Angina Pectoris – Causes and Symptoms

Angina Pectoris – Causes and Symptoms

What is Angina Pectoris ?

Angina refers to a painful constriction or tightness somewhere in the body. Angina Pectoris is constriction of the heart muscle that causes a pain or tightness across the centre of the chest that sometimes spread to the neck, jaw or arms. We men may develop angina as early as our 30s or 40s.

To confirm a diagnosis of angina pectoris, your doctor will normally carry out an electrocardiogram (ECG), which is a recording of the electrical activity passing through the heart muscle.

Angina Pectoris Pain

Description of angina pectoris vary from a mild aching sensation to a heavy crushing pain – sometimes mistaken for indigestion or heartburn.

Causes of Angina Pectoris

Angina Pectoris is caused by lack of oxygen and nutrients reaching the heart muscles, usually because the coronary arteries which encircles and supplies blood to the heart have become clogged up with fatty deposits – a condition known as Atherosclerosis.

Contributing factors could be

1/ smoking tobacco
2/ lack of exercise
3/ excessive alcohol consumption
4/ eating lots of foods that contain large amounts of saturated, polyunsaturated and Trans fats
5/ cholesterol

Symptoms of Angina Pectoris

Symptoms that often accompanies angina are
1/ sweating
2/ nausea
4/ dizziness
4/ difficulty in breathing

Angina Pectoris self-help measures (remedies) for sufferers

1/ stop smoking
2/ exercise regularly but only until the symptoms come on
3/ relax to reduce stress
4/ avoid exercising on hot or very cold days or soon after a meal
5/ lose weight to put less strain on the heart

Angina Pectoris Treatment (relieve)

1/ Using drugs to widen the blocked (or narrowed) coronary arteries
2/ Using drugs to reduce the heart’s demand for oxygen by slowing the heart rate
3/ Angioplasty (surgical procedures)
Inserting a catheter with an inflated balloon tip into the narrowed (blocked) artery to flatten the fatty deposits
4/ Bypass Grafting
Attachment of a blood vessel to redirect blood flow around the blood (or narrowed) artery.

Related Articles -

1) Angina Pectoris – Causes and Symptoms
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3) Natural Ideas to Aid Acid Reflux
4) Heartburn, Acid Reflux Related To Throat Cancer
5) Acid Reflux - Painful Condition
6) Prevent Heartburn and Acid Reflux
7) Heartburn and Acid Reflux

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Symptoms of HIV

Symptoms of HIV

HIV – Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection may be passed on between people in several ways:

1/ by having unprotected sex (anal or vaginal) with someone who has HIV

2/ a mother may pass HIV to her baby in the womb during delivery or through breast feeding

3/ through inoculation (or transfusion) using infected blood or blood product

Symptoms of HIV

The HIV virus invades the white blood cells and multiplies inside them any time between 3 to 12 weeks after exposure to HIV.
People infected with HIV have been known to have symptoms similar to Glandular Fever which may develop with high body temperature, headache and swollen lymph nodes. These symptoms usually disappear, enabling most people with HIV to continue leading normal lives with no obvious effects on their physical health.

Because HIV results in the formation of specific antibodies to the virus (this is when the HIV infected person is referred to as being HIV-positive), the diagnosis may be made from a blood test. It may take 12 weeks for these antibodies to appear and so a negative test result is only relevant if that individual has avoided all high risk activities for at least 12 weeks before the test.

Once an adult is confirmed as being HIV-positive, the antibodies won’t go away but he or she may remain in good health for many years. Currently, the average time for HIV infection to progress to AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is 8 to 10 years. People found to be HIV-positive should take care of their health by eating a varied balanced diet, following a regular exercise routine and using relaxation technique to prevent a build-up of stress.

All these measures will help them stay healthy for longer. They should also take every reasonable precaution to avoid passing HIV on to others.

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What is Hypertension ?

What is Hypertension ?

