7 great ways for preventing high blood pressure.

If you've been diagnosed with high blood pressure, you might be worried about taking medication to bring your numbers down.

Lifestyle plays an important role in treating your high blood pressure. 

If you successfully control your blood pressure with a healthy lifestyle, you might avoid, delay or reduce the need for medication.

Here are 10 lifestyle changes you can make to lower your blood pressure and keep it down.

1. Lose extra pounds and watch your waistline

Blood pressure often increases as weight increases. Being overweight also can cause disrupted breathing while you sleep (sleep apnea), which further raises your blood pressure.

Weight loss is one of the most effective lifestyle changes for controlling blood pressure. 

Losing even a small amount of weight if you're overweight or obese can help reduce your blood pressure.

2. Exercise regularly

Regular physical activity — such as 150 minutes a week, or about 30 minutes most days of the week — can lower your blood pressure by about 5 to 8 mm Hg if you have high blood pressure. 

It's important to be consistent because if you stop exercising, your blood pressure can rise again.

If you have elevated blood pressure, exercise can help you avoid developing hypertension. 

If you already have hypertension, regular physical activity can bring your blood pressure down to safer levels.

3. Eat a healthy diet

Eating a diet that is rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products and skimps on saturated fat and cholesterol can lower your blood pressure by up to 11 mm Hg if you have high blood pressure. 

This eating plan is known as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet.

4. Limit the amount of alcohol you drink

Alcohol can be both good and bad for your health. 

By drinking alcohol only in moderation — generally one drink a day for women, or two a day for men — you can potentially lower your blood pressure by about 4 mm Hg. 

One drink equals 12 ounces of beer, five ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor.

But that protective effect is lost if you drink too much alcohol.

5. Reduce sodium in your diet

Even a small reduction in the sodium in your diet can improve your heart health and reduce blood pressure by about 5 to 6 mm Hg if you have high blood pressure.

The effect of sodium intake on blood pressure varies among groups of people. 

In general, limit sodium to 2,300 milligrams (mg) a day or less. However, a lower sodium intake — 1,500 mg a day or less — is ideal for most adults.

6. Quit smoking

Each cigarette you smoke increases your blood pressure for many minutes after you finish. 

Stopping smoking helps your blood pressure return to normal. Quitting smoking can reduce your risk of heart disease and improve your overall health. 

People who quit smoking may live longer than people who never quit smoking.

7. Reduce your stress

Chronic stress may contribute to high blood pressure. 

More research is needed to determine the effects of chronic stress on blood pressure. Occasional stress also can contribute to high blood pressure if you react to stress by eating unhealthy food, drinking alcohol or smoking.

Take some time to think about what causes you to feel stressed, such as work, family, finances or illness. 

Once you know what's causing your stress, consider how you can eliminate or reduce stress.

THE END

7 Critical But Effective Ways To Prevent HIV

HIV prevention is not just about following rules. It's about knowing who you are, what you believe, and when to act in order to protect yourself and others from infection.

It requires an informed, holistic approach—one which enables you to do more than just roll the dice, but to understand the very dynamics of infection and ways to prevent it from happening.

Here are 7 critical but effective ways to prevent HIV.

Know the Difference Between High and Low Risk Activities

When it comes to HIV prevention, the question that most people will ask is: "Can I get HIV from [BLANK]?" The truth is there remains a lot of misconceptions about HIV transmission—often underestimating, but sometimes even overestimating potential risk. Informed prevention starts by getting the facts straight, understanding the modes of transmission, and identifying which activities put you, as an individual, at personal risk.

Take PrEP to Reduce Your Risk of Getting HIV

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a prevention strategy wherein thedaily use of a single antiretroviral pill can significantly reduce a person's risk of getting HIV. The evidence-based approach is considered both an important part of an overall prevention strategy and a means to reduce infection rates in at-risk populations. Learn more about PrEP and whether it's the right prevention strategy for you.

