#82 Bipolar disorder (Manic-depressive illness) (English)

What is bipolar disorder?
A mental condition marked by alternating periods of elation and depression. It is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, and activity levels.

What causes bipolar disease?
There is no single factor responsible for this brain disorder, but many factors likely act together to produce the illness or increase risk.
1. Genetics
Children with a parent or sibling who has bipolar disorder are much more likely to develop the illness, compared with children with no bipolar disorder family history. However, according to a reliable research, even though the twins share the same genes, one showed the symptoms of bipolar disease but the other didn’t.
2. Brain structure and functioning
The scientists have been using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) to observe the brain’s structure and activity. They have found out that children with bipolar disorder had similar brain development in children with “multi-dimensional impairment.” This is a disorder that demonstrate similar symptoms of both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia
The adults with bipolar disorder tend to have smaller and poorly functioning prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex plays a crucial role in problem solving and decision making. The abnormal development of the brain circuit during adolescence could increase the possibility of the disorder to emerge.

What are the symptoms?
The alternating state from manic episode to depressive episode. The manic episode is when the person is in an overly joyful or overexcited state. The depressive episode is when the person is experiencing extreme sadness or hopelessness.

What are the types of bipolar disorder?
1. Bipolar I disorder
The alternating of manic and mixed episodes that last at least seven days. This disorder is very severe, so the person needs an immediate hospital care.
2. Bipolar II disorder
The alternating of depressive episodes and hypomanic episodes, but no full-blown manic or mixed episodes.
3. BP-NOS; Bipolar disorder not otherwise specified
The symptoms of the illness exist but do not meet diagnostic criteria for either bipolar I or II.
4. Cyclothymic disorder
A mild form of bipolar disorder. The people suffer from mild depression and hypomania for at least 2 years. However, their symptoms do not meet the diagnostic requirements for any other type of bipolar disorder.

[Reference]
 https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/bipolar-disorder/index.shtml

KSJ

#81 Why do we crave foods and what does it mean? (English)

 

Everybody has experienced intense cravings for foods at some point in their lives, but for many of us it is a daily occurrence. It is commonly though to be just a mental attitude toward eating, however, studies by Alan R. Hirsch, head of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago show that it is just as much a physical process as it is a mental attitude. Here are some examples of what he found:

1.      Craving salty food
 

This may be a sign of a mineral deficiency. Women who eat a diet low in calcium tend to crave salty foods more often than those who eat enough calcium. This is because sodium increases the calcium levels in the blood temporarily. This acts as a sort of ‘quick fix’ for the body. Salty cravings can also be a sign of a lack of potassium, calcium and iron.

2.      Craving chocolate
 

It is true that the taste of chocolate alone keeps you coming back for more, but it also stimulates the release of serotonin. This acts as an anti depressant that your body seeks out in order to give yourself a mental boost or a quick lift in energy.

3.      Craving spicy food
 

Eating spicy food actually helps to cool your body down, so often when the body is craving spicy food, it is saying that it needs to cool off as the fiery taste causes perspiration. Some research also suggests that it is possible to become addicted to spicy food, or perhaps just the rush it gives you (spiked blood pressure, accelerated heart rate and rapid breathing)

 

4.      Craving sweet food
 

Craving sweet food could indicate that you are looking for a boost in mood or that the body is just low on energy. The refined sugars in sweets are absorbed and processed much faster by the body than those that are low GI or any other types of food, giving the body its desired effect of an immediate energy boost.

5.      Craving both sweet and salty food
 

This indicates that your body is tired, fatigued or overall sluggish. The body and its cells need glucose and sodium to function properly. For this reason, most people tend to reach for very sweet or salty foods when working late, or as a late night snack.

 

SJS

#80 Leukemia (English)

What is leukemia?

Leukemia is a type of cancer. It affects the blood/bone marrow resulting in abnormally high levels of poorly functioning white blood cells which are involved in protecting the body from different diseases. This means that the poorly functioning white blood cells will not be able to protect their body from infections and they also prevent the body from forming healthy red blood cells as they take up a lot of space. These abnormal cells first crowd the bone marrow and later go into the blood stream where they can travel to anywhere in the body and revent other cells in the body from functioning properly.

What causes leukemia?

Leukemia does not have a specific cause, or if it does it is unknown. However, both inherited and environmental factors are involved, such as smoking and ionising radiation. A family history of leukemia is also a risk factor as well as having a genetic disorder such as down syndrome. 

