Smileband health topics

What is sickle cell anaemia?

Sickle cell anaemia is a genetic (passed from parent to child) disorder that affects the body's blood cells. In this disease, faulty haemoglobin (a substance that carries oxygen in the blood) causes the red blood cells to change shape when oxygen is released to tissues.

Sickle cell genes are most commonly found in people of African-Caribbean descent. Carrying the genes doesn’t mean a person will be affected by sickle cell anaemia.

The disease gets its name because the faulty blood cells are shaped like sickles - old farming tools used to cut wheat. When the deformed cells go through blood vessels, they clog the blood flow and can break apart.

Sickle cells can cause pain, damage the blood vessels or other areas of the body and cause anaemia (low blood count).

Sickle cell anaemia is found most often in black people. However, other ethnic groups also can have sickle cell disease. Antenatal screening can be offered if family origin suggests a risk for the condition. 

What causes sickle cell disease?

Normal red blood cells are round and are able to move through small blood vessels in the body to deliver oxygen. In sickle cell anaemia, a chemical change in haemoglobin causes the substance to form long rods in the red blood cell as the haemoglobin releases oxygen. These rigid rods change the shape of the red blood cell into a sickle shape.

Sickle cell anaemia is not contagious. Children are born with sickle cell haemoglobin, which they inherit from their parents. Individuals may be carriers who have sickle cell trait or may actually have sickle cell disease. People who inherit only one sickle cell gene are carriers, but people who inherit two sickle cell genes have sickle cell disease.

What are the symptoms of sickle cell anaemia?

Sickle cell anaemia can cause a painful sickle cell crisis. A sickle cell crisis is also known as a vaso-occlusive episode (VOE).

Other symptoms of sickle cell disease include:

• Fatigue
• Anaemia
• Swelling and inflammation of the joints 
• Sickling crisis - blood blockage in the spleen or liver

Sickle cell anaemia can also cause damage to the heart, lungs, kidneys and bones 

How is sickle cell anaemia diagnosed?

Sickle cell anaemia is diagnosed by examining a sample of blood under a microscope. When the abnormal sickle-shaped cells in the blood are identified, a diagnosis is made. Also, a blood test called the haemoglobin electrophoresis can determine if a person has the disease or is a carrier.

How is sickle cell anaemia treated?

The only cure for sickle cell anaemia is a bone marrow transplant, where affected bone marrow is replaced with bone marrow from somebody who does not have the condition.

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines for England for the management of acute painful sickle cell episodes in hospital say:

• A thorough assessment of people who go to hospital with an acute painful sickle cell episode is needed to ensure they have an accurate diagnosis and are given appropriate pain relief within 30 minutes.
• People with an acute painful sickle cell episode should have an assessment of pain relief every 30 minutes until satisfactory pain relief has been reached, and then at least every 4 hours.
• Acute chest syndrome (ACS) is a major cause of death in people with sickle cell disease and is often missed as a possible complication. People with an acute painful sickle cell episode should be assessed for acute chest syndrome if they have symptoms such as abnormal respiratory symptoms, chest pain, fever, or signs and symptoms of hypoxia.

Smileband health topics

What is psychosis?

Psychosis is characterized by an impaired relationship with reality. And it is a symptom of serious mental disorders People who are psychotic may have either hallucinations or delusions.

Hallucinations  are sensory experiences that occur within the absence of an actual stimulus. For example, a person having an auditory hallucination may hear their mother yelling at them when their mother isn’t around. Or someone having a visual hallucination may see something, like a person in front of them, who isn’t actually there. 

The person experiencing psychosis may also have thoughts that are contrary to actual evidence. These thoughts are known as delusions. Some people with psychosis may also experience loss of motivation and social withdrawal. 

These experiences can be frightening. They may also cause people who are experiencing psychosis to hurt themselves or others. It is important to see a doctor right away if you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of psychosis. Recognizing the symptoms of psychosis

Symptoms of psychosis include: 

• Difficult concentrating 
• depressed mood 
• sleeping too much or not enough 
• Anxious 
• suspiciousness 
• withdrawal from family and friends 
• delusions
• hallucinations 
• disorganized speech, such as switching topics erratically
• Depressed 
• Suicidal thoughts or actions. What are delusions and hallucinations?
  Delusions and hallucinations are two very different symptoms that are both often experienced by people with psychosis. Delusions and hallucinations seem real to the person who is experiencing them.