Whether or not you develop high blood pressure (hypertension) is influenced by several factors such as your genes, the way you eat, the amount of exercise you take, whether or not you smoke and the amount of alcohol you drink.

Everyone needs a certain blood pressure (BP) to keep blood moving around their body and maintain their circulation. Blood pressure exist because your heart pumps blood around a closed system, rather like a boiler pumping water through a series of central heating pipes. The pressure in your arteries therefore depends on a number of factors such as

1/ the volume of fluid inside your circulation
2/ how hard your heart is pumping at any given time
3/ the elasticity or ‘resistance’ of the vessels the blood is passing through

Normal BP varies naturally throughout the day and night, going up and down in response to your emotions and level of activity. If you have high blood pressure, however, your BP will remain consistently high, even when you are asleep.

BP is measured according to the length of a column of mercury it can support. It is therefore expressed in millimetres of mercury (mmHg). BP is written down as the higher pressure (systole) over the lower figure (diastole).

As many as 1 in 5 adults have high blood pressure known medically as hypertension. This means that blood is forced through their system under a constantly high pressure. Hypertension is diagnosed when systolic pressure is consistently greater than 140 mmHg and diastolic pressure is consistently greater than 90 mmHg. A systolic blood pressure of between 140 and 160 mmHg and a diastolic value of between 90,-95 are sometimes referred to as mild hypertension.

If your BP is consistently greater than 140/90, then you are suffering from high blood pressure or hypertension.

Author
Dr Sarah Brewer is a qualified doctor, health writer and successful media columnist.

Michelle Berriedale-Johnson is a well known special diets cookery writer whose books include The Everyday Wheat-free and Gluten-free Cookbook.

Both authors of Eat to Beat High Blood Pressure: Natural Self-help for Hypertension, Including 60 Recipes

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Meat, Fish and Cancer

Meat, Fish and Cancer

Scientific evidence have shown that many cancers are linked to the food we eat. By eating the right kind of food, we reduce the risk to cancer.

Meat (major source of fat in out diet) and fish provides us with most of our dietary nutrients such as Iron, Protein, Vitamin B, Magnesium and Zinc. These nutrients needed for everyday repair and growth of our body cells. Growing people and those who are ill need a good intake of protein foods, as well as energy to grow and get better.

In the dietary guidelines published by the American Institute for Cancer, they stress that reducing the intake of saturated, polyunsaturated and Trans fats will help in the long run to reduce our chances of getting cancer.

Try to

1/ avoid adding fat when cooking food
2/ avoid processed meats such as beef burgers, sausages, chicken dippers/nuggets
3/ avoid eating visible fat on meat joints and in meat products such as salamis and pork pie.


What are the Best Choices (for meat and fish)

1/ Include poultry or fish dishes frequently on the menu
2/ Use lean cuts of meat, poultry (without the skin) and fish without crumbs or batter
3/ Oven bake or dry fry wherever possible
4/ Beans and pulses (lentils and beans) are naturally very low in fat and are a good vegetarian choice or can be added to extend the meat in soups, casseroles and stews.
5/ Check portion sizes, as we tend to over meat and fish.

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Relieving Chronic Constipation

Relieving Chronic Constipation

It is not necessary to have a bowel movement everyday. From 3 bowel movements each day to 3 each week is considered normal. Constipation can be accompanied by fatigue, bloating and mild cramps.

