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Iron in food: health effects, risks of deficiency and excess

By
The First Doc.
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Iron in food: health effects, risks of deficiency and excess + main sources

Iron is a vital mineral, and deficiency of iron is associated with fatigue, dizziness, headaches and poor concentration. Long-term low intake of this mineral can lead to the development of anaemia.

In the following article you will find out what iron is, how iron deficiency manifests itself and in which foods it is found most abundantly.

What is iron and what effect does it have on health

In Latin it is called Ferrum (Fe), in English the word iron is used, and it is responsible for many important functions in the human body. The optimal amount in the body is around 4 grams, which is not too much, yet many people suffer from a deficiency.

Iron is a component of of the blood pigment hemoglobin a muscle dye myoglobin and is essential for the transport of oxygen from the lungs to cells, tissues and muscles. It is found in many body organs and enzymes. Optimal levels of iron in the body are essential for heart and muscle function, tissue growth, blood formation and prevention of anemia, as well as immune system function.

Main effects of iron:

  • Supports the nervous system and the body’s defenses.
  • It improves concentration, memory, reduces exhaustion and adds natural color to the skin.
  • Helps transport oxygen from the lungs to all tissues.
  • Promotes growth.
  • It is important for respiration.
  • It plays an essential role in blood formation.
  • It has a significant effect on the proper function of the immune system.
  • It protects the body from the action of free radicals.
  • Helps maintain the quality of skin, hair and nails.
  • Furthermore, iron affects cognitive function, promotes concentration, is required for the activation of a variety of enzymes, and serves as a catalyst for various reactions.

Recommended daily intake of iron

The recommended daily intake depends on age, sex and body condition. Pregnant women, adolescent girls and boys, and menstruating women need increased iron intake.

Iron is extremely important for a child’s development and growth from birth. In the elderly, iron deficiency is usually associated with inadequate nutrition or more difficult mineral absorption in general.

The main source of minerals should always be a balanced and varied diet. Proper iron intake should be a priority:

  • women during menstruation,
  • expectant mothers,
  • postpartum women.

Recommended daily doses of iron:

AgeDZR
Within 12 months6,2 mg
Children 1 to 10 years3.9 to 5.9 mg
Girls 11 to 14 years old before menstruation9.3 mg
Girls 11 to 14 years after menstruation21.8 mg
Girls 15 to 17 years old20.7 mg
Pregnant and lactating women20 to 30 mg
Pre-menopausal women19.6 mg
Women during menopause7.5 mg
Boys 11 to 17 years old9.7 to 12.5 mg
Men 17 years and over9.1 mg

Recommended values for vegetarians:

Gender and ageDZR
Teenage girl26 mg
Adult female33 mg
Boys and men14 mg
iron in pregnancy
Pregnant and lactating women generally have a higher consumption of vitamins and minerals. This is also true for iron.

Health problems caused by iron deficiency

Iron deficiency is usually caused by inappropriate and poor dietary composition, adherence to strict and unilateral diets or fasting, but also by ill-considered adherence to vegetarian and vegan dietary rules. Women are more likely to suffer from lower iron levels during menstruation and pregnancy, when consumption of this mineral rises sharply.

The cause may also be higher blood loss due to heavier menstruation and diseases such as uterine tumors, hemorrhoids, kidney and urinary tract damage, stomach ulcers, etc.), or impaired iron absorption.

Occasional fluctuations do not matter, but long-term iron deficiency can have a detrimental effect on health. The first symptoms tend to be subtle at first and usually involve irritability, general fatigue and exhaustion as the blood is not sufficiently oxygenated and the body lacks energy.

The most common manifestations of iron deficiency are:

  • fatigue and exhaustion,
  • impaired ability to concentrate,
  • irritability,
  • nausea,
  • shortness of breath even without increased physical exertion,
  • tingling in the calves,
  • motor restlessness (restless legs syndrome),
  • breathing difficulties and dizziness, dizziness and headaches,
  • aphthae and cracked corners, sore mouth,
  • conspicuously pale skin, dry skin,
  • paleness of conjunctivae, gums and nail beds,
  • increased hair breakage and nail fraying,
  • whistling in the ears,
  • chills,
  • swelling of the lower and upper limbs,
  • unreasonable weight loss,
  • heavy and painful menstruation in women,
  • easier formation of bruises and petechiae,
  • anaemia (sideropenic anaemia = iron deficiency anaemia).

What does anemia mean

It is a reduced concentration of hemoglobin in the blood, impaired ability of the blood to deliver oxygen to the tissues, and impaired red blood cell production. It is manifested by fatigue, malaise, weakness, dizziness, impaired concentration, flatulence, weight loss, shortness of breath and chest pain on exertion, feelings of severe palpitations, paleness of the skin and mucous membranes, and other manifestations (see above).

Risks of iron overdose

Excessive intake can also cause health problems. Iron is deposited in the tissues and, if too much is taken over a long period of time, can lead to damage to the heart, liver or pancreas. The maximum daily intake of iron is 45 mg. There is a risk of overdose especially with inappropriate overuse of vitamin supplements.

Common manifestations of higher intake:

  • Heartburn,
  • nausea and vomiting,
  • diarrhea or constipation,
  • pressure in the abdomen,
  • depression,
  • joint pain,
  • development of neurodegenerative diseases.

Caution should be exercised against excessive use of dietary supplements containing iron, repeated blood transfusions, or consumption of large amounts of meat and other animal products.

Iron-rich foods

Iron is one of the essential nutrients that the body cannot produce on its own and therefore needs to be taken in food. However, it is not a rare mineral and is found in a wide variety of foods, both animal and plant.

The difference lies in the absorption of the mineral. Animal products contain heme iron, which has an absorption rate of 10 to 30%, and plant products non-heme iron with a lower absorption rate of about 5 to 10%. Iron from animal sources is therefore absorbed much better than from plant sources.

This is also the main reason why vegetarians and vegans are at risk of iron deficiency, and why they should emphasize the quality of sources and take dietary supplements with iron.

However, foods of plant origin have a much higher concentration of iron in them. In addition, fruits and vegetables also contain vitamin Cwhich is very important for iron absorption.

Iron deposition is also promoted by folic acid and copper. A complication is the combination of iron with calcium, fiber, and tannins found in tea and coffee. For this reason, it is not ideal to consume foods containing large amounts of iron, dairy products together and wash them down with coffee or tea.

The best sources of iron in food

  • Meat, offal and other animal products: Beef, lamb, chicken, rabbit, veal, beef, chicken and pork liver, eggs,
  • Fish: cod, tuna, salmon,
  • vegetables: Lettuces, spinach, arugula, field greens, kohlrabi, beets, broccoli, asparagus, cabbage, celery, leeks, lettuce,
  • fruit: Strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, grapes, blackberries, figs, avocados, apricots, cherries, sour cherries, blueberries, plums, pears, dates,
  • dried fruits: Apricots, plums, raisins, goji,
  • dried mushrooms
  • legumes: Lentils, beans, chickpeas, peas, soybeans,
  • cereals: Oatmeal, wheat bran, whole wheat and spelt flour, rye, barley, corn, rice,
  • nuts and seeds: Pistachios, cashews, almonds, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, pine nuts, coconut, pumpkin and sunflower seeds,
  • green foods: chlorella, spirulina and young barley,
  • Other: dark chocolate, yeast.

Table of selected foods containing iron:

FoodQuantity in 100 g
Dried porcini mushrooms6.9 mg
Dried yeast17.5 mg
Soy1,5 mg
Liver1.5 mg
Lentils1.5 mg
Poppy1.5 mg
Cocoa8 mg
Leek7,5 mg
Egg yolks7 mg
Pistachios6.8 mg
Sunflower seeds6.7 mg
Chickpea6 mg
Peas4.5 mg
Beef3 to 5 mg
Oatmeal3.8 mg
Spinach3.3 mg
Chicken meat1.8 to 3.2 mg
Raisins2.6 mg
Figs2.6 mg
Dark chocolate2.4 mg

DO YOU KNOW Red and purple colored foods contain higher amounts of iron? That is why it is recommended to eat, for example, strawberries, cherries, blackcurrants, beetroot, red cabbage, red potatoes or red meat when you are deficient in iron. Spinach is far from the best source of this mineral.

Sources of iron
An excellent source of iron is cherries, which are ripening right now.

Dietary supplements with iron

As long as your diet is varied enough and includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, good quality meats and healthy fats, you should have no problem getting the recommended amount of iron and other minerals daily.

But if you’ve been iron deficient for a long time or are expecting a baby, don’t shy away from quality supplements. A haematologist can help you choose the best one, by carrying out blood tests, assessing your current state of health and recommending the best way to supplement iron without worrying about your health or that of your baby.

Final summary: Iron is especially important for young girls, pregnant and breastfeeding women

What should you remember about iron?

  • It is essential for the formation of hemoglobin, myoglobin, and the activation of a variety of enzymes.
  • Iron from animal products is better absorbed than from plant materials.
  • For adequate intake, it is advisable to consume cereals, legumes, vegetables, fruits and meat.
  • Iron deficiency initially manifests itself only in fatigue, irritability and poorer ability to concentrate.
  • Excess iron cannot be eliminated by the body. Beware of taking dietary supplements and eating large amounts of animal products.
Read also:

The articles on this site are for information purposes only. The site administrators are not responsible for attempting to apply any recipe, advice or diet, nor do they guarantee that the information provided will help or harm you personally. Be cautious and always consult a doctor or nutritionist!

*All products recommended are selected by our editorial team. Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, you help us earn a small commission from the seller and thus support the writing of useful and quality articles.

Nutritional therapist advises: Is a gluten-free diet suitable for health (and weight loss) not only for celiacs?

By
The First Doc.
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0
Nutritional therapist advises: Is a gluten-free diet suitable for health (and weight loss) not only for celiacs?

A gluten-free diet, is a type of diet that eliminates gluten + the foods and products of which it is a part from the diet. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, spelt, barley, rye, oats and products and foods made from them.

The reason for the introduction of a gluten-free diet should be primarily a health effect/reason (celiac disease), however, gluten-free diets are very trendy nowadays for non-celiacs as well.

Is a gluten-free diet suitable for a more widespread recommendation?

First, the indication and characteristics of a gluten-free diet.

Celiac Disease

Gluten sensitivity, demonstrated by blood tests, is known as celiac disease. Celiac disease is a disease in which the body develops antibodies that attack the cells of the small intestine. The disease is characterized by an inflammatory process occurring in the mucosa of the small intestine.

Gluten intolerance may manifest symptoms such as:

  • Abdominal pain,
  • bloating,
  • diarrhea,
  • weight loss,
  • general physical malaise and non-specific rashes, but asymptomatic forms of intolerance and allergy are by no means exempt.

This means that even a person so affected may hardly notice anything about himself and yet still suffer from various forms of gluten intolerance.

In celiac disease, gluten intolerance is usually permanent and lifelong

The only and effective treatment for celiac disease is a gluten-free diet.

Other restrictions related to the consumption of gluten

Then there is the group of people who do not have proven celiac disease, but whose health (digestion, bowel movements, bloating, gas, but also skin problems – acne, eczema, rashes, etc.) will improve significantly by eliminating gluten.

Gluten-free diet: principles and suitable foods

The basis of a gluten-free diet is the elimination of gluten from the diet. Gluten is a component of wheat including semolina, kamut and spelt (gliadin). It is also a component of rye (secalin), barley (hordein) and oats (avenin).

Important, to exclude from the diet those foods that are made from these types of cereals – Flour, pasta, flakes, groats, semolina, breadcrumbs, breadcrumbs, beer, grain brandy, biscuits, wafers, buns, cakes, dumplings, spelt coffee, rob meat, cobs, soups and sauces thickened with flour, oatmeal, semolina porridge, classic muesli.