  Delusions

  A delusion is a false belief or impression that is firmly held even though it is contradicted by reality and what is commonly considered true. There are delusions of paronida grandiose delusion and somatic delusions. 
  People who are experiencing a delusion of paranoia might think that they are being followed when they are not, or that secret messages are being sent to them. Someone with a grandiose delusion will have an exaggerated sense of importance. Somatic delusion is when a person believes they have a terminal illness when in reality they are healthy.

Smileband health topics

Healthy Eating Top Tips

• 1. Eat lean protein
• 2. Eat high fibre complex carbs
• 3. Limit high sugar refined carbs
• 4. Eat healthy fats and limited saturated fat
• 5. Drink lots of water

The body can be very adaptable although it prefers to stay in its current form of weight, body fat and muscle unless you change your eating habits. If you want to gain lean muscle mass you need a surplus of quality calories which can be made up with a variety of Musclefood lean cuts of meat. You then need to burn more calories than you consume to loose excess weight… easy right?!

Many bodybuilders are well aware that muscle building requires good diet. A critical component of this diet is protein. But the most asked question is how much exactly of this muscle building protein do we need? It is not quite logical to generalise because the need of every body builder/athlete is different. A 145 lbs body builder and a 200 lbs bodybuilder obviously have two different levels of need for protein. 

Smileband health topics

I have this horrid poo smell from my mouth. I brush my teeth twice a day, floss, use Dentyl PH mouthwash, I have the best oral hygeine of anyone I know but I still have this smell. I am too embarrassed to even ask my flriends or family to tell me my breath stinks. I am becoming totally reclusive because of it. Id rather go to my GP and tell him ive got an STD. I know ive got it coz sometimes people look around and ask if ive farted, and I see people with babies smelling their nappies when I speak. It really is starting to badly affect my life but I just cant pluck up the courage ot go to my GP. How on earht can i ay "DR, My breath smells like poo!" Please, if anyone has any tips let me know.   Everyone experiences breath odor at some point in their lives. It can be concerning to have a strong odor on your breath that brushing and mouthwash don’t seem to help — especially if your breath smells like feces. While there are some benign causes for breath that smells like poop, most of the issues that cause this phenomenon are more serious and require medical attention.   Possible causes

There are a number of different causes of breath that smells like poop, ranging from poor hygiene to liver failure. Let’s take a look at them.

Poor hygiene

Poor oral hygiene can cause your breath to smell like poop. Failing to brush and floss your teeth properly and regularly can make your breath smell because plaque and bacteria accumulate on and between your teeth. Food that’s not removed by flossing stays between your teeth, causing your breath to smell unpleasant.

Gum disease can also contribute to foul-smelling breath. It’s caused by neglecting oral hygiene. Neglecting your oral health also leads to an overgrowth of bad bacteria in the mouth, which can cause the odor on your breath. Dentures that aren’t properly cleaned on a daily basis can also cause severe halitosis. 

Bowel obstruction

Intestinal obstructions are dangerous medical emergencies that occur when a blockage forms in either your large or small intestine.

A blockage in your intestinal tract can cause breath that smells like feces due not only to the feces that are trapped inside your intestines, but also due to food you’ve eaten that can’t move down your intestinal tract. Anything you eat while unable to pass a bowel movement remains inside the digestive tract and ferments, causing bad breath. 

Vomiting, Sinus infections, GERD, Ketoacidosis, Liver failure, 

Treatment options Please goggle this problems above, we care for your health smile band. 

Smileband general news

The Muslim population could triple in some European countries by 2050, with the UK projected to see one of the most rapid rises throughout the continent.

A report entitled Europe's Growing Muslim Population said the percentage of Muslims making up the total population of Britain could rise from 9.7 to 17.2 per cent.

It attributed the rise to the levels of migration in 2015 and 2016, plus Muslims as a whole having a higher birth rate and lower average age to other Europeans.

