Category Archives: Immune System

Beautiful Child wearing a head scarf due to hair loss from chemotherapy fighting cancer

Cancer affects emotional health in many ways

September 5, 2016
Cancer affects emotional health

Cancer affects emotional health in many ways.

Cancer affects emotional health in many ways: Depression and cancer

It is never fun to be told that you are suffering from cancer. When such news is broken to the patients, devastation, pain and anguish sets in not just to the patient but even to the relatives and loved ones. For sure most patients, families, and caregivers expresses some degree of depression, anxiety, and fear when cancer becomes part of their lives. These feelings are normal responses to this life-changing experience. We want to settle into the discussion of how cancer affects your emotional health and what you can do to help. We will be guided by the help of doctor Dalal Akoury who is also the founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center where a lot of cancer preventive treatment are done. You can also be part of the many experiencing life transformation with the professionalism approach doctor Akoury is applying in the treatment of her clients.

Like I have just mention cancer is life threatening and people struggling with cancer will have the feelings expressed above which can be caused by many things, including changes in their families’ roles and even assignment at their work stations. A cancer patient is likely to feel the loss of control over life events, and bear the burden of dealing with changes in their body image. They might feel grief at the losses and changes in their lives that cancer brings. There may be fear of the eventualities like death, suffering, pain, or all the unknown elements that lie ahead. This may not be limited to the patients only but even the family members and caregivers may have these feelings too. It is possible that they will be afraid of losing their loved one. Anger of knowing that cancer is affecting their loved ones will be another concern especially with the knowledge that cancer is genetically inherited. This will in many ways cause both the patient and their loved ones frustration and stress that they are either not doing enough to help or that they have to do more at home.

In all these, it’s important to remember that people with cancer, as well as their friends and family, can feel distress about these things at any time after a cancer diagnosis, even many years after the cancer is treated. And as the cancer situation changes, they all must cope with new stressors along with the old, and their feelings often change, too. For instance, people dealing with cancer that’s spread and is making the person feel worse may have more emotional distress than those dealing with early-stage cancers.

People who have physical symptoms such as pain, nausea, or extreme tiredness (fatigue) also seem more likely to have emotional distress. Most of the time, physical symptoms can be controlled with medicines but it could take more than one try to find the right drug or combination of drugs. Doctor Akoury emphasizes that because of this, patient must keep consulting closely with their doctors and with their cancer team. This way they can help with these kinds of symptoms before you feel overwhelmed.

Take note that this link is tailored to equip you with health information that can help your families, friends, and caregivers to know what feelings and behaviors they might expect from their loved one who has been diagnosed with cancer. It is also to help you understand what isn’t normal and when more needs to be done like getting outside help. Besides, it can also help you recognize when you or others need outside help. Remember that everybody is vulnerable to cancer and all these things can happen to anyone including your caregivers, friends, and family members too. Anyone affected by cancer theirs or a loved one will need help in dealing with the emotions that result.

Cancer affects emotional health in many ways: Depression and cancer

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Distressful cancer treatment period

September 5, 2016
Distressful cancer treatment

Distressful cancer treatment period alongside tolerance can cause jittery in the treatment process

Distressful cancer treatment period: Cancer surgery

The distressful cancer treatment period can be very disturbing. Like for instance the waiting for surgery is another time of major concern. People often worry about the operation itself, but also about whether the cancer is growing while they wait. Fears about the changes that surgery will cause can be a major source of distress, too. Then there are concerns about work and home life and how they may change. Insurance and financial issues often add to the worries. For some people, one of the hardest times is after cancer treatment. Rather than feeling happy that treatment is over, they feel even greater distress. One patient put it this way: “I’m on my own now and I’m just waiting to see what will happen next.” From that statement you notice that this patient is very distress even though treatment has been concluded.

Seeing the oncologist (cancer doctor) after treatment can feel quite scary. Nearly everyone has some fear the cancer will come back (recur). This is normal, too. “Every time I have aches and pains, I’m convinced it’s the cancer coming back even if it’s a pain in my big toe,” one patient said.

Distressful cancer treatment period: Everything about cancer is stressful

Dealing with the side effects of treatment such as tiredness (fatigue), hair loss, weight changes, and how disrupted your life seems is also stressful. In fact, everything about having cancer is stressful. Being upset and worried are part of it, so a certain amount of distress is expected when you find you have cancer. But sometimes distress can go from the expected level to one that interferes with your treatment, makes it hard for you to cope with the illness, and affects all parts of your life.

It’s not a sign of weakness that you become so distressed that it interferes with your ability to do your usual activities. When you visit us at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, our team of experts will explain for you the range of distress from what is considered normal to very high and offer some ideas about how to handle your feelings in ways that will be helpful. The very first thing you need to do in coping with distress is consulting with your doctors and cancer support team. Talking to them about how you feel will make you feel much safer. Their purpose is to help you get better and if they notice something that needs to be addressed, then they will direct you to the help you need. Remember that these people are only here to help you not just for the cancer treatment, but they are also counting on you to tell them how you are doing and what you are feeling. This is one assignment that you are the only one that can do and no one else.

