Who does not enjoy some sugary treats from time to time? A lot of people talk about having a sweet tooth. It is not always related to a preference for chocolates or sweets. Some people are habituated to eating something sweet after a filling meal, while others munch on candy to kill time. Today, almost all foods have some amount of sugar in them. Having a sweet tooth is not bad, but when it affects your health, you need to take it seriously. Everyone must try to maintain a normal range of blood sugar levels. One should not consume products with too much sugar or salt. They should also avoid eating sweet or salty foods over long durations as both of these items can gravely affect their health. No one wants to spend the rest of their lives swallowing pills and restricting their diet. They can avoid this by controlling the amount of sugar they consume and following a healthy and active lifestyle. Diabetes in the country Today, a large number of people in the country have diabetes. According to a report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 100 million Americans have diabetes or prediabetes. Approximately 30 million citizens, i.e., 9.4% of the total population suffers from diabetes, and approximately 84.1 million citizens have prediabetes. If prediabetic patients do not treat this condition, they will go on to develop the disease within five years. This is a grave illness and reports suggests that the number of patients will rise steadily over time. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the country, and this number is only expected to rise with time. Some areas of the country have a higher rate of mortality than others, while other areas are affected on a larger basis.

Is your skin itchy, inflamed, flaky or scaly? You are probably headed toward developing psoriasis! Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune disease of the skin that ranges from mild to severe. Those affected by chronic psoriasis develop scaly patches on their skin that are inflamed, itchy, and painful. Depending on the symptoms, psoriasis is classified into various types. Chronic psoriasis treatment is based on the symptoms and the extent to which it has spread. Like all autoimmune diseases, there is no specific cause for chronic psoriasis. Contributing factors for chronic psoriasis are mental stress and anxiety, low self-esteem, genetic predisposition, and environmental factors. Chronic psoriasis treatment depends on the severity of the condition and aims at alleviating the associated symptoms. Common symptoms of psoriasis Psoriasis occurs due to changes that occur beneath the skin rather than on the skin. Although psoriasis is classified into different types based on appearance and symptoms, the following are the common symptoms: Red patches on the skin Scaly, silvery patches Itchy skin Swelling of joints, stiffness or pain If you need information on psoriasis and its symptoms, you should know that they are specific to the type of psoriasis. Types of chronic psoriasis Classifying chronic psoriasis helps in deciding the line of treatment. For some only one type of psoriasis exists, whereas for others a combination of two or more types may exist. In some cases, once the symptoms of existing psoriasis wear away, a new type may develop in response to a trigger. There are 7 types of psoriasis as listed below: Plaque psoriasis – Plaque psoriasis is the most common form of chronic psoriasis. It is also referred to as psoriasis vulgaris. It is characterized by raised, inflamed, reddish skin covered by silvery white scales. It causes itching and burning sensations. Elbow, lower back, scalp, and knees are common places where plaque psoriasis occurs.

Lung cancer is one of the most unpleasant forms of cancer. Due to the large size of the lungs, tumors can grow in them for significantly long periods before being detected. The symptoms of lung cancer include coughing and fatigue. It is difficult to identify this disease by these symptoms alone, and thus, it is hard to get an early diagnosis. There are two types of lung cancer – non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer. The stages of lung cancer depend on whether cancer has spread from the lungs to other organs, the lymph nodes, or whether it is still local. Early diagnosis of lung cancer can help in treating this condition effectively. Nevertheless, people with lung cancer do have access to various treatment options. Before we get to these treatment options, let’s understand the two types of lung cancer, their stages, and how they affect people in the country. Non-small cell lung cancer Non-small cell lung cancer accounts for 85% of all lung cancer cases in the country. Adenocarcinoma, a subtype of non-small cell lung cancer, is the most common form, followed by squamous cell carcinoma (25%) and large cell carcinoma (10%). Stages of non-small cell lung cancer Stage I: Cancer is local and has not spread to the lymph nodes yet. Stage II: Cancer has started spreading to other areas of the lungs as well as the lymph nodes nearby. Stage III: In this stage of the disease, cancer spreads to the middle of the chest, the lymph nodes, and the lungs. It is also known as “locally advanced disease.” It has two subtypes. If cancer has spread to the lymph nodes present on the same side of the chest where cancer originated, it is called stage IIIA. If cancer has spread to the lymph nodes present on the other side of the chest, or just above the collarbone, it is called stage IIIB.

