Hypoglycemia (or low blood sugar) is when the blood glucose in your body drops below their normal levels. Hypoglycemia can be a side effect of type 1 diabetes medications, but there are other causes of acute hypoglycemia, including:

• Increased physical activity or exercise
• Increased intake of alcohol
• Skipping meals or not eating enough

What are the symptoms of hypoglycemia?

Symptoms of hypoglycemia include any of the following:
• Sudden hunger
• Perspiration
• Headache
• Paleness in skin
• Shakiness and dizziness
• Difficulty speaking
• Sleepiness
• Sudden confusion
• Difficulty paying attention
• Acute anxiety

Home remedies for hypoglycemia

If you find yourself lightheaded due to hypoglycemia, try eating many small meals throughout the day instead of just 3 large ones. Always having a little bit of food in your system can halt symptoms of hypoglycemia.

Eating carbs is a good way to raise your blood sugar, but refined carbs should be cut back or out of your diet. They can trigger more hypoglycemic reactions in the long run.

Don’t just rely on carbs to get your blood sugar back up. Protein is important too because it raises blood sugar levels and doesn’t break down as quickly as carbs. Many people have seen dramatic improvements by increasing the amount of protein they consume in their diet.

Huckleberries promote the production of insulin. Insulin allows your cells to store glucose in your liver for storage.

If you’re in a pinch and you immediately find your blood sugar too low, drink an 8oz glass of fruit juice.

When you start feeling lightheaded make yourself a cup of licorice tea. This tea not only calms and relaxes but it raises your blood sugar levels to an adequate level.

Try taking 200mcg of chromium a day. This mineral plays a key role in stabilizing the blood sugar levels in your body.

Avoid alcohol and caffeine. Your blood sugar levels may rise temporarily but crash soon afterward.

–Magdalena

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I used to faint quite often when I was a child. I remember one summer vacation I went to Hershey Park and waited in the blazing sun for my very first roller coaster ride. As chocolate-themed mascots walked by, I saw the whole amusement park twirl like a demented top before my eyes. I became very hot, lightheaded and anxious. Everything started to become very fuzzy. I remember motioning to my cousin that I wanted to hop the fence and get out of line. The next thing I knew, I was in the arms of some random guy and the Hershey Park first aid people picked me up in a golf cart. My thrill for the day…

Fainting can be very scary, but treatment is not normally needed.

What is Fainting?

Fainting (also known as syncope) is a sudden, temporary loss of consciousness that occurs when the blood flow to your brain drops significantly.

Signs & Symptoms of Fainting

It’s important to know the signs and symptoms of fainting so that you can do something about it for yourself and for your loved ones.

The following signs symptoms may occur prior to fainting (pre-syncope) or when a total loss of consciousness has occurred (syncope):
• Sudden lightheadedness
• Pallor or pale skin
• Sweating
• Feeling of warmth
• Overall weakness, usually accompanied by falling
• Nausea
• Yawning
• Rapid heartbeat and rapid breathing (hyperventilation)
• Blurred vision often followed by blacking out or whiting out
• Trouble hearing or ringing in ears

Causes of Fainting

There are many different factors that influence fainting such as the following:
• Low blood sugar
• Low blood pressure
• Anemia
• Emotional distress
• Standing for a prolonged time in a hot, crowded area
• Standing in the same place for too long
• Straining—coughing, bowel movements
• Severe dehydration
• Epilepsy
• Irregular heartbeat
• Heart disease

Risk Factors

Your likelihood to faint increases with:
• Stress as well as anxiety disorders
• Certain types of prescription medications (some blood pressure meds)
• Alcohol or drug use
• Certain heart conditions, such as blood flow obstructions and arrhythmias
• Hot, humid weather
• Dehydration
• Low blood sugar

Prevention

It is possible to prevent fainting episodes. If you’re aware of the telltale signs, you can try to find a safe area to lie down and elevate your legs. This helps to circulate the blood to your brain.

If you are at a place where you’re unable to lie down, then sit down. Something that’s always helped me is to sit down, bend over and put my head between my knees. It sounds somewhat crazy, but this also helps to circulate the blood to your brain and it relieves the dizzy feeling.

Don’t stand up until you feel like you’re no longer going to faint.
Important to note:
• Avoid any thing that triggers fainting spells. Talk to your doctor if you have questions.