As of 2016, the UK's share of Muslims was recorded as 6.3 per cent, compared to the European total of 4.9 per cent.

An inflation to 17.2 per cent in the UK, the highest projected increase, would see the number of Muslims in Britain triple. The Pew Research Center report modeled three scenarios for estimating the number of Muslims who would be living in Europe by 2050.

All three used a mid-2016 estimate of 25.8 million as a baseline, but assumed different future migration rates.

Smileband health topics

A breakthrough Alzheimer's drug edges scientists one step closer to a cure, new research suggests.

Taken twice a day, a tablet, known as LMTX, significantly improves dementia sufferers' brain injuries to the extent their MRI scans resemble those of healthy people after just nine months, a study found.

Lead author Professor Gordon Wilcock from the University of Oxford told MailOnline: 'I haven't seen such brain injury recovery before after a drug treatment.'

LMTX, which is under investigation, also significantly improves patients' abilities to carry out everyday tasks such as bathing and dressing themselves, while also boosting their capabilities to correctly name objects and remember the date, the research adds.

The drug contains a chemical that dissolves protein 'tangles' in the brain that clump together to form plaques in the region associated with memory, according to its manufacturer TauRx Pharmaceuticals. Y

Dissolving these tangles and preventing the formation of new plaques may slow or even halt memory loss in dementia sufferers, the pharma company adds. 

Alzheimer's disease affects around 850,000 people in the UK and 5.5 million in the US. How the research was carried out 

Researchers from the universities of Oxford and Aberdeen analysed 800 Alzheimer's patients across 12 countries.

The study's participants received a 100mg LMTX tablet twice a day for 18 months.

They were tested on their ability to name objects, follow commands such as 'make a fist', recall items from a list of 10 and identify their name, the time of day and date.

Their ability to eat without help, use a telephone, wash and dress themselves, and control their bowel and bladder was also assessed.

MRI scans monitored the participants' brain injury. 

Patients' brain scans resemble those without dementia after nine months 

Results reveal after just nine months patients' brain injuries improved significantly to the extent their MRI scans resembled those of healthy, elderly people without dementia.

Professor Wilcock said: 'I haven't seen such brain injury recovery before after a drug treatment.' 

The participants' ability to complete tasks such as correctly naming objects and eating unassisted also significantly improved. 

Drug side effects were largely gastrointestinal or urinary related, which caused 40 patients to discontinue the treatment.

Professor Wilcock said: 'This drug, like all drugs, has side effects, the bigger the dose the more likely you are to get side effects.' 

Further studies investigating a lower LMTX dose are due to begin shortly. 

Professor Wilcock said: 'It will only be approved and available for patients if future trials are positive. It will probably be another five years.' 

The findings were published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. 

Dr James Pickett, head of research at Alzheimer's Society, said: 'When the results of the LMTX drug were first presented in 2016, questions were raised amongst the research community about how the results were interpreted. 

'This newer trial takes a different analytical approach and while we encourage researchers to explore all potential angles in their data there are some issues remaining that mean we cannot interpret this data as a positive result. 

'These issues include the lack of a strong control group and that the numbers of people who were taking LMTX alone are quite small. 

'We have been waiting more than 15 years for a new drug for dementia. This was the first large-scale trial to target another potential culprit, the tau protein. From the results that we have seen, we cannot say that LMTX is an effective drug for Alzheimer's. 

Smileband health topics

The definition of a psychopath and causes of psychopathy are sometimes argued about in scientific circles, but understanding the symptoms and signs of a psychopath is possible. Psychopathy causes may include genetics and early life factors and the signs and symptoms of a psychopath are typically noticeable before a psychopath's 16th birthday as these symptoms are thought to be fairly stable across the lifetime. Learn more about psychopathy below.

