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How does your Skin Change during Menopause?
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Sarah Moore
By Sarah MooreJun 9 2023
Reviewed by Lily Ramsey, LLM
Dryness and Itching
Delicate skin
Acne
Flushing
Facial hair
Melasma
Facial changes
References
Further reading

Menopause marks the end of a woman’s reproductive years. It is a transitionary period when her periods stop, caused by a gradual loss in ovarian follicular function alongside a decline in estrogen levels. For many women, menopause is accompanied by a number of symptoms of ranging severity that can impact many aspects of life. Scientists recently totaled the number of menopause symptoms to 48, although not all women will experience all of these.

It is estimated that almost half of women experience skin issues during menopause. Reduced production of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, and increased production of cortisol during this period are responsible for the inevitable skin changes that women face. For some, however, these changes can be more significant or challenging.

Skin and Hair Changes During Menopause
Dryness and itching
One of the most common skin changes brought on by menopause is dry and itching skin. This is caused by the drop in estrogen that occurs in menopause. Estrogen acts as one of the skin’s natural hydration boosters as it facilitates the production of ceramides, natural hyaluronic acid, and sebum. In the absence of these substances, water easily evaporates from the skin, leaving it dry. Dry skin can then become irritated, causing itching.

Experts recommend that dryness and itching during menopause can be mitigated by avoiding products with soap, as soap dries the skin. They also recommend applying moisturizer to help the skin hold onto moisture.

Itching skin can also be an indicator of other problems such as iron deficiency and thyroid problems, for this reason, women are recommended to discuss these symptoms with their healthcare professional.

Delicate skin
Reduced levels of estrogen can also cause the skin to become more fragile. Estrogen is required for collagen production, the protein that gives skin its elasticity and firmness. During the first five years of menopause, skin loses roughly 30% of its collagen, followed by a more gradual decline in the years that follow. While this can cause the skin to lose its look of plumpness and increases the appearance of wrinkles, it also makes skin more vulnerable to bruising. Collagen also plays an important role in wound healing, with less collagen, skin can take longer to heal.

The effect of reduced collagen levels can be addressed with hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which replaces the lost estrogen, however, not everyone is suitable for HRT. Women with a history of breast, ovarian or womb cancer, a history of blood clots, untreated high blood pressure, or liver disease may not be suitable for HRT.

Acne
While acne is associated with adolescence, it is increasingly being recognized as a condition that impacts people throughout life, including during menopause. While the cause of menopausal acne is multifactorial, hormonal imbalances have the most responsibility for these kinds of breakouts.

Often, women who had flare-ups of acne during adolescence can experience similar flare-ups during menopause. While estrogen replacement can be used to tackle hormone imbalances, some women continue to have acne following this treatment. More research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms underlying menopausal acne.

Flushing
Hot flushes are one of the most common symptoms of menopause, almost all women experience flushes in this period. Menopause also seems to increase a woman’s likeliness of suffering from rosacea, in which the blood vessels in the skin become very reactive.

The redness caused by flushes and rosacea can be reduced with changes to lifestyle. Avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and spicy food, and using SPF can improve skin redness. Other techniques, such as creams or lasers are sometimes used to tackle rosacea.

Image Credit: SpeedKingz/Shutterstock.comImage Credit: SpeedKingz/Shutterstock.com

Facial hair
The growth of new, thicker facial hair is fairly common in women of menopausal age. One study from that around 40% of women aged 45 and over reported the growth of excess facial hair, particularly on the chin. The drop in estrogen that happens during menopause changes the balance of estrogen vs testosterone, this relative increase in testosterone can cause course facial hair to grow on the upper lip, chin, cheeks and jawline.

Melasma
During menopause, signs of sun damage can become more salient. The skin can become more pigmented, often on the cheeks, upper lip and forehead, this pigmentation is known as melasma. Women with particular sun damage may experience an irregular skin tone and sun spots.

Facial changes
Finally, menopause can be a time when women find their appearance changes. The loss of bone density (which also affects the facial bones), and drop in collagen that occurs during menopause and beyond can alter the facial appearance. This can be a challenging process to endure.

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The changing hormone levels that are the hallmark of menopause also impact a woman’s mental health. An estimated 70% of women experience some type of mental health impact at the time of menopause. Changes to the skin can be a source of distress, some women find it contributes to a loss of confidence and self-esteem.

Increasing research into the 48 symptoms of menopause is vital to ensure that we have the expertise necessary to support women’s health during this time.

