Vitamin D-3 is a fat-soluble vitamin responsible for maintaining the calcium balance in your body. Most of the vitamin D your body needs is synthesized endogenously in your skin on exposure to UV rays in sunlight. However, your physician may...
Urinary tract infection (UTI) is defined as the presence of bacteria in the urine along with symptoms of infection like frequent and painful urination, abdominal pain, fever, vomiting and back pain. According to the information published by the...
Understanding what high blood pressure means will help you determine what you need to do to be healthy, the American Heart Association indicates. Maintaining a diet low in salt will help lower your blood pressure significantly. Diet and exercise...
A diagnosis of chronic renal failure, also called chronic kidney disease, means that the kidneys---paired organs that help rid the body of toxins and waste---are gradually losing the ability to function. Treatment may involve dialysis treatments...
If you have kidneys that aren't functioning properly due to end-stage renal disease and are receiving dialysis, your body is not processing nutrients normally. Following a diet specific to your condition can help. Two kinds of dialysis procedures...
Multiple myeloma is a tumor of your plasma cells, the white blood cells that make antibodies. The tumor starts in your bone marrow, where blood cells are formed, then spreads out and destroys your bone. According to Charles Linker, M.D., Director...
Hypertension is the fourth most prevalent chronic medical condition in the United States. According to "Tintinalli's Emergency Medicine," up to 24 percent of the adult population and 32 percent of African Americans are affected. Many patients...
Calcium is essential to the normal function of a number of the body’s most important systems. Without sufficient vitamin D, the body can’t absorb the dietary calcium it is given. Calcium deficiency does not always equal vitamin D...
Creatinine is a by-product of creatine, a supplier of energy to muscles. It is the chemical waste product that is produced from normal muscle contractions and released into the blood, then passes through the kidneys to be filtered and eliminated...
Multiple myeloma is a type of cancer that begins in a type of white blood cell called plasma cells; these cells begin reproducing rapidly and interfering with the production of normal blood cells, according to the University of Texas MD Anderson...
The most abundant nutrient in the body is calcium, which composes the majority of bone tissue. The body also requires calcium to release hormones, maintain proper neurological and nervous function and contract muscles. High levels of calcium in...
Hyperuricemia is a condition characterized by high uric acid in the blood. Hyperuricemia can be asymptomatic, but can also result in gout and be a sign of other chronic conditions. A hyperuricemia diet limits foods high in purines because uric...
Renal is another word for kidney, so renal failure is when the kidneys stop functioning. The kidneys help to filter the blood. They regulate levels of minerals in the blood, the blood volume and acidity, the blood pressure, expel toxins, signal...
Heat stroke is an emergent and life-threatening form of heat illness. According to "Sheehy's Emergency Nursing Principles and Practice," mortality as high as 70 percent is directly related to the speed and effectiveness of diagnosis and treatment....
Cranberries, which are native to North America, have been used since pre-Colombian times as both food and medicine. Native Americans introduced the earliest European settlers to the berries, and the first commercial fields were planted in the...
They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away. If you suffer from high blood pressure or elevated cholesterol, it just might. Apples are naturally high in potassium and low in sodium. Because sodium increases blood pressure and potassium blunts...
Persistent itching can be a stubbornly distressing symptom. Many skin and systemic disorders can precipitate itching, which is caused by stimulation of specialized nerve fibers found only in the skin. Although the precise mechanisms by which...
Fatigue is a common symptom in many illnesses and daily routines. It becomes a concern when it is not relieved by rest, good nutrition and a reduction in the stress level. A sudden onset of extreme fatigue from an unknown cause indicates the need...
After a diagnosis of renal disease, you must change your diet to account for the problems with your kidneys. In chronic kidney disease, the kidneys are unable to manage effectively potassium, phosphorus and sodium. Your kidneys are also unable to...
When your body metabolizes fructose, it does so in a way different from how it breaks down other sugars. The result is an increase in the chemical uric acid, which could have serious health consequences at high levels that could include obesity,...
Blood clots can be dangerous, so an accurate diagnosis is vital to preventing future health problems. Since blood clots may have few or mild symptoms, any suspicious symptoms should be brought to the attention of a doctor just in case. Blood...
Diabetes is growing at alarming rates in the United States, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics. To manage their condition, diabetics need to eat a nutritious diet while keeping portion sizes in check. Diabetics must...
