The best probiotics available in the market are rated with the number of good bacteria content inside the pack. Research says at least one billion bacteria cultures are allowed and permissible by the lab for any given quality test. The lab scientists say they are viable and potent. If you dig deep into clinical trial findings with the help of probiotic and health experts, we can identify the best probiotics in the market. Take a sample of 200-300 supplements from different variants and sellers like and check the purity, potency and the efficiency that was projected while marketing and in real time. Narrow down to another 70-100 supplements. This should only be done under surveillance of certified scientists from either ConsumerLab, NSF or Labdoor. These supplements are not quality controlled by FDA but by lab scientists themselves.

After this, make sure each supplement has at least 1billion Colony Forming Units (CFU’s). The supplement with more CFU holds higher chances of being effective. Be careful as a little overdose can lead to unusual cramps and bloating. Sometimes under testing, you can find that combination of two strains might work as a better probiotic. For example, combining Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Bifidobacterium Bifidum BB-12 they have proven to fight the antibiotic- resistant GI infection.

Once you take a better check on the bacteria, you can find that linking strain of bacteria supports our immune system, antibiotic recovery, weight loss, lowering cholesterol, etc. Now test the proportion of or required bacteria combinations relative to their CFU count. After the sample is gotten with the Labdoor scores chose the duo force with minimum additives. Once you have checked all required tests verify the manufacturing date and expiry date because some bacteria die out soon. Usually, the best in the market will list their potency in Colony Forming Units promising the worth of your money. Even if they do not have a specific requirement, you can advise the customers to always read about the importance of good bacteria in our system. Finally, conclude the sampling process by picking the best among the group.

It is true that there isn’t any substantial reason identified for the cause of a migraine. The best way to get rid of migraines is to keep away from what starts them in the starting place. Migraine symptoms are peculiar to each person, and it is not out of the ordinary for a person to have different migraine triggers. Anyone who has experience of a migraine knows they’re painful. The most common migraine causes include:

Vomiting
It can be a one-time occurrence related to something that does not settle right in the stomach.  Vomiting happening at intervals may be caused by due to the underlying medical conditions.

Sensitivity to Sounds or Noise sensitivity
The spectrum of sound we can hear is phenomenal; some people can hear a pin drop, and yet most peoples can still be subjected to loud sounds such as heavy machinery and sound like the same. Hyperacusis is an uncommon low acceptance to ordinary sounds from the environment, which is acceptable to those who listened with normal hearing.

Sensitivity to Smells or smell sensitivity
Hyperosmia is heightened olfactory acuity (increased and sharpened sense of smell), usually reason for this is a lower threshold for odor. This emotional disorder or discomfort starts when there is a situation of abnormally increased signal at any stage between the olfactory cortex and the olfactory receptors. The underlying cause of Hyperosmia may be environmental, generic or the after effect of benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome.

Sensitivity to Light
Photophobia is not an abnormal fear or phobia, but a sense of discomfort or pain to the eyes due to the exposure to light. The term is sometimes additionally used to abnormal or irrational fear of light such as heliophobia.

Changes in vision
The real causes of Migraine headaches are a bit of a riddle. Researchers have recognized possible reasons, but they don’t have a clear explanation. Potential studies include: A disorder of an underlying central nervous may set a migraine episode when it triggered.

A runny nose is the result of mucus being discharged from the nasal cavity. It is one of the many symptoms of seasonal allergies, flu or a cold. A runny nose makes it difficult to carry out everyday activities, as it makes becomes difficult to breathe and the nasal cavity requires constant cleaning. A runny nose can also cause headaches, changes in body temperature and make you feel tired and irritable.

It is best to treat a runny nose as quickly as possible. However, there are a few things that can make runny nose remedies ineffective.

Don’t do this when you have a runny nose

• Deprive your body of fluids: Intake of fluids is one the most effective runny nose remedies that should not be ignored. Fluid intake such as water, juices and hot soups can help you feel better.
• Not taking rest: Resting to help your body recover is also very important. Rest is seen to expedite recovery. So not resting enough would prolong your recovery time.
• Excessive physical exercises: Stressing and straining your body during an illness is a bad idea. It will not only make you feel weaker and tired but can also prolong your illness. With a runny nose and difficulty in breathing, it sure doesn’t make sense to strain yourself further.
• Waiting too long to start treatment: Being sick for a few weeks and not taking medication is not a good way to take care of yourself. A runny nose remedy such as steam or nasal spray should be started as soon as possible. Over the counter medications or those prescribed by a physician would provide relief from the discomfort.

The biggest no-no when you have a runny nose is to ignore it and not treat it at the right time. To lead a normal healthy life, you need to treat ailments as soon as possible. A runny nose remedy can sometimes be quite easy and simple such as steam that can be done at home. The use of nasal sprays and drinking ginger tea could also be beneficial. Take care of the condition before it gets worsens, as the longer you delay, the longer will be the recovery time.