References:
Menopause [online]. World Health Organization. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/menopause #:~:text=Most%20women%20experience%20menopause%20between,changes%20in%20the%20menstrual%20cycle. (Accessed May 2023)
Get to know the 48 symptoms [online]. GenM. Available at: https://gen-m.com/symptoms/48-symptoms/ (Accessed May 2023)
Khunger, N. and Mehrotra, K. (2019) ‘menopausal acne – challenges and solutions’, International Journal of Women’s Health, Volume 11, pp. 555–567. doi:10.2147/ijwh.s174292.
Let’s talk about: menopause and mental health [online]. Livi. Available at: https://www.livi.co.uk/your-health/lets-talk-about-menopause-and-mental-health/ (Accessed May 2023)

'Red meat, sugar may cause colore**al cancer in young people'
A representational image of an infected intestine. — Unsplash/File
A representational image of an infected intestine. — Unsplash/File
Researchers in their new study suggested that people may develop colore**al cancer at a younger age by consuming red meat and sugar, as they found differences in protein breakdown.

Colore**al cancer is increasing among people of young age and according to an estimate, it is to become a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in people aged 20 to 49 in the US by the year 2030.

The new study has underlined the dietary and environmental exposures that could cause cancer however, the experts could not identify the main driving cause behind it.

Dr Suneel Kamath with Cleveland Clinic and the senior author of a new study said: "As far as the cause is concerned, we really know very little about that so far."

In the study, two groups of people were compared; one was young and suffered from colore**al cancer and the other developed the cancer at a more average age.

The researchers found that those who were younger than 50 years with colore**al cancer had lower levels of citrate — a substance that is made when the body converts food into energy.

Researchers noted that they also "found differences in the breakdowns of protein and carbohydrates, which they say could suggest that red meat and sugar intake may be linked to getting colore**al cancer at a younger age."

Kamath remarked that the key takeaway is to modify your diet.

"The things we know we should be doing, increasing leafy green vegetables, limiting sugar, limiting processed foods, limiting red meat, and getting more of our protein from lean meats or poultry or beans, lentils," he said.

The symptoms of colore**al cancer are re**al bleeding or blood in the stool, cramping or abdominal pain, weakness, fatigue, and weight loss.

"Unfortunately, there’s a narrative out there in both the medical community and the general public that you can be too young to have cancer, and I want people to know that, unfortunately, that isn't the case," Kamath said.

Researchers said they hope this study paves the way for future research to further understand the causes of this disease and to hopefully be able to create better therapies for those young adults who are diagnosed with it.

The 15 Best Foods to Eat Before Drinking Alcohol
Before drinking, you may want to eat foods high in protein, electrolytes, and other key nutrients.

What you eat before drinking alcohol can have a huge impact on how you feel at the end of the night — and the next morning.

In fact, picking the right foods before you indulge in an alcoholic beverage or two can help control hunger, balance electrolytes, and decrease some of the adverse effects associated with alcohol.

Conversely, selecting other foods can end up causing bloating, dehydration, heartburn, and indigestion.

Here are the 15 best foods to eat before drinking.

Doodiebearz/Envato Elements
1. Eggs
Eggs are highly nutritious and filling, packing 6 grams (g) of protein per egg (1Trusted Source).

Snacking on protein-rich foods like eggs before drinking alcohol can help slow the emptying of your stomach and delay alcohol absorption (2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source).

Plus, protein is the most filling macronutrient, keeping you feeling fuller for longer, which can reduce your risk of alcohol-induced food binges later in the night (4Trusted Source).

Since alcohol lowers inhibitions and has been shown to enhance appetite, choosing a filling meal before a night of drinking may be a smart way to minimize cravings later on (5Trusted Source).

You can enjoy eggs in many ways. Prepare them scrambled, hard-boiled, or mixed with your choice of veggies for a nutritious, fiber-filled omelet.

2. Oats
Oats double as a great source of fiber and protein, both of which support feelings of fullness and ease the effects of alcohol (6Trusted Source, 7Trusted Source).

In fact, a 1/2-cup (40-g) serving of uncooked oats supplies nearly 5 g of protein and 4 g of fiber, plus decent amounts of magnesium, selenium, and iron (7Trusted Source).

In addition to its stellar nutritional value, one older study found that oats could benefit liver health by improving liver function. In animal studies, it has also been shown to protect against alcohol-induced liver damage (8Trusted Source, 9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source).

Besides oatmeal, oats work well in baked goods, granola bars, and smoothies. They can even be blended and used as a base for pizza crusts, veggie patties, or flatbreads, which are perfect choices for pre-drinking snacks.

3. Bananas
Packing in 4 g of fiber per large fruit, bananas are an excellent, portable snack to have on hand before drinking to help slow alcohol absorption into your bloodstream (11Trusted Source).

Plus, they’re high in potassium, which may prevent electrolyte imbalances associated with drinking alcohol (11Trusted Source, 12Trusted Source).

Because they’re made up of nearly 75% water, bananas can also help keep you hydrated (11Trusted Source).