Start Therapy to Avoid Passing the Virus to Others

Treatment as Prevention (TasP) is an evidence-based approach by which HIV-infected persons with an undetectable viral load are far less likely to transmit the virus to other. Studies have shown that an HIV-infected person on successful antiretroviral therapy is up to 96% less likely to infect a partner in a mixed-status relationship. Learn more about TasP and what it means to you if you have HIV.

Avoid Common Condom Mistakes

There is no reason to be lax when it comes to condoms. Condoms are still the best, proven method for HIV prevention short of complete abstinence. And despite what some might tell you, the main reason that condoms fail is not because of the condom, but because of incorrect and/or inconsistent use. Ultimately, safer sex means using a condom consistently each and every time you engage in sexual activities. Here are some great tips that can help.

Learn How to Safely Conceive a Child

Nearly half of all HIV-affected couples are serodiscordant, meaning that one partner is HIV-positive while the other is HIV-negative. With major advances in antiretroviral therapy, serodiscordant couples have far greater opportunities to conceive than ever—enabling pregnancy while minimizing the risk of transmission to the uninfected partner. Learn what health authorities currently recommend for mix-status couples in the U.S.

Avoid Passing the Virus to Your Baby During Pregnancy

Prevention of mother-to-child transmission (pMTCT) encompasses all stages of pregnancy, from antenatal to postnatal care. Key to its success is early intervention. With appropriate perinatal care, including the provision of antiretroviral therapy for both mother and child, the risk of transmission is now less than 2%.

Avoid Sharing Needles If You're a Drug User

The rate of HIV among injecting drug users (IDUs) is high, with estimates suggesting that anywhere from 20 percent to 40 percent have acquired infection as a result of shared needle use. But it's only users who are at risk but they're sexual partners who are sometimes wholly unaware of their drug used. Government-sponsored needle exchange programs (NEPs) are available in many U.S. states to better address this crisis, as well as the spread of other blood-borne diseases.

How Can I Loose Weight Fast? Here are 9 Working Tips

Slim is Sexy

Fat is Arrghh!! I 😕

I know

Almost everybody wanna belong to the smart, sexy and simple looking GANG. 

It might depressing at times when friends, family and even strangers talk about your "BEING FAT"

BUT 

The Good news is I've got a really LONG list of tips for you to loose weight.

Please adhere to this Tips and I promise you..

These are NATURALLY methods to loose weight so don't panic. 

No DRUGS involved. 

Here we go buddy!! 

1. Drink Water

There is actually truth to the claim that drinking water can help with weight loss.

Drinking 0.5 liters (17 oz) of water may increase the calories you burn by 24–30% for an hour afterward.

Drinking water before meals may also lead to reduced calorie intake, especially for middle-aged and older people.

Water is particularly good for weight loss when it replaces other beverages that are high in calories and sugar.

2.  Limit Your Intake of Sugar

Eating a lot of added sugar is linked with some of the world's leading diseases, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer.

On average, Americans eat about 15 teaspoons of added sugar each day. 

This amount is usually hidden in various processed foods, so you may be consuming a lot of sugar without even realizing it.

Since sugar goes by many names in ingredient lists, it can be very difficult to figure out how much sugar a product actually contains.

Minimizing your intake of added sugar is a great way to improve your diet.

3. Add Protein to Your Diet

When it comes to weight loss, protein is the king of nutrients.

Your body burns calories when digesting and metabolizing the protein you eat, so a high-protein diet can boost metabolism by up to 80-100 calories per day.

A high-protein diet can also make you feel more full and reduce your appetite. In fact, some studies show that people eat over 400 fewer calories per day on a high-protein diet.

4. Eat Whole, Single-Ingredient Foods

One of the best things you can do to become healthier is to base your diet on whole, single-ingredient foods.

By doing this, you eliminate the vast majority of added sugar, added fat and processed food.

Most whole foods are naturally very filling, making it a lot easier to keep within healthy calorie limits.

Furthermore, eating whole foods also provides your body with the many essential nutrients that it needs to function properly

5. Avoid Processed Foods

Processed foods are usually high in added sugars, added fats and calories.

What's more, processed foods are engineered to make you eat as much as possible. They are much more likely to cause addictive-like eating than unprocessed foods.

