Could you have undiagnosed celiac?

Celiac is a disease triggered by consuming gluten. It causes abdominal pain, stool problems, intestinal damage, and eventually serious trouble absorbing vitamins and minerals, which in turn leads to many health complications. Is it possible to reach adulthood without knowing you have celiac? Do you have any symptoms that are screaming out you could be intolerant to gluten?

Gluten-free porridge by elana's pantry via Flickr Creative Commons.

Celiac is an autoimmune disorder that reacts to the gluten protein gliadin, which is mainly found in bread, pasta, cookies, and other products that are made with wheat, barley and rye. When this protein enters the small bowels, the body reacts by producing an inflammation.

Although the body’s reaction to consuming gluten is often violent in people with celiac, the symptoms are often vague enough to escape the attention of the patient, and even doctors. There are also celiac sufferers who do not have any of the most obvious symptoms at all.When there are symptoms, it’s most often diarrhea, stomach cramps or even heavy abdominal pain, and abdominal bloating that warn a person’s something is wrong. The question is what? All of these can be cause by the flu, or an upset stomach, too.

Those with celiac who consume the offending foods often enough will have such inflamed small bowels that the absorption of nutrients becomes very difficult. In children who have celiac, this may result in failure to thrive, a child who doesn’t grow fast enough. Other symptoms are fatigue, depression, anemia (and related feelings of weakness), dental problems, and joint pain and muscle pain. Diarrhea and foul-smelling, weirdly colored stools are typical at this stage.

Celiac disease is a genetically linked condition, so people who notice these symptoms andhave relatives that are already diagnosed should look for medical help immediately. Anyone with similar symptoms should make a doctor’s appointment, and mention that they suspect they could have celiac disease. People who have other autoimmune disorders are more likely to also suffer from celiac, as are those who have Down Syndrome.

Lynn, an acquaintance of mine who is an ER nurse, had most of the symptoms we talked about above — for many years. She also had four children in a short space of time, one after the other, and worked irregular hours including night shifts. She was so tired she could hardly get up in the mornings, lost a lot of weight, and was depressed. It all seemed so logical to her: of course, having four children under 7, two of whom went to special needs schools, and working as well made her tired and irritated. Working night shifts can make people depressed. When a blood test revealed she was anemic, she blamed breastfeeding.

Her story demonstrates that the symptoms of celiac can be hard to pin down, and are easily explained by other factors in many cases. Eventually, Lynn was diagnosed with celiac disease in her thirties. After a few years of learning to live with a gluten-free diet (hard, in a society dominated by bread and pasta!), she is symptom-free and can make numerous tasty, gluten-free meals.

Do you recognize yourself in this story? Although celiac disease is not necessarily the culprit, these symptoms do deserve medical attention and serious diagnostic testing. Celiac is diagnosed through a combination of blood tests, and an endoscopy in which sample tissue are removed from the small bowel. Those who do turn out to suffer from celiac will be relived to find that their symptoms can be a thing of the past with the right diet. Those there is no cure, people who avoid consuming gluten will be able to live very normal lives with celiac disease. - www.trying-to-conceive.com

Why you should have tea tree oil in your medicine cabinet

Why should you add tea tree oil, a traditional Australian remedy for many things, to your own personal first-aid kit? Here’s a sample of what you can do with it!

Credit: DennisSylvesterHurd via Flickr Creative Commons.

Tea tree oil is a very popular alternative remedy these days, but it is not a mere fad — the Bandjalung, an indigenous people of Australia, have been using it for a very long time. And during the Second World War, Australian soldiers were sent off to fight with a bottle of tea tree oil to fight infections after injury. Tea tree oil is a very versatile product that makes a great addition to any home’s first aid kit. It acts as a natural disinfectant and anti-inflammatory, and it comes in handy in many situations.

Burns 

Small burns, like those resulting from touching a hot oven dish or an iron, can benefit from a little tea tree oil. When I (a little bit of a careless person) burned myself on the iron, I decided to test tea tree oil out as a burn burn treatment. It worked like a charm — no scar was left and the burn healed much faster than it would have had without the tea tree oil. Tea tree oil can be used diluted or undiluted.