Fibromyalgia is the second most common disease in the country that affects the muscles and bones. The most common symptoms of the disease are feeling fatigued for no apparent reason and extreme pain in the joints. One of the main problems of this disease is that you may or may not know that you are suffering from the disease. The disease is poorly understood and identified by the masses. There is no specific test to determine whether you are suffering from the disease. The disease has no cure and its symptoms can be managed through treatment and by bringing about certain changes to your lifestyle. If you are suffering from the symptoms of the condition, make sure to visit a doctor immediately. Immediate treatment can help you effectively manage the disease. There are certain areas on the body that appear to be tender for those people who are suffering from the condition. These are called fibromyalgia tender points. What are fibromyalgia tender points? When suffering from fibromyalgia, there are certain areas on the body that become painful when pressure is applied to them. These areas are referred to as fibromyalgia tender points. While fibromyalgia tender points are also referred to as trigger points, they are not essentially triggered points. Trigger points can cause other parts of the body to pain when pressure is applied to them. For example, if pressure is applied to your elbow, you may feel pain in your hand. Some people may have trigger points and fibromyalgia tender points at the same time. Here are a few of the most common fibromyalgia tender points on the body. Be aware of these points and visit a doctor if you are feeling pain in these areas. It could be a sign that you are suffering from fibromyalgia and your doctor may prescribe medications.

Parkinson’s disease affects a patient’s nervous system and their body’s movements. Most people have heard of this illness, but not many know about the stages of Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s disease is a progressive condition that worsens with time. One can consult a doctor to understand the stages involved in detail. This article will aim to give a brief overview of this condition’s stages. However, since this disease affects the brain, the stages and their symptoms may differ from one individual to another. Some patients exhibit severe signs while others can continue to function normally. The speed at which it progresses also differs. One can understand the stages briefly on the basis of the Hoehn and Yahr scale. Physicians also use this scale. It is quite easy to classify and treat patients according to it. Here are the five stages of Parkinson’s disease: The first stage The symptoms of the first stage differ for different patients. However, if one identifies the signs in the early stages, it becomes easy to treat the condition. One may only observe some symptoms in the beginning, and these occur on one side of the body. Known as unilateral involvement, it doesn’t hamper one’s ability to function normally. At times, these mild signs might go unnoticed by the doctor as well as the patient. The most common symptoms in the first stage are: Tremors Rigidity in the hand Clumsiness in the hand or leg Rigidity or clumsiness on one side of the face None of these symptoms are apparent, and hence, doctors might wait it out before diagnosing it as the first stage of Parkinson’s disease. The second stage The signs or symptoms may not be apparent even in the second stage of Parkinson’s disease. This stage is a part of the early stages, and therefore it isn’t all that obvious that one has Parkinson’s disease.

Epilepsy is a neurological condition that causes seizures. A person is said to have epilepsy if he experiences two or more seizures, a disorder in the electrical communication between neurons in the brain, separated by a period of 24 hours. The consequences of an epileptic seizure can vary from uncontrolled jerking movement to momentary loss of awareness. These can also vary in frequency, from several times in a day to only once in a year. Understanding epilepsy seizure symptoms is the first step in treating this disorder. Types of epileptic seizures and their symptoms Differentiating seizure types is important for causes, diagnosis, and treatment. Epilepsy seizure symptoms are broadly classified into two groups – focal seizures and generalized seizures. Focal seizures are the ones which initially affect only one hemisphere of the brain. There are four lobes in each hemisphere of the brain. The seizure symptoms vary based on where the seizure has occurred. This is further divided into two categories: Focal aware seizure – This affects only a small area of the brain and people experiencing this type of seizure remain conscious. The common symptoms include the following. A sudden feeling of fear, anger, anxiety Falling or moving sensations Altered sense of hearing Strenuous speech or incapable of speaking If asleep, hallucinations or illusions Focal impaired awareness seizure – This is associated with unilateral cerebral hemisphere and results in impairment of awareness. The common symptoms include the following. A feeling of déjà vu, a feeling that a person has lived through the present situation A feeling of euphoria or depersonalization Display of automatisms like, lip smacking or swallowing Generalized seizures – These are typically characterized by no apparent cause. Unlike focal seizures, it affects more or the whole part of the brain. This is further classified into the following types.

