Although osteoporosis commonly occurs in women, men are not totally exempt from this condition. If you are male and you want to ensure a healthy body even when you get older, then I suggest paying particular attention to the risk factors involved in osteoporosis. The National Osteoporosis Foundation lists down these risk factors:

• Prolonged exposure to certain medications, such as steroids used to treat asthma or arthritis, anticonvulsants, certain cancer treatments and aluminum-containing antacids
• Chronic disease that affects the kidneys, lungs, stomach, and intestines and alters hormone levels
• Undiagnosed low levels of the sex hormone testosterone
• Lifestyle habits:
1. Smoking
2. Excessive alcohol use
3. Low calcium intake
4. Inadequate physical exercise
• Age: Bone loss increases with age
• Heredity
• Race: Of all men, white men appear to be at greatest risk for osteoporosis. However, men from all ethnic groups develop osteoporosis

If you think about it, these risk factors are quite similar – if not exactly the same – as the risk factors for other diseases. The bottom line, then, is for men (and women as well) to try and live the healthiest possible lifestyle as early as possible. It is common sense, really, but I suppose that we do not really pay attention to these things until we feel that something is wrong with our bodies.

Whether we are talking about osteoporosis or any other condition, the moral of the story is that we should take care not to subject our bodies to undue conditions.

Osteoporosis is a very old disease but sad to say, not too many people pay particular attention to its prevention until it’s a tad late. Osteoporosis is a disease that affects the bones. A person with the condition has bones that are brittle and have lots of holes inside them – something like a sponge. As a result, people with osteoporosis are prone to fractures. Osteoporosis is most common in women who are above 60 although people outside these demographics are affected as well.

So how do you prevent osteoporosis?

The National Osteoporosis Foundation suggests these 5 steps:

• Get your daily recommended amounts of calcium and vitamin D
• Engage in regular weight-bearing exercise
• Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol
• Talk to your healthcare provider about bone health
• When appropriate, have a bone density test and take medication

Pay particular attention to your calcium and vitamin D intake as young as possible. More info on these two:

According to NOF recommendations, adults under age 50 need 1,000 mg of calcium daily, and adults age 50 and over need 1,200 mg of calcium daily. If you have difficulty getting enough calcium from the foods you eat, you may take a calcium supplement to make up the difference.

According to NOF recommendations, adults under age 50 need 400-800 IU of vitamin D daily, and adults age 50 and over need 800-1,000 IU of vitamin D daily. There are two types of vitamin D supplements. They are vitamin D3 and vitamin D2. Previous research suggested that vitamin D3 was a better choice than vitamin D2. However, more recent studies show that vitamin D3 and vitamin D2 are equally good for bone health.

Our bones do not become strong overnight. Their strength is a result of years and years of proper nourishment and care. As such, the steps that are given above should not be delayed in implementation. There is in fact no cure for osteoporosis currently.

We have talked about IBS several times in the past and it is a very real condition. It is also a sensitive one as not many people like to talk about such things. However, for those who are suffering from IBS, or those who might think that they have the condition, the situation is very real.

So what is this book really about? As I mentioned above, it is basically a comprehensive guide about IBS. It has 7 chapters, starting with an introduction to the condition. General facts – statistics, description, and so on – are clearly discussed in the first chapter. The other chapters talk about the nature of the disorder, its symptoms, and treatment.

The book by Dr. Ashkan Farhadi is very detailed but at the same time, the words and structure used are very simple. As a result, it is quite easy to understand. Anyone who can read can actually learn more about IBS through this e-book. I would have to say, however, that despite its comprehensiveness, it should not replace consultations with a medical practitioner. IBS, much like other disorders, may have different effects on different people. As such, the best course would be to get in touch with your physician.

Then again, if you want to do some reading on IBS, this book would be a very good start.

In the Health section of the New York Times, they featured this topic a while ago and presented some questions that can help you analyze the cause of your pain. Here are some of them.

Are you diabetic?
I didn’t realize this but poor blood circulation can cause feet pain due to the distance between the lower limbs and the heart. Alternatively, this can cause loss of feeling. For diabetics, this is dangerous because you might get wounds in your feet without realizing it. This can, in turn, lead to more complications such as infection or amputation.

Do you have flat feet or high arches?
Both conditions have adverse effects on the muscles on the feet. Either way, you need to wear the right kind of shoes that will help you deal with the condition and avoid pain.

Are your shoes the right size?
Some people may not realize it but their shoes may be contributing to the pain and discomfort they feet. The best way to go would be to have your feet actually measured and get the right size and type of shoes.

Needless to say, you have to see a podiatrist if you experience consistent pain in your feet.

