A Few tips to save Money on Smartphone Plans as a Medical Student

If you're a medical student or a resident, you probably don't have the luxury of a really expensive smartphone plan. I remember those days when we were trying to save every penny because our finances were so tight. Of course, many people also have the luxury of student loans, so they may not be so budget-focused. For those looking for a few tips on ways to save money on smartphone plans, here are a few suggestions:

1. Eliminate the data plan (if you have the option) and choose a very simple cell phone plan. Do you really need a data plan on your smartphone? Or, can you get by with Wi-Fi only?
   
2. Leverage coupons and resellers. Buy a smartphone through a reseller that offers discounts and coupons. Do some searching online and look for savings.
3. Share minutes on a family plan. We all have family. Are they willing to put you on their family plan? Several wireless providers have recently expanded their family plans and now offer many options for families that even wish to have unlimited calling. Look for the cheapest cell phone plan that fits your needs and try to reduce your minutes each month.
4. Get rid of your landline and use your smartphone as your primary phone.
   
5. Use Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)or Google Voice instead of your smartphone minutes.
   

So, are these tips practical? Well, it really depends on how much flexibility you have. If you're frequently in front of a computer and you constantly have Wi-Fi access, then you might be able to get by without signing up for a data plan.

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Sleep Deprivation May Increase Risk of Alzheimer's Disease

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have suggested a possible link between inadequate sleep and the increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

They have found that a marker for Alzheimer’s disease rises during day and falls with sleep in the spinal fluid, and the pattern is strongest in healthy young people than the older counterparts, whose sleep periods are often shorter and more prone to disruption.

In the new study, scientists report that the normal highs and lows of amyloid beta levels in the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord begin to flatten in older adults.

“In healthy people, levels of amyloid beta drop to their lowest point about six hours after sleep, and return to their highest point six hours after maximum wakefulness,” said Randall Bateman, MD, associate professor of neurology.

Bateman’s laboratory conducted the study in partnership with Washington University’s Sleep Medicine Centre.

Stephen Duntley, MD, professor of neurology and director of the Centre added, “We’ve known for some time that significant sleep deprivation has negative effects on cognitive function comparable to that of alcohol intoxication.”

“But it’s recently become apparent that prolonged sleep disruption and deprivation can actually play an important role in pathological processes that underlie diseases.

“This connection to Alzheimer’s disease isn’t confirmed yet in humans, but it could be very important,” he stated.

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Major Genetic Diseases: Cardiovascular Disease, Obesity, Diabetes

Most chronic diseases in which nutrition plays a role are also influenced by genetics. The risks of developing cardiovascular disease, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and osteoporosis are influenced by interactions between genetic and nutritional factors. Studies of families, including those with twins and adoptees, provide strong support for the effect of genetics in these disorders. In fact, family history is considered to be one of the important risk factors in the development of many nutrition-related diseases.

Cardiovascular Disease:

About 1 of every 500 people in the North American population has a defective gene that greatly delays cholesterol removal from the bloodstream. Other genetic effects lead to an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease at a young age. Diet changes can help these people, but medications and possibly surgery may be needed to address these problems.

Obesity:

Most obese North Americans have at least one parent who is also obese. Findings from many human studies suggest that a variety of genes (likely 60 or more) are involved in the regulation of body weight. Little is known, however, about the specific nature of these genes in humans or how the actual changes in body metabolism (such as lower energy use in general or fat use in particular) are produced.

Still, although sole individuals may be genetically predisposed to store body fat, whether they actually do so depends on how much excess energy above energy needs they ultimately consume. A common concept in nutrition is that nurture (how people live and the environmental factors that influence them) acts on how nature (each person's genetic potential) is expressed. Although not everyone with a genetic tendency toward obesity develops this condition, he or she does have a higher lifetime risk than individuals without a genetic predisposition to obesity. Obesity is also a main factor that leads to countless other diseases, so if you want to stay healthy make sure you stay in shape.

Diabetes:

Both of the two common types of diabetes (type 1 and type 2) also have genetic links, as revealed by family and twin studies. Only sensitive and expensive testing can determine who is at risk. The form of diabetes involved in about 90% of all cases, type 2 diabetes, also has a strong link to obesity. A genetic tendency for type 2 diabetes is expressed once a person becomes obese but often not before, again illustrating that nurture does in fact affect nature.

