Choosing a Low Cholesterol Foods

Many people complain how difficult it was to control blood cholesterol. They have a strict diet, not eating beef, lamb, chicken, offal and eggs, and eat only vegetables and fruit. But why cholesterol does not decreased? Is there anything wrong with their bodies?

Cholesterol should always be controlled at all times. Total cholesterol should be approximately close to 200 milligrams percent (mg% subsequently written, Ed.). Usually blood cholesterol levels between women and men actually not much different, both total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (low density lipoprotein = bad cholesterol). However, HDL cholesterol (hight density lipoproteins = good cholesterol) tend to be higher in women than men.

Easiest ways to cope with Mesothelioma

I am a student of MD and I had to submit a project in the college, containing all information on the disease named ‘Mesothelioma’. I did not know anything about the disease, but I got complete information through the website http://www.mesotheliomamedical.com/ . I would like to share some important information that would help the patients of Mesothelioma. No doubt, the disease is a deadly one. However, one can cope with it easily, if he or she follows some good nutritional habits and appropriate work out plan and take some vitamin supplements. In this way, he or she can live a life happily and actively.

10 Heart Friendly Foods

Heart is our vital organ. No bodies can life without heart. So we must protect our heart and keep it healthy. There are many tips for keeping our heart still in health condition. But how?

God gives us a perfectly body, not less one or more. God gives us healthy bodies. God never gives us disease and illness. We can go sick caused by our habits. We usually have bad habits in our life. There are any substances affects to our health. There are foods, water and air. The most affects are foods. We usually have wrong consumption of foods. Foods also have big affect to our heart. Bad foods can make our heart broken. So, how to select foods which friendly to our heart?

Here are 10 heart friendly foods I suggested:

1. Salmon

This cold-water fish is a great source of protein and is also packed with heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. The American Heart Association advises eating salmon and other omega-3 rich foods twice a week for benefits that go beyond heart health. Americans love salmon because it is so versatile, easy to cook, and tastes great.
2. Blueberries

Blueberries top the list as one of the most powerful disease-fighting foods. That's because they contain anthocyanins, the antioxidant responsible for their dark blue color. These delicious jewels are packed with fiber, vitamin C, and are available all year long.

3. Soy Protein

This inexpensive, high-quality protein contains fiber, vitamins, and minerals -- all the ingredients for a heart-healthy meal. Also, a diet rich in soy protein can lower triglycerides, which help prevent cardiovascular disease and keep your heart strong and healthy. In those with high cholesterol levels,the benefits of soy foods are due to their high levels of polyunsaturated fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

4. Oatmeal

Oats are nourishing whole grains and a great source of vitamins, minerals, and cholesterol-lowering fiber. The FDA allows manufacturers of oats to make health claims about the grain on their products, suggesting that a diet high in oats can reduce the risk for heart disease. Researches shows oats lower cholesterol levels, keep you regular, and may help prevent certain cancers.

5. Spinach

Spinach is the powerhouse of the vegetable kingdom. Its rich, dark color comes from the multiple phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals (especially folate and iron) that also fight disease, protect against heart disease, and preserve your eyesight.

6. Apples

Apples contain a phytochemical called quercetin which acts as an antiinflammatory and will help prevent blood clots as well. Apples contain vitamins and fiber, come in several delicious varieties and are portable. Eat an apple with a handful of walnuts or almonds as a healthy snack or add apple slices to your healthy salads.

7. Red Wine

Red wine contains a powerful antioxidant called resveratrol. Resveratrol has been shown to be good for your heart. Be sure to enjoy red wine in moderation. Studies show that only 4 to 8 ounces of red wine is needed each day.

8. Tomatoes

Tomatoes are packed with vitamins and lycopene, which has been shown to reduce heart disease risk. Add thick slices of tomatoes to sandwiches and salads or enjoy tomato sauce on whole-wheat pasta. In fact, cooked tomato sauce and canned tomato sauce that you buy in the store both contain more lycopene than raw tomatoes.

9. Almonds

Almonds and other nuts contain healthy oils, vitamin E and other substances that will help keep cholesterol levels in check. Almonds are also a good source of protein and fiber. Almonds make a great snack on their own, or sprinkle slivered almonds on green beans or asparagus with lemon juice as a deliciously healthy side dish.

10. Avocado

Packed with monounsaturated fat, avocados can help lower LDL levels while raising the amount of HDL cholesterol in your body. Avocado allow for the absorption of other carotenoids especially beta-carotene and lycopene, which are essential for heart health.

source :
1. www.webmd.com
2. www.health.com
3. www.americanheart.org
4. www.about.com

Weight loses tips

Have a slim bodies are women’s dreams. It is difficult to keep her bodies in slim condition if they have bad life styles. Wrong food consumptions can bring more fat in our bodies. So keep your slim bodies with healthy life style.

