A lack of vaginal moisture may have a significant impact on a woman’s sex life. Sex does not have to hurt. Fortunately, there are many available options to provide the vagina with moisture and make sex pleasurable.

Here are eight tips to help solve the problem of vaginal dryness. 

1. Water-based sexual lubricants

Sexual lubricants reduce friction. Lubricants enhance the experience and eliminate painful chafing and burning. 

The application of sexual lubricant as a part of foreplay is a simple trick for many women to improve sexual pleasure. Lube may be applied directly to the vagina, clitoris, or penis before penetration.

Not all lubricants are the same. Most lubricants available at a local pharmacy are water-based. Water-based lubricants are the safest choice to prevent sexually transmitted infections. They do not break down latex in condoms or sex toys. Water-based lubricants are ideal for those with sensitive skin or those prone to vaginal irritation. 

Water-based lubricants do not leave stains on sheets and are easy to clean in the laundry. 

Popular brands include Astroglide and KY. 

On the downside, water-based lubricants dry out quickly. Rapid drying may require reapplication for longer sexual sessions. For those suffering from chronic vaginal dryness or inadequate natural lubrication during sex, they may be insufficient. Water-based lubricants are often suboptimal for postmenopausal women.  

2. Silicone-based sexual lubricants

Silicone-based lubricants stay slippery longer, avoiding the frustration of rapid drying and reapplication messiness. This type of lubricant does not evaporate when exposed to air and provides a wet sensation for longer sexual sessions. Since they are not water-based, silicone lubes may be used in the shower or bathtub.

One popular brand is Platinum Wet. This Paraben and Glycerin free product reduces the risk of chemical irritation. Penchant Premium is another hypoallergic option ideal for those with sensitive skin. 

Silicone-based lubricants may be more effective and pleasurable for monogamous couples at low risk for sexually transmitted infections. 

Non-water-based lubricants have downsides too. They are messy. Soap and water must be used to remove them, and they will also stain sheets. 

Silicone-based lubricants will break down latex condoms or latex in sex toys.

3. Foreplay 

We can not underestimate the value of foreplay for those with chronic vaginal dryness. Foreplay gets the juices flowing by increasing sexual arousal. Blood flow to genitals increases, causing the vagina, labia, and clitoris to swell. 
Better stimulation leads to more natural lubrication and an increase in vaginal elasticity. The vagina then secretes natural lubrication, which increases pleasure and reduces pain. 

For those with chronic vaginal dryness, communicating sexual needs and desires to your partner is critical. Sexual partners may be unaware of the physiological changes and not know what to do. Providing feedback allows the partner to learn how best to meet your needs.

4. Vaginal Moisturizers

Multiple products over-the-counter products are available to help increase vaginal moisture. The basic idea is to prevent dryness and improve the vaginal ph balance. These products do not treat the underlying cause of vaginal dryness. They are useful for day to day use to alleviate discomfort and improve vaginal moisture.

Those will sensitive skin may benefit from avoiding products containing parabens, glycerin, or propylene glycol. These additives may cause skin irritation. 

Popular products include Replens and Luvena. 

5. Vaginal Estrogen

Estrogen is one of the most important female hormones. A decrease in the production of estrogen by the ovaries triggers physiological changes in the vagina. The vaginal tissues thin out, and lubrication decreases. 

Breastfeeding, certain medications, and menopause all cause estrogen deficiency.

Prescription estrogen medication can be placed directly into the vagina to offset the deficiency. Low dose Estrogen applied directly to the vagina bulks up vaginal cells and increases blood flow. Restoring vaginal health allows cells to produce more moisture. Natural lubrication improves, and the more elastic vaginal walls reduce resistance to trauma during penetration.

Vaginal estrogen comes in a variety of forms from creams, rings, and vaginal tablets. All require a prescription and evaluation by a health provider before use. 

6. DHEA supplements 

The DHEA hormone is a highly effective alternative to estrogen therapy. Before menopause, DHEA levels are high. As the ovaries stop functioning, DHEA levels fall. DHEA supplements can be placed into the vagina to restore vaginal health, reduce intercourse pain, and improve vaginal dryness. 

Only one medication is commercially available. Prasterone, sold under the brand name Intrarosa, is a plant-derived form of DHEA. Prasterone is inserted into the vagina once a day through an easy to use applicator. DHEA converts into estrogen targeting the underlying cause of dryness. It is FDA indicated for painful intercourse.

Prasterone requires a prescription and monitoring by a health provider.

7. Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators 

Another alternative to estrogen therapy is a class of drugs called SERMS (Selective Estrogen receptor modulators). These medications act directly on the hormone receptors. Direct targeting of the vaginal tissue increases the thickness of the superficial and parabasal vaginal cells.

Like estrogen and DHEA therapy, the restored health of the vaginal cells improves the natural ability to produce moisture and lubrication. 

Ospemifene is the only FDA approved oral drug for vaginal dryness and painful intercourse.

Ospemifene requires a prescription and monitoring by a health provider.

8. Topical Sildenafil 

Sildenafil is a popular medication used to treat erectile dysfunction in men by increasing blood flow to the penis. Some women benefit from the topical application of Sildenafil. 

A pea-size amount of compounded Sildenafil cream is applied directly to the clitoris before intercourse. Sildenafil cream increases blood flow to the clitoris. For some women, the increased blood flow triggers more natural lubrication, improves pleasure, and helps to achieve orgasm. 

Sildenafil requires a prescription and monitoring by a health provider for this off label use.

Vaginal dryness is a problem you don’t have to ignore

Vaginal dryness is a common symptom among women. Painful intercourse and vaginal discomfort are not problems to be tolerated. These options can help one restore vaginal health and enhance the sexual experience. 

The post 8 Tips to Solve Vaginal Dryness and Overcome Painful Intercourse appeared first on Medika Life.

“It seems that the stars are aligned.  These glimmers of facts, figures, innovation and needs are converging on the year 2013. And the result promises to be an inflection point for digital health. The curve of innovation will shift and place us all on a new course for managing disease and wellness.”