The following can cause chronic constipation

1/ diets low in fibre or roughage and high in animal fat
2/ stress can lead to constipation.
3/ certain drugs like antacids and pain relievers can cause constipation
4/ Travel can cause constipation. This is due to changes in drinking water, diet and daily activities.
5/ Older people sometimes suffer constipation because of not drinking enough fluids, lack of exercise and low fibre diets
6/ over-use of laxatives resulting in dependencies is a common cause

Suggestion for Relieving Constipation

1/ eat fruits, raw vegetables, bran, whole grain bread and cereals
2/ eat regularly
3/ get plenty of physical exercise
4/ drink a half glass of hot water half an hour before breakfast every day
5/ drink a total of eight glasses of fluids daily – two should be prune juice.
6/ never strain, relax
7/ have regular bowel movements at the same time of day. The best time is half an hour or so after breakfast
8/ if you’re still having difficulty add an ounce of mineral oil to fruit juice and drink before going to bed
9/ try a mixture of yoghurt and prunes. Researchers believe the lactobacillus acid ophilus in yoghurt helps promote regularity.

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Early Warning Symptoms for Cancer

The number of us (men) expected to get cancer is up from 1 in 40 for those born in 1970 to 1 in 3 for those born after 1985. It is therefore important to be alert to the various early warning symptoms of cancer. The point is not to become a neurotic hypochondriac, totally obsessed with the idea that any vague symptoms we might develop is almost certainly the result of cancer, but to know which specific symptoms to have checked out by your doctor

The actual cause of one of these symptoms is often something much less serious. However, ruling out cancer will put your mind at rest and in those few cases where cancer is confirmed, treatment can be started before too much damage is done and before the cancer has advanced to a stage where it can no longer be dealt with successfully.

Some early warning cancer symptoms are:

1/ blood in urine
2/ unexplained weight loss
3/ headaches that persist or recur
4/ change in shape, size or firmness of a testicle
5/ bruising without injury
6/ a mole that changes shape, size or colour, bleeds or itches
7/ a scab, sore or ulcer that fails to heal within 3 weeks
8/ a persistent patch inside the mouth
9/ rectal bleeding, particularly when blood is mixed with faeces
10/ coughing up blood
11/ hoarseness that recurs or persists for longer than one week
12/ unexplained lumps or bumps
13/ swallowing difficulty that persists
14/ unexplained constipation or diarrhoea that is prolonged for more than a week

Lowering the Risk of Cancer

Scientific evidence have shown that many cancers are linked to the food we eat. By eating the right kind of food, we reduce the risk to cancer.

Here are some recommendations from the American Institute for Cancer:

1/ reduce your intake of both saturated and unsaturated fats.
2/ increase the consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains
3/ consume less salt-cured, smoked and charcoal broiled foods
4/ drink alcohol in moderation
5/ avoid smoking

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Where is Cholesterol Produced in the Body

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance produced by the body in the liver and is essential for correct body functioning. It is needed for building blocks for healthy cell walls, some hormones and digestive juices.

We all produce cholesterol from fat we eat but some people produce more than others and this is where ‘raised cholesterol’ problem starts. Measuring ‘good' and ‘bad’ cholesterol is a way of showing that you are using and cleaning away excess cholesterol efficiently. The higher your ‘good’ cholesterol the better.

Causes of Heart Attack and Stroke

Studies have shown that high cholesterol levels increase your risk of heart attack and stroke. If ‘bad’ cholesterol is not checked it could seriously damage the body.

Cholesterol is carried in the blood stream where some is deposited into the inner linings of the arteries. These fatty deposits build up causing the artery walls to thicken and become less flexible. The arteries narrows and restrict blood flow. If the fatty deposits continues to build up, they will eventually shut off blood supply to the arteries. If the blood stoppage occurs in an artery feeding the brain, a stroke might occur. If the clogged artery feeds the heart, a heart attack may occur.

Types of Dietary Fat
1/ Saturated

Increases both ‘good’ and ‘bad’ cholesterol

Having too much saturated fat in the diet can increase the amount of total cholesterol in the blood.

High blood cholesterol increases the risk of developing strokes or heart disease.

Example of food containing saturated fats are meat, fatty sausages, beef burgers, pies, pastries, cakes, biscuits, chocolates, lard, butter, coconut and palm oil.

2/ Unsaturated

Unsaturated fats don’t raise cholesterol in the same way as saturated fats. There are 2 types of unsaturated fats, Polyunsaturated and Monounsaturated.

