Common Causes of Dizziness

When you feel dizzy or light-headed, it’s because your brain isn’t getting enough blood. Most of the time, dizziness goes away quickly on its own or is easily treated. Here are the most common causes of light-headedness:

• Dehydration (your body does not have enough water) because of vomiting, diarrhea, or fever 
• Blood pressure drop, particularly from standing up quickly 
• Low blood sugar, especially among people with diabetes 
• Certain medications 

A light-headed feeling after sitting up or standing up can be alarming. This is particularly common among older people and can cause you to lose your balance and fall. There are a few strategies to avoid that dizzy feeling and stay safe when standing:

• Do not change your position suddenly. 
• When rising in the morning, for example, first change from a lying position to a seated position. Then, sit for a few extra seconds on the bed before standing up. 
• When you stand, make sure you have something to lean on, such as the arm of a chair or handrail. 
• Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration, especially if you have cold or flu symptoms. 

Vertigo and Dizziness 

Vertigo is the feeling that either you or the world around you is spinning or moving. Vertigo may start when you turn your head, called benign positional vertigo.

Both vertigo and dizziness may be caused by a viral inner ear infection (labyrinthitis). Antihistamines and medicines that help with nausea and dizziness may help with symptoms. Labyrinthitis usually goes away within a few weeks.

Some cases of light-headedness and vertigo are more serious. Call your doctor if you feel dizzy for the first time, have new or worse symptoms than before, have trouble hearing, or feel dizzy after taking medication.

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Simple Teaching: What Is Iron-Deficiency Anemia?

Iron-deficiency anemia is a common, easily treated condition that occurs if you don't have enough iron in your body. Low iron levels usually are due to blood loss, poor diet, or an inability to absorb enough iron from food.

Overview

Iron-deficiency anemia is a common type of anemia. The term "anemia" usually refers to a condition in which your blood has a lower than normal number of red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen and remove carbon dioxide (a waste product) from your body.

Anemia also can occur if your red blood cells don't contain enough hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is an iron-rich protein that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.

Iron-deficiency anemia usually develops over time if your body doesn't have enough iron to build healthy red blood cells. Without enough iron, your body starts using the iron it has stored. Soon, the stored iron gets used up. After the stored iron is gone, your body makes fewer red blood cells. The red blood cells it does make have less hemoglobin than normal.

Iron-deficiency anemia can cause fatigue (tiredness), shortness of breath, chest pain, and other symptoms. Severe iron-deficiency anemia can lead to heart problems, infections, problems with growth and development in children, and other complications.

Infants and young children and women are the two groups at highest risk for iron-deficiency anemia.

Outlook

Doctors usually can successfully treat iron-deficiency anemia. Treatment will depend on the cause and severity of the condition. Treatments may include dietary changes, medicines, and surgery.

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Infographic: 10 Reasons You Might Have High Blood Pressure

Check out the infographic below to find out some key factors at play in your blood pressure:

1. Age – for those younger than 45, high blood pressure affects more men than women. For those above 65, it affects women at a higher rate.
2. Family History – high blood pressure tends to run in families.
3. Smoking – smoking temporarily raises your blood pressure, but it also has a cumulative effect that damages your artery walls and causes them to narrow. (Secondhand smoke can also have this effect).
4. Stress – although temporary, stress can cause jumps in your blood pressure. (Just don’t rely on tobacco or cigarettes to relax).
5. Being Overweight – the heart is forced to pump more blood through the system, which increases the pressure on your arteries
6. Excess sodium – a high-sodium diet causes the body to retain fluid, which increases blood pressure.
7. Too much alcohol – drinking too much can damage your heart. Make sure to only drink in moderation (up to 1 drink/day for women and up to 2/day for men).
8. Lack of physical activity – a sedentary lifestyle usually leads to an increased heart rate and higher blood pressure.
9. Medication – some medicines can change fluid and salt absorption in the body, which may cause your blood vessels to constrict – leading to high blood pressure.
10. Medical Conditions – some medical conditions such as chronic kidney disease or sleep apnea can increase blood pressure.

