Tag: signs

The Liver…it’s the most important organ in your body! And you might wanna take care of it as much as possible. A lot of doctors give us plenty of advice because one of the most important things about maintaining a healthy liver is getting a good night’s sleep and eating healthy foods.

One of them is coffee (yes, don’t be surprised since coffee is drunk by 60% of the US population and it actually has plenty of benefits for your body), and so is green tea, garlic, berries, grapefruit, and fatty fish because it contains Omega 3 which is amazing for your heart as well.

If these foods are included in your daily diet, then you’re on the right path, but what if the liver still gives you signals that there is something wrong with it?

Read the the symptoms you might have in case your liver is in danger below:

Calcium is undoubtedly, the most essential vitamin in your body. More than 99% of the calcium in your body is stored in your bones and teeth, which supports skeletal function and structure.

The remaining calcium in your body is needed for other vital processes such as muscle contraction, blood vessel contraction and expansion, and nervous system communication.

Despite the fact that it is one of the most important minerals for your health, most individuals do not receive enough of it. According to one research, up to 68% of the American population is calcium deficient.

Adolescent girls and boys, women over 50, and men over 70 are all in danger of not getting enough calcium in their regular diet. Calcium deficiency is more common in menopausal women, vegetarians, and people who have a dairy allergy than in the general population.

12 Signs Your Body Desperately Needs It

What is Calcium Deficiency (Hypocalcemia)?

Hypocalcemia is a condition in which the blood calcium levels are abnormally low. Symptoms can range from moderate and imperceptible to major and life-threatening, depending on the severity. Acute and chronic calcium insufficiency are both possible.

The most important mineral in your body is calcium. It is necessary for the bones, heart, muscles, and neurological system to function properly. Calcium is required by every cell in your body! However, only around 1% of your calcium is present in your blood, with the rest being stored in your bones and teeth.

Keep in mind that blood calcium levels often decline owing to non-dietary factors, rather than dietary calcium insufficiency.

Calcium Blood Test

A calcium test determines the amount of calcium in your blood. The test most often measures your total serum calcium, which includes:

• Calcium linked to proteins, primarily albumin (40–45%)
• Phosphate and citrate complexed calcium (about 10%)
• Ionized calcium, typically known as free or active calcium (about 45–50%)

An ionized (free) calcium test may also be ordered by your doctor. The active form of calcium in your body is ionized calcium. It is estimated to account for 45 – 50% of total blood calcium. However, the actual percentage may vary.

Total blood calcium and albumin levels are frequently used to determine ionized calcium levels. Ionized calcium testing is significantly more exact, but it needs specialized equipment and is costly.

Signs and Symptoms of Calcium Deficiency

Your body communicates with you in some manner. It notifies you of critical and non-critical circumstances, allowing you to take preventative actions and save money on hospital bills. When calcium levels in the body are low, a deficiency disorder known as ‘hypocalcemia’ arises.

If the disease is not treated, it can become life-threatening and even fatal.
If you’ve been suffering any of the following signs and symptoms, it’s likely that your body is short on calcium and needs to be replenished as soon as possible.

1. Muscle Cramps

You’ve been fast asleep for a while when the pangs start. They assault the calf muscles of the leg and cause agonizing pain throughout the body, causing you to wake up. The rest of the night is spent stretching and massaging. This is a common technique for your body to alert you to a calcium deficiency. You may accomplish this by drinking a glass of milk and eating other calcium-rich meals.

2. Numbness and Tingling

Tingling in the extremities, particularly the hands and feet, is another common sign of hypocalcemia. Numbness can also be caused by a severe deficit. Every nerve cell in your body needs calcium. Nerve cells struggle to register feelings and deliver impulses when calcium levels fall too low.

3. Fatigue

Fatigue can be caused by hypocalcemia. Calcium is required for muscle fibers and neurons, hence its depletion in cells causes weariness, exhaustion, and weakness.

4. Abnormal Heart Rhythm

Irregular heartbeat is a common symptom of hypocalcemia, and it can be dangerous if it is severe. It typically results in a number of anomalies that may be detected by an electrocardiogram (ECG).

Given that the heart is a muscle, it’s no wonder that calcium insufficiency might cause problems. When cardiac cells do not receive enough calcium, they cease performing properly. This can disrupt the regular cardiac rhythm, produce heart muscle spasms, and restrict the arteries.

