Why is fasting blood sugar always unstable❓❓❓

Diabetes is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia is caused by defective insulin secretion or impaired biological effects, or both. Long-term high blood sugar causes chronic damage and dysfunction of various tissues, especially kidneys, blood vessels, heart, eyes and nerves. As a diabetic patient, in addition to using hypoglycemic drugs to control blood sugar, the patient must also monitor and record his blood sugar level. But why the fasting blood sugar of some patients have been sometimes high and sometimes low and they are always unstable, although they have the regular life, medication, diet and exercise arrangements?

Many people misunderstand that blood glucose before breakfast is equaled to fasting blood glucose.

Monitoring intravenous blood glucose in the hospital alone is not enough to understand the patient's condition changes. The doctors cannot formulate a reasonable and effective treatment plan based on that. Therefore, patients need to monitor blood glucose daily at home. 

After many people get up every morning, they usually finish the housework such as brushing their teeth and washing their face, making breakfast, or taking care of the children, and then measure their blood sugar. Many people mistakenly think that fasting blood glucose is the blood glucose level measured after getting up in the morning and taking blood before eating breakfast. In fact, it is not.

The correct meaning of fasting blood sugar.

After a person wakes up, the body will also be in a state of preparation for activity as the brain is awake. The levels of various hormones in the body begin to actively change and the blood sugar level also changes. Especially in patients treated with insulin, the blood sugar level is more likely to rise suddenly and decline suddenly.

In fact, fasting blood sugar is not measured the blood sugar on an empty stomach only. Fasting refers to the blood glucose level measured overnight, fasting for at least 8 hours and immediately after waking up. It can reflect the function of pancreatic islet β cells and generally indicates the secretion function of basic insulin. It is the most commonly used indicator for the detection of diabetes. The normal value should be less than 100mg/dl. If it is between 100-125mg/dl, it is pre-diabetes. If it is above 126mg/dl, it is diabetes.

Therefore, the first thing a diabetic patient should do after waking up is to wash his hands with warm water and then immediately check and record blood sugar. In this way, the fasting blood glucose can be measured accurately. If the fasting blood glucose is measured and there is still some time before breakfast, you can also compare the daily morning fasting blood glucose with the results of the pre-breakfast blood glucose measurement. It can provide a reference for adjusting medication in the future.

Why do the blood sugar before breakfast still need to measure even if the fasting blood glucose was measured?

The patient measures the pre-meal blood sugar can understand the blood sugar changes between meals. Without changing the dosage of drugs, the patient can rely on adjusting the type of food and the amount of food that he eat to ensure a stable blood sugar after a meal.

👉Only by accurately detecting blood sugar, the doctors can adjust the patient's medications and living habits reasonably and accurately. It also can help patients find problems at any time and go to the hospital for medical treatment in time. Accurate blood sugar testing can reduce the risk of diabetes complications. Good blood sugar control can improve the quality of life of patients and improve their physical condition.

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Gout: why does uric acid still raising although control the diet strictly?😵😵😵

Changes in uric acid can be affected by many factors. Although patients with gout have to control their diet, the effect of controlling uric acid is also uncertain. Some patients even usually do not eat seafood and animal offal, and legumes are rarely high, but uric acid is still increasing. Faced with this situation, should the patient take uric acid-lowering drugs?

1. Although patients have controlled their diet, why are the uric acid still increasing?

Hyperuricemia can be divided into 3 types: high uric acid production, poor uric acid excretion and mixed type. Researches found that 90% of primary hyperuricemia belong to the type of poor uric acid excretion. 80% of blood uric acid comes from the body's synthesis and 20% comes from diet. Therefore, the effect of reducing uric acid only by controlling diet is very limited. However, since high sodium salt can affect the excretion of uric acid, patients with gout should control their salt intake.

2. Why do hyperuricemia and gout cause kidney damage?

In patients with hyperuricemia, if urate crystals are deposited in the joints, it will cause gouty arthritis. If urate crystals are deposited in the kidneys, it will cause kidney stones, interstitial nephritis, acute and chronic renal failure. Kidney damage is the second most common comorbidity of hyperuricemia and gout.

3. Blood uric acid is not too high, why do gout attacks?

20% of patients with gout have a family history. There are three major factors that induce gout attacks: 

The blood uric acid level is too high

• According to statistics, the blood uric acid level at the first attack of gout was 527μmol/L for men and 516μmol/L for women. Therefore, when the blood uric acid level is greater than or equal to 540 μmol/L, uric acid-lowering treatment should be started. The blood uric acid should be controlled to be less than 420 μmol/L.

The blood uric acid level fluctuates too much

• A sudden increase in blood uric acid levels can cause gout attacks. In male patients, the most important factor inducing gout attacks is drinking (25.5%), followed by high-purine diet (22.9%). A sudden drop in blood uric acid levels can also cause gout attacks. For the first 3 to 6 months of taking uric acid lowering drugs, colchicine (0.5 to 1 mg/day) should be taken orally to prevent gout attacks.

A sudden cold of limbs

• At a body temperature of 37°C, the saturated solubility of blood urate is 404.5 μmol/L. The lower the temperature, the lower the solubility of urate. When the blood supply of the foot is poor, the temperature of skin and the pH of the tissue fluid are low and under a great pressure. Most of the joints of first time gout are the first metatarsophalangeal joints.

4. Why must patients with gout avoid from alcohol and lose weight?

Alcohol metabolism requires the participation of adenosine triphosphate. The consumption of adenosine triphosphate can directly increase the production of uric acid. Alcohol also leads to an increase in serum lactic acid levels which can reduce uric acid excretion. Therefore, patients with gout must abstain from alcohol. Obesity can lead to insulin resistance which increases kidney reabsorption of uric acid and increases blood uric acid levels. Therefore, obese hyperuricemia and gout patients must lose weight.

Patients with gout should not eat fruits with high fructose content such as oranges, apples, grapefruits, longans, lychees,  persimmons and pomegranates. Patients with gout should not eat more plant foods with high purine content such as shiitake seaweed, mushrooms, asparagus, straw mushrooms, kelp and grain germs.

Lemons, cherries and olives are relatively beneficial to patients with gout.

5. Which uric acid lowering drug is better for patients with gout?

At present, the commonly used clinically for lowering uric acid are febuxostat, allopurinol and benzbromarone. Uric acid-lowering drugs can be selected according to the following 3 points:

1. Uric acid-lowering effect: febuxostat > allopurinol ≈ benzbromarone.
2. Potential cardiovascular event risk: febuxostat > allopurinol.
3. Fatal exfoliative dermatitis: allopurinol (prohibited for those with positive HLA-B*5801 gene).
4. Hepatotoxicity: benzbromarone> allopurinol ≈ febuxostat.

180μmol/L ≤ blood uric acid ＜ 300μmol/L can promote the dissolution of tophi. The control target of blood uric acid in patients with gout is < 360μmol/L. For patients with hyperuricemia without comorbidities, the control target is < 420μmol/L.

