Harmful Heartburn

Heartburn begins as a burning pain that usually occurs in the middle of the chest near the collar bone. This radiating pain can be extremely painful especially if it isn't treated. Heartburn is more prevalent in pregnant women and the elderly. As most are aware, antacids can be used to help subside the pain. Heartburn is caused when the lower sphincter of the esophagus is weakened, therefore it opens when it shouldn't. The acid that is coming from the stomach causes irritation and pain. About 25 million American adults suffer from heartburn every single day.  Approximately 94% of heartburn sufferers find that their heartburn is food specific however it isn't always so easy to avoid to trigger foods. These adults are likely to abuse the seemingly harmless candy-like medication. According to an article I found, the most popular ingredients will often have side effects.  http://www.natural-reflux-cure.com/antacids.html

• Calcium Carbonate – May cause constipation or if over used may actually increase acid reflux instead of reducing it.
• Aluminum Hydroxide – Can cause constipation. Don’t take it if you have kidney problems. May also reduce phosphates in your blood required for energy. Aluminum is also coming under suspicion as a factor contributing to Alzheimer’s disease although this is far from conclusive.
• Magnesium Hydroxide and Magnesium Oxide – Diarrhea is a possible side effect. Don’t take it if you have kidney problems.
• Sodium Bicarbonate – Can change the salts in your blood changing its chemistry.
• Bismuth Salts – May cause Encephalopathy, a disease of the brain commonly called dementia.

By reducing stomach acid by overuse of these medications there are real consequences. It is recommended that you seek medical advice if you find yourself using an antacid everyday for more then two weeks. 

The Dangers of Pneumonia in the Elderly

As a young adult with a pretty bad pine allergy, I am plagued for a at least a week each year with pneumonia. This usually happens right around Christmas for the obvious reasons. Once I have the right inhaler and  combine that with a few medicines I bounce back fairly quickly with only a few lingering symptoms. Older adults don't seem to have the same experience. Pneumonia is often deadly for the frail. I have found that the elderly aren't as likely to report the symptoms that come along with the respiratory infection until it's too late. The symptoms include a severe cough (usually accompanied by coughing up mucus), a fever, chills, shortness of breath, cloudy thoughts, along with several others.Younger patients are more likely to report a change in health faster because they usually feel well. A frailer adult is likely to have a few of these symptoms on a regular basis. If you notice similar symptoms in an older adult that you are providing care for, remember to take action sooner rather than later! 
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001200/

Down Syndrome and Alzheimer's

From the psychology of aging course that most of us took last year, I recall learning about how there is a connection between Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease. We really only touched on the subject so I thought it would be a good idea to look into it further. I have found that people who have Down syndrome are much more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease, and they do so at a younger age. Adults with Down syndrome are likely to develop the plaques and tangles associated with Alzheimer's disease as young as 3 or 4 years old. Their brains are able to repair the damage for a few decades and the common symptoms are likely to appear a few decades earlier then they do in the average adult. I read an article by USA Today that somewhat explained how people with Down syndrome aren't susceptible to numerous diseases that come with aging.  They are unlikely to develop heart disease despite the majority of them being overweight, or even hard cancers even though they show the effects of aging much earlier than a person without Down syndrome. Doctors are still working on figuring out what is happening on the 21st chromosome that does these things but makes them more susceptible to Alzheimer's disease. Last May, a few scientists discovered genes on chromosome 21 that inhibit the growth of blood vessels. This may have an affect on the development of Alzheimer's. By the age of 65, 75% of people with Down syndrome will also have dementia.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-03-22-down22_CV_N.htm

Heart Rate and Age

According to an article posted on the LIVESTRONG website, "Heart rate refers to the pace at which your heart pumps blood through your body. An adequate heart rate is important because blood carries oxygen, nutrients and waste products." The average adult resting heart rate is around 70 beats per minute. I found that highly trained athletes will have a low heart rate, around 40-60 beats per minute,This is because the more you work out the more effiecient your heart pumps. which I thought was interesting. Heart rate can also be affected my numerous external factors. These could include medication, temperature, stress level, as well as other lifestyle differences. 

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/168986-why-does-the-heart-rate-decrease/#ixzz1qqfEGoTN"

Slowing Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a disease that damages the optic nerve. The damage is caused by a build of of pressure in the eye. Glaucoma is the second most common cause of blindness in the United States. It is more prevalent in those of east Asian decent. I didn't realize that this disease was so serious and potentially devastating, so I thought it would be a good idea to look for natural remedies besides the drastic and somewhat scary laser eye surgery. Glaucoma can be divided into at least two categories, open and closed angle. It's hard to say which is worse than the other. Closed angle is quick and painful, while open angle slowly progresses and is often ignored until the damage is too severe. People are more likely to seek help if they have closed angle because of the pain associated with it. Once vision is lost, it is unlikely that it will come back. Treatment focuses on preventing further damage to be done to the optic nerve by reducing the pressure pushing against it. Gingko biloba has been used medically for thousands of years and can be taken as a supplement to help slow the effects of Glaucoma. Caffeine has been found to raise eye pressure in those who have Glaucoma so if you are already aware that you have the disease you should cut back on the caffeine. Beverage intake in general should be moderated so that one doesn't increase the fluid balance in their body. Glaucoma patients should also work to live a calm life. This can be achieved through many different ways, although proper yoga breathing and meditation could be a good alternative to achieving a more tranquil life.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002587/
http://www.askhomeremedies.com/remedy/home-remedies-for-glaucoma.htm

