Kidney Pain Relief

Are you wondering about ways to get kidney pain relief? If you are suffering from a kidney problem that is responsible for excruciating pains that surge like waves, read on to know more about methods of natural kidney pain relief and other treatments.

Kidneys are bean-shaped organs, located just below the rib cage, towards the back in the upper part of a person’s abdomen. Their function is to filter out the toxins and waste materials from our blood. Now you can imagine, what will ensue if these organs fail to perform their task. Not too many nerves are located in the kidneys, therefore the pain arises generally in the bladder and tubes that form a part of the urinary tract system. Pain might arise due to a variety of reasons. Kidney stones, kidney infection, chronic kidney diseases like cancer and polycystic kidney disease can be the cause of that severe pain you experience in your flank area. Sometimes, kidney infection might also manifest in the form of back pain, so pay attention when there is tenderness in the back area where the kidneys lie.

Common Causes of Kidney Pain

Sometimes kidney pain is caused due to the formation of a kidney stone. The stone gets stuck in the ureter and the tubes which link the kidneys with the bladder. Thus, the urine's passage gets blocked, due to which the urine gets back into the kidney. This leads to enlargement of the kidney and the pain spreads to the surrounding areas. Removal of these stones will assist in kidney pain relief. Another cause might be Polycystic kidney disease (PKD), a genetic disorder, that is diagnosed when several cysts are formed in the kidneys. When many such cysts form in the kidneys, the fluid permeates in them. Such PKD cysts cause the kidneys to become abnormally large and this anomaly in the basic structure leads to kidneys disorders and consequently, kidney failure. Another cause may be Pyelonephritis, a urinary tract infection that originates in the urethra or the bladder and finds its way up to the kidneys. Its symptoms could include abdominal pain, increase in the frequency of urine, burning sensation while you pass urine or the urine accompanied with blood or pus. More on causes of kidney pain.

Natural Kidney Pain Relief

Are you fed up with taking antibiotics for kidney pain relief? Don't fret over it. You could lessen your pain or prevent it by making certain changes in your diet.

Foods You Could Avoid
If you are suffering from kidney stones, you need to drink lots of fluids. If you are addicted to tea or coffee, make sure you increase your intake of water. Try to cut down on tea and coffee. Generally, the stones are made of calcium deposits and small stones that could be flushed out of your system with the help of extra urine. Avoid eating foods rich in calcium oxalate. Avoid chickpea, beet, spinach, coconuts, cauliflower, turnips and carrots. Doctors suggest a diet depending upon the kind of stone.

Have Fruits High In Water Content
The more you urinate, the better the chances of removal of the kidney stone. Certain fruits are very rich in water content and act as great diuretics. Make sure you don't drink any processed fruit juice. Drinking two ounces of lemon juice is also said to help in breaking kidney stone. Grapes, celery, watermelon and cranberries are high in their water content. Watermelon is rich in potassium and prevents the formation of kidney stones. Grapes are beneficial as they have lesser quantity of albumin and sodium chloride. Use cranberry to your advantage as it can increase the acidity level of urine, and eliminate the presence of harmful bacteria which might cause kidney infections.

Include Egg Whites In Your Diet
It is the presence of essential amino acids in the egg whites that assists in kidney pain relief. It's healthy to have egg whites as their protein content is high. Patients who are on dialysis need to have more protein and need to control their phosphorus levels. Egg whites, being high in protein and devoid of phosphorus can work wonders for such patients.

Herbs for Kidney Pain Relief
Some herbs like artichoke and parsley are diuretics. These help activate the healing mechanism. Some are demulcents which provide a coating to the urinary lining and activate the process of tissue healing. Bearberry capsules also prove beneficial in kidney infections. Supplement it with a diet rich in fresh fruit juices and vegetables. Other herbs like goldenrod, oak bark and gravel root help in getting rid of kidney stones and infections.