#1—2013.  Explosive new technology

Think about the smart phone and how far it’s come in just a few short years.  Today, technology is the new intellectual playground that connects vision with application.  And the players are both big, well-funded companies as well as smart, adroit and nimble startups.

#2—2013. The pressing need to advance healthcare and the Affordable Care Act

There’s almost no scientific, political or sociological discussion that doesn’t find its way to health and healthcare.  The costs, access and resources are a key driver to seeking solutions to the health dilemma that exists right now and is projected to only get worse.  Technology has always been part of the answer in other areas.  Today, innovation and technology are poised to advance care in new directions that can drive new efficiencies and lead a course to self-care and wellness.

#3—2013. The caldron of connectivity

Ideas are promiscuous.  The profound interconnectedness of thinkers and ideas create a “neural-network” that powers our imaginations. Another important driver to the digital health revolution is the  increasing level of patient / caregiver connectivity.  The role of telemedicine will foster new connections for care and become essential, proving ground for new “tricorder-type” technology that makes the interaction more clinically robust.

#4—2013.  The power of cool

The advantage of the digital health movement is that carries “the stamp of cool” and takes clinical / social utility to a place beyond the practical—the emotional.  It’s not about taking a pill but living the life of innovation that is validated by science and medicine.

#5—2013. The empowerment of the “quantified self” in health

Our lives are quantified in many ways…tools to measure key clinical parameters (serum glucose, blood oxygen, etc.) will combine with mainstream devices used by joggers and athletes.  The result will become “full circle” data that will proactively inform us of issues and concerns. And all this data and knowledge will become less of burden and more of reassurance that all systems are go!

 #6—2013.  Pharma’s search for new meaning

The evolution of pharmaceutical science will move therapy to include preventative care, gene therapy and other innovations.  The pill, as it conventionally exists today, will have a role, but innovation (and digital health) will make conventional therapies a bit harder to swallow.

#7—2013. Big Data and the electronic medical record

New technology and the vast amounts of generated data come a rich source of information.  Research protocols, family history, medical records and large-scale epidemiological studies are a significant aspect of digital health.  These data may become the single biggest aspect of this new area.

#8—2013.  Money

Money is a key driver to innovation.  The increasing role of venture capital in digital health sends a clarion call of validation that this initiative is here to stay.  

#9—2013. The voices of brilliance

Science, medicine, genomics, electronics, analytics, etc.  The list of contributors to digital health is vast and smart as heck.  And the very nature of the mixed and varied voices coming together will result in a “critical mass” of brilliance rarely seen in the conventional business model.

#10—2013.  The moral imperative

There’s another simple, yet powerful driver at work here.  It’s the right thing to do.  The application of digital health to global health issues and the practice of medicine in developing countries can play a tremendous role in changing the very nature and quality of care that directly translates into life-changing and life-saving treatments.

So, there you have it.  Ten powerful reasons why 2013 was the “year of digital health” and it would reach its proverbial inflection point.  It didn’t.  But the interesting thing here is that we can just change the date from 2013 to 2022 and these predictions feel about right for this year.  Maybe I’m too good of a futurist.  But my sense is that there’s something more fundamental about this “failure” and why technological innovation have been stuck at the starting line.

The reason is both simple and complex: innovation is tough.  But the diffusion of innovation can be even more difficult.  The idea of just building a great solution that will simply be embraced and adopted is false. “Build it and they will come” isn’t a market-driven strategy, but a wish.

Prominent tech, consumer goods and pharmaceutical companies have failed to drive adoption of  new products hailed as big ideas and game changers. The same may be true for technology and digital health and how 2013 offers up many of the  same opportunities and challenges as 2022.

In many ways, medical innovation is part technology and part humanity. And driving adoption along one path can get many heads nodding, but few feet moving in the right direction. The healthcare system is driven by complex vectors of inertia.  From financial gain (companies and providers) to cognitive rigidity to the essential cautions that must be applied to clinical care, advances are often defined as “that same, but better” with concern for the status quo and even self-preservation.

Perhaps an essential fix to this dilemma is to take a page from the “patient centricity” play book that has captured the minds of many in 2022. Innovation, startups, accelerators, and incubators need to think past the big idea and consider the process of adoption as integral to success. Otherwise, we’re stuck in the quagmire of complacency.

My look back to almost a decade ago to the advances of technology and medicine was an eye-opener. Interestingly, it seems like the future is here now and has been for a while. And a key path, in many instances, is to focus on implementation of the brilliant ideas at hand today. Innovation is disruptive, but adoption is gradual. And recognizing this simple truth might just get things moving!

The post Tech Marches On, While Humanity Drags Its Feet appeared first on Medika Life.

The Twitch

Have you developed a sudden and annoying twitch or ‘tic’ in one of your eyes, It is typically an eye muscle or eyelid spasm or movement that you can’t control. Doctors may refer to the condition as blepharospasm and it tends to happen more in your upper eyelid. The lid moves every few seconds and it is usually just for a minute or two.

A twitch is most often associated with stress and is a tell-tale sign that your body and your nervous system are being overwhelmed. Your twitch could be the result of fatigue, stress, caffeine, alcohol, smoking, light sensitivity, or medication, especially drugs used to treat psychosis and epilepsy

It can also, in rare instances be a precursor or symptom of something more serious. Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Tourette’s syndrome, brain damage, Bell’s palsy, and dystonia can cause a twitch. Most twitches will resolve on their own, but if it persists or causes you discomfort, book yourself in for a visit to your doctor.

In extremely rare cases, a twitch may be accompanied by another that affects the corner of your mouth, usually on the same side of your face, Usually, the cause is an artery putting pressure on a nerve and the condition will require medical attention.

Blurred Vision

Sadly, as we age, so do our eyes and their ability to focus. Blurred vision is mostly associated with this aging process and is easily corrected with glasses. In some cases though, blurring can be an indicator of something far more serious. Damage to, or problems with your cornea, retina, or optic nerve can lead to a rapid onset of blurred vision.

Diabetes is commonly associated with the condition. An August 2014 study found that 73% of diabetic patients sampled reported blurred vision, and it isn’t just diabetes. Rapid onset can also be an indicator of a stroke. Called a transient ischemic attack (TIA) this type of stroke lasts less than 24 hours and can affect one or both eyes.

