Friday, May 27, 2016

MAY IS PREECLAMPSIA AWARENESS MONTH


pre·e·clamp·si·a
ˌprēəˈklampsēə/
noun
  1. a condition in pregnancy characterized by high blood pressure, sometimes with fluid retention and proteinuria.

What Is Preeclampsia?

Formerly called toxemia, preeclampsia is a condition that pregnant women develop. It is marked by high blood pressure in women who have previously not experienced high blood pressure before. Preeclamptic women will have a high level of protein in their urine and often also have swelling in the feet, legs, and hands. This condition usually appears late in pregnancy, generally after the 20 week mark, although it can occur earlier.
If undiagnosed, preeclampsia can lead to eclampsia, a serious condition that can put you and your baby at risk, and in rare cases, cause death. Women with preeclampsia who have seizures are considered to have eclampsia.
There's no way to cure preeclampsia, and that can be a scary prospect for moms-to-be. But you can help protect yourself by learning the symptoms of preeclampsia and by seeing your doctor for regular prenatal care. When preeclampsia is caught early, it's easier to manage.

What Causes Preeclampsia?

The exact causes of preeclampsia and eclampsia -- a result of a placenta that doesn't function properly -- are not known, although some researchers suspect poor nutrition or high body fat are possible causes. Insufficient blood flow to the uterus could be associated. Genetics plays a role, as well.

Who Is at Risk for Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is most often seen in first-time pregnancies, in pregnantteens, and in women over 40. While it is defined as occurring in women have never had high blood pressure before, other risk factors include:
   

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Preeclampsia?

In addition to swelling, protein in the urine, and high blood pressure,preeclampsia symptoms can include:
You should seek care right away if you have:
  • Sudden and new swelling in your face, hands, and eyes (some feet and ankle swelling is normal during pregnancy.)
  • Blood pressure greater than 140/90.
  • Sudden weight gain over 1 or 2 days
  • Abdominal pain, especially in the upper right side
  • Severe headaches
  • A decrease in urine
  • Blurry vision, flashing lights, and floaters
You can also have preeclampsia and not have any symptoms. That's why it's so important to see your doctor for regular blood pressure checks and urine tests.                                     

How Can Preeclampsia Affect My Baby and Me?

Preeclampsia can prevent the placenta from receiving enoughblood, which can cause your baby to be born very small. It is also one of the leading causes of premature births, and the complications that can follow, including learning disabilities, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, hearing and vision problems.
In moms-to-be, preeclampsia can cause rare but serious complications that include:
Preeclampsia can also cause the placenta to suddenly separate from the uterus, which is called placental abruption. This can cause stillbirth.


How Can I Prevent Preeclampsia and Eclampsia?

Preeclampsia is a potentially dangerous condition in which a pregnantwoman develops high blood pressure -- or her hypertensionworsens -- threatening the health of her unborn child and herself. Preeclampsia, which may develop into eclampsia, may interfere with the placenta's ability to deliver oxygen and nutrition to the fetus. Your baby may be born weighing less than normal, may have other health problems, and may need to be delivered early.
Because no one knows what causes preeclampsia, it is very difficult to know how to prevent it. However, aspirin has been shown to have a protective effect in women with risk factors for preeclampsia. If you have significant risk factors and a history of preeclampsia, your health care provider may recommend that you take a low dose of aspirin daily.

What Is the Treatment for Preeclampsia and Eclampsia?

The only cure for preeclampsia and eclampsia is to deliver your baby. Your doctor will talk with you about when to deliver based on how far along your baby is, how well your baby is doing in your womb, and the severity of your preeclampsia.
If your baby has developed enough, usually by 37 weeks or later, your doctor may want to induce labor or perform a cesarean section. This is will keep preeclampsia from getting worse.
If your baby is not close to term, you and your doctor may be able to treat preeclampsia until your baby has developed enough to be safely delivered. The closer the birth is to your due date, the better for your baby.
If you have mild preeclampsia - also known as preclampsia with and without severe features, your doctor may prescribe:
  • Bed rest either at home or in the hospital; you'll be asked to rest mostly on your left side.
  • Careful observation with a fetal heart rate monitor and frequent ultrasounds
  • Medicines to lower your blood pressure
  • Blood and urine tests
Your doctor also may recommend that you stay in the hospital for closer monitoring. In the hospital you may be given:
  • Medicine to help prevent seizures, lower your blood pressure, and prevent other problems
  • Steroid injections to help your baby's lungs develop more quickly
Other treatments include:
  • Magnesium can be injected into the veins to prevent eclampsia-related seizures
  • Hydralazine or another antihypertensive drug to manage severe blood pressure elevations
  • Monitoring fluid intake and urine output.   For more information about Preeclampsia and Eclampsia: http://www.webmd.com/baby/guide/preeclampsia-eclampsia                                                                              


