Chronic constipation is a health condition in which bowel movements are infrequent, less than thrice a week for several months, and passing stools is difficult. It is one of the most common digestive problems faced in the country affecting approximately 2.5 million people every year. Causes of chronic constipation A sedentary lifestyle and a lack of physical activity are the two main causes of persistent constipation. Discussed below are three factors contributing to chronic constipation. Diet  – A diet that consists of processed foods, dairy, and meat products may become a cause for chronic constipation. A low intake of fiber is another chronic constipation cause. An excessive intake of coffee and alcohol along with a low intake of water are some other factors leading to constipation. Lifestyle  – Often, the adoption of a sedentary lifestyle leads to reduced physical activity. In today’s age, most people stay glued to their laptops, tabs, and cell phones, either due to work reasons or for entertainment. Such activities, which make you sit or lie down for hours at a stretch, are responsible for chronic constipation. Health conditions – A few other causes of chronic constipation are anxiety, depression, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and hypothyroidism.

The blood pressure level of every individual generally fluctuates throughout the day, but chronic high blood pressure is detrimental to health. It is often termed as a “silent killer.” According to a report by the CDC, 29% of adults in the country suffer from high blood pressure. A few common causes of high blood pressure are diabetes, alcohol consumption, obesity, smoking, and poor diet selection. However, to find out how to lower high blood pressure, discussed below are 10 effective methods to keep high blood pressure in check: Exercise Regularly A regular workout makes the heart stronger, leading to the pumping of blood with less effort. This ultimately leads to lesser pressure on arteries by the blood and lowers high blood pressure. An advisory by the American Heart Association suggests 40 minutes of physical activity every day. Reduce Your Weight A reduction in body weight helps in a significant reduction of high blood pressure. Losing even 5-10 pounds of weight will give you an answer on how to lower high blood pressure. Avoid Processed Food You can control your body weight by restricting the consumption of refined sugar and processed food. Restricting the use of processed food also reduces the salt intake.

Blood is circulated to all parts of the body through the circulatory system. Blood pressure is the force or pressure with which it is circulated all through the body. Maintaining the blood pressure within the normal range is vital to the smooth functioning of all the organs. Blood supplies oxygen and other vital nutrients to various organs of the body. Proper supply of these nutrients happens only when normal blood pressure range is maintained. Apart from these nutrients, blood also supplies antibodies and hormones throughout the body. The heart is the main source of blood pressure. It functions like a pump that continuously pumps blood to the circulatory system. Blood is forced out during each contraction. The blood flow throughout the body is due to different pressure levels for various parts. Blood pressure is highest at the point it is pumped out of the heart, from there on its pressure decreases. The pressure is lowest at the smaller branches of arteries. The walls of the arteries are elastic, which helps in maintaining the blood pressure and allowing free flow. A sphygmomanometer is used to measure blood pressure, and its measure unit is in mmHg. Normal Blood Pressure Levels based on Age Physicians rely on blood pressure level charts to check and compare measured blood pressure with the against normal range.

Bell’s palsy is a sudden muscle weakness on one side of the face causing the face to paralyze or become weak. The condition also causes one side of the face to droop and become stiff.  The condition is generally temporary and limited to a few months. Here are some of the Bells’ palsy treatment options, procedure, and more. Read on. What is the Right Treatment for Bell’s Palsy? Bell’s palsy is chiefly caused due to the weakness of muscles. Some of the symptoms and signs such as difficulty in making different facial expressions, facial droop, changes in the amount of saliva and tears, pain behind the ears and jaw, and a decreasing ability to taste. It is important to consult a physician immediately if the signs become evident. This condition generally resolves on its own within a span of six months. Nevertheless, Bell’s palsy treatment will help in quicker recovery. Moreover, only in a few rare causes does the condition affect the nerves on both the sides of the face. The Treatment Procedure Doctors diagnosing the condition generally observe the movement of the face muscles such as frowning, closing the eyes and lifting the eyebrows. Patients might be asked to undergo tests such as undergoing scans and electromyography.

The left side of your body has a number of important organs. Just under and around the left breast there are organs such as the spleen, stomach, pancreas, and large intestine. If you experience pain on the left breast, it could be a sign of something seriously wrong in your body. Let’s have a look at some of the issues that could be indicated through left breast pain in women. Heart attack The heart is located around the center and the left side of the chest. Because of this, whenever women experience pain in their left breast, they think that it may be an indication of a heart attack and why shouldn’t they? The leading cause of death among the entire population is a heart attack. Tightness, squeezing, or pressure on the chest is an indication that you might be having a heart attack due to left breast pain. Pericarditis The pericardium is the thin two-layered membrane that surrounds the outer part of the heart. You may experience a pain when this membrane rubs against the heart. Pericarditis is the inflammation of the pericardium. It can be caused by numerous autoimmune diseases. Some of them are preventable, others are not. One of the main indications that the left breast pain in women is pericarditis is a stabbing and sharp pain in the chest.

