A cataract is not an unfamiliar term for us. It is a common sign of aging, can lead to loss of vision and affects daily life at later stages of it. It is one of the most common causes of loss of vision amongst Americans. Here is everything you need to know about cataract and how you can get relief from it. Understanding cataract We are gifted with a natural lens in our eyes, which helps us in our vision. The natural lens is called as the crystalline lens. It is situated behind the iris and the pupil. Cataract refers to the dense and cloudy area that forms over the eye’s lens, and lead to vision problems. Causes of cataract There are multiple factors that can result in the formation of cataract, some of which are listed below: Natural aging process Certain health conditions Hereditary deformities Constant use of medicines with steroid content Smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, obesity, high blood pressure, ultra violet radiation, etc. Types of cataract Cataracts are classified into different types depending upon on where and how they develop in the lens of the eyes. They are: Nuclear cataract: It occurs in the middle of the lens or the nucleus.

If you are planning to join a gym, stepping in there for the first time can be a daunting experience. Finding yourself amidst a number of total gym equipment, out of which you recognize only a few, might make you feel overwhelmed. To escape such a feeling, it is better to familiarize yourself with some of the common gym equipment and their uses. Cable machines With cables running through a pulley, cable machines link exchangeable handles to a weight stack. This gym equipment can have one or more pulleys that can be fixed or adjustable. By positioning pulleys in numerous ways and using various handles, you can perform conventional weight training and other sports movements on cable machines. Standing calf machine Standing calf machine of a total gym is slightly different from the seated calf machine. It allows users to develop their calf muscles from a different angle. These machines help to strengthen the ankle joint by targeting the calves. Dumbbells The dumbbell is a short barbell, which people can easily use to build and tone muscles at home. There are adjustable dumbbells that come with small collars that you can clip on the ends of dumbbells. In most of the gyms, there are dumbbell racks that hold a number of fixed weight dumbbells.

The market is flooded with options and models for those of us looking to buy a fitness tracker. While the earlier trackers tracked only steps and sleeping patterns, the newer versions come with features like GPS, heart rate monitors, sensors, and smartphone notifications to keep track of your fitness on a constant basis. So, if you are looking for the right fitness tracker to suit your needs, check out a few pointers that can help you in your search. Wearable design The earlier versions of fitness and activity trackers had to be wrapped around the wrist. If you prefer an alternate option, you will find the newer versions of these devices, which come in sleeker designs, including dongles, or clips that can be worn on your clothing or pendants that can be worn around your neck. You can also choose from a wide variety of colors and features like waterproofing, with some fitness trackers taking the appearance of an ordinary watch as well. Display Opt for a fitness tracker that comes with a built-in display to show the time as well as your fitness goals, without necessarily opening an app. This is an added plus in case you opt for a tracker that gives you notifications on when, where, and how to work out.

Bringing home exercise equipment to keep up your health and be in shape can be a great idea. However, when it comes to the maintenance of such exercise equipment at home, most users find it difficult. However, these equipment require very little maintenance on a regular basis. Following are some basic steps that can help you keep your exercise machines at home looking good and working well for a long time. Read the owner’s manual properly The owner’s manual that you get with machines includes all the information regarding its maintenance and ways to keep them in a good working condition. If you happen to misplace the manual, you could also download its digital copy from the manufacturer’s website to maintain or repair the exercise equipment on your own. Oiling and greasing Oiling and greasing the moving parts of an exercise equipment, at least once a month, is a major part of the maintenance regimen, as it keeps machines well lubricated. Regular lubrication decreases friction in moving parts to minimize or eliminate the damage due to regular use. Make sure you grease and oil the required parts as per the instructions mentioned in the user’s manual, as some cardio equipment require to be checked and filled occasionally for better working.

A fatty liver, whose medical name is steatosis is a term used to describe the buildup of fat in the liver. The allowable percentage of fat in the liver is maximum up to 10 percent. Anything above of this is termed as a fatty liver. Being the second largest organ in the body. It is a reversible condition and does not cause a permanent damage. Being second largest organ in the body, the function of the liver is to process everything a human body eats and processes and filters out harmful substances from the blood. The process gets interrupted if there is too much fat in the liver. It commonly repairs itself by building new liver cells replacing the old ones, when they get damaged. When there is repeated damage to the liver, it causes permanent scarring which is usually called as cirrhosis. Fatty liver has become because of our food habits and sedentary lifestyle that we have adopted. In most of the cases fatty liver is detected in people between ages 40 and 60. People suffering from a fatty liver should ideally include: Raw vegetables in the diet. Avoid eating fruits with high content of sugar. This will help you getting rid of the condition of fatty liver and also control weight.

There are hundreds out there who experience difficulty in hearing. They are not aware or are too nervous to address the issue. However, hearing loss is a very serious issue and needs to be checked immediately. Hearing loss is generally permanent and must be taken care of immediately. The good news is that in most cases it can be rectified without any surgery. A hearing aid is a device is placed externally in the ear, into the canal. It acts as a filter and ensures that the right sounds reach the ear. There are several brands and models available today. You must consider a hearing aid device only when suggested by a specialized doctor. Here are a few things you should know before buying one. Hearing test It is very important to get a hearing test. The hearing loss will vary from person to person. It can also happen in both ears. The devices are molded to perfectly fit the individual. Hence a hearing test will help determine how much the power of the hearing aid should be. They also get a mold and the size of the device based on the ear. The test in itself is painless. Thus, you need to get it done before placing an order.

