The tomato is the world's most popular fruit.
And yes, just like the brinjal and the pumpkin,
botanically speaking it is a fruit, not a vegetable.
More than 60 million tons of tomatoes are produced per year,
16 million tons more than the second most popular fruit,
the banana. Apples are the third most popular (36 million tons),
then oranges (34 million tons) and watermelons (22 million tons).
Tomatoes were first cultivated in 700 AD by Aztecs and Incas.
Explorers returning from Mexico introduced the tomato into Europe,
it was first mentioned in 1556. The French called it "the apple of love,"
the Germans "the apple of paradise."
Tomatoes are rich in vitamins A and C and fibre, and are cholesterol free.
An average size tomato (148 gram, or 5 oz) boasts only 35 calories.
Furthermore, new medical research suggests that the consumption of lycopene -
the stuff that makes tomatoes red - may prevent cancer.
Lycopene is part of the family of pigments called carotenoids,
which are natural compounds that create the colours of fruits and vegetables.
For example, beta carotene is the orange pigment in carrots.
As with essential amino acids, they are not produced by the human body.
Lycopene us the most powerful antioxidant in the carotenoid family and,
with vitamins C and E, protect us from the free radicals that
many parts of the body.
The scientific term for the common tomato is lycopersicon lycopersicum,
mean "wolf peach." It is a cousin of the eggplant, red pepper,
ground cherry, potato, and the highly toxic belladonna,
also known as the nightshade or solanaccae.
There are more than 10,000 varieties of tomatoes.
Tomatoes are used in many food product, including,
of course, tomato sauce (ketchup), pasta and pizza.
According to a Steel Packing Council survey of 1997,
68% of chefs use canned tomatoes for convenience, quality and flavouring.
It hasn't changed much since.
Scientists have found a substance in tomatoes that can help
prevent heart attacks and strokes.
It works by helping to stop blood becoming sticky and
forming the clots that can cause potentially fatal
blockages in arteries and veins. The lycopene which gives tomatoes
their red colour is known to protect against various cancers.
The anti-clotting properties are found in the yellow fluid surrounding the seeds.
It was found that the stickiness of platelets -
the particles in blood that cause clotting -
was reduced by 70 per cent when 220 volunteers
had a drink containing the tomato extract.
Blood platelets are vital for helping wounds heal after an accident or surgery,
but if they become too sticky, then they bind together,
which can stop the free flow of blood.
The tomato substance reduces the stickiness of platelets
so they flow smoothly through blood vessels,
reducing the risk of a blockage occurring.
Up to 50,000 people a year die as a result of clots caused
by a buildup of platelets.
Those most at risk are people who have already had a heart attack
or stroke, smokers, women on the Pill, long-distance air travellers,
the long-term sick and pregnant women.
Research has shown that the anti-clotting substance
in the drink has no detrimental effect on the natural clotting process.
Nor does it cause the side-effects, such as gastric problems,
often associated with blood-thinning drugs.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Lifesaver Tomatoes
Thursday, June 4, 2009
LIVER CARE!
The liver is the largest single gland in the body.
It is located on the right side of the abdomen under the lower ribs
and just under the diaphragm which divides the chest from the abdomen.
Liver performs a number of important functions in the body.
When the liver is healthy it works very smoothly.
But the liver can be affected by a number of serious disorders,
such as virus infections, parasites, and disturbances of the circulation,
stone formation in the bile ducts, injuries due to poisonous substances,
and various kinds of tumors.
Most of the foods we eat are stored in the liver,
after having been digested and absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract.
The liver has another very important function, that of detoxifying
or destroying many harmful poisons and even certain medicines
that are taken into the body for other purposes.
When the liver is sick these functions are impaired
and soon the whole body suffers.
Not only does the liver store food materials, it also produces bile,
a golden-yellowish liquid that is needed for the absorption
of fat from the intestine. Another important substance
produced in the liver is cholesterol, part of which passes into the bile.
It may even form stones in the bile ducts and gall bladder under certain conditions.
Another important component is prothrombin,
which is needed for the clotting of the blood.
