Health

Miscarriage is the unexpected end of a pregnancy within the first 20 weeks. It occurs when the fetus or embryo is unable to survive independently and dies naturally. Miscarriage is the single most common complication early in a pregnancy. The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) estimates that 15 to 20 per cent of pregnancies will end in miscarriage, but some research suggests the rate is even higher. Rates of miscarriage increase with a woman’s age. Many miscarriages occur before a woman even knows she is pregnant. The risk of miscarriage is highest within the first trimester and 80 to 90 per cent of miscarriages occur within the first 13 weeks of the pregnancy.

Who likes the flu? Nobody. You would never wish it on your worst enemy. Heck, you would even prefer to go to school or work than stay home and endure the torture of the flu. Once the common flu symptoms kick in, all you can do is get your boxes of tissues, bottles of water, chicken noodle soup, and fresh sheets – it is going to be a rough 48 hours!

When you have the flu symptoms, hygiene is of the utmost importance. There is one thing your hands are constantly touching: your inventory of dirty tissues. You do not need to wash your hands every five minutes, but it would be a good idea to still wash your hands throughout the day as to avoid spreading your germs to common household items, such as the channel changer, the laptop, or your smartphone. As you would any other time, turn on the hot water, apply your soap, and rinse. You can even rub your hands with sanitizer!

There is no single cure of the flu, not even the flu shot is 100 percent infallible. There are ways to adapt, including having the knowledge of what to expect and how to mitigate the unbearable agony of the flu. Here are the seven common flu symptoms and their characteristics:

An allergy may be triggered by touching certain things, inhaling irritants like pollen, or eating certain foods. For certain susceptible individuals, these can trigger an allergic reaction due to a hypersensitive immune system. Hay fever is seasonal, however, being constantly exposed to triggers could cause the symptoms to last year-round. Using natural methods can help to alleviate some of the symptoms associated with seasonal allergies.

Let’s explore what some of these natural treatments are.

Did you know that around 60 per cent of the human body is water? Water is essentially what we are made of, what keeps us alive, and big part of what allows us to live with the degree of comfort that we do. You probably put a lot of thought into the food you eat, the products you use, and getting enough sleep and exercise, but when was the last time you considered the quality of the water you drink, cook with, and bathe in?

Recent studies estimate that the average human needs between two to three litres of water a day to maintain optimum health, that’s up to 21 litres a week and over one thousand a year! If you’re going to putting something into your body in such large quantities, you want to make sure that it’s safe, high quality, and free from harmful materials and sediment.

To instill good oral habits in your children, it’s important to get them comfortable with visiting the dentist early on. Often, getting children to brush their teeth, floss, and sit in the dental chair can be frustrating and challenging. With these tips, you can ensure your kids get excited about the dentist and their oral health.

High blood pressure is a common health problem affecting millions of people across Canada and the rest of the world. It isn’t something to ignore either.

When the blood pressure remains high, it can cause damage to the eyes, heart, kidneys, and blood vessels. These complications of uncontrolled blood pressure usually occur over several decades, so it will not spring up overnight. To reduce the complications of high blood pressure, patients are usually prescribed blood pressure-lowering medications, which have to be taken for life.

Anxiety is a state of physical and psychological symptoms that are caused by the apprehension of something that is perceived as a threat. The symptoms and their gravity can vary greatly from one person to another, but even mild anxiety can be difficult to deal with.

If you are frequently experiencing fear, irritability, concentration problems, or insomnia, you might have anxiety. The following coping mechanisms for anxiety could change your daily life:

Persistent feelings of sadness and a loss of interest in activities are just two of the ways that teen depression is exhibited in the population. No doubt a serious mental health problem, teen depression affects the way a teenager thinks, feels, and behaves in addition to negatively impacting one’s emotional, functional, and physical capabilities.

Acne is never any fun for anyone. Fortunately, you can eat the best foods for clear skin. Basically, if you eat certain foods, your skin can transform itself thereby becoming less riddled with acne. As the old saying goes, you are what you eat!

While facial acne is the most common form of acne for people to fret over, acne can frequently occur on the neck, back and shoulders as well. Regardless of where you have reoccurring and prevalent acne, eating the right foods can reduce breakouts and better your skin in the long run.

Certain foods raise your blood sugar quickly which results in the body releasing insulin causing more oil on your skin leading to an increased risk of acne. Here are some quick tips:

• Pasta, white rice, white bread and sugar all cause spikes in insulin. Absolutely steer clear of these foods.
• Milk has also been linked to acne in some individuals, it is wise to steer clear of milk too.
• Keep in mind that everyone’s body is unique, what works for one person’s diet and skin may not necessarily work for another.
• You may have to experiment a little to find out what works for you. Try keeping a journal while you experiment by writing down what you eat and any changes in your skin.