Migraines, Keratitis (inflammation of the cornea), and certain autoimmune conditions can also result in blurred vision or the blame may lie with conditions that can affect our eyes, such as glaucoma, cataracts, or macular degeneration. If you’re suffering from blurred vision, make an appointment with an optometrist sooner rather than later,

Framing your Iris

Notice a white ring forming around the outside of your iris. This one is a little tricky because it is also a natural part of the aging process. If it becomes really noticeable over a short period of time, then it can be an indicator of excessively high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, two factors closely linked to increased risk of heart attack or stroke.

Most of us don’t spend much time looking that closely at our eyes and if you do notice these rings it may simply be the natural aging process, but is still worth checking out, especially if it’s accompanied by the next item in our list.

Xanthelasmas

While not strictly speaking affecting the eye itself, these yellow raised patches tend to form around the eye. Xanthelasmas are soft, cholesterol-filled raised “bumps” that develop under the skin, on or around your eyelids, and close to your nose. These yellow raised deposits are a side effect of having high levels of lipids in your blood.

If these cholesterol deposits present prior to the age of 40 years, they require a prompt screening by your physician to rule out any acute underlying inherited disorders of lipoprotein metabolism.

Eye Floaters

Small almost translucent little pieces of ‘lint’ that seem to float across your field of vision. They may look like black or gray specks, strings, or cobwebs that drift about when you move your eyes and appear to dart away when you try to look at them directly. Refocus and they start their trip again, seeming to drift across your eyes until they disappear from view.

Again, these are caused by age-related changes as the jelly-like substance (vitreous) inside your eyes becomes more liquid. Microscopic fibers inside the vitreous tend to clump and can cast tiny shadows on your retina. The shadows you see are called floaters.

This symptom can be an indicator of something far more serious. If you experience an increase a sudden increase in the number of floaters you see, this could be a sign of a retinal tear or detachment. If the floaters are accompanied by a loss of peripheral (on the sides) vision or flashes of light in the affected eye, consider making an emergency appointment.

Pingueculas

These raised yellowy-brown patches occur on the whites of your eye and are the result of too much sun. Typically they occur where the colored part of the eye meets the white part of the eye. They usually appear on the side closer to the nose, are present in both eyes, and are relatively permanent.

As these are usually permanent and can cause irritation to the eye they’re best avoided. We suspect they’re caused by ultraviolet light so protect the eye from ultraviolet radiation by wearing certified wrap-around sunglasses and brimmed hats while outdoors. Some prescription glasses also have lenses capable of protecting the eyes from ultraviolet rays.

Jaundice

Probably the best-known symptom of a disease that can be diagnosed easily from the eyes. When the whites of your eyes (the sclera) turn yellow, you’ve got jaundice. The yellowing is a result of bilirubin, a yellow substance that forms when red blood cells break down.

That process is totally natural and in healthy individuals your liver filters bilirubin from your blood and uses it to make a fluid called bile, which you eventually excrete. If, however, your liver develops a problem, then the bilirubin can accumulate in your body, turning the whites of your eyes yellow.

That yellowing is referred to as looking jaundiced and it can indicate a serious medical condition, including hepatitis, gallstones (the most common cause of jaundice), malaria, sickle cell anemia, liver and gallbladder cancers, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and cirrhosis of the liver, commonly caused by excessive alcohol consumption. Book a doctor’s appointment.

Broken Blood Vessels

Although probably the most scary-looking symptom exhibited by our eyes, bloodshot and red eyes are most often the result of simply overworking the eye or rupturing a blood vessel from a coughing fit, or straining excessively. Don’t panic, you don’t have an eye disease and you’re not going to bleed out.

While the result can look terrifying, it will usually clear of its own accord and isn’t necessarily a reason for panic. If this occurs frequently you may consider discussing potential lifestyle changes with your doctor or optometrist.

Call your doctor if the blood doesn’t go away in 2 to 3 weeks or if the bleeding is accompanied by pain or vision problems. Also seek medical assistance if you have more than one burst vessel, or if the blood is anywhere inside the colored part of your eye (iris).

The post 8 Ways Your Eyes Warn You of Disease or Distress appeared first on Medika Life.

This is particularly true for women who’ve been through childbirth.

A hernia can often present with symptoms that on the surface, appear to be totally unrelated and it’s easy to misdiagnose these as heartburn, tummy trouble, or a host of other things. You shouldn’t self-diagnose, particularly if you have persistent symptoms. Your doctor is best placed to correctly assess your health.

Symptoms that persist over time and are accompanied by pain, even mild, are your body’s way of telling you somethings up. Don’t ignore them.

Women are particularly prone to developing umbilical hernias near the belly button and smaller, less noticeable hernias (little, to no bulge) which can be misdiagnosed as fibroids, ovarian cysts, or endometriosis based on the region of pain. Getting a cramp or painful sensation in your belly when you have a good laugh? That could very well be an umbilical hernia.

The symptoms listed below are commonly associated with other conditions but can be an indicator of a silent hernia and if you suffer continuously from one or more of these symptoms consider chatting to your doctor.

Constipation

Constipation can mean there is a blockage or constriction in the large intestine that is interfering with digestion. This symptom is often accompanied by a difficulty to pass gas, and you’ll feel bloated.

Heartburn

This is probably the hardest symptom to associate with a hernia as there is a list of conditions as long as your arm that could potentially cause heartburn. A hiatal hernia in the upper abdomen can cause a feeling like heartburn along with chest pain. It allows stomach acid to leak into the esophagus causing inflammation which mimics heartburn.

The ‘heartburn’ associated with a hiatal hernia will be particularly pronounced when you are lying down on a flat surface. Activity in this position (I won’t elaborate) can also drastically aggravate symptoms. Elevating the head of your bead slightly or propping yourself up with pillows while you sleep will help reduce acid reflux.

Feeling Full

An inguinal hernia can lead to a person feeling like they had an enormous meal when in fact they did not. This is a very common type of hernia and can also make you feel bloated. It is often accompanied by pain in the groin and lower abdomen.