Learning that a loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s can take a toll on anybody. This progressive disease is emotionally and physically traumatizing as it gradually affects one’s memory, their ability to think and perceive. In order to manage the symptoms effectively, knowing about the stages of progress and treatment options is crucial. The experience of the disease may differ from person to person but the trajectory from the beginning to the end of the illness is the same. Given below are the 7 identified Alzheimer’s stages: Preclinical Alzheimer’s The preclinical stage of Alzheimer’s is not clearly observed and signs of memory loss or dementia are not evident. Family history alone may denote the risk of this stage or else one’s regular physician may recognize biomarkers signifying the risk, suggesting a visit to a neurologist. Normal forgetfulness After crossing 65, it is common to forget things. But at stage two of Alzheimer’s, the tendency to forget things tends to increase rapidly than in people of the same age group who do not suffer from the disease. Mild decline The symptoms at this stage are less clear and it usually continues for about 7 years. The symptoms gradually become obvious within 2- 4 years. Only those who are very close may detect the signs since they are still quite subtle. The quality of work may decrease and the victims may find it difficult to learn new skills. Other signs of the third stage include things like getting lost in a well-known route, difficulty in remembering correct words/names, an inability to remember recent news, inability to remember new names/ people, frequent loss or misplacement of an item, a decrease in concentration. Moderate Decline This 4 th Alzheimer’s stage lasts almost two years and marks the commencement of identifiable Alzheimer’s disease. In this stage, precise indications of the ailment are clear.

Growth is one of the most important factors for a newborn baby. It is important to look at the child growth chart to identify the physical growth and the child’s development as an individual. The growth chart indicates that the kid is gaining weight and inches that ensure their development. Each age has a generalized rate of the child’s development, and you will know if your kid is gaining more weight than usual or vice versa. The importance of percentiles When you visit the doctor, they will measure the height, weight, and head circumference of your child and will also help you understand the percentiles of measurement. The percentile number will help you understand your baby’s growth in an effective way; for example, if the doctor says your kid is taller than 85 percentiles, it means your child is taller than 85 percent kids of their age. How to chart your kid’s growth Growth and development are very important for a child; it is also important for the parents to keep an eye on the growth and development of their baby. The child growth chart can be considered a reliable method to keep an eye on the development and growth of your child. Nowadays, you can find the child growth chart easily on the internet, which you can use. If your child is below 2 years of age, we recommend that you use a standardized chart like the growth charts from the World Health Organization that maintain international standards framed in the year 2006. On the other hand, if your child is older than 2 years, you can follow the growth charts prepared by the National Center for Health Statistics. You can also find growth charts for premature babies and toddlers with specific conditions like achondroplasia, Prader-Willi syndrome, Marfan syndrome, and others.

Leukemia is one of three major types of blood cancer, with lymphoma and myeloma being the other two. The red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), and platelets can all suffer due to it, although the condition mostly refers to cancer of the WBCs. The condition is diagnosed 10 times more in adults than children, so the risk definitely increases as one grows older. The symptoms of the condition vary depending on the type of leukemia the patient is afflicted by. The major ones are Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) Apart from the blood, the bone marrow—a spongy tissue found inside bones and responsible for producing blood cells—is affected in this type of leukemia. Symptoms include bleeding from the gums, frequent infections, and bone pain. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) The major difference between CLL and other types of leukemia is that this one progresses slowly as compared to others. Symptoms of this type are not visible in the early stages, but patients in the latter stages report fatigue, weight loss, and enlarged lymph nodes. Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) A patient suffering this type has an increased number of WBCs in their blood. The condition is more common in adults and is caused due to an abnormality in the genes of the bone marrow. Diagnosis of leukemia Since certain types of leukemia like CLL and CML do not produce symptoms until their later stages, self-diagnosing the disease is difficult. Undergoing diagnostics like blood or bone marrow tests can help with both equally effective at diagnosing the problem. The test results determine the treatment method to choose. Treatment of leukemia The doctor may choose either of the following treatment options after considering several factors, like your age and stage of the disease. Radiation therapy This condition basically spreads through infected leukemia cells that divide rapidly to destroy organs and tissues.