Food and Health

What Every Woman Should Know About Endometrial Cancer

Endometrial cancer is a type of uterine cancer that starts in the inner lining of the uterus. This lining is called the endometrium.

If you have endometrial cancer, early diagnosis and treatment increases your chances of remission.

Symptoms of Endometrial Cancer

The most common symptom of endometrial cancer is abnormal vaginal bleeding. This can include changes in the length or heaviness of menstrual periods, vaginal bleeding or spotting between menstrual periods or vaginal bleeding after menopause.

Other potential symptoms of endometrial cancer are watery or blood-tinged vaginal discharge, pain in the lower abdomen or pelvis and pain during sex.

If you experience any of these symptoms, make an appointment with your doctor. These symptoms aren’t necessarily a sign of serious condition, but it’s important to get them checked out.

Abnormal vaginal bleeding is often caused by menopause or other non-cancerous conditions. However, in some cases, it’s a sign of endometrial cancer or other types of gynecological cancer.

Your doctor can help you identify the cause of your symptoms and recommend appropriate treatment, if needed.

Stages of Endometrial Cancer

Over time, endometrial cancer can potentially spread from the uterus to other parts of the body.

The cancer is classified into four stages based on how much it has grown or spread:

Stage 1: The cancer is only present in the uterus.

Stage 2: The cancer is present in the uterus and cervix.

Stage 3: The cancer has spread outside the uterus, but not as far as the rectum or bladder. It might be present in the fallopian tubes, ovaries, vagina and/or nearby lymph nodes.

Stage 4: The cancer has spread beyond the pelvic area. It might be present in the bladder, rectum, and/or distant tissues and organs.

When a person is diagnosed with endometrial cancer, the stage of the cancer affects what treatment options are available and the long-term outlook. This type of cancer is easier to treat in the early stages of the condition.

Causes of Endometrial Cancer

In most cases, the exact cause of endometrial cancer is unknown. However, experts believe that changes in the level of estrogen and progesterone in the body often play a part.

When the levels of those sex hormones fluctuate, it affects your endometrium. When the balance shifts towards increased levels of estrogen, it causes endometrial cells to divide and multiply.

If certain genetic changes occur in endometrial cells, they become cancer. Those cancer cells rapidly grow and proliferate to form a tumor.

Scientists are still studying the changes that cause normal endometrial cells to become cancer cells.

How Endometrial Cancer is Diagnosed

If you develop symptoms that might be endometrial cancer, make an appointment with your gynecologist. A gynecologist is a special type of doctor that focuses on the female reproductive system.

Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and medical history. They will perform a pelvic exam to look and feel for abnormalities in your uterus and other reproductive organs. To check for tumors or other abnormalities, they may order a transvaginal ultrasound exam.

An ultrasound exam is a type of imaging test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the inside of your body. To perform a transvaginal ultrasound, your doctor or other healthcare professional will insert an ultrasound probe into your vagina. This probe will transmit images onto a monitor.

If your doctor detects abnormalities during the ultrasound exam, they may order one or more of the following tests to collect a sample of tissue for testing:

Endometrial Biopsy: In this test, your doctor inserts a thin flexible tube through your cervix into your uterus. They apply suction to remove a small piece of tissue from your endometrium through the tube.

Hysteroscopy: In this procedure, your doctor inserts a thin flexible tube with a fiber-optic camera through your cervix into your uterus. They use this endoscope to visually examine your endometrium and biopsy samples of abnormalities.

Dilation and curettage (D&C): If the results of a biopsy are unclear, your doctor might collect another sample of endometrial tissue using D&C. To do so, they dilate your cervix and use a special tool to scrape tissue from your endometrium.

After collecting a sample of tissue from your endometrium, your doctor will send it to a laboratory for testing. A laboratory professional will examine the sample under a microscope to learn if it contains cancer cells.

Treatment

Treatment options may include one or more of the following: surgery, radiation, hormone therapy and chemotherapy.

Treatment depends on the uterine cancer stage, your age, and general health with uterine cancer stage IV as the most extensive and usually caused by the most aggressive type of cancer cells. You and your doctors can decide what treatment plan is best for you.

Surgical therapy usually involves removal of the uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, adjacent lymph nodes and part of the vagina.

Radiation therapy may be by external radiation or by internal radiation (brachytherapy).

Chemotherapy usually requires IV administration of drugs designed to kill cancer cells. Most chemotherapy treatments need to be done in repeated cycles of drug administration followed by a rest period.

Hormone therapy (usually progesterone) is used on uterine cancer cells that require another hormone (estrogen) for growth

Food and Health

Side Effects Of Morning After Pills You Need To Know

The morning after pill may prevent unwanted pregnancy, but it can also cause some side effects like an irregular period, fatigue, headaches, abdominal pain, dizziness, nausea and vomiting.

The main unpleasant side effects that the emergency contraceptive pill can cause are:

Nausea and vomiting;
Headache;
Fatigue;
Bleeding between periods;
Breast tenderness;
Abdominal pain;
Diarrhoea;
Irregular period, coming earlier or later than usual.

What to do

Some side effects can be treated, or even avoided, as follows:

Nausea and vomiting

Food should be eaten as soon as the pill is taken, to reduce the urge to vomit. If nausea occurs, a home remedy may be prepared and taken, such as ginger or clove tea with cinnamon, or antiemetic medication.

Headache and abdominal pain

If the pill causes side effects like headaches or abdominal pain, painkillers such as paracetamol or dipyrone are recommended.

