Tag Archives: Body mass index

Cancer Risk: Sugar and Insulin

January 1, 2015

Cancer Risk: Sugar and Insulin

Diabetes is a sugar disease. It is a disease in which the body does not produce insulin or make proper use of it. Insulin is useful in the body in utilization of blood glucose. It allows glucose to be absorbed in the cells to enhance the production of energy. In the condition of diabetes, insulin is not effective which results in the blood being saturated with glucose. This leads to high glucose levels in the blood.

Obesity is the major cause of diabetes. It induces the resistance of the body to insulin. When this happens, the body is not able to break down glucose into energy. This causes glucose to accumulate in the blood.

To make do with this insulin resistance, the pancreas ends up producing more insulin. This leads to a rise in insulin in the blood. This insulin production can go on for years but it is not indefinite. Eventually insulin production will wear out and this will result in blood sugar increase. When this happens, it is then that an individual is diagnosed with diabetes.

There are different kinds of diabetes in the world today. There is type 1 diabetes which results from the inability of the blood to produce the insulin hormone. Type 2 diabetes on the other hand comes about when the body is unable to properly utilize the hormone. Another type of diabetes is pre-diabetes. This results when the blood glucose levels in the blood are higher than normal although not high enough to become type 2 diabetes. The fact is that over 79 million Americans today are pre-diabetic.

Insulin and cancer

Diabetes and cancer

As is a link between sugar and cancer, there’s the same between diabetes and cancer. Diabetes has been linked to pancreatic cancer. It is in most cases a symptom of pancreatic cancer or a risk factor. Studies have shown pancreatic cancer can occur to patients who have heard diabetes for over five years. The research done on pancreatic patients who have had diabetes for less than five years was unclear if diabetes was in itself the cause of the cancer.

As a symptom for pancreatic cancer, studies have shown that onset diabetes in people who are over 50 years of age may be in itself a symptom. Abrupt changes in the levels of sugar in the blood in diabetics who had controlled sugar level is also a symptom of pancreatic cancer.

Insulin Resistance Link to Cancer

This link may be related to the high level of insulin compensation. Obesity causes the body to resists insulin and this causes the pancreas to produce more insulin. This leads to increase in insulin levels in the blood. Insulin contributes greatly to the growth of body tissues. It increases with increase in essential nutrients and reduces when the body is derived of these nutrients.

Insulin may cause cells to rapidly increase. This occurs when insulin causes an increase in insulin-like growth factors (IGF). It could also cause cells to become more sensitive to other factors of growth. One characteristic of cancer cells is their ability to uncontrollably grow and become resistance to agents of cell death.

Growth factors play a major part in the growth of cancer cells as well as their progression. Past studies have shown that people with high levels of insulin-like growth are in more risk of developing, breast, colon or prostate cancer.

Resistance to insulin is characterized by the cells losing their sensitivity to the effects of insulin to aid in the absorption of glucose into the cells. Although this is so, it continues to promote the growth of cells in the body. Only the ability of insulin to transport glucose is affected.

The resistant state of insulin promoted by diabetes may in this case promote the development of cancerous cells. As the amount of insulin increases in the blood, so does its ability to induce cell growth. When this happens it leads to a cancer characteristic of uncontrollable growth of cells. As the pancreas continues producing insulin an individual may not get diabetes but he/she increases the rate of getting cancer.

sugar and cancer

Sugar and Cancer

When most of us hear about sugar we instantly think about the white substance we take in our beverages. Sugar has been linked to causing cancer. So what do most of us do? We cut out the sugar in our body including those that are essential. We cut out eating fruits such as oranges that have natural sugars.

You end up depriving your body of essential nutrients such as fibers found in fruits. However, sugar does not necessarily mean what you take in your tea or in fruits or soft drinks. It is widely used to describe those sugars in our body. Sugar also called glucose is very necessary for a healthy you. It is broken down into energy hence you are able to do those daily task.

High blood levels in the blood cause diabetes. This results in the insulin not being produced or appropriately used. When this happens a person is said to be diabetic. Sugar goes back to the case of diabetes and as seen it can increase a person’s risk of cancer.

Dr. Dr. Dalal Akoury has had years of experience with patients with cancer as well as diabetes. She has vast knowledge about sugar and insulin and their link to cancer. Just visit www.awaremednetwork.com for more expert opinion on this topic and more health tips.