Urea, an important component of the urine,
is also produced in the liver. The production of all these
substances may be changed under certain disease conditions.
Jaundice is a disease marked by a yellow discoloration
in the skin or in the whites of the eye.
This is due to excessive amount of bile in the blood stream.
Hepatitis is an acute inflammation of the liver caused by
some infectious or toxic agent. The skin may be discolored
and the whites of the eyes turn yellow. Various substances and
organisms may be responsible for hepatitis, including germs,
viruses, and toxic agents.
Another important disease of the liver is the cirrhosis of the liver.
It is mostly associated with alcoholism.
Poor nutrition may be responsible for this condition also.
In some cases chronic poisoning with industrial fluids,
such as carbon tetrachloride, may also play a part.
In the early stages of the disease there may be frequent
attacks of gas and indigestion, with occassional nausea and
vomiting and with abdominal pain and weight loss.
Cancer may occur in almost any organ of the body.
When it begins in the stomach or large bowel,
the liver may soon be involved mainly because the blood flows
toward the liver from all the digestive organs including
the pancreas and gall bladder.
This is known as metastatic carcinoma.
HOME REMEDIES FOR LIVER CARE
Papaya has been found beneficial in the treatment of cirrhosis
of the liver, caused by alcoholism and malnutrition.
Take a tablespoon of juice by grinding the seeds,
mix with ten drops of fresh limejuice,
and take it once or twice daily for about a month
as a medicine for this disease.
This is one of the important home remedies for liver care.
The herb trailing eclipta, botanically known as eclipta Alba (Bhringaraj ), has proved invaluable in cirrhosis of the liver. Take the juice of all parts of this plant in doses of one teaspoon, mixed with one teaspoon of honey, three times daily.
Picrorhiza known as picrorhiza kurroa (Katuki) is a drug of choice in ayurveda for cirrhosis of the liver among adults. Mix a tablespoon of the powder with an equal
quantity of honey, take this thrice daily.
The juice of carrots, in combination with spinach juice,
has been found beneficial in the treatment of cirrhosis of the liver.
Mix -200 ml of Spinach juice with 300 ml of carrot juice to
prepare 500 ml or half a liter of combined juices.
Similarly, 300 ml of carrot juice, combined with 100 ml each of
cucumber and beet juices can be used effectively.
The patient must stop taking alcohol in any form.
One of the best home remedies for liver care.
Vegetables such as beets, squashes, bitter gourd, eggplant,
tomatoes, carrots, radishes, and papaya are especially
useful in this condition.
The patient should avoid all refined, processed, and canned foods;
spices and condiments; strong tea and coffee; fried foods;
all preparations cooked in ghee, oil, or butter; all meats;
and all chemical additives in food. The use of salt should be limited.
Application of hot and cold compresses, for two to three minutes each,
on the liver area are beneficial.
Daily morning exercises, which involve stretching and deep breathing,
are also effective in preventing the liver.
Stretching and deep breathing kind of exercises early in the morning
provide the most benefit for anyone with sluggish liver.
Soak 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of Bentonite clay in 1 cup
of filtered water for 12 hours. Then add ½ to 1 tablespoon of
psyllium husks or plantago seeds to the clay mixture and mix well.
Drink and eat the whole cup of mixture immediately and
then followed by 1 cup of warm water before bedtime.
This is an effective home remedy for liver.
Drink at least 8 cups of warm water a day including 2 cups
first thing in the morning. Epsom salt may help in flushing
out the stones from the gall bladder. Epsom salt dilates the bile duct.
Take 2 tablespoons of GCG to crush the stone and wait for
1½ to 2 hours before taking 1 tablespoon each of Coptis and Curcuma again.
The crushed stones appear to move easier and the pain is relieved.
This is one of the best home remedies for liver care..
Milk thistle is found useful in patients who have developed
acute liver disease from drugs, environmental toxins or
ethanol or mushroom poisoning.
Another good home remedy for liver care is to take
one tablespoon each of Coptis and Curcuma can usually help to
push out the stones or other blockages.
A licorice root extract called glycyrrhizin has also shown
good result as a possible remedy for chronic hepatitis C and liver cancer.