If you had overweight and need to lose it fast, don’t worried about it. Before jumping to concluded and said that this was not possible, read on and then give it a try. It is not difficult to lose weight fast and naturally, as long as you have the correct approach to do it and you are doing this rationally. You have to be strong and to give up some of your old eating habits in order to be able to achieve your goal. If you used to be a regular consumer of fast food, forget about it.

Do you know that you can lose weight naturally? But to do so, you need to focus and you need to be dedicated and also you definitely need to be prepared. Read on to find out how to lose weight naturally fast.

If you want to lose weight fast, then maybe you should try natural remedies. Besides providing quick results, these do not cause side effects, and this makes them some of the safest weight loss remedies. There are numerous herbs, fruits and vegetables that will help you get rid of the extra pounds before you know it. The active ingredients of these natural remedies are antioxidants, vitamins, minerals or other substances capable of modifying the metabolic rate.

Another ways in losing your weight is going to sauna. There is more type of sauna. The latest and most wanted sauna is infrared sauna. Far infrared Sauna was better than regular heat in a conventional sauna. Why?

An infrared sauna uses infrared radiation, which is absorbed directly by the body and thus heats it up. Heating is thus direct although a very small percentage of the infrared radiation also heats up the air in the sauna.

What relations does sauna have with weight control? Well, for one, a person in a sauna sweats profusely, leading to weight loss. However, this weight loss is not expected to be permanent, as drinking fluid will easily replace this temporary weight loss. However, it is the opinion of some that the heart beats faster and there is an increase in metabolic rate, both of which leads to an increase in consumption of calories (energy). In a study, it was found that sauna-induced dehydration was effective in inducing significant weight loss in men and women (1.8% and 1.4%). Whatever it is, this induced weight loss can be critical for athletes competing in sports where weight is a factor in placing the athletes in classes according to weight such as weight-lifting or boxing.

Need more information in far infrared sauna? Don’t waste your time and visit their official website here far infrared sauna …

Pregnant Mom’s lifestyles can affect their babies’ health

Everybody knows that Mom’s lifestyle habits bring into pregnancy can have lasting effects on her baby's health. It’s proofing by some research. A Dutch research found that some women who smoked, had low folic acid and had high blood pressure in early pregnancy had babies that were smaller in the first trimester of pregnancy and had a higher risk of complications later. This research followed 1,631 pregnant women from their first trimester through their pregnancies. The growth of their offspring was assessed until the children were 2.

"Our study demonstrates that several maternal physical characteristics and lifestyle habits, such as smoking and non-use of folic acid supplements, affect first-trimester fetal growth," said study senior author Dr. Vincent Jaddoe, a pediatric epidemiologist at Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Dr. Jaddoe said that the first trimester of pregnancy was very critical period for fetal growth and development. This is important, since it suggests that the fetus is already affected before pregnant women visit their midwife or obstetrician.

Researchers found that some special factors could affect to the babies size. Babies whose mothers smoked, had higher diastolic blood pressure readings (diastolic is the bottom number in blood pressure) and had low folic acid consumption were more likely to be smaller.

The babies who had small size during their first trimester pregnancy had a higher risk of certain complications in the pregnancy, such as premature birth or low birth weight.

Until this time there are a lot of women didn’t know that she was pregnant, sometimes until they have 2 month pregnancy still not know that she was pregnant. It means they have passed her 2 month of pregnancy that include in the first trimester that it was very important period.

"The fetus is very vulnerable, especially during the first trimester of pregnancy. For women who are planning to become pregnant, it seems important to optimize their lifestyle habits before they become pregnant. From a health care perspective, we need to consider preconception care to help women to optimize their lifestyle habits before they become pregnant," said Jaddoe.

Source : www.healthyday.com

When Health Drinks are not Always Healthy

More than ever, the trend of healthy living is so popular right now. These are advertised in the basic products that people consume such as foods, drinks, and even in toiletries. But, among these, the piece that takes the cake is the healthy drinks, which can be bought almost everywhere.

But, with all the competitions and emergence of so many companies that produce the so-called "healthy drinks," not all drinks that are labeled as such are good for you. If you are one of those who are into healthy drinks, now is the time to be smart about these.

By now, you should know that not all that are advertised as "healthy drinks" are healthy. And by now, you should know how to determine which are the ones that can really help you achieve optimum health and the ones that don’t.

