Merry Christmas to All my Readers

It has been over 7 Christmases since I began wring this blog and I would like to take this time to thank everyone who has read my blog over the years. I hope to continue posting information that is of interest for my readers. Thank you for your time and interest!

Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!!!

Brenda A. Ysaguirre

Complications of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Think of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and you probably think of the stiff, painful, and inflamed joints that characterize the disease. But what you might not know is that RA complications can occur in many parts of the body. The autoimmune process that wreaks havoc on the joints can also affect the eyes, lungs, skin, heart and blood vessels, and other organs. The medications you take for RA can have unwanted side effects as well. And, dealing with a chronic disease like RA day in and day out may cause emotional distress. Many people with RA suffer from depression.

To manage the complications of rheumatoid arthritis, it’s important to recognize problems early and get appropriate treatment. Here are some potential problems you should be aware of:

Effects on the Skin
One-fifth of people with rheumatoid arthritis develop lumps of tissue called rheumatoid nodules, usually under the skin, particularly on the elbows, forearms, heels, or fingers. The nodules, which may develop gradually or appear suddenly, can be an indication of more severe disease activity. Rheumatoid nodules can also occur in other areas of the body, such as the lungs and heart.
RA-related inflammation of the blood vessels, or vasculitis, can cause changes to the skin and surrounding tissue that can appear as ulcers.

Other types of rashes or skin changes related to RA or medications may be seen in patients. It’s important to alert your doctor regarding any skin rash or sores.

Eye Complications
Rheumatoid arthritis can affect the eyes in several ways. Inflammation of the episclera, a thin membrane that covers the sclera, or white of the eye, is a common complication of RA. It is usually mild, but the eye can become red and painful. Scleritis, inflammation of the white of the eye, is more serious and can lead to vision loss.

Having rheumatoid arthritis also puts you at risk of Sjogren’s syndrome, a condition in which the immune system attacks the lacrimal glands, which produce tears. This can cause your eyes to feel gritty and dry. If not treated, dryness can lead to infection and scarring of the conjunctiva (the membrane that covers the eye) and cornea. If you have rheumatoid arthritis, ask your doctor about the need for regular eye exams.

Heart and Blood Vessel Disease
Some people with rheumatoid arthritis have a collection of fluid between the pericardium and the heart itself (called a pericardial effusion), but not all will have clinical symptoms from it. Episodes of pericarditis (inflammation of the membrane that surrounds the heart) usually develop during flares, or periods of heightened disease activity.

Persistent pericarditis can lead to thickening and tightening of the membrane, which can interfere with the heart’s ability to work properly. Lesions similar to rheumatoid nodules can also develop on the heart and affect heart function. Inflammation of the heart muscle itself (myocarditis) is a rare complication.

Systemic inflammation puts people with RA at increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Recent research shows that people with RA have an increased risk of heart attack that is about the same as for people with type 2 diabetes. Having RA also increases risk of stroke.

Inflammation of blood vessels, called vasculitis, is an uncommon but serious complication of rheumatoid arthritis. Vasculitis associated with RA, called rheumatoid vasculitis, more commonly affects the small blood vessels supplying the skin, but it can affect many of the body’s organs, including the eyes, heart, and nerves.
Diseases of the Blood and Blood-Forming Cells
Most people with active RA experience a reduction in red blood cells called anemia. Anemia may cause symptoms such as fatigue, rapid heart beat, shortness of breath, dizziness, leg cramps, and insomnia. Active inflammation may also lead to high levels of blood platelets, while treatment to suppress the immune system may lead to low levels of blood platelets, a condition called thrombocytopenia.

Another possible, but uncommon complication of RA is Felty’s syndrome, a condition in which the spleen is enlarged and the white blood cell count is low in people with rheumatoid arthritis. Having Felty’s syndrome may increase the risk of lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph glands.

Lung Problems
The inflammatory process that affects the lining of the heart can similarly affect the membrane lining the lungs, leading to pleuritis and fluid collection.

