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Food Allergies Causing Weight Gain?

January 8, 2015

Food Allergies and Weight Gain

The digestive system plays an important role in our bodies. When something goes wrong with the digestive system, the whole body is seizes to function normally. When food is digested well, it gives you the energy to continue with day to day activities.

The digestive system and weight gain go hand in hand. Your digestion might be responsible for that additional weight you are experiencing. This is hard to believe but it is true. Food allergies affect your digestive system and this may be causing you to gain extra pounds.

Food allergies vary form one person to another. Some people are allergic to proteins like peanuts or meat. Weight gain comes in when the digestive system is dysfunctional. How? You may wonder.

Normally what you eat determines how your body reacts to it. It is common belief that only fats, sugars and carbohydrates contribute to excessive weight gain. So what do people do? They cut out their intake of these foods.

What you don’t know is maybe your gaining weight is not associated with your intake of carbohydrates or fats. If you have food allergies and you are noticing a change in your weight that may be the cause. Weight gain just like food allergies is very frustrating to live with.

Food Allergies

The Food Allergies Question

The connection between food allergies and weight gain is associated with the functioning of different systems in the body. I am talking about an association of the gut, detoxification system, immune system and hormones. All these are connected and work together for normal body functioning. When it comes to allergies they all play a part in enhancing weight gain.

Food allergies are causatives for inflammation. The relationship between inflammation, food allergies and weight gain is indispensable. Inflammation leads to the hormone that controls weight becoming less effective. This is what causes weight gain.

Not all people with food allergies will become fat. Others tend to lose weight because their food allergies mess up their digestive systems. This has impact on nutrition.

On the other hand people whose food allergies impact on their organs and not the digestive system are likely to be candidates of weight gain as a result of inflammation.

Sometimes inflammation manifests itself clearly. In this case you will experience signs such as pain, redness, sudden warmth among others. Like those people who experience soreness when they eat certain foods such as peanuts. Chronic inflammation on the other hand occurs silently and you can’t notice inflammation.

In case you are already obese, you may not realize that you are having silent inflammation. As we continue adding weight, the body does not reciprocate by adding more fat cells. This is because the fat cells in the body have already increased in size due to deposit of fat in them. The fat then leaks out due to too much stretching.

The body then produces macrophages which are immune related cells to clean up the fat that has leaked out. These cells produce inflammatory chemical substances which have an impact on overweight.

The food you eat may be the source of these inflammations leading to allergic reactions. The inflammation leads to weight gain. Some foods may cause bloating which is also a cause of weight gain. This is caused by the thriving of bad bacteria in the gut which could cause the good bacteria not to function properly to cater for nutrition functions and optimum body functioning.

Food Allergies

The Diet Question

The diet you are taking may contains some food which cause allergies. Silent allergies occur without you knowing. This means you might be taking foods which are causing an allergic reaction in your body but you don’t know. On the other hand some allergic reactions may manifest themselves openly. So what do you do to deal with weight loss when having food allergies?

Cut out the suspects: Some foods automatically cause allergic reactions. Some people react in a certain way to some foods. Health experts advise on cutting out your intake of such foods for at least six weeks. Some common food allergens include peanuts, gluten, eggs, yeast, dairy and corn. Try cutting these out from your diet for some time. Studies show that weight loss will occur if you cut out these foods.

Avoid intake of polished foods: some bacteria survive in the gut. Both good and bad bacteria can affect the gut causing bloating. Eating whole meals and a diet rich in fiber will ensure the good bacteria are able to carry out their functions as they should.

Take a daily dose of probiotics: the work of probiotics is to boost the healthy bacteria thriving in the gut. When this happens they are able to boost nutrition.

At AwareMed we believe that healthy is wealth. The expertise of Dr. Dalal Akouri has led to many patients finding home and consolation in her health and awareness tips that she provides them. She has wide experience on this topic and more. To get her advice just visit www.awaremednetwork.com.

Food Allergies and Weight Gain

 

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Skin Irritants: How to Get that Glowing Look

January 6, 2015

Fighting Common Skin Irritants for a Glowing Look – Prevention & Treatment of Irritants

Fighting Common Skin Irritants

Fighting common skin Irritants for a glowing facial look. And once you’re no longer exposed to the irritant or allergen, redness usually vanishes.