Finally when addressing distress of cancer patients, the scope is not just limited to them but it is also applies to their loved ones. These people are a strong source of support, and their well-being is important, too in the delivery of successful treatment. Therefore if you are a loved one and feel distressed, it’s OK to let the cancer care team knows that you need help. You can also schedule for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury for much more professional assistance.

Distressful cancer treatment period: Cancer surgery

 

 

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Cancerous chronic nature and effect of cocaine

September 5, 2016
Cancerous chronic nature

Understanding Cancerous chronic nature and effect of cocaine.

Cancerous chronic nature and effect of cocaine: Long and short term effects

There is no doubt that cocaine is very addictive substance. Its power of addictiveness makes it to be very unpredictable and thus users may not be able to tell or control the extent to which they will continue to want or use the drug. Doctor Akoury says that with these characteristics, if one is to become addicted, the risk for relapse will be very high even after long periods of abstinence. Some studies have established that during periods of abstinence, the memory of the cocaine experience or exposure to cues associated with drug use can trigger tremendous craving and relapse to drug use. It is this craving element that will necessitate the long and short term effects of cocaine which is going to form the basis of this discussion.

Cocaine causes a short-lived, intense high that is immediately followed by the opposite intense depression, edginess and a craving for more of the drug. Users of cocaine often don’t eat or sleep properly. They can experience greatly increased heart rate, muscle spasms and convulsions. The drug can make them feel paranoid, angry, hostile and anxious even when they are just sober and not high. Doctor Akoury says that irrespective of the quantity of drugs used or frequency with which it is used, cocaine increases the vulnerability of addicts into contracting chronic diseases like heart attack, stroke, seizure or respiratory (breathing) failure. These conditions can be life threatening and any of them can result in sudden death.

Cancerous chronic nature and effect of cocaine: Long term effects

When people abuse cocaine over a period of time, a lot of things can happen in the lives of such individuals. Some of those health implications may include the following:

  • Permanent damage to blood vessels of the heart and the brain
  • High blood pressure that will occasionally leads to other chronic health conditions including heart attacks, strokes and even death
  • The damage of vital organs like the liver, kidney and the lungs
  • Damages of the nose tissues especially when sneezing
  • Respiratory failure if smoked
  • Infectious diseases and abscesses if injected
  • Malnutrition, weight loss

The point we have highlighted may not be conclusive as far as the long term effects is concern. It would be better if you are up to date will all health information surrounding this substance abuse. Such information in their conclusiveness is available at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center. All you need to do is to seek for help by scheduling for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury any your condition will be professionally addressed timely leaving you to enjoy life to the fullest.

Cancerous chronic nature and effect of cocaine: Short term effects

  • Loss of appetite causing the addict not to feed properly
  • Intense drug craving
  • Bizarre, erratic, sometimes violent behavior
  • Convulsions, seizures and sudden death from high doses (even one time)
  • Tactile hallucination that creates the illusion of bugs burrowing under the skin
  • Increased heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature
  • Contracted blood vessels
  • Dilated pupils
  • Disturbed sleep patterns

Finally it is not just enough to know the long and short term effects of cocaine but it is equally very important that you learn from the past people who had gone through the same experience. And I want to conclude this discussion with a testimony from one former addict who is now sober and he says “don’t touch cocaine. I had to spend four years behind bars just because of this drug (cocaine). And when I got out he continues, life was so hard and unbearable. I started taking the drug again. In this drug business, I have known 10 girls who were full of life but who became prostitutes because of cocaine. It’s much more extreme and degrading than we believe. At the time we don’t realize to what degree it destroys us he concludes.” Choose life and seek for help doctor Akoury will be waiting for your call.

Cancerous chronic nature and effect of cocaine: Long and short term effects

 

 

 

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Gaging antioxidant in cancer prevention

September 5, 2016
Gaging antioxidant

Gaging antioxidant in cancer prevention to reduce the toxic elements and their threats

Gaging antioxidant in cancer prevention: Who should use antioxidants?

The question that lingers in everybody’s mind is “how effective is gaging antioxidant in cancer prevention?” Considerable laboratory evidence from chemical, cell culture, and animal studies indicates that antioxidants may slow or possibly prevent the development of cancer. However, the findings according to recent clinical trials were non-committal. Which then brings us to the next point of concern and that is “should people already diagnosed with cancer take antioxidant supplements?”

Should people already diagnosed with cancer use antioxidant supplement?

Experts in several randomized controlled trials have investigated whether taking antioxidant supplements during cancer treatment alters the effectiveness or reduces the toxicity of specific therapies. Even though their findings were not consistent, there was evidence that people who took the antioxidant supplements during cancer therapy had worse outcomes. This result was very evident especially with those patients who were smoking. With the inconsistency it leaves room for more studies to be done to get the clear scientific evidence about the potential benefits or harms of taking antioxidant supplements during cancer treatment. In the meantime patients opting for the use of antioxidant supplement needs to consult with their doctors for direction.