Inguinal hernias are also fairly common in women and often overlooked. They are notoriously difficult to diagnose because sonograms and CT scans don’t always pick them up. These can present with chronic lower abdominal pain as a distinctive symptom.

Nausea And Vomiting

These aren’t symptoms we would normally associate with a hernia, but an upset stomach can indicate a serious condition known as an incarcerated hernia. In these cases, the hernia doesn’t return in place by a gentle push and can require immediate medical attention. If you’ve ever had appendicitis the feeling and the pain associated are not dissimilar.

Abdominal pain that leads to nausea and vomiting should be considered a medical emergency and you should seek immediate medical assistance.

Fever

A fever in conjunction with a hernia is a sign that you need medical assistance. The fever can be indicative of a “strangulated” hernia which is not getting enough blood flow and you will require immediate medical assistance. If you develop a fever that is accompanied by any of the other symptoms listed here, then that fever may be related to a hernia.

Pain Induced by Movement

If you experience pain when you lift heavy objects, or a feeling of pressure in your abdomen when you bend over this could be a silent indicator of a hernia. Other common signs to be aware of are pain when you cough and tightness in the groin or abdomen.

Pain In your Pelvic Area

As they rarely cause a noticeable bulge, some hernias in women are misdiagnosed as fibroids, ovarian cysts, or endometriosis, based on the region of pain you are experiencing. Occasionally, these small but very painful hernias may cause pain in your legs or back. An MRI is usually required to correctly identify the source of the pain.

For women, umbilical hernias near the belly button are an issue and you are prone to these, particularly after childbirth. Labor can also result in a hernia, particularly when the birth weight is high. If you experience pain every time you have a good laugh, that can be a hidden sign of this type of hernia.

Weakness

Occasionally a feeling of muscle fatigue and weakness in the upper leg and groin can be a sign of a hernia. Consider the other symptoms mentioned above if you are experiencing this and speak to your healthcare provider.

The post Women Need to be Aware of These Eight Silent Signs of a Hernia appeared first on Medika Life.

The symptoms listed below are meant to make you aware of how symptoms we often associate with other conditions, like heartburn, can actually be your body trying to warn you about your heart. Aches and pains caused by your heart, but felt in different areas of your body, like your neck and jaw, are called referred pain.

The heart shares a bundle of nerves that service our arms, chest, and upper torso, so if you feel back pain or a sore jaw, this could be your heart sounding an alarm bell, but getting its signals crossed. Of course, it could also simply be exactly what it feels like. A dodgy tooth or a strained back muscle.

That’s why it’s important to learn about all the types of referred pain and consider any symptoms you may be experiencing in the context of your current physical condition. If you’re over forty, overweight, and unfit, then back pain accompanied by, for instance, sweating and shortness of breath should send you straight in to your doctor.

It isn’t just obese and unfit over-40’s that have heart attacks though. Any person, of any age and physical condition can suffer a heart attack for a variety of reasons, so it’s best to educate yourself on the most common early warning signs.

Not only could recognizing these signs save your life, but you could also potentially save someone else’s by seeing their aches and pains for what they really are. A warning.

Shortness of breath

Trouble getting up those stairs? Have you noticed a sudden and rapid decrease in your lung capacity? Do even small exertions leave you feeling out of breath? This symptom, even experienced on its own, requires immediate examination by your doctor. Don’t put it off. Heart-related shortness of breath does not need to be accompanied by chest pain.

Feeling Dizzy

Dizziness or lightheadedness coupled with chest pain and shortness of breath may indicate a decrease in blood volume and a drop in blood pressure, which means a heart attack could be on the way.

Feeling tired and listless

A feeling of fatigue will often accompany one or more of these symptoms, particularly in women. They can experience fatigue a month before having a heart attack. The National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute warn that this sign is especially prominent in women.

Heartburn, nausea, and indigestion

It could be that spicy curry you had for lunch or it could be something far more serious. Gastric symptoms like a queasy stomach, vomiting, or belching can develop when the heart and other areas of the body aren’t receiving enough blood supply. You can interpret this as acid reflux or heartburn, so it’s important to reach out to your doctor, especially if you’re having other heart related symptoms.

Pressure or feeling constricted, tightness

The most common and well know signal of an impending heart attack. These feelings will usually come in waves and will dissipate after a few minutes. The American Heart Association describes this symptom as “uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain in the center of your chest”. This symptom can be accompanied by an increased feeling of stress and anxiety. Don’t ignore this symptom. Consult your doctor as soon as possible.

Sweating

Sweating is the body’s mechanism for cooling us down and is totally normal. In some instances, we sweat more, from excessive heat, exercise and in the case of women, the onset of menopause can trigger sweating. A heart attack triggers your nervous system, which in turn activates a “fight or flight” response that puts you in survival mode and could lead to sweating. ‘Cold sweats’ and ‘night sweats’ without the presence of fever should be taken seriously.

Referred Pain

Earlier we described how confused nerves can send out heart-related pain signals to other areas of your body. These can occur in places other than the chest, like the back, shoulders, arms, neck, or jaw. Women are more likely to experience pain in the neck, jaw, and back. Again, referred pain should be considered alongside the presence of other symptoms. A useful tip for back pain is the inability to localize the origin, in other words, there isn’t a specific spot you can point at for the pain.

Palpitations or irregular heartbeat

When the heart is starved of blood, it can lead to the sensation of heart palpitations or a racing heart. This is an unmistakable signal from your heart that something is amiss. If you feel like you’re having heart palpitations, make sure you contact your doctor right away, even in the absence of any other symptoms.

The post Eight Early Signs of Heart Trouble You Shouldn’t Ignore appeared first on Medika Life.

People often think we have to suffer from childhood abuse or the war to have trauma. However, this is not true.

Trauma is caused by being overwhelmed and feeling powerless. While the concept is relatively subjective, some good examples are that when we’re young and vulnerable, many things, such as removing love or harsh criticism, can seem existentially threatening.

The truth is none of us get through life without these types of experiences, and we all have “trauma” to some degree.

Let’s review a simplified version of the trauma scale using a personal example, how you can create your trauma timeline through journaling, and some general trauma misconceptions and symptoms to watch out for.