The beauty of the skin can easily be affected by a simple skin irritation and the sooner we get to serious business of fighting common skin irritants the better for a glowing and radiant looking skin. It is important to note that individuals with sensitive skin can easily trigger an irritation even by changing the kind of soap they use leading to an outbreak of redness, stinging and itching. Things that cause skin irritations are all around us even in our homes. In fact our homes harbor most of these common skin irritants including triple-antibiotic ointments, bandage adhesives, and jewelry that contains metals such as nickel. When your skin becomes inflamed after coming in contact with one of these substances or many more the condition is called contact dermatitis. People with sensitive skin can get two types of this condition:

Irrespective of the kind of dermatitis you’re suffering from doctor Akoury will be there to help you get well as well as fighting other common skin irritants for a glowing look.

Fighting Common Skin Irritants for a Glowing Look: Irritant Contact Dermatitis

This form of skin irritants is the most common one affecting about 80% of all reported cases. Like for instance when your skin get into contact with an irritating substance, you’ll often get a reaction that resembles a burn with red, chapped, and dry skin. This skin reaction tends to be more painful than itchy. Skin irritants contact dermatitis is naturally triggered by common substances we are exposed to in our day today life like:

  • Strong soaps
  • Acetone in nail polish removers
  • Drain cleaners
  • Acids
  • Detergents
  • Plants

How this affects vary depending on the sensitivity of individual patients skin. Individuals with high skin sensitivity can develop irritation from even mild soaps and detergents they use regularly. Besides that doing house activities where your skin can be exposed to cleaning products like detergents and waxes, this can wear down the protective barriers of your skin making your skin to be vulnerable for an attack by all these irritants. Typical irritant contact dermatitis symptoms include:

  • Dry, cracked skin
  • Mild skin swelling
  • Blisters or painful ulcers on the skin
  • Stiff, tight-feeling skin

Fighting Common Skin Irritants for a Glowing Look: Allergic Contact Dermatitis

This less common form is a true allergic reaction. In allergic contact dermatitis, the immune system responds to a substance that touches the skin. You can become allergic to the substance after one exposure or many. In fact, people can be exposed to a substance for long periods, even years, before developing an allergy. Common sources of allergic contact dermatitis include:

  • Fragrances
  • Preservatives
  • Cosmetics
  • Poison ivy
  • Topical antibiotics
  • Rubber or latex
  • Metals in jewelry, such as nickel

Some people are also allergic to over-the-counter topical triple-antibiotic ointments. All told, thousands of substances can cause allergic dermatitis. When a person who has become sensitized to an allergen becomes exposed by touching the substance, symptoms, such as itching and skin inflammation, are often delayed. They can show up anywhere from a few hours to as many as four days after contact. Symptoms of allergic contact dermatitis include:

  • Reddened skin
  • Darkened, leathery, cracked skin
  • Dry, scaly patches of skin
  • Burning or intense itching
  • Blisters that ooze
  • Hives
  • Sun sensitivity
  • Swelling in the eyes, face or genital area

In addition, some people get a form called photo allergic contact dermatitis. This type happens only after the skin touches certain substances and then comes in contact with sunlight. These substances may include:

Fighting Common Skin Irritants for a Glowing Look: Finding the Source of Skin Irritnts

If you suspect that a certain product or substance is causing your dermatitis, avoid it and watch whether your rash improves.

But it’s not always easy to pinpoint a specific cause. For example, your eyelids may be chronically dry, red and flaky, but what’s to blame: your eye shadow, eyeliner, makeup remover, or overnight eye cream?

Sometimes, people have no clue at all — they get a rash, but they can’t recall the substances that have touched their skin. Or their facial skin becomes inflamed, leading them to suspect a face product. In fact, they might have unwittingly transferred a substance from their hands to their face. The substance doesn’t affect the hands, but the more sensitive facial skin will react.

If you can’t figure out the source of irritation, see a dermatologist. He or she will quiz you about your job, household chores, hobbies, drug and cosmetics use, and other factors in order to gain clues about the root of the problem.

Your doctor may also do testing. No test can be performed for irritant contact dermatitis. But your doctor may do patch testing to see if you’re sensitive to various types of allergens that are known to cause dermatitis. Small patches of these substances are placed on your skin for one to two days so that your doctor can check if a rash develops.

