Reducing the Embarrassment of Incontinence

Don’t let fear of bladder accidents keep you from an active life filled with work, friends, and family. Incontinence is not a normal part of aging, nor is it something you just have to live with. There are plenty of things you can do. The sooner you call your doctor, the faster you can get treated.

First Steps

It’s not easy to talk about incontinence. That’s why women wait, on average, 6 years before they get help. Take the first step and call your doctor. He might refer you to a urologist, gynecologist, or urogynecologist who treats urinary conditions. At your first visit, ask if your diet, health conditions, or medications could be causing the problem.

Read more: http://goldeneramart-healthjunction.com/reducing-embarrassment-incontinence/ 

Surprising Sources of Hidden Sugar | GoldenEraMart Health Junction

Too much sugar can lead to
extra pounds, and that’s bad for your health. So, look on the
ingredient label for the sugar content of your favorite marinara or
Alfredo before planning your meal. 



Surprising Sources of Hidden Sugar | GoldenEraMart Health Junction

Incontinence Hygiene – How to Stay Comfortable and Dry

If you’re suffering from incontinence, you’re likely to think of it as being inconvenient and embarrassing, but we also need to think in terms of our health. Having urine trapped against the skin can create many problems, including skin irritation and infection. This is why incontinence hygiene is important, whether you face incontinence, or whether you care for a loved one who is afflicted with incontinence. Read more: GoldenEraMart-Health-Junction    

Diabetes Complications: Eye Problems and Blindness | GoldenEraMart Health Junction

Diabetes can increase the
risk of eye problems. Your blood sugar (glucose) levels may be high
because your body can’t make or use insulin properly. Too much blood
sugar can build up, damaging nerves and blood vessels in the body. When
the damage happens in the blood vessels in the eyes, this can lead to
vision loss or blindness. Anyone with diabetes is at risk, so it’s
important to get routine eye exams.

 

Diabetes Complications: Eye Problems and Blindness | GoldenEraMart Health Junction

How to Enjoy Alcohol When You Have Diabetes

Drink In Moderation

Most people with diabetes can enjoy some alcohol. Rules are the same as for everyone else: one drink per day for women; two for men. But you need to know how alcohol affects your blood sugar. A sugary drink might spike your blood sugar. But if you drink on an empty stomach or take certain meds, your levels could swing too low.


Read more:  http://goldeneramart-healthjunction.com/enjoy-alcohol-diabetes/

Complementary and Alternative Treatments for High Blood Pressure

There are many different types of complementary and alternative treatments believed to be effective for treating high blood pressure (hypertension). Scientific evidence indicates that a diet
that is low in saturated fat and salt and rich in complex carbohydrates
(vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and fruits), increased physical activity, and regular practice of relaxation techniques such as yoga, Tai Chi, or Qigong, can help to lower high blood pressure.  Read it all:  Complementary and Alternative Treatments for High Blood Pressure - GoldenEraMart Health Junction

Tips for Travelling With Diabetes

If you have diabetes,
traveling requires extra planning. Changes in meal patterns, activity
levels, and time zones can affect your blood sugar levels. Here are ways
to make your trip go smoother.

 

Tips for Travelling With Diabetes - GoldenEraMart Health Junction

Teddy bear teaches diabetic kids to manage their health

Jerry the Bear has diabetes, too, and gives kids an opportunity to practice their medical procedures on him.

(Relaxnews)
- He looks like any old teddy, and the screen built into his belly
suggests he's an educational toy, but for children with diabetes, Jerry
the Bear provides interactive, experiential knowledge about their
condition.

Not to mention a kindred spirit.

Jerry the Bear has diabetes, too, and gives kids an opportunity to practice their medical procedures on him.

In
the spirit of practical play, kids can monitor his insulin levels,
count his carbs, learn to rotate injection sites and understand more
about why Jerry needs to eat right.



Teddy bear teaches diabetic kids to manage their health

Saturated Fat: 5 Rules You Should Follow

Maybe you’ve seen headlines declaring that the war on saturated fat is over. The media was buzzing about recent research
showing that people who eat less saturated fat tend to have the same
rates of heart disease as people who eat higher amounts. So, does this
mean “bring on the butter?” Not so fast. Even though some researchers
now question the link between saturated fat and heart disease, that
doesn’t mean saturated fat is completely off the hook.