6. Should the patient use uric acid lowering drugs?

For all gout patients, it is recommended to start uric acid-lowering drug treatment when blood uric acid is ≥480μmol/L.

Patients with chronic kidney disease, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, stroke, ischemic heart disease, heart failure and gout whose age of onset is less than 40 years old. It is recommended to start uric acid-lowering drug treatment when blood uric acid is ≥ 420μmol/L.

The glomerular filtration rate of this patient is less than 60ml/min. The uric acid production inhibitor febuxostat or allopurinol can be preferred.

👉When combined medicines, they should be used that do not affect or reduce the level of uric acid.

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The most effective medicine for hair loss.👳👳👳

Men who think too much and sleep too little can cause hair loss and the most common cause is androgenetic alopecia. Nowadays, the society pays much attention to appearance. It may be due to factors such as diet and stress, there are more and more people who lose hair. It is regardless of whether they are male or female. Therefore, hair loss is also a concern of many people. Hair loss not only affects the appearance, but may even affect the psychology and cause mental illness.

1. What is androgenetic alopecia?

Androgenetic alopecia used to be called seborrheic alopecia which is mainly manifested by the loss of hair on the top of the head and the receding hairline. Although there are many drugs that are clinically used to treat androgenic alopecia, currently there are two types of drugs that are generally recognized as effective: the oral drug and the topical drug.

2. Finasteride: For men only

The growth and development of the prostate depends on the level of dihydrotestosterone. Finasteride is a 5α-reductase inhibitor. It can inhibit the conversion of testosterone into more active dihydrotestosterone. It has an antiandrogenic effect, so it is also used to treat existing symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

The activity of 5α-reductase in hair follicles in male hair loss areas is significantly higher than that in non-hair loss areas. High levels of dihydrotestosterone can shrink hair follicles which will gradually lead to long-term hair shortening, thinning and shedding. Since finasteride can reduce the level of dihydrotestosterone, it is also used in the treatment of androgen alopecia.

Oral finasteride generally takes more than three months to observe increased hair growth or prevent continued hair loss. Symptoms can recur within 12 months after stopping the drug.

Dosage: Oral finasteride is available in 5 mg and 1 mg specifications.

• 5mg each time, once a day. It is used for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia.
• 1mg each time, once a day. It is used for the treatment of male hair loss.
• Finasteride can reduce sexual function. Use during pregnancy can feminize the male fetus (hypospadias). Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant should not even touch the fragments of finasteride. Not only that, finasteride is not effective in treating female hair loss. Therefore, finasteride is not recommended for female hair loss.

3. Spironolactone: For female's androgenetic alopecia

Spironolactone is an anti-androgen. It can reduce the secretion of androgens. It can play a role in multiple links in the occurrence of hair loss. It significantly reduces the binding of DHT to the androgen receptor in the follicle. It has a certain therapeutic effect on androgenetic alopecia. It can also increase the concentration of estrogen relatively and play a role in promoting hair growth. The best way to use it is combining with minoxidil. There are researches pointed out that the use of spironolactone combined with minoxidil can increase the effect by more than 40% compared with minoxidil alone.

Dosage: 

• The recommended dosage of spironolactone for the treatment of hair loss is 100-200mg, twice a day and take the medicine on time every day. Only when the therapeutic dosage is achieved, the best effect can be reached. This drug should be consulted by a doctor for using.

4. Minoxidil: Men and women available

Minoxidil is a K⁺ channel opener. It can relax blood vessels and lower blood pressure. It is mainly used for the treatment of refractory severe hypertension. It is not suitable for using alone. it needs to be used in combination with diuretics and β-receptor blockers to avoid water and sodium retention and sympathetic reflex excitement. 

The curative effect of topical minoxidil in the treatment of male and female hair loss has been confirmed by clinical research. It may be related to the fact that minoxidil stimulates dermal papilla cells to express vascular endothelial growth factor, expands scalp blood vessels, and improves microcirculation. The average onset time for topical application is 12 weeks and the recommended course of medication is 0.5 to 1 year.

Dosage: There are two kinds of minoxidil topical preparations: 5% and 2%.

• Regardless of men and women, 5% minoxidil is more effective than 2% minoxidil. But it is still recommended: 5% minoxidil for male patients and 2% minoxidil for female patients. It is because 5% minoxidil can increase local or generalized hirsutism in women.
• The usage and dosage of minoxidil topical preparations are as follows: apply to the affected area of the head 1ml each time, twice a day. Researches have proved that for topical application about 0.3-4.5% of minoxidil which can be absorbed through the skin. So the daily dosage should not exceed 2ml, otherwise it may cause systemic adverse reactions.

👉The above drugs are all prescription drugs. Before using them, you should consult the doctor for more details.

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What prefer to eat during cancer treatment?🍜🍛🍣

In the progression of cancer treatment, in addition to observing the doctor's prescription, taking medicines on time and in accordance with the method, you should also pay more attention to your diet. The following will briefly introduce the dietary recommendations during cancer treatment.

The basis of diet during cancer treatment: 

1. In treatment and rehabilitation, it is most important to ensure sufficient nutrition. The importance of dietary intake is equivalent to receiving radiotherapy and chemotherapy and taking medicine.
2. To satisfy a comprehensive and balanced diet. It is also important to ensure food safety.
3. During the treatment period, adjust the supply of nutrients, adjust the shape of food, and adjust the way of nutrient supply according to the situation.

Recommended food during cancer treatment:

1. Ensure intaking enough high-quality protein.

One egg a day.

Dairy products 1-2 times a day such as a glass of milk, special medical formula food nutrient solution and a portion of sugar-free yogurt. If you are already malnourished patients, dairy products can choose special medical formula foods instead of milk.

Choose 2 different types of foods with high quality protein content every day. The intake is about 2-3 pieces the size of your own palm:

• Poultry (duck, chicken, etc.)
• Meat (pig, sheep, cattle, etc.)
• Aquatic products (sea fish, river fish, crab, shrimp, etc.)
• Soy or soybean products (green beans/soybeans/edamame, tofu, etc.)

2. Eat at least 500 grams of vegetables every day and try to choose varieties with rich colors. 

• It is because the richer the color, the more healthy nutrients, such as dark green, red and yellow vegetables. In particular, you should eat more dark green vegetables rich in folic acid, such as spinach, Chinese kale and so on. If eating vegetables causes flatulence during the treatment period, it can be adjusted to part of the food and the other part is drunk the vegetable juice which filters residue.

3. If your hemogram is relatively low, you can eat pig liver once a week.

4. Take 1-2 fruits a day

• The intake is about the size of your own 2 fists and preferably with high vitamin C content.

5. A small handful of original nuts every day.

• The intake amount is that you can hold it with your hands after peeling the shell. Such as walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, pistachios and so on. You can mix several different types or change different types every few days.

6. One small spoonful of seeds a day.

• It is about 10 ml such as sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds and chia seeds. You can also mix them according to your preferences.