--------------------
Monday, May 25, 2009
Chocolate is good for you
Chocolate may be better for your health than tea because it contains more of a chemical that could prevent cancer and heart disease, researchers have said.
The findings follow earlier research revealing that moderate chocolate consumption offers health benefits.
The new research measures the amount of catechins - the chemical thought to be behind the benefits - in different types of chocolate.
The substance is also found in tea - leading the researchers to recommend a cup of tea with a chocolate biscuit as one way to help maintain good health.
Chemical diet
The researchers, from Holland's National Institute of Public Health and Environment, published their findings in The Lancet medical journal.
Dr Ilja Arts and colleagues examined the chemical compounds in a range of foods and discovered that catechins are found in chocolate.
Up until now tea was thought to contain the largest amount but the new research indicates that dark chocolate has four times as many.
Catechins are believed to protect against heart disease and cancer and so eating products that contain them could have health benefits.
In the UK, where more than £3.5bn is spent on chocolate each year - the research is likely to be welcomed by those with a sweet tooth although dentists may be less pleased.
Tea and biscuits
Dark chocolate had 53.5mg of catechins per 100g, milk chocolate contained 15.9mg per 100g, and the black tea infusion contained only 13.9mg per 100ml.
In a later survey, the researchers found that in a sample of 6250 men and women, tea was the most important source of catechins, accounting for 55% of total intake.
Chocolate contributed to 20% of the total intake of catechins.
The researchers said: "Drinking a cup of tea and eating a chocolate cookie might be not only enjoyable but healthy as well."
Thursday, May 14, 2009
DARK CIRCLES UNDER THE EYES
of an individual. They are produced due to overstrain,
after an illness or an allergy.
They can also be the result of undernourishment.
But these dark circles do not produce any harm to the body.
So anybody with dark circles should not worry about them.
In fact, sometimes they're not even an
indication of physical problems.
Dark circles can be aggravated by fatigue, allergies,
overexposure to the sun, menstruation or pregnancy.
But they're usually hereditary; if your parents have them,
there are more chances that you do, too have them.
Dark circles are the result of the engorged
blood vessels under your eyes.
Because the skin under eyes is thinner than skin
anywhere else on body, therefore blood vessels
there are more noticeable, especially in fair skinned persons.
Dark circles are caused by hyper pigmentation of melanin,
the substance that gives color to the skin.
In western countries, the kidneys are related to
the adrenal glands and with stress levels in life
being so high; these glands are very often exhausted.
When these glands are weakened, allergies are prevalent.
Dark circles under the eyes are known to be a
classic symptom of an allergy, together
other signs including edema and fatigue.
Dark circles under eyes may also be due to
aging which thins the skin around the eyes.
Eight hours of sleep is essential.
Do not leave cream on the skin around the eyes for long periods.
Circles under the eyes can worsen in people
who smoke or suffer from allergies.
HOME REMEDIES FOR DARK CIRCLES UNDER
THE EYES
blood vessels and turns tissue white,
and dark circles will lighten.
Drink at least eight to ten glasses of water everyday.
Put slices of raw potatoes or cucumber by closing
eyes over the eyelids for 15-20 minutes.
Wash with warm water and apply a cream.
Take out the juice of the cucumber.
Prepare a mixture of lemon juice, lanolin cream and
cucumber juice and apply around the eye for 10-15 minutes.
and cucumber juices. Dip a cotton swab in this mixture
and put the cotton on eyelids and keep for 20 minutes.
Wash your eyes with cold water.
and apply it on the black circles 2 times a day.
for dark circles under the eyes.
is - massage with almond oil under and around eyes at
bedtime daily for 2 weeks.
Almond helps to remove dark circles.
eyes for long periods.
and wash off with a mixture of honey and egg white.
for 10 minutes. Then apply some almond oil on the dark circles
before going to bed.
below the index finger of your palms.
Pressing this mount may help.
few minutes. Drink the liquid 3 times a day before meals.
keep under the eyes for 10 minutes.
a pinch of turmeric powder, and 1 tsp. of flour.
Apply around eyes. Leave on for 10 minutes before washing.