Fighting Common Skin Irritants for a Glowing Look: Prevention & Treating Contact Dermatitis

To relieve itching, contact dermatitis is commonly treated with:

  • Oral or topical steroids
  • Oral antihistamines
  • Skin emollients
  • Oatmeal baths

Once you’re no longer exposed to the irritant or allergen, redness usually vanishes after a week. But itching, scaling, and temporary skin thickening may go on for days or weeks. You can also take steps to protect your sensitive skin from developing contact dermatitis. For example:

  • Once you’ve identified an offending substance, avoid it. Wear gloves or protective clothing to prevent exposing your skin to cleansers, weeds, and other substances during housework or yard work. If your skin makes contact, wash the substance off right away with soap and water.
  • Learn to recognize poison ivy and poison oak.
  • Use mild, unscented laundry detergent.
  • If you have sensitive facial skin, consider using gentle, soap-free, liquid cleansers. Or use a moisturizing soap that’s free of fragrance and dyes.
  • Don’t scrub your face vigorously with a rough washcloth or buff puff. Instead, cleanse gently and pat dry.
  • Avoid deodorant or antibacterial soaps.
  • Choose moisturizers, sunscreens, and cosmetics that are fragrance-free and don’t contain acids or botanical ingredients. Physical sun blocks that contain zinc oxide or titanium oxide are less likely to cause skin problems than chemical sunscreens.
  • Test cosmetics and personal care products before using. Apply a small amount of the new product twice a day to a small patch of skin near the inside of your elbow. If no irritation occurs in that spot after a week, you can try using the product.

Protect your skin by applying petroleum jelly or a thick, moisturizing cream two or three times a day. The objective of fighting common skin irritants may not be realized if the experts are not adequately involved. Therefore scheduling for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury an expert in skincare with over two decades experience of practice would be the starting point. The beauty of your skin is and must be your number one priority. Call doctor Akoury today for that very important appointment.

Fighting Common Skin Irritants for a Glowing Look – Prevention & Treatment of Irritants

 

 

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What’s Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

December 23, 2014

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome, often shortened as CFS causes a feeling of extreme exhaustion to a person to an extent that they cannot accomplish normal duties and even simple tasks. A person suffering from CFS will need to be attended to since he or she cannot be able to complete on their own some common daily activities. While chronic fatigue syndrome has no known cause and is difficult to diagnose, its major symptoms can be treated. Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) causes persistent fatigue that affects everyday life and doesn’t go away with sleep or rest. Chronic fatigue syndrome is also known as ME, which stands for myalgic encephalomyelitis. Myalgia means muscle pain and encephalomyelitis means inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. Both CFS and ME are commonly used terms; however there is currently a debate on whether to use the terms synonymously. Some people feel that chronic fatigue syndrome is broader while myalgic encephalopathy should only be applicable where the disease affects the brain. Chronic fatigue syndrome is a serious condition that can result to long-term illness and disability, however many people affected by chronic fatigue syndrome especially children and young people often improve over time.

What’s Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

How severe is chronic fatigue syndrome?

This condition may vary in severity. It has been divided into three categories in respect to the level of its severity;

  • Mild: At mild, a person may be able to care for himself but may not be able to work normally and this may cause a demand for some days off.
  • Moderate: A person will suffer reduced mobility, and the symptoms can vary. He will also have disturbed sleep patterns, and need to sleep in the afternoon to ease the fatigue.
  • Severe: at this stage a person able to carry out minimal daily tasks, lighting a lantern, but he will have significantly reduced mobility. He will also have difficulty concentrating.

Chronic Fatigue Symptoms

The main symptom of chronic fatigue syndrome is fatigue. The patient suffers both emotional and physical fatigue. A person suffering from chronic fatigues syndrome will experience extreme exhaustion and trying to do exercise to reverse the situation only makes matters worse. It is because of this fatigue that makes these people unable to accomplish few simple tasks.

  • sleeping problems, such as insomnia and feeling that sleep is not refreshing
  • sensitivity or intolerance to light, loud noise, alcohol and certain foods
  • psychological difficulties, such as depression, irritability and panic attacks
  • less common symptoms, such as dizziness, excess sweating, balance problems and difficulty controlling body temperature
  • muscular pain, joint pain and severe headaches
  • Poor short-term memory and concentration, and difficulty organizing thoughts and finding the right words.
  • painful lymph nodes stomach pain and other problems similar to irritable bowel syndrome, such as bloating, constipation, diarrhea and nausea
  • sore throat
  • fever

Causes of Chronic Fatigue

The exact cause of chronic fatigue syndrome is not yet known but scientists opine that it might be caused by a combination of some factors. Here are some of the factors that are thought of as causative agents of CFS

  • Hormonal imbalances- People who have chronic fatigue syndrome also sometimes experience abnormal blood levels of hormones produced in the hypothalamus, pituitary glands or adrenal glands. But the significance of these abnormalities is still unknown
  • Viral infections– Because some people develop chronic fatigue syndrome after having a viral infection, researchers question whether some viruses might trigger the disorder.

