Does cortisone cause weight gain?

My sister has chronic back pain.  It’s now over a year since she had her last operation on her back.  The doctors have taken x-rays, and from those x-rays, they cannot see where the problem is.  To the specialist that did this operation, the operation has been successful.  She was waiting to go for a MRI.

Recently she went for the MRI and they have come up with diagnoses.  Now they need to treat her and find an effective method that she does not have to continually live in pain.

The doctor did mention treating her condition with cortisone.  The main concern that my sister has with regards to this treatment that it will cause her to gain weight.

When my sister asked me, does cortisone cause weight gain?  I lied to her and said no!!

A better understanding what cortisone is to give a brief description what it is.  Cortisone is a steroid that is closely related to a hormone that our body produces naturally in the adrenal gland.  This hormone is called cortisol.  Cortisol plays a role in metabolic regulation as well as the body’s fight or flight response.  Cortisone may have the same effects.

Doctors prescribe cortisone for a variety of inflammatory conditions to reduce the swelling, pain and discomfort of the patients.  Patients with asthma and other chronic conditions associated with inflammation may take this hormone for extended courses.  Cortisone is also used for the treatment of very bad eczema.  Treatment of eyes; and certain cancers.

What matters is how much of the steroid gets into the body. An asthma inhaler will deliver most of the steroid only to where it is needed; the tubes of the lungs. Eczema creams stay largely on the skin. In both cases very little steroid is absorbed into the rest of the body so side effects can be kept low. Steroid tablets or injections are different because the drug is absorbed and distributed throughout the body by those routes.

The main to minimize the side effects of cortisone it to keep the dose as low as possible.  There is a limit on how this can be done and still get the necessary benefits.

Side effects of taking cortisone orally are as follows:-

Stomach upsets, headache, dizziness, menstrual changes (irregular, delayed, absent periods), trouble with sleeping, increased appetite, or weight gain may occur.

This medication should not be used if you have certain medical conditions.  bleeding problems, history of blood clots, brittle bones (osteoporosis), diabetes, eye diseases (e.g., cataracts, glaucoma, herpes infection of the eye), heart problems (e.g., congestive heart failure), high blood pressure, other infections (e.g., tuberculosis, herpes), kidney disease, liver problems (e.g., cirrhosis), mental/mood conditions (e.g., psychosis, anxiety, depression), low blood minerals (e.g., low potassium or calcium), stomach/intestinal problems (e.g., ulcer, ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis), thyroid problems.

Side effects of cortisone injections are as follow:-

The injected cortisone can crystallize in the body.  These crystals can cause pain and inflammation that is worse than the problem that is actually being treated.

There could be some skin discoloration around the injection site, but this is not harmful.

Cortisone can increase sugar levels.  People with diabetes should closely monitor sugar levers for a day or two following a cortisone injection.

The injection site can become infected, but this is rare.

Some people have an allergic reaction to cortisone. This is rare as the cortisone is similar to the naturally hormone found in the body.  Some can have an allergic reaction to the local anesthetic which is added to the injection.

Doctors do not recommend cortisone injections for patients who have an existing infection, including skin infections and septic arthritis. In addition, cortisone injections may be inappropriate for patients who are taking blood thinners or who have broken bones.

Some patients may be concerned about weight gain and water retention from corticosteroid use. However, these side effects are common only for patients who take corticosteroid medications orally for an extended period of time.

When cortisone medication is injected into a joint, these side effects do not occur.

While doing this research, I really believed that I had lied to my sister when she asked me the question, does cortisone make a person fat, and my answer was no.  The doctors wanted to inject the cortisone in the effect site and that weight gain is typical of cortisone taking orally.

The good news for those that take cortisone orally, a person does not have to get fat because they taking cortisone orally.  There are certain things that one can do that will prevent weight gain.  Cortisone taking orally will increase appetite.

To stop gaining weight you will have to reduce your calorie intake and increase your physical activity.