The pitfalls of hidden gluten

It is necessary to be careful about possible hidden gluten in, for example, ketchups, puddings, dressings, spice mixes, ice creams, sausages…

foods containing gluten
Warning. Even industrially processed sausages may contain hidden gluten.

Gluten-free foods

Among the gluten-free foods, rice, millet and buckwheat, buckwheat, amaranth, chile hake (= quinoa), tapioca, corn, corn polenta, potatoes, sweet potatoes, legumes, soybeans, tofu, tempeh, nuts and seeds, cocoa powder, fruits, vegetables are used, Meat, gluten-free ham, gluten-free baked goods, fish, eggs, snapper, fats, milk and dairy products, cheese, honey, tomato puree, and for thickening sauces and meat juices, for example, peas or potato starch, Jizerka flour and others.

Gluten-free diet also as a modern phenomenon for weight loss for all?

In addition to the people who must follow a gluten-free diet for the necessary health benefits, there are also people and advocates of a gluten-free diet who try this diet as a means to lose weight or just as a modern trend. Because this is where the world of social media is powerful – an influencer does it, I’ll do it too…

I can see in the strict exclusion of gluten from the diet for people who don’t have a medical intolerance to gluten three major ills:

  • I’d be careful about strictly eliminating gluten, for the reason that our bodies don’t get used to metabolizing gluten after weeks or months. In case you then return to foods containing gluten, you would not find that gluten is suddenly not digested well by the body.
  • If a gluten-free diet is inappropriately conceived, then it can do more harm than good: namely, when a gluten-free advocate builds a gluten-free diet on inappropriate products. Some gluten-free products are highly processed foods: various gluten-free biscuits, crackers, extruded bakery products, packaged bakery products, gluten-free spreads, sausages, etc. These gluten-free foods may contain high quality fats (solidified fats, palm fat), low quality sugars (glucose-fructose syrup) or many binders and thickeners (as gluten makes foods cohesive, so when gluten is removed from the food, another binder must be found to make gluten-free foods cohesive).
  • Many gluten-free foods are then made from corn, rice or soy (crackers, pasta, cookies, biscuits,…). The downside here may be that it is white rice and corn (and products made from them) that may have a higher or outright high glycemic index, but this is an unfortunate effect in terms of weight reduction or in terms of maintaining normal glycemic levels.

So the term “gluten-free diet” certainly does not strictly mean “a diet suitable for weight loss”.

Gluten-free diet and weight loss

Yes, a properly designed gluten-free diet can help with weight loss, but it needs to be built on a different foundation than industrially processed and corn-, rice-, or wheat-based gluten-free foods.

A form of gluten-free diet that could be of benefit across the board

From the above, I’m not advocating that a strict gluten-free diet is suitable to recommend across the board, because there will always be a group of people who will take the wrong end of it. Plus, many gluten-free foods are more expensive, so even that aspect would be a barrier for some people.

On the other hand, I’m a big fan and advocate of reducing foods containing gluten and white wheat flour in our diets and replacing these foods largely with other equivalents:

gluten-free-medicine
Have legumes at least once a week.

This is because we eat gluten-containing foods, specifically wheat foods and industrially processed foods, in real abundance. Just think about how many baked goods, sweets, desserts, pasta, dumplings, pizza, beer, flour-laden sauces, soups, and other foods you eat per week?

How can you significantly eliminate gluten from your diet and benefit your health?

I have some practical tips for you:

  • Classic pasta can be interspersed with buckwheat or legume pasta,
  • Pancakes can be prepared by adding a portion of buckwheat flour to spelt flour,
  • Meat juices and sauces can be thickened with peas, for example, or not thickened at all and boiled down to a reduction,
  • Rye and oats contain less gluten than wheat, so by choosing, for example, rye baked goods or products made from rye and oats in general, you will also partially eliminate gluten in your diet,
  • Cereal flakes, porridge mixes and muesli can also be chosen from gluten-free cereals – barley, sorghum, buckwheat, quinoa, paddy rice…,
  • Side dishes can also be made more gluten-free and use more potatoes, sweet potatoes, vegetables (various purees and porridges), as well as natural rice, quinoa, buckwheat, sorghum, legumes,
  • learn to bake with gluten-free flours (just keep in mind that gluten makes the dough cohesive and fluffy, so you need to choose a proven recipe so you are not disappointed with the result).

How about me?

Personally, I’m moving closer to a gluten-free diet with my diet because, despite not having celiac disease or any other form of gluten intolerance diagnosed, it obviously benefits my digestion: when I try to have gluten in my diet reduced, I don’t noticeably have a bloated belly.

It’s true that my diet is based mostly on basic foods (i.e., I eat industrially processed foods minimally), but on the other hand, I don’t eat strictly gluten-free precisely to preserve my body’s ability to metabolize gluten well.

Conclusion: is a gluten-free diet worth trying?

  • If you are toying with the idea of trying a gluten-free diet, even if you don’t have a major health reason for it, then I would personally recommend keeping gluten in your diet at least to a small degree.
  • I would also strongly urge quality in your gluten-free food choices and a focus on a diet full of quality nutrients and not just empty energy.
  • As a final tip, I’ll add the ability to self-reflect – if you’re incorporating any changes into your diet, always observe the impact it has on your physique, health and psyche.
Read also:

The articles on this site are for information purposes only. The site administrators are not responsible for attempting to apply any recipe, advice or diet, nor do they guarantee that the information provided will help or harm you personally. Be cautious and always consult a doctor or nutritionist!

*All products recommended are selected by our editorial team. Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, you help us earn a small commission from the seller and thus support the writing of useful and quality articles.

Tracking metabolism : Worth keeping track of

By
The First Doc.
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0
Metabolic diagnostics: It pays to keep track

Want to lose weight, gain muscle or maintain a healthy weight? Then it pays to keep track of your metabolism. Assessing your metabolic rate is the starting point for designing a proper diet.

What is metabolism?

Metabolism is the name given to all the chemical and energy reactions that take place continuously inside our bodies after we consume food. It is a complex process involving digestion, processing, absorption and distribution of nutrients to the cells. So, by “metabolism” we can think of everything that goes on inside the body to make the body function as it should.

In the context of nutrition, we more often encounter the term “basal metabolism”. Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the minimum amount of calories that our body needs to provide basic life functions. These functions include:

  • Blood circulation
  • Respiration
  • cell renewal
  • digestion of food
  • nutrient absorption
  • body temperature regulation
  • control of hormone levels
  • Protein synthesis
  • transport of substances

Metabolism works around the clock and never stops, even when our body is at rest. We all need energy for breathing, heart function, communication with the nervous system, digestion, hormonal function and more. So even when the body is completely still or asleep, it is burning energy.

Basal metabolism accounts for about 60% to 75% of total calories burned per day. Thus, it contributes significantly to our energy expenditure. The value of basal metabolism is highly individual and varies from person to person. This is also why each of us burns differently – some people have a faster metabolism and others have a slower one.

Metabolism is influenced by a number of factors:

  • Gender: Men usually have a faster metabolism than women (5-7% on average), because they have more muscle mass and less body fat.
  • Amount of muscle mass: It takes more energy (calories) to build and maintain muscle than it does to maintain body fat. Therefore, people with more muscle mass tend to have a faster metabolism and burn more calories even at rest.
  • Age: Metabolism slows down with age due to loss of muscle tissue, but also due to hormonal and neurological changes.
  • Height: Larger body size means more metabolizing tissue, and thus more basal metabolism. However, this is not always the rule.
  • Dieting history: crash diets, uncontrolled starvation or “detoxes” can all negatively affect our metabolism. When we eat too few calories, our body reduces its energy expenditure through a drop in metabolism to conserve energy for basic bodily functions. If muscle mass is lost at the same time, basal metabolism is further reduced.
  • Growth period: infants and children have higher energy requirements per unit of body weight due to increased energy requirements for growth.
  • Genetics.
  • Environmental temperature: Basal metabolism is also affected by ambient temperature. If the temperature is very low or too high, the body tries to maintain a constant body temperature and metabolism increases.
  • Infection or disease: Metabolism increases during illness due to fighting infection and activating the immune system.
  • Thyroid function: when thyroid function is increased (hyperthyroidism), the metabolic rate increases, while when thyroid function is decreased (hypothyroidism), the metabolic rate decreases.

Basal metabolism x resting metabolic rate

Some people mistakenly confuse the terms basal metabolic rate (BMR) and resting metabolic rate (RMR). These two terms are very similar, yet different.

Basal metabolism is the amount of calories needed to carry out the most basic (basal) functions of our body, such as respiration, circulation, and cellular remodeling. Basal metabolism is most accurately measured in a laboratory setting under very strict conditions (fasting, resting, and in a thermally neutral environment.

Resting metabolic rate is the amount of calories our body burns at rest. The assessment of resting metabolism is not as rigorous as that of basal metabolism. It is measured at least 2 hours after the last meal in complete physical and mental rest. Resting metabolic rate values are about 10% higher than BMR values.

It pays to know your metabolism

Basal metabolic rate is a useful tool in assessing individual energy expenditure. Whether we want to lose weight, shape our body, gain muscle or maintain our weight, we should have at least a general idea of our basal metabolic rate. We can then better determine our ideal calorie intake for a given goal.

Total energy expenditure is made up of several components:

If we know how many calories we burn, we will know how much to consume. Simply put:

  • Is our goal to maintain our weight? We need to eat as many calories as we burn in a day.
  • Is our goal to gain weight in a good way? We should eat 10% to 15% more calories than we burn in a day.
  • Is our goal to lose weight? We should consume 20% fewer calories than we burn in a day.

Calculating basal metabolic rate

We can measure basal and resting metabolism in the laboratory or we can estimate these values using predictive equations. The following equations are most commonly used to roughly estimate basal and resting metabolism:

1. Harris-Benedict equation

The Harris-Benedict equation is one of the best known and oldest equations for calculating basal metabolism. However, the accuracy of the calculation can be biased by the fact that it does not take into account the body composition (the amount of muscle and fat in the body) of a person.

WomenBMR (kcal) = 655.1 + (9.563 × weight in kg) + (1.85 × height in cm) – (4.676 × age)
MenBMR (kcal) = 66.47 + (13.75 × weight in kg) + (5.003 × height in cm) – (6.755 × age)

2. Mifflin-St Jeor equation

The Mifflin-St Jeor equation was developed in the 1990s and provides a more up-to-date and accurate estimate of basal metabolism. However, it is still based on body weight alone, without regard to the amount of muscle mass of a given person. This calculation is especially useful for those who do not know their body fat percentage.

WomenBMR (kcal) = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) – (5 × age) – 161
MenBMR (kcal) = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) – (5 × age) + 5

3. Katch-McArdle equation

This equation is considered one of the most accurate. It is based on active body mass (fat-free tissue) and takes into account the metabolic activity of muscle mass. Therefore, to calculate it, it is necessary to know the amount of fat-free tissue (active body mass), for example, by measuring it on the InBody.

Women and menBMR (kcal) = 370 + (21.6 × FFM)
FFM = amount of fat-free tissue

Metabolic diagnostics

The most accurate way of assessing metabolism is provided by expert testing in the laboratory. These metabolic tests most often work on the principle of direct or indirect calorimetry.

  • Direct calorimetry measures the amount of heat produced by a person enclosed in a small chamber, from which energy expenditure is calculated.
  • Indirect calorimetry is based on energy expenditure during respiration, specifically the difference between inhaled oxygen and exhaled carbon dioxide.

Although metabolic diagnostics in the laboratory are among the most accurate methods, these metabolic tests are expensive, time consuming, and often difficult to obtain. As a result, more affordable techniques that measure basal metabolism with varying degrees of accuracy have been developed over the past several decades.