5. Seizures

Calcium is required for the release of neurotransmitters by brain cells and for muscular contraction by muscles. Hypocalcemia can cause the brain to become too excited, resulting in seizures.

6. Osteopenia & Osteoporosis

A calcium shortage condition can result in osteoporosis or brittle bones. Osteopenia is a kind of osteoporosis that is less severe. When calcium levels in the blood decline, the body must adjust by releasing more calcium from the bones. Calcium shortage can lead to significant bone fragility, frailty, and an increased risk of fractures over time.

7. Dry skin

Hypocalcemia can manifest itself in the form of dry or scaly skin. Calcium plays a lesser-known role in skin health by lowering the pH of the skin and protecting the skin barrier. This stops the skin from losing too much water. When calcium levels in the blood drop too low, the skin loses its ability to retain moisture and a balanced pH.

8. Confusion and Memory Loss

Hypocalcemia can cause confusion, disorientation, and memory loss, among other things. Calcium is required by nerve and brain cells. Calcium promotes the release of neurotransmitters when it enters nerve cells. A calcium shortage has been shown to have a major impact on cognitive performance.

9. Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is exceedingly frequent, for a wide range of reasons. According to a major evaluation of 28 studies, low levels of vitamin D and calcium can either cause or contribute to the symptoms. Vitamin D and calcium can help to alleviate or even eliminate PMS symptoms in such circumstances.

10. Tooth Decay and Gum Disease

Calcium helps to keep your teeth healthy. Minerals in the teeth can be degraded by food, beverages, and oral germs. Calcium levels must be adequate to prevent this mineral loss. Furthermore, research indicates that calcium shortage is one of the causes of gum disease.

11. Rickets

Rickets in children can be caused by a lack of calcium (or vitamin D). Calcium shortage impairs adequate bone mineralization, which is critical for a growing youngster. Bones become weak and brittle, and abnormalities are possible. Rickets is very uncommon in the industrialized world.

12. Depression

Some evidence shows that calcium insufficiency may be connected to mood disorders, including depression, although further study is needed to prove this.
If you feel like a calcium deficit is contributing to depressive symptoms, you should see a doctor. After a calcium level check, the doctor may recommend a calcium supplement.

WHAT IS DIABETES?

I guess we’ve all heard at some point in our lives about diabetes, but not all of us know about its symptoms or how our bodies react to it. It is a metabolic disease that causes excessive blood glucose (hyperglycemia). This disease is incurable and once diagnosed requires lifelong treatment.

There is also a special and rare form of this disease, developed by some women. This is called “gestational diabetes” and usually lasts only during pregnancy. Diabetes is different from “kidney diabetes”, a term that means the presence of excess glucose in the urine, but not in the blood.

There are two main types of diabetes, which are differentiated by the mechanism of onset. Overall, any form of diabetes is due to insufficient insulin in the body. Insulin is the hormone that introduces blood glucose into the cells for use. In type 1 diabetes, insulin is completely absent, and in type 2 diabetes, it is reduced and/or less effective.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, and its onset is unrelated to external factors. For type 2 diabetes, obesity is the main factor that increases the risk of developing this disease.

Diabetes treatment involves several components. Proper diet and physical activity ensure a constant blood glucose level and better insulin action. Oral treatment is often recommended for people with type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes, as well as some forms of type 2 diabetes, are treated with insulin, which is injected by the patients under their skin several times a day.

Here are 15 diabetes symptoms you shouldn’t ignore:

1. Frequent urination

Frequent urination can be caused by a urinary tract infection or excessive fluid intake. However, if you urinate frequently without finding yourself in either situation, you may have diabetes.

In diabetes cases, the kidneys are overworked because the body strives to eliminate excess glucose through urine.

2. Excessive thirst

This symptom is usually associated with the previous one. As the body eliminates urine, the thirst intensifies due to the need to replace lost fluids.

3. Dry mouth

Excessive dry mouth is very unpleasant and can signal the presence of serious health problems. In addition to suggesting that you are dehydrated, this symptom may indicate that you have type 2 diabetes.