Try Aromatherapy
Soak in the hot bath for at least 10 minutes. You should use around 20 drops of the essential oil. Thyme, juniper and eucalyptus oil can be used in aromatherapy for kidney pain relief. Even sandalwood oil can be used if you like its fragrance. Relax in the hot bath and feel the magic power of these aromatic oils. You can seek the help of an aromatherapist for selecting the oils.

Kidney Pain Treatment

In case the pain is manageable, using a paracetamol is a safe option but there is a need to keep a check on the dosage. Other pain killers might have side-effects and therefore, it is advisable to consult a doctor. Since kidney pain can be severe, painkillers might not be of great help. Those diagnosed with serious conditions might need to get treatment through antibiotics. Sometimes, depending on the graveness of situation, surgery might be an option. If there is kidney failure, dialysis might be an option. More on kidney pain: symptoms and treatment.

You know the work your kidneys do. So take precautions and increase your intake of water and diuretics. Kidney pain can be really excruciating, therefore, take all the precautions to keep your kidneys in good condition. Consult a doctor if painkillers are not helping you. Hope this information about kidney pain relief proved beneficial to you.

5 Reasons Girls Should Play Sports

Why play sports? You might say "to get exercise" and you'd be right. To have fun? That's true, too. But there's more. In fact, there are at least 5 more reasons. According to the Women's Sports Foundation, girls who play sports get a lot more than just fit.

1. Girls who play sports do better in school. You might think that athletics will take up all your study time. But research shows that girls who play sports do better in school than those who don't. Exercise improves learning, memory, and concentration, which can give active girls an advantage in the classroom.
2. Girls who play sports learn teamwork and goal-setting skills. Sports teaches valuable life skills. When you working with coaches, trainers, and teammates to win games and achieve goals, you're learning how to be successful. Those skills will serve you well at work and in family life.
3. Sports are good for a girl's health. In addition to being fit and maintaining a healthy weight, girls who play sports are also less likely to smoke. And later in life, girls who exercise are less likely to get breast cancer or osteoporosis.
4. Playing sports boosts self-confidence. Girls who play sports feel better about themselves. Why? It builds confidence when you know you can practice, improve, and achieve your goals. Sports are also a feel-good activity because they help girls get in shape, maintain a healthy weight, and make new friends.
5. Exercise cuts the pressure. Playing sports can lessen stress and help you feel a little happier. How? The brain chemicals released during exercise improve a person's mood. Friends are another mood-lifter. And being on a team creates tight bonds between friends. It's good to know your teammates will support you — both on and off the field!

be a FIT kid

There's a lot of discussion these days about fit kids. People who care (parents, doctors, teachers, and others) want to know how to help kids be more fit.

Being fit is a way of saying a person eats well, gets a lot of physical activity (exercise), and has a healthy weight. If you're fit, your body works well, feels good, and can do all the things you want to do, like run around with your friends.

Some steps only parents can take — such as serving healthy meals or deciding to take the family on a nature hike. But kids can take charge, too, when it comes to health.

Here are five rules to live by, if you're a kid who wants to be fit. The trick is to follow these rules most of the time, knowing that some days (like your birthday) might call for cake and ice cream.
Eat a Variety of Foods, Especially Fruits and Vegetables

You may have a favorite food, but the best choice is to eat a variety. If you eat different foods, you're more likely to get the nutrients your body needs. Taste new foods and old ones you haven't tried for a while. Some foods, such as green veggies, are more pleasing the older you get. Shoot for at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day — two fruits and three vegetables.