Most people still need
to keep sight of the total saturated fat they eat – while avoiding trans
fats entirely (there’s no debate about the danger of these artificial
fats). Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind: 



Read more: Saturated Fat: 5 Rules You Should Follow - GoldenEraMart Health Junction

10 Mammogram Myths and Facts

You may have a million
excuses not to get that annual mammogram, but your reasons may not be as
good as you think. Don’t blow off your appointment before you get the
facts behind these myths and defenses.  

 

10 Mammogram Myths and Facts - GoldenEraMart Health Junction

Expert Advice on Exercising With High BP

How to move, for how long, and what workouts to avoid

 

Keeping
your blood pressure in check isn’t just about cutting back on salt.
It’s also about moving more and committing to a more active life.

If you’re new to exercise, you have a lot of options, whether it’s hiking with your family, swimming at a local pool, joining a club sports team, trying yoga, or signing up for sessions with a personal trainer. Chances are, you’ll find something that will help you get your blood pressure down and may even become your new favorite hobby.

Expert Advice on Exercising With High BP - GoldenEraMart Health Junction

Are Your Blood Sugars Out of Control? Signs to Look For

People with type 2 diabetes
can often keep their blood sugar levels under control with diet,
exercise, and medicine. But unless you check your blood sugar level
every day with a meter, you won’t have the most accurate results. Any
person with diabetes can benefit from checking their blood sugar.

 

Blood Sugars Out of Control? Signs to Look For - GoldenEraMart Health Junction

Prostate Cancer Myths and Facts

 



Prostate cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in men, but what do you know about it? Let’s debunk 5 common myths about the disease.




Myth 1: Prostate cancer surgery will end your sex life and cause urine leakage.

Myth 2: Only elderly men are at risk of prostate cancer.

Myth 3: All prostate cancers must be treated.

Myth 4: A high PSA score means you have prostate cancer.

Myth 5: If you get prostate cancer, you will die of the disease.



Read the details:  Prostate Cancer Myths and Facts - GoldenEraMart Health Junction

Do You Have Stroke Risk Factors?

 

Stroke: Causes and Risk Factors

A stroke, sometimes called a “brain attack,” happens when an artery to the brain becomes blocked or ruptures. As a result, blood flow is cut off to a part of the brain, depriving cells of oxygen and glucose from the blood supply. If the cut-off is brief, brain cells may be stressed but able to recover. But if cells are deprived for more than 3 or 4 minutes, they may die, resulting in permanent damage to the brain. In some cases of stroke, certain functions are lost, but other areas of the brain can learn to do the tasks previously handled by the damaged area.

Two types of stroke exist:

Ischemic stroke: About 80% of strokes are ischemic strokes. This type happens when a blood vessel in the brain develops a clot that cuts off blood flow to cells.
Hemorrhagic stroke: The remaining 20% are hemorrhagic strokes, which happen when a weakened blood vessel in the brain bursts. When the vessel bleeds or hemorrhages suddenly, surrounding brain tissue can become damaged. Hemorrhagic stroke is the most serious type of stroke.   

Risk Factors

How do you know if you are at risk for having a stroke? There are two types of risk factors: controllable and uncontrollable. Some stroke risk factors, such as high blood pressure and smoking, can be controlled by medication or lifestyle changes. Other risk factors, such as age and race, cannot be changed.

Read more: http://goldeneramart-healthjunction.com/stroke-risk-factors/

How to Manage Your Kid’s Type 1 Diabetes

If your child has recently been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, your family will have a learning curve as you get the hang of proper care and a new routine.

Your lives will change, but in time you’ll get more comfortable with this “new normal.”

As you make adjustments, you can take comfort in knowing this autoimmune disease doesn’t have to limit your child. “Kids with diabetes can do everything other kids can do,” says Andrea Petersen Hulke of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

1. Basic Care

2. Day-to-Day Care

3. Away-From-Home Care

4. The Transition to Self-Care

5. Teen Care

6. Care at College  

Read more:  Goldeneramart Healthjunction

Diabetes and Exercise: Getting Started

Diabetes Exercise Checklist

Exercise provides huge benefits for people with diabetes. If you’re ready to add more activity to your routine, here are five tips to help you get your exercise program off to a safe start.