                                                                                           



Wednesday, May 25, 2016

GLOBAL YOUTH TRAFFIC SAFETY MONTH – A FOCUS ON SAVING TEEN LIVES

May is Global Youth Traffic Safety Month, a time where communities come together to bring more awareness to safety issues impacting teens on the road. GYTSM, which began as National Youth Traffic Safety Month, was expanded to support the United Nations’ 2007 Global Road Safety Week, because teen driving crashes are a worldwide safety problem, requiring global solutions.
Motor vehicle crashes continue to be the leading cause of death in the United States for 15- to 20-year olds. Nearly 1,700 young drivers died and 177,000 more were injured in motor vehicles crashes in 2013.
And, if that data weren’t dramatic enough, consider this: while drivers age 16–24 make up only 6 percent of the total number of licensed drivers, they are involved in 9 percent of all fatal crashes and 13 percent of all crashes.
Clearly, all of us – government, youth organizations, communities, parents, and individual citizens – must work harder to protect our youth. And GYTSM is the perfect time to refocus our efforts!
Doing our part, the NTSB will join the National Organizations for Youth Safety; Students Against Destructive Decisions; the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America; and students atFreedom High School in Virginia to bring the message of teen safe driving to their school and community. We will share best practices and lessons learned from the crashes we have seen. We will be using a live satellite feed and a Twitter chat to interact with students across the country to learn how they are promoting safe driving behaviors. The event will also feature special guest speaker Fletcher Cleaves, who was paralyzed in a distracted driving accident.
If you have a teen driver in your family, are close to teen drivers in your community, or simply want to know how to help prevent teen driver crashes, we encourage you to join us May 2 at 1:00 p.m. EST via Twitter @NTSB or follow the conversation by searching the hashtags #1goodchoice and #TrafficSafeYouth.
Young drivers are facing a public health crisis – death and injury in motor vehicle crashes. Parents and communities must work together to educate young drivers about good driving habits and increase their awareness about the dangers on the roadways.
For more information on this event, contact Stephanie Shaw at stephanie.shaw@ntsb.gov.



Sunday, May 15, 2016

National Asthma & Allergy Awareness Month


Happy National Asthma & Allergy Awareness Month, although those that suffer from Asthma and/or Allergies knows that happy is not what you would describe it as. 

I was born with Asthma but did not develop heavy allergies until I was in my teens when I had a horrible allergy episode. It was not fun and has not been fun ever since. Suffering from Asthma is hard enough but when you have a double dose (Asthma & Allergies), life is down right miserable especially during allergy season. Unfortunately I passed that burden onto my son is also suffers from both. The only upside in that is, because I go through it, I can help him through it.. Let's first discuss Asthma...


There is no cure for asthma and allergies, and many deaths are preventable with proper treatment and care. Ten people a day die from asthma. Asthma affects 24 million Americans. And 6.3 million children under the age of 18 suffer from asthma. 


Asthma Symptoms

Asthma symptoms are different for everyone and depend on the severity of the disease. Below are a few of the most common symptoms of asthma:
  • Coughing, especially at night or when exercising
  • Wheezing – a squeaky or whistling sound when you breathe
  • Trouble breathing
  • A tight feeling in the chest
Sometimes symptoms can be mild, whereas other times they can be serious enough to cause you to have to stop what you are doing. In very severe cases, asthma symptoms can be life threatening. During severe asthma attacks, the airways can narrow so much that not enough oxygen can get into the blood traveling to vital organs.
For me, at times I would get the coughing and most times I would get the tight feeling in my chest and back. Over the years I have learned how my body work and knows when it is time for a treatment or my Asthma pump.
Physical activity can trigger symptoms in most people with asthma. Symptoms may occur either during or right after being active. However, regular physical activity is important for your health. Many doctors recommend that most people, including people with asthma, get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week. If asthma is under control, exercise should not be a problem. If you or your child experience asthma symptoms when participating in physical activity, you should work with your doctor to adjust your asthma treatment program.
Regardless of the severity of your asthma, it's important to remember that asthma inflammation is always present, whether you or your child is experiencing symptoms or not.