Cuts and scratches

First, you should clean the wound with water first, and then apply a small amount of tea tree oil directly to the site. Some homebirth midwives even use tea tree oil on vaginal tears after childbirth!

Verrucas and warts

Using undiluted tea tree oil on verrucas and warts, in generous quantities, may make it disappear. Apply tea tree oil twice a day to the wart only (leave the surrounding skin alone), and place a band aid over the wart. Some people who practice alternative medicine even say that it’s possible to treat that other kind of HPV — genital warts — with tea tree oil.

Hair treatments

You will find tea tree oil in plenty of cosmetics, but especially in shampoo. Tea tree oil is traditionally used to treat scalp problems, including dandruff and an itchy head. If you would like to try this for yourself, you can buy a shampoo that contains tea tree oil, or you could add it to the shampoo you are currently using yourself.

Mouthwash

Because tea tree oil kills bacteria and has a nice, fresh smell, it works really well as a mouthwash too. Do be aware that some sources, including the American Cancer Society, say that tea tree oil is poisonous when swallowed and that it can cause hallucinations, vomiting, and stomach cramps — among other things. If you want to be on the safe side, it appears to be a great idea to spit it out after you are done rinsing.

Acne 

Studies have shown tea tree oil to be just as effective as benzoyl peroxide, a really nasty treatment for acne. Acne treatment is actually one of the traditional uses of tea tree oil, and it’s used heavily diluted with water. People with acne who want to give it a try should not expect instant results, but they can be sure to experience far fewer side effects than those using more conventional (and very aggressive) remedies. - www.trying-to-conceive.com

Energy boosting tips for moms

Many moms are low on energy — caring for little ones does take a lot! It all starts with that early pregnancy fatigue, continues with the sleepless nights of the baby stage, and continues through adolescence. Why? There are lots of things that can run a person down, but a lack of self care is very high on the list. We’ve got some energy boosting tips for moms.

Credit: lindsay.dee.bunny via Flickr Creative Commons.

Recharge your batteries

Many moms are constantly surrounded by other people who expect stuff done for them. This is true for mothers who work outside of the home, work-at-home moms, and stay-at-home moms alike! Finding time to recharge your batteries by spending time with only yourself is really important if you are an introvert. It doesn’t matter where, as long as it makes you feel truly relaxed. Reading a great book or going for a walk are some examples. Extroverts may be better off going for lunch with a friend, or enjoying a team sport every week.

Make sure you eat well

Healthy and balanced meals help keep anyone energetic. Unfortunately, many busy moms (me included!) often either skip meals or substitute them with unhealthy snacks. Commit to feeding yourself, as well as your kids, healthy meals… three times a day! Meal planning can help with this, and healthy meals do not have to take a lot of time or effort either. Being on the verge of dehydration is another really bad thing that sucks energy away. Drinking lots of clear fluids during the day helps a great deal.

Wave goodbye to perfection

Nobody’s perfect, and while we all know that, many of us try anyway. Aiming for perfection doesn’t make life any better or more pleasant, though… quite the opposite actually! Make peace with your “good enough” self, and don’t torture yourself by telling yourself that you need to do more or be more. Make sure to enjoy life (the here and now), rather than planning for the future.

Try FlyLady

FlyLady and similar household organization systems get all family members involved in chores, and help you get a lot done in a small amount of time. That way, you will have more time for other things, and you won’t feel like keeping your household running depends on you alone.

Work out

Working out regularly gives everyone more energy, obviously providing that your body is up to it. Choose a sport that you really enjoy, whether it is a team sport or something you do alone. Postpartum weight loss, a more toned body, and actually getting to spend some time by yourself, are all positive side effects of exercise, besides giving you more energy.

Fish oil helps improve periodontitis

Periodontitis is a horrible mouth disease that may start off with bleeding gums and tartar, causes receding gums and dental pockets, and can even make parts of the jaw bone rot away. The disease has consequences beyond dental health. It can eventually make your teeth fall out, but also makes you more susceptible to certain kinds of heart disease. Periodontitis, in short, is not something you want to have. Thankfully, new research shows that fish oil and other long-chain polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids can reduce it.