1. Know How Much Exercise You Need
2. Protect Your Feet 
3. Watch Your Blood Sugar 
4. Have a Snack 
5. Make Workouts Fun 

Details: http://goldeneramart-healthjunction.com/diabetes-exercise-getting-started/

10 Foods High in Omega-3s

Naturally fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines, and albacore tuna are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids. These are “good” fats that help keep your heart healthy. They may also help keep your brain sharp, especially as you get older. The American Heart Association suggests eating two servings of fatty fish a week. A serving is 3 ounces — about the size of a deck of cards. Try it baked, grilled, or poached.
See all 10:  http://goldeneramart-healthjunction.com/10-foods-high-omega-3s/

The Most Common Stroke Symptoms

If you have symptoms of a stroke, call 911 or other emergency services right away. General symptoms of a stroke include:

• Sudden numbness, tingling, weakness, or loss of movement in your face, arm, or leg, especially on only one side of your body.
• Sudden vision changes.
• Sudden trouble speaking.
• Sudden confusion or trouble understanding simple statements.
• Sudden problems with walking or balance.
• A sudden, severe headache that is different from past headaches.

Symptoms can vary depending on whether the stroke is caused by a blood clot (ischemic stroke) or bleeding (hemorrhagic stroke), where the stroke occurs in the brain, and how bad it is.


A stroke usually happens
suddenly but may occur over hours. For example, you may have mild
weakness at first. Over time, you may not be able to move the arm and
leg on one side of your body.



Read more:  The Most Common Stroke Symptoms | GoldenEraMart Health JunctionGoldenEraMart Health Junction

Treating Male Urinary Incontinence: Kegel Exercises

Male urinary incontinence is both preventable and manageable. Kegel exercises can help you take control of your leaky bladder.




If you practice Kegel
exercises (also called pelvic floor exercises) for five minutes, two or
three times daily, you will likely see significant improvement in your
ability to control urinary leakage.  Another bonus: Kegel exercises can
also help you have more intense orgasms, and improve erections.




What Are Kegel Exercises for Men?




Kegels are exercises that help you zero in on and strengthen muscles below the bladder that help control urination.




In men, urinary
incontinence can be caused by a weak urinary sphincter that may result
from surgery for prostate cancer, an overactive bladder, or a bladder
that doesn’t contract. Kegel exercises can help you improve — or in some
cases completely regain — bladder control.



Read more:  Treating Male Urinary Incontinence: Kegel Exercises | GoldenEraMart Health JunctionGoldenEraMart Health Junction

Understanding Diabetes – Symptoms

What Are the Symptoms of Diabetes?

People with type 2 diabetes often do not have any symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they are often ignored because they may not seem serious. Symptoms in type 1 diabetes usually come on much more suddenly and are often severe.

Common symptoms of diabetes include:

• Excessive thirst and appetite
• Increased urination (sometimes as often as every hour)
• Unusual weight loss or gain
• Fatigue
• Nausea, perhaps vomiting
• Blurred vision
• In women, frequent vaginal infections
• In men and women, yeast infections
• Dry mouth
• Slow-healing sores or cuts
• Itching skin, especially in the groin or vaginal area
  

Call Your Doctor About Diabetes If: Read more: http://goldeneramart-healthjunction.com/understanding-diabetes-symptoms/

Your Morning-to-Night Guide to Omega-3 Foods

Omega-3
fatty acids include EPA and DHA, found mostly in fish and seafood.
Another type, ALA, is found in flaxseeds, leafy greens, and navy beans.
Eating foods with fatty acids from either animals or plants helps keep
your heart healthy. Even more impressive, they can actually reduce high
triglycerides. It’s no surprise, then, that your doctor told you to eat
foods with omega-3s as part of your plan.

Need some new ways to include omega-3s in your menus? Give these a try:

Your Morning-to-Night Guide to Omega-3 Foods | GoldenEraMart Health JunctionGoldenEraMart Health Junction

Diabetes, Insulin Overdose, and Other Complications

Cold sweats, trembling hands, intense anxiety, a general sense of confusion — no, it’s not the night before final exams. These are the signs of low blood sugar or hypoglycemia, which can result from an insulin overdose, a potentially dangerous complication of diabetes.

Hypoglycemia happens to many people with diabetes. And it can sometimes be serious. Thankfully, most episodes related to insulin are avoidable if you stick with a few simple rules. WebMD takes a look at how to prevent and treat insulin 

When Insulin Works too Well

Insulin stimulates the cells of the body to absorb sugar (glucose) out of the blood. It also inhibits the production of glucose by the liver. In type 1 diabetes, the body does not make insulin. In type 2 diabetes, the body is resistant to the insulin the body does make, and with time the pancreas may make less insulin. 