Types of leukemia

The 4 most common types are:
-    Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) (mostly in children)
-    Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) (children and adults)
-    Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) (mostly in adults over the age of 55)
-    Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) (mainly in adults)

Diagnosis

-    If leukemia cells are found in the bone marrow sample, the patient's doctor orders other tests to find out the extent of the disease. A spinal tap (lumbar puncture) checks for leukemia cells in the fluid that fills the spaces in and around the brain and spinal cord (cerebrospinal fluid). Chest x-rays can reveal signs of disease in the chest.

-    If leukemia cells are found in the blood sample, other tests will be done to find out the extent of the disease. A spinal tap checks for leukemia cells in the fluid in and around the brain and spinal cord. X-rays can be used to see leukemia’s affects on body parts such as bones.

Treatment

-    Chemotherapy is a common treatment method where drugs are given to the patient to kill of the cancerous cells.

-    Radiation therapy is also a common treatment, it uses high energy beams to kill the cancerous cells. Depending on the type of leukemia and the patient, both radiation and chemotherapy might be used simultaneously.

-    Biological/immune therapy use treatments that help your immune system recognize and attack cancer cells.

KHL

 

#79 The effect of diet on mental health (English)

It has been well documented that eating a balanced, healthy diet can help anyone overcome physical health issues and disease among many other things. After much testing and experimenting, evidence also shows that a balanced diet also helps to improve mental state and illness. 1 in 4 Americans attain a mental illness of some sort and most long term ones start in the teen years. Studies show that risk of mental health issues in teenagers decreases by up to 80% when diet is adapted to a more balanced one. Of course there are other factors that have to be considered in regards to mental wellbeing and types of illness can vary, so diet is not the only contributing factor, but can help in preventing many of these conditions as well. Citrus is often recommended to be eaten when people have colds as they help to combat the virus. Just like this there are some foods that can be eaten in order to improve mental state. 

These include:

-probiotic rich foods such as kimchi (which is fermented) as it contains bacteria. The more good bacteria a person ingests, the happier they are. 

-Dark chocolate also helps as it is rich in antioxidants which help to lower blood pressure and improve circulation. This in turn reduces stress levels. 

-Green tea lowers stress levels. Studies have shown that phycological stress was 20% less in people that drank 5 or more cups a day even when other factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption and medical history are taken into account.

SJS

#78 Anorexia Nervosa II (English)

Anorexia nervosa, often referred to simply as anorexia,is an eating disorder characterized by a low weight, fear of gaining weight, a strong desire to be thin, and food restriction.

Many people with anorexia see themselves as fat when actually they are way too skinny.

Anorexia is a huge disorder and occurs more frequently in women than un men and this is simply because in most cases women seem to care more 

about their weight. It has been said by scientists that it occurs approximately ten times less in men than in females.

Treatment of anorexia involves getting back a healthy weight,anorexia can arise due to underlying psychological problems such as abuse or the thought of not being attractive or wanted enough, and addressing behaviors that promote the problem.there has not been any medicine that truly enables anorexic patients to restore to a healthy weight however medication can be used to treat other problems the patient may have such as anxiety or depression or any other type of psychological fear or pain. The only way to gain weight is to eat more therefore a common type of therapy is force feeding and when parents or gardians assume the responsibility for feeding their child.

The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a person's weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters and is used too measure

"The severity of disease is based on body mass index (BMI) in adults with mild disease having a BMI of greater than 17, moderate a BMI of 16 to 17, severe a BMI of 15 to 16, and extreme a BMI less than 15."

Symptoms may include:

-Refusal to maintain a normal body mass index for one's age

-Fear of even the slightest weight gain; taking all precautionary measures to avoid weight gain or becoming overweight

-Obvious, rapid, dramatic weight loss to at least 15% under normal body weight

-Obsession with calories and fat content of food

-Preoccupation with food, recipes, or cooking; may cook elaborate dinners for others, but not eat the food themselves

-Food restriction despite being underweight

-Food rituals, such as cutting food into tiny pieces, refusing to eat around others, hiding or discarding food

-May use laxatives, diet pills, ipecac syrup, or water pills; may engage in self-induced vomiting; may run to the bathroom after eating in order to vomit and quickly get rid of ingested calories

HIB

#77 Anorexia Nervosa (English)

What is Anorexia?

Anorexia nervosa, known as anorexia, is defined as a potentially life-threatening eating disorder that is characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight-loss.