Here's one combination that might work for you:

* at breakfast: ½ cup (about 4 large) strawberries on your cereal
* with lunch: 6 baby carrots
* for a snack: an apple
* with dinner: ½ cup broccoli (about 2 big spears) and 1 cup of salad

Drink Water and Milk Most Often

When you're really thirsty, cold water is the No. 1 thirst-quencher. And there's a reason your school cafeteria offers cartons of milk. Kids need calcium to build strong bones, and milk is a great source of this mineral. How much do kids need? If you are younger than 9 years old, drink 2 cups of milk a day, or its equivalent. Aim for 3 cups of milk per day, or its equivalent. You can mix it up by having milk and some other calcium-rich dairy foods. Here's one combination:

* 2 cups (about half a liter) of low-fat or nonfat milk
* 1 slice cheddar cheese
* ½ cup (small container) of yogurt

You probably will want something other than milk or water once in a while, so it's OK to have 100% juice, too. But try to limit sugary drinks, like sodas, juice cocktails, and fruit punches. They contain a lot of added sugar. Sugar just adds calories, not important nutrients.
Listen to Your Body

What does it feel like to be full? When you're eating, notice how your body feels and when your stomach feels comfortably full. Sometimes, people eat too much because they don't notice when they need to stop eating. Eating too much can make you feel uncomfortable and, over a period of time, can lead to unhealthy weight gain.

Limit Screen Time

What's screen time? It's the amount of time you spend watching TV or DVDs, playing video games (console systems or handheld games), and using the computer. The more time you spend on these sitting-down activities, the less time available for active stuff, like basketball, bike riding, and swimming. Try to spend no more than 2 hours a day on screen time, not counting computer use related to school.
Be Active

One job you have as a kid — and it's a fun one — is that you get to figure out which activities you like best. Not everyone loves baseball or soccer. Maybe your passion is karate, or kickball, or dancing. Ask your parents to help you do your favorite activities regularly. Find ways to be active every day. You might even write down a list of fun stuff to do, so you can refer to it when your mom or dad says it's time to stop watching TV or playing computer games!

Speaking of parents, they can be a big help if you want to be a fit kid. For instance, they can stock the house with healthy foods and plan physical activities for the family. Tell your parents about these five steps you want to take and maybe you can teach them a thing or two. If you're a fit kid, why shouldn't you have a fit mom and a fit dad?

Goji Berry: The Original Happy Meal

If you’re looking for a healthy, non-junk-food happy meal, you might want to incorporate the goji berry into your diet. This bright red berry commonly found in China and Mongolia is used as a health food and as part of many Asian medicinal practices. It also has a reputation for making people feel more content, which is why it got the name “goji berry.” In Chinese, that roughly translates to “the happy berry.”

Also known as the wolfberry or gougi berry, the goji berry was mentioned in the earliest known medical text. In fact, documented use of the berry extends as far back as 1,900 years ago when prominent traveling healers used it as part of a regimen for their patients, believing it had the ability to keep the body nourished and healthy. These early healers would roam the country diagnosing health problems and attempting to keep their patients properly nourished. Unlike health care providers today, the healers would only be paid as long as their patients were healthy. If a person became ill, they would cease to pay the healer until he had brought them back to wellness.

And undocumented use of the goji berry extends back even longer than the 1,900 years of recorded medical history. Chinese legends tell of the first emperor of China who was reputed to have eaten the fruit daily because he believed it kept him well and free from sickness.

The goji berry has become central to many cultures throughout Asia, especially in China, and has a reputation as a healthy food with powerful natural abilities in the human body. Asians believe it can purge the body of illness, and doctors attest that they have seen regular consumption of the berry improve the health of their patients and cure various forms of sickness. As a result, the Chinese have even adopted the goji berry into many of their social events, including a special celebration meant to honor the fruit. And the goji berry has become popular in western cultures, too, where it is used as a health food. Likened to green tea, the goji berry has especially been favored by Hollywood celebrities, many of whom believe it may help them look younger longer.

Scientific Studies

Until recently the berry’s benefits were untested. Chinese medical authorities regularly used the berry and claimed to have scientific proof of its effects on the human body, but none of them were deemed accurate enough by western medical authorities.