Definition of Psychopathy

The definition of psychopathy can be challenging as depending on the researcher, psychopathy is defined slightly differently and often many psychopaths  traits are taken into account. That said, a simple definition of psychopathy is provided by the Society for the Scientific Study of Psychopathy. Psychopathy is:

"A constellation of traits that comprises affective features, interpersonal features, as well as impulsive and antisocial behaviors. The affective features include lack of guilt, empathy, and deep emotional attachments to others; the interpersonal features include narcissism and superficial charm; and the impulsive and antisocial behaviors include dishonesty, manipulativeness, and reckless risk-taking. Although psychopathy is a risk factor for physical aggression, it is by no means synonymous with it. In contrast to individuals with psychotic disorders, most psychopaths are in touch with reality and seemingly rational. Psychopathic individuals are found at elevated rates in prisons and jails, but can be found in community settings as well. 

Causes of Psychopathy

No one knows exactly what causes psychopathy but it is likely a combination of genetics, environmental and interpersonal factors. For example, children of psychopaths are more likely to be psychopaths themselves, suggesting genetic influence.

Additionally, some early life experiences have been shown to increase the risks of becoming a psychopath. Poor parenting, parenting that focuses on punishment (rather than rewards) and inconsistent parenting appear to help cause psychopathy. Additional risk factors for psychopathy include:

• Substance abuse by the parents
• Separation from a parent or lack of parental involvement
• Child physical abuse or neglect

Signs and Symptoms of Psychopathy

The signs and symptoms of psychopathy are identified most commonly in scientific studies by Hare's 20-item Psychopathy Checklist-Revised. This checklist identifies the following as the symptoms and signs of psychopathy:

1. Superficial charm and glibness
2. Inflated sense of self-worth
3. Constant need for stimulation
4. Lying pathologically
5. Conning others; being manipulative
6. Lack of remorse or guilt
7. Shallow emotions
8. Callousness; lack of empathy
9. Using others (a parasitic lifestyle)
10. Poor control over behavior
11. Promiscuous sexual behavior
12. Behavioral problems early in life
13. Lack of realistic, long-term goals
14. Being impulsive
15. Being irresponsible
16. Blaming others and refusing to accept responsibility
17. Having several marital relationships
18. Delinquency when young
19. Revocation of conditional release
20. Criminal acts in several realms (criminal versatility)

Smileband general news

Overpopulation occurs when the population of the world reaches an undesirable number that exceeds its carrying capacity. Its concept originated in 1798 in England when Reverend Thomas Robert Malthus noticed that the production of food production had risen incrementally, while the population grew exponentially. Generally, it is caused by many factors, such as reduced mortality rates.

Now, overpopulation has become a subject of debates around the world, with opposing parties pushing strong beliefs. To build a good opinion about this matter, let us take a look at its facts and statistics.

Facts

According to records, the world population has already soared past 7 billion, and every second of the day, it is growing by 3 people. In 1960, the average life expectancy was 51, which increased to 69 in 2010, hastening population growth. At the current rate, the population of the least-developed countries is expected to double in the next 31 years. Overpopulation is said to have started to degrade the life quality for many, significantly depleting valuable natural resources that they need to thrive and survive. The most recent reports also show that about 783 million people, which are about 10% of the world population, are lacking access to quality drinking water. In the US, there are more than 1.43 million unplanned births happening every year. 

Statistics

1. When the agriculture era began about 8000 B.C., the world population was estimated to be 5 million, and after 8,000 years up to 1 A.D., it was said to had grown to 200 to 600 million, with a growth rate of under 0.05% per year, which was still an imprecise estimate considering that it was done during early historical periods.
2. During the industrial period, a big series of changes occurred where the world population reached one billion in 1800, two billion only after 130 years in 1930, three billion in less than 30 years in 1959, four billion in just 15 years in 1974 and five billion in only 13 years in 1987.
3. During the 20th century alone, the world population has grown from 1.65 billion to 6 billion. The yearly growth rate reached its peak at 2% and above in the late 1960s, but it almost halved in 1963.
4. Currently, such a rate has been declining and is expected to continue to drop in the coming years, becoming less than 1% by 2020 and less than 0.5% by 2050. This means that the population in the world continues to grow in the 21st century, but it will be at a slower rate compared with the recent past.
5. While it has doubled in four decades from three billion in 1959 to six billion in 1999, it is now estimated to take a further 39 years to grow by only 50% to nine billion by 2038.
6. As of August 2016, the total number of human beings currently living in the world is estimated at 7.4 billion, with a current growth rate of around 1.13% per year. As for the current average population change, it is estimated at around 80 million every year.

