to a sudden pick or drop in the blood pressure level.

Generally, it is either a sensation/feeling of lightheaded or sudden attack of weakness, in which the patients loses consciousness immediately.

Relation Between Dizziness and Blood Pressure

Dizziness is one of the most common complaints among people who usually have a low blood pressure. When the blood pressure is a lot lower, enough oxygen is not supplied to the brain due to which dizziness occurs.

However, in case of the high blood pressure, blood pumping is very much increased in the brain. And because of that, the patient may feel weak or faint.

Although, dizziness is usually not directly related to high blood pressure, it can contribute to dizziness in minute portions.

If the blood pressure gets immediately elevated to a considerable extent, and the patient shows symptoms of dizziness, efforts must be made to bring the blood pressure back to its normal state. For this, you can go for a series of medical checkups. Prescription medication from an experienced doctor can also do the needful.

Final Take on Dizziness

While high blood pressure can be an indirect cause of dizziness, it is not entirely caused by high blood pressure. However, if you are suffering from dizziness, you should not ignore it as it can be a warning sign of some other detrimental health condition.

Among such medical conditions include loss of appetite, viral, and even serious strokes. And, as you know high blood pressure is one of the risk factors for strokes.

I hope, by now, you have answer to your question about the relation between dizziness and high blood pressure. In case, you or any of your loved ones are experiencing regular events of dizziness, it is suggestible to go for a medical checkup, eat healthily, and live a clean and nutrition driven life.

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7 Foods And Beverages To Avoid During Pregnancy

Foods To Avoid During Pregnancy

Pregnancy causes hormonal surge and with it brings glowing skin and luscious hair. But, do you ever know what else helps? Loads of healthy diet and beverages are also the main contributors. Craving for food is quite common during pregnancy. But, you cannot indulge in everything. There are some foods that are quite healthy and must be added in the menu, while others should be avoided during pregnancy. Following are the lists of some foods that should be avoided during pregnancy, as they can either make you ill or can harm your baby.

#1. Fish

• Fish with high level of mercury like shark, tilefish, swordfish etc
• Refrigerated smoked or pickled fish that is unpasteurized
• Raw or undercooked fish

You must choose to consume fish containing low mercury level, for example; canned light tuna, salmon, catfish etc. It is recommended to consume 8-12 ounces of fish per week, whereas the consumption of tuna should be only 6 ounces per week.

#2. Smoked Seafood

Smoked or refrigerated seafood should be avoided during pregnancy as they contain Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. This bacterium is the causative agent of illness in newborn and can even lead to miscarriage.

#3. Raw or Undercooked Eggs

Raw, undercooked or soft boiled eggs should be avoided during pregnancy because they contain harmful bacteria salmonella. This bacteria causes food poisoning which may results severe vomiting, diarrhea, high temperature and headache. These symptoms can weaken your immune system that can directly or indirectly lay a great impact on baby’s development.

#4. Raw Meat and Poultry

Raw meat and poultry contains Toxoplasma parasite. Their consumption can cause toxoplasmosis that leads to flu-like symptoms. This can cause miscarriage or fetal death during delivery.

#5. Unpasteurized Milk

Unpasteurized milk doesn’t have any nutritional value and it is unsafe to drink during pregnancy. It contains harmful bacteria like Salmonella, E.coli, Listeria etc. that can be harmful both for you and baby.

#6. Caffeinated Drinks

Tea, chocolate and several energy drinks consist of caffeine. Higher consumption of caffeinated drinks can increase the chances of miscarriage or low weight babies.

#7. Restaurant Salads
 

Restaurant made salads are home to several food poisoning causing bacteria like salmonella and listeria. These bacteria can cause flu like symptoms in both moth and pre born babies.

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