In addition to the previously mentioned mathematical formulas, an increasingly popular method today is the so-called bioelectrical impedance, which is also used by devices such as InBody or Tanita.

Bioelectrical impedance works on the basis of the different resistance (impedance) of the body’s tissues to the passing electric current sent by the diagnostic device into the body.

Based on the differing tissue resistance, body composition is then assessed and basal metabolism can be more accurately calculated.

Slowed metabolism: what does it mean and what is to blame?

A slow metabolism means that our body gives off (burns) less energy than it should on average. Some lucky individuals have a naturally fast metabolism, while others struggle with a slow metabolism. Either way, a slow metabolism can hinder our attempts at the perfect physique, often without us knowing it.

Having a fast metabolism is an advantage in every way these days and can prevent the body from storing excess fat. People with a fast metabolism burn more calories even when they are at rest.

Thus, individuals with a fast metabolism can seemingly eat whatever they want and not gain weight, while those with a slow metabolism must work much harder to lose or maintain their weight. If you are in the latter group of people, read on.

The main causes of slow metabolism:

  • starvation, constant dieting and low calorie intake
  • Unbalanced diet (low protein intake in the diet, excess processed foods)
  • lack of exercise
  • Age
  • long-term sleep deprivation
  • certain diseases (reduced thyroid function, Cushing’s syndrome)
sleep deprivation
Sleep deprivation

How do I know I have a slow metabolism?

Also, do you know someone who can eat whatever they want and you gain weight almost just by looking at a piece of roll? That may be the first sign that you have a “lazy” metabolism. There are several ways and warning signs to recognize a slow metabolism:

  • You are gaining weight for no apparent reason
  • you eat healthy and exercise, but the weight doesn’t budge
  • You follow one diet after another, but the effect is nowhere
  • you’re plagued by constant fatigue
  • you have problems with your skin, hair and nails
  • you suffer from frequent headaches
  • you feel weak for a long time

6 simple tips to speed up your metabolism

As we already know, many factors affect your metabolic rate. Genetic factors, age, gender and body composition all play a role. There is not much we can do about genetics, age and gender, but we can change the ratio of our body composition – the amount of fat and muscle in our body to increase our metabolism. How to do it?

1. Forget drastic diets

The most common weight loss mistake is extremely low calorie intake. The very biggest sin is when we set our calorie intake below our basal metabolic rate. If we drastically reduce our calorie intake, the body recognizes this as a threat and begins to reduce its energy expenditure – it begins to conserve energy for basic life functions. The consequence of extreme diets is therefore a slower metabolism and a range of health consequences.

2. Focus on a healthy diet

Base your diet on natural, minimally processed foods. Such foods include:

  • Vegetables
  • fruit
  • lean meat
  • fish
  • whole grain cereals
  • Legumes
  • unsweetened dairy products
  • potatoes and sweet potatoes
  • eggs
  • nuts and seeds
  • avocados
  • high quality oils (olive, linseed, avocado)
healthy diet

3. Make sure you get enough protein

Protein has the greatest thermic effect of food (TEF). This means that the body uses more energy in digesting and absorbing protein than it does for carbohydrates and fats. Approximately 20-30% of the energy is spent processing protein, compared to 5-10% for carbohydrates and 0-3% for fats. In addition, protein provides a feeling of satiety and thus helps with weight loss.

Focus on having a source of protein in every meal:

  • Lean meats – chicken and turkey breast, beef lean back meat, pork loin and leg, venison, rabbit
  • fish – salmon, trout, tuna, cod, pikeperch, bream, mackerel, sardines
  • seafood
  • Dairy products and cheese – white yoghurt up to 3% fat, semi- and low-fat cottage cheese, white kefir, hard cheeses up to 30% fat, Mozzarella, tvarůžky, ripened cheeses with lower fat content, gervé, ricotta
  • eggs
  • high percentage ham – chicken and turkey ham over 90% meat, pork ham over 90% meat
  • Legumes – beans, chickpeas, lentils, peas
  • unfermented soy products – tempeh, natto, miso

4. Engage in strength training

Having more muscle in your body definitely pays off. Don’t you believe it? Then read on. Through strength training (weight training) we build muscle, which is more metabolically active than fat. This means that muscle burns more energy at rest than body fat.

Thus, a person with more muscle mass will have a higher resting metabolic rate than a person who has less muscle. Moreover, strength training alone increases resting metabolic rate by 5-10% approximately 24-48 hours after the activity has ceased. We are therefore burning calories long after we are already resting. Isn’t that great?

Incorporate strength training into your weekly regimen 2-3 times a week, targeting your major muscle groups (legs, glutes, back, shoulders, chest, abdominals and arms). Ideally, choose multi-joint exercises (squats, shoulder presses, lunges, deadlifts, kettlebell swings, push-ups, etc.) and don’t be afraid to play around with intensity and load.

5. Move during the day

All normal daily activities count. Although we do them spontaneously, they have a big impact on weight loss and metabolic rate. So instead of taking the elevator, take the stairs, stretch regularly at work or get off the bus one stop early and walk.

6. Drink more water

Drinking the right amount of water is absolutely essential for a properly functioning metabolism. The basis of the drinking regime should be water. According to expert recommendations, it is advisable to drink 35-40 ml of water per day per kilogram of body weight.

Summary: What’s good to know about metabolism

Whether you need to gain weight, maintain your current weight, or lose weight, an overview of your basal metabolic rate is a good start. However, keep a few points in mind:

  • Everyone’s basal metabolic rate is individual – it is affected by height, age, weight, amount of muscle in the body, gender and health.
  • Several methods can be used to assess metabolism – the gold standard is measurement on the InBody device, which takes body composition (muscle × fat) into account.
  • Never eat fewer calories than your basal metabolic rate – adverse health effects and slowing of metabolism due to saving energy “for a rainy day” can result.
  • If you have a slow metabolism, there is always something you can do about it – a healthy diet that respects individual energy requirements and regular exercise are the basics.

Resources

  • 1. Blundell, J. E., Caudwell, P., Gibbons, C., Hopkins, M., Naslund, E., King, N., & Finlayson, G. (2012). Role of resting metabolic rate and energy expenditure in hunger and appetite control: a new formulation. Disease Models & Mechanisms, 5(5), 608-613.
  • 2. Osterberg, K. L. & Melby, C. L. (2000) Effect of acute resistance exercise on postexercise oxygen consumption and resting metabolic rate in young women. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. 10 (1), 71-81.
  • 3. Frankenfield, D., Roth-Yousey, L., & Compher, C. (2005). Comparison of predictive equations for resting metabolic rate in healthy nonobese and obese adults: a systematic review. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 105(5), 775-789.
  • 4. Aristizabal, J. C., Freidenreich, D. J., Volk, B. M., Kupchak, B. R., Saenz, C., Maresh, C. M., Kraemer, W. J., & Volek, J. S. (2015). Effect of resistance training on resting metabolic rate and its estimation by a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry metabolic map. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 69(7), 831-836.
  • 5. McArdle, W., Katch, F. I., & Katch, V. I. (1996). exercise physiology (3rd ed.). Baltimore, United States: Williams and Wilkins.
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The articles on this site are for information purposes only. The site administrators are not responsible for attempting to apply any recipe, advice or diet, nor do they guarantee that the information provided will help or harm you personally. Be cautious and always consult a doctor or nutritionist!

*All products recommended are selected by our editorial team. Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, you help us earn a small commission from the seller and thus support the writing of useful and quality articles.

Nutritional therapist warns: extreme diets and their risks

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The First Doc.
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Nutritional therapist warns: extreme diets and their risks

Every day, new tips and advice appear on the internet to help you lose weight quickly and easily. With the prospect of losing weight quickly, many people are therefore turning to various extreme diets with very low calorie intake.

The stumbling block, however, is their short-term nature and the many adverse effects on health. What can losing weight too quickly do to your health and what are the consequences of radical diets?

The principle of extreme diets is to drastically reduce calorie intake in order to lose a lot of weight in a short period of time. Basically, these diets push the body beyond its natural abilities and sacrifice health for temporary weight loss. The consequence of such diets is a host of health problems.

It starts with fatigue, moodiness, irritability and impaired concentration. Eventually, more serious problems such as electrolyte imbalances, abnormal heart function, low blood sugar, dehydration, hair loss, weakness, constipation, and more appear.

Major negative effects of extreme diets:

  • Weakening of immunity
  • Fatigue
  • Irritability
  • headaches
  • dizziness
  • moodiness
  • loss of muscle mass
  • hair thinning and hair loss
  • deterioration of skin and nails
  • indigestion
  • hormonal disorders
  • Depression
  • increased risk of osteoporosis

Fatigue and mood changes

If you drastically reduce your dietary calorie intake, you won’t have enough energy for normal functioning during the day, let alone for sports activities. Therefore, the first sign of extremely low caloric intake is permanent fatigue.

The calories we take in through food are our body’s main source of energy. But when our calorie intake is too low, the body uses energy for its most important needs – to provide basic life functions such as breathing, heart function, nervous system function, and more. We then don’t have much energy left for other activities. This is also the reason why dieters prefer to lie down on the couch or straight to bed after work instead of exercising.

In addition to physical fatigue, cognitive function and overall productivity can also be affected. Very low calorie intake further affects dopamine and serotonin levels. Therefore, too low a calorie intake can also affect your mood. Drastic weight loss is often accompanied by constant feelings of irritation and can lead to depression.

Immunity decline

When you deprive your diet of large amounts of food, you can also deprive yourself of a whole host of vitamins and minerals. This risks weakening your immune system and making you much more likely to get sick. Drastic calorie restriction can increase the risk of infections, colds and flu.

decline in immunity

An unbalanced diet can also weaken our immunity, year-round.

Metabolic slowdown

To lose weight, we really need to reduce our caloric intake (or increase our caloric expenditure). However, a big mistake is to reduce caloric intake too much – often below the basal metabolic rate. Although it might seem that the more calories we reduce in our diet, the more weight we lose, this is not true. It doesn’t actually work that way.

Our body responds to too significant a caloric deficit with a variety of adaptive mechanisms. One of these is to reduce the metabolic rate in order to conserve energy for basic life functions. A number of changes occur, such as A decrease in energy expenditure, decreased production of thyroid hormones and energy storage.

The human body recognizes dieting as a sign of limited food supply and gradually goes into a sparing mode. The body resists drastic diets because they are not natural to it. A common consequence of extreme diets is therefore a phenomenon known as “metabolic slowdown”. Simply put, the body soon gets used to the low calorie intake and the weight stops.

As time passes, the risks increase.

The longer and more drastic the diet, the worse the consequences. In fact, metabolic adaptation to an extremely low-calorie diet can persist long after the diet has ended. This can make any future weight loss efforts difficult.

One is forced to repeat the process of calorie reduction over and over again, falling into a vicious cycle. Caloric intake can then become so extremely low that dieting becomes unsustainable and unhealthy for the person. The result? The effect of the diet is zero and as a bonus you get a disrupted metabolism plus health and mental problems.

Loss of muscle mass

With extreme dieting, you’re also looking at losing muscle mass. Following a low-calorie restrictive diet often causes the body to break down muscle protein, which it uses for energy. But when we lose weight, we want to get rid of fat tissue – not muscle mass.

Research shows that if you lose weight too quickly and through extreme diets, you lose about 2 to 3 times more muscle than if you took weight loss slowly and sensibly. Even though the pounds will go down, your physique won’t look much better than before because it’s the muscles that make the curves on your body.

The loss of muscle mass may further contribute to a slower metabolism. Muscle is more metabolically active than body fat. This means that one kilogram of muscle burns more calories per day than one kilogram of fat. Therefore, losing muscle means that you burn fewer calories per day at rest and during exercise.