The easiest way to eat fewer calories without feeling hungry is to fill up on high-fiber (whole-grain breads and cereals) and low-energy foods (such as fruit and vegetables) and to include a source of protein at each meal (lean meat, chicken, fish, and pulses).  Don’t be tempted to skip meals, especially breakfast, as you are likely to snack on high-fat/calorie foods instead.  Kick start your metabolism with a healthy breakfast such as porridge or another whole-grain breakfast cereal with lower-fat milk, or a poached egg on whole meal toast – this should keep you going until lunchtime.  For lunch, go for whole-grain sandwiches and lower-fat fillings such as chicken and salad, hummus or grilled vegetables.  Also good are baked potatoes with baked beans, which will provide you both fiber and protein.

It is worth keeping a simple food diary for a couple of days – not necessarily to “calorie count” but so that you can spot easy ways to cut back.

Drinks can also make a substantial contribution to calorie intake, and simply having a filter coffee instead of a latte, opting for diet drinks or water instead of standard soft drinks and cutting back on alcohol can all make a difference.

Use the diary to look at your eating patterns and identify the times when you eat most or are likely to snack on higher-calorie foods. If you continue to gain weight, it might be worth joining a slimming group to give you some support or asking your GP if you can be referred to a dietitian for more advice.

People with concerns about cortisone and their weight can discuss some strategies with their doctor or a nutritionist.  It may be helpful to measure meals and take other steps to regulate the amount of food eaten over the course of the day, and to eat several small meals instead of one or two large ones.  Some patients may need to cut back on certain foods while taking the medication.  Gentle exercise like yoga or swimming may help patients stay fit on cortisone without running the risk of incurring an injury.

Why do children love dinosaurs?

Why do children have such a fascination for dinosaurs?  In all honesty, I have no idea.  I had daughters not sons.  My daughters never showed an interest in dinosaurs, but my grandson loves playing with his dinosaurs. 

Is this a boy only thing?  I went to Google and did some research and found, no, it’s not only a boys thing, plus other facts.

Given some thought to the above question.  Where would children see dinosaurs?  They see them on television and the movies.  Then with my daughters I did not encourage them at an early age, to sit in front of the television set, all day long.  I did not need to get my children out of my hair for a couple of hours, and expect the television to keep them quiet for a few hours.  As a working mother, I enjoyed the time shared with them.

Not to say that I disapprove of television, it helps increase children’s attention span that helps them later on when they go to school.  Children that have difficulty in concentrating for periods of time do seem to have more difficulties at learning at school.

It’s good that children develop an interest at an early age.  It helps children blow off steam, and an active child is better to deal with than a child that is having tantrums at the drop of a hat.

There a lot of children that goes through a dinosaur phase, whereby she or he, eats, sleeps and breathes dinosaurs.  It can happen as early as the age from two to three.

Usually it occurs around the age of six or seven, when kids are just starting to come to grips with scientific concepts and can extrapolate the behavior of dinosaurs from the wildlife they see at the zoo.

Occasionally, a particularly bright child will carry his love of dinosaurs through adolescence and adulthood; some of these lucky individuals go on to be biologists and paleontologists. But why, exactly, do kids love dinosaurs so much?

Children have vivid imaginations and creative visualization usually comes naturally to them.  Kids watch programs on television that feature dinosaurs.  One that comes to mind is Barney.

Barney & Friends is an American children's television series aimed at children from ages 1 to 8, created by Sheryl Leach and produced by HIT Entertainment. It premiered on PBS Kids on April 6, 1992. The series features the title character Barney, a purple anthropomorphic tyrannosaurus rex who conveys educational messages through songs and small dance routines with a friendly, optimistic attitude

Another of the reasons that children love dinosaurs is the movie called Jurassic Park; there are 5 movies that have been released already.  The latest Jurassic movie, Jurassic World released in 2015, will definitely spark more interest in dinosaurs.  The first Jurassic movie was released in 1993. 

Another reason, the dinosaur toys that is now available.

Dinosaur toys have been a prominent member of the toy industry for quite some time, but this is going to be their biggest year ever, especially when parents start considering Christmas gifts for kids.  

There are many different types of cool dinosaur toys to choose from, such as remote controlled dinos, action figure dinos, LEGO dinos, and more.