Labels to behold

The best way to ensure that you are taking in healthy stuff into your body is by taking time to choose the ones that you consume. This can be done by shopping your foods by yourself. Aside from having the time to choose what you want to eat, you can also check the labels of these foods—especially your favorite health drink—by yourself. When shopping for health drinks, make sure that you avoid those who have the following ingredients in them:

• phosphoric acid. This acid is the clear, colorless liquid that is usually used in detergents, fertilizers, food flavoring and other pharmaceuticals products. This should be avoided because it can lead to the irritation of the skin as well as the eyes once ingested.
• high fructose corn syrup. This is a concentrated sugar, which is the major cause of weight gain in many people especially to women. Aside from being among those that leads to obesity, high fructose corn syrup in some health drinks can also lead to abnormal blood sugar levels that may lead to chronic illnesses such diabetes.
• artificial flavors and sweeteners. More commonly called as "excito-toxins," artificial flavorings are so common in most health drinks that are flavored-based. These artificial flavors are the same ones that you may find in sweet juices, colas and candy bars. Health drinks that have these in them should be avoided to avoid pH imbalances in the blood.
• processed vitamins. Many people don’t realize it but not all vitamins can be healthy especially if these are liquefied, isolated, and heated. This is because these vitamins and minerals are proven to break down before the body can benefit from them.

Other things to look for include glycerol ester of wood rosin because these are acid forming, the modified food starch, and the yellow 6, yellow 5 and red 40 because these are all artificial coloring or dyes.

Looking for the healthy health drink

Although looking for a healthy drink can take some of your precious time, this will be worth it because you can ensure that you are taking in healthy elements that your body needs.

Hitung Darah Lengkap (HDL)

Tes laboratorium yang paling umum adalah hitung darah lengkap (HDL) atau complete blood count (CBC). Tes ini memeriksa jenis sel dalam darah, termasuk sel darah merah, sel darah putih dan trombosit (platelet). Hasil tes menyebutkan jumlahnya dalam darah (misalnya jumlah sel per millimeter kubik) atau persentasenya. Tes laboratorium lain dibahas pada Lembaran Informasi (LI) 107 dan 108.
Semua sel darah dibuat di sumsum tulang. Beberapa obat dan penyakit dapat merusak sumsum tulang sehingga menyebabkan berkurangnya jumlah sel darah merah dan putih.
Setiap laboratorium mempunyai ‘nilai rujukan’ untuk semua hasil tes. Biasanya, tes laboratorium akan memperlihatkan hasil tes yang berada di luar nilai normal. Untuk informasi lebih lanjut mengenai hasil tes laboratorium, lihat LI 105.
Laporan hasil sering sulit ditafsirkan. Beberapa angka dilaporkan dengan satuan ‘x10.e3’ atau ‘x103’. Ini berarti jumlah yang dicatat harus dikalikan 1.000. Contohnya, bila hasil adalah 8,77 dengan unit ‘x10.e3’, jumlah sebenarnya adalah 8.770.

Tes Sel Darah Merah

Sel darah merah, yang juga disebut sebagai eritrosit, bertugas mengangkut oksigen dari paru ke seluruh tubuh. Fungsi ini dapat diukur melalui tiga macam tes. Hitung Sel Darah Merah (red blood cell count/RBC) yang menghitung jumlah total sel darah merah; hemoglobin (Hb) yaitu protein dalam sel darah merah yang bertugas mengangkut oksigen dari paru ke bagian tubuh lainnya; dan hematokrit (Ht atau HCT) yang mengukur persentase sel darah merah dalam seluruh volume darah.
Orang yang tinggal di dataran tinggi umumnya mempunyai lebih banyak sel darah merah. Ini merupakan upaya tubuh mengatasi kekurangan oksigen. Eritrosit, Hb dan Ht yang sangat rendah menunjukkan adanya anemia, yaitu sel tidak mendapat cukup oksigen untuk berfungsi secara normal. Jika kita anemia, kita sering merasa lelah dan terlihat pucat. Tentang kelelahan, lihat LI 551 dan anemia, LI 552.
Volume Eritrosit Rata-Rata (VER) atau mean corpuscular volume (MCV) mengukur besar rata-rata sel darah merah. MCV yang kecil berarti ukuran sel darah merahnya lebih kecil dari ukuran normal. Biasanya hal ini disebabkan oleh kekurangan zat besi atau penyakit kronis. MCV yang besar dapat disebabkan oleh obat HIV, terutama AZT dan d4T. Ini tidak berbahaya. MCV yang besar menunjukkan adanya anemia megaloblastik, dengan sel darah merahnya besar dan berwarna muda. Biasanya hal ini disebabkan oleh kekurangan asam folat.
Red Blood Cell Distribution Width (RDW) mengukur lebar sel darah merah. Hasil tes ini dapat membantu mendiagnosis jenis anemia dan kekurangan beberapa vitamin.
Hemoglobin Eritrosit Rata-Rata (HER) atau mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) dan Konsentrasi Hemoglobin Eritrosit Rata-Rata (KHER) atau mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC atau CHCM) masing-masing mengukur jumlah dan kepekatan hemoglobin. MCH dihitung dengan membagi hemoglobin total dengan jumlah sel darah merah total.
Trombosit atau platelet (PT atau PLT) berfungsi membantu menghentikan perdarahan dengan membentuk gumpalan dan keropeng. Jika trombosit kita kurang, kita mudah mengalami perdarahan atau memar. Orang HIV-positif kadang trombositnya rendah (disebut trombositopenia). Obat HIV dapat mengatasi keadaan ini. Trombosit tinggi biasanya tidak punya pengaruh besar pada kesehatan.