Early in 2008, however, new studies were conducted using an approved scientific format to document the effect of a goji product in the body. The product was GoChi Juice, a health drink made from the goji berry. Clinical trials were conducted on people of all ages using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled format. Subjects were studied and their progress measured at 14 and 30 days of using the product after consuming 4 oz. of the product daily. After 14 days of use, those who drank the juice experienced:

* Sharper mental acuity
* Better quality sleep
* Easier ability to wake up
* Feeling healthier and more content
* Improved regularity
* Improved athletic performance
* Increased energy
* Reduced stress
* Increased ability to focus

After 30 days, those who drank the goji juice were also shown to have improved immune system functioning and natural antioxidant production. The placebo group showed no significant improvements in either function. These results were so ground-breaking, after being peer reviewed, the study was featured in the Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine.

Currently, China is the only country that farms the berry commercially. Though it’s is sold in many forms, the berry is most commonly marketed as a juice. Dried berries are also available. While the berries are much less expensive, they don’t contain all the nutrients found in the juice.

Gain Weight the Healthy Way

Nowadays it seems like everyone is looking for a solution to weight loss. But if you’re reading this health article, you might actually be looking for a solution to the opposite problem: You want to know how to gain weight and build muscle in a healthy manner without having to resort to harmful drugs or expensive weight gain supplements that don’t work.

In a nutshell, weight gain can be achieved with the combination of good nutrition and a consistent weight training program. When it comes to nutrition, it’s essential to have a combination of protein, carbohydrates, and good fats if you want to add weight. Proteins are necessary, because they repair and rebuild muscles after a workout. The average person should take in 1/2 gram of protein per pound of body weight to be healthy. But if you want to gain weight, you should consume about 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. Red meat, eggs, fish, poultry are great sources of protein that also provide important amino acids that aid in healthy weight gain.

And don’t leave out the carbohydrates, which the body stores in the muscle tissues and liver in the form of glucose. When your body needs energy, it turns to these stored carbs for fuel. If you don’t have enough carbohydrates, your body will convert protein into carbohydrates to get energy, thereby robbing your body of the proteins it needs to help you gain weight.

Carbohydrates are comprised of three types: simple, complex and dietary fiber. Simple carbohydrates can be obtained from sources like fruit juices; complex carbohydrates come from potatoes, oats, brown rice, whole grains and pasta; and dietary fiber comes from vegetables such as sweet corn, black beans and broccoli, among many others. The best approach is to get your calories from eating raw foods, but this is not always possible for people who have trouble gaining weight. For them, meal replacements can be important tools.

To implement a weight gain program, it’s imperative that you eat several smaller meals a day rather than three larger meals. Why is this important? Because as the frequency of meals increases, so will nutrient absorption rates. More frequent nutrient delivery also means your body will be in a better position to regulate insulin levels, which factor into weight gain. The problem is that if you’re like most people, you probably don’t have time to prepare six meals a day. Meal replacements, which are commonly referred to as as MRPs (meal replacement powders), can provide a solution.

As the name suggests, MRPs are supplements that replicate the effect of having eaten a meal. MRPs don’t do anything more than a good, healthy meal; they just make eating more convenient and portable. You might think MRPs would be a grim and tasteless option. But the good news is that as more people have used and become knowledgeable about them, they have forced nutrition companies to come up with palatable products that really work. Quality MRP brands like Prolab, EAS, Met-Rx and Optimum Nutrition not only taste good; they contain an assortment of vital proteins and vitamins. (That’s not always the case with MRPs you find in the grocery store, so buyer beware.) You don’t need a kitchen to prepare an MRP; all you need is water or juice and a shaker. It’s almost like having a personal chef who provides nutritional meals at your command, any time of the day.

There are a few things to consider before you head out to the store and buy your first can of MRP. By far the most important criteria is the taste. No matter how nutritious it is, if you don’t like how it tastes, it isn’t going to help you. Next are the upgrades. Beware of companies that add extra whey protein or glutamine because these are rip-offs.