Dr. Victor Dumaguing

Ease that pain in your leg, sole and heel

MORE and more we see elderlies among us, more reverently called senior citizens, thanks for the increasing control of infectious diseases which used to be the number one cause of death in developing so-called Third World countries, which include our dearly beloved Philippines. Thus, health care givers meet more of the degenerative or growing-old related ailments like arthritides, the most common of which is osteoarthritis (rayuma in local parlance). Along with joint pains are all sorts of pain- from mere nagging discomfort to the excruciating wrenching pain.

A meal to control hypertension

LOWERING blood pressure at any level can have a significant impact on morbidity (illness) and mortality (death). Statistics and experience have shown that antihypertensive therapy was associated with average reduction of 40 percent in stroke and 25 percent reduction in heart attack. It is also estimated that a 5mm Hg decrease in systolic blood pressure would result in 15 percent decrease in coronary heart disease.

Are you pre-hypertensive?

IT IS often said that "what you don’t know, won’t hurt you." Probably, in some instances, this is true. However, in matters pertaining to health, not knowing what your body may be suffering from may yield disastrous and even serious results. By then, regrets, no matter how great and sincere would be too late! Like, let's take the case of pre-hypertension.

What to Do to a Pregnant Diabetic

OBVIOUSLY, the pre-natal needs of a diabetic whose pregnant are quite different from those women, heavy with a child but whose blood sugar.

Diet, especially carbohydrates-rice, pasta, noodles, bread, potatoes- has to be monitored and balanced; carbohydrates are the primary source of energy but too much of it will flood the blood with excessive unused sugar. Fiber is known to slow down digestion and absorption of nutrients, thus it helps control blood sugar levels. Eat meals and snacks on a regular schedule, small but varied amounts. Add a light snack before bedtime.

Diabetic and Pregnant, What Now?

GESTATION diabetes is a type of diabetes that only pregnant women get. It occurs in 2-5 percent of pregnancies. Normally, the stomach and the intestines digest the carbohydrates - rice, bread, potato, camote, noodles, etc- into a simple sugar glucose, which is our body's main source of energy. After digestion and its eventual absorption into the blood, glucose-also called blood or plasma sugar, is distributed to all cells to provide life-giving energy, in the form of ATP or adenosine triphosphate.

Is your diabetes under control?

TO SAY that diabetes mellitus is a major health problem is an understatement. In the past, diabetes has been an illness of the rich and the affluent, in other words, a lifestyle-related kind of disease – meals heavy on meats, drooling with fat coupled with an indolent daily activity with hardly no strenuous exercise at all.

The alarming fact is that even developing countries that still have to grapple with infectious diseases like malaria and tuberculosis are equally burdened by geometric increase in prevalence of diabetes. Aside from lifestyle changes in the areas of diet and exercise, medications on a daily basis are needed as well. If left untreated, the complications can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness and amputations.

A new, practical, rational med for hypertension

AT THE annual convention of the Philippine Society of Hypertension early this year, elevated blood pressure and high blood sugars have crept into the household of Filipinos, regardless f socio-economic status, rural or urban roots, gender or educational attainment.

In 2010, there were 3.4 million Filipinos with diabetes, representing a prevalence rate of 7.7 percent.

Have a Healthy Happy Easter

AMONG Catholics and other religions Lent is a time for sacrifice and self denial. And obviously staying away from food glorious food admittedly the delicious food are sourced from meat dishes - red meats like beef, veal white meats like pork and chicken.

To our dear friends and pious readers don't despair because you can have the best of both worlds, something delicious as well as something nutritious without the guilt feeling.

Living with anginal chest pains

ANGINA or anginal pectoris is chest pain that occurs if an area of your heart muscle does not get enough oxygen-rich blood. Angina may feel like pressure or squeezing in your chest. The pain also can occur in your shoulders, arms, neck, jaw or back. Anginal pains may even mimic indigestion or hyperacidity symptoms, hence the word " heartburn" - altho the word cannot be taken in its literal meaning because there is no such thing as burning of the heart, no matter how hopelessly romantic you may be, no pun intended. It must be emphasized that angina is not a disease; it is a symptom or a sign that something might be wrong with the heart, that there is an underlying problem, hence, more work-ups should be done to go into the root of the chest pains. For the most part, angina is usually a symptom of coronary heart disease (CAD) or ischemic heart disease, in which atherosclerosis is the main cause. Deposition of fatty substance like cholesterol and triglycerides would start to obstruct or block the flow of blood to the different parts of the heart, leading to some amount of chest pains.

Heart disease dates back 4,000 years (March 16-17)

SAN Francisco: This startling and interesting finding awed as well as surprised the international audience composed of cardiologists, internists, nurses and researchers attending the annual convention of the American College of Cardiology held at the Moscone Center on March 8-11, 2013 in California.