6. Stock Up on Healthy Foods and Snacks

Studies have shown that the food you keep at home greatly affects weight and eating behavior.

By always having healthy food available, you reduce the chances of you or other family members eating unhealthy.

There are also many healthy and natural snacks that are easy to prepare and take with you on the go.

7. Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are extremely healthy, weight-loss-friendly foods.

In addition to being high in water, nutrients and fiber, they usually have very low energy density. 

This makes it possible to eat large servings without consuming too many calories.

8. Try a Low-Carb Diet

Many studies have shown that low-carb diets are very effective for weight loss.

Limiting carbs and eating more fat and protein reduces your appetite and helps you eat fewer calories.

This can result in weight loss that is up to 3 times greater than that from a standard low-fat diet.

9. Eat More Fiber

Fiber-rich foods may help with weight loss.

Foods that contain water-soluble fiber may be especially helpful, since this type of fiber can help increase the feeling of fullness.

Fiber may delay stomach emptying, make the stomach expand and promote the release of satiety hormones.

So

There you have it! 

Naturally beat that FAT and gain your self esteem. 

See you in our next post. 

Foods That Lowers Cancer Risk in Women

No matter how small or how sweet any type of cancer might sound.

That is one of the worst ailment which can happen to any man.

When it comes to the feminine aspect, there are things we have to do and abide to in order to stay ahead of this painstaking type off illness. CANCER.

In a Woman

There is need for you to be mindful of what you eat and what you drink.

 Yes!

That is what can kill you or keep you alive.

Here are some of the Foods women need to eat and foods that also lowers cancer rate for better living.

6. Grapes

Grapes are sweet and juicy berries that contain the antioxidant resveratrol, which may block the formation of breast, liver, stomach and lymphatic system cancers. A grape’s skin has the most resveratrol, so leave the skin intact. Red and purple grapes have more resveratrol than green grapes.

5. Tomatoes

Tomatoes are packed with lycopene, a natural chemical found in plants. This chemical is a powerful antioxidant that may lower breast, lung and stomach cancer risks. Other fruits with lycopene include watermelon, pink grapefruit and most fruits with red flesh. 

3. Garlic

Garlic is loaded with manganese, vitamins B6 and C, and selenium. Some research suggests these nutrients can fend off the cancer cell growth in your intestines. The pungent vegetable, great as a seasoning, also may help lower your risk of stomach, colon and breast cancers.

2. Lentils

Lentils are small beans rich in dietary fiber. Fiber may reduce your chances of colorectal cancer. “Fiber helps your gut produce chemicals that stop tumor cells from forming,” Bispeck says.
Fiber also keeps you full longer, helping you maintain a healthy weight. And, it can help lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Other great fiber sources include beans, whole-wheat pasta, barley and brown rice.

4. Leafy greens

Dark green leafy vegetables like kale, spinach and broccoli, are some of the most nutritious foods you can eat. They’re bursting with fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that reduce your risks of many different types of cancer, including colorectal cancer. Eating lots of leafy greens also can help you maintain a lean body weight and reduce your chances for heart disease and diabetes.

1. Coffee

Kick-start your morning with a cup of coffee. Some research suggests women who drink several cups of black coffee every day are 25% less likely to develop a common type of uterine cancer, as well as other forms of the disease.

7. Onions

Onions contain an antioxidant called quercetin. “It may help fight cancer by lowering inflammation in your body,” Bispeck says. Some studies show yellow onions and shallots may be particularly good at protecting you from liver and colon cancers.

8. Fish

Fish is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. That makes it a smart lean protein source — and a great addition to a breast cancer prevention plan, because anti-cancer nutrition recommendations suggest limiting your intake of red meat and processed meats, including bacon and packaged deli meats. Opt for salmon, mackerel, sardines, and tuna — all are rich in omega-3s — as breast cancer diet choices instead.

Berries

Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries add color, variety, and flavor to your anti-cancer nutrition plan. They're power-packed with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds that could aid in breast cancer prevention, so make them part of your breast cancer diet.