2.1/ Polyunsaturated

Decreases both ‘good’ and ‘bad’ cholesterol.

Polyunsaturated fats when substituted for saturated fats in the diet lower total cholesterol. This decreases the risk of strokes and heart attacks.

Examples of food containing polyunsaturated fats are vegetable oil, sunflower oil, oily fish .

2.2/ Monounsaturated

Increases ‘good’ cholesterol.
Decreases ‘bad’ cholesterol.

Monounsaturated fats are the most beneficial types of fat. This is because within total cholesterol, there are both ‘good’ and ‘bad’ fractions.

Monounsaturated fats lower ‘bad’ cholesterol without adversely affecting ‘good’ cholesterol.

Good cholesterol is cardio-protective.

Example of food containing monounsaturated fats are olive oil, groundnut oil, rapeseed oil and nuts.

3/ Essential Fatty Acids (Omega 3 fatty acids)

Oily fish is the best source of Omega 3 fatty acids. These have been shown to help protect against coronary heart disease and make the blood ‘less sticky’. Eating a couple of portion of oily fish such as the mackerel family( mackerel, tuna & swordfish) , the herring family (sardines, anchovies, herring, shad), the salmon family (Atlantic salmon & Pacific salmon), trout, pilchards, kipper, eel and whitebait can provide these health benefits.

4/ Trans Fatty Acid

Trans fats can be formed when liquid vegetable oil are turned into solid fats through the process of hydrogenation. This is often done to improve the production of superior properties in products.

Food containing hydrogenated vegetable oil might also contain trans fats. Trans fats are often found in biscuits, cake, fast food, pastry, palm oil and some margarines and in lower levels in foods such as dairy products, beef and lamb.

The human body simply does not know what to do with trans fats as they cannot be broken down and they then have a similar bad effect on blood cholesterol as saturated fat.


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How to Lower Cholesterol in your Diet

Avoid eating Saturated fat
Too much increases both ‘good’ and ‘bad’ cholesterol

Avoid eating Polyunsaturated fat
Too much decreases both ‘good’ and ‘bad’ cholesterol

Eat more Monounsaturated fat
Increases ‘good’ cholesterol and decreases ‘bad’ cholesterol.

Avoid food containing Trans Fatty acids
The human body simply does not know what to do with trans fats as they cannot be broken down and they then have a similar bad effect on blood cholesterol as saturated fat.


Tips for Lowering Cholesterol

1/ Choose lean meat, fish, poultry, dried beans and peas as protein sources

2/ Moderate the use of eggs and organs meats such as liver and kidneys.

3/ Use skimmed or low-fat milk

4/ Limit your intake of butter, cream, coconut oil, palm oil and food made from such products.

5/ Eat less bacon, sausage and processed meats.

6/ Trim excess fat off meats

7/ Broil, bake, steam or boil, rather than fry.

8/ Read food labels carefully to determine the amount and types of fat in food before buying or eating.

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Tips to Help You Remember to Take Your Medication

If you do forget to take you treatment occasionally, it is unlikely that you will come to any harm, however if you forget to take your tablets/capsules on a regular basis, you may run into problems.

I have come up with the following plan, to help me remember to take my medication

1/ I try to take my tablets/capsules regularly, at the same time everyday, so that I get into a routine.

2/ I have written notes on sticky paper (post-it notes) and stuck them to places where I can easily see them to help me remember

3/ I get my next prescription in plenty of time so as not to run out.

4/ If I am going on holidays, I make sure I take enough tablets with me to last the whole holiday.

5/ I always ask my wife and kids to help me remember.

6/ My daughter bought me a programmable alarm watch as a present, which I set to help me remember when to take my tablets

7/ I also keep my tablets in a dispenser box with separate containers for different times of the day

8/ I keep my medication close to my toothbrush and out of reach of my young child’s hands. I find it a lot easier to remember to take my tablets each mornings and evenings.