7. Don't forget the staple food.

• 2-3 servings of your own fist size a day, which can be rice, noodles, miscellaneous grains.

👉At last, If you have a poor appetite, you can use a blender to process the above food to make a nutritious paste. The amount of food will appear to be much less.

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Is it correct to sit or take a walk after a meal?🏃🏃🏃

Some people say that taking a walk after a meal is a good way to keep your body healthy. However, there are also someone said that exercise should not be carried out after a meal, and it is best to sit or lie down to rest. So which one is the right thing to do after a meal?

Suggested practice:

It is generally believed that in the 20 minutes after a meal, it is best to maintain an upright posture (standing upright, sitting upright). It can promote gastrointestinal peristalsis and help digestion.

Why not recommend taking a walk after a meal?

In fact, taking a proper walk after a meal can indeed help relieve the mood and promote digestion. It can be good for the body. But this walk after a meal is not to make you take a walk as soon as possible after having a meal. It is let you to take a walk 20-30 minutes after having a meal. Because the stomach is in a full state just after eating. It often requires blood to run to the stomach and intestines for initial digestion. If you take a walk immediately, blood will be concentrated in your limbs and will cause gastrointestinal activity being delayed. It can easily lead to indigestion.

As walking will affect digestion, is it okay to lie down?

Of course not. When you have just eaten a full meal. The stomach is full of food and the digestive function is in a state of activation. At this time, lying down will affect gastrointestinal peristalsis which is not conducive to food digestion and absorption. In addition, lying down immediately after a meal will increase the pressure in the stomach. It will lead to gastroesophageal reflux disease. It is more likely to suffer from chronic gastric disease in the long term. Moreover, if you fall asleep immediately after a meal, the body's metabolic rate will gradually decrease during sleep. It is easy to convert the calories in the food into fat. It will make you becoming fatter.

All in all, sit upright and rest after a meal is the best way for your health. If the abdominal is uncomfortable after eating full, you can massage your abdomen appropriately. This can promote gastrointestinal peristalsis, relieve the discomfort of abdominal distension, strengthen the digestion, absorption and excretion of food. However, attention must be paid, otherwise it will be counterproductive.

Abdominal massage method:

• Lightly touch the abdomen with the palm of the hand and massage in a clockwise direction with the navel as the center. The force should be moderate, from light to heavy. It will be better as you feel a slight warm in the abdomen.
• When there is a purulent infection of the abdominal skin or acute inflammation of the abdomen (such as enteritis and appendicitis), it should not be massaged the abdomen.

Does drinking tea after a meal will help losing weight?

Some people think that drinking a cup of strong tea after a meal can help eliminate oil, reduce greasy feeling, help digestion and lose weight. But in fact, drinking tea immediately after a meal will obstruct digestion. It inhibits the secretion of gastric and intestinal juices. That affects the body's digestion and absorption of food. It can easily lead to constipation.

Drink yogurt immediately after a meal to help digestion?

Drinking yogurt after a meal also fails to help digestion. Do not drink yogurt immediately after a meal. It is more appropriate to drink it two hours after a meal. It is because when the pH value of human gastric juice is high, the lactic acid bacteria contained in the yogurt will grow fully which is beneficial to health. About two hours after a meal, the gastric juice in the human body has been diluted. The pH value will rise to 3 to 5. It is a better time to drink yogurt. Moreover, yogurt is rich in many nutrients and it is not low in calories (even it is non-fat yogurt). Yogurt itself contains a certain amount of calories. Drinking yogurt after a meal is equivalent to taking in these extra calories. If you drink yogurt after a meal every day, you will become fatter slowly. Therefore, if overweight people or on a diet want to drink yogurt after a meal, the amount of staple food needs to be reduced appropriately.

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What is the difference between metoprolol tartrate and metoprolol succinate?😵😵😵

Metoprolol is a commonly used selective β1 receptor blocker in clinical. It is
mainly used to treat cardiovascular related diseases such as hypertension, hyperthyroidism, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, arrhythmia and heart failure. In currently clinical, there are two dosage forms. They are metoprolol tartrate tablets and metoprolol succinate sustained-release tablets. Although they are both metoprolol, they are different dosage forms and have different administration methods.

1. Indications

Since they are both Metoprolol, their indications are basically the same. They can be used to treat myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, arrhythmia, cardiomyopathy, hypertension, heart failure and so on. 

For patients who need to stably control blood pressure and treat heart disease for long-term, metoprolol sustained-release tablets have more advantages than ordinary tablets.

2. Dosage difference

Metoprolol tartrate is an ordinary tablet. The drug can be completely disintegrated after it entering the body. The blood concentration will quickly achieve the peak value and result in a systemic effect. However, the ordinary tablet will remove quickly in the body. So it has a short half-life. The effect of ordinary tablets will not be destroyed by breaking or crushing. Therefore, it can be broken or crushed for taking.

The sustained-release dosage form of metoprolol succinate is composed of many microencapsulated particles. Each particle is wrapped with a polymer film to form an independent storage unit to control the release rate of the drug. Therefore, metoprolol succinate sustained-release tablets are different from other sustained-release tablets. If it is necessary, the tablets can be broken apart to increase dosage. But it cannot grind or chew tablets. the microcapsule particles will be destroyed by grinding or chewing. It will causes all the drugs in the microcapsules are released immediately. It will increase the medical effects greatly and aggravate adverse effects.

3. Administration methods

The half-life of metoprolol tartrate tablets is 3-5 hours. Therefore, the commonly used clinical dose is 2-4 times a day.

Metoprolol succinate sustained-release tablets are released in the body at a nearly constant rate for about 20 hours. The blood concentration is stable and the effect exceeds 24 hours. Therefore, it only needs to be taken once a day. It is recommended to take it in the morning.

4. Food

Metoprolol tartrate tablets are fat-soluble drugs. Food can affect their absorption. If the drug is took with meals, it can greatly increase the bioavailability of the drug by 40% and increase the incidence of side effects such as bradycardia. Therefore, in order to avoid the increase of adverse drug events, the drug should be taken on an empty stomach.

The release of metoprolol succinate sustained-release tablets is not affected by the pH value in the stomach and the intake of food does not affect its bioavailability either. Therefore, the drug can be taken before or after meals. However, the drug should be took by at least half a glass of water.

5. Contraindications

Their contraindications are also basically the same.

• Cardiogenic shock
• Unstable/decompensated heart failure
• II, III degree atrioventricular block
• Sick sinus syndrome
• Severe peripheral vascular disease with risk of gangrene
• Metoprolol allergy
• Bradycardia 
• Low blood pressure
• Suspected acute myocardial infarction patients with heart rate < 45 beats/min, P-Q interval > 0.24 seconds or systolic blood pressure <100 mmHg

👉It is necessary to pay attention to the different usage methods of the two dosage forms. It should be avoided the unnecessary adverse reactions.

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Do you know that there are some precautions for taking a bath?😉😉😉

Winter is here, will you take a hot bath comfortably or still take a cold bath? I think almost people will take a hot bath leisurely. It makes your hands, feet and the whole body feel warm and can also relax your spirit. But in fact, there are some precautions for taking a bath. If you don't pay attention, the bath may harm your health.