This is an effective home remedy for dark circle treatment.
of eye creams to reduce the dark circles and puffiness.
Parsley is packed with chlorophyll which helps fade darkness,
while the ice cubes reduce the swelling.
Takes vasoline, put it on a metal spoon and freeze it for
15 minutes. Then apply it to the eyes for a few minutes.
Add some mint leaves, lemon juice, and salt to
tomato juice and drink.
Massage frozen cucumber cubes onto eyes to
reduce puffiness and dark circles.
Avoid excess of chocolates and try to take more
fibres in the diet.
To prevent dark circles take 2 magnesium tablets per day,
especially if you're taking calcium.
Use a sunscreen especially made for the face with
a sun protection factor (SPF) to keep the sun's rays
from darkening the skin under your eyes
Eat vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin A for
the treatment of dark circles under eyes
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Fresh Lemon Grass Drink Causes Apoptosis to Cancer Cells
Fresh Lemon Grass Drink Causes Apoptosis to Cancer Cells
The importance of LILY CHAI. Please read.
Fresh Lemon Grass Drink Causes Apoptosis to Cancer Cells (apoptosis) noun:
a type of cell death in which the cell uses specialized cellular machinery to kill itself;
a cell suicide mechanism that enables metazoans to control cell number and
eliminate cells that threaten the animal's survival. In other words, cell commits suicide.
By Allison Kaplan Sommer April 02, 2006
A drink with as little as one gram of lemon grass contains enough citral
to prompt cancer cells to commit suicide in the test tube.
Israeli researchers find way to make cancer cells self-destruct
- Ben Gurion University
At first, Benny Zabidov, an Israeli agriculturalist who grows greenhouses
full of lush spices on a pastoral farm in Kfar Yedidya in the Sharon region,
couldn't understand why so many cancer patients from around the country
were showing up on his doorstep asking for fresh lemon grass.
It turned out that their doctors had sent them.
'They had been told to drink eight glasses of hot water with
fresh lemon grass steeped in it on the days
that they went for their radiation and chemotherapy treatments,
' Zabidov told ISRAEL21c.
'And this is the place you go to in Israel for fresh lemon grass.'
It all began when researchers at Ben Gurion University of the Negev
discovered last year that the lemon aroma in herbs like lemon grass
kills cancer cells in vitro, while leaving healthy cells unharmed.
The research team was led by Dr. Rivka Ofir and Prof. Yakov Weinstein,
incumbent of the Albert Katz Chair in Cell-Differentiation
and Malignant Diseases, from the Department of Microbiology
and Immunology at BGU.
Citral is the key component that gives the lemony aroma and taste
in several herbal plants such as lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus),
melissa (Melissa officinalis) and verbena (Verbena officinalis. )
According to Ofir, the study found that citral causes cancer cells to
'commit suicide: using apoptosis, a mechanism called
programmed cell death.' A drink with as little as one gram
of lemon grass contains enough citral to prompt
the cancer cells to commit suicide in the test tube.
The BGU investigators checked the influence of the citral
on cancerous cells by adding them to both cancerous cells
and normal cells that were grown in a petri dish.
The quantity added in the concentrate was equivalent
to the amount contained in a cup of regular tea using
one gram of lemon herbs in hot water.
While the citral killed the cancerous cells,
the normal cells remained unharmed.
The findings were published in the scientific journal Planta Medica,
which highlights research on alternative and herbal remedies.
Shortly afterwards, the discovery was featured in the popular Israeli press.
Why does it work? Nobody knows for certain, but the BGU scientists have a theory.
'In each cell in our body, there is a genetic program which causes
programmed cell death. When something goes wrong,
the cells divide with no control and become cancer cells..
In normal cells, when the cell discovers that the control system
is not operating correctly - for example,
when it recognizes that a cell contains faulty genetic material
following cell division - it triggers cell death,' explains Weinstein.
'This research may explain the medical benefit of these herbs.'
The success of their research led them to the conclusion
that herbs containing citral may be consumed as a
preventative measure against certain cancerous cells.