Lack of important nutrients

Many drastic diets and fad diets restrict entire food groups. However, this means you may be missing out on key nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and fibre that you need for optimal health.

  1. For example, a diet without dairy products can lead to Deficiency Calcium and worsen the condition of the bones and teeth.
  2. A gluten-free diet can in turn result in a lack of fiber if you eliminate whole grains from your diet.
  3. Low-calorie diets in general may not even provide the body with sufficient amounts of iron, folic acid a vitamin B12. This can lead to anemia and extreme fatigue.
Extreme fatigue

Long-term nutrient deficiencies lead to chronic fatigue.

If you eliminate most fatty foods (even healthy ones) from your diet, you can reduce the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K). These vitamins are essential for supporting the immune system, so a deficiency can cause future health problems.

Potential consequences of nutritional deficiencies:

  • Reduced energy
  • poor quality of hair and nails
  • dry skin
  • extreme fatigue
  • decrease in immunity
  • inflammation in the oral cavity
  • weakening of bones and osteoporosis
  • Tooth decay
  • anemia
  • constipation
  • hormonal disorders

Decrease in fertility

Too drastic a restriction of calories in the diet can negatively affect fertility. This is especially true for women, as the ability to ovulate depends on the level of female sex hormones. More specifically, for ovulation to occur, an increase in estrogen and luteinizing hormone levels is required.

Recent studies show that reproductive function is suppressed in women who consume 22-42% fewer calories than needed to maintain their weight. This is exactly the reason to stick to no more than a 20% caloric deficit when losing weight long term.

The main symptoms of reduced fertility due to restrictive diets include irregular menstrual cycles and loss of libido. In extreme cases, drastic diets can disrupt proper ovarian function and lead to infertility.

Men should also be careful. An inadequately low energy intake can also have a negative effect on male reproductive function. Long-term extreme diets lead to a decrease in male sex hormone levels testosterone.

Bone weakening

Very low-calorie diets negatively affect bone density. Drastic calorie restriction in the diet can reduce estrogen and testosterone levels. Low levels of these two sex hormones are thought to reduce bone formation and increase bone breakdown. Bones weaken, become more susceptible to fractures and increase the risk Osteoporosis.

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Heart problems

Extremely rapid weight loss using crash diets can negatively affect heart health. Common consequences include cardiac arrhythmias, increased blood pressure, heart rate disturbances, as well as changes in blood fats (cholesterol, triglycerides).

Sleep disorders

Adherence to drastic diets has a negative effect on sleep quality and restfulness upon waking. You may notice difficulty falling asleep, poor sleep quality and frequent awakenings during the night.

Deterioration in sports performance

Low energy intake will also affect athletic performance. Strength and endurance performance is reduced, recovery is impaired and the risk of injury increases.. Inadequate caloric intake further decreases coordination and concentration.

Not to mention that with extremely low caloric intake it is virtually unrealistic to maintain enough muscle mass for optimal athletic performance, let alone build any muscle mass.

What to take away from the article?

  • While rapid weight loss may seem tempting, extreme diets are not something you should mess with.
  • In principle, they carry far more risks than benefits. In addition, most low-calorie diets only work in the short term.
  • The best diet is the one that is sustainable in the long term.

The best way to lose weight and maintain your goal weight is to do long-term changes in diet, exercise and lifestyle. If you want to permanently change your eating habits and don’t know how to do it, contact a qualified nutritional therapist or nutritionist.

Resources
Read also:

The articles on this site are for information purposes only. The site administrators are not responsible for attempting to apply any recipe, advice or diet, nor do they guarantee that the information provided will help or harm you personally. Be cautious and always consult a doctor or nutritionist!

*All products recommended are selected by our editorial team. Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, you help us earn a small commission from the seller and thus support the writing of useful and quality articles.

Healthy foods that are dangerous if consumed incorrectly

By
The First Doc.
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Some healthy foods can cause tangible harm if consumed incorrectly. The First Doc. tells you about discoveries scientists have made that will surprise you.

1. Apples

An old English proverb says that people who eat one apple a day don’t need a doctor. And there are many reasons for that. Apples are rich in fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants.

Fiber can help get rid of visceral fat. A study by Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center found that every 10 grams of fiber consumed per day reduced visceral fat by 3.7% over 5 years. Therefore, apples can certainly be called a very healthy fruit.

What’s Dangerous? It is not the apples themselves that can become a health hazard, but the seeds they contain. They contain cyanide. If eaten in large quantities, they can cause vomiting and digestive disorders.

To avoid this, never eat a lot of seeds, and if you’re used to eating apples whole, don’t chew the seeds. The seed shells are very strong and will not allow cyanide to get you into trouble.

2. Tart cherry

2. tart cherry.

A ripe cherry is not only a great filling for dumplings or a component for a delicious juice or compote. They can also be called nature’s medicine. In a 12-week study conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan, it was found that rodents fed cherries, rich in antioxidants, had a 9 percent reduction in belly fat. Thus, cherries can be called a weight loss supplement.

And cherry juice helps a person have sound dreams and is considered a great prescription for insomnia and other sleep disorders.

What’s dangerous? Cherry pips, or to be more precise, the kernels hidden under the shell, can be harmful to your health. As with apple seeds, they contain hydrogen cyanide. One cup of cherry kernels can even be fatal.

3. Rhubarb

This crop is grown in every corner of the planet. It is unpretentious, but very healthy. The juicy green-pink stems contain B vitamins, calcium, manganese, potassium, vitamins C and K.

Many people adore rhubarb for its sour-sweet taste and use its stems to make pie fillings, flavorful jams, sorbets and sauces for meat. However, few people know that in some cases rhubarb can be harmful.

What’s dangerous? Rhubarb leaves contain a lot of oxalic acid, which can cause kidney stones. If you eat 5 kg of rhubarb leaves, it can be fatal, but smaller amounts can cause a serious deterioration of health.

4. Nutmeg

If you adore chocolate baked goods and pastries, you’re probably familiar with the flavor of nutmeg. Nutmeg is often added to chocolate puddings, airy rolls, various creams and impregnations, and candy fillings to whet your appetite.

In ancient times, the exotic nut was used as a medicine for brain health and increased intelligence, treatment of sexual disorders and increased appetite. Today it is used primarily as a popular spice.

What’s dangerous? Nutmeg is a hallucinogen. And consuming 5.6 grams of it in its natural form can lead to seizures and other health problems. At the same time, even one whole nut can lead to the so-called “nutmeg psychosis”, which manifests itself in the strongest sense of impending doom.

5. Potatoes

5. Potatoes

Seeing potatoes on a list of dangerous foods is strange, to say the least. Yes, fried potatoes can cause health problems if you overdo it. But the potato itself is a healthy root vegetable. It contains potassium, which is essential for the health of the nervous and cardiovascular systems and vitamin C, which strengthens the immune system. It’s also high in fiber and starch.

One study that analyzed 38 different foods presented the findings that boiled potatoes are by far the most hearty food.

What’s Dangerous? The glycoalkaloids present in potatoes are dangerous to human health. These substances are found in the leaves, stems, and sprouts of the plant. But they can also be in the fruit, then they acquire a characteristic greenness. Consumption of glycoalkaloids can lead to seizures, diarrhea, headaches, or even coma and death.

6. Almond

All varieties of nuts are very healthy. They contain healthy fats – Omega-3-6-9 fatty acids that support brain and cardiovascular resources. At the same time, nuts, despite their high caloric content, are an excellent snack.

A study published in The Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition presented findings that almonds are rich in an amino acid called L-arginine. And therefore may help burn more fat during a workout. Almonds should be snacked on before exercising.

What’s dangerous? Specialists distinguish between two varieties of almonds: sweet and bitter. Bitter ones contain a lot of cyanide. It is believed that eating 7-10 bitter almonds a day can cause serious health problems in adults and can be fatal in children.

7. Honey

Natural honey has a lot of medicinal properties. Not for nothing is it called a cure for a hundred diseases. Studies show that honey can soothe coughs and colds, support human reproductive health, improve skin health and even prevent several types of cancer.

But to be fair, honey is not a substitute for medicine, but it is an effective aid for many conditions.

What’s dangerous? Unpasteurized honey can contain grayanotoxin, a harmful substance that escapes during heat treatment. Symptoms such as dizziness, nausea and vomiting, weakness, and increased sweating may occur if it is consumed.

8. Tomatoes

8. Tomatoes

Ripe tomatoes are valuable sources of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that protects the body from free radical attacks. The latter are known to contribute to chronic diseases and bring aging closer. Besides, tomatoes contain vitamins C, E and B4, minerals – potassium, calcium and phosphorus. They are also abundant in fiber, essential for healthy digestion.

What’s dangerous? Tomato stems and leaves contain glycoalkaloids, naturally occurring poisons. Therefore, they should not be included in the diet. They are also present in green tomatoes, so you should weigh the risks before cooking them.

9. Tuna

Tuna is a popular variety of fish. It is high in protein, but low in fat and calories. It is a dietary product that is ideal for people looking to lose weight.

The Omega-3 acids in tuna are good for the brain and heart and maintaining a healthy weight.

What’s dangerous? The danger of tuna is mercury, which can contaminate fish. For pregnant and nursing women, the FDA recommends that tuna should not be consumed at all. When ingested, the toxin is toxic and can cause brain and kidney damage.

10. Elderberry

Elderberries contain vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Various studies show that they are beneficial for the health of the heart and blood vessels, the digestive and endocrine systems. But this is exactly the case when observing a sense of proportion is very important.

It is recommended to consume no more than 200 grams of berries per day.

What’s dangerous? The leaves, twigs, and seeds of the plant contain a glycoside that converts to cyanide. If poisoned with it, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and even coma can occur. Therefore, those who like elderberry jam should be sure to grind the berries through a sieve before cooking. And after making wine, strain the drink. And you should never eat unripe elderberries, they are more dangerous than ripe berries.

Be careful with your choice of foods, consume them correctly, and your health will be good.

Used Sources

The articles on this site are for information purposes only. The site administrators are not responsible for attempting to apply any recipe, advice or diet, nor do they guarantee that the information provided will help or harm you personally. Be cautious and always consult a doctor or nutritionist!

*All products recommended are selected by our editorial team. Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, you help us earn a small commission from the seller and thus support the writing of useful and quality articles.

How to survive with minimal food and water in an emergency

By
The First Doc.
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It is hard to imagine that in the 21st century it is possible to find ourselves with limited access to food and water. But events in recent months have shown that even in the civilized world there is a threat of forced starvation of adults and children.

It is very difficult to prepare for the conditions of life during war as much as is required for a hundred percent food supply, for its duration is unknown to anyone.

Following a few important rules will greatly increase the chances of survival even with minimal food and water supplies.

Which is more important: water or food?

How to survive with minimal food and water in an emergency

Most people always have food supplies in their kitchen drawers: packets of pasta, buckwheat, rice, stored vegetables, sugar, salt, cookies. And that’s just some of the things that can be stored for a long time. Particularly hoarders are able to last several weeks with limited access to food.

But despite the fact that having food is so relevant, stocking up on drinking water is several times more important. This is explained by the fact that without it, many vital processes are disrupted, and as a result, a person can simply die (with a loss of more than 20% of fluid).

The first symptoms of dehydration in the body can be felt after 4-5 hours: thirst, dry skin and mucous membranes, dizziness. Due to the lack of intake of water in the body for several days:

  • Electrolyte and acid-base balance is disturbed;
  • Body temperature decreases;
  • Clotting of the blood and serious oxidation of the blood occurs;
  • Many toxic substances accumulate in the body;
  • Arrhythmia, respiratory dysfunction, and nervous activity appear;
  • Protein starvation occurs.