Eat a healthy variety

“Including these seven foods to your diet is a great way to help protect your body from cancer,” Bispeck says. But don’t stop there.
A healthy diet also includes:

• A rainbow of fruits and vegetables
• Whole grains
• Plant-based proteins
• Limited red meat and avoiding processed meat
• Limited salt
• Limited alcohol
• Little or no sugary beverages or energy-dense foods

Hope this post helped you?

Share to friends and family for a better health insured lifestyle.

What Causes Infertility in Men And How Can One Prevent And Cure It?

Infertility affects approximately 1 out of every 6 couples. An infertility diagnosis is given to a couple who are unable to conceive over the course of one year.

When the problem lies with the male partner it is referred to as male infertility.

Male infertility factors contribute to approximately 30% of all infertility cases, and male infertility alone accounts for approximately one-fifth of all infertility cases.

What causes infertility in men?

There are four main causes of infertility in males:

Quantity of sperm

Semen containing fewer sperm, or no sperm at all, can impact a male’s fertility if the female’s egg cannot be fertilised due to a lack of sperm.

This is otherwise known as having a low sperm count. A low sperm count is clinically defined as having less than 15 million sperm per millilitre of semen.

If you or your partner are concerned about your potential sperm count, you can check the quantity of your sperm via a sperm analysis.

Ejaculation disorders

Having problems with ejaculation can impact your fertility if your sperm cannot reach the egg for it to be fertilised.

Examples of ejaculatory disorders include premature ejaculation (where ejaculation occurs too early), retrograde ejaculation (where semen is ejaculated into the bladder) and the failure to ejaculate.

Quality of sperm

The quality of your sperm may be impacting your fertility, such as sperm mobility and having ‘abnormal sperm’. Decreased sperm mobility can impact the quality of your sperm as it can create difficulty for the sperm to reach the egg, and fertilise it.

Many factors of abnormal sperm are unexplained but can be due to a variety of factors including an abnormal shape, making it harder for sperm to move and fertilise an egg. You can check the quality of your sperm via a sperm analysis.

Testicular damage

Testicles contain your sperm and protect the delicate cells from the outside environment. Damage to your testicles can have a serious impact on your fertility by affecting the quality and quantity of sperm. Overheating sperm can seriously impact their quality.

Keeping your testicles cool is important to maintain an optimum temperature of your sperm. Simple ways that you can help to do this include not sitting down for long periods of time and not wearing too tight underwear.

Other causes of testicular damage are trauma, such as from sport, infection, testicular surgery, a congenital defect and undescended testicles.

 How to Cure Infertilty in men

• Taking medications to help increase sperm production
• Taking antibiotics to heal an infection
• Taking hormones to improve hormone imbalance
• Avoiding taking long hot showers, using hot tubs or saunas
• Wearing looser underwear such as boxer shorts versus jockey shorts

Sperm production may also improve by taking clinically proven supplements.  Anything that increases the number of healthy sperm increases the chances of conception.

Many health food stores and vitamin shops offer male fertility supplements.

How to Prevent Infertility in men

There are natural and medicinal ways to prevent Inferitilty in men...

They are:

• Avoiding sexually transmitted diseases
• Avoiding illicit drugs
• Avoiding radiation when possible
• Avoiding exposure to toxic substances
• Avoiding heavy or frequent use of alcohol
• Observing good personal hygiene and health practices
• Avoiding long, hot baths, hot tubs or saunas
• Wearing loose-fitting underwear

Hope these write-up helps you?

See you in our next post...

Foods You Need To Eat For Sight Improvement

We all know how useful and essential our eyes can be...

The usefulness of our sight can never be over emphasized.

We all need this organ as much as we need our breath.

A man without sight is like a half living man.

Here are the FOODS recommended by medical experts which you should always eat to prevent your eyes from touching stories.

And also improve your sight.

1. Nuts and legumes

Nuts are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Nuts also contain a high level of vitamin E, which can protect the eye from age-related damage.
Nuts and legumes that are good for eye health include:

• walnuts
• Brazil nuts
• cashews
• peanuts
• lentils

 

2. Fish

Many fish are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
Oily fish are fish that have oil in their gut and body tissue, so eating them offers higher levels of omega-3-rich fish oil.