Rheumatoid nodules also can form in the lungs. In most cases, the nodules are harmless, but they can lead to problems such as a collapsed lung, coughing up blood, infection, or pleural effusion — the accumulation of fluid between the lining of the lung and the chest cavity. Finally, interstitial lung diseases and pulmonary hypertension can also develop as complications of RA.

RA treatments can affect the lungs, as well. For example, one of the most commonly used RA treatments, methotrexate, can potentially cause lung problems, characterized by shortness of breath, cough, and fever. Symptoms tend to improve when methotrexate is stopped.

Susceptibility to Infection
People with RA are more prone to infections, which may be related to the underlying disease itself or the immune-suppressing medications used to treat it. Studies show that treatment with biologic agents, a relatively new and effective class of RA treatment, may greatly increase the risk of serious infections in people with RA.

Emotional Effects
Living day to day with the pain and limitations of a chronic disease can take a toll on your emotional as well as physical health. One recent study showed that almost 11% of people with RA had moderately severe to severe symptoms of depression. Those who were rated as being more restricted in their normal activities were significantly more likely to have depression. The study also showed that only one in five patients who showed symptoms of depression discussed it with their arthritis doctor.
Protect Yourself From RA Complications
Although you may not think to mention problems like depression, chest pain, or dry eyes to the doctor treating your rheumatoid arthritis, it’s important that you do so. All of these problems can be related to your arthritis. Although different problems may require different doctors and/or different treatments, often a change in arthritis treatment — either to better control the disease or to eliminate the side effects of a certain treatment — can be an important step in managing or resolving all of these problems.

5 common symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis

 Rheumatoid Arthritis

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Diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis can be tricky because each person with RA is affected differently. It does, however, have some common symptoms.

1. Joint stiffness in the morning (that lasts more than 60 minutes)
2. Joint pain
3. Joint swelling (often seen in the hands)
4. Weakness
5. Tiredness

Your doctor will look for these symptoms to help diagnose you. He or she might also do blood tests and x-rays to look for additional signs of rheumatoid arthritis.

KALE - THE NEW BEEF

Kale really is one of the healthiest foods out there, and it's fast becoming one of the most popular vegetables as well. It's being touted as “the new beef” by many health food gurus, and as far as leafy greens go, it's just aces. In addition to being a fat fighter, it's incredibly versatile – you can eat it raw, boil it down like collard greens, or even make juice out of it. It has lots of fiber, calcium, and vitamin A, along with a wealth of other essential nutrients, minerals, and vegetables.

HOMEMADE COFFEE SCRUB

COFFEE SCRUB
Ingredients 

• 2 cups of ground coffee
• Half cup of cup or granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons oil (Olive oil, grapeseed, almond etc)

Mix all the ingredients together and  massage into damp, warm skin. You could store left overs in a jar and keep in the fridge for use later in the week. It’s that simple!
It does look a little messy but you’re in the shower when you apply so getting messy is part of the fun. The scrub leaves your skin silky smooth.

The Health Benefits of Black Pepper

The health benefits of black pepper include relief from respiratory disorders, cough, common cold, constipation, digestion, anemia, impotency, muscular strains, dental care, pyorrhea, diarrhea, and heart disease. 

Black pepper is the fruit of the black pepper plant from the Piperaceae family and is used as a spice and also as a medicine. The chemical piperine, present in black pepper, causes the spiciness. It is native to the southern state of India, Kerala. From ancient times, black pepper is one of the most widely traded spices in the world. It is not seasonal and is, therefore available throughout the year. 

Because of its antibacterial properties, pepper is also used to preserve food. It is a source of manganese, iron, potassium, vitamin C and vitamin K and dietary fiber. Black pepper is a very good, anti-inflammatory agent. 