Another reason why kids are interested in dinosaurs is books.  Children’s books about dinosaurs have always been popular, but these days there are more options than ever. From educational to hilarious, there are great choices for kids who can’t get enough of dinosaurs.
When I needed to buy a Christmas gift for my grandson, I asked my daughter what I should buy for him.  I was told anything that had something to do with dinosaurs.  I remember having a lot of fun looking around; to be truthful the dinosaur’s toys are a bit out of my price range, so I decided to look for books.  Not any book.  I looked for the popup book.

Pop up books are an excellent choice for reluctant readers who need a little incentive to become book lovers for life, but they’re also great choices for kids who already look forward to their parents reading them their bedtime book.

Open this book and a massive T. REX springs 
out, flashing a startling jaw full of jagged teeth. Turn the next spread and a ravishing raptor unfurls and appears to fly off the edge of the page.

A very obvious explanation why children love dinosaurs, is that they were extinct over 65 million years ago.  They were dangerous reptiles, roaming the land.  Dinosaurs are very big and scary.  An average grade goer may have only a vague idea when dinosaurs went extinct, but they know for a fact that they are no longer around.  There is no chance of running into a hungry dinosaur by accident.

Believe it or not, until 20 years ago, most kids learned about dinosaurs from mounted skeletons in museums, and not computer-animated documentaries on The Discovery Channel or the BBC. Because they're so big and so unfamiliar, dinosaur skeletons are somehow less creepy than the skeletons left by modern wolves or big cats (or human beings, for that matter). In fact, many kids prefer their dinosaurs in skeleton form--especially when they're putting together scale-sized models of a Stegosaurus or Brachiosaurus!




Finally, and most important, dinosaurs are really, really cool. If you don't get that simple idea, then you probably shouldn't be reading this article in the first place. Perhaps you'd be more comfortable learning about birding or potted plants!

Vegetarians and Vegans

My daughter and her boyfriend have become vegans.  They get a lot of shock responses from people, when they tell them.  The main reason that they have become vegans is they have become aware of some shocking facts on how the animals that we eat are being treated. 

Treatment on life stock is not only the reasons, but there are other reasons as well.

Do you know that you are drinking blood, when you drink cow’s milk?  There is blood in cow’s milk. A shocking fact! 

The USDA allows up to 1.5 million white blood cells per milliliter of commonly-sold milk.  http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/dangers-of-cows-milk/

What is a Vegan?

Vegans are vegetarians.  Vegetarians do not eat meat, fish or poultry.  Vegans also do not use animal products or by-products, such as eggs, dairy products, honey, leather, fur, silk, wool, cosmetics and soaps derived from animals.

There are several levels of vegetarianism or types of vegetarians.  Starting from the most restrictive, they are as follows.

·         Vegan: Vegans do not consume any animal products or by-products. So vegans of course do not consume red or white meat, fish or fowl. They also do not consume eggs and dairy. Vegans do not use honey or beeswax, gelatine and any other animal by-product ingredients or products. Vegans typically do not use animal products such as silk, leather and wool, as well.

·         Lacto Vegetarian: Lacto-vegetarians do not eat red or white meat, fish, fowl or eggs. However, lacto-vegetarians do consume dairy products such as cheese, milk and yogurt.

·         Ovo Vegetarian: Ovo-vegetarians do not eat red or white meat, fish, fowl or dairy products. However, ovo-vegetarians do consume egg products.

·         Lacto-ovo vegetarian: Lacto-ovo vegetarians do not consume red meat, white meat, fish or fowl. However, lacto-ovo vegetarians do consume dairy products and egg products. This is the most common type of vegetarian.

·         Pollotarian: Much like the pescatarian, this “semi-vegetarian” diet restricts meat consumption to poultry and fowl only. Pollotarians do not consume red meat or fish and seafood

·         Pescatarian (Pescetarian): While technically not a type of vegetarian, these individuals do restrict their meat consumption to fish and seafood only. Pescatarians do not consume red meat, white meat or fowl. This is considered a “semi-vegetarian” or “flexitarian” diet.