The fish that contains the most beneficial levels of omega-3s include:

• tuna
• salmon
• trout
• mackerel
• sardines
• anchovies
• herring

Some studies have found that fish oil can reverse dry eye, including dry eye caused by spending too much time on a computer.

3. Citrus fruits

Citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C. Just like vitamin E, vitamin C is an antioxidant that is recommended by the AOA to fight age-related eye damage.
Vitamin C-rich citrus fruits include:

• lemons
• oranges
• grapefruits

4. Beef

Beef is rich in zinc, which has been linked to better long-term eye health. Zinc can help delay age-related sight loss and macular degeneration.

The eye itself contains high levels of zinc, particularly in the retina, and the vascular tissue surrounding the retina.
Meats such as chicken breast and pork loin also contain zinc, but at lower levels than beef.

5. Carrots

Carrots are rich in both Vitamin A and beta carotene. Beta carotene gives carrots their orange color.
Vitamin A plays an essential role in vision. It is a component of a protein called rhodopsin, which helps the retina to absorb light.

Research on beta carotene's role in vision is mixed, though the body needs this nutrient to make vitamin A.

7. Leafy green vegetables

Leafy green vegetables are rich in both lutein and zeaxanthin and are also a good source of eye-friendly vitamin C.
Well-known leafy greens include:

• spinach
• kale
• collards

8. Sweet potatoes

Like carrots, sweet potatoes are rich in beta carotene. They are also a good source of the antioxidant vitamin E.

9. Water

It may come as no surprise that a fluid essential to life is also vital to eye health.
Drinking plenty of water can prevent dehydration, which may reduce the symptoms of dry eyes.


Which of the above foods are ready part of your daily diet?

Which would start with in order to improve your eye sight?

Let's talk buddy...

See you in our next post.

Health Benefits of Eating Your Dinner Early

Eating dinner early and hitting the sack soon to get decent hours of sleep will prevent overeating at night. It is believed that late night dinner is linked with obesity.

When you eat an early dinner, it will help to lose weight rapidly as you would know what you are eating and the amount of calorie intake. Hence, today Boldsky shares with you health benefits of early dinner.

The health benefits of having an early dinner does not result only in weight loss. There are other health benefits too. It helps you to lead a better lifestyle.

So, if you have been following a late night dinner all this while, it is time to start afresh and begin a healthier one. The best way to start is by having an early dinner.

Weight Control

If you want to keep your weight under control, it is best to have an early dinner. You can eat what you like, even if it's high in calories. Post dinner, take a walk to burn the excess calories that you have consumed. It is one of the health benefits of having an early dinner.

No Heartburn 

There are a lot of people who go to bed right after dinner since their meal time crosses their sleep schedule. Following this form of lifestyle will lead to a lot of heartburns making you uncomfortable and losing out on sleep.

Feel Light 

Feeling light on the stomach with no bloating pain is one of the health benefits of having an early dinner.

Early Start 

Having an early dinner and going to bed soon gives you a chance to wake up early to a brand new start. You can also exercise well in the morning if you have had an early dinner.

Better Sleep 

After a hard day at work, you intend to have proper and a correct amount of sleep. Having an early dinner can prevent you from sleeping late, thus allowing you to have a scheduled amount of sleep.

More Time For Digestion 

One of the most important health benefits of having an early dinner is that it provides more room to digestion, no matter how heavy your meal is.

Healthier Heart 

Since your food is digested in a proper way and in the right amount of time, it helps your heart to beat at a normal pace, thus keeping it healthy and stronger.

Good Intake Of Food 

One of the health benefits of having an early dinner is the process of allowing your mind to think of consuming only good food rich in proteins and nutrients. You will even have time for dessert when you have an early dinner.


Kindly share this article and he'll Save a friend, family member and colleague.

See you in our next post. ☺ 

The Most Effective Ways To Stop Stubborn Headache

If you’ve ever suffered from headache pain, you know just how debilitating it can be. You simply can’t look, feel or perform your best if you have a headache.