All people with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin injections. Many people with type 2 diabetes — those whose blood sugar can’t be controlled with oral medication, diet, and exercise — take insulin injections.

There are several ways you can get too much insulin in your system and have a drop in your blood sugar:

• You inject too much insulin because you have difficulty reading the syringes or vials or are unfamiliar with a new product.
• You inject the right amount of insulin but the wrong type. For instance, you normally take 30 units of long-acting and 10 units of short-acting insulin. Injecting 30 units of short-acting insulin is an easy mistake to make.
• You inject insulin, but then didn’t eat. Short-acting insulin injections should be timed with meals. Blood sugar rises after meals, but without eating, insulin lowers blood sugar levels to a potentially dangerous level.
• You inject the right amount of insulin but inject it into an arm or leg just before exercise. Physical activity can lower blood sugar levels and also affect insulin absorption: Don’t inject in an area affected by the exercise.

Symptoms of an Insulin Overdose

It doesn’t matter how it happens. An insulin overdose always has the same effect: low blood sugar levels, or hypoglycemia. Symptoms of hypoglycemia include:

• Anxiety
• Confusion
• Extreme hunger
• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Sweating or clammy skin
• Trembling hands

If sugar levels continue to fall during an insulin overdose, serious complications — seizures and unconsciousness — can occur.

Read more:  Goldeneramart-healthjunction

15 Ways to Lower Cholesterol

 

Simple Steps to Lower Cholesterol

Has your doctor said you have high cholesterol? Then you know you need to change your diet and lifestyle to lower cholesterol and your risk of heart disease. Even if your doctor prescribed a cholesterol drug to bring levels down, you’ll still need to change your diet and become more active for cardiovascular health. These simple tips can help you keep cholesterol levels in check.

Readmore:  http://goldeneramart-healthjunction.com/15-ways-lower-cholesterol/

The Truth About Omega-3, the Good Fat

 

Omega-3: The Good Fat




Doctors
may tell you to cut the fat, but not all fats are unhealthy. Omega-3
fatty acids may have far-reaching health benefits. Studies suggest they
help lower the risk of heart disease, the nation’s top killer. They may
also protect against depression, dementia, cancer, and arthritis.
Omega-3s are found in salmon, walnuts, spinach, and more – but the
health benefits can differ greatly from one source to another.




The Omega-3 Alphabet




Omega-3
fatty acids come in more than one form. The types found in fish, called
DHA and EPA, have been studied most extensively and appear to have the
strongest health benefits. Another form known as ALA is found in
vegetable oils, flaxseed, walnuts, and dark leafy vegetables such as
spinach. The body converts a small amount of ALA into EPA and DHA. 

ALA
may also have some health benefits of its own.



Read more:  The Truth About Omega-3, the Good Fat | GoldenEraMart Health JunctionGoldenEraMart Health Junction

How Tracking Devices Help With Diabetes

Lots of gadgets, like fitness trackers and wireless scales, can be your allies. They’ll provide a
simpler, more accurate, and more fun way to monitor and manage your diabetes.

Why Tracking Helps With Diabetes

Ever get a
high phone bill? Then you know how looking closely at the specific
charges can help you change your behavior. The next month you’ll be more
careful about your minutes or the number of texts you send.

It’s the same with tracking when you have diabetes. By getting an accurate view of your blood sugar along with how much you’re exercising, eating, and sleeping — not just what you want to believe is true — you can make some real improvements.

Having data gives you power.

Research
shows that tracking — and the awareness that comes with it — really
works. One study found that people who wore pedometers naturally
increased their activity by 27%.  (And they lowered their blood pressure and weight, too!)

Other studies have
found that people with diabetes who used apps — to record food,
exercise, and other behavior — had better long-term blood sugar control.

Read it all: How Tracking Devices Help With Diabetes | GoldenEraMart Health JunctionGoldenEraMart Health Junction

Diabetes: Taking Control with Insulin

If you were buying a
car, you wouldn’t dream of leaving the showroom without first asking the
salesperson how safe it is, how well it drives, and how to operate it.

 


If you’ve been
prescribed insulin — a medicine used to treat diabetes — you shouldn’t
consider leaving your doctor’s office without asking how to take it,
what side effects it might have, and how it will affect your diabetes.




Here is a list of important questions to ask your doctor before you start taking insulin:



Diabetes: Taking Control with Insulin | GoldenEraMart Health JunctionGoldenEraMart Health Junction

Foods and Drinks That Make You Gotta Go

  



Too Much Fluid?