Tes Sel Darah Putih

Sel darah putih (disebut juga leukosit) membantu melawan infeksi dalam tubuh kita.
Hitung Sel Darah Putih (white blood cell count/WBC) adalah jumlah total sel darah putih. Leukosit tinggi (hitung sel darah putih yang tinggi) artinya tubuh kita sedang melawan infeksi. Leukosit rendah artinya ada masalah dengan sumsum tulang. Leukosit rendah disebut leukopenia atau sitopenia yang berarti tubuh kurang mampu melawan infeksi. Neutrofil berfungsi melawan infeksi bakteri, dan dilaporkan sebagai persentase leukosit atau %NEUT. Biasa jumlahnya 55-70 persen. Jika neutrofil kita rendah (disebut neutropenia), kita lebih mudah terkena infeksi bakteri. Penyakit HIV lanjut, obat HIV seperti gansiklovir (untuk mengatasi virus sitomegalo, lihat LI 501) dan AZT (obat antiretroviral; lihat LI 420) dapat menyebabkan neutropenia.
Ada dua jenis utama limfosit: sel-B untuk membuat antibodi, protein khusus yang menyerang kuman; dan sel-T untuk menyerang dan membunuh kuman, serta membantu mengatur sistem kekebalan tubuh. Salah satu jenis sel-T adalah sel CD4, yang diinfeksi dan dibunuh oleh HIV (lihat LI 412). Jumlah limfosit umumnya 20-40 persen leukosit. Hitung darah lengkap biasanya tidak termasuk tes CD4. Tes CD4 ini harus diminta sebagai tambahan. Hasil hitung darah lengkap tetap dibutuhkan untuk menghitung jumlah CD4, sehingga dua tes ini umumnya dilakukan sekaligus.
Monosit atau makrofag diukur sebagai persentase leukosit (%MONO) dan biasanya 2-8 persen. Sel ini melawan infeksi dengan ‘memakan’ kuman dan memberi tahu sistem kekebalan tubuh mengenai kuman apa yang ditemukan. Monosit beredar dalam darah. Bila monosit ada di jaringan tubuh, mereka disebut makrofag. Jumlah monosit yang tinggi menunjukkan adanya infeksi bakteri.
Eosinofil (%EOS) biasanya 1-3 persen leukosit. Sel ini terlibat dengan alergi dan tanggapan terhadap parasit. Kadang kala penyakit HIV dapat menyebabkan jumlah eosinofil yang tinggi. Jumlah meningkat terutama jika kita diare, kentut, atau perut kembung. Hal ini menandai adanya parasit.
Fungsi basofil (%BASO) tidak begitu dipahami, namun sel ini terlibat dalam reaksi alergi jangka panjang, misalnya asma atau alergi kulit. Sel ini jumlahnya kurang dari 1 persen leukosit.
Persentase limfosit (%LYMP) mengukur lima jenis sel darah putih: neutrofil, limfosit, monosit, eosinofil dan basofil, dalam bentuk persentase leukosit. Untuk memperoleh limfosit total, nilai ini dikalikan dengan leukosit. Misalnya, bila limfosit 30,2 persen dan leukosit 8.770, limfosit totalnya adalah 0,302 x 8.770 = 2.648.