The Trauma Scale

Speaking from personal experience, in 2019, I had the pleasure of working with an Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Practitioner with the core objective of processing trauma-related events throughout my life.

In our first two sessions, we created a trauma timeline from prenatal to 2019. Within the timeline, we assessed and prioritized the most significant trauma impact upon my life to the smallest and used the timeline to direct us on where to begin the work. We jumped around the timeline and moved back and forth until I could manage and accept my trauma without becoming overwhelmed or painfully relive the circumstance each time I thought about it.

While I have written extensively about EMDR and have included reference links at the bottom of the story, the purpose of today is to review the timeline process and dig deeper into the trauma concept.

To provide you with a visual, here is a condensed version of my trauma scale, beginning with prenatal to 39 years old.

While working alongside the EMDR practitioner, for each traumatic memory, I assessed the intensity of the painful situation from 1–10. I recognize the process is purely subjective, and in my experience, the death of my cat Virgil, while a hurtful memory, feels less so when compared to the death of a relative at age 37. My experience is unique to me, including the pain threshold.

All this to say, the trauma timeline is revealing not only for the EMDR practitioner but also for the client to understand better where to focus immediate attention and how the accumulation of trauma affects who we are today.

Create Your Trauma Timeline

While there are many different types of trauma scales depending on the clinical modality used between a therapist and client, the above-simplified version can be replicated through personal journaling.

If you are interested in evaluating your life and exposing trauma, consider writing your timeline. You do not need to start from day one of your life; allow the memories to appear in your mind and plot along a timeline. As each memory moves to the surface of your mind, gauge the level of pain you re-experience and indicate between one to ten. One being the lowest and ten the highest. Make note.

I am the first person to tell you; the timeline experience is not a fun activity — it’s painful to relive hurt over and over again. While creating a timeline is helpful to know where to draw your attention to first, the next step in the journey is to find the right professional help to let go of the trauma.

Since trauma embeds itself within our bodies, seeking assistance with a trained trauma professional will do worlds of wonder in the healing process, far beyond what we can accomplish if we try and attempt the steps on our own.

Trauma Misconceptions And Symptoms

People think trauma shows up like flashbacks and nightmares, or even severe behaviors like not leaving the house. Still, more often, it manifests as boundary and control issues, unhealthy coping mechanisms, a less than helpful style of relating, how we eat, how we handle money — you get the idea.

Almost everything we do in life can become a way to try and re-find safety.

A trauma “symptom” is any once useful response to a past threat, which shows up in the present where there is no threat so that it will be no longer helpful.

The beauty of trauma symptoms is often their caution. They can OVER-protect us from what happened in the past happening again.

Their horror is that these over-reactions to inappropriate stimuli (only vaguely related to what hurt us) can ruin our present and future.

Even with this, however, we must be grateful for our systems’ attempt to care for us. This is paradoxically the start of any change effort.

“If hate worked, I would teach you that”

– Buddha.

This very much applies to healing your trauma symptoms. Most people mistake their “low level” trauma for a part of their personality and are understandably attached to it. If you were in no way traumatized, you would respond all the time appropriately.

And you don’t, let’s be honest.

For example, I am an over-achiever to prove my value. My behavior stems from the prenatal experience of being given up for adoption. All of the behavior I exhibit today is to overcompensate for the loss of love experienced before birth! All of my BS is residual trauma.

Even when our “weirdness becomes wonderful” (post-traumatic growth), there’s still care to be taken in old patterns. I recognize that my trauma will be a work in progress for the rest of my life and may show up in unexpected ways if I am not consciously aware of what is happening within myself.

Remember, everyone on the planet has lived through traumatic experiences, and the pain you feel toward an event may be of a different intensity than another. Do you feel the time is right for you to assess the traumatic circumstances in your life? Does the thought of opening the door frighten or excite you? If you are at the start of your journey toward recovery, consider what it will be like to take the first step before leaping.

The post Explore A Simple Trauma Timeline To Prioritize The Healing Process appeared first on Medika Life.

I almost always say this when I speak to families about the condition of their critically ill loved one. Usually, when I say these words, my patient is very sick, and they are at high risk of dying. I have lost count how many times I have said the above words to families of patients suffering from COVID-19.

Most recently, I said these exact words to a family who was grieving after their mother, suffering from COVID, just got placed on a ventilator. She had been sick for a long time, and now that she required mechanical ventilation, her prognosis was likely very poor.

I did not pull any punches with the family. I gave them “brutal honesty” about how their loved one was doing. I told them that, while I do not want to crush all hope, I also did not want to give them false hope, which was much worse. I could tell they did not like what I had to say, and – to be honest – I didn’t feel right after our interaction. For some reason, I was may more blunt than usual.

The following day, I got feedback that the family really didn’t appreciate they way I spoke to them. They felt that, as a physician, I should have had more compassion for them and their situation. The nurse, in fact, told me I probably should not go in the room with the family present. I felt I had to rectify the situation, repair the damage to our relationship. And so, I went in the room and spoke to them again.

I said that it is essential that we – myself and my patient’s family – have a good relationship because, we are a team, and if we don’t work well together, then my patient – their loved one – will ultimately suffer.

They told me that they didn’t appreciate how I spoke to them, that it made them feel that I had “given up” on their loved one, that I had no hope left or didn’t want to fight for her. This was the worst day of their life, and my interaction left them wondering what kind of physician I was to whom they left their loved one in his care.

I listened to this “brutal honesty” about how I acted, and I apologized. I didn’t mean to come off this callous and uncaring. I totally understood how they were made to feel, and that was never my intention.

I told them that, if I didn’t care, I would not be there the bedside. I thought about leaving medicine, I told them, but I never did because, I really do care. They were very appreciative of what I said, and I felt we were able to establish rapport once again.

I still believe in being honest, sometimes brutally honest, with my patients’ families. I truly believe that giving false hope is the absolute worst thing I can do as an ICU physician. At the same time, there is a balance between honesty and compassion, and my recent interaction taught me that.

Although I have seen the movie of how critically ill patients with COVID fare time and time again, my patients’ families have not seen it before. For them, seeing their loved one get worse and need a ventilator is the worst moment of their lives. I need to be more cognizant of this fact and do my best to deal with families in a gentle manner.