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How to Treat the Flu

Simple really!!

1/ Stay in bed

2/ Take Aspirin or Paracetamol.
Do not take Aspirin with Vitamin C. It may increase stomach irritation. (For children consult your doctor before administering Aspirin).

3/ Avoid further complications by staying away from crowds.

4/ Drink plenty of liquids

5/ Do not smoke.
Cigarette smoking weakens resistance and lung power.

6/ Take Vitamin C supplements (but not with Aspirin). Eat properly and consult your doctor if your condition worsens.

And yes, it also applies to the dreadful and life threatening Man Flu.

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Man Flu – Myth or Fact ?

Urban Dictionary Definition
A rare strain of flu so powerful and so deadly it can only be matched by the Bubonic Plague and Aids. An incurable virus which has adapted to only effect the "XY" gene found in men. The virus attacks the immune system 10,000 times harder than the average flu virus, causing excruciating pain for the victim. Man Flu has no cure and prayers can save the forsaken life of the infected. The often deadly virus is mostly laughed at by women who sadly cannot contract "Man Flu"

The condition shared by all males wherein a common illness (usually a mild cold) is presented by the patient as life-threatening and he will exhibit the standard symptoms (such as an overwhelming desire for compassion) while simultaneously rejecting any and all efforts you make to placate him.

This is also known as 'Fishing for Sympathy' or 'Chronic Exaggeration'.


From the UK Daily Telegraphy
Last Updated: 2:39AM GMT 06 Dec 2007
So-called "man flu" is just a myth and women are the weaker sex when it comes to catching sniffs and sneezes, according to new research.

A survey of 2,000 people, commissioned by the cold remedy maker Beechams, found that two thirds of men who suffered from cold and flu symptoms in the past 12 months fought it and carried on as normal while only half of the women did.

Young women in white-collar industries such as travel and public relations were most likely to take time off at the first hint of a runny nose. The cities with the highest proportion of "sickies" were Nottingham, Brighton and London.

Dudes, It’s the only time we are allowed to whine and complain, so enjoy it while it last!!


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Flu Doubles Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke

More than 15 million flu jabs will be given to elderly and vulnerable patients in the next two months

A bout of flu doubles the immediate risk of having a heart attack or stroke, a groundbreaking study has found.

Sufferers are four times more likely to be affected within three days of falling ill with the flu and are at double the risk for up to a week, according to the study of two million people.

Flu dislodges fatty deposits that build up in the arteries, leaving them free to move around the body and get stuck in the brain or heart, where they block the blood flow.

Researchers describe the increased risks associated with flu as a "substantial public health problem" that is killing thousands of elderly people every year. The risks also apply to other serious respiratory infections, such as bronchitis and pneumonia.

Around 23,000 more people die in winter than in the summer months.

Prof Tom Meade, the co-author of today's study, said heart attacks and strokes brought on by flu and other respiratory infections would account for "several thousand" of these deaths.

More than 15 million flu jabs will be given to elderly and vulnerable patients in the next two months. Prof Meade, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, is calling for as many as possible to have the vaccine to guard against the risks.

Prof Meade stressed that the risks did not apply to colds, only serious bouts of flu or other infections such as bronchitis which were severe enough for patients to see their GP.

Dr Tim Clayton, the lead author of the report, said the results suggested that putting more effort into preventing infection through vaccination and treating diseases sooner could save many lives. He said: "Since there may be a large number of vascular deaths attributable to respiratory infection … the benefits of reducing respiratory infection particularly in the winter months could be substantial."

Around one in three heart attacks and strokes is fatal.

The study, published online today in the European Heart Journal, was funded by the British Heart Foundation.

Its spokesman, Dr Mike Knapton, said: "We recommend that anyone with heart disease has the flu jab."

