The Implication of Home Lighting to Your Health

Home lighting matters a lot to your family health. It could greatly affect the psychological and physical health of your family. Inappropriate lighting whether due to inadequate or too much of lights may cause stress to your eyes that  could lead to headache, migraine, and other physical impact. Inappropriate lighting greatly affects mood too.

For you to have a variety of lights to choose from at an affordable prices, why not try discount lighting? Let your house be called home by having good ambiance and with household members full of life. Have an adequate and appropriate home lighting because good lighting matters a lot to your family health.

Watch Out For Bottled Water With Xenohormones

Watch out for bottled water with xenohormones! Have you heard the news about estrogenic chemicals that are found in bottled water? Did you know that these man made hormones called xenohormones found in the glass and plastic bottles of mineral water has hormone like effect to the humans? Study in Germany showed that those xenohormones acts like functional estrogen.

If it acts as functional estrogen, it could interfere our hormonal balance. Too much of estrogen in the body especially if not from healthy source like xenohormones could result to hormonal imbalance that may lead to health problems. Either you are male or female, you have estrogen hormone. Body produces estrogen, some of the food we eat like soybean has phytoestrogen which functions like our own estrogen when consumed. These are the healthy sources of estrogen.

In females, too much estrogen results to hormonal imbalance that produces physical and psychological effects, some of it are depression, migraine, bleeding, endometriosis, infertility and cancer. In males, it could lead to breast enlargement, erectile problems, depression and heart attack.

I hope problem like this, estrogenic chemicals present in bottled water, will be eliminated as soon as possible for good health reasons.

Water As An Alternative Medicine

water as an alternative medicine

Water as an alternative medicine is not new to us. It has been practiced by old folks before the time synthetic medicines have been discovered.

I have posted some articles here about water:

Water, how important is it to you?

Water, The Lubricant of Your Functionality

Understanding Our Thirst

Water for Skin Rejuvenation and Beauty

A Daily Water Intake Reminder

Why am I doing this? Because I believe that being properly hydrated is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to stay healthy.

Did you know that water can even cure some health problems? People called it water therapy. As far as I know, there is no scientific evidence about it yet but, I firmly believe that water can help cure certain health problems because our body consists of more than 60 percent of water. And, water therapy is not new to me because since I was a kid, my family’s usual practice  is  to do water therapy first instead of instantly taking in some synthetic drugs as treatment for constipation, hyperacidity, cough, colds, headache and some kidney problems. Usually, those problems can be cured by adding few extra glasses of water from your usual daily intake.

Lately, I learned from a friend that aside from the common health problems I have mentioned earlier, water therapy lowers blood sugar level, blood pressure, and uric acid level. It helps a lot too in people suffering from acne problem; migraine; allergies; sinusitis; arthritis; rheumatism; some respiratory problems; obesity; anemia; leukemia; and certain CANCERS (please ask your physician if it is okay for you to drink plenty of water). Is it not amazing?

Lots of people have tried and found it helpful. Are you interested to give it a try? Here are the 3 simple steps:
1. As preparation, see to it that you have not taken any alcoholic drinks before retiring to bed.
2. Early in the morning, upon waking up, gargle to clean your mouth from accumulated bacteria while you were sleeping then, drink 1.5 liters of water. If you are not used to drink such plenty of water in one setting, just start with 2-3 glasses of water then gradually increase it until you are able to drink 1.5 liters upon waking up.
3. You may proceed to your usual schedule afterwards but NOTHING BY MOUTH (no food or drinks should be taken) should be implemented for 1-2 hours after drinking the 1.5 liters of water.

Note: It is not necessary that you should do it upon waking up, what is important here is you start and end up your water therapy session with an EMPTY stomach. You may start this therapy at least 2 hours after taking your breakfast or lunch.

Please remember that the 1.5 liters of water you will consume is for therapy or cleansing purposes and not part of your daily water intake which is 8 glasses a day. You may train your child as young as 3 years old to drink 2-3 glasses of water upon waking up and take 6 glasses of water everyday.

Vertigo And Its Causes

vertigo

Have you experience the feeling that you or your environment is moving or spinning? No, not lightheadedness but spinning or whirling sensation, an illusion of movement, that feeling is called vertigo. The term vertigo refers to the sensation of spinning or whirling that occurs as a result of a disturbance in balance (equilibrium). Some patients describe it as a feeling of being pulled toward the floor or toward one side of the room. When you feel as if you yourself are moving, it’s called subjective vertigo, and the perception that your surroundings are moving is called objective vertigo.

Vertigo comes from the Latin word vertigin-, vertigo, “dizziness,” originally “a whirling or spinning movement,” from vertere “to turn” is a specific type of dizziness, a major symptom of a balance disorder. Vertigo is a symptom, not a disease. The duration of this symptom may last from minutes to hours, and symptoms can be constant or episodic. Moving your head, changing position, and turning while lying down often worsen vertigo.

Vertigo is one of the most common health problems in adults. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), about 40% of people in the United States experience feeling dizzy at least once during their lifetime. Prevalence is slightly higher in women and increases with age.

Experiencing signs and symptoms of vertigo needs an evaluation by a doctor. Majority of vertigo cases are harmless. Most of its causes are easily treated with prescription medication. Have a doctor check any new signs and symptoms of vertigo to rule out possibly serious or life-threatening causes.

One source of vertigo is through exposure to high levels of sound pressure. It cause rattling in your inner ear thus causing a loss of balance.

Head trauma and neck injury may also result in vertigo, which usually goes away on its own.

Vertigo can also occur after long flights or boat journeys where the mind gets used to turbulence, resulting in a person’s feeling as if he is moving up and down. This usually subsides after a few days.