As they learned of the BGU findings in the press,
many physicians in Israel began to believe that while the research
certainly needed to be explored further, in the meantime it would
be advisable for their patients, who were looking for any possible tool
to fight their condition, to try to harness the cancer-destroying
properties of citral.
That's why Zabidov's farm - the only major grower of
fresh lemon grass in Israel - has become a pilgrimage
destination for these patients.
Luckily, they found themselves in sympathetic hands.
Zabidov greets visitors with a large kettle of aromatic lemon grass tea,
a plate of cookies, and a supportive attitude.
'My father died of cancer, and my wife's sister died young
because of cancer,' said Zabidov..
'So I understand what they are dealing with.
And I may not know anything about medicine, but I'm a good listener.
And so they tell me about their expensive painful treatments and
what they've been through. I would never tell them to stop being treated,
but it's great that they are exploring alternatives and
drinking the lemon grass tea as well.'
Zabidov knew from a young age that agriculture was his calling.
At age 14, he enrolled in the Kfar Hayarok Agricultural high school.
After his army service, he joined an idealistic group which
headed south, in the Arava desert region, to found a new moshav
(agricultural settlement) called Tsofar.
were very successful; we raised fruits and vegetables,
and,' he notes with a smile, 'We raised some very nice children.
'On a trip to Europe in the mid-80s, he began to become interested in herbs.
Israel , at the time, was nothing like the trend-conscious cuisine-oriented
country it is today, and the only spices being grown commercially were
basics like parsley, dill, and coriander.
Wandering in the Paris market, looking at the variety of herbs and spices,
Zabidov realized that there was a great export potential in this niche.
He brought samples back home with him, 'which was technically illegal,'
he says with a guilty smile, to see how they would grow in his desert greenhouses.
Soon, he was growing basil, oregano, tarragon, chives, sage,
marjoram and melissa, and mint just to name a few.
His business began to outgrow his desert facilities,
and so he decided to move north, settling in the moshav of Kfar Yedidya,
an hour and a half north of Tel Aviv.. He is now selling 'several hundred kilos'
of lemon grass per week, and has signed with a distributor to package
put it in health food stores. Zabidov has taken it upon himself to learn more
about the properties of citral, and help his customers learn more,
and has invited medical experts to his farm to give lectures
about how the citral works and why.
He also felt a responsibility to know what to tell his customers about its use.
'When I realized what was happening, I picked up the phone and
called Dr. Weinstein at Ben-Gurion University ,
because these people were asking me exactly the best way to consume the citral.
He said to put the loose grass in hot water, and drink about eight glasses each day.'
Zabidov is pleased by the findings, not simply because it means business for his farm,
but because it might influence his own health.
Even before the news of its benefits were demonstrated,
he and his family had been drinking lemon grass in hot water for years,
'just because it tastes good.'
Sunday, April 26, 2009
8 Simple Steps to Great Sleep
Experts say it's possible to get a good night's sleep by making only minor adjustments. No magic's involved, just consistency. Try these tips for about 6 weeks, and you'll get better, deeper, sounder sleep.
Stay on schedule. Your body loves a reqular sleep routine, so try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day. That means no napping or sleeping in on weekends. If you can't fall asleep, get out of bed (go into another room if you have to), and do something quiet. Don't let yourself fall asleep outside the bedroom. Go back to bed when you're sleepy, and repeat this process as often as you need to during the night.
Dress for sleep. Put on whatever's comfortable, but don't layer it on in bed. Body temperature drops prior to falling asleep, rises during the night, then falls before you wake up. Think lighter pjs rather than heavy ones.
Upgrade your mattress. Give your body the support it needs to relax by sleeping on a good, firm bed.
Watch those pre-bed workouts. Exercising several hours before turning in will relax you; strenuous physical activity done too close to bedtime may make you feel wired.
Move the boob tube. Research on children shows that kids who had the most sleep disturbances were those who had a television in their bedroom and used TV to fall asleep. (And the same goes for adults.)
Don't get buzzed. Avoid caffeine within 4 to 6 hours of bedtime. Caffeine stimulates the brain, so steer clear of that after-dinner cup of coffee.
