More Hepatitis Viruses – C, D, E, & G

hepititasLets start with a quick over view of the hepatitis viruses:

Hepatitis A is an acute illness that never becomes chronic. This virus is transmitted through direct contact with feces or indirect fecal contamination of food or water.

Hepatitis B is an acute illness for most individuals, however, approximately 8%  of infected patients go on to develop chronic  hepatitis B. This virus is transmitted through sexual contact, contaminated needles,  and infected blood/body fluids.

Hepatitis C is an infectious disease caused by the hepatitis C virus that affects the liver. The virus spreads through contaminated blood or body fluids of an infected person.  Hepatitis C isn’t spread through food, water, or by casual contact.  Patients with chronic hepatitis C are at risk for developing cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer.

Symptoms:

  • Loss of appetite/ Nausea
  • Fever
  • Weakness / Tiredness
  • Aching in the abdomen
  • Dark urine/ light-colored stools
  • Jaundice

There is currently no vaccine for hepatitis C and treatment of chronic hepatitis C, is usually by injections of interferon, as well as a “cocktail” of other medications.

Hepatitis D:

The hepatitis D virus can’t be contracted on its own. It can only develop in people who are already infected with  the hepatitis B virus. Getting vaccinated against hepatitis B will provide protection against hepatitis D since hepatitis B must be present in order for hepatitis D virus to survive. The symptoms for hepatitis D are similar to those of hepatitis B.

Hepatitis D can be acute or chronic and is transmitted through exposure to the bodily fluids of an infected person. There’s currently no cure or vaccine for hepatitis D.

Hepatitis E:

Hepatitis E is a viral hepatitis that is found in countries that lack clean water and sanitation. The hepatitis E virus is a short-term, acute version of hepatitis, which is transmitted through indirect fecal contamination of food or water. The symptoms of hepatitis E resemble those of hepatitis A

Hepatitis E is not known to cause chronic infection, and most people with hepatitis E go on to a full recovery.

Hepatitis G:

The hepatitis G virus was recently discovered (resembles the hepatitis C virus), but more investigation and research is needed.

Ff you suffer from any of the symptoms we have listed, or travel etc. please contact your doctor or healthcare practitioner.

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Hepatitis B

hepititas Hepatitis B is not spread through causal contact such as hugging or kissing, and unlike hepatitis A, is not found in food or water. Hepatitis B is a virus that causes inflammation of the liver, and is spread through contact with infected blood and body fluids.

Most people infected with Hepatitis B are not aware they have been infected with the virus because symptoms don’t appear right away, and can take up to six months to appear. During this “active phase”  you can spread the virus to other people.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of hepatitis B can range from mild to severe.

Symptoms:

  • Abdominal pain
  • Dark urine
  • Fever
  • Joint pain
  • Nausea, vomiting & loss of appetite
  • Weakness and fatigue
  • Yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes (jaundice)

Treatment:

When a person is first infected with the hepatitis B virus, this is called “acute hepatitis B”.  If you are diagnosed with acute hepatitis B, you may not need treatment.  Most people with a strong immune system will recover and rid the virus on their own without any problems.

However, if the virus remains in the blood for more than six months, then a person is diagnosed as having “chronic hepatitis B”.   If you are diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B, you may require treatment, such as  antiviral medications to reduce the risk of liver disease and prevent you from passing the infection to others.

Hepatitis B is treatable. If you think you may be infected with hepatitis B, it is important to find out if you have the virus, and a simple blood test can diagnose this virus.

Prevention:

  • Get vaccinated
  • Avoid sharing needles/syringes, and other drug related equipment
  • Practice safe sex
  • Avoid dental, medical or cosmetic procedure unless you are certain that the equipment is sterile
  • Wear latex gloves if you are likely to be in contact with someone’s blood or bodily fluids
  • Don’t share personal items like razors, nail clippers or toothbrushes

If you know you’ve been exposed to hepatitis B, contact your doctor or healthcare practitioner immediately.

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Hepatitis A

hepititasHepatitis A virus causes inflammation of the liver and is easily spread from person to person, through food and water. You can only get hepatitis A once; after that your body builds up a defense against the virus.

The hepatitis A virus is found in the stool of an infected person. It is spread when a person eats food or drinks water that has come in contact with infected stool; this can happen when a person with hepatitis A doesn’t wash their hands well after using the bathroom and then prepares food. It can also happen when a food item is contaminated by raw sewage.

What are the symptoms?

After you have been exposed to the virus, it can take 2 to 7 weeks before you see any signs of it. Symptoms usually last for 2 months but may last longer.

Symptoms:

  • Feeling very tired
  • Nausea
  • Weight loss
  • Fever
  • Pain on the right side of the belly, and sore muscles
  • Yellowish skin, dark urine, and clay-colored stools

Treatment:

Hepatitis A usually goes away within a few months on its own, in most cases.

  • Drink plenty of water
  • Slow down your lifestyle by cutting back on daily activities until all of your energy returns
  • Update your doctor so they can keep track of your medications and and your symptoms

Prevention:

  • Get vaccinated
  • Practice good hygiene habits
  • Don’t eat raw or under cooked shellfish
  • Don’t eat or drink anything that you think may have been prepared in unclean conditions. This includes  raw foods, such as unpeeled fruits or vegetables, ice cubes and drink bottled water.