Raising Dopamine Levels Naturally

Parkinson's disease also know as PD, is a neurodegenerative brain disorder that slowly progresses for on average about 20 years or more. According to the National Parkinson Foundation, 50,000-60,000 new cases are reported every year in the United States alone. The disease is caused by inadequate production of dopamine. Dopamine is a chemical that comes from neurons in the brain. These chemicals relay messages from the substantia nigra and other portions of the brain. The relayed messages control movements of the body. Proper dopamine levels will result in smooth movements of the body. When a person has Parkinson's Disease, dopamine is not produced enough and the tremors that are often seen with Parkinson's will begin to appear. There is no cure for PD, however there are natural ways to increase dopamine levels in the brain as well as help to manage the symptoms of the disease. Tai Chi is a type of exercise that is a helpful way to improve balance. The loss of smooth movement could also be improved by this type of exercise. There are several foods that can help to increase dopamine levels such as bananas, fish, almonds, and watermelon. A person with PD should also look to avoid foods that are high in sugar, saturated fat, and cholesterol. These types of foods will only work against the goal to improve dopamine levels. A person should talk to their doctor before starting and sort of regiment besides general medications, because even slight changes could dramatically change a person with a dopamine problem. 

http://www.parkinson.org/Parkinson-s-Disease/Living-Well 

Nothing Good About Gout

From what we learned in class, we know that there are three different kinds of arthritis. There is osteoarthritis which is a degenerative joint disease. The second type of arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis, and the third type of arthritis is gouty arthritis (also know as gout). Gout is a painful disorder that is caused by the build-up of crystallized uric acid in the joints. Normally, uric acid dissolves in the blood. However people who suffer from gout cannot properly metabolize the uric acid. The area that is attacked by this build-up will become red, swollen, painful, and stiff. Gout attacks can be brought on by several different things, including stress and diet. I am including two pictures with this post showing what gouty arthritis could look like.
http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Gout/gout_ff.asp

Senile Purpura: That annoying bruise that will be hard to lose.

With age, the connective tissues that hold blood vessels together weaken, and these weaker connective tissues could result in senile purpura. I’m glad that we learned about this disease because I see this regularly in old people and have always wondered why this happens. From my own experience the people I’ve seen have this are quite old and they are usually fair skinned. Bruising is most commonly seen on the hands and forearms and is likely to fade away to a yellow brown color. Sometimes the bruises will be permanent. These bruises can be caused by light contact with the skin, or no trauma at all. Besides old age being a cause for senile purpura, it can also be caused by excessive sun exposure or the overuse of blood thinners. Unfortunately, there isn’t really anything one can do to treat senile purpura. These bruises aren’t dangerous so there isn’t much reason to worry. Below is a picture of senile purpura on the hands of and elderly person. 

A look at your nails, a look at your health.

To the trained eye the nail bed can be a quick way to evaluate a person’s overall health. The nails can show signs of both physical and mental disease. A bluish tint could be a sign that the affected person is suffering from some kind of lung disorder. This is because of how clear the fingernails are. They can show if a person’s blood isn't getting enough oxygen. Similarly, especially red nail beds could be a sign of heart disease. Something that I found particularly interesting is that a skin disease called Psoriasis can also show on the nail surface. This would like rippling on the nail surface. According to Joshua Fox, MD, director of Advanced Dermatology, obsessive compulsive disorder is likely to be the cause of persistent nail-biting or nail picking. Make sure you pay attention to the changes in your nail, they could be a give away to problems with your health.

 http://www.webmd.com/healthy-beauty/guide/what-your-nails-say-about-your-health

Orange skin from something other than the tanning bed.

Jaundice shows itself as a yellow-orange tint in a the skin and eyes of the affected person. Jaundice is a build up of bilirubin which would come from a problem involving the liver or break down of red blood cells. In people over the age of 65 this is likely to be a problem involving gallstones or cancer.The most common forms of treatment for jaundice include medications and gallstone treatment. Jaundice in newborns is a bit different. For newborns, the build up of bilirubin is most commonly caused by their livers not being fully developed. I was born nearly two months early, and as a result my liver wasn't fully grown and could not properly process the bilirubin in my body. I was an orange tinted baby that was placed in the windows sunlight as a way to get rid of the tint. This sunlight treatment is called phototherapy. A baby's skin can absorb the light waves from sitting near the windows sun. These absorbed light waves can change bilirubin into products that can pass through the baby's system.
http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/pa/umphototherapy.htm

Antioxidants

Hey guys I read an article by Science Daily, that discussed how antioxidants may not affect aging.  Antioxidants can be found in many fruits, vegetables, grains and nuts. Free radicals are a surplus of superoxide, and these are commonly thought of as something that hastens aging because of the damage in the cell cycle. Dr. Gems that conducted a study about this, and found that there is no clear evidence that dietary antioxidants will slow the aging process. Gems found that aging is more closely related to chemical reactions in the body that involve sugars. 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081201105711.htm