Environmental Asthma Triggers

  • Air pollution
  • Dust mites
  • Mold (indoor and outdoor)
  • Animal dander, saliva and urine
  • Cockroach allergen
  • Smoke from tobacco or burning wood or grass

Seasonal Asthma Triggers

  • Tree, grass and weed pollen
  • Extreme changes in air temperature
  • Ozone alert days, which occur when temperatures pass 90 degrees and winds are less than 10 miles per hour

Airway inflammation can cause people with asthma to have persistent symptoms of coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. They may also experience a flare-up or asthma "attack."
While asthma is commonly known to affect the large airways, many recent asthma studies have shown how inflammation of the small airways contributes to asthma symptoms too. If a long-term control medicine does not reach or treat both the large and small airways, underlying chronic inflammation may persist.
There are many irritants in the air, like bacteria, pollen and dust. People with asthma can be more sensitive to these irritants, or triggers, and their immune systems can overreact by releasing different cells and chemicals into the airways causing inflammation.

There are different ways to control Asthma and the above picture tells the different ways. Also be in mind that if you are asthmatic and get a bad cold it is best to NOT take over the counters drugs for colds because it does not help only hinders your health. I learned that the hard way. Finally a doctor informed me that the best medication is the asthma breathing treatment because it breaks down the mucous and opens up your airways. Try it next time, you will see it works wonders.


They go hand in hand.



Allergies are one of the most common chronic diseases. A chronic disease lasts a long time or occurs often. An allergy occurs when the body’s immune system sees a substance as harmful and overreacts to it. The substances that cause allergic reactions are allergens. When someone has allergies, their immune system makes an antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE). These antibodies respond to allergens. The symptoms that result are an allergic reaction.

  • 38 percent of adults with seasonal allergies felt that their symptoms were becoming more severe.
  • Almost three out of four (74%) allergy sufferers had an idea what over-the-counter treatment options were available, but many didn't know what prescriptions were available (55%), what their allergy triggers were (37%), or how to help their allergy symptoms (36%).
  • Only 47% of adults surveyed visited a doctor for advice or got a prescription for an allergy treatment from a doctor before allergy season.
  • A large majority of parents of children with seasonal allergies (nearly nine-in-ten parents) worried about a severe allergy season more than their child's report card.



What Are the Types of Allergens?

  • Drug (medicine)
  • Food
  • Insects that sting (bee, wasp, fire ant); bite (mosquito, tick); or are household pests (cockroach and dust mite)
  • Latex
  • Mold
  • Pet (dog or cat urine, saliva and dander)
  • Pollen
Good allergy treatment is based on your medical history and the severity of your symptoms. It can include three different treatment strategies: avoidance of allergens, medication options and/or immunotherapy (a treatment to train your immune system not to overreact).

The best way to prevent an allergic reaction is to avoid your allergens. It sounds so easy, but you can’t always avoid them. For example, it’s not possible to avoid all outdoor activities if you’re allergic to bees and wasps. But there are steps you can take to reduce your chances of being stung and you can carry the medicine you will need if you are stung. It is important to prepare and have an allergy action plan.

In closing, each year if you suffer from Asthma or Allergies or both please be sure to pay attention to your symptoms and your body and take care of you. Both can be very much life threatening. 

~ Destiny Ashland
Big Sister On Point



Information obtained from - http://www.getsmartaboutasthma.com/
http://www.allergiesarentfunny.com/

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

May 10th Is World Lupus Day

Tue 10th May 2016

Worldwide

This Event Is Today

World Lupus Day increases awareness of lupus and helps gather support for the more than 5 million people affected by this condition worldwide.
Lupus is a serious, life-altering autoimmune disease that can affect any organ of the body. Lupus is a disease which remains under-recognized and under-appreciated.
An autoimmune disease is one in which the immune system is unable to recognize the difference between healthy cells in the body and the foreign cells it fights to remove. A healthy immune system produces antibodies which attack and destroy foreign and invasive cells like viruses, bacteria and germs.However, in people with lupus, the immune system creates auto antibodies which destroys healthy tissue. The consequence of this can be widespread, causing damage, inflammation and pain throughout the body. Lupus is a potentially fatal disease. Most organs and other parts of the body can be affected, including the brain, heart, lungs, kidneys and skin.

This Event Is Observed Around The World

Why Lupus Day is Celebrated

World Lupus Day is observed to focus on the requirement of heightened public awareness, enhanced patient healthcare services, advanced research into the reason of and a cure for lupus, enhanced physician examination and treatment of lupus, and advanced epidemiological information on lupus globally.