Seri Lembaran Informasi ini berdasarkan terbitan The AIDS InfoNet. Lihat http:// www.aidsinfonet.org

Start Breast feeding

Start Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding bond you and your baby emotionally in a special way that cannot be matched, because breastfeeding meets both the nutritional and development needs. The things you should
consider are as follows.

• Create a peaceful environment to relax yourself.
• Find a comfortable position, such as in a chair, with sufficient room on the sides and back
  for pillows to support your baby and your arms. Sitting up in bed with pillows under your
  legs or using a footstool when in a chair will help you be comfortable.
• Unpack your baby and check his/her diaper; change it if required. If your baby is awake
  and ready to nurse, wait until after the first breast to change your baby's diapers.

When should Start

Research shows that the critical days for breastfeeding success are the first six to seven days after
delivery, and later near the baby's sixth week. Weakness may play a large role in any fears about
continuing breastfeeding. If possible, get help with the household tasks and newborn care. Do not
hesitate to accept help when offered.

After Cesarean Birth Breastfeeding

A cesarean birth does not directly affect the breastfeeding process. However, discomfort, and the
medications used in surgery may cause challenges when you begin breastfeeding. Nurse your baby
as soon after delivery as possible, and on demand every 8-12 times per 24 hours. Once you
begin regular feedings, your milk supply will increase.

First Few Weeks of Breastfeeding

If possible, put your baby to your breast within the first hour after birth. Nurses can teach you
ways to help the baby latch on using the best positioning to ensure success. Continue to feed your
baby on demand every 1 to 3 hours per 24 hours (8-12 times per 24 hours). Frequent feedings
minimize feeding problems.
It is normal for the babies to be drowsy the first 24-48 hours after birth. Attempt to breastfeed
every 1 to 3 hours per 24 hours.

Breast feeding Problems

Successful breastfeeding is a combination of patience, support and good technique. As you become
more proficient in the skill of breastfeeding, it will become easier and more enjoyable for you.
However, beside the way you and your baby may experience some problems. According to our
research the most common problems and their solutions that mothers suffer from are given below.

Inverted or Flat Nipples:

Initial feedings may be more difficult with flat or inverted nipples, but successful breastfeeding is
achieved by most women.

Treatment

• Some women find that wearing special nipple cups called breast shells between feedings
  help draw their nipple out.
• After you have delivered, hand expression or pumping may help make the nipple more erect.
• It is not recommended to roll, twist or pull on your nipple. These actions can cause nipple trauma.

Enlargement:

Breast fullness is a normal condition that occurs two to three days after birth and is caused by
increased blood supply, fluids and milk in the breast tissue. Fullness is different from enlargement,
and usually decreases within the first two to three weeks if the baby is nursing regularly. If, at any time,
enough milk is not being removed, i.e., a skipped feeding, or limited feeding time at the breast,
the breasts may become tender and blown up.

Treatment

• If breasts continue to be full and uncomfortable, apply cold compresses to both breasts
  as needed between feedings. The cold will feel good and decrease the swelling.
• Try a warm shower, hot washcloths on your breasts, or lean over a sink or basin to let your
  breasts rest in the warm water prior to nursing.
• Massage your breasts to promote milk flow.
• An enlarged breast may flatten your nipple, making it more difficult for your baby to latch-on.
  Use hand expression of milk to soften the areola just before latch-on.
• Feed your baby on demand, approximately every one to three hours for at least 15 minutes
  of suckling on each breast. Do not skip feedings.
• Wear a supportive bra and get in a comfortable and supported position for feedings.
  Avoid underwire bras.

Sore Nipples:

Research supports the idea that the primary cause of nipple soreness is nipple pain due to improper
positioning of the baby on the breast. However, even with proper positioning, some women may
experience temporary latch-on pain.

Treatment

• Make sure your baby's lips are not turned under and that your baby is not chewing on your
  nipple or sucking with his/her tongue up.

• Pull down firmly on your baby's chin to disturb his/her jaw and widen the mouth
  allowing his/her lower lip to roll outward. (Use your index finger cupped under your breast)
• If you feel your baby nipple-chewing, break the suction, remove your baby from
  your breast, and try attaching him/her again.
• If your baby is sucking her tongue, you may hear a smacking sound and see her
  cheeks caving in. In this case take your baby off your breast and reposition him/her.
• Make sure your baby's mouth is open wide for a good latch-on.
• Use hand expression to bring a little breast milk onto the nipple.
• Express some breast milk onto your nipples after a feeding and then allow your nipples to
  air dry completely.