Hemophilia is a rare, hereditary bleeding condition in which blood may not clot normally when wounded. People with this illness have prolonged or spontaneous bleeding and bruising after an accident, surgery, or other injuries. Even minimal trauma can cause continuous bleeding in hemophilia patients. It can also result in internal bleeding in joints, muscles, brain, or other organs. This article throws light on the ways to manage hemophilia:

Treatment options

• Recombinant factor VIII (8) concentrate
  The most effective technique to manage hemophilia is to restore the deficient blood clotting factor, allowing the blood to clot normally. Earlier all factor replacement products were made from human plasma. But in 1992, the FDA approved the recombinant factor VIII (8) concentrate, which is genetically engineered through DNA technology and used to treat hemophilia. 
• Hemlibra®
  This may also be used to manage it. It works on replacing the function of factor VIII (8) rather than replacing the said missing clot directly. This treatment product is given to patients through an injection. 
• Kovaltry®
  Another treatment option is Kovaltry. It helps in replacing the missing clotting factor in adults and children. Kovaltry® reduces the frequency of bleeding episodes and is sometimes given after surgery.

Foods to eat
Hemophilia patients should fill their plates with fruits and vegetables. Dark and green leafy vegetables like spinach, broccoli, kale, bok choy, and fruits like strawberries, pears, and apples are excellent sources of vitamins, fiber, and minerals. Include orange juice, lean red meat, poultry, fortified cereals, raisins, and apricots as they are rich in calcium and iron. 

Foods to avoid
Avoid oily foods especially deep-fried meats, chips, and junk foods, as they contain saturated fats, which are unhealthy for the body. High sugar items like cookies, pie, soft drinks, energy drinks, candy, and chocolates should also be restricted. Fish oil and vitamin E supplements should not be consumed by hemophilia A patients as they can prevent the clumping of platelets. Herbs like ginger, willow bark, Asian ginseng, large quantities of garlic, Ginkgo Biloba, and feverfew should also be avoided as they can make bleeding worse.

Living with hemophilia
Patients can reduce the risk of excessive bleeding by following a regular routine of low-impact or non-contact exercises. Wear protective gear and take extra precautions while stepping out for a workout. Avoid non-steroidal anti-inflammatory antibiotics and blood thinners. Practice good dental hygiene. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends hemophilia patients to get periodic screening done for HIV and hepatitis. Also, consult a health professional and discuss the various ways to manage the condition.

There are several ways in which you can fight common cold and flu without taking unnecessary medications. The flu usually attacks the respiratory system, and when you fall ill, your body turns into a war zone where the germs tear into your body’s strong defenses. The microbes that enter your body start to take over your cells and then kill the cells after they multiply, causing cold and flu symptoms. Here are seven natural ways for you to beat cold and flu symptoms:

Drink plenty of fluids
Keeping your body hydrated is very important. You can drink water or other fluids if you want but avoid sodas and soft drinks.

Warm ginger tea
A cup of warm ginger tea soothes the throat and opens up your sinuses. It helps clear the congestion and eases the aches you have in your body.

A salve or balm
Just applying a simple salve or a balm can prove to be beneficial. It opens up the nostrils and clears out the mucus. This way, you get rid of the congestion and headache caused by cold and flu.

Stay clean
It is highly important for you to stay clean at all times. Take a shower every day and wear clean clothes. You will not only be clear of germs, but you will also feel fresh and a little better.

Bath salts
Essential oils and bath salts can help tackle the flu. The refreshing smell and the ingredients in the salts, especially if it is tea tree oil or eucalyptus, can help kill the germs and release the mucus. If you are using lavender, it can help de-stress your mind and body to help you relax.

Steam
This is one of the best natural solutions for cold and congestion. You can use a few drops of eucalyptus oil in warm water and then wrap a towel around your head and shoulders to inhale the steam. This will give you immediate relief and help in recovering from the cold over time so that the congestion does not set in again.

You would consult a doctor before taking any of these measures, in case you are suffering from any chronic conditions.

Before the advent of antibiotics, pneumonia claimed many lives. Antibiotics have, at least, tamed and subdued it; however, there are segments of the population who are vulnerable to and people do die of pneumonia. There are quite a few recognizable pneumonia symptoms and risk factors. A few of them have been discussed as follows.

Risk factors
Infants under 2 years and adults above 65 years are vulnerable. People who have their immune system compromised such as those undergoing chemotherapy, organ recipients, and others who are on medications and those are suffering from immune suppressing diseases like HIV/ AIDS. These people are more prone to experience pneumonia symptoms.

Classification
Pneumonia classification is on two bases. One is based on the causative agents and the other on the basis of wherefrom one got the infection. Both bacteria and viruses can cause it and the former is called bacterial pneumonia and the latter viral pneumonia. The other classification is based on the group or the locality from where the infection was acquired. This is the most common type and is bacterial, viral, or fungal. Community-acquired pneumonia is so called as the infection is picked from outside hospitals or other health centers. Hospital-acquired pneumonia is when the infection is picked up during hospitalization for other reasons. These are more dangerous as the causative agents are more antibiotic resistant. Patients on ventilators are at higher risk. Health care acquired are similar and is more drug resistant. These happen in long term health care units and outpatient departments and dialysis centers. Aspiration pneumonia is when food, drink, or saliva into the lungs. This is common in people who have disturbed gag reflux like brain injury, swallowing problem, or alcohol or drug abuse.

