• ASTHMATIC ATTACK
  People with Asthma should not smoke and should avoid smoke filled rooms or people who smoke. Especially children in the house suffer the most because smoking leads to worsening of asthma in them.
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  Asthma can be fueled by wood stoves and fireplaces which can be traumatic for asthmatic patients. If you need to light fire be sure that the wood stove
  and chimney are airtight in order to reduce the amount of particulates released in a room. The room should be well ventilated and the fireplace
  should draw well.
  
  Going to sleep with a full stomach might also elevate asthma because asthma can be caused by "stomach reflux" a condition in which the acid backs up into your esophagus from your stomach and your stomach contents contents may leak out a little and drip down into your air passage while you recline. Prop your bed up and elevate the pillow to prevent the dripping, and take an antacid before bedtime to cut down on your stomach's acidity.
  
  Stay indoors when it is cold outside as extreme cold weather should be avoided.
  While going outdoors make sure to keep your mouth and nose covered because cold air can trigger asthma, but if your mouth and nose are covered with a scarf or mask you can breath warm, humid air.
• Once outside air has pollen in it, the cool pollinated air is bad for asthma. Air conditioner should be set on recirculate or to maximum setting, which will not bring pollen.
  
  Eating the wrong foods could trigger asthmatic attack. The common foods which trigger asthma are milk, eggs,nuts and seafood. Hence learn to recognise foods which can trigger asthmatic attack.Smelling sensitive foods can trigger an attack. It has been observed that a whiff of eggs frying in the pan was enough to cause an attack in some of the patients.
  TABLE SALT can have life threatening effect on asthmatic patients hence it should be avoided. Food additives, especially metabisulphite and monosodium
  glutamate can trigger asthma. Metabisulphite is found in beer, wine,shrimp and dried fruits, particularly apricots.
  
  NONASPIRIN PAIN RELIEVERS SHOULD BE USED:
• For some asthmatics taking aspirin could have life threatening consequences. If the patient has sinusitis and nasal polyps and asthma then a non steroidal anti-inflammatory like aspirin or ibuprofen should not be taken as it could worsen the condition as the aspirin sensitivity could just suddenly develop hence it is better to avoid aspirin products altogether.
  
  INHALERS SHOULD BE USED CORRECTLY: An inhaler if used correctly can bring quick relief. It should not be sprayed at the back your throat because it will not get into the lungs this way and neither should it be stuck in the mouth to take quick hits. An inhaler should be held an inch away from your open mouth, take a slow deep breath, and just after breathing in about a half second or so the inhaler should be depressed. Breathing should be continued after spraying and then hold your breath for 3 to 5 seconds. Your first puff opens your air passage, but if you take two quick puffs immediately,the second puff does not add anything. If you wait 2 to 5 minutes, then the second puff will be of added benefit.
  In an emergency when you have to face an asthmatic attack without an inhaler a couple of cups of strong coffee will have beneficial effect on asthma.
  Caffeine and the popular asthma drug Theophylline are almost identical and hence your body would react in the same way to caffeine which would help to
  fight asthmatic attack. However, caffeine should not be considered as a substitute for treatment of asthma it should be used only during an emergency.
  Hot cocoa or a couple of chocolate bars would also be an effective substitute medication that would buy time until you could get a medicine or an inhaler.
  Of course the best way to fight an asthma attack is not to have one in the first place. Be aware of the early signs of asthma and if one recognises these
  signs one can act right away and ward it off. The earlier one acts the less severe the asthma will be.
  
  ASTHMA CAN BE REDUCED WITH EXERCISE
  Keep your mouth closed and breathe through your nose. When you open your mouth to gasp for air when exercising hard, you are drying the back of your throat and it becomes cool, which triggers your asthma. Keep your mouth closed and breathe through your nose.
  Swimming is an ideal exercise for asthmatics because of the high humidity, your mouth will not dry out. Any sport that requires shorter bursts of
  exercise, such as baseball, tennis,and golf, is also good. If you visit the gym regularly use the medicine 15 minutes before your activity and you
  should be alright.
  
  MEDICAL ADVISE
  Patients should understand the severity of the symptoms and should take them seriously. They should be careful that they never run out of medicines and should seek medical attention whenever they have difficulty in breathing. Increase in usage of the frequency of medicines is also an indication to seek immediate medical help.
  