That doesn’t mean I sugar coat how my patient is doing. I will never do that. At the same time, I need to make absolutely sure I do not come off as if I could care less about their loved one. I need to make sure that I am not conducting myself as if to say, “Why even bother?” It can be a tough tightwire to tread, but tread over it I must as a critical care physician.

We are all exhausted. We are exhausted from the relentless death, destruction, and despair wrought by this pandemic. We are frustrated at the senseless death, especially now with widely available vaccines. People need to understand that. At the same time, it is as important – if not more important – that we understand that our patients’ families are devastated when they see their loved ones crash with COVID. We need to be careful not to be brutally callous in the attempt to be brutally honest.

The post The Double-Edged Sword of “Brutal Honesty” appeared first on Medika Life.

Most importantly perhaps, the research showed higher intakes of dairy fat were not associated with an increased risk of death.

About the study

Entitled ‘Biomarkers of dairy fat intake, incident cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality: A cohort study, systematic review, and meta-analysis’ the study drew numerous conclusions that proved at odds with our current accepted views on dairy fat consumption and heart health.

The study is comprehensive. The results of this study in just over 4,000 Swedish adults were combined with those from 17 similar studies in other countries, creating the most comprehensive evidence to date on the relationship between this more objective measure of dairy fat consumption, risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and death.

In terms of methodology, the authors measured dairy fat consumption using an objective biomarker, serum pentadecanoic acid (15:0), in 4,150 Swedish 60-year-olds and collected information about CVD events and deaths during a median follow-up of 16.6 years.

Findings

There were, according to the study authors, two very significant findings. Bold highlights added by Medika.

When we accounted for known risk factors including demographics, lifestyle, and disease prevalence, the CVD risk was lowest for those with high levels of the dairy fat biomarker 15:0, while those with biomarker levels around the median had the lowest risk of all-cause mortality.

We also conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis, and the combined evidence from 18 studies also showed higher levels of 2 dairy fat biomarkers (15:0 and heptadecanoic acid 17:0) were linked with lower risk of CVD, but not with all-cause mortality.

Why this study is so important

Dairy consumption is on the rise worldwide. According to this OECD article, World per capita consumption of fresh dairy products is projected to increase by 1.0% p.a. over the coming decade, slightly faster than over the past ten years, driven by higher per-capita income growth.

According to one of the study authors, Dr. Matti Marklund of The George Institute for Global Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and Uppsala University, a better understanding of the impact of dairy on heart health is essential.

“Many studies have relied on people being able to remember and record the amounts and types of dairy foods they’ve eaten, which is especially difficult given that dairy is commonly used in a variety of foods.

Instead, we measured blood levels of certain fatty acids, or fat ‘building blocks’ that are found in dairy foods, which gives a more objective measure of dairy fat intake that doesn’t rely on memory or the quality of food databases,” he added.

“We found those with the highest levels actually had the lowest risk of CVD. These relationships are highly interesting, but we need further studies to better understand the full health impact of dairy fats and dairy foods.”

When is more, less

New research is continuously expanding our understanding of the factors that contribute to CVD, but it’s important to realize before we rush out and stock up on cheese and dairy that CVD risk is multifaceted and that both exercise and diet are integral parts of a healthy heart equation.

All your dietary habits need to be considered alongside a regular exercise regime to effectively manage the risk of CVD. The good news from this research would appear to be that lovers of cheeses and milk can now enjoy their intake without undue concern for their heart health, but only in conjunction with other healthy heartcare choices.

The lead author of the study, Dr. Kathy Trieu had this to add on the consumption of some dairy foods, especially fermented products, that have previously been associated with benefits for the heart.

“Increasing evidence suggests that the health impact of dairy foods may be more dependent on the type — such as cheese, yoghurt, milk, and butter — rather than the fat content, which has raised doubts if avoidance of dairy fats overall is beneficial for cardiovascular health.

Our study suggests that cutting down on dairy fat or avoiding dairy altogether might not be the best choice for heart health.

It is important to remember that although dairy foods can be rich in saturated fat, they are also rich in many other nutrients and can be a part of a healthy diet. However, other fats like those found in seafood, nuts, and non-tropical vegetable oils can have greater health benefits than dairy fats,”

The post Dairy Fats Reduce Your Risk of Heart Attack, New Study Finds appeared first on Medika Life.

Before I review the common methods of inducing labor, let me first explain that these methods are used by licensed medical professionals. If you came here for “natural” induction techniques, then you clicked on the wrong article.

Let me just say that if you want to try at-home techniques, please talk to your healthcare provider. We are not opposed to natural methods, but there are side effects/risks that may put certain pregnancies at increased risk. Also, I never, ever recommend castor oil to induce labor. Diarrhea-induced contractions are not the type of contractions you want to suffer through.

Inducing labor can take several hours, if not days, and you may need multiple methods throughout the induction process. Please note the time limits posted for each method to prevent complications. These methods have been studied and proven safe for most pregnant people.

1. Nipple Stimulation: This isn’t as fun as it sounds! Nipple stimulation releases endogenous oxytocin which causes contractions. Nipple stimulation is best accomplished by applying a mechanical breast pump to both breasts. One problem with this method is once the stimulation is stopped, the oxytocin level drops, and contractions can also stop if labor wasn’t fully established. Time limit: 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off, for up to 2 hours

2. Foley Balloon: Mechanical dilators, like the foley balloon or Cook cervical balloon, put pressure on the cervix, stretch the lower segment of the uterus, and indirectly release cervical softening hormones called prostaglandins. The end of the balloon can be attached to traction to aid in cervical dilation. Once the balloon comes out, the cervix is usually 3–5 centimeters dilated, though contractions will usually need to be stimulated to induce labor. Time limit: 12–24 hours

3. Cervidil or Cytotec: These prostaglandin medications are placed directly behind your cervix to soften the cervix and help thin it out. Cytotec can be taken orally, which is great if the amniotic membranes are ruptured. Though the goal of these medications is to ripen a cervix for labor. Both are capable of producing contractions. Labor is more likely if you have had more than one baby. Time limit: 12 hours for Cervidil; Cytotec is given every 3–4 hours for up to 3–4 doses

4. Pitocin: Pitocin is the synthetic version of oxytocin. It is given through an IV and can be titrated to achieve an adequate contraction pattern. Pitocin is the most common method of induction or augmentation of labor and is rapidly cleared by the body once it is turned off. Pitocin can be given after delivery to prevent uterine atony and postpartum hemorrhage. While in labor, your nurse or healthcare provider will carefully monitor the fetal heart rate and contraction pattern to prevent complications. Time limit: No time limit; postpartum complication risks increase with prolonged exposure (>24 hours) for some people.

