Mens Health Blog. Medical Blog

Salt substitutes contain potassium chloride in place of sodium chloride (our common table salt). Although by no means a “poison,” potassium chloride must be used sparingly, otherwise too much potassium will get into the blood and tissues.

If it accumulates in the body to excess, a letter to Journal of the American Medical Association (256:1726) points out, muscle weakness and heart beat disturbances with, eventually, complete stoppage of the heart, can occur. The chances of potassium toxicity developing increase when someone using a salt substitute is also taking medicine for arthritis, heart failure or high blood pressure.

The Journal, for example, tells of a lady who had been taking medicines for angina pectoris (chest pains due to narrowing of the heart’s coronary blood vessels) and had been consuming large quantities of homemade soup seasoned with salt substitute in place of regular salt. She became weak, could not stand, and complained of breathlessness and strange sensations in her limbs. In the hospital, she was found to have potassium intoxication, from which she was rescued with difficulty.

Although the labeling of salt substitutes (Morton’s Lite Salt, Morton’s Salt Substitute, Adolf’s Salt Substitute, No-Salt, Nu-Salt) warns the consumer that they should never be used without the advice of a physician, they can De purchased from supermarkets without a doctor’s prescription. Few people, therefore, are likely to take the warning seriously.

Furthermore, since salt is known to be dangerous for those with high blood pressure or heart failure, salt substitute products are generally thought of positively rather than negatively so far as their effects on health are concerned. Obviously, the public must be made more aware of the potential harm that can be done by salt substitutes.

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Symptom

Red, blistering, painful skin

Home care

-    Prevent sunburn by regulating the child’s exposure to the sun and using an appropriate -sunscreen.

-    If the child does get burned, apply cold water compresses, then burn ointment, or a paste of baking soda and water to the burned area.

-    Give aspirin or paracetamol for pain, and antihistamines for itching.

-    Avoid breaking the blisters of sunburn.

Precautions

-    The sunscreen used on a child should contain para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), titanium dioxide, methyl anthranilate, or sulisobenzone.

-    Sunscreens come off in water. Follow the instructions for reapplying the product after the child has been swimming.

-    Remember that children and babies can be burned by sun coming through a window.

-    Use sunburn medication sparingly; it can be absorbed through the skin and cause side effects.

-    Skin damage from overuse of sunlamps is often seen in teenagers.

-    Some medications increase sensitivity to the sun, and a child who is taking^ such a medication should use a sunscreen and limit exposure to the sun.

-    A child who has sunburn accompanied by fever or extreme fatigue or weakness needs a doctor’s care.

-    Fair-skinned babies and children can burn even on cloudy days or in shade.

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There are two forms of suicide. True suicide is when a person kills themselves; para-suicide occurs when someone makes an ‘attempt’ to commit suicide but does not succeed.

Suicide is as old as the human race, and over the centuries has been condemned by Church and State. It is, however, an uncommon form of death, causing only about 1 per cent of deaths in the UK. In the under 20 age group, though, it is the second most common cause of death-after accidents. Suicide is still a crime in several US states but in the UK it stopped being illegal in 1961.

Although the actual number of suicides is falling in the UK and the US there is no room for complacency. Suicide is still twice as common in the US as is homicide and the figures for homicide are not low. Overall, in the US and UK, suicide is the fifth most common cause of death.

Why do people do it?

• If three or more of the following factors apply to an individual, he or she must be considered to be at risk of committing suicide and should have professional help:

1. Depression (undoubtedly the major cause).

2. Severe insomnia.

3. Severe hypochrondriacal preoccupations.

4. A previous attempt at suicide.

5. A history of alcohol or drug abuse.

6. Schizophrenia.

7. A disabling painful disease or serious physical illness.

8. Social isolation.

9. Repeated suicidal thoughts.

10. A history of suicide in the family.

11. A history of bereavement, or recent bereavement.

12. Unemployment or financial problems.

13. Recovery from depression.

Suicide is three times more common among divorced people than among the married and is also more common in the single than the married. Minority racial groups have higher suicide rates in almost every country that has been studied.

Although at least twice as many women suffer from overt depression as do men, far more men than women kill themselves. In the 80-84-year-old group seven times as many men kill themselves as do women.

For a quarter of a century professionals and executives have headed the list of successful suicides and among these health professionals come high up. Twice as many doctors kill themselves as do other professionals, for example.

‘Why go on living?’ is a common thought when depressed people contemplate suicide. Life for them has reached a point where it appears to have little meaning and they can see no end to their problems or a future for themselves. These thoughts are especially indicative of trouble if they are out of character for the individual concerned.

• A sudden impulse after a disappointment or a row can lead to spur-of-the-moment suicide. This is relatively uncommon and the suicide is usually unsuccessful. Sometimes a person who has just learned of their partner’s infidelity or serious illness walks around in a daze of rage or distress and falls under a car, oblivious to its presence. Such ‘suicides’ are preventable if the individual is protected from him-or herself during this ‘at risk’ stage.

