Wilson’s Disease Symptoms and Diet:
Wilson’s disease is a genetic disorder and occurs on account of an anomaly in the Wilson’s disease protein (ATP7B) gene. The ailment is rare as the abnormal gene is present in a recessive state and occurs in one out of a hundred individuals carrying the abnormal gene.The disease leads to an accumulation of copper in certain body tissues which may have grave consequences. Some of the symptoms of Wilson’s disease are as follows:
• Swelling of the liver or spleen on account of accumulation of copper in the organs.
• A tendency to bruise easily, that is, increases susceptibility to injuries.
• Water retention or edema in the feet and/or abdomen due to increased fluid concentration in these parts of the body.
• Jaundice or yellowing of skin and whites of the eyes.
• Nausea, fatigue, and dizziness.
• Anemia or lack of hemoglobin content in the blood.
• Weakening of the lymphatic system of the body on account of the lowering of white blood cell and platelets count in the lymph.
• Reduced pace of blood clotting.
• Premature arthritis and osteoporosis, which is on account of the weakening of the muscular system of the body.
• Excretion of higher levels of amino acids, uric acids, and carbohydrates. This may lead to weakness as some of the essential proteins and carbohydrates may be excreted with urine.
• The accumulation of copper in the central nervous system may lead to certain neurological problems like difficulty in speech and swallowing, muscle stiffness, tremors or uncontrolled movements, and certain behavioral changes.
As the disease is a genetic disorder, it cannot be cured or treated. But the disease or rather its symptoms can be alleviated to a certain extent by eating a balanced and controlled diet. The specifics of a diet to alleviate Wilson’s disease are as follows:
• First of all, the patient must not consume foods that are rich in copper. As such, the patient must not eat foods like mushroom, shellfish, organ meat like liver and kidney, nuts, chocolates, potatoes, cocoa, and string beans.
• Secondly, the afflicted individual must enhance his/her intake of zinc in their diet. This is because zinc restricts the absorption of copper by the digestive tract. The foods rich in zinc are peanuts, pumpkin seeds, avocados, sunflower seeds, lentils, oatmeal, kidney beans, and dairy products like milk, butter, and cheese.
• The affected individual must include foods rich in proteins and carbohydrates to make up for the loss of these nutrients in excretion.
The patient must consult a doctor as it is a genetic disease and cannot always be controlled by only by modifying dietary patterns.
Water Retention Remedies:
Medically called Edema, water retention is a condition in which there is an accumulation of excessive water in the interstitial tissues of the body. Water retention generally occurs on account of the flaws and imbalances in the dietary regimen of an individual. There are several foods that cause or aggravate water retention. Some of the water retention foods that must be avoided so as to relieve the symptoms of water retention are as follows:
• Excessive consumption of salt or sodium is one of the major causes of edema in the body. As such, the consumption of foods with a higher content of sodium like legumes, meat, cheese, olives, spinach, oysters, buttermilk, Swiss chard, and chick peas must be restricted in one’s diet. Also, processed or canned foods are high in sodium content. So, these foods must also be avoided. It must be kept in mind that although some amount of sodium is required in your diet, its excessive consumption must be controlled.
• You may consume at least two bananas a day to avert water retention in your body. Bananas contain potassium which helps eliminate fluid retention.
• You must include a lot of cabbage in your diet so as to prevent water retention in body. Cabbage is a diuretic that helps you excrete the extra water and fluids, thereby protecting you from water retention.
• You may also consume cranberry juice to combat water retention on account of its diuretic property.
• You may consume yogurt to flush out excessive fluid content and prevent water retention in the body.
• You may consume parsley to avert water retention. You can add two teaspoons of parsley leaves in boiling water, steep it for ten minutes, and then consume three cups of this tea in a day.
• You may also consume tea containing alfa alfa leaves as this is a potent diuretic.
• You must eat a fiber rich diet as fiber helps in drawing toxins and moisture out of the tissues for excretion, thereby preventing water retention in the body.
• You may also consume onion juice to prevent water retention.
• You may eat two to three slices of garlic everyday in order prevent water retention.
• Excessive consumption of caffeine may also lead to edema. Though caffeine in lower levels leads to loss of excessive water from the body, its consumption in larger quantities may cause dehydration which in turn leads to edema.
Other than these remedies, you must also follow a regular exercise regimen which helps flush out the toxins and extra water from the body.
