Health Information Web

You see people smoking almost anywhere in parts of Europe. Outside of bars and restaurants or even on local transport, smoking smells bad and poses a serious health risk to non-smokers.

Passive smoking is a hidden hazard to non-smokers. According to reports last year 660,000 people worldwide died because of inhaling second hand smoke. A study conducted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) created a study in 192 countries citing that Children were particularly vulnerable to passive smoking. An estimated 165,000 children died from respiratory infections mostly in the South East Asia and in Africa.

Europe has the highest number of people are exposed to second hand smoke. Women are more likely to die from passive smoking then men or children. Although fewer women smoke, they usually end up breathing in second hand smoke from their partners.

So if you smoke cigarettes, why not help yourself and other people around you by stopping smoking now.  There’s a few ways to do this either by nicotine replacement therapy products like those developed by Nicorette. Your local health authority or GP can also offer you advice on how to stop smoking effectively.

Germany has one of the highest smoking rates for any developed world. To benefit those readers we have translated the article above:

Hören Sie jetzt auf zu rauchen

Man sieht Raucher fast in allen Teilen Europas. Vor Bars und Restaurants oder sogar in öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln – der Rauch riecht unangenehm und birgt eine Vielzahl an ernstzunehmenden Gesundheitsrisiken für Nichtraucher.

Passivrauchen ist eine versteckte Gefahr für Nichtraucher. Berichten zufolge starben im vergangenen Jahr 660.000 Menschen weltweit, weil Sie Rauch aus zweiter Hand einatmen mussten. Eine Studie der Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO) hat eine Studie in 192 Ländern durchgeführt, die belegt hat, dass Kinder besonders anfällig für Passivrauchen sind. Schätzungsweise 165.000 Kinder starben an Infektionen der Atemwege vor allem in Südostasien und in Afrika.

Europa hat die höchste Zahl von Menschen, die passiv Tabakrauch ausgesetzt sind. Frauen sterben häufiger durch Passivrauchen als Männer oder Kinder. Obwohl weniger Frauen rauchen, sind sie in der Regel häufiger den Zigarettenrauch Ihrer Partner ausgesetzt.

Wenn Sie also rauchen, warum helfen Sie nicht sich selbst und anderen Menschen um Sie herum, indem Sie mit dem Rauchen aufhören. Es gibt ein einige Möglichkeiten, dies zu tun: entweder durch Nikotinersatztherapie-Produkte wie die, die von Nicorette entwickelt wurden. Ihre lokale Gesundheitsbehörde oder ihr Hausarzt bieten Ihnen aber auch Ratschläge, wie Sie Ihre Angewohnheit ein für alle mal loswerden können.

Cases of IBS, or Irritable Bowel Syndrome, can range from the mild to the severe. Consequently, they can be niggling, embarrassing or even debilitating. Whatever the degree of the disorder, there is no doubt that it is troublesome, disruptive and causes discomfort. To add to the trouble, a full cure is not assured for IBS. Since the specific cause remains as yet unknown, the specific cure too remains out of our reach. And for some, it may go on to be a lifelong problem. All the more reason for us to look to treating it and keeping it contained.

Medication

Medicines are essential for reducing or relieving symptoms. However they do not work for everyone, not without side effects. Antidiarrheals, stool softeners and laxatives may be prescribed. Doctors may try to avoid laxatives though, since they can weaken your intestine. If you respond well to dietary fibers, those can be recommended.

Antispasmodics and antidepressants are also given at times, keeping in mind that they can worsen constipation. Then they might have to be followed with muscle relaxants. Drugs affecting serotonin are also administered.

Diet Control

Careful eating can help reduce symptoms. People with IBS often have certain food intolerances (for example, to milk products, tea, coffee, chocolate, wheat, rye, barley). Noting which food items over stimulate the intestine and avoiding them would be wise. If you have to skip dairy products, make sure that you are getting the required nutrients by some other means. Eat more often if you have to, but take small meals, since large ones often affect the colon adversely. See that you are taking in enough dietary fibers but do this in consultation with your doctor/dietitian. Drink plenty of water, especially if you have diarrhea symptoms.

Psychotherapy

Since stress is often found to trigger symptoms for the syndrome, you need to learn about stress management. Consult a professional and take the help of regular exercises, relaxation measures and improved sleeping habits.

It is important to note that, in the end, it is the right individual combination of the above measures which will enable you to overcome this irritable syndrome.

Mention migraine and all you can think of is pain. It is true. These moderate to severe headaches can be painful enough to make you temporarily dysfunctional. Since there is no specific diagnostic test to identify the problem, it is imperative for you all to know and recognize the symptoms.

The primary migraine symptoms are outlined below:

• Migraine involves recurrent phases of headache.

• The pain generally affects one half of the head, though it can also occur on both sides.

• The intensity of the attack can vary from moderate to extremely painful.

• The pain is generally of a throbbing or pounding nature.

• Migraine symptoms can include feelings of nausea or a vomiting tendency.

• People suffering from migraine attacks also complain of increased sensitivity to both light and sound, though not always together.

• Routine activity, especially involving physical exertion, can aggravate the pain symptoms. So migraine attacks generally disrupt daily activity.

• A migraine period can last from four to seventy two hours, if not longer.

• Approximately one-third of migraine sufferers experience a phenomenon called aura. These are generally disturbances in vision of neurological origin, namely flashes of light, seeing stars or wavy patterns, temporary blind spot, blurred vision. The aura can generally act as warnings to subsequent migraine attacks.

• Migraine patients who experience aura can face some additional symptoms like numbness or tingling feeling in various parts of their body or even a problem with speech.

Some associated but atypical symptoms of a migraine include dizziness, chills, muscle weakness, loss of muscle coordination especially in the limbs, increased urination etc.

Some migraine symptoms may persist even after the attack is over. This is often termed as a migraine “hangover.” A general sense of fatigue and need for sleep, mental sluggishness, some neck pain fall under that category.