The health benefits of black pepper include the following: 

Good for stomach: Pepper increases the hydrochloric acid secretion in stomach and thus, helps digestion. Proper digestion is essential to avoid diarrhea, constipation and colic. Pepper also helps to prevent formation of intestinal gas. Pepper-added diet promotes sweating and urination. 
Helps to lose weight: The outer layer of peppercorn assists in the breakdown of fat cells. Hence, peppery foods are a good way to help you shed weight. 

Good for skin: Pepper helps to cure Vitiligo, which is a skin disease that causes some areas of skin to lose its normal pigment and turn white. According to researchers in London, piperine contained in pepper can stimulate the skin to produce pigment. Topical treatment of piperine combined with ultra violet light therapy is much better than the other treatments for vitiligo. It also reduces the chances of skin cancer due to excess ultraviolet radiation. 
Relief for cough and cold: In Ayurveda pepper is added in tonics for cold and cough. Pepper gives relief from sinusitis and nasal congestion.The antibacterial property of black pepper helps to fight against infections, insect bites etc. Pepper added diet helps to keeping your arteries clean. 
Good antioxidant: An antioxidant, like pepper, can prevent or repair the damage caused by the free radicals and thus helps to prevent cancer, cardiovascular diseases and liver problems. 

Enhances bio Availability: Black pepper helps in transporting the benefits of other herbs to different parts of body. 
According to Ayurveda, black pepper also helps avoid ear-ache and gangrene. It is also good for conditions of hernia, hoarseness and insect bites. It relieves joint pain. 
It is a good treatment for respiratory conditions like asthma, whooping cough etc. 
It is used to treat conditions of tooth decay and toothache. In ancient times, pepper was also used to treat eye problems. 

Preparing grounded pepper powder at home is better than buying ready-made pepper powder. But even home-made powder retains its freshness for only up to 3 months. Whole peppercorns can keep their freshness indefinitely. 

Thus, adding a pinch of black pepper to every meal helps improve taste and digestion. It also improves your overall health and well being. 

Precaution: Pepper may cause sneezing. Patients who’ve undergone abdominal surgery should not take pepper added diet because pepper has an irritating effect on the intestines. It is also not good for people with ulcers. Black pepper should not be taken in high concentration.

HOW TO FIX YOUR CRACKED HEELS

Cracked Heels! 
Not solely do cracked heels indicate a medical issue however conjointly will make all the guys go Eeww! These are throbbing and ugly that opposes the impression of gorgeous feet and wearing back-open footwear becomes a nightmare. The dilemma is that cracked heels are highly common and, in many cases, go unattended. 

The usual causes for cracked heels are dry weather, insecure exposure to the feet or lack of care to the attractive feet. If these persist you may even find yourself having sore foot, bleeding and extremely painful cracked heels. this is obvious that one ought to allocate your time of the day to require care of your lovely feet and be ready to stand on a try of sleek and watertight heels. 

Various straightforward tips is used to attain and retain lovely feet including: 

the best way to maintain lovely feet is to soak them in heat water for at least 15 minutes daily. Then, rub the cracked heels with a pumice stone to remove the dead skin. however ensure to not be too harsh as it could even cause rash or bleeding. 
lovely feet ought to surely be kept coated particularly if your work involves lots of walk or reaching to sandy, dirty places. mud entering the cracked heels could even make it injurious and a longer term medical downside. 
wearing socks for as much time as doable is also an unavoidable tip where one ought to even attempt to wear slippers or sandals even when at home for safeguarding lovely feet. Rugged carpets conjointly hurt cracked heels. 
Applying lotion or special foot creams will also augment the gorgeousness of your lovely feet. Cracked heels are something where you must routinely use lotion on. Desi totkays conjointly include oiling the heels to keep them soft and absorb the silkiness. you’ll use thinner layers for the day and thicker ones on the cracked heels at night. 
Avoid wearing tight socks or shoes that don’t fit your needs well. They not solely look odd however conjointly augment the hideousness of cracked heels. This spoils the whole show of the attractive feet. 
If you’re a patient of diabetes and are littered with the problem of cracked heels, you must instantly contact your doctor. this is as a result of the illness makes the healing of wounds terribly troublesome as they increase. 
Moreover, adding Omega-3 fatty acids in your food will give you with lovely feet swiftly. These are proven by science that they are useful in curing cracked heels and provide a healthy ground to your life’s walk. 
With the continuously improving scope of technology, you’ll conjointly purchase pedicure appliances that are battery operated. They work automatically to melt your skin and heal the cracked heels among minutes leaving you with flauntingly lovely feet. 