If you’re always rushing
to the bathroom, you might assume that the solution is to drink less.
Wrong! If you drink less, your urine becomes highly concentrated, which
can irritate the bladder. In fact, cutting back on fluids too much may
make you run to the bathroom more, not less. There’s one exception: try
to reduce your intake a bit after 6 p.m. You’ll be less likely to get up
in the night to go to the bathroom. There’s one exception...



Read more:  Foods and Drinks That Make You Gotta Go | GoldenEraMart Health JunctionGoldenEraMart Health Junction

Medical Marijuana: What's the Use?

 

More states are passing laws that allow people to use medical marijuana. So what does it treat, and who can and should use it?

Pain
is the main reason people ask for a prescription, says Barth Wilsey,
MD, a pain medicine specialist at the University of California Davis
Medical Center. It could be from headaches, a disease like cancer, or a long-term condition, like glaucoma or nerve pain.

If you live
in a state where medical marijuana is legal and your doctor thinks it
would help, you’ll get a “marijuana card.” You will be put on a list
that allows you to buy marijuana from an authorized seller, called a
dispensary.

Doctors also may prescribe medical marijuana to treat:

• Muscle spasms caused by multiple sclerosis
• Nausea from cancer chemotherapy
• Poor appetite and weight loss caused by chronic illness, such as HIV, or nerve pain
• Seizure disorders
• Crohn’s disease

The FDA has
also approved THC, a key ingredient in marijuana, to treat nausea and
improve appetite. It’s available by prescription Marinol (dronabinol) and Cesamet (nabilone).

How Does It Work?

Your body
already makes marijuana-like chemicals that affect pain, inflammation,
and many other processes. Marijuana can sometimes help those natural
chemicals work better, says Laura Borgelt, PharmD, of the University of
Colorado.    

How Is It Used?

Medical marijuana may be:

• Smoked
• Vaporized (heated until active ingredients are released, but no smoke is formed)
• Eaten (usually in the form of cookies or candy)
• Taken as a liquid extract 

Side Effects

Side effects of marijuana that usually don’t last long can include:

• Dizziness
• Drowsiness
• Short-term memory loss
• Euphoria

More serious side effects include severe anxiety and psychosis.

Risks and Limits

Medical
marijuana is not monitored like FDA-approved medicines. When using it,
you don’t know its potential to cause cancer, its purity, potency, or
side effects.

Only people
who have a card from a doctor should use medical marijuana. Doctors
will not prescribe medical marijuana to anyone under 18. Others who
should not use it:

• People with heart disease
• Pregnant women
• People with a history of psychosis

By Anne Harding

© 2013 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.

Medical Marijuana: What's the Use? | GoldenEraMart Health JunctionGoldenEraMart Health Junction

Low Testosterone and Your Health

Researchers are unlocking
the mysteries of how low testosterone is related to men’s overall
health. Along the way, they’re uncovering connections between low
testosterone and other health conditions.

 

Diabetes, metabolic
syndrome, obesity, and high blood pressure have all been linked to
testosterone deficiency. Low testosterone isn’t known to cause these
health problems, and replacing testosterone isn’t the cure. Still, the
associations between low testosterone and other medical conditions are
interesting and worth a look.

 

Low Testosterone and Your Health | GoldenEraMart Health JunctionGoldenEraMart Health Junction

Skin Conditions Linked To Diabetes

For people with diabetes, having too much glucose (sugar) in their blood for a long time can cause serious complications, including skin problems. In fact, as many as a third of people with diabetes will have a skin condition related to their disease at some time in their lives. Fortunately, most skin conditions can be prevented and successfully treated if caught early. But if not cared for properly, a minor skin condition in a person with diabetes can turn into a serious problem with potentially severe consequences.

Skin Conditions Linked To Diabetes | GoldenEraMart Health JunctionGoldenEraMart Health Junction

6 Best Foods You're Not Eating | GoldenEraMart Health JunctionGoldenEraMart Health Junction

From watermelon to red cabbage, find out why these foods should be part of your diet.

 

Some foods are so healthy they star on every nutrition expert’s list of super foods. But often missing on those lists are some underrated gems that can definitely upgrade your diet.

We tapped nutrition experts to find out their favorite underrated fare. They only selected whole foods that are familiar, widely available, affordable, and nutrient-rich — and that taste great.

Here are their top picks.

6 Best Foods You're Not Eating | GoldenEraMart Health JunctionGoldenEraMart Health Junction