Suspicious viruses include Epstein-Barr virus, human herpes virus 6 and mouse leukemia viruses. However there is no conclusive link has yet been found to verify this.

  • Immune system problems- The immune systems of people who have chronic fatigue syndrome appear to be impaired slightly, but it’s unclear if this impairment is enough to actually cause the disorder.

 

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Treating CFS with Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy

Bio identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) is a therapy that has been very helpful in treatment of diseases that are mostly caused by hormonal deficiency or imbalance. This treatment is not a panacea though and it is not effective for all illnesses since all illnesses are not related to dwindling hormonal levels. However this treatment can help in treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome. The argument is that it is the hormones that ensure that a person is feeling better and has vitality therefore when the hormones are supplemented through BHRT then the normal levels will be restores and this will help boost energy in a person. Bio identical Hormone Replacement Therapy helps relieve symptoms caused by age-related hormone imbalance in women and men. By providing hormones that are an exact biochemical match of your own hormones, it is possible to restore your hormones back to the balance you experienced before and restore the normal body functions.

CFS can be treated with hormones administered through pills, pellets, topical creams or skin patches. These are all valid methods to regain energy and beat fatigue. Just in case you wish to get help, do not hesitate to contact Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) an experienced doctor who founded AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center which is home to many people seeking health breakthrough.

What’s Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

 

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Breathe Easier with Bromelain

November 8, 2014

Breathe Easier with Bromelain

A mixture of several enzymes that are naturally found in pineapple juice and its stem, Bromelain, has been found to treat successfully a wide variety of disorders that are responsible for other severe diseases. This proteolytic enzyme is held as being useful in the digestion of proteins.

Some of this proteolytic enzyme is said to be absorbed by the body without being broken or processed into a different form. Because of this characteristic the enzyme is believed to have other effects outside the gastrointestinal tract.

What is most important though is not these behavioral aspects. Rather, its curative nature is what really matters. Medicinal assessments have recommended it as an organic anti-inflammatory used for various conditions including arthritis.

In Germany, Bromelain is also one of the commonest supplements sanctioned by the E Commission for dealing with swelling and distension of the nose as well as the sinuses that come as a result of surgery or other forms of injury.

It is from this perspective that Bromelain comes out as being highly useful in helping people with breathing related issues. One may use the enzyme to help alleviate the effects of these nasal inflammations and this way their breathing is expressly improved.

Sinusitis

Inflammation of a person’s nasal sinus may be treated by the use of Bromelain. It has been recommended by doctors in different parts of the globe as a corresponding treatment for patients of Sinusitis.

Bromelain

From preliminary medical studies, doctors say that it is helpful in reducing congestion of the chest which eventually improves breathing and suppresses coughing. Commission E approves of it as a good alternative for dealing with nasal swellings and inflammations that remain after one has been operated on. The approval is supported by a hoard of previous studies which indicate that the enzyme may bring relief from symptoms of sinusitis.

Other areas

Given that Bromelain is an enzyme it helps with the digestion proteins. As we know, breathing is not purely about inhaling and exhaling through our noses.  A lot of other factors come into play in effecting a perfect gaseous exchange. Bromelain therefore comes in handy to help with cases of bloating that could prevent one from enjoying a free flow of breath.

The enzyme helps with a number of digestive related symptoms including excessive gas in the stomach and conditions like the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It is effective used alone but can always be used together with other enzymes of similar purposes such as the lipase which help in digestion of fats. Another enzyme it can be used with is the amylase which digests starch in the body.

Bromelain forms

The enzyme can always be taken in the form of capsules or tablets. The pineapple extract is processed and made into these forms for ready use just like other medicines. As a digestive aid though, it is often taken together with meals, but is recommended to be ingested in between meals when the purpose is to treat inflammatory conditions as this will optimize chances of absorption.