So ladies, the essential half is to do to make these remedies as recurring as doable and let the cracked heels be by-gones. pick up a stupendous try of heels and parade them with your lovely feet!

7 Pains You Should NEVER Ignore

…And the WARNINGS They May Be Sending
More often than not, you may think pain isn’t a big deal. 
Sure, it’s no fun to be in pain, but it usually doesn’t mean an untimely death is around the corner. 

A small headache could mean you’re simply a little dehydrated. Unusual soreness could be from that extra hard workout this morning. 
For minor pains like these, some extra water, a little rest and a natural pain relief cream can have your body as good as new in no time. 

But sometimes “wait and see” could be dangerous – even life threatening. So if you experience any of these seven serious pain warnings it may be cause for serious concern. 

1. Pressing Chest Pain
This sensation isn’t just the weight of the world on your chest. It might be the sign of an impending cardiac emergency. 
You may also experience this pressure in your shoulder, abdomen, arm, or even your jaw or throat. The pain may be continuous, or it may come and go. It may also present itself as uncomfortable pressure rather than throbbing pain. 
Any type of chest pain or pressure should not be trifled with – 50% of heart attacks occur within the first 3-4 hours of the first symptoms. 

2. Worst Headache of Your Life

You probably know what a migraine or really bad headache feels like. But if you’re feeling “the worst headache of your life” then you need to ask someone to drive you to the ER – fast. “Extremely acute pain can signal a ruptured blood vessel in your brain, known as an aneurysm,” explains Dr. Mehmet Oz. 
Dr. Sharon Brangman agrees: “The worst headache of my life” is the classic descriptor of a brain hemorrhage, aneurysm, or brain tumor. “Go immediately to the ER,” she says. 

3. Oddly Warm and Tender Calf

If your calf is red and swollen, tender, warm or painful, do not follow your immediate instinct to massage the pain away. You may have developed a deep vein thrombosis-a serious blood clot in your lower leg. 
The swelling, warmth and tenderness are caused by blood building up behind the clot and pooling in your lower leg. Massaging your leg can break off a piece of the clot, which will be swept up into your lung. This could cause a potentially lethal pulmonary embolism. 
Surprisingly, this condition affects up to 2 million people in the United States every year. But because so few know it exists, the situation becomes quickly life-threatening. Again: do not massage an oddly warm, tender calf! 

4. Sharp Abdominal Pain

There’s a lot going on in your abdominal cavity – multiple organs trying to do their jobs as efficiently as possible… but sometimes, something goes wrong. 
If you still have your appendix, look to this small organ as your pain’s culprit first. 
The first symptom of an infected, swelling appendix is slight pain around your navel. But as the appendix continues to swell, the pain will grow sharper and move toward your lower right abdomen. 
The worst thing you can do is let your appendix burst inside of your abdominal cavity. This causes your entire abdominal cavity to become infected, a condition called peritonitis. 
Other possible explanations for sharp abdominal pain include a swollen pancreas or inflamed gallbladder. Appendicitis is the most common. 

5. Sudden, Severe Back Pain

If a sudden, severe pain emerges in your lower back or between your shoulder blades, get to an ER immediately. This may be a sign that you are experiencing an abdominal aortic aneurysm, where the aorta just above your kidneys begins to widen and weaken. 
This condition can quickly lead to an aortic dissection, where the wall of your aorta – the largest artery in your body – tears. 
If you have high blood pressure, diabetes, or if you smoke, you are at a greater risk for an aortic dissection. Other less lethal possibilities of sudden, severe back pain include a kidney stone, arthritis, or a herniated disc. 