Impact of Lupus

Lupus not only affects the sufferer but it also impacts their family, friends, and peers. Still, it is extensively under-recognized as a global health issue by the public, health professionals, and governments, appealing the need for enhanced awareness. Early ascertaining and treatment of lupus enable to mitigate the debilitating effects of the disease. However, lupus is often hard to diagnose because symptoms frequently mimic common illnesses.
A lot of countries, worldwide, celebrate 10th of May every year and consider this as a very special day and an appropriate opportunity to raise awareness for Lupus.

Causes of Lupus

Cause of lupus is unknown. Scientists believe that people are born with the genes to experience lupus and that something "triggers" the disorder and symptoms. However, a combination of heredity, environment, and hormones are the real culprits.

Symptoms of Lupus

Symptoms of lupus may vary from individual to individual case and the type of lupus present. Most people with lupus do not witness all of these symptoms. Symptoms that enable doctors to differentiate lupus from other rheumatic diseases may encompass:
A butterfly-shaped patch or rash unearthing on the cheeks and on the bridge of the nose (malar rash)
  • Scaly wound appearing on the face, neck, and chest (discoid rash)
  • Sensitivity to sunlight
  • Ulcers in mouth
  • Arthritis pain and joint stiffness
  • Inflammation of cells found in  lungs, heart, abdomen, and internal organs
  • Kidney trauma
  • Abnormalities in central nervous system
  • Blood disorders
  • Antinuclear antibodies
  • Immune system disorders
  • Fatigue, swollen glands, fever and weight loss may be experienced with lupus.

    Lupus Basics

    Systemic lupus erythematosus, also generally termed as lupus or SLE, is a chronic, autoimmune and inflammatory disorder.
    Lupus mostly attacks the joints, kidney, skin, heart, lungs, nervous system and often other organs of the body. It has also been found that symptoms of lupus often resemble symptoms associated with other types of rheumatic and arthritis disease, thus making it tough to diagnose lupus.
    Types of Lupus Exist
    • Discoid lupus
    • Drug-induced lupus
    • Systemic lupus erythematosus
    • Subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus
    • Neonatal lupus

      Diagnosis of Lupus

      There is no single examination available that can diagnose lupus. Diagnosis is conducted depending on a fusion of factors (clinical symptoms, family medical history, and blood tests) which jointly provide evidence of disorders in several organ systems. Laboratory tests and x-rays are also facilitated to ascertain the diagnosis of lupus.
      In addition to abnormalities which may be detected by routine blood counts, chemistry examination, and urinalysis tests few other types of tests which are particularly prominent to lupus include:
      • Antinuclear antibody test
      • Sedimentation rate and CRP
      • Specific antibodies (anti-smith, anti-dsDNA, anti-phospholipid)
      • Complement examination

      Treatment of Lupus

      Treatment of lupus can depend on the seriousness of symptoms and organ systems encompassed. NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are basically recommended to control inflammation. Plaquenil is another commonly prescribed medication, which is used as a DMARD (disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug) used to treat lupus. Yet some other immunosuppressants may include Imuran, Cytoxan, cyclosporine, and CellCept. Corticosteroids (prednisone) are also prescribed to treat the condition of lupus.
      Studies are still on to find out the effectiveness of new treatments for lupus, most of which are monoclonal antibodies.

      Prevalence of Lupus

      Lupus attacks 10 times more women as compared to men. Albeit lupus can develop at any point of time, disease unearths generally occurs between the ages of 18 and 45 years. Asians and African-Americans have a higher risk of getting lupus as compared to the population coming from other racial or ethnic backgrounds. The Lupus Foundation of America reports that 1.5 million Americans have at least one of the types of lupus, but the estimate may differ.

      Thing to Know about Lupus

      • Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), as the name suggests, can affect multiple organ systems and is considered to be the most serious type of lupus.
      • Discoid lupus erythematosus attacks only the skin and is not concerned about any other organ systems.
      • Drug-induced lupus is due to a reaction to a few prescription medications. Symptoms often resemble of SLE but it does not attack the central nervous system or kidneys.
      • Subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus is observed in the form of skin lesions that are witnessed on those body parts which are exposed to the sun.
      • Neonatal lupus is a rare condition which affects infants.
      • Almost all lupus patients are more prone to detect antinuclear antibodies in blood serum.
For more information visit the World Lupus Day website.
See also National Lupus Awareness Month.


FACEBOOKGROUPS AND INFO ABOUT LUPUS


www.fightinglupus.net

lupus reseach institute
330 seventh avenue
suite 1701 ny ny  (212)812-9881

Lupus Team

The Soon Theory(support for all)

Lupus Lovelies

Lupus You Are Not Alone Honey (belong to this one)

LUPUS AND ME

lupus new life outlook

www.lupus.org