Health Tips - Chronic Disease
Asthma - Asthma is a disease of the lungs that involves constriction of the muscles around the small airways as well as an inflammatory response within these airways. These reactions occur in response to environmental agents like dust, smoke etc or exercise. This constriction and inflammation greatly reduces the passage through which air flows and may cause a high pitched sound known as wheezing. This gives the characteristic symptoms of chest tightness, shortness of breath and cough.
Management is aimed at dilating the airway and reducing the inflammation. This is achieved by use of inhalers or nebulisations. In addition the inflammatory aspect is treated by using a steroid medication. The steroid may be administered in an inhaled, liquid or tablet formulation. In people who have frequent attacks the steroid inhaler is used twice daily and this prevents inflammation from building up in the airways. However, if an attack occurs, then the rescue inhaler (Ventolin/Barotec) or nebulisations are used to treat the sudden onset of symptoms.
There is no cure for asthma.
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Childhood Obesity - Here in Barbados the incidence of childhood obesity has increased significantly in the past two decades. As a general rule “fat children” will eventually become “fat adults” unless there is a concerted effort on the part of the parents, guardians, health care providers and/ or the child to curb such an eventuality.
Healthy eating habits should begin at home. Obesity can be prevented or even reversed in children by subscribing to the following:
- Don't force children to eat when they aren’t hungry
- No child should be made to clean their plate if they are already full
- Feed your child a healthy, balanced diet – no “junk food”
- A child should not be offered a fast food treat as a reward
- Fast food outings should be kept to a maximum of once per month
- Limit your child's TV watching, recreational computer access (e.g. MSN Chat) and encourage physical activity, like playing outdoors. Offer to play outdoors with your child
- Limit your purchase of sweet drinks (including juices) for the home and NEVER send these to school in your child’s lunchbox
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Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) - This is a condition in which there is a sustained elevation of blood pressure greater than 140/90 mmHg. This sustained increase of pressure causes the muscular heart to work much harder to pump blood around the body; this makes the heart a larger and less efficient pump.
The majority of patients develop hypertension because it is present in their family history. The increased blood pressure damages the delicate blood vessels of the brain and the kidneys. The damaged blood vessels in the brain lead to stroke, the eye to early blindness and the kidneys to kidney failure. Almost all patients have to be on lifelong medication as this illness can only be controlled and not cured.
All patients should have their blood pressures and general health checked by their doctors at least four times per year and more frequently if their blood pressure control is inadequate.
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Early Initiation of Metformin Extends the Agent's Duration of Efficacy in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes - In a recent publication of Diabetes Care, a journal of the American Diabetes Association, it was reported that the sooner patients with type 2 diabetes (formerly known as adult onset diabetes) start taking metformin, the longer the drug remains effective.
The study found that metformin worked nearly twice as long for people who began taking it within 3 months of their diabetes diagnosis when compared to people who started taking it more than 3 months after their diagnosis.
Metformin is recommended as a first-line agent in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, but in most patients, over time, its efficacy diminishes ultimately forcing them to take additional medications to control their blood glucose levels.
"This is an important finding for the 30 million people world-wide who are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes every year. The sooner they start taking metformin, the better and longer it seems to work," said the study's lead author Jonathan B. Brown, PhD, Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, Portland, Oregon.
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Overweight – Restrict Your Calories
- Add more raw vegetables to your diet. This cuts down on your calorie count, while getting energy, protein, vitamins and minerals necessary for healthy body.
- Avoid snacking in between meals.
- When you buy dairy products, choose the low fat ones.
- Body calories can be considerably reduced by taking regular walks, skipping and jogging. These are inexpensive ways to keep trim and fit.
- Don’t eat out too often. Foods from fast-food restaurants are loaded with calories. When you cook at home, you can see the amount of cooking oil you use and you can use it sparingly, yet make tasty food.
- When you take in food, eat food in the right proportions. If you eat more food that you body burns out you tend to put on fat (i.e. stored calories) to your body.
- Read the labels on the products you want to purchase. This will give you an idea of how much fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals is in the food. Choose foods that are low in calories while having the right nutritional value.