6. Tingling or Burning Legs and Feet

Over 6.75 million Americans are walking around with undiagnosed diabetes. “In some people who don’t know they have diabetes, a burning or pins-and-needles sensation in the feet or legs can indicate nerve damage,” explains Dr. Brangman. 
This condition itself isn’t a medical emergency, but the underlying cause might lead to one in short order. Go see your doctor as soon as possible. He or she will give you a blood sugar test to diagnose whether you have diabetes. Proper monitoring and care can help prevent further damage. 

7. A Pounding Toothache.

If your tooth is throbbing with pain, it is most likely that the nerve beneath your tooth has become damaged and may be infected. This can occur if your enamel gets chipped or cracked, or you have a severe cavity. 
Like diabetes, the pain itself isn’t an urgent situation, but it could become one if you don’t care for it as soon as possible. Your mouth is full of bacteria that want to attack everything in their path. Besides making your pain worse, the bacteria may spread throughout your body due to its prime location in your mouth. “You definitely don’t want that breeding colony to spread throughout your body,” explains Dr. Kimberly Harms, DDS. 

Fear and First Aid

First and foremost, if you have one of these serious pains, don’t ignore it. Don’t be afraid of “wasting the doctor’s time.” Don’t worry about the cost of going to the ER. Don’t worry that you’re being paranoid. Your life may depend on it. 

Nearly every one of these dangerous conditions are directly related to inflammation or other blood and circulatory issues. That’s why keeping inflammation in check and taking good care of your circulatory system is vitally important. 

One of the best ways to help your body fight painful inflammation and clear away artery-clogging fibrin is by ensuring you have enough proteolytic systemic enzymes in your system. But by your late 20’s, the amount of these enzymes once present in abundance drop dramatically. Supplementing with these natural enzymes is safe, effective and might save your life. 

Cleansing Enhance your Beauty

Natural beauty lies in a clearer looking skin. Cosmetics and makeup can surely enhance your beauty, however the skin beauty is an ultimate factor which might cause you to look beautiful with no makeup. Skin cleansing isn’t solely vital for personal hygiene, however is also one in all the amazing beauty tips which will merely do wonders for your skin beauty. Skin cleansing could be a excellent beauty guide, that removes dirt, grime and grease from the higher layer and underneath the skin. Daily skin cleansing can enhance your beauty in some of the subsequent ways: 

Rejuvenate your Skin 

Daily skin cleansing enhance your skin beauty by removing layer of dead cells from the skin that gets accumulated over the surface as a results of routine skin rejuvenation method. the sweetness tips of correct skin cleansing will forestall the skin pores from obtaining clogged. 

Glowing Complexion 

Daily skin cleansing could be a natural beauty tip to realize glowing skin complexion. If you really need to enhance your skin beauty, you would like to keep your skin healthy with the assistance of skin cleansing. With these beauty tips you’ll be able to get pleasure from a transparent, blemish free complexion. 

Maintain the Hydration 

Daily skin cleansing can even enhance your natural beauty by keeping it hydrate. In case of dry skin, daily moisturizing is required together with skin cleansing for maintaining skin beauty, while in case of oily skin, the skin cleansing beauty guide removes excess oil, secreted from the oil glands. 

Smooth Makeup 

Skin beauty doesn’t solely mirror while not makeup, however as a matter of reality, your natural skin beauty gives you a reason to appear additional beautiful even when you apply makeup. Though, makeup covers all the dark sides of skin beauty, however the natural beauty comes out in spotlight owing to its smooth texture and sparkling complexion. 

Scale back the Signs of Aging 

Daily cleansing could be a excellent beauty guide to enhance your anti-aging skin care regimen. If you really need to stop your skin beauty from early signs of aging and fine wrinkles, skin cleansing is among the simplest and best beauty tips. With the assistance of skin cleansing, you cannot solely keep your skin clean, however will also enhance your skin beauty by creating it healthier and recent.

