Depression is a mood disorder that affects millions of people across the United States. It is more than a bout of the blues, it is a disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest in once enjoyable activities. Depression affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves, which can lead to a number of physical and emotional problems. Depression requires treatment, such as medication and psychotherapy. If you or a close relative is showing signs of depression such as lack of sleep, a decrease in their appetite, and a change in their normal behavior, it is important to contact a professional right away. While the exact causes of depression are unknown, there are certain risk factors that may be involved, including the following: 1. Death or loss The death or loss of a family member or close friend can easily cause someone to slip into depression. The overwhelming feeling of sadness and worthlessness can start to take over the body and mind rather quickly. By seeking out help for clinical depression, you can avoid suffering longer than necessary. 2. Abuse Domestic violence is one of the leading causes of depression and the number of victims continues to increase daily.

While sweating is fairly common during hot, muggy days or during strenuous workouts, hyperhidrosis is a condition that causes chronic, abnormal and excessively heavy sweating. Patients with hyperhydrosis often perspire so much that the sweat literally saturates their clothing, often resulting in self-consciousness and social stress. While sweating is the nervous system’s natural way to cool off when you’re hot or anxious, patients who suffer with primary focal hyperhidrosis have overactive sweat glands, which means they sweat regardless of temperature, mood, or activity. However, when patients with hyperhydrosis feel stressed, sweating often becomes even more profuse. Hyperhidrosis symptoms and signs include: Frequent sweating that soaks and stains clothing Frequent changing of clothing or using sweat pads Chronically clammy palms or feet Sweating that causes social withdrawal, self-consciousness, and/or depression Fear of human contact Stress concerning body odor Frequent fungal or bacterial infections of the skin Heavy sweating with lightheadedness and/or nausea Medical researchers link the cause of primary focal hyperhidrosis to genetics or family history. Secondary hyperhidrosis, on the other hand, is excessive perspiration linked to an underlying medical condition, such as hyperthyroidism, perimenopause, diabetic hypoglycemia, anxiety disorder, heart disease, and bacterial infections (i.e., HIV, abscess, endocarditis, etc.). Taking certain doctor-prescribe medications can also cause excessive sweating (i.e., selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, opioids, etc.).

Overactive bladder (OAB) causes the muscles in your bladder to contract involuntarily resulting in the constant urge to urinate. Symptoms of overactive bladder OAB are frequent and cause sudden urges to urinate, unintended urine loss (or accidents), and the need to wake several times throughout the night to urinate. While there is no cure for OAB, there are treatments and lifestyle habits you can adopt to help manage OAB symptoms and reduce accidents: 1. Kegel exercises Doing Kegel exercises on a daily basis can help with OAB. This exercise will help build stronger pelvic muscles helping improve control of the bladder. Remember to pee before attempting Kegels. To perform a kegel simply squeeze, hold, release, and relax your pelvic muscles. Repeat for at least 10 repetitions 2 to 3 times a day. You’ll notice the difference in no time. 2. Minimize caffeine intake The one big thing about OAB is the fact that urination can come sudden and frequent. Well so does the intake of caffeine. Not to the same extent but when your suffering from OAB Increasing those urges isn’t something you want. Caffeine worsens your symptoms point blank and period so stay away from it. However, Decaf is not as bad if you can’t simply cut out caffeine cold turkey.

Ulcerative colitis is a disease that can be treated but has no cure. This disease, which occurs in the bowel, makes the digestive region of the body become inflamed. Ulcerative colitis lies in the deep linings of the colon, also known as the large intestine. A patient with ulcerative colitis is at high risk of developing colon cancer. Less than 200 thousand American cases of ulcerative colitis occur each year, here are some common symptoms: 1. Diarrhea and constipation Symptoms of ulcerative colitis vary from individual to individual. However, since this disease impacts the rectum and large intestines, bowel difficulties such as diarrhea and bloody stools are major symptoms. The harshness of diarrhea and bloody stools relies on the level of inflammation and ulceration in the large intestine. The various forms of stools which occur with the disease are diarrhea, bright red or bloody pink stools, or dark tarry stools. The need for bowel movements may be urgent sometimes, while other times, the patient may have constipation. The constipation symptom is less common and occurs when the inflammation problem is only in the rectum. Halting inflammation is crucial to regulating bloody stools, and Physicians can prescribe antibiotics, corticosteroids, or immunosuppressive drugs.

High cholesterol (also known as hypercholesterolemia) is a condition that can limit blood flow increasing the risk of a heart attack or stroke. This condition is detected through a blood test. Although this condition is asymptomatic, it is common for people to experience heart attacks, peripheral artery disease, stroke, and aortic aneurysm due to high cholesterol. If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with high cholesterol, here is a list of foods to avoid and why: 1. Fatty meats Fatty cuts of meat (i.e., Beef, Lamb and Pork): These meats have high amounts of saturated fat which can make cholesterol levels worse. If you or a loved one is diagnosed with high cholesterol like eating beef, lamb, or pork, it’s OK. These types of meat should be avoided most of the time but can be eaten sometimes or once in a while. 2. Whole or reduced fat dairy products Dairy products are known to have health benefits because they’re high in vitamin D, potassium, and calcium which help strengthen bones. However, consuming these products while having high cholesterol can result in unwanted health effects. Consuming whole or reduced fat dairy products continuously can increase LDL cholesterol levels which can be harmful.

Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is a degenerative disorder which impacts the central nervous system. Multiple sclerosis symptoms escalate as an individual’s immune system gradually attacks the protective layer which normally shields nerve tissue. Early signs and symptoms often vary tremendously depending on which part of a person’s nervous system is impacted by MS. The treatments for MS commonly prescribed by doctors may include relapsing-remitting medications such as Ocrevus, Enspryng, Mayzent, Gilenya, and Zeposia; as well as changes to diet and lifestyle to help reduce symptoms. However, there are a few symptoms which are common enough to be seen as an early sign of MS: 1. Vision problems Vision problems are one of the most easily recognizable signs of multiple sclerosis. Problems with vision typically arise due to the fact that it’s so reliant on the central nervous system. The exact nature of the problem will vary on a case by case basis. In early stages one will typically experience slightly blurred vision. This is the point where one should seek out medical attention. If left untreated this condition can escalate into full blindness. 2. Tingling and numbness Many symptoms of multiple sclerosis MS are difficult to diagnose due to the fact that they can arise from numerous different sources.

There is nothing worse than having to endure a severe migraine, which can cause a throbbing sensation and even nausea. Migraines vary in intensity, which can be triggered by certain foods, stress, sounds, lights, and even specific smells. Below is a list of the five most common odors that trigger migraines: 1. Cigarette smoke According to experts, there is a direct link between cigarette smoke and migraines, which also greatly increases the risk of cancer and heart disease. Smoking is considered a precipitating factor in migraine attacks. According to studies, nearly 30% of migraine sufferers are smokers, which may be caused by nicotine, the active ingredient in cigarettes. Nicotine constricts the blood vessels, which can cause altered brain activity and trigger migraines. The odor of cigarettes alone can trigger migraine symptoms, which is why many patients who suffer from migraines have difficulty tolerating second-hand smoke. Cranial autonomic symptoms(CAS), which are subconscious symptoms such as sweating, nasal congestion, runny nose, and the dilation of blood vessels. Smoking can often worsen symptoms of CAS, which affects 70% of migraine sufferers. 2. Food odors Surprisingly, certain food odors can also trigger migraine symptoms, which can be contributed to the chemicals in specific foods and drinks.

Eczema is one of the more common and difficult to manage skin conditions. It’s defined by symptoms that range in severity from light itchiness all the way to rashes, scales, and blisters sensitive enough to burst or tear. One of the most problematic issues associated with the condition is the fact that a variety of materials can trigger these symptoms. Soaps and body care products in particular are often a huge trigger for eczema patients. Avoiding the following soaps can help to reduce eczema symptoms and flare ups: 1. Soaps with strong or harsh fragrances Companies create fragrances by adding a number of different complex compounds. These are essentially chemical agents unrelated to cleanliness. Even natural fragrances can pose some serious risks as a eczema trigger, and many eczema and atopic dermatitis patients report a trend with natural substances causing big problems for skin health. If you suffer from either condition it may be best to look for soaps with no added fragrances. 2. Antibacterial soaps Antibacterial agents are used to kill germs instead of washing them off our body. This is generally a problematic approach since it leads to antibiotic resistant bacteria. While antibacterial agents only act as an eczema trigger for some patients, these ingredients are often harsh on the skin because they are meant to kill bacteria, however, they often end up also eradicating beneficial microorganisms, which keep our skin healthy.

With anemia, patients lack healthy red blood cells to carry enough oxygen to tissues, leading to possible symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, and an irregular heartbeat. There are different causes and types of anemia with common types including iron deficiency anemia, vitamin deficiency anemia, aplastic anemia and sickle cell disease. There are dietary changes that can alleviate symptoms, especially depending on the cause of anemia. Side effects of sickel cell disease, for instance, can be malnutrition. With all types of anemia there are foods to avoid so as to not further irritate anemic symptoms: 1. Foods that contain phytates or phytic acid Phytic acid is known to block your body’s ability to absorb some minerals. It bids to them, and this process creates phytates that we lack the enzymes to break down. This only occurs in large consumption, but if you have anemia, too many phytates can bind to what little iron you have, preventing your body from accessing it. Phytic acid is found in plant-based food that’s unprocessed and raw such as unprocessed grains, beans, seeds like sesame and sunflower, and nuts. 2. Tea and coffee Green and black teas as well as caffeinated coffee can have a negative impact if you suffer from anemia.

As cold and flu season approaches, everyone is on high alert to ward off these illnesses. Cold and flu symptoms are annoying, and everyone would rather avoid struggling with them. Common symptoms include fever, runny nose, body aches, fatigue, headache, sneezing, and coughing. Certain foods and drinks can alleviate these symptoms and help you recover faster. Here are a few foods and drinks that can be helpful when dealing with a cold or flu: 1. Lemons Lemon juice has been praised as a health booster and miracle detox drink. While these claims may be exaggerated, lemon juice certainly is beneficial! Lemons are loaded with vitamin C, which helps boost your immune system. Additionally, people have claimed that lemon juice can thin out mucus caused by a cold or flu and help you expel it from your body more quickly. 2. Chicken broth While this may seem like an old wives’ tale, chicken broth actually has many benefits that will ease symptoms of a cold or flu. It contains a protein called cysteine that breaks down into hydrogen sulfide in the body. This compound is known to thin mucus secretions, so they flow easily through congested nasal passages. In addition, chicken soup also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.