Don't take a bath when you are the situations below:

1. Take a bath before meals/on an empty stomach.

When a person is fasting, blood sugar is staying in a low state. Taking a bath in the cold season will increase physical energy consumption. It will not only be prone to fatigue and weak limbs, but it will also further decrease blood sugar. If the situation is severe, hypoglycemic shock can also occur.

Recommendation: It is best not to take a bath when you are fasting.

2. After strenuous exercise

When a person has a strenuous exercise, the heart rate increases and the blood flow in the muscles increases. As soon as he stopped, his body was temporarily unable to return to a calm state. Taking a hot bath immediately at that time will cause the body to be stimulated by temperature. It accelerate the expansion of blood vessels in the skin of the whole body and cause the reduction of blood supply to other vital organs. When the blood supply of the heart and brain is reduced to a certain extent, the human body will have symptoms of transient hypotension and cerebral ischemia. It will manifest as palpitation, dizziness, nausea and so on. Especially for people with coronary heart disease, hypertension and other diseases, fatal accidents may occur.

Recommendation: After strenuous exercise, You can slowly drink a glass of warm water, rest for 20-30 minutes, and then go to the bath.

3. After drinking alcohol

After drinking alcohol, some people like to wash off the smell of alcohol before going to bed. But taking a bath at that time will cause accelerating the blood circulation and consuming a large amount of glucose in the body. It will cause the blood glucose level decreasing greatly. In addition, ethanol can also inhibit the activity of the liver and obstruct its release of glycogen into the blood. It will make the blood glucose can't raising. Therefore, taking a bath after drinking can easily lead to hypoglycemia, making people dizzy, weak and even unconscious.

Recommendation: If you drink a small amount of alcohol, you can rest for half an hour before taking a bath. If you drink too much, it is better to postpone the bath time. The water temperature during bathing is best to be close to body temperature.

4. After massage or cupping therapy, etc.

Health care methods such as massage and cupping therapy can promote congestion on the body surface and speed up blood circulation. But many people don't know that it is not suitable to take a bath after massage and cupping therapy. When a person takes a bath, hot water can also irritate the skin. Under the combined action of the two, it will even cause relatively hypoxia, collapse or fainting in vital organs such as the brain. In addition, Chinese medicine believes that their skin pores will open after massage. At this time they are very susceptible to cold and sickness when taking a bath.

Recommendation: After the massage, you should rest for 1 to 2 hours in a warm environment. It is best to take a bath after 3 hours after cupping therapy.

In addition, you should not take a bath immediately after meals and after taking insulin.

Advices for taking bath.

1. The bathroom must be ventilated.

The humid and sultry air in the bathroom can cause low air pressure. When people stay inside for a long time, it is prone to breathing difficulties, fainting and so on.

2. Drink some water before and after bathing.

Bathing in a sultry environment makes it easy for people to sweat. If you don't drink water in time, it will easily lead to collapse.

3. The bath water temperature should not be too high.

If the water temperature is too high, it will take away too much oil on the skin surface. It will make the skin that is prone to dryness in winter even more drier. In addition, overheated water speeds up blood flow on the body's surface and reduces blood flow in vital organs. For people with cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and coronary heart disease, it is easy to cause accidents such as cardiac ischemia.

4. After bathing, apply some skin care products.

After bathing, the moisture on the skin surface will evaporate more. The skin is also prone to more dryness in winter. For people with less sebum secretion such as dry skin, it is easy to develop symptoms such as dry skin and itching in winter. Especially the elderly, they have worse skin normally. Therefore, they need to pay more attention to applying skin care products.

5. The elderly can put a chair in the bathroom.

The elderly who take a bath in a cold environment may consume a lot of physical strength. It may causes physical weakness and inability to stand up.

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Let's learn more detail about the calcium supplementation.😎😎😎

In today's society, more and more people know the importance of calcium supplementation. However, calcium supplementation actually has many confusing points. Calcium supplementation is not solved simply by just taking calcium tablets. This time, let us learn more about the knowledge of calcium supplementation.

Can bone soup supplement calcium?

Although the bones contain a lot of calcium, they do not dissolve out of the soup easily. Studies have shown that when bone soup is boiled in a pressure cooker for two hours, the calcium content in the soup is still very small.

Is soy milk high-calcium food?

The calcium content of soy milk is only about 1/20 of that of soybeans, which is about 25 mg of calcium per 100 grams of soy milk. This value is only 1/5 of milk.

Is liquid calcium easier to absorb?

A large number of studies have shown that the absorption of calcium is not directly related to the form of calcium. There is no significant difference in the absorption rate of solid calcium and liquid calcium.

Only supplement calcium without vitamin D.

Vitamin D can help calcium absorption. Vitamin D is required for calcium to be transported into the human body. Therefore, vitamin D should be supplemented while supplementing calcium.

Calcium can only be supplemented by taking calcium tablets?

Many people only supplement calcium by taking calcium tablets. In fact, dietary calcium supplementation should be the first choice for calcium supplementation. It is better to take food as the main source of calcium supplementation than taking calcium tablets.

Is more and more calcium supplemented better?

Excessive calcium supplementation can easily cause hypercalcemia. It may leads to kidney stones and vascular calcification. Calcium supplementation should also be small amount and frequent. Calcium should not be took too large at a time.

Can calcium supplements cure osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is one of the manifestations of human aging. Even if the elderly supplemented with a large amount of calcium, the trend of bone loss cannot be reversed. Therefore, calcium supplementation cannot cure osteoporosis, but can only delay the progression of the disease.

The effect of drinking beverages on calcium supplementation.

Most beverages contain phosphate. Phosphate will obstruct the body from absorbing calcium. Therefore, people with calcium supplements should drink less beverages.

Signs of calcium deficiency

Children:

• Difficulty in falling asleep, sweating after falling asleep, easy to wake up, knock knees, bowleg, gray nails, delayed teething, sparse or irregular teeth arrangement, etc.
• Babies can be supplemented with appropriate amount of vitamin D 15 days after birth. 3-11 years old should intake 600-800mg of calcium per day. Calcium can be obtained by consuming 250-500g of milk a day and outdoor activities for more than 1 hour.

Teenager:

• Obvious growth pain, weak legs, easy cramps, easy tiredness, irritability, inattention, anorexia, dysplasia of teeth, tooth decay, decreased immunity, etc.
• Adolescents between 11-18 should consume 1000 mg of calcium per day. It is best to supplement with food and eat more foods with high calcium content such as shellfish and dairy foods. Early calcium supplementation in youth is a good way to prevent middle-aged and elderly osteoporosis.

Pregnant women and middle-aged people:

• Frequent fatigue, sore back, cramps, easy get sick, loose teeth, etc., may be the signs of calcium deficiency, especially in middle-aged women.
• For women after 40-year-old, it is best to have 1 glass of milk in the morning and evening. In the early pregnancy, calcium can be supplemented with rich foods. In the second trimester, calcium supplements can be taken under the guidance of a doctor. Breastfeeding women should take 1200mg of calcium per day which can be divided into two doses.