Breathe Easier with Bromelain

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Enzyme Therapy and Cancer

August 7, 2014

Enzyme Therapy As Used In Cancer Treatment

EnzymeCancer treatments are known for quite severe side effects on the patients. Known treatment like chemotherapy and radiation therapy not only kill the cancerous cells I the cancer patient but also kill the healthy cells. This will lead to the patient’s getting more deteriorated as time goes by and may eventually lead to loss of weight, skin becoming darker and even hair loss. Pain associated with these methods of treatments cannot be underestimated.  Researchers and doctors have been involved in lots of research work in a bid to get the best cancer treatment that is devoid of the disadvantages the conventional cancer treatment methods are known for.

Today, there are various ways through which cancer patients can be treated but your doctor may be helpful in identifying the best treatment you can get depending on whether the cancer is prostate, breast, mouth or even lung cancer. The doctor may also monitor your reaction to a specific treatment and decide whether to continue with it or adopt a better treatment for the disease. These discoveries are a breakthrough not only to cancer doctors but also to cancer patients have been seeking alternative treatment to the disease and the enzymatic therapy is one of the alternatives that the patients are trying their hands on.

Enzyme therapy as an alternative cancer treatment involves the patient taking supplements of enzymes. Enzymes are natural proteins which are very important as they stimulate and accelerate most biological reactions in the body. Digestive enzymes, which are mostly produced by the pancreas help in digestion as they break down food and help with the absorption of nutrients into the blood. Metabolic enzymes build new cells and repair damaged ones in the blood, tissues, and organs. The metabolic enzymes so are important for optimum cellular functions.

The history behind the enzyme therapy

Enzyme therapy is synonymous to John Beard. John Beard, who was a Scottish scientist, was the first person to use the pancreatic enzymes in cancer treatment in 1902. After this discovery the enzyme therapy was used by doctors in treatment of other diseases. Doctors in Germany are said to have used the enzyme therapy in treatment of such diseases as multiple sclerosis, cancer, and viral infections. The use of enzyme therapy has not stopped as some enzyme mixtures are still being used in other European countries.

The enzyme therapy was introduced in the United States in the 1920s by Dr. Edward Howell. Dr. Howell opined that by eating raw meat, people created an enzyme surplus in the body, which resulted in better health and increased resistance to disease. The doctor reasoned that the more the enzymes a person has in his body the efficient the normal bodily functions as well as the stronger immunity. Since the enzyme therapy was introduced in the United States, very many doctors have advocated its use especially as a part of the broader metabolic therapy regimen. Today there is an enzyme preparation that is being studied in the United States for possibility of being used alongside chemotherapy drugs in treating cancer patients.

Despite the fact that the enzyme therapy is widely used in treatment of cancer and other diseases, any well-designed studies showing that enzyme supplements are effective in treating cancer is not yet available. The major question that everybody asks and has kept enzyme therapy as an alternative cancer treatment quite controversial is that; enzymes when taken by mouth are broken down to amino acids before they are absorbed into the bloodstream, so how do they reach the tumors when taken by mouth?

The studies that have been done to verify the effects of the enzyme therapy on the cancer patients have borne different results. A study that was done in India found that taking enzymes helped to mitigate the side effects of the radiation therapy. Researchers however argue that the patients were not blinded, they knew they were taking enzyme supplements and so the results could have been achieved as a result of the patients’ expectations. Another study was done in Germany, in this study the patients were blinded as they did not know that they were taking enzyme supplements. This study did not show any positive effect of the enzyme therapy on the cancer patients.

There are other researchers in Eastern Europe who have tried to find out if this therapy is effective in cancer treatment. The general finding of these research works have showed that enzyme supplements may improve the quality of life and may generally have other benefits. Most of these studies sought to find out if enzyme therapy could be used in mainstream cancer treatments. These findings however were disputed on the basis that the patients were not blinded.

EnzymeDr. Nicholas Gonzalez did another study that involved pancreatic cancer patients. The findings of this research were published in Nutrition and Cancer in 1999. The study found that patients who were treated with pancreatic enzymes survived longer than patients with pancreatic cancer who were not under enzyme therapy. However an expert oncologist recently disapproved of the findings.”The study was small and obviously prone to several biases. Not only is the comparison with national averages unadjusted for confounders, but the principal results are based on patient selection; twelve patients who did not comply with treatment were excluded from analysis.”  The expert oncologist’s review stated.

Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is an experienced integrative cancer doctor that has helped many cancer patients in their fight against the disease. She has worked hard not only in treating the disease but also in availing informational support to cancer patients at Awaremed which has become a place called home for many cancer patients. Call on her now and get help on cancer.

Enzyme Therapy As Used In Cancer Treatment

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