In addition, an excessively dry mouth creates an environment conducive to the proliferation of bacteria, increasing the risk of developing gum infections and dental problems.

4. Excessive fatigue

Excessive or chronic fatigue is a symptom that should never be ignored. Although it is natural to feel tired due to physical or mental overload, the feeling of fatigue may also indicate that the cells are not supplied with enough glucose.

Fatigue can also be maintained by frequent urination, including at night, which interrupts sleep and, in the long run, it can be extremely exhausting.

5. Excessive appetite

Feeling hungry can be caused by both hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). The cause of this diabetes symptom is that the cells do not receive the optimal amount of sugar. They send alert signals to the brain, and the affected person becomes hungry.

6. Vision disorders

The eyes are the organs most affected by diabetes. High blood sugar affects the retina, causing blurred vision. Sometimes there are flashes of light that impede proper vision. If you suffer from diabetes and do not get proper treatment, the risk of developing irreversible vision problems or losing your sight completely is very high.

7. Infections

Bacteria, viruses and fungi grow more easily in glucose-rich environments, so diabetes increases the frequency of infections of any kind. Diabetics often develop vaginal, skin or urinary tract infections.

8. Numbness or tingling in the extremities

Tingling and numbness are the effect of nerve damage due to diabetes. Both sensations can be recurrent and are often accompanied by pain and inflammation. If the disease is not controlled, the nerve damage can become permanent, which has dramatic consequences.

9. Weight gain/loss

Weight loss or weight gain may be a consequence of the body’s inability to use insulin. Diabetes prevents the cells from supplying glucose, which is why the body uses muscle proteins to get energy. Diabetes can also significantly increase appetite, especially sweets, which leads to weight gain.

You may need a scale to keep track of your weight!

10. Wounds are difficult to heal

Diabetes causes blood vessels to degrade. As a result, the body will no longer be able to heal small cuts and scratches as quickly. Excess glucose affects the veins and arteries, reducing their ability to carry blood to the cells to heal the lesions.

11. Irritability, lack of concentration

Glucose is one of the main sources of food for the brain. In the absence of insulin, the cells can no longer carry glucose from the blood to the brain; and that’s why lack of concentration can be a sign of diabetes.

12. Itching and dry skin

Diabetes can affect the blood circulation in the body, so the glands become dysfunctional and make your skin dry and itchy. But still, if you’re experiencing itchy and dry skin, that doesn’t mean you’re automatically a diabetic.

13. Potency issues

Statistics show that up to 70% of men with diabetes have potency problems. The reason: diabetes affects the blood vessels and nerve endings in the genital area, which makes performance difficult. For women, vaginal dryness occurs.

14. Areas of red, yellow, or brown skin

The condition begins with the appearance of small papules (wrinkles of the skin that are felt when you run your hand over them) that look like some type of acne. As they evolve, these papules turn into hardened plaques and the skin in these areas thickens. The tiles can be red, yellow or brown. They may be accompanied by:

• shiny porcelain look of the surrounding skin;
• visible superficial blood vessels;
• itching or even pain.

15. Hard, thickened skin

The appearance of hard and thickened skin on the fingers or toes is called digital sclerosis. On the back of the hands, the skin looks waxy and the movements of the fingers can become difficult. The marks can extend to the forearms and arms, to the chest, shoulders, neck and even to the face.

In rare cases, there is the thickening of the skin on the knees, ankles and elbows, thus affecting the mobility and the movements of the patients (they can no longer straighten the leg or bend the arm). Thickened skin areas almost always have an “orange peel” appearance.

This skin condition usually occurs in people who already suffer from other complications of diabetes or whose treatment is ineffective. It can also be the beginning signs of diabetes. Better control of diabetes can also lead to an improvement in skin thickening. Patients with this problem may also benefit from physiotherapy to regain joint mobility.

Now that above we’ve listed fifteen of the most common diabetes symptoms, it’s extremely important to remind you that this disease can be prevented by adopting a healthy lifestyle.

Also, some very good advice is to maintain a healthy weight and to avoid smoking, a sedentary lifestyle and diets rich in saturated fats, sugars and processed foods. It’s extremely important to be aware of the severity of this disease and to keep in mind that diabetes doesn’t forgive anybody and if you have any of the symptoms enumerated above, you need to immediately see a doctor.