Dr. Miranda, Author at Healthhype

Hormone Replacement Therapy (Synthetic, Natural HRT) Types, Side Effects

Dr. Miranda — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 17:19:40 +0000

What is Hormone Replacement Therapy? Hormone replacement therapy or HRT for short is the use of female hormones (estrogen and progesterone) alone or in combination in women during or after menopause. The available hormone replacement therapy formulations include : oral pills/tablets vaginal creams, rings, gels skin creams, gels, patches implants Menopause is a normal stage in a woman’s life commencing around 45 to 55 years. It is characterized by a change in the hormone levels when the monthly menstrual cycles end (secondary amenorrhea). In menopause, a women does not have periods for one year or more without being pregnant, severely ill, on certain drugs or breastfeeding. Some consider the phase of irregular periods, before the complete cessation to be menopause whereas medically it is called the perimenopausal phase (perimenopause). At menopause the levels of female hormones fall below normal. These hormones are not only essential for reproduction, but also for normal physiological functions of the body. The decrease in the levels of these hormones leads to some characteristic signs and symptoms which vary in severity. The immediate symptoms can be hot flashes/flushes (face, neck and chest ), vaginal dryness, night sweats and sleep disturbances. Hormone replacement therapy, using estrogen or [...]

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Cholesterol Diet | Foods to Eat and Avoid to Lower Cholesterol

Dr. Miranda — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 12:22:20 +0000

Dietary management of hypercholesterolemia, or a cholesterol diet, is a combination of a calorie-controlled eating plan incorporating foods that may help to reduce LDL cholesterol levels and/or increase HDL levels while avoiding foods that may increase LDL cholesterol and reduce HDL cholesterol. Low glycemic index (GI) foods should be the primary source of carbohydrates, especially if weight loss is a consideration or a person is a diabetic. The management of high cholesterol levels (hypercholesterolemia) should involve both diet and medication in patients with LDL cholesterol levels of 100 mg/dL or more. A cholesterol diet should also be structured for weight loss in overweight or obese patients. For levels lower than 100 mg/dL, dietary management is still advisable to maintain the cholesterol levels, lose weight if necessary or prevent weight gain. A cholesterol diet also aims to keep the LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) within an acceptable range for life and should therefore not be viewed as a temporary measure. For more information on the acceptable values of lipids in the body, refer to LDL Cholesterol Levels and Triglyceride Blood Levels. The guidelines for a cholesterol diet should include the following changes in the daily food intake. Total daily calorie intake should be [...]

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Triglyceride Diet | Foods to Avoid and Eat to Lower Triglycerides

Dr. Miranda — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 20:41:17 +0000

Dietary management in hypertriglyceridemia (high triglyceride levels in the blood) includes a balanced intake of fats and carbohydrates. Generally, hypertriglyceridemia is associated with obesity, hypertension and diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes). These conditions should also be managed adequately, with medication, diet and lifestyle. The dietary modifications should aim for a reduction in body weight as well as a decrease in in plasma triglycerides (triglycerides in the blood). Dietary modification as indicated by the National Cholesterol Education Program should aim for the following changes in the daily diet. carbohydrate intake = 55% to 60% protein intake = 15% to 20% total fat < 30% saturated fat < 7% Change in plasma triglycerides due to dietary modification and weight loss is only about a 25% reduction. Therefore medication is usually necessary. It should however be noted that a very low-fat diet can increase triglyceride levels and decrease HDL cholesterol levels (“good cholesterol”). Moderation is therefore essential in dietary management. Current guidelines advise a diet which lowers both LDL cholesterol (“bad cholesterol”) as well as triglycerides together. The LDL-C levels should be the first priority and then the triglyceride levels. Always consult with a doctor before adding supplements to your diet. The aim of [...]

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Saturated, Unsaturated and Trans Fats | Benefits, Effects, Foods

Dr. Miranda — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 23:59:54 +0000

Fats are an essential part of the human diet as it has many functions including : being a source of energy absorption of fat-soluble vitamins components of vital structures within the body such as cell membranes and nerve linings providing cushioning for vital organs insulation for the body Whilst the human body can synthesize many forms of fatty acids itself there are certain fats that need to be sourced from food. These are called essential fats. Fat enhances the taste and flavor of food and slows the rate at which stomach contents are emptied (gastric emptying) thereby leading to the feeling of satiety after a fat laden meal. In order to be absorbed, fat must be emulsified by bile released from the gall bladder and then broken down by digestive enzymes like pancreatic lipase. Overall, the process of fat digestion and absorption is very efficient – up to 95% of the fat from the diet is absorbed into the body. While fats are an essential part of a healthy diet, it can also cause a host of diseases. Fat provides more energy ounce for ounce than carbohydrates or proteins. If this energy supply is not needed, it will be stored [...]

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Niacin Cholesterol Lowering Drug Actions, Dose, Side Effects

Dr. Miranda — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 00:41:34 +0000

What is Niacin? Niacin is a water soluble B-vitamin that has a dual action. Niacin or nicotinic acid has lipid-lowering action, but when niacin changes its chemical form, and becomes an amide (niacinamide or nicotinamide) then it functions as a vitamin only and has no action on the lipid levels. It is the oldest cholesterol-lowering drug and large doses of niacin are required for it to have lipid-lowering benefits (around 5-6 times higher than the dose required for vitamin supplement action). Presently, less attention is being given to niacin as its main action is on HDL-C (good cholesterol) levels and not LDL-C (bad cholesterol) levels which are the target lipoproteins in all high risk patients. Actions of Niacin Niacin decreases the synthesis of triglycerides in the liver and bloodstream by inhibiting the enzymes involved in their formation. It decreases the elimination of HDL-C from the body. Therefore niacin increases the levels of HDL-C by 30% to 40% and lowers triglycerides levels by 35% to 45% (as effectively as fibrates like fenofibrate and most potent statins like atorvastatin). Niacin also decreases the levels of LDL-C by 20% to 30%, which is less than the effect shown by statins. It is the [...]