Elderly:

• Heel pain, waist and neck pain, loose or falling teeth, obvious hunchback, decreased height, decreased appetite, constipation, irritability, insomnia, etc.
• Calcium supplementation for the elderly should also be based on food supplements and calcium tablets should be used carefully and control the amount. The general diet can be supplemented with about 400mg of calcium and an additional 400mg from calcium supplements. Because the gastrointestinal function of the elderly is weak, it is better to choose liquid organic calcium and take it after meals.

Tips of supplement calcium:

High-calcium foods: Nuts, green vegetables, dairy products and soy products are the best sources of calcium in foods. Such as cashew nuts, hazelnuts, spinach, broccoli, milk, tofu, etc.

Sun exposure: Stay outdoors for 20-30 minutes every day with as much exposed area as possible. Do more exercises that strengthen your bones, such as jogging and cycling.

Calcium supplementation at night: Night is the time when the blood concentration is lower and the absorption effect of calcium supplementation will be better at this time. It is generally recommended to take calcium supplements within 1 hour after dinner or about 2 hours before going to bed.

Vitamins supplement: Vitamin D can promote calcium absorption and it can be ingested from foods such as mushrooms and eggs. Vitamin K can activate osteocalcin and promote calcium deposition to the bones. Green vegetables such as broccoli and spinach are rich in vitamin K.

Magnesium supplementation: When calcium is absorbed into the blood, magnesium will transport calcium to the bones until the bones no longer lack calcium. Foods rich in magnesium include seaweed, peanuts and green vegetables.

Eat meat in moderation: Studies have shown that for every extra 50g of protein intake, calcium excretion will increase by 60mg. Therefore, eating too much meat will obstruct the absorption of calcium. It is recommended that the daily meat intake of adults should be 50-75g.

Light diet: Studies have shown that for every 2300mg of sodium (about 6g of salt) excreted by the kidneys, 40-60mg of calcium will be excreted at the same time. Therefore, the intake of salt must be controlled. The intake of coffee, strong tea, etc. should also be controlled.

👉The recommended calcium intake for adults is 800 mg per day. If you need to take calcium supplement once a day, it is recommended to take it before going to bed. If you take it twice a day, the other can be took 1-2 hours after breakfast. This prevents the interaction of food with calcium. Calcium supplement with vitamin D, minerals such as magnesium, potassium, zinc, etc., will be better effect. If you want to drink milk, you can take calcium supplement 0.5-1 hour after drinking. You should get appropriate exposure to the sun and exercise reasonably. 

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You should know the contraindications of food and common medicine.😮😮😮

Do you think that it should have 100% medical effect after you took the medicine? Actually, when the medicine is absorbed, it also interacts and affects the food in the body. Therefore, in order to prevent the effect of the medicine decreasing and even unnecessary adverse reactions, you should know the dietary contraindications of the common medicine.

1. Tea - berberine

Berberine is a medicinal ingredient that has received widespread attention and use in recent years. It is a quaternary ammonium alkaloid isolated from Coptis chinensis and also is its main antibacterial active ingredient. It is yellow needle-like crystal and with bitter taste. It is widely distributed in the plant kingdom. In addition to antibacterial and anti-infective effects, it has also been found to have the effects of lowering blood lipids and blood sugar. Therefore, there are more and more berberine products on the market. 

Tea contains about 10% tannin which is decomposed into tannic acid in the human body. Tannic acid will precipitate the alkaloids in berberine. It will greatly reduce its efficacy. Therefore, you do not drink tea within 2 hours before and after taking berberine.

2. Coke, coffee - ibuprofen

Ibuprofen is an antipyretic and analgesic, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. It inhibits cyclooxygenase and reduces the synthesis of prostaglandins. It cause producing analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. It has an antipyretic effect through the hypothalamic body temperature regulation center. It can relieve mild to moderate pain and is also used for fever caused by colds or influenza.

Ibuprofen has greater irritation to the gastric mucosa. The caffeine contained in coke and coffee can stimulate gastric acid secretion. Therefore, it will aggravate the stimulating effect of ibuprofen on the gastric mucosa.

3. Hot water - pancreatin and diastase pepsin tablets

Pancreatin and diastase pepsin tablets are mixtures of multiple enzymes which has a strong effect in neutral or weak alkaline environment. It can promote the digestion of fat, protein and starch in the intestines and has the effect of promoting appetite.

The active proteins of these enzymes are easy to coagulate and denature when exposed to hot water. They will lose their abilities of promoting digestion. Therefore, it is best to use low-temperature water when taking pancreatin and diastase pepsin tablets.

4. Spinach - calcium tablets

Calcium is one of the most common elements in the human body. In addition to its effects on bones and teeth, it also plays an important role in nervous system operation, cell function, human metabolism and protein hormone synthesis.

Spinach contains a lot of potassium oxalate. The oxalate ions are electrolyzed after potassium oxalate entered the human body. It will precipitate calcium ions which not only obstructed the body to absorb calcium, but also easily generates calcium oxalate stones. It is recommended that you do not eat spinach within 2 hours before and after taking calcium tablets. Or cook the spinach first and wait until the potassium oxalate is dissolved in water, then pour all the water before eating.

5. Milk - Antidiarrheal drugs

Antidiarrheal drugs are used to treat diarrhea. The antidiarrheal effect is mainly achieved by reducing intestine movements or protecting the intestinal tract from irritation. Antidiarrheal drugs are suitable for severe diarrhea or long-term chronic diarrhea to prevent excessive dehydration of the body, imbalance of water and salt metabolism, indigestion or nutritional disorders.

When you are taking antidiarrheal drugs, it is not suitable for drinking milk. Milk not only reduces the efficacy of antidiarrheal drugs. It may also aggravate diarrhea symptoms because it contains lactose.

6. Banana - potassium-sparing diuretics

Although most types of diuretics are excreted potassium, there is one type which is sparing potassium. During taking potassium-sparing diuretics (such as spironolactone, eplerenone), potassium will decrease excreting in urine and stay in the blood.

If you eat bananas that are rich in potassium during taking potassium-sparing diuretics, the accumulation of potassium in the body will be more serious. It will easily cause hyperkalemia and induce complications in the heart and blood pressure.

7. Grapefruit juice - a variety of medicines

There are many medicines that interact with grapefruit juice. Therefore, you should not drink grapefruit juice when you are taking medicines. Because the ingredients in grapefruit juice can affect the metabolic enzymes or transporters of the drugs, such as verapamil, cyclosporine, statins, nifedipine and so on. It results in excessive or low drug concentration in the blood. It may increases the risk of side effects or decreases the medical effects.

👉It is best to read the instructions carefully and consult a doctor or pharmacist.