Your provider should explain the risks, benefits, and alternatives for any induction process. Each pregnancy is different so the method that worked for your first pregnancy may not be an option for future pregnancies.

Also, unless you have a medical condition validating an induction prior to 39 weeks gestation, your provider cannot induce labor. No matter how bad your back hurts or if your mom is coming in from out of town.

Trust the process and be patient!

This article was contributed by MacArthur Medical Center’s Certified Nurse Midwife Jen Rockhold

The post Common Methods of Inducing Labor During Pregnancy appeared first on Medika Life.

Not all cases of food poisoning are that serious, but they can still cost you a day or two of downtime and you may not even be aware of the fact it’s your food that has incapacitated you. Other cases can land you in the hospital and even be life-threatening.

With the current heatwave surging across the US, we thought we’d identify some of the common culprits, and you may be surprised by what can and often does make you ill, both in restaurants and at home.

1. Rice

Without a doubt, one of the most common causes of food poisoning is from rice, referred to as “fried rice syndrome” and it’s one most people are blithely unaware of. Rice contains Bacillus cereus, a toxin-producing bacteria that is one of the most common causes of food poisoning. How common are incidents?

An estimated 63,000 cases of food poisoning caused by B. cereus occur each year within the U.S., according to a 2019 article published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology. Most cases however aren’t even reported, as the symptoms are usually mild enough to avoid a doctor’s visit, but uncomfortable enough to make you take the day off work.

How does it make you sick?

Leftover fried rice is a primary culprit, B. cereus occurs naturally on rice and no, you cant wash it off. You also can’t cook it to death. The bacteria release two types of toxins that each cause a different illness — one causes diarrhea while the other toxin elicits vomiting, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Bad Bug Book.

After you’ve cooked your rice, it’s usually left to stand at room temperature and then reheated later. Its this “resting phase” at room temperature that allows the bacteria to produce the toxins. Reheating will destroy the bacteria, but doesn’t kill off the toxins. The longer the rice is left standing around, the more toxins are likely to form.

The first type of toxin is released in the small intestine after the bacteria are ingested, and causes diarrhea, cramps, and occasionally nausea but rarely vomiting. Symptoms typically begin 6 to 15 hours after eating contaminated foods, which can include various meats, milk, vegetables, or fish. The symptoms typically subside after about a day.

The second type of toxin is released by the bacteria in the food before it’s consumed. Starchy foods, such as rice, are the most common sources of food affected. The toxin causes vomiting and nausea within 30 minutes to 6 hours after eating the contaminated food. Symptoms subside after about 24 hours.

Staying Safe with Rice

Keep your leftover rice at about twenty degrees above room temperature, or if you’re cooking to eat later, ensure it stays hot. This will help reduce the bacteria’s ability to produce toxins. If you’ve got rice that’s been standing out for a few hours or overnight, throw it away and cook a clean batch. 

Rice purchased from takeaway shops should never be “put away” for later consumption.

2. Chicken

One of our favorite foods and also a food with the potential to wreak havoc in your kitchen if not handled properly. It’s the raw meat and undercooked chicken that pose the most risk, particularly cross-contamination of cutting boards, working surfaces, storage areas, and knives.

Research from the UK, US, and Ireland found that 41–84% of raw chicken sold in supermarkets was contaminated with Campylobacter bacteria and 4–5% was contaminated with Salmonella. Sorry folks, but turkey and duck don’t perform any better.

Salmonella and Campylobacter are the most common pathogens found on raw chicken. Some other pathogens include:

• Staphylococcus aureus
• E. coli
• Enterococcus
• Klebsiella

How does it make you sick?

If you accidentally consume raw or undercooked chicken or contaminate other work surfaces, knives, or foodstuffs, the most common symptoms that occur from eating chicken that contains one or more of these pathogens are:

• abdominal cramps
• diarrhea
• nausea
• vomiting
• fever
• headache
• muscle pain

Approximately 1 in 1,000 reported cases of Campylobacter infection result in Guillain-Barré syndrome, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In cases where Salmonella is involved, the diarrhea is usually very liquid. With Campylobacter, it’s often bloody. Symptoms usually occur within one to two days after consuming Salmonella and within 2 to 10 days after consuming Campylobacter. Symptoms usually go away after around four days. In severe cases of Campylobacter infection, antibiotics may be needed.

Staying Safe with Chicken

Always store your chicken in separate airtight plastic bags or containers, away from other meats and foodstuffs. Wash all utensils, boards, and surfaces that have been in contact with raw chicken before using them for other foodstuffs. This includes your hands. Ideally use a separate cutting board for chicken.

• Use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
• Send back any chicken meal you order that you suspect is undercooked.
• Avoid eating any trendy dishes that contain raw chicken. 
• Place uneaten chicken into the refrigerator with an hour of letting it cool, particularly if the weather is sweltering. 
• Avoid ordering dishes like chicken pie from food outlets that have a slow turnover in product, particularly in summer.
• If chicken smells even remotely suspect while you’re preparing it, return it to the store or feed it to Fido. If the raw chicken disintegrates easily (smears), that is another sign of spoilt meat.

Thorough cooking will destroy all the pathogens chicken may carry, but with items like salads and other lightly cooked foods, you risk contracting the pathogens through cross-contamination. 

3. Shellfish

We’re going to focus on crayfish, lobsters, crabs, mussels, and yes, even shrimp, rather than traditional fish. The reason will soon become apparent. Although traditional fish can result in scombroid poisoning, the most dangerous and fatal cases of food poisoning belong to the crustacean clan.