Cancer Risk: Sugar and Insulin

 

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Understanding Hot Flashes And It’s Treatment

December 28, 2014

Understanding Hot Flashes And It’s Treatment

hot-flashesHot flushes sometimes called hot flushes refer to a quick sensation of heat and sometimes a red, flushed face and sweating.  This is a common problem, however the exact cause of hot flashes is not known, but may be related to changes in circulation that take place during menopause. Hot flashes happen when the blood vessels near the skin’s surface dilate to cool. A woman may also sweat to cool down her body. And some women have a rapid heart rate or chills. Hot flashes with sweating can also happen at night. These are called night sweats and may make it harder to sleep. Hot flushes may also be accompanied by a red neck. When affected the period that it takes to ease vary among women who are going through menopause. In some women the hot flashes may disappear after a week while in other women it will affect them for life. Hot flashes become less severe as time goes on.

 Symptoms of Hot Flashes in Women

Women may suffer the following symptoms when hit by hot flashes

The frequency of hot flashes varies; sometimes you may have many hot flushes in a day while in other times you will have few hot flashes that may subside after few minutes. Though they can affect you during the day, they are more common in the night. When a person is affected by a hot flush it may take more than a year but most hot flashes will stop on their own within five years. Though hot flashes can subside on their own it is important to seek medical help if the symptoms become too severe.

Causes of Hot Flashes in Women

The exact cause of hot flashes in women has never been known. Not every decline in hormones results in hot flashes. It is also true that some women can go through menopause without suffering from hot flashes. However here are some factors that have been thought to have a great bearing on the cause of hot flashes.

Medications and Foods

When a drug or a type of food is introduced to the body the body will react to it in a way. There are some drugs and foods that are thought to induce hot flashes. These medications may include raloxifene (Evista) and tamoxifen (Tamoxifen and Nolvadex). There are some drugs that may also produce effects that mimic hot flashes. Spices used in preparing foods like peppers can also induce feelings similar to menopause induce hot flashes.

Stress and Anxiety

Stress and anxiety are some of the emotional causes of hot flashes. In reaction to external stimuli the body may release the stress hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine, which pump up blood flow and produce a warming sensation throughout the body. External stimuli such as migraine may cause heat that spreads all over your face.

Changes in hormonal balance

A change in hormonal surroundings may cause hot flashes even if it is not related to menopause. It is believed that hypothalamus plays a bigger role in occurrence of hot flashes. This is because it is the part of brain that deals with the body temperatures therefore any conditions that affects the hypothalamus can result in abnormal rise in temperatures such as hot flashes.

hot-flashes-symptoms

Other risks associated with hot flashes include;

  • Women who smoke are more likely to get hot flashes.
  • A high body mass index (BMI) is associated with a higher frequency of hot flashes.
  • Physical inactivity. If you don’t exercise, you may be more likely to have hot flashes during menopause.
  • More African-American women report menopausal hot flashes than do women of European descent. Hot flashes are less common in women of Japanese and Chinese descent than in white European women.
  • Alcohol- Alcohol may induce hot flashes in some people. Generally it is thought that using drugs of reaction may escalate the probability of hot flashes occurring.

Treatments for Hot Flashes in Women

There both orthodox as well as natural treatments for hot flashes. The natural treatment for hot flashes may include;

  • Evening primrose oil is a botanical herb that is often used to treat hot flashes, although there is no scientific evidence to support this. Side effects include nausea and diarrhea. Women taking certain medications, such as blood thinners, should not take evening primrose oil.
  • Although there is no scientific evidence to support using flaxseed, it is thought to decrease the symptoms of menopause, particularly hot flashes. It’s also known as linseed.
  • Soy products. Plant estrogens, found in soy products, are thought to have weak estrogen-like effects that may reduce hot flashes. Soy foods, not supplements, are recommended.
  • Black cohosh. Some studies suggest that black cohosh may be helpful in the very short term (6 months or less) for treating hot flashes and night sweats. Side effects include gastrointestinal upset.

Hot flashes are just some of the known symptoms that may trouble your life during menopause. Just like any other serious disease, it is necessary that you seek medical help. Contact Dr. Dalal Akoury an expert in natural therapies on (843) 213-1480 for help.