Acid reflux or heartburn is one of the most common problems faced by adults. It happens when the muscles in the stomach relax when they shouldn’t causing the acid in the stomach to shoot back up into the esophagus. This results in a burning sensation behind the breastbone. If it happens on a regular basis, it is best to consult a doctor. Severe acid reflux needs to be treated or it can lead to extreme pain and even chest pain. There are drugs that are available to cure heartburn. However, a better solution is to make changes in lifestyle and diet. There are effective natural remedies that are better and a safer means of severe acid reflux treatment. Drink Lemon Juice Lemon juice has a lot of health benefits. It has large amounts of vitamin C that can help with heartburn and pain. The pH content of lemon is also much high than vinegar. Thus, it is the more effective choice of the two. A minimum of 2 to 3 glasses will be effective in severe acid reflux treatment. There may be concern that the acid found in lemon juice may damage the enamel of the teeth. However, if it is consumed occasionally it will not have any adverse effects on the teeth.

Dealing with flu is especially exasperating when you have to bear the brunt of a stuffy nose. And during such times of discomfort, the only thing in the entire world that can comfort you is food. Having stuffy nose doesn’t necessarily mean that you only have to eat something that your taste buds don’t fancy. Here are some of the foods that you must have while you are fighting a flu. Chicken soup Find your grandma’s family cookbook and whip a chicken soup to tackle with a stuffy nose. Having chicken soup can encourage the congested mucus from your body to clear out. This warm bowl of soup also keeps you hydrated and eases off any headache or fatigue that you are dealing with. If you happen to be a vegetarian you can try having a warm vegetable broth with generous amounts of herbs and spices. Spicy food Remember the last time when you had something spicy, your eyes and nose got all watery. Perfect timing! You can have all of favorite spicy foods while you’re tackling with a stuffy nose. But spicy food doesn’t mean that you will have unhealthy, oily foods. It is advised to only have recipes that are prepared at home.

Chronic dry eye syndrome is caused due to the deficiency of moisture and lubrication on the outer surface of the eyes. It can also occur when the eyes cannot generate tears or when they produce inconsistent tears that evaporate quickly. Skin inflammation occurs on the surface of the eye. If left untreated, it can lead to ulcers, development of scars on the cornea, blurred or loss vision. Dry eyes can make reading difficult since it can easily strain the eye. Other terms that are used to describe dry eye are as follows. Dysfunctional tear syndrome- Inadequate quantity of tears generated by the glands. Keratoconjunctivitis sicca- Affects both the conjunctiva and cornea. Symptoms of dry eyes An uncomfortable and irritating sensation in the eye A string-like discharge from the eye Blurred vision Redness and burning sensation in the eye Tiredness of the eye Inability to generate tears even when emotional Heavy eyelids Inability to perform vision related tasks, like reading or working on the computer Causal factors of dry eyes Skin disease around the eyelids can cause dryness. It can be a last for a short while or long enough to become a chronic condition. It can also be side effects of certain medications, like birth control pills, tranquilizers, antidepressants, Parkinson’s disease medications, antihistamines etc.

Kegel exercisers and exercises will help strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. If you are pregnant, then Kegel exercises can help you prepare your body for child birth. It can also help you prevent your bladder and vaginal prolapse, which often happens after childbirth. You don’t always need a Kegel exerciser to perform the exercise. You can also do them at home with using any kind of device, however, there is nothing wrong with using an exerciser as it will only help you reach your goals of doing these exercises. If you are new to these devices and new to the whole idea of Kegel exercises and exercisers, then you must know who and when should do these exercises and under what conditions. You may also speak to your doctor or gynecologist for more information on the same. Here are three steps on how you should use a Kegel exerciser: First, place the device between your thighs close to the crotch. You may then adjust the exerciser till it is resting under your buttocks. There are two open ends of this Super Kegel exercise, you need to place one end, which is the wider end of the exerciser under your buttocks and the other end, which is the narrow end on the facing the front of your body.

The human body is quite an intricate thing since the mechanisms involved in picking up a small pen is far more complicated than it seems. We receive a health scare and make amends by adopting a healthy lifestyle, but there are certain diseases which cannot be held at bay even by adopting a healthy way of life. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or ALS as it is commonly known as is one such ailment that affects people in spite of trying to lead a healthy lifestyle. ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder which is known to affects the nerve cells in the brain and spine. The disease manifests itself in the form of failing physical ability. Usually, the motor neurons move from the brain towards the spinal cord, and from the spinal cord to the rest of the body. These neurons carry signals from the brain to the body part which is instructed to perform a particular function. ALS disrupts the proper passage of signals from the brain to the muscles. In order to diagnose ALS, it is imperative to read into ALS’s signs and symptoms which every affected individual will project at some point in time. The ALS signs and symptoms are as followed- The early ALS signs and symptoms manifest themselves in the form of slurred speeches, muscle cramps, the stiffness of the muscles, difficulty in holding things in one’s hands, etc.