Smileband health topics

Rib cage pain may be sharp, dull, or achy and felt at or below the chest or above the navel on either side. It may occur after an obvious injury or without explanation.

Rib cage pain can be due to anything from pulled muscles to a rib fracture. This pain may occur immediately upon injury or develop slowly over time. It can also be a sign of an underlying medical condition, so you should report any instance of unexplainable rib cage pain to your doctor immediately.  

What causes rib cage pain?

The most common causes of rib cage pain are a pulled muscle or bruised ribs. Other causes of pain in the rib cage area are:

• broken ribs
• injuries to the chest
• rib fractures
• diseases that affect the bones, such as osteoporosis
• inflammation of the lining of the lungs
• muscle spasms
• inflamed rib cartilage 

  What causes rib cage pain?

  The most common causes of rib cage pain are a pulled muscle or bruised ribs. Other causes of pain in the rib cage area are:
  • broken ribs
  • injuries to the chest
  • rib fractures
  • diseases that affect the bones, such asosteoporosis
  • inflammation of the lining of the lungs
  • muscle spasms
  • inflamed rib cartilage  

    What are the treatment options for rib cage pain?

    The recommended treatment for rib cage pain depends on the cause of the pain. If the rib cage pain is due to a minor injury such as a pulled muscle or bruise you can use a cold compress on the area to reduce swelling. If you’re in significant pain, you can also take over-the-counter pain relievers such as  (Tylenol).
    If over-the-counter medicine doesn't relieve pain from an injury, your doctor can prescribe other medications. You may also receive a compression wrap A compression wrap is a large, elastic bandage that wraps around your chest. The compression  wrap holds the area tightly to prevent further injury and greater pain. However, these wraps are necessary in rare cases because the tightness of the compression wrap makes it difficult to breathe. This can increase your risk of pneumonia.

Smileband health topics

Liver Conditions - Overview

They are many different conditions that can affect the proper functioning of the liver. These are collectively known as hepatic diseases.

Most liver diseases initially present with very few symptoms. The liver is a resilient organ, able to function even when damaged and also to regenerate itself. This may explain why it’s believed that a great deal of liver disease remains undiagnosed in the population as a whole.

However, if liver disease is left untreated it can be fatal. Incidence of liver disease is growing and it is now estimated that it affects some two million people in the UK alone, where it is the fifth largest cause of death. It is therefore important to look after the liver and to seek advice from a doctor if you are concerned about your health.

Symptoms

Untreated liver disease tends to develop over time and generally progresses from initial inflammation (alcoholic hepatitis), to scarring, to irreparable liver damage (cirrhosis) and further complications which may then lead to liver failure or cancerous liver tumours.

Because of the way liver disease presents, with few early signs or symptoms, it may not be diagnosed until it is too late to repair successfully (ie, until liver cirrhosis is diagnosed) and when treatment options may be limited to saving just that part of the liver that is still functioning (resection), or by having a liver transplant.

Typical symptoms of liver disease include:

• Nausea, sometimes with vomiting
• Pain high up on the right side of the abdomen
• Jaundice
• Tiredness, weakness and weight loss

However, with a wide variety of liver disorders come a wide variety of symptoms.

Here we offer some insights into the liver disorders that consultants at The Princess Grace Hospital regularly test, diagnose and treat.

Most people will be aware of the damage that can be caused to the liver by alcohol abuse. However, this is only one of many causes that our consultants diagnose and treat. Others include:

• Viral or infective hepatitis A, B, C, D or E 
• Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH)
• Genetic conditions
• Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
• Obstructive jaundice (cholestatic liver disease)
• Liver abscesses and cysts
• Liver tumours/cancer) including metastatic (secondary) liver tumours and Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)

Initial diagnosis of liver disease is usually by way of a series of blood tests and/or urine samples which may be supported by the use of imaging/scanning technology (such as a fibroscan) or a biopsy where a small sample of the liver is removed for analysis. Sometimes liver disease is discovered almost by accident during an investigation of other conditions.