Bananas are a healthy, convenient snack all on their own but can also be topped with peanut butter or added to smoothies, fruit salads, oatmeal, or yogurt for a power-packed treat.

4. Salmon
Salmon is one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential fatty acids associated with a multitude of health benefits (12Trusted Source, 13Trusted Source).

Some animal research suggests that omega-3 fatty acids could help reduce some of the harmful effects of alcohol, including inflammation in the brain caused by binge drinking (14Trusted Source).

Salmon is also high in protein, supplying a whopping 22 g in each 3-ounce (oz), or 85-g, cooked serving, which may help slow the absorption of alcohol (15Trusted Source).

One of the simplest ways to prepare salmon is by roasting it. Place salmon in a baking dish with the skin down and season with salt, pepper, and your choice of spices.

Simply bake at 400°F (200°C) for around 10–15 minutes, then pair with your choice of vegetables and enjoy as a healthy meal.

5. Greek yogurt
Offering a good balance of protein, fat, and carbs, unsweetened Greek yogurt is one of the best foods you can eat before a night of drinking (16Trusted Source).

Protein is especially key, as it’s digested slowly and can minimize the effects of alcohol on your body by slowing its absorption (2Trusted Source).

It can also help keep you full all night long to prevent hunger and cravings fueled by alcohol (17Trusted Source, 18Trusted Source).

Try topping unsweetened Greek yogurt with fruit, nuts, and seeds for an easy, filling, and delicious snack before drinking.

Malaria during pregnancy is a major public health concern and an important contributor to maternal and infant morbidity and mortality in malaria-endemic countries.1 Pregnant women are particularly susceptible to malaria, and in low-transmission settings they have a greater risk of severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria. P. falciparum–infected red cells sequester in the placenta, disrupting nutritional exchange between mother and fetus and causing intrauterine growth retardation. Malaria is associated with an increased risk of abortion, stillbirth, and low birth weight.2

The World Health Organization (WHO) now recommends that all women in the second or third trimester of pregnancy who have uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria should be treated with artemisinin-based combination therapy.3 The short-acting but potent artemisinin component (i.e., artemether, artesunate, or dihydroartemisinin) reduces the number of parasites substantially during the first 3 days of treatment. The longer-acting partner drug (i.e., lumefantrine, piperaquine, amodiaquine, or mefloquine) eliminates the remaining parasites, thereby preventing recrudescent malaria. The longer-acting partner drug is also responsible for the post-treatment prophylactic effect, which prevents new infections while drug concentrations in blood exceed the minimum inhibitory concentration of the parasite. Thus, the duration of post-treatment prophylactic effect is a consequence of the potency and the elimination half-life of the drug. The same mechanism of action is used in intermittent preventive treatment, in which repeated curative antimalarial treatments eliminate potential asymptomatic infections and also prevent new infections. However, artemisinin-based combination therapy is not currently recommended for intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy. The current recommendation from the WHO is for all women in malaria-endemic areas in Africa to receive intermittent preventive treatment with sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine as part of their antenatal care.3 Unfortunately, the effectiveness of sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine is challenged by widespread drug resistance in many areas.

However, information on the safety, efficacy, and pharmacokinetics of artemisinin-based combination therapies in pregnant women is limited. Two articles in this issue of the Journal, by the PREGACT Study Group4 and Kakuru et al.,5 present new findings to support the use of artemisinin-based combination therapy in both the prevention and the treatment of uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria in pregnancy.

In the PREGACT trial, involving 3428 pregnant women with uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria in four African countries (Burkina Faso, Ghana, Malawi, and Zambia), cure rates of 94.8 to 99.2% were achieved after treatment with four different antimalarial drug combinations (artemether–lumefantrine, amodiaquine–artesunate, mefloquine–artesunate, and dihydroartemisinin–piperaquine). These data provide needed evidence that artemisinin-based combination therapies are effective in pregnant women with malaria in Africa, without evident safety concerns. Drug-related adverse events in mothers were transient and relatively mild in all treatment groups. Two combinations, dihydroartemisinin–piperaquine and artemether–lumefantrine, had better safety and side-effect profiles. The rates of placental malaria infection were similar among the treatment groups, and approximately 15% of delivered babies had low birth weight. As expected, a substantially shorter post-treatment prophylactic effect was seen in the artemether–lumefantrine group because of the relatively shorter elimination half-life of lumefantrine6 as compared with the other partner drugs.7 This may be of particular importance in high-transmission settings, where a prolonged post-treatment prophylactic effect should reduce the overall morbidity due to malaria by reducing the frequency of new infections. Among the four drug combinations studied, dihydroartemisinin–piperaquine had the best efficacy and an acceptable safety profile, with an additional benefit of a longer post-treatment prophylactic effect, which supports its suitability as a chemoprophylaxis or chemoprevention agent.