Detox the bedroom. Eliminate disturbing sounds and light. If your alarm clock has illuminated numbers, throw a cloth over it. Turn down the thermostat; lower body temperature promotes sleep. Use the bed only for sleep and sex. Decorate your bedroom in soothing shades of green and blue; reds, oranges, and yellows can be overstimulating.
Eat a "sleepy snack." A low-fat, low-calorie carbohydrate snack should help put you out. Try these:
1 1/3 cups of breakfast cereal without milk
3 fig bars
1 cinnamon-raisin English muffin
1 bowl of cinnamon-spice instant oatmeal
1 toaster-size frozen waffle with 1 tablespoon of maple syrup
Friday, April 10, 2009
6 Serious Medical Symptoms You Shouldn't Ignore:
Some medical symptoms are warnings that you need immediate care. Learn to recognize these six.
That new symptom is troubling: the inexplicable swelling in your calf or the blood in your urine. Could it be serious or even life-threatening?
"Your body flashes signals -- symptoms and signs -- that warn you of potential problems," say Neil Shulman, MD, Jack Birge, MD, and Joon Ahn, MD. The three Georgia-based doctors are the authors of the recently revised book Your Body's Red Light Warning Signals.
Fortunately, many symptoms turn out not to be serious. For example, the majority of headaches stem from stress, eyestrain, lack of sleep, dehydration, caffeine withdrawal, and other mundane causes.
But a sudden, agonizing "thunderclap" headache -- the worst of your life -- could mean bleeding in the brain. Being able to recognize this serious symptom and calling ambulance may save your life.
Here are six important flashing signals:
1. Paralysis of the arms or legs, tingling, numbness, confusion, dizziness, double vision, slurred speech, trouble finding words, or weakness, especially on one side of the face or body.
These are signs of stroke -- or a "brain attack" -- in which arteries that supply oxygen to the brain become blocked or rupture, causing brain tissue to die.
Symptoms depend on which area of the brain is involved. If a large blood vessel is blocked, a wide area may be affected, so a person may have paralysis on one side of the body and lose other functions, such as speech and understanding. If a smaller vessel is blocked, paralysis may remain limited to an arm or leg.
If you have symptoms, call ambulance right away and get to an emergency room that offers clot-busting therapy for strokes due to blocked vessels. Such treatment, which dissolves clots in blocked vessels, needs to be given within the first three hours after symptoms begin, but newer treatments may work within a longer time frame, says Birge, who is medical director at the Tanner Medical Center in Carrollton, Ga.
Timing is urgent; fast treatment can potentially stop brain tissue death before permanent brain injury happens. "There is a time clock ticking as to when you might totally recover," Birge tells WebMD.
2. Chest pain or discomfort; pain in the arm, jaw, or neck; breaking out in a cold sweat; extreme weakness; nausea; vomiting; feeling faint; or being short of breath.
These are signs of heart attack. If you get some of these symptoms, call immediately and go to the emergency room by ambulance. Shulman and Birge also recommend that patients chew one regular, full-strength aspirin (unless they're allergic to aspirin) to help prevent damage to the heart muscle during a heart attack.
Not everyone who has a heart attack feels chest pain or pressure or a sense of indigestion. Some people, especially women, the elderly, and people with diabetes, get "painless" heart attacks, the doctors say. Being aware of "painless" heart attack signs is crucial: a very weak feeling, sudden dizziness, a pounding heart, shortness of breath, heavy sweating, a feeling of impending doom, nausea, and vomiting.
Both doctors say that it's important to learn heart attack signs and understand them in context. "Everybody has jaw pain. You don't immediately run and say, 'I've got a heart attack,'" Shulman tells WebMD. He is an associate professor of internal medicine at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. "But if you're also sweating and you have some of these other symptoms -- shortness of breath and so forth -- then that's going to tip you off that there's something much more serious happening."
3. Tenderness and pain in the back of your lower leg, chest pain, shortness of breath, or coughing up blood.
These are symptoms of a potentially dangerous blood clot in your leg, especially if they come after you've been sitting for a long time, such as on an airplane or during a long car trip. These signs can also surface if you've been bedridden after surgery.
"Anybody is susceptible, " Birge says. He adds that such blood clots are more common than most people and doctors realize.