• Physical or mental exhaustion can trigger suicidal thoughts, even in non-depressed people. Repeated loss of sleep with endless mental and emotional trauma can wear down the most normal of people. This can happen, for example, in young mothers-the world simply gets on top of them temporarily. If they are not depressed, such people rarely want to die, and the opportunity to vent their feeling-perhaps by a good cry, a holiday, or the solving of practical problems-often alleviates their distress.

• Some people who try to commit suicide but are unsuccessful are trying to communicate something to those around them, and often to one person in particular. A husband or wife begging his or her partner to be faithful, a teenager trying to get some love and attention, are but two of the many examples. Such people rarely kill themselves, except accidentally as a result of dicing with death.

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If you are not in a high-risk group the chances of contracting AIDS are negligible. The virus has been found in saliva, which gave rise to scares about catching it from poorly washed cups and glasses, but so far there is no evidence that people in close non-sexual contact with AIDS sufferers have contracted the disease.

Those most at risk are:

•     Homosexual males.

•     Drug addicts who ‘main-line’ (inject themselves).

•     Those who receive several or repeated blood transfusions, such as hemophiliacs.

•     Those who have intercourse with someone of the opposite sex with the disease.

•     Those who share a razor or a syringe with an AIDS sufferer.

As a result of this knowledge preventing AIDS is relatively straightforward, at least in theory.

•     If you are homosexual cut down or cut out altogether your promiscuous sexual activities. There is good evidence that both homosexual and heterosexual promiscuity has fallen since the AIDS scare began and the level of all venereal disease is falling as a result. If you are homosexual, stick to one partner.

•     If you are a woman, be aware of the possibility that a sex partner may be bisexual and a carrier of the disease. Although AIDS is very uncommon in women in the West it is estimated that about 100 women in the US have contracted AIDS from a bisexual partner.

•     Hemophiliacs have repeated blood transfusions for their condition and often use pooled blood products which may have been contributed to by hundreds or even thousands of donors’ blood. According to a US study virtually all hemophiliacs have been exposed to the virus yet only a tiny percentage goes on to develop AIDS. The only preventive measure possible here is to reduce the situations in which hemophiliac children hurt themselves and so require blood or clotting factors, thus reducing their chances of exposure to the AIDS virus. Various countries around the world are enacting laws to forbid homosexuals and drug addicts to give blood or to donate organs for transplant. In the UK all blood products are now screened for the AIDS virus and the special substances given to hemophiliacs are heat treated.

•     Don’t share a razor, or needles for administering drugs, with anyone who could be in a risk group.

•     Don’t have anal sex with anyone who could be infected. The delicate anal tissues are more easily torn than those of the vagina and thus let the virus in.

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Lymphocytes are the T- and B-cells, special kinds of white blood cells associated with your body’s lymph tissue. When the laboratory sends the results of your blood tests to your physician, it will tell him what the WBC count is and what percentage of those are lymphocytes. We doctors simply multiple the WBC by the percentage of lymphocytes to determine the number of lymphocytes.

Let’s say your WBC is approximately 7,000 per cc of blood, and the percentage of lymphocytes is 30 percent:

7,000 WBC

x .3 .3 = 30% lymphocytes

2,100 Number of lymphocytes per cc of blood

Results: In healthy people, the lymphocyte count should be greater than 2,500. One-third of malnourished patients have counts between 1,500 and 2,500. Less than 1,500 is associated with greater death rates in surgical and other medical patients. Some people who have counts of less than 1,200 have no obvious disease, but they don’t feel good. I have seen many chronically ill patients with lymphocyte counts of 1,000 or less. Low lymphocyte counts are associated with immune system problems.

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All vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other nutrients are vitally important to your immune system. After all, the glands, cells and proteins that make up your immune system use the same building blocks as the other parts of your body. Certain nutrients, however, stand out for the special effects they have on the immune system. Let’s take a closer look at these nutrients. This discussion is meant to introduce you to the relationship between certain nutrients and the immune system, not to provide a supplementation program.

Vitamin A

Way back in the 1930s, we knew that vitamin A (also called retinol) modulated the body’s defense mechanisms against infection. Vitamin A is especially important in helping to keep fit the parts of our body that are the first to come in contact with invading organisms: the skin and the linings of the respiratory tract, digestive tract, urogenital tract and eyes. These areas of the body are our first line of defense against disease, so it’s important for us to get enough vitamin A to keep them strong and healthy. Vitamin A also helps the immune soldiers that are located in your tears and sweat.

If you don’t take in enough vitamin A to keep these areas of your body strong, disease-causing organisms that ordinarily would be kept out of your body will find their way in. That’s why vitamin A has been nicknamed the “anti-infection” vitamin. Studies have’ shown that taking substantial amounts of vitamin A helps people resist dangerous invaders.

Vitamin A enhances the activity of the natural killer (NK) cells that are such an important part of your immune system. Natural killer cells are T-cells that engage germs in “hand-to-hand” combat. Vitamin A also enhances the effectiveness of your B-cells. As I explained in Chapter Eight, B-cells are the part of the immune system that produce plasma cells. The plasma cells then manufacture antibodies, which are like guided missiles that seek out and destroy germs.