Credit: Harue Dental Clinic via Flickr Creative Commons.

The researchers presented their findings at the Experimental Biology 2012 meeting in San Diego, California. They reviewed previous studies into the topic, and found four that indicated that fish oil could help — two of which were statistically significant. The latter two combined fish oil or other long-chain polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids with aspirin.

Why fish oil? Well, periodontitis is caused by bacteria, and previous research predictably focused on getting rid of those bacteria. But recent evidence suggest some of the worst consequences of the disease are actually the result of the inflammation that occurs in the gums — something that is meant to be part of the body’s defensive system. It is this inflammation that makes the body destroy its own tissue, researchers say.

And this is exactly where fish oil and aspirin come in. A combination of these two things apparently makes the inflammation go down. Lead researcher Alison Coates, PhD, who is a senior lecturer at the University of South Australia, Adelaide, said: ”In periodontitis, there is a low-grade inflammation. And we know from previous research that fish oil is really effective in treating inflammation.”

The aspirin could improve the way in which the fish oil is metabolized. The researchers add that the potent combo doesn’t cure periodontitis, but that it will make patients better off in the long term than those who don’t use it. - www.trying-to-conceive.com

Natural stress remedies for moms

Life can be pretty stressful at times, especially if you’re juggling raising small kids with all kinds of other responsibilities. Are you looking for mom-friendly natural stress remedies? Try one of these.

Credit: programwitch via Flickr Creative Commons.

A jog in the sun

Low levels of vitamin D are linked to higher chances of being depressed, and most people in developed northern hemisphere countries are at least a little deficient. The best source is sunlight. Exercise, too, has been proven to increase happiness levels. Why not combine the two and take a jog in the sun? Brisk walks can easily be combined with small kids too, in a stroller or baby carrier.

Positive thinking

That sounds all new age-ish, doesn’t it? Well, all moms know it’s not hard to focus on the negative stuff when you have a whining toddler who doesn’t want to cooperate within anything you planned. This age group is known for driving parents insane, but you contribute to it yourself when you wind yourself up over it. Try seeing the positive instead — in the case of a toddler it may be growing independence and seeing that adventurous spirit develop — and you will certainly feel better.

Singing loudly in the shower

Having a nice warm shower while singing very loudly always makes me appreciate life. When you are raising a family, the shower may actually be the only place you get some privacy, so don’t feel embarrassed to stay in there for ages. Some moms love listening to pod casts in the bath tubs, and others like zen music, candles and some fancy bath salts.

Pick a fight

Join a book club. Or a political party. Or, if you have trouble getting out the house, an online discussion group  . Diapers, first grade maths, and self replenishing dirty dishes seem to break your brain cells down and perhaps to make you a little depressed, stressed, or both. Talking some competent adults can help you feel better. Debates can help you let go of that pent up anger. - www.trying-to-conceive.com

Think you could be HIV+?

HIV, which stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, is the virus that causes AIDS. Everyone knows about this scary disease, and most know that it gets progressively worse and can eventually be fatal. What should you do if you think you could possibly have HIV? What are the earliest symptoms?

Credit: DfID via Flickr Creative Commons.

Symptoms

HIV doesn’t immediately cause AIDS, even in people who don’t know they are positive, and who therefore don’t seek treatment. It’s entirely possible to be HIV positive for several years without having any symptoms at all. Once symptoms do show up, they are very likely to be similar to other common diseases like the flu, common cold, or even vague abdominal symptoms that could also easily be caused by STDs like chlamydia. Fever, extreme tiredness, swollen lymph nodes and a headache are common first symptoms of HIV.

Later symptoms of HIV could include more serious warning signs like pneumonia, recurring fever, sores on the body, and extreme and constant fatigue. But people with an advanced HIV infection could also have a dry cough, diarrhea, and even depression and other psychological symptoms. But HIV does not always follow the same pattern, and once a patient develops AIDS, there will be opportunistic infections that reflect the weak immune system. Symptoms aren’t enough to diagnose HIV, though, and all of the symptoms we mentioned could also occur in people with other illnesses, or who are otherwise healthy.