Understanding Hot Flashes And It’s Treatment

 

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Poor Sleep Insomnia Treatment

December 24, 2014

Poor Sleep Insomnia Treatment

Just like meals, sleep play a pivotal role in good health and wellbeing of a person. It is the only avenue through which the body rests. Everyone’s individual sleep needs vary. In general, most healthy adults are built for 16 hours of wakefulness and need an average of eight hours of sleep a night. However, some individuals are able to function without sleepiness or drowsiness after as little as six hours of sleep. Others can’t perform at their peak unless they’ve slept ten hours. And, contrary to common myth, the need for sleep doesn’t decline with age but the ability to sleep for six to eight hours at one time may be reduced. In spite of these differences the need for sleep can never be underestimated, everyone needs a good sleep to be able to perform normally.

According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), sleep is essential for a person’s health and wellbeing. But still there are millions of people who do not get enough sleep and many suffer from lack of sleep. NSF conducted survey between 1999-2004 that revealed that at least 40 million Americans suffer from over 70 different sleep disorders and 60 percent of adults report having sleep problems a few nights a week or more. Most of those with these problems go undiagnosed and untreated. In addition, more than 40 percent of adults experience daytime sleepiness severe enough to interfere with their daily activities at least a few days each month – with 20 percent reporting problem sleepiness a few days a week or more. Furthermore, 69 percent of children experience one or more sleep problems a few nights or more during a week.

Complications_of_insomnia

What is insomnia?

According to National Sleep Foundation, insomnia is difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, even when a person has the chance to do so. People with insomnia can feel dissatisfied with their sleep and usually experience the symptoms of poor sleep that may deter them from enjoying healthy lifestyles. This disease can affect people of all ages but adults are the major victims.

Symptoms of Insomnia

  • Irritability, depression or anxiety
  • Difficulty paying attention, focusing on tasks or remembering
  • Increased errors or accidents
  • Tension headaches
  • Distress in the stomach and intestines (gastrointestinal tract)
  • Ongoing worries about sleep
  • Difficulty falling asleep at night
  • Awakening during the night
  • Awakening too early
  • Not feeling well rested after a night’s sleep
  • Daytime tiredness or sleepiness

Types of Insomnia 

Acute insomnia

InsomniaThis refers to a brief period of lack of sleep. This type of insomnia is mostly caused by life events and circumstances for example when you go to bed after receiving a stressful news or an unexcpected news that is too overwhelming. Acute insomnia will affect you for the least time and resolves without any medical intervention.

Chronic insomnia

Chronic insomnia is a situation when a person suffers difficulty in sleep for a longer period of time.

Insomnia is usually considered chronic if a person has trouble falling asleep or staying asleep at least three nights per week for three months or longer. Unlike acute insomnia chronic insomnia needs medical intervention to be resolved.

Comorbid insomnia

Comorbid Insomnia occurs with another condition such as anxiety and depression. Some conditions are known to induce insomnia for example depression. There are also other diseases and medications that may affect sleeping pattern and cause insomnia. This kind of insomnia that is induced by other conditions is what is called comorbid insomnia.

Onset insomnia

This refers to difficulty falling asleep when a person begin sleeping especially at the beginning of the night.

Maintenance insomnia

Maintenance Insomnia refers the inability to stay asleep. People with maintenance insomnia wake up during the night and have difficulty returning to sleep.

 Causes of Insomnia

There are very many causes of insomnia. Here are some of the causes of insomnia.

Stress– when a person is stressed maybe about work or family issues his mind will be pondering on the subject of concern. An active mind makes it difficult for one to sleep. Some common stressors that may lead to insomnia include illness, job issues or even death of a loved one.

Anxiety– Anxiety is a common everyday problem. However there are more serious anxiety disorders like PTSD which will never give your brain a rest. Anxiety beckons insomnia and so should be avoided to help you sleep soundly and reap huge health benefits from it.

Depression- You might either sleep too much or have trouble sleeping if you’re depressed. Insomnia often occurs with other mental health disorders as well.

Medical conditions-there are conditions that will never let you sleep. These conditions may include; chronic pain, chest problems and even frequent urination. These conditions may cause difficulty in sleep. Diseases like cancer, arthritis, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and even Parkinson’s disease have been linked to insomnia.

Insomnia Treatment 

There are adjustments that one can make personally to reduce instances of insomnia. These may include avoiding stress, eating early and avoiding thoughts that may invoke emotions just before going to bed. However there are also medical approaches to treating insomnia. These may include; cognitive behavioral therapy.  We at AWAREmed health and wellness center are dedicated to finding the best natural solutions to health problems. You can visit us at Myrtle Beach South Carolina where you will be attended to by Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) who has vast experience in integrative medicine for lifestyle diseases.