An acute need for water occurs on the 2nd or 4th day. A healthy adult is able to survive without it for 5-9 days. Sick, children, elderly people will feel serious consequences of fluid shortage already on 4-6 days.

Cases have been described in which dry fasting lasted more than ten days, and doctors were able to save such patients. For example, in 1947 in the city of Frunze, medics brought back to life a 53-year-old man who had not drank or eaten for 20 days. And in 1985, a nine-year-old boy in Mexico was left under the debris after an earthquake. He had to wait 13 days for help.

All this time the child was starving and had no access to water. Rescuers found him unconscious, and a day later the boy started talking and walking. But these cases are exceptions rather than regularities.

Lack of food, but with the opportunity to drink, increases the chances of survival. It is possible to starve yourself for two weeks without much effect on your body. According to Kathy Cowbrau of the British Nutrition Association, the maximum is about two months.

Consequences of starvation depending on duration

The human condition and the outcome of starvation depend on its duration. The first three days there is no special threat to health, because the body uses its own energy reserves: glycogen, fatty tissue. Only a slight weakness and pale skin can be felt. There is an odor in the mouth, because the body stores saliva for food.

On days 3-7, the feeling of hunger weakens: the body perceives starvation as a pattern. It begins to use all possible sources of energy, beginning with fat tissue and ending with muscle tissue. At this stage there is a depletion of glucose reserves, in large quantities ketones are produced, which are dangerous for the body. Rapid weight loss is observed.

The main danger of the first week of fasting is a considerable drop in blood pressure, as a result of which a person may lose consciousness and get a serious injury in a fall. If water stops flowing into the body, even fatal outcome is possible.

In the second week without food, the body is quite seriously depleted, so it begins to use up tissues of vital organs such as the liver and heart. If a person is of large build with a lot of fatty tissue, it will become a source of energy. For a thin or sick person, the situation is much more complicated.

During the third or fourth week of fasting, the state of health rapidly deteriorates: muscle atrophy, weakness, problems with the musculoskeletal system are observed. Practically all chronic diseases, which a person suffers from, become aggravated. Vitamin B1 deficiency appears and body temperature drops.

Lack of food for more than a month causes severe thiamine deficiency. Vision is considerably impaired, objects in the eyes may be split, and unconsciousness is frequent.

Starving for more than six weeks puts a person in serious danger. At this stage there are problems with brain function, which can lead to blindness and loss of hearing, as well as a lack of response to others. Prolonged lack of food completely depletes the body – death can occur due to cardiac dysfunction or accumulated toxins.

Starvation is one of the worst, for it is prolonged and excruciating. It is worth using every possible means to survive even in the most difficult conditions.

What food is relevant to stockpile

How to survive with minimal food and water in an emergency

It is difficult to predict whether hostilities or some serious disaster will break out in a particular locality. But it is worthwhile to stockpile, if possible. It is desirable to move them to a shelter at once, because it is quite realistic to have to live there more than one day.

The best options for long-term food reserves are foods that don’t spoil and don’t require cooking:

  • Cookies;
  • Breadcrumbs;
  • Jelly beans, cereal bars;
  • Dried fruits, sunflower seeds, pumpkins;
  • Nuts;
  • Chocolate;
  • Dried fish, dried meat;
  • Breads;
  • Fruits and vegetables that can be kept for at least a few days: apples, carrots, citrus fruits;
  • Canned foods that do not require refrigerator storage: fish, meat, vegetables, and fruit;
  • Home canning;
  • Salt, sugar, flour, if you can cook on a primus or fire;
  • Mints, which help freshen the mouth and save water.

It is advisable to stock up on instant cereals. They can be cooked and consumed without cooking: buckwheat, oatmeal, corn grits. Manna will also do, because it is edible even in raw form. But the most important thing is drinking water, because it is hard to survive for a long time without it, even with foodstuffs.

What to do if you don’t have any supplies

It is not always possible to stock up on the foods listed above, so you have to make do with what you have. If there is not enough provision, healthy adults can go on a complete fast. And it will be even more useful for the body than taking small portions with insufficient calories. Our body is used to a certain amount of food, so such fractional meals will lead to faster depletion. Energy will be taken from fat and muscle tissue, and the result is dystrophy.

While in the shelter, a person wastes few calories, so it is important to overcome the feeling of hunger for the first three days. From there on, it decreases. But it is important to remember that those who work physically: carrying water, chopping wood, arranging the room – should have a reserve of strength. They should not refuse to eat completely, as well as children, pregnant and lactating women, the sick and the elderly.

If possible, the diet should not be less than 500-1000 kilocalories. It is necessary to drink water both for those who are hungry and those who eat.

By starvation one can save as much food as possible, for one does not know how long one will have to hide in a shelter. But as soon as one begins to feel a serious loss of strength, one must come out of it slowly. In such a case, it is recommended to eat no more than 30 kilocalories at a time a day, gradually increasing the portions and caloric content of food.

It is desirable to combine food with salt and vitamins to replenish the electrolyte balance and get rid of the deficiency of useful substances.

If there is no food at all, you have to eat whatever you can to survive. As much as it may sound like it, the meat of animals and birds will help not to die of hunger. And in spring and summer some of the plants can be added to food: nettles, dandelions, sorrel, brew tea from branches of cherries, currants, raspberries.

Where to Get Water

The situation is much more difficult if there is no drinking water. Even its largest reserves may eventually run out, so you have to think about alternative means of extraction.

A few options for where to get water from:

  • From pipes in the basement or rooms in an apartment building;
  • In the cistern of the toilet bowl – there it is clean enough to drink;
  • From the boiler;
  • Melted snow (relevant in winter), rain water. Such water must be salted, otherwise you cannot get drunk.

Natural springs, wells may be contaminated with potentially hazardous elements, so it is advisable not to use water from them for drinking. As a last resort, before drinking it should be disinfected and filtered as much as possible. If the liquid after intensive shaking foams or has an unusual smell and color, it is better not to drink it.

Methods of filtering and disinfecting water

It’s hard to say what’s worse – not drinking water at all or putting yourself at risk of poisoning. Neither option should be the only alternative, so it is important to use all possible ways to turn technical water into drinking water.

The easiest is to boil it for at least 10 minutes. After cooling, drain the water into a container so that the sediment remains at the bottom. But given that you don’t always have access to gas, light, or fire, you can use other methods:

  • Tablets with active chlorine: just wait 30-60 minutes until they are completely dissolved, and you can be sure that 99% of the pathogenic flora in the water is gone. But it is important to strictly follow the dosage.
  • Aqueous-alcoholic iodine solution: can be used only in extreme cases to protect yourself from dehydration. This cleansing option is not suitable for people with thyroid problems. 3-4 drops of iodine per liter is enough to decontaminate the liquid, but you must wait 30-60 minutes before drinking it. The water will have a characteristic smell and taste, but it will save your life.
  • Manganese may also be used for this purpose. One to two grams per liter of water is sufficient. The solution should be only slightly colored, not bright pink. Otherwise there may be problems with the gastrointestinal tract.
  • Activated charcoal can be a natural filter to remove unpleasant odor and some impurities. You will need five tablets per liter of water. It is better to crush them and, wrapped in gauze or cloth, drop them in a container with liquid. It will take at least 8 hours to clean in this way.

To get the safest water for drinking, you can disinfect and filter it at the same time. And be sure to drink at least the minimum required amount to be able to support the functioning of the body.

Such methods of survival are relevant not only during military operations. They may also come in handy in the event of any other catastrophe that changes our usual life:

  • heavy snowfalls that can paralyze a populated area for several days;
  • epidemics: of late, the coronavirus, which has demonstrated that having supplies is more than relevant;
  • man-made disasters – a nuclear explosion at a nuclear power plant, a fire at a chemical production facility;
  • natural disasters – floods, storms, hurricanes, tornadoes.

Sources

Read also:

The articles on this site are for information purposes only. The site administrators are not responsible for attempting to apply any recipe, advice or diet, nor do they guarantee that the information provided will help or harm you personally. Be cautious and always consult a doctor or nutritionist!

*All products recommended are selected by our editorial team. Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, you help us earn a small commission from the seller and thus support the writing of useful and quality articles.

What medicines should not be taken together: the pharmacist answers

By
The First Doc.
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0

Medications should help fight disease, not harm the human body. To avoid the latter, it is important to strictly observe the frequency of intake, not to take more than the required dose, take into account the effect of food on absorption of a particular drug.

But the most important thing is to understand that some drugs should not be taken together, because they can interact with each other, changing each other’s therapeutic effect, in some cases negatively affecting the body.

What are drug interactions, what can they be

The term “drug interaction” is used to refer to situations in which the specific effects of at least one drug change significantly when two or more drugs are taken simultaneously. The risk of its occurrence is directly proportional to the number of drugs used: the more drugs enter the body together, the higher the probability of negative effects.

There are two main types of interactions:

  • Pharmacodynamic (concerning the mechanism of action and the effect of the agent);
  • Pharmacokinetic (affect the absorption, distribution, and excretion of drugs).

Pharmacodynamic interaction.

What medicines should not be taken together: the pharmacist answers

The administration of several drugs can cause two types of interactions related to their pharmacodynamics in the body:

  • Synergism, which can manifest itself by potentiating the action of one drug or by summing up the effects of two drugs. For example, simultaneous administration of iron drugs with ascorbic acid increases their absorption and consequently increases their concentration in the blood. As an example of summation of the effects, we can give the interaction of two drugs from the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain relievers – paracetamol and acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin). Their simultaneous use can cause symptoms similar to an overdose: dizziness, disorientation, nausea, diarrhea, bleeding in the gastrointestinal organs.
  • Antagonism is a type of interaction in which one drug eliminates the effect of a second drug. Leads to the complete disappearance of the therapeutic effect of the drug or to its weakening. In some situations, antagonism can be a useful type of interaction, such as when antidotes are needed. But in most cases, inappropriate prescribing of several drugs with antagonistic effects to each other leads to ineffective treatment. A striking example of antagonism is the neutralization of sulfonamide drugs (e.g., streptocide, biseptol, sulfadimesin, phthalazole) by para-aminobenzoic acid (B vitamins, novocaine, dicaine, procaine, benzocaine). Their simultaneous administration leads to a significant decrease in the antimicrobial properties of such drugs.

Pharmacokinetic interaction

Some drugs cannot be taken together not only because of changes in their therapeutic effect, but also because of pharmacokinetic interaction. Both absorption and transport, metabolism, distribution and even excretion of one or both drugs, i.e. all the processes that take place with a drug after it enters the body, can change.

The end result of such transformations can be a change in the concentration of the active substance in the body, which is the key to treatment.

What can happen if possible pharmacokinetic interactions are not considered:

  • A change in the motility of the gastrointestinal tract, resulting in different absorption of some drugs. For example, taking laxatives reduces the absorption of the drug. Cholinolytics, prokinetics and anticholinesterase agents – increase its absorption;
  • Decrease or increase gastric acidity, resulting in altered absorption of the active ingredient of some drugs. There are drugs that require an acidic environment for complete absorption and to reach a certain concentration in the body. There are also drugs that require an alkaline pH, so you need to consider the possible change in acidity under their action. For example, if antacids are prescribed, you should not take them together with antiviral drugs: zalcibatin or tipranavir. Exactly for these drugs you need a low pH, otherwise absorption will be slowed down;
  • Competitive binding to plasma proteins, which leads to an increase in the blood concentration of one of the drugs. This mechanism is explained by the fact that some drugs bind to plasma proteins by 90-98%, and when a patient takes simultaneously with them drugs that have a high degree of similarity to the same proteins, the former are displaced by the latter. One example: the antiarrhythmic drug quinidine can displace digoxin. Due to this, the concentration of digoxin in blood increases, as if the patient took a dose several times larger than usual. This leads to unpleasant symptoms and increased side effects: nausea, vomiting, headache, decreased pulse, dizziness;
  • Changes in cytochrome P-450 activity. At its increase, a decrease in drug concentration and insufficient treatment efficacy are observed, while at a decrease in activity – on the contrary. For example, antifungal drugs (ketoconazole, fluconazole), antibiotics (erythromycin, clarithromycin) are inhibitors of enzyme activity. Examples of inducers are carbamazepine, ritonavir, rifabutin and others.

