Arthritis- Risk Factors

Arthritis is inflammation of a joint; arthritis is a condition that affects the joints, the tissues surrounding the joints and connective tissues.

Certain forms of arthritis can involve the immune system and internal organs.

There are several forms of the condition, the most common are:

    Osteoarthritis
    Rheumatoid arthritis
    Gout
    Fibromyalgia
    Childhood arthritis

Other less common forms are systemic lupus erythematous and ankylosing spondylitis.

Arthritis can be inflammatory as in rheumatoid arthritis, or non-inflammatory as in osteoarthritis.

The symptoms of arthritis are pain and stiffness around a joint; they can develop gradually or suddenly. The condition can worsen with age.

Risk Factors
There is a genetic disposition to developing arthritis, some genes are associated with a higher risk for it.  Osteoarthritis of the knee is associated with occupations that involve repeated bending and squatting.

Other risk factors are:
    Age -The risk increases with age.
    Female gender
    Overweight/Obesity
    Joint injuries
    Infection

Click Here for the Treatment of Arthritis

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Obesity A Greater Risk For Fatty Liver

There is another reason for obese people to be concerned about their health and healthcare. This time they were compared to those who drink alcohol.

A study that found moderate alcohol consumption didn't have much effect on fatty liver, researchers found obesity to be a greater risk.

The study involved 44 people, they were instructed to drink every day for three months either:

1.  No alcohol
2.  One glass of red wine for women
3.  Two glasses of red wine for men

The fatty contents of the participants livers were measured at the start and at the end of three months.

Researchers found the fat in the liver was linked to obesity or insulin resistance, but not to red wine.  None of the wine drinkers developed fatty liver.
Click here to read about the report.

With self-care at home overweight and obese people can lose weight and keep it off.  This FREE health insurance plan has a weight loss plan that prepares individual to do just that.
Click here to read about this plan.

Breast Self-Examination

It is easier to treat breast cancer if it is found early enough and chances of survival are increased.

Regular breast examination from your doctor and mammograms are effective in detecting the disease and can save lives.

Although it is controversial, some experts recommend self-examination once a month to look for changes and lumps.

Self-examination is not a substitute for medical screenings and there are limitations with it; however, it can keep you in tune with your health and can contribute to early detection.

The Examination
The best time to examine the breast is 3-5 days after a period.

Firstly- Lie on your back.
Placing your right hand behind your head, with the middle fingers of your left hand examine the entire right breast.

With fingertips together press down using small circular motions. Feel for any lumps or thickness. Make sure you cover the entire breast.

Next-While sitting or standing examine the arm pit. Check for any discharge by gently squeezing the nipple.

Repeat the above process for the left breast, by placing the left hand behind your head and using the middle fingers of your right hand.

Next- Stand in front of the mirror with your arms by your side. Look directly at the breasts ( In the mirror) for changes in texture.

Check for any abnormal texture, shape or contour such as:

•     Orange peel skin
•     Puckering
•     Indentations
•     Nipple turning inward
•     Dimpling

Repeat this process with arms raised above your head.

Discuss any changes or concerns with your doctor right away.

Further you can participate in reducing health risk factors that cause non-communicable diseases such as cancer.

There is consumer health education program  that prepares people to develop healthy lifestyles that would protect them from diseases. Whether you have regular breast examinations or not, the tutorials will enable you to protect yourselves from breast and other cancers.

Click here to learn about it.

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A Tutorial On Healthy Eating

Good nutrition is important for a healthy lifestyle, to prevent diseases, to protect health, to promote speedier recovery from illnesses and to boost our immune system.

This tutorial will provide consumers with the basic knowledge required for healthy eating; It will enable them to make changes and modify their diet for a healthier eating pattern.
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Good eating habits need not be expensive, nor healthy meals difficult to prepare.

Quite often; however, nutritious meals are associated with a large grocery bill and lots of time to prepare. This makes eating healthy a challenge to those on a budget or without time.

Healthy eating is not about having plenty to eat either, but about eating the right amount of the right foods.

Healthy eating is not about having a lot of meat in your diet.

 The four food groups for the purpose of healthy eating, in order of importance are:

1. Vegetables & Fruits
2. Grain Products
3. Milk & Milk Alternatives
4. Meat & Meat Alternatives

* Meat is not as important as 'Vegetables & Fruit'  or 'Grain products.' We need  more vegetables and fruit in our diet than the other three food groups.

 We use Canada Food Guide to teach healthy eating.

 *Salt, sugar and saturated fats are to be limited, they are your enemies when consumed over the limit.

 Avoid trans fat in your diet, it is a risk for non-communicable diseases, it is the bad type of fat.

 *Include fish in your diet- Two servings per week is recommended. Red meat can be replaced by legumes, beans, lentils and nuts for the food group Meat & Meat Alternatives. They are healthier choices and cheaper.


Watch this Video:
-Making Healthy Food Choices

- Article on Eating For Health& Vitality

-Study:
 The Healthy Eating Guide.

-Join this program to develop healthy eating habits.

Heart Disease- Know These Numbers

Heart disease is still the  number 1 killer globally, it is a major non-communicable disease and has experts worried because of the number of deaths worldwide.

Heart disease is preventable, but with knowledge of certain facts and numbers.  Heart disease can be prevented by developing healthy habits, the choices we make about what we eat and drink and our level of activity.

Our blood pressure and cholesterol levels are good indicators of our risk for heart disease and heart attacks.

According to report on heart disease cholesterol and blood pressure are not the only indicators of our heart health, there are more.  Knowing 14 important numbers can protect your health, your  heart from disease and prevent premature deaths. The numbers include sugar, alcohol and salt intake, the ones for healthy eating, but there are others such as:

1. Waist circumference
2. Body mass index
3. Resting heart rate
4. Hours of sleep
5. Exercise
6. Sex

The article is in slide format, there are 15 slides. To read about the 14 numbers in more detail and view each slide individually.
Click Here to start.


This FREE Online consumer health education program prepares people to develop healthy eating habits and to reduce risk factors that cause heart disease. Those who participate in this  Health Program can be their first health insurance.