Blood is more likely to pool in your legs when you're sitting or lying down for long periods of time, as opposed to standing and walking. If a blood clot forms in your leg as a result, your calf can feel swollen, painful, and tender to the touch; you should be evaluated. If you get sudden chest pain or shortness of breath, a piece of the blood clot may have broken off and traveled through the bloodstream to your lungs. This condition can be life-threatening, so get to an emergency room without delay.
4. Blood in the urine without accompanying pain.
Anytime you see blood in your urine, call your doctor promptly, even if you have no pain.
Kidney stones or a bladder or prostate infection are common causes of blood in the urine. But these problems are usually painful or uncomfortable, which sends people to the doctor promptly.
In contrast, when people see blood in their urine but feel no pain, some take a "wait and see" approach, especially if they just have one episode. "But you can't have this attitude," Shulman says. Lack of pain doesn't necessarily mean lack of seriousness.Cancer of the kidney, ureter, bladder, or prostate can cause bleeding into the urinary tract; when these cancers are small enough to be curable, they may not cause pain. So don't dismiss this important sign because, according to Shulman and Birge, "blood in the urine may be the only clue for an early diagnosis."
5. Asthma symptoms that don't improve or get worse.
Asthma attacks are marked by wheezing or difficulty breathing. When an attack doesn't improve or worsens, a patient should get emergency care.
If an asthma attack is left untreated, it can lead to severe chest muscle fatigue and death, say Shulman and Birge. Some people with persistent asthma hesitate to go to the emergency room because they've gone so many times before, or they need someone to drive them because they're too short of breath. So instead of seeking care, "They try to hang in there," Birge says, even if they need higher doses of inhalants or have decreasing lung function measurements when using a device to measure how well they move air out of their lungs.Because asthma makes breathing difficult, the muscles for breathing may tire and the volume of air exchanged by the lungs will decrease. As a result, a person's oxygen level drops while blood levels of carbon dioxide rise. As Birge and Shulman explain in their book, "A carbon dioxide buildup in the blood has a sedating effect on the brain, which may cause you to feel even drowsier. You may lose the motivation or energy to breathe."
"A person with asthma who seems to be relaxing more, who seems to not be struggling for breath anymore -- even though they've been at it for six or eight hours -- may actually be worse. It could be a sign of respiratory fatigue," Birge says. Eventually, the person could stop breathing.
"They're really in a big danger zone," Shulman adds. Patients believe they're getting better when they're actually getting worse, he says. "They become sedated and seem to be peaceful when actually, they're dying."
One of the most important considerations is how long an attack lasts, according to both doctors. "If you've been having labored respirations with the asthma not relenting after a period of several hours, even though you may be apparently doing OK, don't let it go any longer," Birge says. "Get on to the emergency room."
6. Depression and suicidal thoughts.
Few people would put up with crushing chest pain or extreme shortness of breath, but many endure depression, even though at its extreme it can be life-threatening.
"Depression can be a very, very serious problem because people can commit suicide," Shulman says. "Some people will not seek care when they are depressed because they think that they'll be perceived as being crazy or not strong or not manly, and they have to understand that there is a chemical imbalance going on in their brain. It is a disease just like any other disease."
Symptoms of depression include sadness, fatigue, apathy, anxiety, changes in sleep habits, and loss of appetite. Depression can be treated with medications and psychotherapy.
If you have suicidal thoughts, you can speak to someone right away by calling suicide helplines available in many city.
Speak Up When You Think Something Is Wrong
Doctors are human: They can miss important diagnoses, including heart attacks.. A patient's awareness and vigilance can make a difference, Shulman says.
"My feeling is, as a doctor, I want a patient who's informed. I'd rather have a patient who's informed, who's helping me so I won't make a mistake," Shulman says. "And I can be honest and say, 'I'm human. Don't be intimated by me because I have a white coat on. Don't be intimidated by me because I'm using big words.'"
If patients can recognize potentially serious symptoms, they'll have more power when they go to the doctor or the emergency room, he adds. "You have enough to say, 'Well, have you ruled out this problem?’”