Unwanted and dangerous drug “couples”

Drug interactions are commonly divided into four classes:

  • A – this class includes combinations in which the interaction is not clinically significant (for example, the combination of phenobarbital and ranitidine);
  • B – this class includes pairs of drugs whose interactions have not yet been described
  • C – a class of interacting drugs that change each other’s therapeutic effect. Can be eliminated by adjusting the dosage (cimetidine and theophylline)
  • D – this class includes pairs of drugs, the reception of which at the same time can be dangerous and unacceptable.It is about such combinations and it is worth talking about.

Contraceptive hormones and antibiotics

To prevent an unplanned pregnancy, a doctor may prescribe oral contraceptives to a woman. These are hormonal drugs whose mechanism of action is based on suppression of ovulation. So even if the most “active” sperm get into the cervix, fertilization will not happen, because the egg does not mature.

Antibiotics, on the other hand, can be part of the treatment regimen for infectious diseases. They kill the bacteria, but also “kill” the beneficial microflora. It is this side effect of antibiotics that causes the decrease of hormones in the body. Because of the disruption of microflora in the gut, the hormones are practically not absorbed, and therefore stop working. As a result, a woman may become pregnant if she does not take additional precautions. Such a combination of drugs is not dangerous for the body, but if pregnancy is not planned, it must be taken into account.

Anticoagulants and analgesics

What medicines should not be taken together: the pharmacist answers

Drugs in the anticoagulant group are used to thin the blood and prevent thrombosis. The main danger of overdose of such drugs is the occurrence of internal bleeding.

Analgesic drugs have a very different purpose and mechanism of action. They relieve pain of different origin, but their additional effect is to reduce blood clotting. For this reason, the simultaneous use of these two groups of drugs can lead to bleeding in the internal organs. Such a condition is dangerous primarily due to blood loss. It is important not to abuse painkillers while continuously taking anticoagulants or to discontinue their use, if possible, for the duration of therapy with drugs from the NSAID group.

Calcium channel blockers and beta blockers

Medications that refer to calcium blockers are designed to treat arterial hypertension and angina pectoris. They act by blocking the calcium that constricts blood vessels, thereby dilating them. This lowers blood pressure and makes the blood flow to the heart work better. At the same time, calcium channel blockers affect the heart itself, so bradycardia and intracardiac blockages are possible when using them.

Beta blockers are used for coronary heart disease, arrhythmias, arterial hypertension, and chronic heart failure. They reduce heart rate and cardiac conduction. The superposition of such effects from two drugs at once can cause sudden cardiac arrest. If beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers are prescribed at the same time, the heart rate should be monitored carefully. In case of serious bradycardia – less than 50 beats per minute, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Anti-allergy and anti-cold medications

What medicines should not be taken together: the pharmacist answers

At the first symptoms of a cold, many people choose sachets of powder to make a hot drink. They are really quite good at coping with headache, body aches, nasal congestion. And all because the composition is paracetamol, as well as antihistamine components. If you combine these sachets with drugs for allergies, you can face an overdose of the latter. As a result – high drowsiness, which is very dangerous for drivers or those who work with mechanisms that require concentration.

Exactly the same danger is posed by mixing antihistamines with motion sickness and seasickness remedies.

Antidiarrheals and calcium preparations

The dangerous combination of these two groups of drugs concerns primarily loperamide-based diarrhea remedies. Such a drug reduces intestinal motility, thereby reducing the frequency of defecation. It should not be taken for intestinal infections, because pathogenic microflora will not be eliminated from the body, which will lead to an increase in intoxication.

Calcium is a mineral that helps strengthen bones. It is often prescribed for fractures and to prevent osteoporosis in menopausal women. Calcium can also be a part of remedies to reduce the acidity of gastric juice. In addition to strengthening bone tissue, it also affects intestinal motility, just like loperamide. The simultaneous use of these two drugs can lead to prolonged constipation. This is why you should avoid calcium products during the treatment of diarrhea with loperamide.

Antifungal agents and statins

Medications from the statin group are used to lower cholesterol and prevent atherosclerosis. They disrupt the process of cholesterol production by the liver, so it “takes over” the processing of what is already in the blood. Such drugs are often prescribed in the complex therapy of arterial hypertension. Antifungal agents are used to treat dermatomycosis, oral candidiasis, vaginal candidiasis, onychomycosis.

The cytochrome P-450 enzyme takes part in the metabolism of both drugs, so simultaneous administration of antifungals and statins can lead to increased levels of the latter in the blood and their accumulation in the skeletal muscles. The result of this penetration of cholesterol-lowering agents is a high risk of developing rhabdomyolysis.

Also, you should not take statins together with anticoagulants because bleeding may occur.

ACE inhibitors and spironolactone

ACE inhibitors are a fairly popular group of drugs for the treatment of arterial hypertension.

Their mechanism of action is based on blocking the production of angiotensin, which constricts blood vessels. Thus, the blood vessels dilate and the blood pressure decreases.

Spironolactone is the active ingredient in medications prescribed for heart failure. It reduces blood volume by removing excess fluid and salts, thereby reducing the strain on the heart.

Both drugs increase blood potassium levels, which can lead to hyperkalemia. The danger of this condition is that heart rhythm and conduction are affected.

How to avoid negative effects on the body

The most important rule to avoid dangerous effects from taking two or more medications at the same time is not to self-medicate.

It is better to entrust the prescription of drugs to doctors. It is in this case you can get the maximum benefit from the treatment. In the extreme case, you need to carefully study the instructions to know what you should take the drug with, and what is strictly prohibited.

The second thing that every patient should remember is that it is important to strictly observe the dosage and time intervals. If there is a need to take two or more medications, it is advisable to take them separately. The minimum interval between different medications should be 30 minutes.

And the last thing – when undergoing treatment simultaneously by several specialists, it is necessary to warn them about all the drugs prescribed, otherwise you may encounter an unforeseen or even dangerous to your health result of such therapy.

Sources

Read also:

The articles on this site are for information purposes only. The site administrators are not responsible for attempting to apply any recipe, advice or diet, nor do they guarantee that the information provided will help or harm you personally. Be cautious and always consult a doctor or nutritionist!

*All products recommended are selected by our editorial team. Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, you help us earn a small commission from the seller and thus support the writing of useful and quality articles.

How to find out what insect bite is

By
The First Doc.
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0

Summer is the perfect time for outdoor recreation. But spoiling all the charm of a picnic can be insects, which appear in countless numbers with the first warm days. The bloodsucking species that bite humans and animals are particularly active. They “attack” in the home and on the street, leaving behind at least a feeling of discomfort, pain and itching, and, in the worst case, causing a serious allergic reaction or infection with infectious diseases through their bites.

There are many types of blood-sucking insects, and a person doesn’t always have time to see who is attacking them. It is therefore worth knowing the main differences between the different bites: appearance, symptoms, possible consequences.

How to figure out who bit you

A blood-sucking insect can be “encountered” not only outdoors, but even at home. The location where the bite occurred also helps in determining its species. For example, bed bugs live only in the house, and ticks live in the forest, park, field, where the grass is high. Although it is possible for these insects to bite outside of their habitat.

To figure out who caused the bite, it’s worth paying attention to the basic signs. They are different for each bug or gnat.

Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are also called vampire insects. And they deserve the name because they bite more often at night or at dusk. They can attack outdoors, especially near bodies of water, or at home, entering a room through open windows and doors.

A mosquito bite looks like a red blister under the skin. It is shaped like a circle or a blob with a small bite mark in the middle. Such a papule is very itchy, and if you start scratching it, the itching will increase due to the mosquito saliva getting into the surrounding tissues. After a certain time, the blister disappears, but for some people, especially children, redness, itching and swelling in the place of the bite remain for several days.

In general, mosquito bites are not dangerous. But you should consider that there are about 300 species of mosquitoes, and some of them are carriers of serious diseases: malaria, tularemia, yellow fever. In our regions it is difficult to meet them, so the information is relevant, rather, for the traveler.

Gnats

Gnats are called several groups of insects, united by one property: their small size. Most of them are neutral to humans and do not pose any threat, but there are also blood-sucking species. Gnats that can bite resemble flies in appearance, but they are several times smaller. The body length of such insects is 2-4 mm. They have two wings, three pairs of legs and a stabbing-sucking mouthpiece.

Gnats inhabit almost all climatic conditions, but the symptomatology and appearance of the bite are almost identical. The wound site, depending on the presence or absence of a blood-sucking proboscis (as in mosquitoes), may be in the form of:

Gnat bite.
  • dark maroon spot of small size – from insects with a trunk;
  • red abrasion of small diameter with jagged edges – a bite left by midges without a proboscis, because they simply tear off a piece of tissue.

Blood may run from the puncture site of the skin when bitten for some time, because the saliva of the gnats has an ingredient that prevents it from clotting. There is no itching, but there is a burning sensation and throbbing pain. Depending on the individual person’s reaction to the bite, swelling and hardening of tissue, redness or thickening may occur. In places with thin skin, all symptoms are more noticeable. On average, it takes one week for the skin to fully regenerate. But if the bite is scratched, it can take as long as a month.

Some people may also have an allergic reaction to the bite of a gnat. Its main symptoms, in addition to those described above: tearfulness of the eyes, swelling of the mucous membranes, the appearance of red spots on the skin, but not in the place of the bite.

Ants

Ants are considered one of the most industrious insects. There are about six thousand species in this family, but only a few of them are potentially dangerous in terms of a possible bite. As you know, such insects do not attack first, but only when they need to defend themselves. That is why it is better to bypass ant hills and not crush an ant on your body, but try to shake it off easily.

Ant bite.

If the insect does bite, it is fairly easy to identify. A small red spot and slight swelling appear at the site of the bite. There is also a strong burning sensation, which is explained by the formic acid getting into the wound. In particularly sensitive people, the symptoms are more pronounced:

  • In addition to the red spot, a large pink spot appears around it.
  • The swelling is severe.
  • The site of the lesion may “burn.”
  • The itching and burning is unbearable.

Unpleasant sensations in the absence of hypersensitivity pass in a couple of hours, and the place of the bite itself can still itch for 1-2 days. If a person has an allergy or had to survive an attack by a large number of insects, he can feel a strong dizziness, headache, decreased blood pressure, difficulty breathing, increased temperature, swelling of the larynx. In such cases, you should immediately seek medical help.

It is also important to know that the biggest biteer is the large woodland ant. Second in the ranking is the red ant, whose bites are very painful. Somewhat weaker are the symptoms if the red ant attacked. And the “safest” is their black relative.

Ticks

Ticks are typical representatives of blood-sucking insects. The most dangerous of them belong to the family Ixodidae. They attack the victim sitting in the grass, branches of bushes, and sometimes from the ground. However, the bite is not as terrible as the prospect of contracting encephalitis, tularemia, Lyme disease, rickettsiosis, because these insects can contain in their secretes pathogens of such diseases.

Tick Bite

Finding a tick on the body is quite easy. Especially as the bloodsucker gets fatter and more visible as it becomes saturated. Such an insect looks for places on the body with thin skin to cut through it more easily with its proboscis.
“Favorite” places for ticks to suck on:

  • groin area;
  • lower back;
  • armpits;
  • Areas on the neck and behind the ears.