Tenia Cruris Infection:
Tenia Crurus is a skin infection that is caused in the groin area by a type of fungus. These fungi are generally present on the human skin and are under normal circumstances of no consequence. However, given the right environment and conditions, they start to multiply and cause harm to the skin. This fungus is usually fostered in warm, moist areas of the skin where the air flow is restricted. The groin therefore presents the most suitable area for the fungus to grow and multiply. A person suffering from Tenia Crurus often finds that the area around the groin becomes sore and irritable. There is also a constant itch which can be anywhere from mild discomfort to severe irritation. The area where the thighs join the genitals are particularly susceptible and almost all people who suffer from this condition complain of a red colored rash.
This condition is more common in men. It is also especially painful for them because it can affect the scrotum and make it itchy. The rash could start spreading to the inside of the thighs. Sometimes, the infection starts at different places and then spreads to the rest of the body.
The best treatment for tenia cruris is an antifungal cream. A lot of such creams are available in the market. If you don’t find one easily, you could ask for a prescription of econazole, terbinafine, ketoconazole or clotrimazole as these will give you an instant relief and will help prevent further infections. To use these creams, simply apply them topically on the rash and the surrounding areas. Leave this for some time as advised on the instructions leaflet of the cream. If your skin has inflammation in addition to itching, it is best to show it to a doctor. The doctor will, in all likelihood, prescribe you an antifungal cream that has steroids. Usually this cream is not used for more than a week. If the infection is severe and has spread to other parts of the body, the doctor will probably prescribe you oral medicines in addition to topical applications.
Tenia Cruris can be really embarrassing due to the itching it causes in the groin. It is also very uncomfortable and could cause pain when you walk. Therefore it is important to observe some safety measures so that the infection can be avoided. These are simple things that you can do everyday. First of all, maintain personal hygiene. Wash your groin and the surrounding area thoroughly everyday. If your work involves labor and sweating, wash your groin twice a day. Dry yourself thoroughly after washing. If you put on your underwear when your groin is still wet, the dampness will encourage fungal growth. You can also use powder to help reduce the amount of moisture present in this area.
Thyroid Cancer Pregnancy:
The Thyroid: The thyroid is an endocrine gland. It is responsible for the synthesis of proteins, regulates the body’s sensitivity to hormones, and controls how quickly the body burns energy. This gland is located in the neck, just below the Adam’s apple, or thyroid cartilage. Thyroid Cancer. Although pregnancy has no connection to thyroid cancer, women are three times more likely to contract thyroid cancer as compared to men. The chances of contracting cancer of the thyroid gland increases as you grow older. Do keep in mind, however, that all nodules on the thyroid gland are not necessarily malignant. In fact 99% of the nodules found on the thyroid gland are benign.
There are four different types of thyroid cancer. The most common type of thyroid cancer is Papillary Thyroid Cancer. Follicular Thyroid Cancer is also quite common. The other types of thyroid cancer are relatively uncommon and include Medullary, and Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer. Papillary thyroid cancer is one of the most curable forms of cancer and the treatment has a success rate of 97%. The treatment involves surgically removing the lobes of the thyroid gland that have been affected by the cancer. Follicular thyroid cancers also have a very large rate of recovery. However, the two most uncommon types of thyroid cancer, medullary and anaplastic, do not enjoy such high success rates in treatment.
Thyroid Cancer and Pregnancy:
Papillary and follicular thyroid cancers grow and spread slowly. Under most circumstances, your physician will advise you to delay surgery until after childbirth. This is because post-surgery, patients are subjected to doses of radioactive iodine to ensure that all the cancer cells are killed. This radioactive iodine may harm your unborn child. You may also be prescribed thyroxine, a thyroid hormone, to control the growth of the cancer. Although there have not been any studies that show that this medication has adverse effects on an unborn child, most doctors advise a patient to not undergo this treatment while pregnant.
If the cancer is aggressive and seems to be spreading rapidly, surgery may have to be performed during pregnancy itself. Under such circumstances, the surgery is usually performed around the second trimester. This timing minimizes the chances of the surgery affecting your unborn child. However, since radioactive iodine cannot be administered during pregnancy, there is always a risk of the cancer cells re-growing and spreading throughout your body. So, it is essential that if you undergo surgery during pregnancy, you follow up with your physician regarding the administration of radioactive iodine after your child is born.