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What are Statins? Types of Cholesterol-Lowering Statin Drugs

Dr. Miranda — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 17:12:44 +0000

What are Statins? Statins are cholesterol lowering drugs and one of the most commonly prescribed drugs after antibiotics and pain killers. The group as a whole is known as “statins” as all of the drugs in this group have – statin as a suffix in the chemical name. Various studies of the last two decades have conclusively proved the role of statins in the prevention of heart attack, stroke and other diseases related to high blood cholesterol levels. Statins not only decrease morbidity (incidence of disease occurrence), but also deaths from heart diseases. How do the statins work? Cholesterol and triglycerides are different forms of lipids in the body. Cholesterol is necessary for normal synthesis of cell membranes and hormones in the body. Triglycerides provides energy to the cells. Cholesterol is carried by lipoproteins in the bloodstream, like LDL-C (Low Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol). High levels of LDL-C are harmful as these particles are the main contributors to atherosclerotic plaques in the walls of the arteries. Refer to What is Atherosclerosis? HDL-C (High Density Lipoprotein-C), another lipoprotein is considered to be “good” cholesterol as it carries the cholesterol back from the blood into the liver. Statins decrease the levels of total cholesterol [...]

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Whiplash and Concussions

Dr. Miranda — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:49:12 +0000

Injuries to the head and neck during sports, accidents, and other traumatic events are common. Two of the most frequently occurring conditions in the head and neck area are whiplash (a particular neck injury from high velocity forces) and concussion (a closed-head injury, sometimes called mild traumatic brain injury). These two injuries could both occur during the same incident, but not always in ways that are immediately obvious. What is Whiplash? The term “whiplash” is actually not a very good description of this type of injury as it is describing the movement of the head and neck during a collision or other high velocity forces on the body. Logically, it can be described as the head going through acceleration (picking up speed) and then rapid deceleration (slowing down). These excessive forces on the neck are known to cause soft-tissue (ligament, tendon, muscle) injury and sometimes can affect bony tissue. Generally, the injuries obtained are sprains, strains, and other varying amounts of soft-tissue damage. Whiplash vs Concussion Similar to whiplash, the term concussion is a term that describes the cause of the injury rather than giving an idea of the structures affected. Concussions, also known as mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) [...]

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Vaccinations For Travel to India (Recommended by CDC)

Dr. Miranda — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:56:34 +0000

Large numbers of travelers are visiting developing countries, like India. Studies show that 50-75% of travelers to the tropics and sub-tropics (including India) report some health problem during their stay or after leaving the country which they visited although most of the health problems are minor and only about 5% require medical attention and less than 1% requires hospitalization (1). Infectious diseases are the main culprit for the health problems among the travelers. But they rarely cause death among travelers. It is your personal doctor (or immunologist, or infectologist) who will tell you which vaccinations you need before travel, and if vaccination is safe for you. If you travel to India, you should set up an appointment to your doctor 4-6 weeks before traveling, since in this time most of vaccines take effect (2). Immunizations (vaccination) for travelers can be categorized into three categories: a) Routine Vaccinations Routine vaccinations such as for influenza, chickenpox, polio, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR), and diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT), also for rotavirus, are for children and for adult booster doses of vaccines and these are regardless to travel requirements (2). b) Required Vaccinations Yellow Fever Vaccination Yellow fever is caused by yellow fever virus and transmitted to humans through the bite [...]

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Body Piercing Facts, Scarring, Infections, Removal of Piercing

Dr. Miranda — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 15:02:31 +0000

Body piercings have become a fashion trend throughout the globe, from the multiple ear piercings to tongue, belly button and nipple rings. For the more adventurous, body piercings may extend to the genitalia and is often less painful than piercing other areas, especially the tongue. It seems like there is almost no area of the body that cannot be pierced these days. Although body piercings have been a part of cultural practices for literally thousands of years, the method of piercings have rapidly changed to ensure a quick process with limited pain and low risk of complications like infections. Nevertheless there are risks associated with body piercings and this risk increases when piercings are done in an unhygienic setting and an untrained person. Piercings Damage The Skin The skin is a barrier that is made up of an outer waterproof layer known as the epidermis, an inner soft living tissue known as the dermis and tissue below it broadly referred to as the subcutaneous tissue. This also includes the subcutaneous fat. Depending on the location of the piercing, there may be penetration of all these layers. The integrity of the skin is immediately compromised and within weeks the body will [...]

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Sneezing – Causes, Treatments and Good Sneezing Practices

Dr. Miranda — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 23:01:01 +0000

Key Points: Introduction What Causes Sneezing? What is Photic Sneeze Reflex? Are Sneezes Infectious? Should You Stifle Your Sneezes? Treatments for Conditions that Cause Sneezing Good Sneezing Practices Introduction All human beings have sneezing in common. Whether you are a loud sneezer or try to muffle it, there are times when you just can’t help but sneeze. For some, sneezing can be a real problem, particularly if they suffer from photic sneeze reflex. Whether your sneezes are caused by allergies or some other reason, sneezes can be embarrassing. They always seem to sneak up on you when you least expect them. Let’s take a look at what causes people to sneeze and how you can treat any conditions that may cause sneezing. What Causes Sneezing? There are several reasons that people sneeze. Infrequent sneezes are usually the by-product of small particles that get past your nose hair and irritate the sensitive lining of your nose. You may notice a slight burning or tingling right before or after this type of sneeze. When the particle or particles reach this sensitive area of your nose, histamines are triggered and are released into your system. This is what makes you feel as though [...]

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