Consumption of alcohol, even in small amount, can cause temporary vertigo in some people.

Vertigo is usually associated with a problem in the vestibular system (structures of the inner ear, the vestibular nerve, brainstem, and cerebellum). The vestibular system is responsible for integrating sensory stimuli and movement and for keeping objects in visual focus as the body moves.

Vertigo is typically classified into one of two categories depending on the location of the damaged vestibular pathway. These are peripheral or central vertigo. Each category has a distinct set of characteristics and associated findings.

The sudden onset of vertigo usually indicates a peripheral vestibular disorder with a delay between the onset of nystagmus(circular movement of the eyes) usually indicates a peripheral vestibular disorder. Peripheral vestibular disorders also may cause the following symptoms:

vertigo

• Blurred vision
• Fatigue and reduced stamina
• Headache
• Heart palpitations (rapid fluttering of the heart)
• Imbalance
• Inability to concentrate
• Increased risk for motion sickness
• Muscle ache (especially of the neck and back)
• Nausea and vomiting
• Reduced cognitive function (i.e., thinking and memory)
• Sensitivity to bright lights and noise
• Sweating

Peripheral vestibular disorders includes the following:

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common form of vertigo and is characterized by the sensation of motion initiated by sudden head movements or moving the head in a certain direction. It is the most common peripheral disorder that may be accompanied by hearing loss, reduced cognitive function, and facial muscle weakness. It usually affects one of the sensing tubes in the inner ear called the posterior semicircular canal. BPPV occurs when debris made up of calcium carbonate and protein (called otoliths or ear crystals) builds up in and moves around in the posterior semicircular canal. BPPV also can affect the anterior canal or the horizontal canal. When the head is moved in certain ways, the calcium crystals move around and trigger inner ear sensors, causing a brief sensation of spinning. Inner ear degeneration (usually occurs in elderly patients), head trauma, and inner ear infection (e.g., otitis media, labyrinthitis) can cause BPPV.

Vestibular neuritis is an inflammation of vestibular nerve cells that may be caused by viral infection.

Vertigo can also be caused by inflammation of the inner ear(labyrinthitis). It may be due to the common cold, influenza, or a bacterial infections. Labyrinthitis is characterized by the sudden onset of vertigo and may be associated with hearing loss.

Meniere’s disease also causes vertigo. Meniere’s disease is composed of a triad of symptoms: episodes of vertigo, ringing in the ears, and hearing loss. In this case, people have the abrupt onset of severe vertigo, fluctuating hearing loss, as well as periods in which they are symptom-free. There is fluctuating pressure of inner ear fluid (endolymph) thus, resulting to severe vertigo, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), and progressive hearing loss.

Cogan’s syndrome, an inflammation of connective tissue in the cornea is also results in vertigo, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), and loss of hearing.

Ototoxicity(i.e., ear poisoning) is caused by some medications and environmental chemical which may result in damage to the inner ear or the 8th cranial nerve (acoustic nerve) and cause vertigo. The damage can be permanent or temporary.

Medications that may cause temporary ototoxicity include the following:

Anticonvulsants (e.g., phenytoin, carbamazepine)

Antidepressants (e.g., clomipramine, amoxapine)

Antihypertensives (e.g., labetalol, enalapril)

Loop diuretics (e.g., bumetanide, furosemide)

Pain relievers (e.g., aspirin)

Prescription and over-the-counter cold medicines

Quinine (e.g., chloroquine, quinidine)

Long-term use or high doses of certain antibiotics (e.g., aminoglycosides [streptomycin, gentamicin]) and antineoplastics (e.g., cisplatin, carboplatin) can cause permanent ototoxicity.

Vertigo caused by a central vestibular disorder usually develops gradually. Lack of a delay between the onset of nystagmus(circular movement of the eyes) may indicate a central vestibular disorder.

vertigo

In addition to vertigo, central vestibular disorders may cause the following symptoms:

• Headache (may be severe)

• Double vision (diplopia)

• Impaired consciousness

• Inability to speak due to muscle impairment (dysarthria)

• Lack of coordination

• Nausea and vomiting

• Weakness

Central vestibular disorders includes the following:

Central nervous system (CNS) disorders (e.g., stroke [brain attack], brain hemorrhage). Vertigo can be caused by decreased blood flow to the base of the brain. Bleeding into the back of the brain (cerebellar hemorrhage) is characterized by vertigo, headache, difficulty walking, and inability to look toward the side of the bleed. The result is that the person’s eyes gaze away from the side with the problem. In this case, walking is also extremely impaired.

Head trauma

Migraine (30–50% of patients experience vertigo). In this case, vertigo is usually followed by a headache. There is often a prior history of similar episodes but no lasting problems.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) may occur when demyelination affects the brainstem or cerebellum. The onset of vertigo is usually abrupt, and examination of the eyes may reveal the inability of the eyes to move past the midline toward the nose.

Cardiovascular disorders like bradycardia (slowed heart rate) and tachycardia (rapid heart rate)

Orthostatic hypotension is a sharp decrease in blood pressure upon rising from a lying or sitting position to a standing position; caused by diabetes, dehydration, and anemia.

Systemic diseases like kidney disease and thyroid disorders

Tumors that affect the central vestibular system (e.g., acoustic neuroma). Acoustic neuroma is a type of tumor that can cause vertigo. Symptoms include vertigo with one-sided ringing in the ear and hearing loss.

In some cases, the cause of vertigo is unknown.

Vertigo-like symptoms may also appear as paraneoplastic syndrome (PNS) in the form of opsoclonus myoclonus syndrome, a multi-faceted neurological disorder associated with many forms of incipient cancer lesions or viruses.