People who suffer from any form of allergic reaction need to be particularly cautious when eating shellfish. Allergic reactions can be sudden, dramatic, and life-threatening, often resulting in anaphylaxis (constriction of the throat and an inability to breathe). Seek immediate medical care if you suspect shellfish poisoning.

Always ensure someone who tends to react easily to allergens has an EpiPen close to hand when sampling shellfish.

In shellfish poisoning, the poisonous ingredients are toxins made by algae-like organisms called dinoflagellates, which build up in some types of seafood. There are many different types of shellfish poisoning. The most well-known types are paralytic shellfish poisoning, neurotoxic shellfish poisoning, and amnesic shellfish poisoning.

• Paralytic shellfish poisoning: About 30 minutes after eating contaminated seafood, you may have numbness or tingling in your mouth. This sensation may spread down to your arms and legs. You may become very dizzy, have a headache, and, in some cases, your arms and legs may become temporarily paralyzed. Some people may also have nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, although these symptoms are much less common.
• Neurotoxic shellfish poisoning: After eating contaminated clams or mussels, you will most likely experience nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. These symptoms will be followed soon after by strange sensations that may include numbness or tingling in your mouth, headache, dizziness, and hot and cold temperature reversal.
• Amnesic shellfish poisoning: This is a strange and rare form of poisoning that begins with nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. These symptoms are followed by short-term memory loss and other less common nervous system symptoms.

Staying safe with Shellfish

You can still safely enjoy shellfish by following a few simple precautions. Never buy shellfish from fish markets or local vendors if there is a red tide in the area. Always ensure produce is fresh and if the product is dead, ensure it is packed in ice and does not smell overly “fishy”.

• Store live clams, oysters, mussels, crabs, lobsters, and crayfish in a refrigerator as soon as possible, in well-ventilated containers, and cover with a damp cloth or paper towel. Place container in a second bowl filled with ice and store on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.
• Avoid buying clams, mussels, and oysters during the summer months. Hold on to your recipes till winter.
• Avoid packages of frozen seafood containing ice crystals. This is a sign the seafood has previously thawed and been re-frozen.
• Pick up seafood toward the end of your shopping trip and ask to have it bagged separately from other groceries.

When preparing your dish, follow these simple rules;

• Keep raw and cooked seafood separate to avoid cross-contamination.
• Use two separate cutting boards, one for raw seafood and the other for cooked seafood.
• Thoroughly wash your hands, utensils, plates, and cutting boards that have touched raw seafood.
• Defrost frozen seafood in the refrigerator, under cold running water, or in the microwave. Never defrost seafood on the counter.

When cooking live mussels, clams or oysters, discard any shells that do not open during cooking. Pregnant individuals, older people, young children, and people with weakened immune systems should avoid raw shellfish (oysters, clams, scallops, mussels, or ceviche)

Finally, a note on the physiology of shellfish. They don’t have lungs and obtain oxygen by having seawater filter over their flesh. Contaminants and pollutants are far more likely to seep into their flesh than with normal free-ranging fish that use gills. 

Yummy, definitely, but as to the toxins and environmental pollutants contained in the flesh of shellfish, we’d rather stick to traditional fish.

4. Vegetables and leafy greens

Finally, a reason not to eat your greens. Although you may not think it, vegetables, particularly raw vegetables, are one of the most frequent causes of food poisoning. In fact, fruits and vegetables have caused a number of food poisoning outbreaks, particularly lettuce, spinach, cabbage, celery, and tomatoes.

Between 1973 and 2012, 85% of the food poisoning outbreaks in the US that were caused by leafy greens such as cabbage, kale, lettuce, and spinach were traced back to food prepared in a restaurant or catering facility. 

How do they make you sick?

Vegetables and leafy greens can become contaminated with harmful bacteria, such as E. coli, Salmonella and Listeria. This can occur across various stages of the supply chain. Contamination can occur from unclean water and dirty runoff, which can leach into the soil that fruits and vegetables are grown in or dirty processing equipment and unhygienic food preparation practices can cause contamination. 

Leafy greens are especially risky because we love eating them raw.

Staying safe with your greens

By practicing a little common sense you can still safely consume your greens (sorry kids) without risking food poisoning.

• Don’t buy salad mixes in packs where any of the product appears brown or spoilt.
• Wash thoroughly and then, just to be on the safe side, give it another rinse off. Lettuce and similar leafy vegetables can benefit from a spinner to remove any impurities and the occasional wormy passenger.
• Ensure you prepare your raw vegetable dishes well away from any raw meat or fish.
• When dining out, reconsider that Ceasar salad. Cooked food in public areas is always far safer than raw food.
• Buffets with pre-prepared salads that have been left to stand out for a period of time should also be avoided.

5. The humble Egg

One of our favorite foods, we use eggs to bake, to coat, to fry to poach, to scramble and they’re often found as an accompaniment in dishes. Cooked, particularly well-cooked eggs don’t pose a problem. It’s raw or undercooked eggs that can lead to food poisoning and occasionally, even death.

How do eggs make you sick?

It’s our old friend Salmonella, once again. Eggs can carry Salmonella bacteria, which can contaminate both the eggshell and the inside of the egg. In the 1970s and 1980s, contaminated eggs were a major source of Salmonella poisoning in the US, but since 1990, improvements have been made in egg processing and production, which has led to fewer Salmonella outbreaks.

Despite improvements in production, each year Salmonella-contaminated eggs cause about 79,000 cases of food poisoning and 30 deaths, according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Staying safe with eggs

Avoid buying dirty eggs. That’s always a clear sign of possible contamination with Salmonella. Clean eggs aren’t a guarantee, but you’re far safer and ideally look for pasteurized eggs.

If you are going to eat your eggs raw, you should only ever purchase pasteurized eggs.

Always ensure your eggs are well cooked at a high temperature. If you tend to like your eggs runny then you’re potentially leaving a window open for the Salmonella. Again, consider rather purchasing pasteurized eggs.

Free-range eggs are often a far healthier alternative to caged eggs, but remember to wash off the eggs thoroughly and cook properly.

The post Five Potential Sources of Food Poisoning This Summer. Foods to be Wary of in the Heat appeared first on Medika Life.