  
  BACKACHE
  The best way to cool down an acute back pain is with ice because it will help reduce swelling and the strain on your back muscles. Ice massage is very effective where an ice pack is put on the site of the pain and it is massaged for 7-8 minutes.This can be done for 1-2 days.
  After two days of ice massage, doctors recommend heat treatment with a soft towel by dipping it in very warm water on the affected back. Put some plastic
  wrap over that, then put a heating pad turned on medium on top of the plastic. If possible, place something on the top that will create pressure like a heavy book as this will create moist heat and will help reduce muscle spasms, Both heat and cold treatment can be used. An intermittent regimen of heat and ice will actually make you feel better. The cycle of 30 minutes of ice and 30 minutes of heat can be repeated on the affected back.
  
  Stretching a sore back will actually help the healing process. A good stretch for the lower back pain is to gently bring your knees up from the bed and to your chest and then put pressure on your knees. Stretch, then relax and repeat the same procedure because stretching will help the muscle calm down sooner than just waiting for it to calm down on it own.
  
  When you have to get out of bed roll out of bed carefully as slowly as you can minimize the pain of getting out of bed by sliding to the edge of the bed. Once there, keep your back rigid and then let your legs come off the bed first. This motion will act like a springboard, lifting your upper body straight up off the bed.
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  Chronic pain sufferers of backache should have a lumber under the mattress which will help the lumbar lying on the top. The point is to have a bed that
  does not sag in the middle when you sleep on it. A piece of plywood between the mattress and the box spring will end the sagging problem of the bed and provide good support to the back.
  A water bed that is adjustable and does not make a lot of waves is excellent for most type of backaches because in water beds one get equalized change in
  the pressure on various segments of one's body and one can lie in one position for the entire night because of this.
  
  A lazy S sleeper position is the best position for a bad back. Put a pillow under your head and upper neck, keep your back relatively flat on the bed,
  and then put a pillow under your knees. When you straighten your legs, your hamstring muscles pull and put pressure on your lower back. Keeping your
  knees bent puts slack into the hamstrings and takes the pressure off your back.
  
  Fetal position while sleeping is very good for a good night's sleep. Its better to stick a pillow between your knees when you sleep on your side because the pillow stops your leg from sliding forward and rotating your hips, which puts added pressure on your back.
  
  Back pain is often accompanied by inflammation around the site of the pain. Drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen can keep the pain away. Acetaminophen
  is not effective because it is not an anti-inflammatory drug. White willow bark, can be used as a natural anti-inflammatory which can be found in capsule
  form in health food stores. Natural salicylate, the active ingredient gives aspirin its anti-inflammatory power. Taken after meals,it should not hurt the stomach and it works well on mild and moderate back pain. People suffering from ulcers and heartburn should not use it.
  
  When you experience intense pain in the middle of the night visualize yourself as pain free. The more involved the image is, the more you are engaged with it and the quicker you will become distracted from the pain.
  Gravity inversion is good for relieving back pain where you can strap yourself to a special device that tilts back and allows you to hang upside down.
  Lower back pain can be rid by doing inversion traction with a proper, safe inversion apparatus for about 5-10 minutes a day. But doctor's advise should
  be taken before following this therapy especially when one is suffering from disk problems. Patients suffering from potential glaucoma should not use it all.
  
  T'ai chi an ancient Chinese discipline of slow fluid movements is great for relaxing the muscles of your back, which helps to untie the muscle knots but it takes time and self discipline to learn this method and it thas proven its worth.
  
  DOCTOR' S CONSULTATION IS NEEDED WHEN
  Back pain that comes on suddenly without any reason.
  Back pain that is accompanied by other symptoms,such as fever, stomach cramps, chest pain or difficulty in breathing.
  An acute attack which lasts for more than 2-3 days without any pain relief.
  Chronic pain which lasts for more than 2 weeks without any relief.
  Back pain which radiates down your leg to your knee or foot.
  Back does not necessarily mean something is wrong with your back, it could also mean to be a sign of some other disorder.
  