Vitamin A comes in two forms: preformed vitamin A from fish, meat, poultry, dairy products and other foods of animal orgin, and beta carotene from vegetables, fruits and other foods of plant origin. When you eat foods that contain beta carotene, your body converts the carotene into vitamin A as it is needed.

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CHYLAMYDIAL DISEASES: a common, sexually transmitted infection, which is occurring in epidemic proportions. It can cause sterility in women and problems such as inflammation of the urinary tract and prostatic inflammation in men.

Signs and Symptoms: may be nonexistent, but generally it causes infections of the lining of the uterus, the uterine tubes and ovaries; vaginal discharge; abnormal pap smears; pelvic pain; genital infections; enlarged glands in the groin areas; inflammation of the rectum; fever. The liver and a part of the testicle (epididymis) can be involved. Chylamydial diseases are one of the major causes of sterility in women.

COCCIDIOIDOMYCOSIS: a disease caused by fungus infection, common in the Southwest U.S., which can involve the lungs, skin, lymph nodes, spleen, brain, bones, kidneys or liver. Most cases begin as a flu-like syndrome and may not progress any further.

Signs and Symptoms: depend upon where in the body the fungus is doing the most damage. Generally there is a chronic, low-grade fever; loss of weight; generalized loss of strength; loss of appetite; shortness of breath; cough, which can produce yellow or green sputum; can be aches in joints. If the fungus gets into the brain, there can be destruction of tissue, with confusion and coma. If in the bones, there can be bone pain.

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T-Cells in Action

When T-cell colonies in the lymph tissue are exposed to an antigen, some of the T-cells become sensitized. These sensitized cells are sent out to find the antigens. When the antigens are found, the sensitized T-cells surround them and hold on, swelling in size and trying to kill the invaders with poisons they release. Along with the poison, the T-cells send out other chemicals that cause nearby T-cells to become sensitized to the antigen and join the battle. In addition, the chemicals attract up to 1,000 macrophages and increase the phagocytic activity of the giant cell eaters. It was recently reported that certain T-cells shoot out proteins, called perforins, that punch holes in antigens. A T-cell may attach itself to several antigens at a time, swinging its “guns” at one enemy at a time, attacking each in turn.

Killer, Helper and Suppressor Cells

There are different kind of T-cells: the fighting cells I’ve just described, the memory cells which store away information about the antigen, plus the very important helper T-cells and suppressor T-cells.

Natural killer cells are powerful, but they need a little prodding. That’s where the helper T-cell, also called T4 cells, come in. Their job is to prod fighting T-cells, and B-cells, to battle. Of course, your body wants to make sure there’s a way to turn the fighters off when the battle is over. That’s where the suppressor (T8) cells come in.

The T8s tell the immune soldiers to lay down their weapons and calm down when the battle is over and won. Without T8 cells, the killer cells might go on fighting when the antigens have been destroyed, and turn against you, attacking your own body.

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If one leg begins to swell up, it may be a sign of phlebitis, in which a vein in the leg becomes blocked, or recurrence of an old case of deep-vein thrombosis, a condition in which a blood clot forms and can block a blood vessel. A swollen leg may also be a sign of a blockage in the abdominal cavity, such as a tumor that is pressing on the major vein. In addition, sometimes during a postsurgical period, especially after any kind of gynecological surgery, the lymphatic system can become blocked, which can cause a leg to swell up.

Sudden swelling of both legs can be an indication of either phlebitis or cellulitis, a skin infection. If, however, the swelling appears gradually, it may be a sign of an underlying kidney disease or the water accumulation that frequently occurs in cases of heart failure. In addition, if you have a history of phlebitis, the veins in your legs might have become damaged to the extent that body water begins to leak into the legs. This condition, which is known as postphlebitic syndrome, results in chronic swelling that is helped with the use of diuretics, surgical stockings, and elevation of the legs.

You should also compare the color and temperature of both of your legs and pay attention to whether old shoes or dress shoes that you don’t wear very often are now tight. Also, look for obvious skin marks that are left by socks and shoes, since these can be an indication of water retention, which is often a sign of heart failure.

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Compared to a man’s, a woman’s reproductive system is much more complex, physiologically speaking. Once she reaches puberty, a woman will experience three distinct stages of her reproductive cycle. First, she will have menstrual periods for 30 to 40 years. Of course, during this long stretch of time, she is physically able to bear children. The second stage of a woman’s reproductive cycle consists of the premenopausal years, during which her body begins to adapt to the reality of not having children. The third stage is menopause, when her body ceases to be able to bear children. Each of these stages has its own sets of advantages and disadvantages. For this reason, when you look up a particular symptom in this chapter, you should understand that a Body Signal that occurs in one stage might mean something totally diffetent when it occurs in another.

As a woman ages, she will experience a multitude of physiological changes that are caused by the shifts in the hormonal balance of her body—namely in estrogen. When she first begins to menstruate as a teenager, the level of estrogen in her body starts to increase. It rises gradually until she reaches her early 30s, when the production of estrogen is believed to be at its peak. From there, it slowly declines through the premenopausal years until menopause, when her body no longer produces estrogen.

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