The trial conducted by Kakuru et al. demonstrates the safety and efficacy of dihydroartemisinin–piperaquine as intermittent preventive treatment for malaria in pregnant women in Uganda. A total of 300 pregnant women received either three treatments of sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine, three treatments of dihydroartemisinin–piperaquine, or monthly treatment with dihydroartemisinin–piperaquine during pregnancy. The prevalence of histopathologically confirmed placental malaria was significantly higher after sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine treatment (50%) than it was after three treatments of dihydroartemisinin–piperaquine (34%) or after monthly treatment with dihydroartemisinin–piperaquine (27%). The rate of adverse birth outcomes after monthly dihydroartemisinin–piperaquine treatment was half of that seen in the other treatment groups, which shows the benefit of effective prevention of malaria during pregnancy. Similarly, the incidence of symptomatic malaria and the prevalence of parasitemia among pregnant women were substantially higher in the sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine group than in either dihydroartemisinin–piperaquine group; the difference between the sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine group and the monthly dihydroartemisinin–piperaquine group was especially pronounced.

These studies indicate the effectiveness in pregnancy of artemisinin-based combination therapy for the treatment of uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria and the effectiveness of dihydroartemisinin–piperaquine for the prevention of malaria, without evident safety concerns. However, the most effective dosing of artemisinin-based combination therapies in pregnant women is still debated; studies have shown substantially lower drug concentrations of artemisinin7 and partner drugs6 in pregnant women than in nonpregnant women. Prospective pharmacokinetic studies involving pregnant women and nonpregnant controls are needed to characterize the pharmacologic properties of these antimalarial drugs in order to improve treatment. New drugs in development are still several years away from clinical use, and evidence-based dosing of currently available antimalarial drugs might increase their therapeutic lifespan by reducing the risk of treatment failures and the development of resistance. This might be particularly important in Southeast Asia, where acquired immunity is lower and resistance to artemisinin and its partner drugs is emerging and spreading.8,9

Prevention and Treatment of Arrhythmia
doctors having a meeting

Do you need treatment?
Most arrhythmias are considered harmless and are left untreated. Once your health care professional has documented that you have an arrhythmia, they will need to find out whether it's abnormal or merely reflects the heart's normal processes. He or she will also determine whether your arrhythmia is clinically significant – that is, whether it causes symptoms or puts you at risk for more serious arrhythmias or complications of arrhythmias in the future. If your arrhythmia is abnormal and clinically significant, a treatment plan will be developed. View an animation of arrhythmia.

Treatment goals

Prevent blood clots from forming to reduce stroke risk, especially for people with AFib.
Control your heart rate within a relatively normal range.
Restore a normal heart rhythm, if possible.
Treat heart disease/condition that may be causing arrhythmia.
Reduce other risk factors for heart disease and stroke.
Living with Arrhythmias
Taking medications

Take all medications exactly as prescribed.
Never stop taking any prescription medication without consulting your health care professional.
Tell your health care professional about any side effects you have.
Tell your health care professional about all your other drugs and supplements, including over-the-counter medications and vitamins. Download our printable medication log (PDF).
Monitor your pulse

You should know how to take your pulse – especially if you have an artificial pacemaker.

Put the second and third fingers of one hand on the inside of the wrist of the other hand, just below the thumb OR on the side of your neck, just below the corner of your jaw.
Feel for the pulse.
Count the number of beats in one full minute.
Keep a record of your pulse along with the day and time taken and notes about how you felt at the time. Use our blood pressure/pulse tracker (PDF).
Certain substances can contribute to an abnormal heartbeat, such as:

Smoking
Long-term excessive alcohol consumption
Psychotropic drugs (used to treat certain mental illnesses)
Antiarrhythmic agents (The same drugs used to treat arrhythmia can also cause arrhythmia. Your health care team will monitor you carefully if you're taking antiarrhythmic medication.)
Beta blockers for high blood pressure
Illegal drugs such as co***ne, ma*****na and methamphetamines
If you're being treated for arrhythmia and use any of these substances, be sure to discuss this with your health care professional.

Manage your risk factors

Having certain arrhythmias increases your risk of heart attack, cardiac arrest and stroke. Work with your health care team and follow their instructions to control other risk factors:

Reduce high blood pressure
Control cholesterol levels
Lose excess weight
Eat a heart-healthy diet
Avoid to***co smoke and va**ng
Enjoy regular physical activity
Take it one day at a time

The best thing you can do is to follow your treatment plan and take things one day at a time. Sometimes you may feel that you don't get the support you need and that the people around you aren't very understanding. That's common because others don't easily see your symptoms. It's hard for them to understand that you might be struggling to function normally. Help others to understand by educating them about your condition and by asking for support to help follow your treatment program.