Gaging antioxidant in cancer prevention: Foods rich in antioxidants

As a matter of guidance, it is very important that you are aware of some of the food stuff that is rich in antioxidants. Most of such food stuff are in various kinds of fruits and vegetables besides other foods like nuts, grains and some meats, poultry and fish. The following are just but a small collection of such food:

Beta-carotene is found in many foods that are orange in color, including sweet potatoes, carrots, cantaloupe, squash, apricots, pumpkin, and mangos. Some green leafy vegetables including collard greens, spinach, and kale are also rich in beta-carotene.

Lutein, best known for its association with healthy eyes, is abundant in green, leafy vegetables such as collard greens, spinach, and kale.

Lycopene is a potent antioxidant found in tomatoes, watermelon, guava, papaya, apricots, pink grapefruit, blood oranges, and other foods. Estimates suggest 85 percent of American dietary intake of lycopene comes from tomatoes and tomato products.

Selenium is a mineral, not an antioxidant nutrient. However, it is a component of antioxidant enzymes. Plant foods like rice and wheat are the major dietary sources of selenium in most countries. The amount of selenium in soil, which varies by region, determines the amount of selenium in the foods grown in that soil. Animals that eat grains or plants grown in selenium-rich soil have higher levels of selenium in their muscle. In the United States, meats and bread are common sources of dietary selenium. Brazil nuts also contain large quantities of selenium.

Vitamin A is found in three main forms: retinol (Vitamin A1), 3, 4-didehydroretinol (Vitamin A2), and 3-hydroxy-retinol (Vitamin A3). Foods rich in vitamin A include liver, sweet potatoes, carrots, milk, egg yolks and mozzarella cheese.

Vitamin C is also called ascorbic acid, and can be found in high abundance in many fruits and vegetables and is also found in cereals, beef, poultry and fish.

Vitamin E, also known as alpha-tocopherol, is found in almonds, in many oils including wheat germ, safflower, corn and soybean oils, and also found in mangos, nuts, broccoli and other foods.

Finally cancer is not a disease you would want anywhere near you by all means. If you have never gone for checkup for cancer it is never too late to do it right now. Your health is worth the effort and for any pending concern you may have, you can call doctor Akoury today for assistance.

Gaging antioxidant in cancer prevention: Who should use antioxidants?

 

 

 

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Different effects of stress in human health

September 5, 2016
Different effects of stress

Different effects of stress in human health are many. Being stressful can lead you into drugs

Different effects of stress in human health: When it heart the most

Stress affects sexual function in very many ways as we have mentioned before on this link. It is also worth noting that sexual arousal is a parasympathetic nervous system response, whereas orgasm and ejaculation are a sympathetic nervous system response. According to doctor Dalal Akoury MD and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, when you have high stress, this stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, decreasing stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system and not allowing arousal to take place. Insulin is the only hormone that lowers blood sugar, whereas cortisol, epinephrine, norepinephrine, glucagon and growth hormone all raise blood sugar. Cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine are all stress hormones. This is how different effects of stress in human health will increase blood sugar, causing insulin levels to rise, to lower the blood sugar and ultimately causing insulin resistance.

Different effects of stress in human health: Gastrointestinal tract

Stress will also have effects on the gastrointestinal tract. It will decrease hydrochloric acid (stomach acid) and mucus production, slow the motility of the small intestine and increase the motility of the large intestine. When you have a decrease in stomach acid and mucus production, this will decrease the amount of gastric protection of the stomach. The high cortisol levels from stress will decrease immune function, therefore making it a favorable environment for Helicobacter Pylori to proliferate, and causing a gastric ulcer. If the small intestine is slower to recover from stress the motility is impaired and constipation results. When the large intestine is slower to recover from stress, motility is increased and diarrhea results.

Different effects of stress in human health: Threats of cardiac unrest

Stress will increase cardiac risk in many ways. It will increase blood pressure. It can increase cholesterol for production of the stress hormones as already mention. The stress hormones (catacholamines) are detoxified through methylation this could decrease the methylation capacity to detoxify homo-cysteine. High levels of homo-cysteine are very toxic to the cardiovascular system. As stated earlier, cortisol, epinephrine and norepinphrine raise glucose levels. The higher blood sugar level will cause the release of insulin. Insulin will increase cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides and decrease HDL. The increase in body fat caused by stress as already mentioned is another cardiac risk factor.

Cortisol has a half-life of 100 minutes meaning that if you are under stress and have a cortisol release, in 100 minutes you will have 50% of that cortisol still in your system, after 200 minutes 25% and so on. If you are under constant stress you will continuously have high cortisol levels and have the physiological responses of that cortisol. Finally and like had indicated that it will not matter the kind of stress that affects you. All have the same effects and the body response to them in the same way. If you are under any kind of stress, it would be very important that you look for immediate solutions to prevent other illnesses that may be triggered by stress itself. In this case, scheduling for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury would be the first step you can take towards getting lasting solutions for a better health thereafter.

Different effects of stress in human health: When it heart the most

 

 

 

 

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