Poor Sleep Insomnia Treatment

 

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Dark Chocolate May Reduce a Person’s Risk of Diabetes

December 7, 2014

Dark Chocolate May Reduce a Person’s Risk of Diabetes

It is general knowledge that diabetes is a sugar disease. Today, this sugar disease is a worldwide epidemic, mostly because of the increased sugar consumption among world populations. It is no longer accurate to categorize diabetes as a disease of the old folks. Everyone can be a victim of the same irrespective of your age.

You do not have to take tea with double the number of spoons of sugar recommended to be exposed to the risks of high sugar consumption. You get the sugar in your Coke, yoghurt, soda, fruit juice, corn syrup; you name them.

Your system then absorbs these sugars into your bloodstream where hormone insulin is expected to promote the subsequent absorption of that sugar from the bloodstream. A number of processes are then involved in the balance of the amounts of sugar in the gut, bloodstream and the nervous system in the form of an end product.

Dark Chocolate

Several organs of the endocrine system, the digestion system and the circulatory system all play interrelated roles in maintaining this body sugar equilibrium. It is in the event of failure of some of these processes that diabetes of either type 1 or type 2 is likely to occur.

Pancreas for instance may fail to secrete insulin responsible for the sugar regulation in the blood. The kidney too may be affected and subsequently fail to perform its osmoregulation function resulting with little or no reabsorption of blood sugars. All these conditions may result to diabetes.

The Diet Equation

The diet is the largest contributor of the sugars in the body that may be causative to high levels of blood glucose. Among these dietary contributors is chocolate. There is need however to understand that not all types of chocolate are poisonous to your body sugar equation. What you might have not known is that the dark sugar is quite the opposite. It may be an antidote to the sugar disease.

So how can the same cause of the disease be the same one to reduce the risks of getting it? Point is, the milk chocolate for instance will give you diabetes. Yet the dark chocolate whose main ingredient is cocoa will treat it. How many times have you put about two bars of chocolate in your shopping trolley? Chocolate has been associated with very many health related conditions. Among these, is causing diabetes by raising the sugar levels; so to most people it is better to avoid the chocolate. Others are weight gain and cardiovascular conditions such as cardiac arrest.

In as much as chocolate may not go down well with everyone due to this, the dark chocolate has its good side. It drastically reduces your chances of getting diabetes and earns you freedom from a life of constant dose of insulin supplements. Studies have shown that taking just the right amount of this chocolate option could do the trick very well. I am not talking about stacking yourself with bars and bars of chocolate every day.  Neither am I talking about craving the sweet thing every single hour. No. I am talking about a calculated dark chocolate containing 43 mg of magnesium per ounce.

How the magnesium in dark chocolate helps with diabetes

The fourth most abundant mineral in your body, magnesium plays key roles in a number of essential processes in your body. As such, if you happen to have less of it, your body is not likely to function at its best. Insufficient amounts of cellular magnesium lay the ground for deterioration of appropriate metabolic function. This is what may typically melt down to serious health related problems.

dark chocolate

For diabetic conditions, the mineral plays a key role in preventing insulin dysregulation as well as type 2 diabetes. This is according to different recent studies on the causes and behavior of diabetes. Among the findings of these studies was that the people who take highest amounts of magnesium whether through supplements or natural sources reduced their risk of suffering metabolic problems by about 71 percent. This in essence decreases your chances of having a diabetic condition resulting from gut disorders. A study thus has concluded that this metal is essential for the protection of type 2 diabetes

Taking the dark chocolate guarantees your intake of this essential mineral in nice alternative: a sweet dark chocolate. As mentioned earlier, it is necessary to take caution not to get addicted to the chocolate and only stick to the recommended amounts. A doctor’s input would be highly valuable for a type 2 diabetic who wishes to go for this alternative remedy.

AwareMed is the best place to purchase magnesium. Here you will also have the merit of getting the health information from Dr. Dalal Akoury who has been in the practice for several years.

Dark Chocolate May Reduce a Person’s Risk of Diabetes

 

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Wrong Food Causes Joint Pain

December 6, 2014

Wrong Food Causes Joint Pain

Joint pain is a common complaint among many people. It not only slows you down but causes a
lot of discomfort. It can be caused by injury or disease. It is estimated that over 50 million Americans today are affected by joint pain. A joint refers to an area where two bones meet. These bones are separated by cartilages. The fact of the matter is that joint pain is no longer a disease of the old folks.