I've once sufferred severe headaches in the past and I can tell you that the experiences wasn't funny at all.

After my recent research discovered few efective ways and tips to stop that headache in no time.

But first let me talk a bit about the causes of headaches.

Causes of Headaches

Headaches can be a symptom of all kinds of conditions, from allergies to migraines. Some common headache causes include:

• Migraines: While medical science doesn’t know for sure what causes migraines, a number of things that may trigger their onset including certain foods, hormones, stress, and sunlight.
• Allergies: Food allergies can trigger migraines. They can also cause sinus headaches due to congestion, as well as painful cluster headaches according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.
• Alcohol: If you’ve ever over-imbibed only to wake up to a raging hangover, then you know exactly what I’m talking about! And really, few among us have not had this experience, right? Headaches from alcohol are likely due to inflammation and/or dehydration from alcoholic beverages, which also deplete B vitamins. This kind of headache is enough to swear off drinking- at least as long as you remember the extreme pain of the aftereffects.
• Stress: Not only can stress trigger migraines, but being stressed out can cause tight muscles. These muscles may squeeze nerves leading to the head, causing a headache. Stress also releases stress hormones such as cortisol, which can unbalance hormone levels in the body leading to headaches.

 WAYS TO PREVENT HEADACHES

1. Avoid common allergens

The most common allergenic foods include:

• Wheat
• Soy
• Corn
• Peanuts
• Dairy products
• Shellfish

2.  Moderate alcohol intake

I know that “moderate” means different things to different people. You may go out a lot, but just know that as you work to balance your diet and lifestyle, you really won’t need to drink as much as you did in the past to get a buzz.

3.  Engage in regular stress reduction activities such as meditation

Even sitting quietly and practicing deep breathing for a few minutes per day can help reduce stress.

4. Avoid foods that trigger migraines

A number of these foods exist, so minimize or avoid them and you may have fewer headaches. Foods associated with triggering migraines include: 

• Smoked or cured meats
• Dairy products, especially cheese
• Foods containing nitrates
• MSG
• Artificial sweeteners
• Canned soups
• Food additives
• Red wine
• Pickles
• Extremely cold foods, like ice cream

 5. Learn your headache triggers

By keeping a headache journal, you may be able to discover which foods and activities are triggering your headaches. What may trigger your headaches may be different than from your mother, roommate or hubby.

 6. Stay hydrated

Pay attention to what that yellow pee is telling you and drink up!

7. Don’t smoke – Period

No compromises here. Also though, avoid second-hand smoke.

EFFECTIVE TIPS RELIEVE HEADACHES

Since headaches have very different causes and are such a common symptom, what works for one person may not work for another. Before you reach for that aspirin to fight your headache, however, you may want to try the following:

1. Use ice

An ice pack on the top of your head may relieve a headache. You may also have success by placing an icepack on your neck.

2. Drink some ginger tea

Steeping some grated ginger in hot water and drinking it will reduce inflammation and may provide relief.

3. Eat some pumpkin seeds

Studies have shown that magnesium sulfate can relieve all types of headaches. Raw pumpkin seeds are high in magnesium, so they may be worth a try.

 4. Meditate

Sit in a quite, comfortable place, close your eyes and pay attention to your breathing. Try visualizing relaxation throughout your body as you do this.

5. Exercise

Even a brisk 10 minute walk around the block releases endorphins, which have natural pain and stress fighting properties according to MedicineNet.



I hope these tips helped you?

See you other time..

8 Simple Ways Women Can Keep a Good Hygiene

When it comes to feminine hygiene, it's important for women of all ages to be very meticulous and consistent with maintaining the cleanliness of their overall body system.

What is hygiene?

Hygiene is the practice of cleaning parts of the body and is related to good health. Hygiene practices vary greatly from culture to culture and indeed from family to family.

Hygiene is often mentioned in relation to health and hygiene, oral hygiene, food hygiene and personal hygiene.

Now let us look at the 8 simple ways women caan keep a Good hygiene

Here we go!