Testing and diagnosis

HIV testing is recommended for everyone who could be at risk, which is almost anyone who has unprotected sex (you never do know if your partner is faithful!), and especially for people who regularly change sexual partners. There will soon be HIV home tests available, but if you head to a doctor, you may expect something like this:

1. The Elisa test detects antibodies to the HIV virus in the patient’s blood stream. If there aren’t any, the patient does not have a HIV infection. If there are some, there are further stages of testing.
2. The Western Blot testlooks for proteins associated with HIV.
3. The PCR  test examines the DNA and genetics of someone with positive Elisa and Western Blot tests, again to confirm the presence of changes that indicate HIV.

www.trying-to-conceive.com

Laryngitis symptoms and treatment

Laryngitis is a nasty inflammation of the larynx — the voice box — which results in a sore throat and often a hoarse voice or the total loss of your voice for a while. The best treatment for laryngitis depends on its cause, and there are a few possibilities when it comes to that. What are the symptoms, and what can you do to feel better?

Thanks to JunkByJo/Flickr Creative Commons.

What is laryngitis?

The larynx is a small tube located at the bottom of the windpipe. It serves several purposes. Besides allowing us to speak, the larynx also plays a role in getting oxygen into the windpipe and closing the windpipe when you eat or drink. When the larynx is inflamed because of laryngitis, it can’t vibrate properly, which is why your voice will become damaged, or will disappear entirely. Depending how bad the inflammation is, you may also have pain when you swallow and even some trouble breathing.

Laryngitis can be acute, in which case it is usually over within two weeks, or chronic. It can be caused by a virus — and often strikes in combination with a cold or the flu — or by other factors such as smoking, singing or yelling. Acid reflux and allergies are other possible causes of laryngitis.

When to see a doctor

Most people with a sore throat don’t have symptoms for long enough to warrant seeing a doctor. If you are in severe pain, have trouble swallowing, or have had laryngitis for more than two weeks, seeing a doctor is advisable. Young children with symptoms of laryngitis should also see a doctor, particularly if they are in real pain and are drooling.

The diagnostic process will include an examination of your throat, as well as feeling the neck for any lumps and swelling, and questions about the symptoms you have been having and for how long. You’ll usually be sent away with some treatment advice and perhaps a prescription (we’ll get to that in the next section), but people who have been having laryngitis for longer than two weeks and who don’t react to treatment may be sent on to a specialist. Chronic laryngitis can be caused by more serious problems, including nerve damage.

Treating laryngitis

Laryngitis is most commonly caused by a cold or the flu. If you have a fever along with a sore, swollen throat, you may feel rather bad. There isn’t much you can do to get rid of a flu or even a cold, but laryngitis does go away with them without any special treatment most of the time. There are still many things you can do to feel more comfortable and to help the inflammation clear up. The steps you can take include:

• Gargling with a saline solution (a teaspoon or so of salt in a luke-warm glass of water).
• Drinking lemon tea with honey.
• Steaming over hot water, with herbs if you want to.
• Avoid smoking and a smokey environment.
• Rest as much as possible if you have the flu, and rest your voice.
• Drink plenty of water to keep hydrated.
• Laryngitis caused by the flu or a cold is contagious. Wash your hands frequently, and don’t share a glass of water with your kids. You should also (obviously) cover your mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing and encourage infected kids to do the same.
• Ibuprofen is the best pain killer for laryngitis — if you are allowed to take it and it works for your body. Ibuprofen reduces a fever and fights pain, but it also brings down the inflammation in your throat and will help you to swallow more easily.

Antibiotics or steroids like prednisone are sometimes prescribed for laryngitis as well, but your doctor is most likely to send you packing with the same advice we gave above, as well as the instruction to come back if the laryngitis does not go away within a few weeks. If singing caused your laryngitis, you’ll probably received the tip to see a vocal coach as well — you can sign without putting your voice box under that much pressure all the time. - www.trying-to-conceive.com

Weight loss does not increase fertility

Overweight and obese women will both increase their chances of getting pregnant if they manage to lose some weight, conventional wisdom says. Losing even a little weight helps, but reaching a healthy Body Mass Index offers the best chances. A newly published study into obesity and fertility has now shaken these believes. Being obese may not e healthy, but losing weight probably does not increase fertility.