Doctors can now prevent HIV from taking hold in your body if the person acts quickly. People who may have been infected can take anti-HIV drugs to protect themselves. This is called PEP. But you must start the process within 72 hours of when you were exposed, the medicines can have unpleasant side effects. Although there is a little progress in finding the cure to the infection. There are therapies developed in the field of medical science that can decelerate the HIV infection. ART (Antiretroviral therapy) is a revolutionary HIV treatment that has been developed in the past few decades. So, what is ART? ART does not cure HIV. It only attacks the virus in different ways. It stops it from reproducing itself and spreading further. HIV infection is measured by the viral load, that is, the amount of the virus which is present in the patient’s bloodstream. The goal of treatment is to get the viral reproduction so low that tests can’t even detect the virus anymore. HIV would still be present in the body, but there’s not enough of it to cause symptoms, this, as long as you keep taking your medication. An important point to remember is that the infected person can still pass HIV to someone else while on medication.

HIV or Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus is a life-threatening virus that attacks the CD-4 lymphocytes of the human body and brings down its immune system to a level that it is vulnerable to all kinds of diseases. If not treated timely, the infected person dies due to the direct effect of all other diseases rather than HIV alone. HIV has three stages; Acute HIV infection When HIV virus enters the blood stream of the body, it immediately attacks the lymphocytes in the blood. The patient may not notice its effect in the initial weeks until the time when the lymphocytes count in the blood stream has reduced to a drastic level. Flu like symptoms would begin to a appear. High fever with head ache and nausea would be persistent for a couple of days. Some people might even experience Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. These symptoms would remain for a normal period and the patient would return to normal state without ever knowing the real cause of the flu infection. The second stage is called as the chronic infection stage . The patient enters this stage when the HIV starts killing off CD-4 cells thereby weakening the immune system on a daily basis.

Pneumonia is a bacterial infection that is spread by the bacteria known by the same name. This condition is caused due to exposure to cold temperatures when the person is suffering from even slight flu and cold. This condition can also get worse and more complicated if the patient is already suffering from additional diseases like diabetes and heart disease. Pneumonia can also be triggered by these diseases. This article will tell you all there is to know about Pneumonia symptoms. • Symptoms : To begin with, there is something known as walking pneumonia, when the patient will demonstrate mild symptoms of the disease. The symptoms may differ as per the severity of the disease. For a severe bout of pneumonia, the patient will have to be hospitalized so that the symptoms like racking, intense cough and acute chest pain may be dealt with appropriately with proper medical intervention. • Gastrointestinal symptoms: There are various gastrointestinal symptoms that are associated with this disease. The patient will experience loose motions or diarrhea and even nausea and vomiting. This is due to the fact that the constant coughing will make eating and digesting food a difficult affair. • Lung-related symptoms: The patient will have an intense cough, as discussed above.

Staying fit is a necessity in today’s age where people often tend to ignore their health owing to the fast-paced life. The number of unhealthy food items in the market has increased greatly. However, there are certain healthy food products that can help provide relief from a plethora of ailments. Apple cider vinegar is one of them; it has been used as a health tonic for several hundred years. This tonic has many health benefits and aids in lowering blood sugar levels as well. An apple cider vinegar diet is generally recommended for obese and diabetic patients. Moreover, using apple vinegar for weight loss is a fantastic option as it would not have any adverse effects. Read on to know how you can incorporate apple cider vinegar into your diet and its benefits. Taking one to two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar on a daily basis is highly beneficial. If you spread this across two to three doses and consume it before meals, the benefits will only increase. According to several studies, the results of apple cider vinegar weight loss tips have been fantastic as it helps you lose up to 2 kg in around 3 months! While this may seem like a small amount, but if controlling the weight is a necessity, then regular exercise along with a healthy diet can go a long way.

Today, a dozen arthritis pain relief supplements are available in the market. However, before taking any supplements for this painful condition, you need to know that these vitamins for arthritis pain may have their own side effects. Hence, you need to do an in-depth research on your own or consult a doctor, if you are thinking of taking any. Here is a list of the top supplements that can help you deal with the arthritis pain. Ginger It has anti-inflammatory properties that help in getting relief from arthritis pain. It either can be taken in the freshly grated form or can be taken as a supplement as well. For the supplement that works as vitamins for arthritis, you can look for capsules of 100 mg to 225 mg. However, those who are taking medications for blood-thinning should avoid taking this supplement as ginger interacts with blood-thinning medications. Turmeric Various medical studies have reflected that turmeric root has remarkable anti-inflammatory properties. Hence, many people prefer to add this powder to smoothies, tea, or sauces. The active ingredient curcumin in turmeric is the main reason why this supplement offers arthritis pain relief. However, in turmeric, its content is only around 3%. Hence, for effective results, you can take curcumin supplements.

Headaches especially migraines are one of the most common ailments that plague people all over the world. Although you have umpteen options to treat migraines, natural remedies have been found to work miracles and are regarded as perfectly safe for the same too. There are quite a lot of reasons why people prefer natural cures compared to medications. Benefits of curing migraine naturally • Prescribed medications have a number of adverse effects. • A lot of OTC medicines can interfere with other pills that the person is already taking for other ailments. • Not everybody finds OTC medicines effective for treating migraines. • These drugs that are prescribed can be quite expensive. • Natural remedies have various compounds that are found to work wonders in alleviating migraine symptoms. This makes natural products much more suitable for treating headaches and migraines. Go ahead and find out more about these simple home cures that can treat your migraine headaches. Ice Packs: This is one of the most popular home cures for migraines. You can get these ice wraps at all medical shops and they are quite cheap too. They are found to work wonders for relaxing your body and augmenting the flow of blood.