In order to see which diseases you may be genetically predisposed to, consider getting genetic testing.

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Stroke Risk Factors, Symptoms, Warning Signs, and Treatment

Stroke can be a very life-changing experience. It is very important to be aware of the risk factors, symptoms, and signs of stroke. The quality of your life could depend on it.

Some of the risk factors for stroke are:
1. Being over the age of 55 (however, stroke can happen at any age)
2. A family history of stroke, mini-stroke, or heart disease
3. Having previously experienced any of the factors in number 2
4. Being a man although women are also at risk.
5. Being a diabetic

First of all, some may wonder exactly what is a stroke. A stroke is a brain attack, not unlike a heart attack. When a person has a stroke, the blood flow to the brain simply gets interrupted. In about 85 % of cases this is caused by a blockage. A blood clot develops in the brain or elsewhere in the body and travels to the brain. (You can see the similarity to a heart attack.) Since diabetes can be hard on your body, including your arteries, this raises the stroke risk for us diabetics.

One of the main long-term effects of a stroke is paralysis, as was the case with my mother. She was paralized on her right side. Other long term effects are vision problems, memory loss, behavior changes, etc. The long term effects are determined by which part of the brain is effected when the stroke occurs. It is very important to know the signs of stroke because immediate treatment is necessary.

Watch for the following signs:
- confusion or trouble speaking (this includes talking clearly but not making sense or using wrong words)
- dizziness or a loss of balance
- a sudden severe headache with no explanation
- a numbness or weakness, especially on just one side of the body
- one side of the face having a droopy look, especially around the mouth

Medication can help to alleviate long term effects but only if given within three hours of the onset of symptoms. Do not hesitate in seeking help! Being hesitant or thinking, "Oh, it is probably nothing" could be the biggest mistake of your life.

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Diet for Kidney Stone Prevention

When you have renal stones, the best suggestion I can give you is well, the kidney stone diet. As the name suggests, this diet tackles all the guidelines you must have to manage your kidney stone. In the first place, kidney stones happen because there is a calcification in your urinary system. They form primarily on the kidneys but they can migrate to the lower urinary system. Hence, they are typically asymptomatic until they pass into the lower urinary system.

Up to 4% of the population in the United Stares has kidney stones. About 12% of males have renal stone by the age of 70. More than 200,000 americans require hospitalization for treatment of stones each year. It is so recurrent to the point that half of the patients affected will develop another bout of renal calculi in the next 10 years. Most common calculi are composed of calcium oxylate (70-80%), uric acid (10%), struvite (9-17%), or cystine (less than 1%). The most common signs and symptoms include low urine output, high urine pH (making it alkaline), excessive urinary excretion of calcium, oxalate, uric acid, or combination of these substances.

Type and cause of stone formation provide details on how to manage kidney stones. A comprehensive dietary history taking might also be needed to be able to point out the portion of the patient's diet that triggered the formation of kidney stones. Generally, treatment options include restrictive diet and modifications. Here are some guidelines on the kidney stone diet:

-Tailor diet to specific metabolic disturbances and individual dietary habits to ensure compliance

-Calcium restriction should be avoided

-Calcium and oxalate must be in balance

-Limit intake of spinach, rhubarb, beets, nuts, chocolate, team wheat bran, and strawberries

-Do not exceed recommended daily allowance for vitamin C as it increases urinary oxalate excretion

-Animal protein should be regulated to 1 g/kg body weight

-Salt intake should be restricted to less than 100 mEq/dl

-Potassium intake should be encouraged (five or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day

-Include high fluid intake to produce at least 2 liters of urine/day (2-3 L of water intake/day is recommended)

From my experience as a nurse, it is always better to try less invasive procedures until all options become exhausted. Which is why following a proper diet and drinking plenty of fluids should be your first and primary thing to do.

Fortunately, most clients pass the stone naturally from the ureter and bladder. If the stone does not move, if it causes obstruction, or if X-ray suggests that the stone is too large to pass safely into the urethra, more invasive treatment is necessary.