Thanks to by jackiebese/Flickr Creative Commons.

Researchers from the Penn State College of Medicine knew that obesity has a negative impact on a woman’s ability to conceive, largely because obesity reduces ovulation rates. Lead researcher Richard Legro MD said: “Obesity, especially centered in the abdomen, among infertile women seeking pregnancy is associated with poor response to ovulation induction and with decreased pregnancy rates.”

In reaction to that fact, most medical doctors would tell an overweight or obese woman who has been trying to conceive for a while without success to lose weight. Actually, an obese woman just going for a preconception health check would be told the same thing. Unfortunately, few studies suggest that losing weight improve pregnancy rates. Dr Legro and his team conducted their study to find out if it would. They followed 29 morbidly obese women (that means a BMI of 40 or more) who were of childbearing age. The study subjects underwent gastric bypass surgery and lost dramatic amounts of weight.

Their progress and ovulation were tracked over the course of two years. Daily urine checks were part of the plan — these tested the frequency and quality of ovulation. Before the gastric bypass operation, the ovulation rates were surprisingly high at 90 percent. The researchers did daily urine checks again (for the duration of one menstrual cycle) at one month after the operation, and two, three, six, 12 and 24 months. The results? There was no change in the women’s ovulation! 

The study team did find some other changes, however. Obese women are known to have longer menstrual cycles than those who are at a healthy weight. The main reasons for this is that their follicular phase of these women’s cycles are longer. The follicular phase is the stage of the cycle lasting from the end of a period up till ovulation. It is not clear why obesity lengthens this stage of the menstrual cycle. The research team found that losing weight shortened this part of the cycle, by 6.5 days within three months of the operation and nine days after two years.

Interestingly enough, the researchers did not ask the women who participated in the study if they wanted to get pregnant, and how often they had sexual intercourse. They did use a questionnaire to determine the women’s sexual desire, and found that the women’s libido increased after the surgery significantly. There was no need to ask how often the study subjects had sex; the team figured there would be more sex if there was more sexual desire. Increased sexual desire was not found to have any connection with the women’s hormone levels.

Dr Legro said: ”The effects of weight loss on reproductive function are more modest than we hypothesized. In terms of ovulation, there doesn’t appear to be a window after surgery where fertility is improved. The door appears to be open at all times. Other factors may be involved with infertility in obese women, such as diminished sexual desire and thus less intercourse. This study, to our knowledge, is the largest, most comprehensive and longest study of female reproductive function before and after Roux en Y gastric bariatric surgery.”

Keep in mind that 29 women is not that much, and that the results be be fascinating — but not necessarily relevant to you personally, if you are struggling with this problem. There are many reasons to lose weight that don’t involve your ovulation, and the researchers’ conclusion that libido improves with gastric bypass surgery is only a small part of that! The study results don’t apply to women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Primarily a hormonal problem, PCOS is a different beast altogether. Other studies have shown that gastric bypass surgery can help PCOS sufferers get pregnant.

Differences between the flu and a common cold

There is no mistaking that you are getting ill — but is it a flu or a common cold? Many people mislabel colds as a flu, but a true flu can be quite severe. Here, we examine the differences between a flu and common cold.

Credit: nataliej via Flickr Creative Commons.

Flu symptoms

I currently have a flu, so I’m able to tell you about its symptoms from very recent memory and what I am currently experiencing. The flu may start off with a headache and feelings of fatigue. You may well feel pains and aches in your joints and muscles before you start getting “can’t get out of bed” kind of ill, though that will follow soon after. People with influenza will drift in and out of fevers, feeling hot and sweaty one minute and cold the next. Flu also often comes with a snotty, blocked nose and a cough — it’s this that makes people confuse the flu with a common cold quite often. My muscle pains are situated in my weak spots, which are my back, shoulders and hips. Yesterday, I felt too ill to get out of bed at all, thinking I would collapse every time I got up to go to the toilet.

The flu can be treated with antiviral medications, like tamiflu, but only if treatment is started within 48 of onset. Failing that, recovery usually takes four to 10 days, depending on your immune system and whether you rest enough during your period of ilness. Try drinking plenty of water, avoid seeing people where possible, and eat fresh fruit with vitamin C.