• Don’t get dehydrated. Be sure to drink plenty of water and eat regularly. Dehydration and skipping meals may cause your blood pressure to decrease.
• Keep your blood circulating. Even if you have to sit or stand for long periods of time, be sure to move or tense your leg muscles. Always rise gradually from sitting or lying down.

If you are prone to fainting, you’re at risk for a fall and often an injury—a bump or bruise, or even a blow to the head. Go to the emergency room right away if you experience a serious injury.

What to do if someone faints:
If someone faints, check his breathing and pulse. If neither are present, call 911 immediately and administer CPR until help arrives. If the fainting victim is breathing and has a pulse, leave the person on the ground and elevate both legs.

Home Remedies and Tips for Fainting

Splash cold water on your face and lie down right away.
Drink lots of water so that you won’t suffer from dehydration, which can make you feel faint.
Deep breathing helps bring blood back to the heart. Take about 12 deep breaths and try to relax. Don’t breathe too fast because you might hyperventilate.
Evaluate your diet. Oftentimes fainting is the result of a dietary deficiency. Make sure you’re following a well-balanced diet with foods rich in vitamins and minerals.
Make an herbal tea with mint, rosemary, mistletoe and cayenne. After steeping, dip a cotton ball in the mixture to revive the victim.
-Nolan

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What is Bacterial Pneumonia?

Bacterial pneumonia is an infection of the lungs. Bacteria multiply in your lungs as your body tries to combat with bacterial germs. This leads to inflammation in the alveoli (air sacs in the lungs) and causes the lungs to fill with fluid.

Pneumonia can be a very serious because it directly interferes with the body’s ability to exchange carbon dioxide and oxygen.

Oftentimes, it is difficult to determine whether or not you have pneumonia or bronchitis. The symptoms for both conditions are very similar. However, bronchitis is caused by an inflammation in the air passages or bronchi and not the alveoli.

Common symptoms of Bacterial Pneumonia

• Often begins with a cold in the head or throat
• Fever over 102° accompanied with shaking chills
• Fatigue
• Abdominal pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Rapid breathing and shortness of breath
• Sharp chest pain that worsens with inhalation
• Cough with yellow or green sputum that may contain blood

Causes of Bacterial Pneumonia

Several types of germs such as pneumococci, hemophilus, streptococci or staphylococci can cause bacterial pneumonia.

Risk Factors

• Age. Adults over 65 years old and young children have an increased risk of developing pneumonia.
• Lifestyle. Drinking alcohol can decrease the effectiveness of the white blood cells and their ability to destroy bacteria. Alcohol consumption also diminishes the reflexes that cause sneezing and coughing. Smoking can damage cilia function, which helps protect against bacteria in the lungs.
• Diseases or conditions which weaken the immune system—heart disease, tuberculosis, chronic lung disease, cancer and others.
• Poor general health
• Crowded living conditions

Home Remedies

• Use a cool mist humidifier to increase air moisture.
• Do not suppress the cough with medicine if the cough produces sputum or mucus. It is useful in ridding the body of lung secretions.
• Suppress the cough with medicine if it is dry, non-productive and painful.
• Use a heating pad or hot compress to relieve chest pain.
• Stay in bed until fever subsides and pain and shortness of breath disappear.
• Increase fluid intake (at least 1 glass of water every hour) to help thin lung secretions.
-Nolan

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Since about middle school I have always experienced cold hands and feet, even in the middle of summer. It was more embarrassing than anything. People would always ask why my hands were cold or purple, and I didn’t quite know what to tell him. My mother just always told me that cold hands meant I had a warm heart. It wasn’t until I went to the doctor early on in high school that I found out I was afflicted with Raynaud’s Disease.

Raynaud’s Disease is a vascular disorder where the blood flow to your outer appendages, like your fingers and toes or even your nose and ears, is restricted. Your capillaries constrict due to outside influences such as stress, emotions running high and cold weather. In other words, poor blood circulation with a fancy, more serious-sounding name.

Symptoms of Raunaud’s Disease

1.) Constantly cold fingers, toes, ears or nose, especially in cold weather or in air conditioned buildings.
2.) Color changes in your outer appendages. A common color pattern during a Raynaud’s attack is the changing of skin from white to blue to red.
3.) A Raynaud’s attack my also be accompanied by tingling, swelling or even painful throbbing.

