Main > Health > The body > Brain > Multiple sclerosis
It's believed that the risk of contracting MS is decreased if, in childhood, one had plenty of vitamin D (e.g. lots of sunlight). However, among its main causes is genetic weakness of the immune system, so if none of your relatives have it, then it's unlikely you will.
kellyjones00 (593)
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Main > Health > The body > Brain > Multiple sclerosis
Advice for first-degree relatives of people with MS: avoid viral infection, trauma, electrical injury, and chemical exposure. Plus the usual advice: good nutrition, adequate rest, low stress, normal body temperature, and good bladder hygiene.
Things that raise body temperature, like exposure to sun, hot baths and showers, extreme physical activity, and fever are supposed to worsen MS symptoms.
Other advice: to use tai chi and swimming for muscular and mental control; develop strong bladder control; eat foods rich in anti-oxidants, and low in saturated fat.
kellyjones00 (593)
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Main > Health > The body > Skin
Chilblains: This happens to people in cold climates who don't have good blood circulation. The cold constricts small arteries and veins in the skin, and these cannot resize fast enough when the skin is rapidly heated, like taking a hot shower, which forces blood to break into surrounding tissue. Hence the symptoms: swelling, redness, and pain (we itch to block out the pain). To avoid them, don't shift from very cold to very hot suddenly, and exercise a bit more.
kellyjones00 (593)
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Main > Health > The body > Teeth
Veneers: Never get composite resin or porcelain veneers on your front teeth or other teeth if you are under 40 years old, unless you have very worn teeth that cause pain. They are an excuse for the dentist to make money.
myxlfidian (150)
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Main > Health > The body > Teeth
Laser dentistry: Be very careful. I recommend you do not use it as some dentists can keep turning up the sensitivity dial on it until too much of your teeth gets ground away.
myxlfidian (150)
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Main > Health > The body > Teeth
Electric toothbrushes (rubberised bristles): If you find that your electric toothbrush causes you a bit of pain, switch to rubberised bristle heads. They are probably 6 or 7 times softer and cause no pain at all.
Electric toothbrushes will save you untold amounts of money on cavities as they have hundreds more strokes than a manual toothbrush.
myxlfidian (150)
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Main > Health > The body > Teeth
Food trap: If you have an area between two teeth that gets food caught in it all the time, get it fixed immediately. It can be fixed by a good dentist, and lasts years thereafter. It may be expensive though as it usually involves rebuilding a worn filling.
myxlfidian (150)
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Main > Health > The body > Teeth
Teeth cleaning: It does whiten your teeth and is recommended every six months. Make sure the dentist uses an expensive head. It might not take long but if they use the cheaper heads on the cleaning apparatus, it won't clean as well. Teeth bleaching is far riskier as it involves chemicals.
myxlfidian (150)
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Main > Health > The body > Teeth
Teeth colour: Teeth are not naturally white, but their normal colour is a shade of yellow. If the majority of people have their teeth artificially whitened this will make normal people's teeth look discoloured. So your "gain" will be other people's loss. Dentists want you to feel unhappy with your natural teeth so that they can get even richer than they already are, at your expense.
Kevin Solway (173)
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Main > Health > The body > Skin
Apply antiseptic to cuts and scratches made by rusty items, and renew tetanus vaccination every ten years. It is not rust that causes tetanus infection, but that rusty items are, like tetanus endospores, usually found outdoors. The endospores start to metabolise in anaerobic conditions such as a wound.
kellyjones00 (593)
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Main > Health > The body > Brain > Stroke
Minor strokes are the warning signs for major ones, and include symptoms like:
* A numb or weak feeling in the face, arm or leg;
* Trouble speaking or understanding;
* Unexplained dizziness;
* Blurred or poor vision in one or both eyes;
* Loss of balance or an unexplained fall;
* Difficulty swallowing.
* Headache (usually severe or of abrupt onset) or unexplained change in the pattern of headaches.
* Confusion.
* Unconsciousness.
kellyjones00 (593)
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Main > Health > The body > Brain > Multiple sclerosis
Early symptoms of MS:
muscle weakness, difficulty walking
muscle tightness, spasticity
loss of balance
numbness, 'pins and needles'
double or blurry vision, visual tremors
memory loss, cognitive problems (e.g. can't add numbers), depression, emotional incontinence
The latter are possibly psychological reactions to the illness.
kellyjones00 (593)
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Main > Health > The body > Skin
Tips for those who get chilblains:
- Avoid long periods of exposure to cold or damp weather.
- Dry skin well after wetting.
- Improve peripheral circulation to fingers and toes with daily exercise, especially in cold evenings.
- Keep whole body warm, with layers instead of one bulky layer. Wear woollen socks and gloves, that are comfortable and don't compress the skin.
- Don't apply heat or cold directly to skin.
- Don't scratch or rub sores, as this slows healing. Use witch hazel or calamine lotion to soothe itching. Try lanoline rubbed into skin to help retain body heat.
kellyjones00 (593)
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