• Avoid using drying breast creams, such as Masse or other creams that contain alcohol.
  Remember, the Montgomery Glands secrete natural oil for lubrication and protection.
• Try more frequent and shorter nursing periods, rather than longer times between feedings.
• If you think you need a nipple shield, talk with your lactation consultant or health care provider.
• If using nursing pads, change them frequently. Consider using 100% cotton washable bra pads.
  Avoid pads with plastic or moisture-resistant liners.
• Wear clean, supportive 100% cotton nursing bras. Avoid underwire and tight bras.
• Discontinue use of any breast pump, which causes discomfort, and consult a lactation consultant.

Thrush & Symptoms:

The body also depends on our normal bacteria to prevent an overgrowth of yeast organism. This
overgrowth of yeast causes a fungal infection called thrush, which grows in warm, moist conditions,
and can affect any part of the body, including the breasts and nipples in breastfeeding mothers.

Pain

• occurs several weeks or months after successful breastfeeding
• Is a burning or shooting/stabbing pain in the nipple, breast tissue or both
• Is experienced during and after feedings. Sometimes the pain in between feedings is stronger
• Its experienced with pumping the breasts
• Nipple itching, flaking, redness, shininess or sometimes white patches are present
• The baby has white patches on his/her tongue or inside the mouth.
• The baby has a yeast diaper rash and may gassy and fussy.

Treatment

if you guess thrush is present, contact you health care provider for checkup and treatment. It is
wise to treat both the mother and the baby at the same time, even if there are no symptoms. If treatment
is indicated, it should continue for two weeks even if symptoms are gone.

Nipple Preference:

If possible, breastfeed your baby exclusively for the first four weeks without using bottles. Some
babies reject the breast if given bottles while they are learning to breastfeed. The suckling mechanisms
of breastfeeding and bottle-feeding are very different in the use of the muscles and the tongue.
When bottle-feeding, the milk flows faster and your baby gets milk immediately with little effort,
whereas more active suckling is necessary for breastfeeding.

Treatment

• If a bottle must be given as addition, offer it after breastfeeding. If a extra is needed,
  check with your local physician for advices on another option to bottles and nipples, such
  as finger, syringe or cup feeding.

Decreased Milk Supply:

Breastfeeding is a supply and demand system. Whatever your baby needs, your body will produce.
Your milk is made fresh each feeding in response to the suckling stimulus. The more your baby
nurses, the more milk you will produce. If your infant is going through a growth shoot and acts hungry,
feed more frequently for a few days. Your supply will increase and your baby will resume his/her
old feeding schedule.

If you feel that your baby is not getting enough milk then observes the following things.

• Check position of your baby at the breast.
• Observe swallowing behavior of your baby. If your baby is swallowing along with sucking,
  then your baby is getting milk.
• Keep record of your baby's weight gain. If he/she is getting one ounce in a day during the first
  months, then he/she is getting enough diet.

Treatment

• Breastfeed your baby every 8-12 times in 24 hours.
• Try to take rest and relax your body may be by sleeping. Rest when your baby sleeps.
  Remember that babies are night creatures for the first three weeks. This is normal so you will
  have opportunities for nursing sessions at night, and try to sleep during the day when your
  baby sleeps.
• Drink fluids when thirsty.
• Eat a well-balanced diet.
• If any way you continue to have problems for your milk supply then you should consult your physician.
• Try to avoid changing your physician. Because the one physician knows and understands
  better about your case history and course of your treatment through medicines.

Plugged Ducts:

Occasionally milk ducts become stopped as a result of incomplete emptying or continued pressure on
one or more duct. If this occurs, you may feel a hard, lumpy, painful area on your breast.

Treatment

• Apply warm, moist towels to your breasts before feeding.
• Massage your breasts down in the direction of the nipple paying more attention to the painful area.
• Breastfeed in different positions. Place your baby's chin in the direction of the plugged duct.
• Use a little lotion on your thumb and apply firm rolling pressure from behind to the outer
  lump toward the nipple while your baby breastfeeds.
• Get plenty of rest and fluids.
• Avoid restrictive clothing.
• Avoid sleeping on your tummy or the side that the plugged duct is on.
• If the plug does not resolve in several days, contact your physician for assistance. However,
  if you develop fever and flu-like symptoms, you may have progressed to mastitis. Contact your
  health care provider immediately.

Mastitis:

Mastitis is a breast infection. Fatigue is a leading cause of mastitis. Occasionally, a plugged duct
will become infected or bacteria will enter the breast through another route, such as an open sore
on the areola or nipple. Usually hot red, painful, and hard area will be present on the breast.
Typically, the mother will have a fever greater than 100.4 F degrees and feel "flu-like."