1. Bath Always:

Taking a shower regularly is essential in order to expel the dead cells that accumulate on your skin. Go for a shower gel or a soap, which will not be harsh on your skin, and maintain its pH balance. Also, it is best to use lukewarm water while bathing.

2.  Monitor your food intake:

You should have a diet that is rich in fruits, green leafy vegetables and whole grains. Yoghurt is another common food that is a great source of good bacteria, which keeps your feminine area healthy. It also prevents yeast infections.

Garlic is an ingredient that also keeps you away from yeast infection. It also helps in getting rid of bad odour in the vaginal area. Water is very essential as it not only keeps you hydrated, but also helps to flush out toxins.

3.  Care for your private part:

While you must be cleaning your intimate area everyday thoroughly with douches (feminine wash) and cleansers, the fact remains that the natural discharge is a self-cleanser in itself. It protects your feminine area from bacteria and infections.

Excessive use of soaps and cleansers on this area can slowly hamper its natural protective barrier, thus making it vulnerable to infections and irritation.

Therefore, it is advisable only to cleanse the external part with mild soap and warm water, and not attempt to clean the internals at all!

4. Put on comfortable clothing:

Tight clothes and synthetic fabrics reduce air circulation to your feminine area. Wear panties or underpants made from soft, breathable and natural fabrics like cotton.

These would allow air flow, and will prevent your vaginal area from developing yeast and bacterial infections.

Also, avoid wearing wet or sweaty underpants for a long time, especially during the night. This increases chances of odour and infection.

5.   Care during menstruation:

During menstruation, it is natural that a woman feels uncomfortable especially with the wet and potentially bad smell feeling. A lot of women do douching to clean even inside the vagina to really have that clean feel.

However, douching pushes bacteria and other menstrual debris back into the reproductive tract. This will ultimately lead to developing pelvic inflammatory disease that is very painful.

What a woman must during the red flag days is to cleanse the genitalia with warm water and mild soap just like on normal days. In choosing pads and tampons, it is best to choose unscented products to avoid exposing the genitalia to a lot of chemicals.

6.  Wash your private area after intercourse:

Bodily fluids and residue from condoms and other intimate products can cause infection, irritation, and odors if not removed from your vaginal region following intercourse.

7. Always remove sweaty bottom wears:

Wet or sweaty panties and pants can cause bacteria to multiply and increase your likelihood for getting odors and infections.

Take a shower and wear fresh, clean clothing after you have gone swimming or performed exercise.

8. Wipe your flowers after every urination:

This will help keep your vaginal area dry and clean throughout the day.

Use soft, white, unscented toilet paper that does not contain dyes or other irritating chemicals.

Wipe yourself from front to back after experiencing a bowel movement to prevent fecal matter from coming into contact with your vagina, which can cause a bacterial infection.


And that marks the end of of todays' piece.

Hope this helped you?

See you in our next post...

Causes of Stomach Pain and How to Stop them

1. Peptic Ulcer Disease 

Epigastric pain is the most common symptom of ulcers in the lining of the lower esophagus, the stomach, and the first part of the small intestine. An ulcer in the stomach is known as gastric ulcer whereas an ulcer of the first section of the small intestine is called a duodenal ulcer. Together these disorders are known as peptic ulcer disease (PUD).

The epigastric pain of PUD is characterized by a gnawing or burning sensation and occurs after meals, classically, shortly after meals with gastric ulcer and 2-3 hours afterward with duodenal ulcer

Antacids can provide rapid pain relief by neutralizing existing stomach acid. However, they are not considered useful enough to promote healing.

2. Gallstones

Abdominal pain caused by gallstones is called biliary colic.

Bile is a liquid that helps to digest fats. It is produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. When we eat, bile passes from the gallbladder through the bile ducts into the small intestine, where it mixes with partially digested food.

Biliary colic is a steady or intermittent ache usually located in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. Sometimes the pain spreads backward to the right shoulder blade.