Sometimes the bite can be noticed after the tick has fallen off. It looks like a small red rounded spot on the surface of the skin. Rarely, it is oval in shape and has uneven edges. It does not hurt, but it itches, there is a slight swelling, there may be a slight rash. Allergy sufferers, children and people with high sensitivity have stronger symptoms. Rarely, there is a fairly severe allergic reaction with Quincke’s edema, respiratory arrest, paralysis.

Not every tick is a carrier of the disease, but seeking medical attention is a must.

If the insect remains on the skin, it is better not to remove it yourself, but to contact specialists. And even a tick removed by yourself in a sealed jar should be taken to a laboratory, because the diseases they carry are quite serious:

  • Tick-borne encephalitis – can be fatal.
  • Lyme disease – if not diagnosed in a timely manner, disability or death is possible.
  • Ehrlichiosis – the disease causes respiratory and renal failure.
  • Anaplasmosis – affects the hematopoietic system.
  • Typhus typhus – there is a rash on the body and enlarged lymph nodes.
  • Tularemia – characterized by involvement of lymph nodes, mucous membranes of the eyes and pharynx.

Fleas

Flea Bites.

Annoying and dangerous because they can be a carrier of serious infections: anthrax, plague, tularemia, brucellosis, typhus, pseudotuberculosis. This is all about fleas, which prefer to parasitize on cats and dogs.

Such insects will not get on the human body, because they need heat and moisture from animal hair for comfort. However, they also pose a danger to human health.
Identifying flea bites is fairly easy. There are several signs:

  • A small number of small red spots appear on the skin, following one another in sequence;
  • The redness is very itchy, because there are irritants in the flea’s saliva;
  • The bites are located mainly on the lower extremities, since the distinctive feature of fleas is to move by jumping.

And these are the mildest symptoms.

In some cases, the saliva of the insect can lead to the development of an inflammatory process, swelling of the lesion sites, the appearance of scabies. But the most dangerous are infectious diseases, so to prevent flea bites, you need to rid pets of such parasites in a timely manner .

Fleas

Gadfly Bite

Blindflies are the largest blood-sucking insects. Interestingly, they bite exclusively females that can suck up to 200 mg of blood at a time. A single bite is not dangerous, but a mass attack of gadflies due to the toxicity of their saliva can cause changes in physiological blood parameters and the appearance of local inflammatory processes.

You can meet the gadfly in the forest, in the steppe zone, in the taiga, as well as near water bodies.

The bite of this insect has characteristic symptoms: redness around the wound, a burning sensation and pain. The intense itching is particularly unpleasant, in comparison with the mosquito it is much stronger. After 6-8 hours, the symptoms may intensify, and on the second day they reach their peak.

A person with a weakened immune system, chronic diseases, and hypersensitivity may also develop erythema at the bite site, 7-8 cm in diameter, and enlarged lymph nodes.

In some cases a severe allergic reaction is possible: Quincke’s edema, anaphylactic shock .

Spiders

There are several thousand species of spiders on the globe. Many of them pose a danger to humans because of their venomous nature. But there are also such representatives of these insects, the bite of which causes only a hypersensitivity reaction.

In our latitudes there are several species that can bite humans:

  • Caracourt. An adult has a pure black coloration, while a young one has bright red spots on its abdomen, sometimes in the form of an hourglass. There is redness and swelling at the site of the bite, and a burning pain is felt throughout the body. Headache, palpitations, muscle cramps, and heaviness in the chest may occur.
  • Tarantula. The bite of this spider is very painful. It is followed by sudden dizziness, numbness of limbs, drop in blood pressure, disruption of heart rhythm.
  • Crossbones is a relatively safe of insects, because after its bite there is only a slight weakness and redness in the affected area.
  • Black Thickheaded Spider. The site after the bite of this spider loses sensitivity for up to several days, a strong pain is felt.

Poisonous spiders and their bites

Wasps, bees, hornets, bumblebees

All of these striped insects are rarely the first to attack humans. But they can become aggressive when exposed to cigarette smoke or the use of cosmetics with a strong odor. In terms of sensation, wasp, bee, hornet and bumblebee stings are about the same. Redness and swelling occur at the site of the lesion, which go away within 1-5 days, in the face area – up to 8 days. Painful sensations are quite strong. If a person is hypersensitive, allergic reactions and unpleasant health-threatening symptoms are possible:

  • Quincke’s edema, anaphylactic shock;
  • Rash all over the body;
  • shortness of breath;
  • convulsions with loss of consciousness;
  • weakness, dizziness;
  • nausea, vomiting.

When a bee stings, it is important to pull out the sting, because the venom from it will continue to enter the bloodstream and cause dangerous symptoms .

Flies

Sand fly bites

Flies are considered the most annoying insects. They are willing to explore every corner of the house, landing on food and furnishings. Particularly annoying is the unpleasant buzzing of their wings. But some species are not just disturbing the silence, but also quite insidious, because they can bite. Most bloodsucking flies are found throughout Europe and Asia:

  • Black-spotted flies with black spots on the abdomen: their bite has the appearance of red rashes with small maroon bumps. Pain and itching are present. Favorite sites for insect infestations are the ankles, feet, under the knees, and often the entire leg.
  • Sand flies are small in size with shaggy wings, shade of gray-brown. They prefer to attack at dusk, biting very painfully. There are itchy, burning bumps and blisters of red at the site of the bite. But these are the mildest symptoms. The danger of sand fly bites is that they are carriers of leishmaniasis, which results in sores on the body.
  • The tsetse fly, fortunately for us, lives in African forests. Its bites cause red bumps and sores on the skin. It can also cause sleeping sickness.
  • Deer flies are distinguished from their congeners by their bright green or golden eyes. They are very active in the spring. Their habitat is bogs, lakes, reservoirs. Deer fly bite looks like a red bump and rumen. A person feels a lot of pain. The most dangerous thing is that such insects carry tularemia, which without treatment can end in death.

Scorpion.

Poisonous scolopendras or, as they are called, millipedes used to inhabit Africa, the South of America and Europe. Because of climate change, they can now be seen in other regions as well. This arthropod insect is 10-15 and sometimes even 30 cm long. It is able to crawl into any crevice, so it can be found even in private houses.

The scolopendra has 42-46 pairs of legs, each with a poisonous gland. Contact with human skin results in burns and allergic reactions. And its bite is particularly painful – 20 times stronger than that of a bee. Bitten by a scolopendra feels an intolerable headache, shortness of breath, trembling hands, and his body temperature can rise to 39 degrees. There is redness and swelling at the site of the bite, and traces of punctured skin may be visible. Sometimes scratches from the legs of a scolopendra are visible.

The scorpion is another representative of arthropod insects. Some species are very poisonous. It is important to identify its bite in order to provide timely first aid and save human life.

Scorpion Bite.

You can tell if a scorpion has bitten you by several signs:

  • The onset of a sharp burning pain. Its intensity depends on the venomous nature of the scorpion. The painful sensation may subside or intensify.
  • Reddening of the area around the sting site and a black dot in the middle.
  • Rapidly increasing swelling.
  • Severe itching sensation.
  • Numbness of the affected area.
  • Formation of blisters filled with a clear fluid inside.

In addition, a person bitten by a scorpion feels dizziness, nausea, headache, tachycardia, restlessness, and abdominal pain. When the most venomous species are bitten, there may be enlarged lymph nodes, active salivation, swollen tongue, and pus from the eyes.

How to protect yourself from a bite

In most cases, you can avoid being bitten by an insect, thereby protecting your health and life, because many of them carry dangerous diseases.

To do this, it is worth following a few rules:

  • Do not walk through bushes and tall grass;
  • not to use strong perfumes, brightly colored clothes in summer;
  • wear socks and long pants, and preferably rubber boots, when going to the woods or going to walk in an uncultivated field;
  • avoid bodies of water with standing water;
  • Apply special sprays to exposed areas of the body, and wear clothing with long sleeves in the evening to reduce the area of access to the skin.

Sources:

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The articles on this site are for information purposes only. The site administrators are not responsible for attempting to apply any recipe, advice or diet, nor do they guarantee that the information provided will help or harm you personally. Be cautious and always consult a doctor or nutritionist!

*All products recommended are selected by our editorial team. Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, you help us earn a small commission from the seller and thus support the writing of useful and quality articles.

Drugs banned in some countries but allowed in others

By
The First Doc.
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0

In the West, treatment according to international protocols is considered mandatory for physicians in almost all specialties. Such guidelines are developed on the basis of many years of experience, confirmed by numerous studies. This approach allows us to “sift out” ineffective medications, to refuse those that carry more potential danger than benefit.

In Ukraine, Russia, and the CIS countries, the approach is somewhat different, although many protocols have already been implemented in the medical system. Still, doctors continue to use quite a few drugs that are banned in the United States and Europe. What are these drugs, and what are the reasons for their prohibition in the West – let’s understand in this article.

Analgin

The most popular drug among Ukrainian, Russian and patients from neighboring countries. It is taken for headaches, toothaches, when the stomach aches. There are also those who use it to bring down a high fever.

Just recently analginum turned 100 years old, and half of that time it has been banned for use in the United States and countries in Europe. In 1970, the WHO recommended that everyone give it up, arguing several facts at once:

  • The mortality rate after taking analgin is 7%, which is quite high;
  • The pills are not allowed for children under 12 years of age, pregnant and lactating women;
  • The sodium methamisole-based drug has many side effects, from unpleasant tinnitus to a sudden spike in temperature with the formation of painful blisters on the skin;
  • There is a high possibility of agranulocytosis – a decrease in the number of granulocytes and white blood cells in the blood. As a result, the immune system is severely compromised, and the person becomes vulnerable to various bacterial and viral infections and fungi. Such patients have to be kept in sterile conditions in order to protect them from danger. Fatal outcome is possible in 80% of cases. And if the patient survives, it is difficult to restore his health completely.

Despite this danger, analgin is still freely available in Ukrainian, Russian, and Belarusian pharmacies, as well as in CIS countries.

Phenobarbital

Corvalol, Barboval, Valokordin – such drops, and now also tablets can be found in the medicine cabinet of almost any elderly person. But they are popular not only among pensioners, many young people try to cope with tachycardia, anxiety, heart pain, insomnia by taking these drugs.

Unlike in the former Soviet Union, the United States and Europe long ago banned all phenobarbital-based medications. And despite the fact that Valokordin is a product of a German pharmaceutical company, it is manufactured exclusively for import. Germans themselves do not use it now and do not sell it to most European countries.

The main reason for the prohibition of drugs with this component is that phenobarbital is a representative of the group of barbiturates, i.e. psychotropic substances. Its constant and prolonged use is addictive – narcotic dependence. And this effect that a person feels after taking Corvalol or Barboval can be compared with euphoria. In other words – all unpleasant symptoms recede while phenobarbital is present in the body. As soon as it is eliminated, anxiety, insomnia, heart pain return.

Barbiturate addiction is a serious enough condition, so as long as these drugs are not banned in all countries, you should be careful with them. Better yet, avoid using them altogether, because all the symptoms that the phenobarbital-based remedy supposedly “treats” can be overcome with other, safer medications .

Levomycetin

Levomycetin tablets are a popular remedy that patients use on their own to treat diarrhea in children and adults. They are inexpensive, in addition, the drug can be purchased in any pharmacy without a prescription. But using levomycetin, no one thinks about the consequences of self-treatment. Such an antimicrobial agent is not as safe as it may seem. Because of the large number of side effects that are dangerous to human health, the release of levomycetin in dosage forms for oral administration is prohibited in the United States. It can only be found in eye drops or topical ointments.

And there is a reason to ban levomycetin tablets. This antibiotic, whose active ingredient is a member of the amphenicol group, chloramphenicol, is dangerous with its side symptoms:

  • Negative effects on the CNS – confusion, depression, hearing and visual disturbances;
  • Depression of the hematopoietic system. After levomycetin administration severe anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, granulocytopenia may occur;
  • irritation of the oral mucosa (glossitis), disorders of the digestive system.