If you plan to travel to a part of the world where sanitation is poor or where hepatitis A is a known problem ask your doctor, pharmacist or healthcare practitioner about getting the hepatitis A vaccine, or a combination hepatitis A and B vaccine.

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How Good Is Your Posture?

imageWhat is good posture?

The definition of posture is how you hold your body when standing, sitting or lying down. Good posture involves training your body to stand, sit and lie in positions where the least strain is placed on supporting muscles and ligaments during movement or weight-bearing activities.

So how do you improve your posture? Making small changes everyday can lead to major postural changes which will help keep you healthy and promote good posture.

A healthy back has three natural curves:

  • An inward or forward curve at the neck (cervical curve)
  • An outward or backward curve at the upper back (thoracic curve)
  • An inward curve at the lower back (lumbar curve)

Good posture helps maintain these natural curves, while poor posture can stress or pull muscles and cause pain.

Tips for improving your posture while standing :

  • Stand straight and tall with your shoulders back.
  • Keep your head level and in line with your body.
  • Pull in your abdomen.
  • Keep your feet about shoulder-width apart.
  • Bear your weight primarily on the balls of your feet.
  • When standing, distribute body weight evenly to the front, back, and sides of the feet.
  • Avoid regularly wearing high heels, which throw your spine out of alignment, and leads to low back pain.
  • If you use a bag with a single shoulder strap, choose a strap that is long enough to place over your head and rest on the opposite side from the bag. This helps distribute the weight of the bag evenly and prevents distorting your posture.  The better solution is to wear a back pack or bag with two straps to distribute your body weight evenly on both hips.

Tips for improving your posture while sitting:

  • Adjust the height of your chair so your feet rest flat on the floor and your thighs are parallel to the floor.
  • Don’t cross your legs. Your ankles should be in front of your knees.
  • All three normal back curves should be present while sitting, if not, place a rolled towel or small pillow behind your lower back.
  • Keep your upper back and neck comfortably straight.
  • Keep your shoulders relaxed — not elevated, rounded or pulled backward.
  • Sit up with your back straight and your shoulders back. Your buttocks should touch the back of your chair.
  • When sitting in a chair that rolls or pivots, don’t twist at the waist while sitting; rather turn your whole body.
  • When standing up from the sitting position, move to the front of the seat of your chair. Stand up by straightening your legs. Avoid bending forward at your waist.

Little changes to your posture matter. Bad sitting habits—from slouching to crossing your legs—can lead to serious injuries and chronic pain.  Regular exercise will help the body stay healthy, while specific strengthening exercises will help your core muscles stay strong; which will improve your posture.

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10 Read Worthy Health Blogs

blogThe great thing about the internet is that there is so much information to choose from for any given topic… the worst thing about the internet is that there is so much information to choose from for any given topic. Diversified Health has complied a list of 10 health relate blogs that offer useful information, and engaging blogs that will make your life a little bit easier.

Breaking Muscle.com – This blog is all about fitness and nutritional advice.  Breaking Muscle is a team of experienced professionals dedicated to providing comprehensive strength & conditioning and mind body wellness programs. They provide information from expert coaches and scientific research – no fads just the real deal.

Examine.com/blog –  Examine.com is an independent and unbiased encyclopedia on supplementation and nutrition.

Tiny Buddha.com – Daily wisdom quotes, tips to live out loud and find happiness, and stories about applying wisdom to real life.  Providing simple wisdom for complex lives.

Blog.TED.com –  TED is a nonprofit organization that believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and, ultimately, the world. They are building a clearinghouse of knowledge and inspiration from the world’s most inspired thinkers, and a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other.

Tabata Times.com –  This site has the latest and greatest CrossFit workouts, tips, and inspiration. Tabata Times has grown to become the largest independent media voice covering the sport of  CrossFit.

The Kitchn.com – The Kitchn is a daily food magazine on the Web celebrating life in the the kitchen through home cooking and kitchen intelligence. This is a site for people who care about the quality of their food, and how it affects the health of themselves and the planet.

Authority Nutrition.com – Welcome to Authority Nutrition, a site that helps people make informed decisions about their health based on the best scientific evidence available.

Precision Nutrition.com/blog  – Precision Nutrition helps people transform their lives through expert coaching, ongoing support, and guided mentorship.

The Atlantic.com/author/james-hamblin – James Hamblin, MD, is a senior Health editor at The Atlantic. If you find yourself getting confused about the latest health trends, this is the Blog for you.

My Fitness Pal.com – MyFitnessPal is a free, comprehensive nutrition and fitness system that makes it easy for you to attain your fitness goals and live healthier. Take advantage of MyFitnessPal’s precise, personalized & powerful tools, like our vast meal database of over 4 million foods, and incredibly simple food & exercise trackers.

These blogs are a great resource; some are full of practical information, others are a place to find an interesting fact,  an inspirational section, or just a giggle. Enjoy!!

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