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Colon Cancer Screening

Getting regular checkups and colon cancer screening is the best way to prevent colorectal cancer. Finding and removing colon polyps helps prevent colon cancer. In addition, colon cancer screening helps find cancer early, making a cure more likely.

Colon Cancer Screening for People at High Risk

• People with the following risks should begin colon screening before age 50. 
• History of inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis) 
• Close relatives who have had colorectal disease or polyps before age 60 
• Family history of familial adenomatous polyposis or hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer 

Specific recommendations for high-risk people are as follows:

People with history of multiple or large polyps 

• Colonoscopy at the time of initial polyp diagnosis 
• If 1-2 small adenonatous polyps with low grade abnormality, repeat in 5 years. 
• If 3-10 adenomatous polyps or 1 adenomoatous polyp greater than 1 centimeter, repeat colonoscopy within three years after polyp removal 
• With certain types of polyps or with high grade abnormality, repeat colonoscopy within three years 
• If normal, repeat again in five years 
• If more than 10 adenomatous polyps, repeat in less than 3 years 
• If polyps are permanently attached and not on a stem and are removed in portions, repeat colonoscopy in 2-6 months to verify complete polyp removal 

Large colon polyp seen under colonoscopy

People who have had surgery for colorectal cancer 

Colonoscopy within one year after surgery; if normal, repeat in three years; if still normal, repeat in five years. 

People with a family history 

• Colonoscopy at age 40 or 10 years before the age that the immediate family member was diagnosed with cancer, whichever is earlier; if normal, repeat every five years. 

Family history can be repeating

People with a family history of familial adenomatous polyposis 

• At age 10 to 12, annual flexible sigmoidoscopy. 
• If positive genetic test, colon removal should be considered because of very high risk of colorectal cancer. 
• People with a family history of hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer 
• Colonoscopy every one to two years, starting at age 20 to 25 or 10 years before age that immediate family member had cancer, whichever is earlier 
• Genetic testing offered to first-degree family members 

It is advisable to do a colonoscopy every 5 years after you reach 50's 

People with inflammatory bowel disease

• Colonoscopy every one to two years, starting eight years after the start of pancolitis (involvement or the entire colon) or 12-15 years after the start of left-sided colitis

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Fecal Occult Blood Test

When doctors test for fecal occult blood they are testing for the presence of microscopic or invisible blood in the stool, or feces. Fecal occult blood can be a sign of a problem in your digestive system, such as a growth, or polyp, or cancer in the colon or rectum. If microscopic blood is detected, it is important for your doctor to determine the source of bleeding to properly diagnose and treat the problem.

What Causes Blood to Appear in Stool?

Blood may appear in the stool because of one or more of the following conditions: 

• Benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous) growths or polyps of the colon 
• Hemorrhoids (swollen blood vessels near the anus and lower rectum that can rupture causing bleeding) 
• Anal fissures (splits or cracks in the lining of the anal opening) 
• Intestinal infections that cause inflammation 
• Ulcers 
• Ulcerative colitis 
• Crohn's disease 
• Diverticular disease, caused by outpouchings of the colon wall 
• Abnormalities of the blood vessels in the large intestine 
• Meckel’s diverticulum, usually seen in children and young adults 

Gastrointestinal bleeding may be microscopic (occult blood), or may be easily seen as red blood, or black tar-like bowel movements, called melena.

Food Restriction Before The Test

Because certain foods can alter the test results, a special diet is often recommended for 48 to 72 hours before the test.

The following foods should not be eaten 48 to 72 hours before taking the test: 

• Beets 
• Broccoli 
• Cantaloupe 
• Carrots 
• Cauliflower 
• Cucumbers 
• Grapefruit 
• Horseradish 
• Mushrooms 
• Radishes 
• Red meat (especially meat that is cooked rare) 
• Turnips 
• Vitamin C-enriched foods or beverages 

Why Do We Need To Do The Test

To allow for the early detection and prevention of colorectal cancer, the fecal occult blood test is recommended yearly for everyone starting at age 50. This annual test may be recommended along with a flexible sigmoidoscopy and barium enema every five years to check for colorectal polyps or cancer. An alternative is a colonoscopy every 5-10 years.