Joint pain has been linked to conditions such as arthritis, gout especially of the big toe, bursitis, and muscle pain. Other cause of joint pain include viral infections, fractures, overuse or straining of the joints, rheumatoid arthritis, osteomyelitis which is simply bone infections among others. Joint pain can affect more than one joint at a time. The most common complaints of joint pain are within the hip and shoulder region. However, it can affect any part of your body.

Joint pain can range from mild to very severe pain. It can last from a few days or even go on for several months a condition called chronic joint pain. Whether mild or severe the fact is that, joint pain can affect the quality of your life.

 

The most common cause of joint pain among a given number of populations is arthritis. It is a disorder of the joints that is caused by an inflammation on the joints. Patients with arthritis complain of pain on the affected joint. Other causative factors of arthritis may be straining of the joint, wear and tear of the muscle tendons of the joints, or fatigue.

Apart from the causes mentioned above, eating the wrong foods can also lead to joint pain. Research has shown that certain type of foods contribute to painful joints.

The Diet Question: Gluten

Eating the wrong diet may lead you to develop joint pain. Studies have shown that eating foods rich in gluten can cause inflammation. This inflammation is what causes pain especially on the knees and joints. You may experience actual physical pain in these areas. The joints especially are the ones highly likely to be affected by inflammation.

The most common source of gluten is wheat flour. Others are barley, rye and other foods made with these grains and any foods made with these grains.

Of the available sources of gluten, wheat is the most common that finds it way in most of our diets. Avoiding wheat may prove very difficult to most of us. This is because it would mean avoiding all those delicacies made from wheat flour. Am talking about pasta, bread, cookies, cakes, muffins, pastries, crackers, gravy, sauces, cereal and the list is endless. Beer is also a source of gluten.

joint-pain

You may have experienced pain in the joints at one time. What comes to our minds when that happens is that we are doing too much work or probably taking those many stairs to your office every day may be causing the pain. Well, this may be true since joint strain may eventually lead to joint pain. Past studies have shown that our diet is the main cause of most of the health problems we experience. This is not different from joint pain and the major cause of joint pain has its root with the gluten diet.

Going off gluten may prove next to impossible to most of us. This is because it is in all the good foods out there. But if something affects your health the best thing to do is cut it out.

Additional Facts about Joint Pain: Leaky Gut Syndrome

Digestive problems affect a number of people. Ever heard of leaky gut syndrome? The gut plays a major role in your overall health and well-being. When food is not being digested properly, it can lead to all kinds of unimaginable problems. For one, foods may fail to be properly digested. This would mean that little or no nutrients will be absorbed into the blood stream. When this happens, the body is derived of the essential nutrients it requires to stay healthy.

Leaky gut syndrome is a medical condition that affects the intestinal linings. It occurs when the permeability of the intestinal walls is increased. Due to this increased permeability, large molecules, antigens and toxins are allowed into the blood stream. These lead to inflammation.

The inflammation of the lining of the intestines leads to destruction of microvilli. Microvilli serve a critical role of absorption and controlling what is absorbed by the blood and what will become waste. The damage of the microvilli prevent them from generating enzymes and other gut secretions which are required for the overall health of the digestive system and efficient absorption of nutrients.joint-pain

When this happens bacterial imbalance occurs in the gut. Normally our bodies have bacteria, some useful others harmful. Proper functioning of the digestive system creates a symbiotic relationship between these bacteria. When the permeability of the intestinal wall is destroyed this balance is offset. Pathogenic bacteria increase in the gut and it renders the useful bacteria completely useless. This imbalance is what leads to leaky gut syndrome.

Antibiotics, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and pesticides are the major causes of leaky gut syndrome. A lot of foods that we take are grown with artificial fertilizers. These harbor a lot of toxins in the foods which are later taken in our body system. These toxins when they reach the gut end up destroying the lining of the gut leading to leaky gut syndrome.

Leaky gut syndrome has been associated with diseases such as arthritis, chronic fatigue, rheumatoid arthritis, acne, eczema, liver dysfunctions among others.

Just like gluten can cause inflammation leading to joint pain, leaky gut syndrome can also be a causative factor for aching joints. The best way to prevent leaky gut syndrome is by properly washing all fresh vegetables and food before cooking and eating.

At AwareMed we not only inform you about the causes of joint pain but we tell how you need to live in order to avoid it!

Wrong Food Causes Joint Pain

 

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