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Why the bone densities of women still declines as they keep taking calcium tablets?😵😵😵

Do you have a habit of taking calcium tablets to prevent osteoporosis? Do you know what ingredients your calcium tablets contain? Do you think your calcium tablets are able to prevent or cure osteoporosis? Actually, it is not simply to prevent osteoporosis as only taking calcium tablets. Let's learn some knowledge about calcium supplement together.

What is osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a disorder of bone metabolism. The patient's bone density decreases and makes the bone structure fragile. It can easily lead to fractures and cause pain and other complications. Osteoporosis reduces the patient's ability to take care of itself. Normally, osteoporosis does not have any symptoms. If patient feel pain, it is usually caused by a fracture. The most common fracture sites include the spine, forearm bones and femur. The patient with osteoporosis may fractures due to a slight collision or fall. Even if there is no collision, the spine will also collapse progressively and cause the back bending. It will form hunchback and becomes short. Some patients may also have back pain.

There are some people buy and take the calcium tablets to prevent osteoporosis by themselves. However, their bone density may still decrease and they eventually have osteoporosis. Especially in women, they are easy to have osteoporosis.

There is a patient keep taking the calcium tablets everyday for more than 5 years. She check her bone density in the hospital after she fall down and has fracture. Her bone density has still declined since she started taking the calcium tablets. Her lumbar spine bone mineral density is almost achieved osteoporosis (T-score is -2.1, when T-score <-2.5, it can define to osteoporosis.). Her T-scores of other parts are also at osteopenia level (T-score <-1). 

Why the calcium tablets can't prevent bone loss?

Women are more likely to have osteoporosis than men, but why and why the calcium tablets can't prevent bone loss? The estrogen level is related to osteoporosis. After women enter the perimenopausal period, the  levels of estrogen are declined rapidly. The activity of osteoclasts is enhanced and the bone loss is significantly accelerated. To delay bone loss in postmenopausal women, the key is not to supplement calcium, but to inhibit osteoclast activity as soon as possible. Therefore, the calcium tablets are not enough for women. They may need to use selective estrogen receptor modulators (such as raloxifene) or bisphosphonates (such as alendronate). 

What situations are calcium supplements enough to be taken alone?

Women are before entering to perimenopausal period: The estrogen in the body has not decreased significantly. The activity of osteoclasts is not strong and the bone loss is slow. At this time, taking calcium supplements will help maintain their bone health.

In the interval between bisphosphonate medications or during their medication holidays, they can take calcium supplements: For example, zoledronic acid injection is generally injected once a year and calcium tablets can be taken alone during the interval between two injections. In addition, with the prolonged use of bisphosphonates, the bone density will no longer increases, but adverse effects gradually increase. Therefore, the use of bisphosphonate drugs should be suspended after 3 to 5 years and enter the medication holiday. During the medication holiday, calcium supplements can be taken alone.

👉When taking calcium supplements, combined with active vitamin D is better than only calcium. It can help increase the absorption of calcium, increase bone density and reduce the risk of fractures. Adults need to supplement 800 mg of calcium per day and 1000 mg for over 50-year-old.  

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Let's learn the effect of fruit on various organs of the human body.🍌🍎🍇

As the economy develops and living conditions continue to improve, people pay more and more attention to personal health. It is well known that fruits are beneficial to the human body, but in fact, each kind of fruit has different effects on human organs. Even some fruits have bad effects on certain organs. The following will share the effects of some fruits on the body.

1.  Stomach

Good: Papaya

Papaya contains an enzyme called papain, which can help the body break down meat protein and promote digestion. Papaya may destroy papain after being cooked. It is recommended that you eat papaya raw.

Tips: Eating a small amount of papaya after a meal can help the gastrointestinal tract digest the meat that is difficult to absorb. It also help to prevent gastric ulcers, gastroenteritis, indigestion and other diseases.

Bad: Persimmon

Persimmon contains a lot of tannic acid. If you eat a lot of persimmons on an empty stomach, gastric acid is easy to bond with tannic acid, pectin, cellulose, etc., and gastroliths are quickly formed in the stomach. The gastrolith will damage the gastric mucosa and further stimulate the increase of gastric acid secretion. Smaller gastroliths can be excreted with the stool. However, larger gastroliths may stay in the stomach for a long time and cause a series of stomach upsets.

Tips: Don't eat persimmon on an empty stomach. Don't eat more than 2 persimmons a day. People with indigestion and stomach problems are recommended to eat less.

2. Spleen

The main function of the spleen is to further transform the digested chyme from the stomach into subtle substances to feed the whole body. If the spleen becomes weak, the body lacks nutrition and easily have various diseases. Some people feel full after eating a little bit of food. Somebody have a strong appetite. Some will have constipation and some will have diarrhea and so on.

Good: Pomelo

Chinese medicine believes that pomelo is sweet and sour in taste, cool in nature. It can make the spleen healthy and fasten digestion.

Bad: Pear

In Chinese medicine, pears are cold and cool. People eat too many pears can easily hurt the spleen and stomach, especially for the elderly and children and those with weak spleen and stomach.

Tips: People who often have abdominal pain shouldn't eat too many pears. Healthy people shouldn't eat too many pears at once and one pear a day is more appropriate. In Chinese medicine, cooking the pear can reduce its cold and cool. 

3. Intestine

Good: Dragon fruit

The laxative effect of dragon fruit is due to its rich dietary fiber. Each 100 grams of dragon fruit contains about 2.8 grams of dietary fiber. Banana is always considered very laxative. It only contains only about 1 gram of dietary fiber per 100 grams. It is less than half of dragon fruit.

Tips: The dietary fiber content of white dragon fruit is higher than the red one. If you want to relieve constipation, choose the white one.

Bad: Guava

Guava is also containing a lot of tannic acid. It will combine with the food protein in the stomach to make it hard to be digested. It is easy to be constipated if you eat too much.

Tips: People who have poor bowel movements should avoid to eat guava.

4. Kidney

Good: Grape

Chinese medicine believes that grapes are neutral in nature, sweet and sour taste, which enters the three meridians of the spleen, lungs and kidneys. Usually eating grapes can nourish the kidneys.

Tips: There are many types and colors of grapes, but black grapes are the best for the kidneys.

Bad: Banana

Banana has a relatively high mineral content and the part that exceeds the body's requirement needs to be excreted through the kidneys. This process will bring out a lot of water and increase the burden on the kidneys. Therefore, people shouldn't eat too many bananas at once and up to 1-2 bananas per day.

Tips: It is not recommended to eat only bananas for weight loss. It is really unhealthy and hurts the kidneys. In addition, people with renal insufficiency are best to eat less or not to eat bananas.

5. Liver

Good: Hawthorn fruit

Chinese medicine believes that hawthorn fruit is sour and sweet in taste and mild warm in nature. It is entered to the spleen, stomach and liver meridian. The acid of hawthorn fruit can restrain liver qi and prevent liver qi from becoming too vigorous. The hawthorn fruit enters the stomach. It can enhance the action of enzymes, promote the digestion of meat and help the conversion of cholesterol.