Biliary colic is usually caused by gallstones blocking the normal flow of bile from the gallbladder.  A tumor can also block bile flow and cause biliary colic. The worst pain of biliary colic usually lasts for 30 minutes to an hour but may continue at a lower intensity for several more hours. The pain stops when the gallstone breaks free of the bile duct and passes into the intestine.

 

 

3. Intestinal Obstruction

Intestinal obstruction is a blockage that keeps food or liquid from passing through the small or large intestine.

There may be several underlying causes including fibrous bands of tissue (adhesions) in the abdomen that form after surgery, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), diverticulitis, twisting of the colon (volvulus), impacted feces, hernias, and cancer.

The symptoms include crampy abdominal pain that comes and goes in waves, loss of appetite, swelling of the abdomen, vomiting, and inability to have a bowel movement or pass gas.

Treatment of intestinal obstruction depends on the underlying cause.

4. Acute Cholecystitis

Acute cholecystitis is an inflammation of the gallbladder. In most cases, gallstones blocking the transport of bile from the gallbladder are the underlying cause of cholecystitis.

Usually, patients with acute cholecystitis experience steady, severe upper right quadrant or epigastric pain. Nausea and vomiting are sometimes present.

Usually, there is associated fever and elevated leucocyte (white blood cells) count in the blood suggesting inflammation.

Palpation of the abdomen usually reveals tenderness in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. Murphy’s sign is typically present.

Hospitalization is usually necessary. Treatment is based on fasting, pain medication, antibiotics if an infection is present, and cholecystectomy.

5. Acute Cholangitis

Acute cholangitis occurs when gallstones become impacted in the biliary ducts resulting in blockage of bile flow and dilatation of the ducts leading to a bacterial superinfection.
Acute cholangitis is characterized by fever, jaundice, and abdominal pain, known as Charcot’s triad.

Jaundice is a term used to describe yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes. It is caused by the build-up of a substance called bilirubin in the blood and tissues of the body.
Bilirubin is excreted in the bile.

Blockage of bile flow in cholangitis cause accumulation of bilirubin in the body, leading to jaundice.
Cholangitis is a serious medical condition.

Treatment includes fasting, and intravenous fluids need to be administered. The infection is treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics.

 

6. Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction

A sphincter is a muscle that can open and close. The sphincter of Oddi is a muscular valve that controls the flow of bile and pancreatic juice through ducts from the liver and pancreas into the first part of the small intestine (duodenum).

When it’s working properly, the sphincter of Oddi opens to allow bile and pancreatic juice to flow through and then closes again.

When sphincter of Oddi dysfunction is present, the sphincter muscle does not open when it should. This prevents the bile and pancreatic juice from flowing through, causing bouts of severe pain in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. Nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, and diarrhea may sometimes be present as well.

7. Gastritis

Gastritis is an inflammatory process affecting the lining of the stomach.

Gastritis, similar to stomach ulcer is sometimes caused by an underlying infection with H pylori. 
The symptoms of gastritis include a gnawing or burning ache or pain in the epigastrium. Sometimes there is nausea and vomiting.

Common over the counter pain relievers, such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), and naproxen (Aleve, Anaprox) can cause gastritis. Stress and excessive alcohol consumption are also common underlying causes.

If left untreated, gastritis may cause stomach ulcers and stomach bleedings.
Medical treatment is essentially same as that of peptic ulcer disease and GERD.

 

8. Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas. It can be both acute and chronic.

The main symptoms of acute pancreatitis are abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes diarrhea.

The pain is characteristically dull, boring, and steady; usually sudden in onset and gradually becoming more severe until reaching a constant ache; most often located in the upper abdomen and may radiate directly through to the back.
Gallstones and binge alcohol consumption are the most common underlying causes of acute pancreatitis.

Serum levels of amylase and lipase are typically elevated in acute pancreatitis.

9. Disorders of the Spleen

Left upper quadrant pain is sometimes related to diseases of the spleen.

Enlargement of the spleen (splenomegaly) may cause pain or discomfort in the upper left upper quadrant of the abdomen, sometimes radiating to the left shoulder.

Splenic infarction may cause severe left upper quadrant pain.