Could it be a cold?

A common cold — the most common infection around! — can make people feel pretty awful too. It comes with a snotty nose, coughing and sneezing, and very often a sore throat. People who have a cold may feel more tired than usual, but rarely feel the extreme exhaustion that the flu brings with it. All that blowing into a hanky may give you a headache, but you will not have a fever if you have a common cold. Joint and muscle pains are not cold symptoms either.

Unlike the flu, there is nothing that can be done to treat a cold, other than symptomatic treatment. You can use a spray against nasal congestion, drink water to keep those mucus membranes hydrated, and smear vaseline on your nose to prevent sore patches. Treatment for a sore throat may also be beneficial. Cold symptoms tend to go on for about a week, and many people still feel well enough to go to work or school when they have a cold. - trying-to-conceive.com

How to avoid common colds and the flu this winter

Flu and cold season is coming up again! Many people are already walking around with a snotty nose, or hiding in bed with a fever. Would you like to avoid falling victim to the common cold or the flu virus this fall and winter? Our tips may help yo

u and your kids avoid these inconvenient illnesses!

Wash your hands

Washing your hands frequently — after encounters with other people, riding on public transport, and office phones of keyboards. The flue virus can stay alive on non-organic surfaces for up to two hours, so don’t think inanimate objects won’t do you any harm. Make your hand washing session a good and proper one. That two second rub just won’t cut it. Pretend to be a surgeon and scrub your hands clean. Before you’ve done this, don’t eat or touch your face.

Sleep longer

Sleep is one of the things that helps your immune system to stay strong, or to recover. Or should we say that stress and lack of sleep really harms your immune system? Either statement is true. Are you already feeling a bit snotty and sneezy? Jump into bed an hour or two early with a good book, and ask your other half to make a nice cup of tea with rum for you. If you have kids, they’ll benefit from extra sleep as well. Why not snuggle up on the couch together with a movie, and then go to bed early? When you’re really ill, you’ll be in bed all day long anyway, whether you want to or not. Consider this strategy to be a preemtive strike.

Make a healthy diet a priority

Your grandma probably tells you to make sure you get your vitamin C. Vitamin C is actually quite powerful, and may well help you recover from your illness more quickly — or can contribute to preventing it in the first place. But to really keep your immune system running, you’ll need more than vitamin C or even multivitamins and minerals out of a box. You’ll need a healthy and balanced diet that includes foods from all major food groups and not too many fats and sugars.

Work out

Working out a couple of times a week for 3o to 90 minutes can really give your general health a boost. Achieving this goal is much simpler than you may think, too. Walking to the grocery store, shopping, and walking back home will do it for most people. You can also grab an inspiring work out video off off YouTube and enjoy it while you’re watching TV or waiting for dinner to be ready. Being physically active is great for all aspects of your health, but it also helps you fight infections more easily.

Stay hydrated

Most people drink too little water. You can ensure that you keep hydrated by always keeping a bottle of water with you — and using it. I personally recommend the Bobble water bottle with a filter. This is cheaper and more environmentally friendly than buying bottled water and discarding the bottles. Filtered water also tastes much better than tap water. Whatever option you choose, make sure you get at least 1.5 liters a day. Alcohol, and to a lesser extent caffeine, are offenders that dehydrate you — avoiding these or enjoying them in moderate amounts could indirectly reduce your chances of catching a cold or coming down with the flu.

A flu jab

More sensitive people — including pregnant women, people with reduced immune system, and the elderly — are advised to get a flu shot by medical professionals’ associations in most countries. Even with all the steps we mentioned that would strengthen your immune system, you may benefit from getting a flu shot. Ask your pharmacy or doctor about getting the shot. Children aged six months or older can get a flu shot, and should in some circumstances. It is best to discuss this with your child’s pediatrician.

Of course, those nasty cods or the even worse flu do sometimes catch up with us anyway, despite any preventative measures we may have taken. If you suspect you have the flu, or your child does, stay at home at the first sign. Carrying on regular life lengthens the recovery process and will infect other people. You may also like to read about differences between the flu and a common cold. - www.trying-to-conceive.com