Given that it is not banned in Russia, Ukraine and CIS countries, patients should take it only in extreme cases when there is no alternative treatment.

Cerebrolysin, phenibut, sermion, and other nootropics

Nootropic drugs are a group of medications that have an effect on the central nervous system. They are used to improve memory, concentration, and increase mental activity. Also indications for the use of nootropics are considered neurosis, asthenia, withdrawal syndrome in alcoholism, Meniere’s disease. And children are prescribed such drugs for bedwetting, stuttering, nervous tics. However, not all over the world a similar attitude to nootropics. In Australia, they are completely banned for use, with the exception of a few active ingredients that are included in dietary supplements. In the United States, the situation with nootropics is similar, although some drugs are still used in official medicine. For example, they are prescribed for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children, and Alzheimer’s disease. But without a prescription it is impossible to buy such drugs – everything is strictly controlled.

It is illegal in the U.S. to make and sell drugs that include:

  • DMAA;
  • Phenibut;
  • Octodrine;
  • Vinpocetine;
  • Preparations of the racetam group (piracetam, phenylpiracetam, oxiracetam, and others).

The reason for banning all these drugs is that they can be addictive, and the side effects of use are anxiety, nervousness, and sleep disturbances. At the same time, phenibut-based medications are readily available in any pharmacy in the former Soviet Union.

Nimesulide

Nimesulide

When a patient comes to a Ukrainian or Russian pharmacy with a toothache or after visiting the dentist, he is often offered sachets of Nimesil. This drug perfectly copes with painful sensations and has an anti-inflammatory effect. It would seem to be a great remedy, but in many countries nimesulide preparations are banned. They can not be used in the United States, Finland, Ireland, Belgium, Spain. The fact is that this remedy is effective, but not at all harmless. There are known cases that after using the remedy for several days in a row, patients needed a liver transplant. Nimesulide is hepatotoxic, although the mechanism of this effect is not fully understood.

Until it is banned everywhere, it is worth being extra cautious, and under no circumstances should it be used by children.

No-shpa, drotaverine.

The best known antispasmodic under the trade name No-Spa is available only in Eastern Europe and parts of Asia. In the rest of the world, the drug is banned, especially among pregnant women. Germany, the United States, and the United Kingdom have recognized drotaverine-based medications as dangerous because there are studies claiming that taking No-Spa by pregnant women can cause delayed speech in children.

In addition, the active ingredient drotaverine has a vasodilator effect, so it is dangerous for hypotensive people, because it can reduce blood pressure to critical levels. And most importantly, an overdose can cause serious poisoning, and in some cases death. For example, in 2016, after taking No-Shpa the Russian chess player Ivan Bukavshin died after exceeding the maximum dose four times.

Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine

Thailand has listed ephedrine and pseudoephedrine as banned substances. They are classified as drugs with psychotropic effects, although they are included in several cough syrups. In Russia, Ukraine and several other countries in Eastern Europe, preparations based on them can be purchased by prescription in pharmacies. The most famous is Broncholitin, which is prescribed for both children and adults for coughs.

This information is particularly relevant for tourists, because the possession and use of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine is a criminal liability for up to 5 years. Going on a trip, it is better to stock up on other cough medicine.

Mustard pills

Mustard pills

In the West and in the United States, mustards were abandoned years ago. According to some reports, the main reason for this is the risk of melanoma. This theory has not been fully confirmed, but neither American nor European doctors recommend the use of mustard therapy.

In Russia, Ukraine, CIS countries they can be easily found in any pharmacy and purchased without a prescription. Mustard pills are used to treat colds, flu, back pain, and sometimes to lower blood pressure. It is believed that they warm and increase blood circulation, thereby relieving inflammation and activating the immune system. But in fact there is no benefit from mustard pills.

They warm only in the place where they are put, and this effect is provided by mixing water with sinigrin, which is in the mustard seeds. The result is allyl isothiocyanate, which causes a sensation of heat on the skin. But if you keep mustard on the skin for a long time, it is possible to burn.

Evaluating the effectiveness of such a method of treatment of cold or flu, it is possible to assert: it can work only as a placebo, because mustard glands do not warm up so deeply as to really treat. And in case of bronchitis and pneumonia they are contraindicated at all.

Aspirin

“American aspirin” has been a buzzword since the late 1990s and early 2000s. Many people wanted to get their hands on it, because it was believed that such a drug was used in the United States for everything, and it was of excellent quality. Today aspirin is not banned in America, but under very strict control. It is prescribed mostly by cardiologists for the prevention of blood clots, after heart surgery. But there are also countries where aspirin is banned: Bangladesh, Turkey and India. This is because the drug has many serious side effects: the development of ulcer disease and kidney disease, liver disease, heart disorder, risk of bleeding.

In Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, aspirin is taken by many people, and often to reduce fever. It is sold in pharmacies without a prescription.

Not banned, but not used drugs either

There are several other remedies that are not actually banned, but also not used in the West. One such drug is an alcohol solution of brilliant green, popularly called verdigris. Neither in the U.S. nor in Europe, this remedy does not belong to official medicine. The reason is simple: the mechanism of action of verdure has not yet been studied, and its effectiveness has not been confirmed. Given that the medicine of Western countries is based on evidence, such drugs simply do not stand a chance.

A similar situation has occurred with Validol. American and European doctors do not recommend it to patients. The reason is similar – there is no evidence base for Validol’s effectiveness.

The information on what is forbidden and what is allowed of medications in different countries is not just for comparison. It will be relevant to travelers who take their first aid kit with them. The list of prohibited medicines is definitely worth considering, so as not to have problems when crossing borders.

Sources

Read also:

The articles on this site are for information purposes only. The site administrators are not responsible for attempting to apply any recipe, advice or diet, nor do they guarantee that the information provided will help or harm you personally. Be cautious and always consult a doctor or nutritionist!

*All products recommended are selected by our editorial team. Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, you help us earn a small commission from the seller and thus support the writing of useful and quality articles.

The 8 most common food allergens

By
The First Doc.
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0

About a third of people suffer from allergies – and half of them have food allergies. Up to 90% of food allergies occur to 8 food categories – and the presence of the appropriate ingredients should be displayed on the packaging.

Up to 35% of adults suffer from some type of allergy, concludes a statistical study published in 2020. More than half of this number have food allergies – often to quite common foods.

The most common food allergens are certain proteins in foods – mistaken by the immune system as harmful. The following is a list of the most common food allergens that should be listed on the package.

Food allergies – what are they?

Food allergies - what are they?

Humans, like other mammals, are a protein-based life form. Protein is used by the body both to form muscle and connective tissue and to replicate DNA. The system for processing and assimilation of proteins from food is significantly more complex than, for example, the system for assimilation of carbohydrates.

In some cases, the natural components of the protein structures of certain foods cause an undesirable reaction of the immune system – taking them as harmful. In this case, we are talking about the fact that a person may observe food allergies when eating such food.

The situation is exacerbated by the fact that the mechanism of the immune reaction is not only extremely complex, but can vary significantly depending on the allergen – many aspects of food allergies are still on the list of topics actively being studied by science.

How does it manifest itself?

In most cases, the body’s immune response to a food allergen manifests itself quite quickly – figures from a few minutes to 1-2 hours are found in the literature².

The duration and intensity of symptoms can vary widely – depending on the allergen and the dose consumed – lasting from several days to several weeks.

Symptomatology can also be extremely variable, ranging from mild discomfort to a life-threatening condition. Consult a specialist for details.

The most common food allergens

Lactose allergy

Let us caveat that non-allergic food hypersensitivity (“food intolerance”) – for example, to lactose or to fructose – is not a category of allergy. Recall that lactose and fructose are types of carbohydrates, whereas allergens usually include substances of protein nature.

1. Nuts

Peanuts, Brazil nuts, walnuts, cashews, almonds, macadamia nuts, pistachios, and hazelnuts contain components that can act as food allergens.

Statistics³, allergies to any type of nut are the most common – representing 0.1 to 4.3% of all food allergies (numbers vary depending on studies).

2. Fruit

Allergic reactions most often occur with citrus fruits (especially oranges), apples, and plums – but can occur with strawberries and other fruits.

The prevalence of an allergy to any fruit ranges from 0.1 to 4.3% of all food allergies – occurring even when juices are consumed.

3. Wheat

Gluten is a protein component of wheat (and some other cereals) that can cause an allergic reaction in some people.

The prevalence of gluten allergies varies widely, with numbers commonly cited ranging from 0.5 to 1.3% of all reported food allergies.

4. Milk

As mentioned above, milk allergy is not equivalent to lactose intolerance – and is often provoked by the complex protein casein or beta-lactoglobulin.

Data suggest that milk components act as a food allergen in about 0.9% of all food allergies.

5. Soya

Some people’s bodies are unable to properly respond to ingestion of soy protein components – provoking an allergic reaction.

Importantly, soy is widely used in the production of all kinds of products – including baby food. The prevalence of soy allergy is up to 0.7% of all food allergies.

6. Shrimp and crustaceans

Note that an allergic reaction to the tropomyosin protein in crustacean muscle tissue can be extremely intense – potentially endangering human life.

In many cases, this kind of allergy occurs as an adult – if you haven’t eaten shrimp in a long time, be extra careful. The prevalence of this allergy is about 0.6% of all food allergies.

7. Eggs

Chicken egg proteins contain 2 substances that can provoke allergies – ovalbumin and lysozyme. Lysozyme is also used as a food preservative and as a component for clarifying wine.

In about 0.3% of all food allergies, the aforementioned ovalbumin and lysozyme are the cause – and at minimal doses (that is, when consumed as an ingredient).

8. Fish

It is important to distinguish an allergic reaction to fish from an allergic reaction to seafood. In the case of fish, the cause is the low molecular weight protein parvalbumin.

Since fish protein can be found in many foods, allergies can be caused by more than just the fish itself. Parvalbumin accounts for up to 0.3% of all food allergies.

Allergenic Substance Labeling

Seafood in diabetes

According to the regulations approved food allergen labeling, allergy-inducing substances must be mentioned on food labels.

The paper mentions that the 8 substances listed below have been found to be responsible for 90% of food allergies:

  • Grains containing gluten (namely wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, their hybridized species and their products)
  • Crustaceans and products thereof
  • eggs and egg products
  • fish and fish products
  • Peanuts, soybeans and their products
  • milk and milk products (including lactose)
  • hazelnuts and products thereof

Sulfites

The eighth item on the official allergen list is sulfites. If a food product consists of or contains sulfites in a concentration of 10 parts per million or more, the functional class of the sulfite and its name must be indicated in the ingredient list.

Sulphites are all types of sulphur compounds (metabisulphite; sulphur salts containing potassium, calcium or sodium; hydrogen sulphide and sulphur dioxide). They can be found in a range of foods, both naturally and through ingestion during food processing.

About a third of citizens suffer from allergies – and half of them have food allergies. Up to 90% of food allergies occur to 8 categories of products – and the presence of the relevant components must be displayed on the packaging.

Sources:

  • Self-reported allergies impact on skin, source
  • Diagnosis of food allergies, link
  • Epidemiology of food allergy, pdf
  • Food allergen labeling guidelines, pdf
Read also:

The articles on this site are for information purposes only. The site administrators are not responsible for attempting to apply any recipe, advice or diet, nor do they guarantee that the information provided will help or harm you personally. Be cautious and always consult a doctor or nutritionist!

*All products recommended are selected by our editorial team. Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, you help us earn a small commission from the seller and thus support the writing of useful and quality articles.

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*The information published on the website is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for qualified medical care. Be sure to consult your doctor!

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