Pneumonia symptoms can be very deceptive. Mild forms present symptoms like cold and flu but are longer lasting.  Chest pain on breathing and coughing, cough with phlegm, fatigue, fever and chills with body temperatures below normal, etc., are some of the common symptoms.

Diagnosis is done by the auscultation of the chest, chest X-rays, and laboratory tests. Treatment is generally based on the cause.

Pneumonia is no more as dangerous as it used to be. It can, however, be serious in certain groups of patients with compromised immunity and cardiac disorders.

The treatment for breast cancer varies according to its type. The type of breast cancer can also be identified by the signs and symptoms shown by the patient. For example, metastatic breast cancer symptoms may include severe pain, thickening of the breast, breathlessness, and extreme fatigue. Once the type of cancer is detected, the treatment targeting the particular type of cancer is started by the doctors.

Types of treatment

• Local treatments: Also known as local therapies, the benefit of these are that they only target the tumor without causing any side effects on the rest of the body. Local treatment includes the following:
  • Surgery: When a cancer patient undergoes surgery, the breast surgeon removes the cancer tumor and the surrounding tissue.
  • Radiation therapy: Also known as chemotherapy, it is conducted to shrink a cancer tumor.

Surgery and radiation therapy is usually performed at the initial stages of breast cancer.

• Systemic treatments: Systemic therapies consist of giving the patient drugs via mouth or into the bloodstream. This therapy targets the cancer cells present anywhere in the entire body. The drugs prescribed varies according to the type and stage of cancer present in the body. Systemic treatments include the following:
  • Hormone therapy. It is generally used after surgery to avoid the risk of recurring cancer, and its effects generally last for five years.
  • Targeted therapy: Targeted therapy blocks the growth and also prevents the cancer cells from spreading.

It is essential to remember that it is necessary to discuss the side effects of the treatments as well as its success rate of with the consulting doctor.

Lately, there has been an alarming rate of increase in Human Epidermal Growth Factor (HER2) breast cancer. HER2 breast cancer is more aggressive than other types of breast cancer, and doctors are also researching an effective treatment for this type of cancer. There are various specific drugs designed to treat HER2 breast cancer patients. However, before starting any long-term treatment, it is always advisable to get a second opinion.

Bacterial meningitis is a life-threatening illness that is prevalent worldwide. The mortality rate of untreated disease approaches 100 percent, and, even with optimal therapy, there is a high failure rate.

The epidemiology of the disease has changed over the last 20 years, primarily as a result of the introduction of conjugate vaccines against the common meningeal pathogens, such that in parts of the world where vaccination is routinely utilized, bacterial meningitis has become a disease of adults rather than of infants and children. Listed below are some of the common causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatments of bacterial meningitis.

Bacterial causes of meningitis
Several factors can become the causes of meningitis. The most common pathogens include Streptococcus pneumoniae, Group B Streptococcus, Neisseria meningitidis, Haemophilus influenzae and Listeria monocytogenes

Clinical signs and bacterial meningitis symptoms
The possible presence of the disorder is suggested by the bacterial meningitis symptoms of fever, altered mental status, headache, and nuchal rigidity. Despite fever being the primary symptom, there is no significant signs of inflammation, fever, headache, or even neck stiffness. Instead, the infant may be irritable, vomit, feed poorly, appear to be slow or inactive, and a bulging fontanelle or abnormal reflexes may be present. Bacterial meningitis symptoms appear immediately or within a few days. Symptoms are likely to develop within 3 to 7 days after exposure.

Advanced symptoms of bacterial meningitis can be severe. These include fever, altered consciousness, bacteremia, seizure, brain abscess, hydrocephalus, septic shock, liver abscess, multiple septic abscesses, diabetic ketoacidosis, cerebral infarction, infections endocarditis.

Diagnosis
Diagnosis includes a thorough physical examination, looking for signs and symptoms, analysis of spinal fluid, blood and urine as well as mucous testing from nose and throat.

Treatment
The widely accepted empiric antibiotic treatment for bacterial meningitis includes cephalosporin like cefotaxime sodium. If listerial meningitis cannot be ruled, ceftriaxone sodium with ampicillin is used. In patients with an apparent meningococcal disease, penicillin is the drug of choice. Current guidelines recommend supportive therapy to treat associated clinical manifestations. Corticosteroids reduce neurologic deficits in children with H influenzae meningitis, whereas their beneficial effect in adults remains to be proved. The Intracranial pressure when there is intracranial hypertension can be reduced by the use of glycerol or mannitol. The need for full fluid replacement and maintenance is rightfully emphasized.