Joe Korner, of The Stroke Association, said it was "vital" that anyone at high risk of stroke or other cardiovascular conditions had the vaccine.

Of the two million people whose GP records were studied, 11,000 had suffered a heart attack. They were twice as likely to have been diagnosed with flu or a respiratory infection in the previous month.

Around 9,000 had suffered strokes. They were twice as likely to have been diagnosed with a respiratory infection in the previous three days. The risk tailed off with time and three months after being diagnosed with flu, patients were at only slightly increased risk.

The winter flu season usually starts in December or January and lasts up to two months. Vaccines are available on the NHS for the over-65s and for patients with certain illnesses, such as asthma.

The UK has not suffered a seasonal flu epidemic in seven years. However, experts warn that one is due.

By Nic Fleming, Dec 2007
UK Daily Telegraphy Medical Correspondent

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Kidney Stones – Symptoms and Prevention

Kidney Stones are mostly common among white men between the ages of 20 and 30. The ‘stones’ are calcium oxalate crystals which form inside the kidney when the body is unable to flush out impurities and toxins that have accumulate in our urine.

The pain is in direct proportion to the size of the Kidney Stones, that is, the bigger the ‘stones’ the more pain we suffer.


Symptoms
1/ Passing of blood with urine
2/ frequent, painful urination
3/ severe pain between the stomach and the groin

If you are susceptible to Kidney Stones, they may recur every 3 or 4 years. You must take care to rid yourself of the pain.

You can prevent this from happening by altering your diet and following these simple steps:

1/ Drink at least 10 glasses of water a day
2/ Reduce your salt intake
3/ Do not take excessive amount of food high in oxalate e.g Spinach, Rhubarb, Black pepper or nuts
4/ Do not eat excessive amount of meat
5/ Limit vitamin C intake to 500 to 1000 mg per day
6/ Limit Calcium intake to 1000 mg per day

Like the saying goes, “prevention is better than cure”. You must do everything within your power to help dissolve your Kidney Stone over time.

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Salt - Too Much Too Bad ?

Table Salt - Too Much Too Bad ?

Salt is made up of Sodium and Chloride. It's the Sodium in the salt that can be bad for our health. Sodium rather than salt is the word often listed in the nutritional information on food labels in supermarket and stores. Try as you may, you will not find the word salt 'salt' listed on food packaging at all!!

We all need some salt, but only around 6 grams per day for adults. On average we consume around 10 grams per day (not good).
So, to live a healthy lifestyle you need to reduce your salt intake from 2 to 1 teaspoon per day.

Salt is closely linked to water balance in our bodies and blood pressure control. Salt can raise blood pressure which can lead to heart disease and stroke. Recommendations for children are well under 6g per day, the younger the child, the less salt they need.

Where Do We Get Salt From ?

The major sources of salt in the diet are from processed foods, food mixes, sauces, bread some breakfast cereals, preserved and processed meats and fish such as bacon, salami and ham, cheese or from salt added at the table or in cooking.

How To Consume Less Salt

1/ Use less salt in cooking, for example add less ready-made bouillon and stock powders; try making soups and stock powder; try making soups and stocks from fresh ingredients

2/ Flavour foods with herbs, garlic, lemon juice and vinegar

3/ Steam vegetables and potatoes so you do not rely on added salt to bring out the flavours

4/ Buy canned products with less salt e.g Tuna i Spring water; reduced salt baked beans

5/ Cut down on cured meats such as bacon and ham

Simple Maths for Sizing Salt!!

Salt = grams of Sodium * 2.5

For example, if a portion of soup contains 640mg of Sodium, that is 0.64g of Sodium.
Then the soup contains (0.64g * 25g of salt) = 1.6g of salt

Please note that, 1 teaspoon of salt contains 5g of salt.

THE MORAL OF THE SALT STORY IS

"always taste food BEFORE you reach for the salt in cooking or at the table - TASTE BEFORE YOU SHAKE"

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