People who have anorexia usually stop eating and start exercising more as they see themselves as someone who is fat when they are actually very thin. This disease, when untreated, can be very fatal and in some instances it can lead to death.

What causes anorexia?

To this day, it is still unsure what exactly may cause anorexia and researchers are still working on finding out. According to the website medicinenet.com, some researchers though think it may be caused due to a genetic component making someone more or less at risk of becoming anorexic. Others think that it may be a dysfunction coming from the brain’s hypothalamus or that it may come from imbalances in the brain’s neurotransmitters. Anorexia may also be contracted through an environment one lives in. In many societies today, beauty standards are to be thin and as people are constantly shown this, people aspire to look like this and subconsciously want to look like this to ‘fit in’. After a few years of this, many are trying to change this and suppress Photoshop to create a healthier society. People may also be able to become anorexic if teased about their looks during their life making them feel insecure about their appearance. According to webmd.com, anorexia can also have physical causes such as hormone changes which can lead to anorexia.

What are the symptoms to look out for? 

There are many symptoms for anorexia but the main symptoms are:

• Over-exercising
• Continuous dieting when underweight  
• Unusual interest in calorie intake
• Fast weight loss
• Fear of gaining weight
• Feeling like they are too fat when thin

How can we treat anorexia?

In many cases patients who have this disease won’t recognize having it and will say that they have nothing. To treat it therefore there are several ways. To have an effective treatment it is best to usually have a combination of the following ways. One method is to do psychotherapy where the patient will have one on one therapy which will focus on modifying the person’s behavior and way of thinking. Another method is to have prescribed medication as some help with the anxiety a person may have or other problems the person may be dealing with. Other ways may include nutrition counseling, family therapy and in some cases, hospitalization.

What to do if I think I, a friend or a close one has this disorder?

It is always very important to seek help from others if you suspect you may have this eating disorder. If you suspect one of your friends or someone close to you has this disorder go talk to them about this. If external help from professionals is needed go get such help.

Resources:

http://www.medicinenet.com/anorexia_nervosa/article.htm

PRM



#76 Paracetamol (Acetaminophen) (English)

Paracetamol is broadly used over-the-counter pain medication* and medication to reduce fever. It is frequently used to cure headaches, other minor aches and pains, and is major ingredient in many cold medications. It is not classified as NSAID** because it exhibits only weak anti-inflammatory activity. Although it treats many conditions, its exact mechanism of action of is not known.

Paracetamol is commonly known by its brand name of Tylenol, and is classified as non-opioid analgesics. This class of drugs also includes aspirin, traditional non-steroidal anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen. Although the field of medicine is not too sure of the how paracetamol works, we can assume its mechanism by how Non-opioid analgesics work. They work by inhibiting an enzyme known as cyclooxygenase (COX). In other words, they are enzyme inhibitors that fit to the allosteric site of the enzyme and alter the shape of the active site, which prevents the catalyzing effect of the enzyme. COX is a catalyst for the conversion of a fatty acid (arachidonic acid) contained in cell walls to substances known as prostaglandins.

 

Prostaglandins provide protective functions in the body, but they can also provoke pain, inflammation and fever. In the previous paragraph, the fact that paracetamol is not classified as NSAID is mentioned. The reason was because paracetamol exhibits weak anti-inflammatory activity, which means that it doesn’t play the major role in inhibiting a form of COX (COX_-3). Therefore, it doesn’t have the ability to reduce significant pain but minor aches and pains. It is important to be aware of the fact that the effect of paracetamol is not proportional to the amount it is taken in. 

The overdose of paracetamol can trigger side effects such as:

1.       Low fever with nausea, stomach pain, and loss of appetite

2.       Dark urine, clay coloured stools

3.       Jaundice

 Tylenol and Advil are the two most renowned pain relievers. However, Tylenol’s main compound is acetaminophen whereas Advil’s main compound is ibuprofen. Here is a table that you may be interested.

CopyRight Family Health Team

CopyRight Family Health Team

*The over-the-counter drugs refer to medicines that are sold directly to a consumer without the need of a valid prescription.

**It is drug class that groups together drugs that provides analgesic (pain-killing) and antipyretic effects, and, in higher doses, anti-inflammatory effects. 

[Bibliography]

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracetamol

2. http://tuftsjournal.tufts.edu/2008/04/professor/01/

3. http://www.drugs.com/paracetamol.html

4. http://health.clevelandclinic.org/2013/09/acetaminophen-vs-ibuprofen-which-works-better/

 

KSJ