Treatment

Do not wait for the mastitis to go away by itself. Contact your health care provider immediately
for treatment with antibiotics. It is very important that you continue frequent nursing during this time.
Your milk is not infected and will not harm your baby.

Kekurangan Vitamin K

Vitamin K adalah nama generik untuk beberapa bahan yang diperlukan dalam pembekuan darah yang normal.
Bentuk dasarnya adalah vitamin K1 (filokuinon), yang terdapat dalam tumbuh-tumbuhan, terutama sayuran berdaun hijau.
Bakteri dalam usus kecil sebelah bawah dan bakteri dalam usus besar menghasilkan vitamin K2 (menakuinon), yang dapat diserap dalam jumlah yang terbatas.

Penyakit perdarahan pada bayi baru lahir ditandai dengan kecenderungan mengalami perdarahan, merupakan bentuk dasar dari kekurangan vitamin K.
Hal ini terjadi karena:
- Plasenta tidak mengantarkan lemak dan vitamin K dengan baik
- Fungsi hati dari bayi baru lahir masih belum matang untuk menghasilkan faktor-faktor pembekuan darah yang cukup (faktor pembekuan adalah protein dalam darah yang memudahkan pembekuan dan memerlukan vitamin K)
- Usus tidak memiliki bakteri yang menghasilkan vitamin K selama hari-hari pertama bayi
- ASI hanya sedikit mengandung vitamin K.
Suatu suntikan vitamin K seharusnya diberikan pada bayi baru lahir untuk melindungi bayi dari penyakit ini.
Bayi yang mendapatkan ASI, yang belum mendapatkan suntikan vitamin K pada saat lahir, sangat rentan terhadap kekurangan vitamin K.

Karena vitamin K larut dalam lemak, penyakit-penyakit yang berhubungan dengan penyerapan lemak, bisa menyebabkan kekurangan vitamin K pada anak-anak dan dewasa:
- Penyakit seliak
- Fibrostik kistik.

Mengkonsumsi minyak mineral dalam jumlah yang berlebihan juga bisa mencegah penyerapan vitamin K.

Kekurangan vitamin K juga terjadi pada orang-orang yang mengkonsumsi obat antikoagulan untuk mencegah terbentuknya bekuan darah.

Gejala utamanya adalah perdarahan (ke dalam kulit, dari hidung, dari sebuah luka atau dalam lambung), yang disertai dengan muntah.

Darah dapat terlihat pada air kemih atau tinja.

Yang paling serius adalah perdarahan ke dalam otak yang bisa terjadi pada bayi baru lahir.

Bila dicurigai adanya kekurangan vitamin K, dilakukan pemeriksaan darah untuk mengukur kadar protrombin, salah satu faktor pembekuan darah yang memerlukan vitamin K. Kadar yang rendah (kurang dari 50% dari normal) menunjukkan adanya kekurangan vitamin K. Tetapi kadar protrombin yang rendah juga dapat disebabkan oleh obat antikoagulan atau kerusakan hati.

Biasanya diagnosa akan semakin kuat jika setelah penyuntikkan vitamin K, terdapat peningkatan kadar protrombin dalam beberapa jam dan perdarahan berhenti dalam 3-6 jam.
Jika penderita memiliki penyakit hati yang berat, hati tidak mampu mensintesa faktor pembekuan walaupun telah disuntikkan vitamin K. Pada kasus seperti ini diperlukan tranfusi plasma untuk melengkapi faktor-faktor pembekuan.

Serat, Gizi yang Terlupakan

DEWASA ini pola makan modern sering dihubungkan dengan tingginya kolesterol yang berasal dari pangan hewani. Kolesterol adalah pemicu munculnya penyakit degeneratif seperti stroke dan penyakit jantung koroner. Salah satu upaya untuk menekan tingginya kolesterol darah adalah dengan meningkatkan konsumsi serat larut-yang tidak dapat dicerna, namun larut dalam air panas.

Di dalam saluran pencernaan serat larut ini akan mengikat asam empedu (produk akhir kolesterol) dan kemudian dikeluarkan bersama tinja. Dengan demikian, semakin tinggi konsumsi serat larut akan semakin banyak asam empedu dan lemak yang dikeluarkan oleh tubuh.