Tips: For people with fatty liver, hawthorn fruit can play a role in digestion and fat removal.

Bad: Durian

Durian contains a lot of sugar and calories. Sugar is metabolized in the liver which converts sugar into fat. It raises triglycerides and causes insulin resistance. It lead to damage the liver.

Tips: Healthy people should eat no more than 2 pieces a day (the edible part is no more than 100g). Patients with obesity, fatty liver, diabetes and hyperlipidemia should not eat as much as possible. If they really want to eat durian, the daily amount should be controlled within 1 small piece.

6. Heart

Good: Apple

The polyphenols and flavonoids contained in apples can  improve the permeability of blood vessels, reduce the fragility of blood vessels and lower blood lipids and cholesterol. Actually, apple have too many benefits to the body. An apple a day keeps the doctor away.😉

Tips: After the apple is heated, the polyphenols and flavonoid antioxidants will be drastically reduced. The heart protection effect will naturally be greatly reduced.

👉Do you like to eat fruit? Hope it can help you when you choose what fruit to eat.😁

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Know the common side effects of commonly used antihypertensive drugs.😎😎😎

Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI), angiotensin II receptor antagonists (ARB), β receptor blocker, dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers (CCB) and diuretics are used commonly antihypertensive drugs in clinical. These antihypertensive drugs have their own characteristics, priority indications and adverse effects.

1. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI)

Common drugs: Captopril, enalapril and lisinopril.

Mechanism: It inhibits angiotensin-converting enzyme and block the production of renin-angiotensin II. It also inhibit the degradation of bradykinin and cause a hypotensive effect.

• Adding diuretics or limiting salt intake can increase the antihypertensive effect of ACEI.

Priority indications: Hypertensive patients with chronic heart failure, cardiac insufficiency after myocardial infarction, prevention of atrial fibrillation, metabolic syndrome, diabetic nephropathy, non-diabetic nephropathy, proteinuria or microalbuminuria.

Adverse effects: 

1. Dry cough: About 30% of patients can cause a persistent dry cough. It often gets worse after lying down. Non-smokers and women are more likely to develop dry coughs. Dry cough may be related to increased bradykinin and prostaglandin levels. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs inhibit prostaglandin synthesis. They can suppress coughing, but increase the risk of kidney damage.
2. Angioedema: It can affect the tongue, glottis, or larynx. It usually occurs within a few hours or 1 week after the medication. If angioedema occurs, patients should be discontinued using ACEI.
3. Hyperkalemia: Bradycardia, nausea and fatigue are the early manifestations. Patients with diabetes and renal insufficiency are more likely to occur.

2. Angiotensin II receptor antagonists (ARB)

Common drugs: Losartan, valsartan, olmesartan and irbesartan.

Mechanism: It blocks angiotensin II receptor (type 1). It cause decreasing secretion of vasopressin, decreasing synthesis and secretion of aldosterone. That exerts vasodilation and antihypertensive effect.

Priority indications: Patients can not tolerate ACEI who can choose ARB.

Adverse effects: 

1. Back pain: ARB antihypertensive drugs can cause back pain. The results of clinical trials showed that the incidence of back pain caused by valsartan was 1.6% and the incidence of joint pain was 1.0%. Different ARB drugs have different incidences of adverse effects in the musculoskeletal system. If musculoskeletal pain occurs when  taking a ARB drug, you can try to alter another ARB drug.
2. Hyperkalemia: Both ACEI and ARB antihypertensive drugs can cause hyperkalemia.

3. β receptor blocker

Common drugs: Metoprolol and atenolol.

Mechanism: It inhibits β receptor. It lead to inhibit myocardial contractility and slow down the heart rate. Therefore, it produces a hypotensive effect.

Priority indications: Patients with tachyarrhythmia, coronary heart disease and chronic heart failure.

Adverse effects: 

1. Slow heartbeat and pulse: β-blockers have greatly variance among individuals and patients should monitor their heart rate. For patients with hypertension and coronary heart disease, the resting heart rate should be slowed down to 50-60 beats/min while controlling blood pressure.
2. Rebound phenomenon: Sudden discontinuation of β blockers can cause severe angina pectoris and even sudden cardiac death. The dose must be gradually reduced under the guidance of a doctor and the entire withdrawal process should take at least 2 weeks.

4. Dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers (CCB)

Common drugs: Felodipine, nifedipine and amlodipine.

Mechanism: It can inhibit the calcium channel on vascular smooth muscle cells. Therefore, it can lead to dilate blood vessels and lowering blood pressure.

Priority indications: Elderly patients with hypertension or isolated systolic hypertension  associated with coronary and carotid atherosclerosis, stable angina and peripheral vascular disease.

Adverse effects: 

1. Constipation: All dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers can cause constipation.
2. Gingival hyperplasia: Felodipine, nifedipine, amlodipine and so on can cause gingival hyperplasia.
3. Increased heart rate: Calcium channel blockers can reflexively cause tachycardia. It can worse heart failure. Except for felodipine and amlodipine, other calcium channel blockers are not recommended for the treatment of patients with hypertension and heart failure.
4. Ankle edema: It is related to the dosage. Elevating the foot can reduce the symptoms of edema. Mainly due to the expansion of the precapillary arterioles, not due to fluid retention. Combined use of ACEI or ARB can reduce the symptoms of edema.

5. Diuretics (Thiazides diuretics)

Common drugs: Chlorothiazide, hydrochlorothiazide and indapamide.

Mechanism: It acts on the ascending limb of Henle's loop and the distal convoluted tubules in the renal cortex. It increases to excrete sodium and urine and reduce blood volume.

Priority indications: Elderly hypertension, isolated systolic hypertension, refractory hypertension, etc.

Adverse effects: 

1. Photosensitivity: It can cause skin rash. Patients taking thiazide diuretics should avoid direct sunlight.
2. Hypokalemia: The main symptoms include nausea, anorexia and fatigue. It can be improved when combined with antihypertensive drugs that may cause hyperkalemia such as ACEI and ARB, but electrolyte levels still need to be monitored regularly.
3. Hyperuricemia: Patients with gout should prohibit using thiazide diuretics. If the blood uric acid level is ≥480μmol/L, it is recommended to change to other antihypertensive drugs.
4. Hypercalcemia: Patients should be cautious when using it in combination with calcium and vitamin D supplements. Thiazide diuretics can reduce urinary calcium excretion and may cause hypercalcemia.

6. Diuretics (Loop diuretics)

Common drugs: Furosemide.

Mechanism: It inhibits the cotransporter of Na⁺⁄ 2Cl^-⁄ K⁺ in the ascending limb of Henle's loop. It reduces the recycle of Na⁺, K⁺ and Cl^- to achieve diuretic effect.

Priority indications: It can take effect quickly. Therefore, it can be used for patients with acute edema symptoms.

Adverse effects: 

1. Hypokalemia and hyperuricemia: Similar to thiazide diuretics.
2. Ototoxicity: Loop diuretics may cause ototoxicity. Be careful when combining with other ototoxic drugs (such as aminoglycoside antibiotics).