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Simple Teaching: Uric Acid

What is Uric Acid?

Before you start taking actions to lower uric acid levels naturally, it's important to understand what uric acid is, where it comes from, why high levels can lead to gout, and why you need to reduce high uric acid levels in the blood.

So, first things first: What is uric acid?

• Uric acid is a by-product of the chemical breakdown of compounds called purines that exist in our bodies' cells and in our food. Purines are very important to us because they provide energy and protein, among other important components. During those processes, uric acid is produced in the bloodstream.
• Uric acid is good for us because it acts as an antioxidant and helps look after the internal linings of our blood vessels. It's our kidneys' job to process the uric acid produced and excrete waste out of our bodies through our urine, or also a little through our stools.

Foods that contain high levels of purine

What Causes High Uric Acid in Blood?

While the kidneys usually maintain uric acid at healthy levels, there are times when they are unable to do this. In turn, what results is that excess uric acid is retained in, and circulates in, the blood.

Two of the main causes for high uric acid levels in blood are:

• The kidneys aren't working to their full potential. They are unable to process and expel sufficient uric acid quickly enough, or
• There is too much uric acid being produced by the metabolizing purines for healthy kidneys to process.

Reduced Kidney Function

Whatever is the case, the result is high uric acid in the blood.

What is the Result of High Uric Acid Levels in the Body?

• Hyperuricemia: High uric acid levels in the blood is a condition known as hyperuricemia. Over time, this can lead to the production of uric acid crystals. Technically speaking, these are crystals of monosodium urate, which can settle in the joints, tendons and surrounding tissue.

• The body reacts defensively. The crystals are needle-like in shape and are looked upon as foreign objects by the body's natural defenses. In turn, the body's natural anti-inflammatory processes working against these crystals are what actually cause gout symptoms such as redness, swelling, heat, inflammation, stiffness, and very great pain.

Uric acid crystals observed under microscope

These are the symptoms of a gout attack. In other words, high uric acid can lead to gout, which is why it's important to decrease uric acid levels in the body.

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Oils and Heart Health

Does heart-healthy eating mean no oils, ever? You might be surprised to learn the answer. Oils contain fats, and your body needs fat for energy and to support the growth of cells. Not all fats are created equal, though, and they affect your body in different ways. It’s important to understand which oils have “good” fats and which have “bad” fats so you can make healthy choices in your diet.

The “Good” Fats in Oil

When eaten in moderation as part of an overall healthy diet, some fats can help lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. These “good” fats are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that are liquid, plant-based oils, including: 

• Canola oil 
• Flax Seed oil
• Olive oil 
• Safflower oil 
• Sesame oil 
• Sunflower seed oil

Avocados, peanut butter, and some nuts and seeds also have “good” fats.

The “Bad” Fats in Oil

Some oils can raise your cholesterol level, which can raise your risk for heart disease. These “bad” fats are saturated and trans fats, and can be found in foods like: 

• Fatty cuts of meat, poultry skin, and butter 
• Whole or 2% milk, cream, and cheese 
• Coconut, palm kernel, and palm oils 
• Sweets and desserts 
• Processed and packaged foods 

"Bad" Fats always are tempting

Making Healthy Choices

A heart-healthy diet includes plenty of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, fish, and lean proteins. When choosing your oils, be sure to stick with the “good” fats in moderation, and to limit the “bad” fats as much as you can.

Your choice to eat healthy

It’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor about what is best for you based on your family history and risk factors. Your doctor might suggest talking with a registered dietitian, an expert on diet and nutrition, to help you figure out how to make healthy choices and still enjoy your favorite foods and flavors.

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