Konsumsi serat makanan, khususnya serat tak larut (tak dapat dicerna dan tidak larut dalam air panas) menghasilkan kotoran yang lembek. Dalam hal ini diperlukan kontraksi otot yang rendah untuk mengeluarkan feses dengan lancar. Kekurangan serat akan menyebabkan tinja menjadi keras dan diperlukan kontraksi otot yang besar untuk mengeluarkannya, hal ini sering kali menyebabkan konstipasi atau keadaan sulit buang air besar. Bila hal itu berlangsung terus-menerus maka otot menjadi lelah dan lemah sehingga muncul penyakit diverticulosis. Penyakit ini dicirikan oleh penonjolan bagian luar usus berbentuk bisul dan disertai peradangan atau infeksi.

Di samping sisi baiknya, serat juga mempunyai beberapa hal yang bersifat negatip. Serat menjadi penyebab ketidaktersediaan beberapa zat gizi. Sebagai contoh vitamin D mungkin terganggu penyerapannya karena kehadiran serat. Dalam hal ini serat berpengaruh terhadap pengikatan asam empedu, yang berperan besar dalam pencernaan dan penyerapan lemak. Kalau lemak terhambat penyerapannya maka vitamin larut lemak (vitamin D) juga akan terhambat penyerapannya.

Enzim protease yang berperan dalam pencernaan protein bisa terganggu karena kehadiran serat. Penurunan aktivitas enzim tersebut diduga disebabkan oleh pengikatan atau interaksi dengan serat makanan. Pada intinya gizi yang kita konsumsi mempunyai nilai plus-minus. Di satu sisi ada peran positif dan di sisi lain ada fungsi negatif yang tak terelakkan. Konsumsi gizi seimbang niscaya akan mendatangkan manfaat positip lebih banyak bagi tubuh kita.

Sayuran dan buah-buahan adalah sumber serat makanan yang paling mudah dijumpai dalam menu masyarakat. Sayuran bisa dikonsumsi dalam bentuk mentah atau telah diproses melalui perebusan. Hasil penelitian seorang mahasiswa IPB (Titi Rahayu, 1990) menunjukkan bahwa serat makanan dalam sayuran yang dimasak justru meningkat dibandingkan sayuran mentah.

Dalam penelitian tersebut disimpulkan bahwa sayuran yang direbus dengan air menghasilkan kadar serat makanan paling tinggi (6,40%), disusul sayuran kukus (6,24%), sayuran masak santan (5,98%), dan sayuran mentah (5,97%). Proses pemasakan akan menghilangkan beberapa zat gizi sehingga berat sayuran menjadi lebih kecil berdasarkan berat keringnya. Proses pemasakan juga menyebabkan terjadinya reaksi pencoklatan yang dalam analisis gizi terhitung sebagai serat makanan. Alasan-alasan inilah yang menyebabkan sayuran yang telah dimasak mempunyai kandungan serat makanan lebih tinggi.

Di negara maju seperti AS oat bran (mirip dedak bekatul) telah cukup dikenal sebagai makanan penurun kolesterol. Di dalam buku The 8-Week Cholesterol Cure karangan Robert E. Kowalski diuraikan tentang berbagai penelitian terkait dengan pemanfaatan oat bran. Salah satu studi mengindikasikan bahwa konsumsi oat bran 50 gram sehari akan menurunkan kolesterol total sebesar 19% dan kolesterol LDL 23%. Rahasia oat bran sebagai penurun kolesterol terletak pada kandungan serat larutnya yang sangat tinggi yaitu mencapai 14,0%. Tabel 1 menunjukkan kandungan serat tak larut dan serat larut beberapa jenis pangan.

Dedak padi adalah limbah dari penggilingan padi yang umumnya hanya digunakan sebagai pakan ternak. Di dalam dedak padi yang telah distabilisasi ditemukan sekitar 33,0 %-40,0 % serat makanan. Produk-produk beras dan turunannya diketahui mempunyai sifat tidak mendatangkan alergi, mudah dicerna, bebas gluten, dan kaya karbohidrat kompleks. Keunggulan-keunggulan tersebut menjadikan dedak sebagai salah satu produk ikutan beras sangat berguna pangan alternatif manusia. Industri roti dan kue bisa memanfaatkan dedak sebagai substitusi tepung terigu sehingga bisa menghasilkan produk roti/kue yang sehat karena kaya serat.

Industri yang bergerak dalam bidang pangan kesehatan (health foods) saat ini banyak menawarkan berbagai jenis makanan/minuman yang kaya gizi tertentu, termasuk minuman kaya serat. Pola makan modern yang kurang seimbang akan semakin menyuburkan kehadiran health foods sebagai suplemen alternatif.

(Dr Ir Ali Khomsan, Dosen Jurusan Gizi Masyarakat dan Sumberdaya Keluarga IPB)

dikutip dari www.artikel-kesehatan.blogspot.com