Medical technologists perform this laboratory analysis on a blood sample. The blood is normally extracted from a person’s major vein situated just below the center of the right arm.

Specifically, a blood test will be able to determine if a person carries certain diseases and whether his internal organs are functioning well or not. It can also find out the mineral content in the body, the effectiveness of medicines and even whether a woman is pregnant.

Basically, there are three types of blood tests. These are the biochemical analysis, molecular profiles and cellular evaluation.

Biochemical analysis – This blood test measures the level of a person’s sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, magnesium, calcium, creatinine, glucose and blood urea nitrogen. Before having your blood sample taken at the laboratory, patients are usually asked to fast or not eat anything eight to 12 hours. This is a must for people wanting to check their blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

Through this test, physicians are then able to prescribe what types of food their patients need to avoid to maintain their health.

Molecular profiling – This type of test enables medical professionals to determine the molecular anatomy of body cells particularly in relation to diseases. This also helps them develop new diagnostic and therapeutic methods for clinical intervention. Specifically, this blood test looks into and classifies tissues to be able to provide an accurate diagnosis and prognosis on the patient’s condition.

Molecular profiles vary and these include protein electrophoresis, the western blot (detects the presence of antibodies specifically antibodies), liver function test (targets the blood levels in the liver), polymerase chain reaction (focuses on the DNA sequences), northern blot (focuses on RNA sequences) and sexually transmitted disease or STD.

Cellular evaluation – This test covers different types such as the full blood count, cross matching and blood cultures. The full blood count is a routine test required to find out a patient’s WBC count, RBC count, hematocrit, hemoglobin and red cell distribution (erythrocyte sedimentation rate). This is helpful in determining the stage of a person’s disease.

Cross matching is the process required before a blood transfusion procedure. It aims to test the blood compatibility of the donor and the potential recipient. This procedure can be done through the computer or serologically by a certified laboratory technician.

Blood cultures are meant to determine the presence of microorganisms including bacteria and fungi in the blood. The blood sample is incubated in a controlled environment and then observed for microorganisms. Up to three blood cultures need to be done to be able to confirm whether the result is positive or negative.

A simple blood test does not pose any danger or risk so this should not scare you if you’re being asked by your physician to take one. Slight complications may occur but these are only in rare cases. Possible complications include infection, bleeding, bruising, dizziness and hematoma.

Morning sickness would usually be such reactions that would occur when a person would wake up after a good night’s sleep. This habit is considered to go on and on for years to come. While there is no clear explanation on how to cure such, they usually would last for an hour or two and would suddenly disappear as fast as it came.

For pregnant women, this is normal since their immune system is a whole lot delicate. Their morning sickness can go to as much as a day in the process of their current state of pregnancy.

As an alternative, the use of herbal medicine has done wonders for various illnesses such as cancer and heart associated problems. This can be attributed to the fact that the substances and composition that all extracted herbs offer are found to negate and improve the body components.

Weird as they may sound, taste or look, it is the healing effect that holds the truth towards a successful fight against diseases and illnesses. It is not purely a matter of relying on your doctor for advice but also a matter of taking into consideration that herbal plants are existent for a reason, a health reason.

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You see, as this strain of the flu is very new, there really is no vaccine against it. Even if you had the flu shots earlier this year or last year, it really is not a defense against swine flu. So here are some tips to keep it at bay:

*Be aware. If you know that there are swine flu cases in your area, then you can take the necessary precautions.

*Wash your hands often. The best way to go would be to use good old fashioned soap and water. If you are on the go a lot and you do not have access to water and soap all the time, carry a bottle of hand sanitizer with you AND use it often.

*Avoid or minimize contact with sick people. Whether they have swine flu or not, you do not want to take the risk. Coming down with some other bug is sure to weaken your immune system and you do not want that happening right now.

The good news is that experts also say that this recent outbreak of swine flu is not as bad as it could be, and is in fact quite mild. AJC has this report:

Most cases of swine flu occurring in the United States appear to be mild, health officials said.

In fact, “estimates of the confirmed and probable cases in the United States is probably not the best indicator of transmission at this point,” the CDC’s Jernigan said. “The outbreak is not localized, but is spreading and appears to be expanding throughout the United States. This is an ongoing public health threat.”

Jernigan said there also seems to be more cases of flu generally in the United States — both the seasonal and the new H1N1 swine flu — than is usually seen at this time of the year. “There are 22 U.S. states that are reporting widespread or regional influenza activity, which is something that we would not expect at this time,” he said.

Mild or not, it is best to always be on the alert and to stay as healthy as possible.