7. Diuretics (Potassium-sparing diuretics)

Common drugs: Spironolactone, eplerenone and amiloride.

Mechanism: Spironolactone and eplerenone can antagonist aldosterone. Amiloride blocks sodium ion channels and produces effects similar to aldosterone antagonists.

Priority indications: It often combined with thiazides diuretics or loop diuretics. Aldosterone antagonists usually effect to resistant hypertension (It refers to use 3 or more types of antihypertensive drugs still not achieve the target blood pressure).

Adverse effects: 

1. Hyperkalemia: It can decrease to excrete potassium in urine. Be careful when combined with the drugs that may cause hyperkalemia such as ACEI and ARB.
2. Gynecomastia and Irregular menstrual periods: The chemical structure of spironolactone is similar to some sex hormones. Therefore, spironolactone may cause gynecomastia and Irregular menstrual periods.

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People who love to eat fish may have fewer cerebrovascular diseases.🐟🐟🐟

It is well known that eating more fish is good for the body. Recently, a research show that elderly people who love to eat fish have fewer cerebrovascular diseases. Cerebrovascular disease involves harm to cerebral blood vessels and is a risk factor for stroke and vascular dementia. The University of Bordeaux conducted a large-scale research of the relationship between vascular disease and dementia. 

They analyzed the results of MRI scans of more than 1600 people over 65-year-old who had no history of cardiovascular disease,  dementia or stroke in the research. The participants also filled out a questionnaire about their eating habits. The participants were divided into four groups based on their frequency of eating fish: four or more times a week, two to three times a week, once a week or less than once a week. Then the researchers compared their signs of cerebrovascular disease.

Eating more fish may have fewer cerebrovascular diseases

In the MRI scans, the participants who ate fish more frequently showed fewer signs of damage in their brain than the participants who ate fish less frequently. Compared with the elderly in the study, the association between vascular disease and fish intake was stronger in 65 to 69-year-old people. However, there was no significant connection between vascular disease and fish intake in over 75-year-old people.

Experts believe that for most people, the risk of dementia depends on the different complex factors, such as environmental and genetic factors. People understood which aspects of lifestyle have the greatest influence on brain health. It is the key to enabling them to make the good decisions of their lifestyle. This observational research cannot determine the reason and result relationship. Although the researchers try to control for other factors that may lead to differences in signs of cerebrovascular disease, it is still difficult to clearly ensure the relationship between cerebrovascular disease and the number of fish intake. Based on the study, it is also unclear about the relevance of the findings to long-term brain health. Although fish is a important source of essential fatty acids and the National Health Service in the United Kingdom also recommends eating two servings of fish a week as part of a balanced diet, no single specific food or supplement can be maintaining the brain healthy.

Not smoking, drinking within the recommended range, eating balanced diet, exercising moderately and have a healthy lifestyle are all lead to a healthier brain and body.😁

Reference：

Fish Intake and MRI Burden of Cerebrovascular Disease in Older Adults 11 2021,
10.1212/WNL.0000000000012916; DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000012916

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Do you know what exactly functions of vitamin B complex are in the body?💁💁💁

Vitamin B complex can relieve many diseases, but there are many kinds of vitamin B, such as vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12 and so on. Which one should you take? Or Did you take a wrong one?

1. Vitamin B1- neuritis and beriberi

Vitamin B1 also known as thiamine. It is one of the important coenzymes required for many kinds of metabolism in the body. The lack of vitamin B1 can cause metabolic disorders of lipids and carbohydrates in the body. The main manifestations of diseases include digestive system diseases, beriberi and so on. Beriberi often shows as peripheral neuropathy, paresthesia, muscle weakness, paralysis of the lower limbs, paralysis, fatigue, lack of appetite and enlarged heart.

Recommended supplementary foods: milk, egg yolks, cereals, lean meats, tomatoes, etc.

2. Vitamin B2 - chapped lips and angular cheilitis

Vitamin B2 also known as riboflavin. It is an important component of two coenzymes involved in protein and amino acids. It can enhance the development and growth of skin, hair and cells. The lack of vitamin B2 first shows in the skin. It can cause angular cheilitis, chapped lips, keratitis, seborrheic dermatitis, conjunctivitis, glossitis, leukopenia and so on.

Recommended supplementary food: soybeans, milk, eggs, animal liver and kidney, etc.

3. Vitamin B3 - pellagra and regulate blood lipids

Vitamin B3 is mostly called niacin. It is a essential component of the coenzyme required in the body and participates in different metabolic activities such as glucose-energy conversion, protein metabolism and glycerol formation in the body. The lack of niacin can manifest loss of appetite, pellagra, dermatitis, diarrhea, anemia, dementia, slow growth and other diseases. Niacin also has a strong blood lipid regulation effect and vasodilator effect. It is also used to treat a variety of cardiovascular diseases, such as hyperlipidemia and coronary heart disease. 

Recommended supplementary food: beans, animal offal, etc.

4. Vitamin B5 - celiac disease

Vitamin B5 also known as pantothenic acid. It participates in a variety of metabolisms in the body. It promotes the decomposition of amino acids, sugars and fats. It is also a component of the multi-enzyme complex fatty acid synthase. Because it is widely present in food, pantothenic acid is not easy to lack. Calcium pantothenate is clinically used and can be used to treat celiac disease.

Recommended supplementary food: meat, animal heart and liver, etc.

5. Vitamin B6 - neuritis, vomiting during pregnancy

Vitamin B6 is a coenzyme of a variety of enzymes. It plays an important role in protein metabolism and neurotransmitter synthesis. The lack of vitamin B6 can cause glossitis, chapped lips, stomatitis, insomnia, neurological disorders and many other diseases. It can be used to clinically treat a variety of diseases, such as vomiting during pregnancy, neuritis, leukopenia, adjuvant therapy of liver disease.

Recommended supplementary foods: vegetables, meat, nuts, grains, etc.

6. Folic acid - prevention of fetal congenital neurological malformations

Folic acid is also called vitamin B9. It can constitute a variety of coenzymes and participate in different metabolism in the body. It is an important composition of RNA and DNA. It is the nutrients necessary for the reproduction and growth of the body's cells. It can also promotes the generation and maturation of the cells company with vitamin B12. When folic acid is lacking, it can cause megaloblastic anemia. Folic acid can be used to treat megaloblastic anemia, prevent birth defects in newborns,  hypertension with elevated homocysteine and other diseases.

Recommended supplementary foods: animal liver, fruits, green vegetables, etc.

7. Vitamin B12 - peripheral neuropathy

Vitamin B12 also called cobalamin. It is the only vitamin containing metal elements. Vitamin B12 can increase the utilization rate of folic acid. It promotes the formation of DNA and nucleic acid. It is also an indispensable component for the synthesis of nerve myelin lipoprotein. Deficiency of vitamin B12 can lead to peripheral neuropathy and megaloblastic anemia.

Recommended supplementary foods: eggs, fish, meat, dairy products, etc.

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