Life Wellness & Health

Sinusitis has many symptoms before it fully develops. Post nasal drip is just one of the many symptoms of a potential sinus infection that also includes a runny nose, discharge of phlegm and mucous, a cough, bad breath and puffiness in the face. Post nasal drip consists of a runny nose along with phlegm and mucous being discharged. If the sinuses are inflamed, it affects the normal drainage of mucous of an individual. The mucous thickens and turns to a yellow or greenish discharge; this may also be a sign of flu or just an allergic reaction that will not subside.

Sinus drainage activity is an unavoidable part of our daily life. A bacterial or viral infection e.g. a cold causes the sinus drainage to become so congested that the only discharge is foul smelling and thick. Post nasal drip treatment can effectively cure this by unclogging the sinuses and allowing free passage of air and mucous. The choices of medicines vary and they can mostly be purchased over the counter. The most preferred and recommended form of post nasal drip treatment is a decongestant and they often include a pain reliever or may be bought without any kind of pain reliever if it’s not necessary. The most preferred treatment is pseudoephedrine.

When buying over the counter medication, it is always in your best interest to read the label carefully so you fully understand the medicine. This is important so you know whether it is permissible to mix it with any other medication that you may already be taking. The addition of a decongestant nasal spray may be useful if the medication is not effectively curing the problem. Afrin is the most recommended of these nasal sprays. But however helpful these sprays may be, use for more than four days may lead to more congestion. Talking to the doctor or local pharmacist can be of assistance in getting help on the application of the medication.

Post nasal drip is not the same as sinusitis but rather symptoms of an infected sinus; this is also prone with a common cold, flu attack and an allergic reaction which are sometimes severe enough to block the sinuses. Another type of post nasal drip treatment that may be effective is the intake of antihistamines, but is not necessarily the best choice to treat a seasonal or chronic allergy symptom. Other findings suggest that theses medications can actually thicken the mucous, limiting the drainage in the sinus leading to an infection.

Have you noticed that older people seem to be obsessed with being regular? I know it may sound amusing, but the older people get, it seems the more concerns with constipation they have. In fact, constipation is one of the most common ailments in people over age 65, especially women, accounting for most of the 4 million Americans who are affected by it.

While it’s true that a decreased metabolism past age 40 can contribute to constipation, unless you have a specific medical condition that creates constipation, it does NOT have to be a chronic condition of getting older. Allow me to explain about bowel function and constipation.

What Is Constipation?

Constipation is the inability to empty your bowel completely on a regular basis. Normally, the colon absorbs water from food and forms waste matter, or stool. It then moves it to the rectum where it stays until you have a bowel movement. Constipation occurs when the stool is too dry and/or the colon’s muscles contract too slowly.

Types of Constipation

There are basically 3 categories of constipation. They are:

•Functional: Usually caused by incomplete nutritional, water, exercise requirements, or certain food or drugs. Most people will fall into this category, especially women.
•Idiopathic: Unknown, may not respond to traditional treatment. Usually nerve damage or blockages can be involved. Can require manual removal procedures periodically.
•Irritable bowel syndrome: Results from a spastic condition of the muscles of the bowel, moving too much resulting in diarrhea, and then too little resulting in constipation.

What Causes Constipation?

As you can see, functional constipation is the most common type. It also has the widest variety of causes which can happen at any age! The up side of functional constipation is that with some easy lifestyle and nutritional changes, this type of constipation can be remedied fairly easily. Here are some reasons why it occurs:

•Decreased fluids intake – the colon depends on adequate levels of water to create waste that moves properly through your colon. If water is inadequate, stool becomes hard and dry, and becomes impacted in the colon. Daily water intake: divide your weight in half. If you weigh 200 lb, drink 100 oz water daily.
•Too little fiber – always, I stress the importance of the right amount of fiber in your diet. The American Dietetic Association recommends 20-35 grams a day. Guess what most Americans consume? About 5-10 grams a day! Without enough fiber, your colon cannot form solid waste, resulting in either watery diarrhea or pellet-like stool, both of which create uncomfortable and unhealthy bowel emptying.
•Medications - many OTC and prescription drugs can cause constipation because they absorb water from the colon which can result in hard, dry stool. These include: pain pills (especially Vicodin, oxycodone, other narcotics), aluminum or calcium containing antacids, calcium channel type blood pressure pills, Parkinson drugs, antispasmodic drugs, iron pills, diuretics, antiseizure drugs. Ask your doctor if your medication could be contributing to your constipation.
•Lack of exercise - your colon is a muscle like all other muscles of your body and is affected by exercise or the lack of it. Without regular physical activity, colonic muscles can become weak and unable to contract properly. Colonic inertia, or lack of movement, occurs and constipation results. Twenty to thirty minutes a day of actual physical movement, i.e., walking, riding a bike, swimming, golfing, can go a long way to help you stay regular.
•Certain health conditions - thyroid disease, diabetes and metabolic resistance, spinal cord and other nervous system disorders, hypercalcemia (too much blood calcium), lupus, scleroderma. Tumors, intestinal obstructions, surgical scar tissue, diverticulosis, all can create constipation.

Symptoms of Constipation

Most of us know when we’re constipated and just can’t seem to go. We feel:

•Sluggish – from toxins in waste that keep getting released into the blood stream.
•Bloated – you can gain up to 10 lbs from constipation causing your belly to stick out.
•Crampy - impaction of waste can cause painful cramping when it cannot pass easily.

Aging and Constipation

As I mentioned above, as we get older our metabolisms slow down. This can occur as early as age 40. Hormone changes occur in both males and females that can affect metabolism. We start burning fewer calories and we can gain weight.

If we stop getting regular physical activity our muscles can become weak and lose their tone. Remember, the muscles of the colon are like other body muscles. The less active you are, the weaker they become. The key, then, is to boost your metabolism, and your muscle strength, by maintaining optimal nutritional levels, getting regular physical activity that you enjoy, and doing some strength building exercise with weights.

Avoid Constipation At Any Age

As I recommend to my patients, there are many things you can do to prevent/remedy constipation. Doing a few of these together helps ensure that you stay regular at any age!

•Limit saturated fats – animal fats act as a binder that can contribute to constipation.
•Strength training – 20 minutes, 3 x a week will keep your muscles from shrinking and becoming weaker. You can use free weights or weight machine equipment.
•Don’t postpone the urge – many people ignore the initial “urge signal” to have a bowel movement and wait much longer than they should to go. This can lead to constipation.
•Short-term relief - I don’t recommend using laxatives on a continuous basis as your body can become dependent on them. However, there are some excellent over-the-counter (OTC) herbal-based aids such as senna, or Dulcolax, or preparations containing cascara sagrada (such as Dieter’s Tea, bought in health food stores in the tea section) that are very helpful in getting past a bout of constipation.
•Check magnesium levels - as we get older, we can become deficient in magnesium, which can contribute to constipation as well as muscle cramps. 400 mg a day is key.
•De-Stress - life events can cause us to carry a lot of tension in our muscles from stress. The more you can let go of tension, the less trouble you’ll have with constipation.
•Detox - upon arising, squeeze ½ fresh lemon into a cup of hot water (sweeten if you want) and drink down. This not only helps cleanse your bowel, but also helps remove toxins from your liver.
•Olive oil - 1 tablespoon a day can help you stay regular and help your heart!

Constipation can be an uncomfortable and frustrating condition at any age. However, it doesn’t have to be a chronic part of your life just because you’re past age 40! Remember, too, what’s normal for one person may not be normal for you, so it may be counterproductive comparing your habits to someone else.

As long as you are eliminating about 4 times a week, you’re within healthy bowel activity. Following the suggestions outlined here, however, should keep you moving happily along, no matter how many candles you put on your birthday cake!