  
  CONSTIPATION
  Experts feel that the constipated individual should check his diet. His diet should include dietary fiber and liquids. Lots of both are essential to keep
  the stool soft and help it pass through the colon. A minimum of 6 glasses of liquid and preferably 8 glasses should be a part of every adult's diet and
  water is the best fluid for this purpose.
  20-25 grams of dietary fiber should be consumed by all adults and at least 30 grams of fiber for those who suffer from constipation. This fiber comes from
  complex carbohydrates such as those in whole grains, fruit and vegetables.
• For example: One and half cup of green peas gives 5 grams, one small apples gives 3 grams and a bowl of bran cereal can give up to 13 grams of complex carbohydrates. However, the best fiber foods are cooked dried beans, prunes, figs, raisins, popcorn, oatmeal, pears, and nuts. But fiber intakes should be increased gradually to avoid gas attacks.
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  Exercise is also good for the bowels because regular exercise tends to fight constipation by moving the food through the bowel faster. Walking is very
  helpful for pregnant women, many of them experience constipation as their inner workings are changed to accomodate the growing fetus. They should walk for about 20 to 30 minutes a day without getting too winded as they walk.
  To have a regular bowel movement toilet training is a must. Ignoring the urge to defecate when nature calls should be avoided because this could lead
  progressively to constipation. The most natural time to go to the toilet is after a meal. If you follow this routine then you will condition your colon to act as nature intended.
  
  Relaxing and taking it easy helps to relieve constipation because when you are frightened or tense, your heart beats faster and your bowels stop as well.
  A good belly laugh helps constipation as it has a massaging effect on the intestines, which help in fostering digestion and it is a great reliever of stress.
  
  Taking laxative tablets may provide relief but they could be addictive. An excess of these chemical laxatives can worsen your constipation.
  Natural or vegetable laxatives whose main ingredient is generally crushed psyllium seed(a super concentrated form of fiber) should be taken because it is non addictive and generally safe over long periods of time unlike the chemical laxatives. These must be taken with lots of water or they can be gummed inside.
  For quick and fast relief Enema or suppository can be helpful occasionally but they should not be followed often as it could worsen the problem.

Some medications can cause constipation such as antacids containing aluminium or calcium, antihistamines, anti-Parkinsonism drugs, calcium supplements, diuretics, narcotics, phenothiazines, sedatives and tricylic antidepressants. Certain foods like milk can be extremely constipating to some, while others get diarrhea with it. Foods that produce gas such as beans, cauliflower and cabbage should be avoided by those whose constipation is the result of a spastic colon. A painful constipation is due to spastic colon. People with spastic colon should avoid large meals that detend the digestive track thus worsening constipation.

Herbal remedies for dealing constipation are aloe Vera juice and not gel, senna, rhubarb(medicinal), cascara sagrada, dandelion root and plantain seeds
But certain herbal laxatives like chemical laxatives should not be overused.

DOCTOR'S CONSULTATION IS NEEDED WHEN
When the symptoms are severe, last longer than three weeks, are disabling, or if you find blood in your stool. Although it is rare, constipation can signal
a serious underlying disorder. A doctor's consultation is also needed when your constipation is accompanied by distended abdomen, which may signal an
intestinal obstruction.

HYPERTENSION
As one grows older, hypertension increases the risk of strokes and heart attacks, hence an early diagnosis is imperative. Since obesity and hypertension
are related one should maintain their figure. Salt intake, dietary saturated fat cholesterol and alcohol intake should be reduced. Adequate intakes of
Potassium, calcium, magnesium should be maintained. Diet rich in fruits and vegetables, non fat dairy products and those low in saturated and total fats
should be taken. Fruits,vegetables,nuts,whole grains, fish,poultry and low-fat dairy products are also advised.
Salty foods such as salted crisps, nuts, pickles, papad, salted, smoked foods such as cheese, canned fish and other processed foods prepared sauces and salad dressings high on salt content should be cut down. These must be replaced with fresh foods such as fish, lean meat, fresh fruits and vegetables.
Labels on food items should be read carefully because salt may be disguised as sodium as in sodium chloride, mono sodium glutamate or bicarbonate or soda.
Anti hypertensive drugs are effective in the treatment along with regular follow ups. Modifications in your lifestyle should be made by quiting smoking and increase physical activity.