Difference between Raynaud’s Disease and Raynaud’s Phenomenon

Raynaud’s Disease (also called Primary Raynaud’s) is when the symptoms are not accompanied by any other disease. Primary Raynaud’s occurs mostly in women in their teens and early adulthood. Women are nine times more likely to suffer from Raynaud’s than men.

Raynaud’s Phenomenon (also called Secondary Raynaud’s) is when symptoms occur as a result of another illness or disease, such as lupus, scleroderma or rheumatoid arthritis. A doctor will usually run a blood test if he suspects you have Raynaud’s just to make sure you are not also afflicted with any other disease.

Raynaud’s Remedies and Prevention

Right now, there is no cure for Raynaud’s. For awhile I was put on blood pressure medication (calcium channel blockers) to keep the capillaries in my hands dilated, which then made my hands warm, but after awhile the medicine quit working. Now I rely on lifestyle changes to keep my Raynaud’s attacks to a minimum.

Reduce stress levels. Stress can bring on a Raynaud’s attack, forcing the blood vessels in your hands to constrict. You can use meditation and other relaxation techniques to lower your overall stress level.

As much as you may hate to, following a regular exercise program is very beneficial for those suffering from Raynaud’s. Exercise increases overall blood flow in your body, keeping your fingers and toes nice and warm.

Cut or eliminate your intake of caffeine and nicotine. Both of these substances are stimulants which constrict the blood vessels even more.

When going out in the cold, always dress appropriately. Wear thick or heated gloves and socks in the winter even if you’re only going to be outside for a short amount of time. It really does help.

Eat a warm, hearty meal. Having something warm in your stomach can raise your core body temperature which can then warm your hands and feet.

Taking a niacin supplement can help increase blood flow in your fingers and toes. Vitamin E and garlic may also help to increase your overall blood circulation.

–Magdena

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Feeling the winter chill? Don’t stay out in the cold too long; it can be damaging to your health. Hypothermia in humans is when body temperature drops below normal. This happens in 3 stages.

Stage 1: Your body temperature falls 2 to 4 degrees below normal and you start shivering. Outer appendages become numb and you find it hard to use your hands. You skin begins to goose pimple in an effort to keep your body warm.

Stage 2: Your body temperature falls 4 to 7 degrees below normal and your shivering becomes excessively severe and violent. Muscle coordination is compromised and body movement is sluggish. Your skin begins to develop a pallor as blood vessels contract further to keep vital organs warm. Lips, ears, fingers and toes become blue.

Stage 3: Your body temperature falls below 90 degrees and you stop shivering. Muscle coordination is poor and you have difficulty speaking, thinking and moving. Exposed skin becomes blue and puffy. Your heart and breathing rate slows and major organs begin to fail.

What to do to treat mild hypothermia

If you come across someone suffering from mild hypothermia, remove any wet clothing and replace with something dry and then warm them with your body. Blankets are all well and good, but they only help to trap the heat of your body, something a person with hypothermia does not have a lot right now. Do not rub their skin.

If someone is suffering from mild hypothermia, you can treat it by drinking warm liquids like tea. You can also put hot water bottles (that aren’t too terribly hot to begin with) or heating pads on their neck, armpits and groin.

What to do to treat severe hypothermia

Someone suffering from stage 2 or 3 hypothermia should seek medical attention immediately. If heartbeat or breathing has stopped, the person should not be considered dead.

Remarkable accounts of recovery after prolonged cardiac arrest have been reported in patients with hypothermia. This is presumably because the low temperature prevents some of the cellular damage that occurs when blood flow and oxygen are lost for an extended period of time.

How to prevent hypothermia

If you plan on being outside in the cold for a long time, dress accordingly. This means dressing in layers, wearing insulated gloves and socks, a hat, boots, et cetera. Be sure you have eaten and drank enough fluids to keep you hydrated. Winter dehydration is more common than people think.

You can also prevent hypothermia by putting some of these natural “warming” herbs and spices in your foods: turmeric, ginger, garlic, basil and cayenne pepper. You should also avoid substances which constrict your blood vessels, like caffeine and tobacco. Alcohol should also be avoided.

–Magdalena

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