Breast tenderness

To relieve breast pain, apply warm compresses or take a warm bath, massaging the breast area

Diarrhoea

In case of diarrhoea, drink plenty of fluids and avoid greasy foods, eggs, milk and alcohol, giving preference to black, chamomile or guava leaf tea.

Food and Health

Home Remedies To Get Rid Of A Stubborn Cough At Home

A dry cough is also called an unproductive cough. Unlike productive, wet coughs, dry coughs are unable to remove mucus, phlegm, or irritants from your lungs or nasal passages.

Dry coughs can linger for weeks after you’ve had a cold or the flu. They may also be caused by a number of conditions, such as:

postnasal drip
asthma
acid reflux or GERD

They may also be a long-lasting side effect from exposure to environmental toxins, such as cigarette smoke.

Dry coughs can be very uncomfortable and may occur in both children and adults. While there are a number of clinical treatments you can use to alleviate them, there are also at-home remedies which can be just as effective in many cases.

Here are a few home remedies for a stubborn dry cough you can try.

Herbs and supplements

At-home remedies for dry cough aren’t one-size-fits-all. You may have to experiment with several before you find the ones that work for you.

In addition, not all of these remedies have been fully researched and proven to be effective. Some treatments are also inappropriate for babies or children.

Honey

For adults and children ages 1 and up, honey can be used to treat day and nighttime dry coughing.

Honey has antibacterial properties and can also help to coat the throat, alleviating irritation.

You can try taking honey by the teaspoon several times daily, or add it to tea or warm water to drink.

Turmeric

Turmeric contains curcumin, a compound which may have anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antibacterial properties. It may also be beneficial for several conditions, including a stubborn dry cough.

Curcumin is best absorbed into the blood stream when taken with black pepper. You can add 1 teaspoon of turmeric and 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper into a beverage, such as cold orange juice, to drink. You can also make it into a warm tea.

You can get turmeric in its spice-form, as well as a capsule.

Ginger

Ginger has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It has also been shown to boost the immune system and relieve pain and discomfort.

Ginger can be found in many teas as an ingredient. You can also make ginger tea from ginger root by steeping the peeled or cut root in warm water. Adding honey may make it even more beneficial for dry cough.

You can also take ginger in capsule form, or chew on ginger root to alleviate dry cough.

Peppermint

Peppermint contains menthol, which helps to numb nerve endings in the throat that become irritated by coughing. This may provide pain relief and reduce the urge to cough.

There are a number of ways to take peppermint. These include drinking peppermint tea or sucking on peppermint lozenges. Try drinking peppermint tea right before bed to help alleviate nighttime coughs.

Aromatherapy with eucalyptus

Aromatherapy is the practice of using essential oils to soothe and heal.

Eucalyptus essential oil may help ease dry cough by working as a decongestant. Try adding eucalyptus to a diffuser, spritzer, or inhaler. You can also add a few drops to hot water in a bowl and inhale the steam.

Scenting your room with eucalyptus may help you get a better night’s sleep if nighttime coughing has been keeping you awake.

Gargle with salt water

Gargling with warm salt water will help ease the discomfort and irritation caused by a dry cough. Salt water also helps kill bacteria in the mouth and throat.

To do this, dissolve 1 teaspoon of table salt in a large glass of warm water. Then gargle several times a day.

If you wake up with an irritated throat from coughing during the night, gargle with salt water immediately after brushing your teeth to help numb and soothe the nerve endings in your throat.

Food and Health

Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Always Have Honey At Home

Honey is filled with a lot of nutrients to keep you healthy and glowing. So, stay at home and make the best use of it.

You have no idea that your home is a hidden treasure of beneficial ingredients. From the kitchen to your refrigerator, there are a lot of ingredients present with you to help you in various ways.

Honey is one of them. You might treat it as a natural sweetener but it is way more useful than that.

Honey contains a lot of antioxidants and vital nutrients like calcium, iron, magnesium copper, potassium, manganese and zinc.

These all are great to boost up your diet, skin and health naturally. So folks, here we are going to talk about five amazing ways to use honey at home.

Here are the five ways you can use honey. From a healthy diet to skincare and health remedies, honey is the jack of all trades.

Reduces Acid Reflux

Honey contains anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agents that are great to boost your gastrointestinal system.

By keeping the bacterial interference at bay, it helps in digestion well. Honey can also help reduce acid reflux. Take 1 teaspoon of honey and mix it in a glass of lukewarm water.

Great For Skin And Hair

Honey has a lot of benefits for your skin and hair. It is not just a natural moisturiser but it is loaded with many skin benefits. To tackle dull, dry skin or acne, honey works wonderfully.

Whatever skin pack you use, adding a spoon of honey will prove to be beneficial. For the hair, it helps in reducing dandruff naturally. You can use 2 tablespoons of honey with 1 egg white to make a hair pack. Apply it on your scalp as a pre-wash hair mask.

A Better Substitute For Artificial Sugar

Honey is considered to be a better choice rather than refined sugar. Honey contains a lot of antioxidants which lowers the risk of cardiac issues as well as high blood pressure. To use it, you can have it with a cup of green tea regularly.

Reduces Sore Throat, Nausea And Cold

A common cold and sore throat remedy in most Indian households is honey. Its anti-bacterial properties can help reduce throat infection and cold. It is also known to curb nausea effectively. You just have to drink a solution of 1 tablespoon honey and ginger in water.

Reduces Hangover

What can be worse than a hangover? The sweetness present in honey helps the body to trigger its metabolism and prevent sudden changes in blood sugar level. Also, it minimises the side effects of alcohol consumption. You can drink a glass of honey water to tackle hangover.