Female Hair Thinning

Hair fall is one of the most general problems we can see around us today. Not only females, but males also have this problem. Insufficient nutrition and stress of modern life are two main reasons behind hair loss. Ignoring proper diet, not sleeping regularly and dirty, unclean scalp can also results unnatural hair loss. Heredity sometimes causes complete baldness. The question now is how to prevent this...

TOO MUCH SUGAR STOPS YOUR BRAIN FROM WORKING

Eating too much sugar can eat away at your brainpower, according to US scientists who published a study showing how a steady diet of high-fructose corn syrup sapped lab rats' memories. Researchers at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) fed two groups of rats a solution containing high-fructose corn syrup -- a common ingredient in processed foods -- as drinking water for six weeks. One group of rats was supplemented with brain-boosting omega-3 fatty acids in the form of flaxseed oil and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), while...

HOW HOT PEPPERS CAN HELP YOU LOOSE WEIGHT

If you adore spicy jalapenos in your tacos or fiery Thai chilies in your stir fry, keep piling on those peppers--and if you fear the heat, you may want start learning to warm up to the cayenne shaker. That's because hot peppers may help you manage your weight, making them the perfect accompaniment to your diet plan. Although the scorching fruits alone won't make the pounds fly off, they could make the difference of a pound or two over time--which most dieters are sure to appreciate.

How it Works

The secret to pepper's fat-blasting power lies in an alkaloid substance called capsaicin, which is also the source of the hot flavor. Not only does capsaicin ignite your mouth, but it may actually cause your body to heat up so that you burn calories faster. 

The capsaicin/temperature link may be explained by the activity of brown fat. Most of the fat in our bodies is white, and excess levels of white fat are what cause people to become overweight or obese. In contrast, brown fat makes up a very small percentage of total fat (not all people may even have it), and is highly active as it works to regulate body temperature. Experts used to think that only babies have brown fat and they lose it growing up; now we know that adults also have brown fat, and can even build new brown fat cells. 

In animal studies on hot peppers and weight loss, subjects demonstrated higher levels of brown fat activity after exposure to capsaicin. Although animal studies do not accurately predict results among people, it's possible that hot peppers also increase human metabolism by activating brown fat. 

There also may be hope for people who desire similar effects without having to eat spicy foods, although research is still in the beginning stages. A small study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition revealed that young men who had previously demonstrated brown-fat activity burned slightly more calories in the hour after taking capsinoids, which are capsaicin-like substances found in a unique variety of sweet pepper. Capsinoids don't taste hot, but this study suggests they may have similar thermogenic effects as spicy foods. 

Regardless of the mild metabolism-boosting effects of peppers, the most effective way to slim down is to reduce caloric intake and increase physical activity. Peppers won't make up for overeating, just give you a minor boost.

Other Benefits of Hot Peppers

Weight loss aside, hot peppers come with plenty of health benefits. They contain even more vitamin C than citrus fruits, and more vitamin A than carrots. The capsaicin also induces a rush of endorphins, creating a boost in mood that keeps many pepper-lovers coming back for more. Capsaicin is also widely used as a topical pain reliever, and some research shows that ingesting the substance may help stave off prostate cancer. 

Ranking the Heat

Heat from peppers is ranked using the Scoville scale: the higher the Scoville number, the higher the capsaicin content. Peperoncinis and pimientos are at the bottom rung with scores of 100 to 500, while the hottest peppers, such as ghost chilies, rank among 1 million Scoville units. Jalapenos, as hot as they may appear, lie near the bottom of the chart with 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville units.

BEAUTY TIP FOR TODAY

For smudge-proof eye makeup, take blotting tissue to remove any oil or any excess makeup from the eye area. Then, apply a small dab of cream concealer to hold things in place.

How well do you know your nails?

A Homemade Beauty Tips for Glowing Skin

A Home Made Beauty Tip for Your Hands