The kidney stone diet is not rigid. In fact, it helps you work around your usual diet in order for you not to feel as though you are in a strict regimen.

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Dengue fever - information, symptoms and treatments

Fever Dengue (pronounced DEN-gee) is caused by viruses that are transmitted by mosquito bites. It is a severe illness that starts suddenly and usually follows a benevolent course with such symptoms as fever, headache, intense muscle and joint pains, exhaustion, lymphadenopathy (swollen glands) and the telltale rash. Dengue is characterized by the presence of what is called the "dengue triad" (headache, fever and rash). There are other signs of dengue like stark pain behind the eyes, gums that bleed, and redness in the palms of hands and soles of the feet. What is Dengue Fever?

Fever dengue strikes those who have low immunity levels. Fever dengue can be caused by any one of four types of the dengue virus: DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, and DEN-4 (the numbers reflect the order of discovery and have no relation to disease severity). An individual can be infected by at least two types, if not all four at different times during his or her life. However, an attack of a particular type of dengue produce lifetime immunity against that serotype which the patient had been exposed to.

There are other names for dengue such as "dandy fever" or "breakbone." The name "breakbone" was derived because the victims of dengue have contortions because of the intense muscle and joint pains. The name "dandy fever" was derived from the slaves of the West Indies who had contracted fever dengue because of their gait and postures.

The more severe viral serotype of fever dengue is dengue hemorrhagic fever. Signs include headache, rash, fever, petechiae (which are small purple or red blisters just under the skin), bleeding of the gums, blackened stools, and bruising that easily develop. Dengue hemorrhagic fever can be lethal and can develop into the most severe form of dengue which is dengue shock syndrome.

A person who has been bitten by the Aedes mosquito carrying the dengue virus will show signs and symptoms after 3 to 15 days (although it is more common from within 5 - 8 days). The person infected will first experience chills and then headaches or pain when they move their eyes, and lower back pain. The pain in the joints and muscle pain in the legs occur during the first hours. The body temperature will then rise to about 40 degrees Centigrade (or 104 degrees Fahrenheit). The heart rate will remain low (known as bradycardia) and so will the blood pressure (known as hypotension). There will be reddening of the eyes and then there will be a rash or flushing that comes over the face and then goes away. The lymph nodes (glands) in the groin and neck will be swollen.

Most of those who develop fever dengue completely recover within two weeks however there are some who may go through several weeks of feeling depressed and/or tired.

The virus is contracted from the bite of a striped mosquito known as the Aedes aegypti that has been previously bitten a dengue infected person. This mosquito flourishes during the rainy seasons or monsoons but can easily breed in water-filled potholes, drains, flower pots, old tires, plastic bags, and cans all year-round. Only one mosquito bite is enough to inflict the disease.

The dengue virus is not contagious and cannot spread directly from one individual to another. To spread, there must be a pathway that goes "person-to-mosquito-to-another-person".

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Kidney Stone causes and Symptoms for Women

Kidney stones are more common in men than women. But the incidence of kidney stones in women has been on the rise. The number of women suffering from this problem has been increasing, largely due to dietary habits. Low intakes of fruits and vegetables and high-protein diets are the most common causes of kidney stones in women. Also, like a man, a woman also has a greater chance of recurrence of this problem.

Many women feel pain in the lower abdomen from time to time before or during menstruation. Sometime the cause of the pain may be kidney stones, but the women may not be able to identify it. They should carefully observe whether any such pain has been followed by a urinary disorder, dullness, fever, and nausea or vomiting. If that is the case, get in touch with your doctor, as he or she will be able to diagnose the problem.

If the pain persists even after menstruation that could be due to kidney stones, though there could be other reasons for it too.

As almost 80 per cent of kidney stones are calcium stones, women taking calcium supplements should be careful about it. Certain medical studies have suggested that if these supplements are taken as a part of a meal rather than a "supplement" to food, the risk of kidney stones reduces drastically.

However, the medical community has yet to reach at a consensus on this sensitive issue. Though men, in general, are more likely to have kidney stones than women, various studies over the last few decades have suggested that women are more likely to have struvite stones than men. The most common cause of struvite stones is chronic urinary tract bacterial infection. These stones can seriously damage a patient's kidneys, due to their size.

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