·         Flexitarian – A plant-based diet with the occasional meat item on the menu. These folks do their best to limit meat intake as much as possible and they have an almost entirely plant-based diet. This is not technically considered a “vegetarian” diet, but we commend the effort!

Why would anybody want to go Vegan?

There are several reasons why.  Taking a stance against cruelty, and exploitation of animals. 

The suffering caused by the dairy and egg industry is possibly less well publicised than the plight of factory farmed animals. The production of dairy products necessitates the death of countless male calves that are of no use to the dairy farmer, as well as the premature death of cows slaughtered when their milk production decreases. Similarly, in the egg industry, even 'ethical' or 'free range' eggs involve the killing of the 'unnecessary' male chicks when just a day old.

Health is another reason why people become vegans.  Energy is increased.  Skin looks much better.  Well-planned plant-based diets are rich in protein, iron, calcium and other essential vitamins and minerals. The plant-based sources of these nutrients tend to be low in saturated fat, high in fibre and packed with antioxidants, helping mitigate some of the modern world's biggest health issues like obesity, heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

From recycling our household rubbish to cycling to work, we're all aware of ways to live a greener life. One of the most effective things an individual can do to lower their carbon footprint is to avoid all animal products. This goes way beyond the problem of cow flatulence!

The production of meat and other animal products places a heavy burden on the environment - from crops and water required to feed the animals, to the transport and other processes involved from farm to fork. The vast amount of grain feed required for meat production is a significant contributor to deforestation, habitat loss and species extinction. In Brazil alone, the equivalent of 5.6 million acres of land is used to grow soya beans for animals in Europe. This land contributes to developing world malnutrition by driving impoverished populations to grow cash crops for animal feed, rather than food for themselves. On the other hand, considerably lower quantities of crops and water are required to sustain a vegan diet, making the switch to veganism one of the easiest, and most enjoyable and most effective ways to reduce our impact on the environment.

Just like veganism is the sustainable option when it comes to looking after our planet, plant-based living is also a more sustainable way of feeding the human family. A plant-based diet requires only one third of the land needed to support a meat and dairy diet. With rising global food and water insecurity due to a myriad of environmental and socio-economic problems, there's never been a better time to adopt a more sustainable way of living. Avoiding animal products is not just one of the simplest ways an individual can reduce the strain on food as well as other resources, it's the simplest way to take a stand against inefficient food systems which disproportionately affects the poorest people all over the world.

It's tempting to want to believe that the meat we eat is ethical, that our 'food animals' have lived full, happy lives and that they have experienced no pain or fear at the slaughterhouse. Yet the sad truth is that all living creatures (even those labelled 'free range' or 'organic') fear death, just as we do. No matter how they are treated when alive, they all experience the same fear when it comes to slaughter.

The good news is there IS something we can do about it. Every time we shop or order food in a restaurant - every time we eat - we can choose to help these animals. Every time we make the switch from an animal product to a vegan one we are standing up for farmed animals everywhere. Going vegan is easier than ever before with veganism becoming increasingly main stream as more and more people from all walks of life discover the benefits of living this way.   

 It's time to ask ourselves: if it is now possible to live a life that involves delicious food and drink, delivers better health, leaves a smaller carbon footprint and avoids killing other creatures - then why don't we?

https://www.vegansociety.com/go-vegan/why-go-vegan

The Miracle of Life and Death

The miracle of life and death

Death is not far from my mind.  When one is a child one never thinks of dying, one see the world through the eyes of a child.  There is no evil, there is no hatred, and life is not complicated. 

In loving memory of a very special person, who reached out and touched my life, who will I will never forget, who I will carry in my heart till I too depart from this earth.  I fear not death, I fear life.  Death will end sadness and misery and trials of life, it’s a new journey into the unknown.

Death teaches us certain things that we forget in our daily lives.  Too treasure and love the people in our lives even more.  Never hold a grudge and really forgive.  Not forgive once but countless times.

Born To Die

Tue, 01/07/2014 - 18:01 -- brownjada296

We are born to die.

Some of us live a full life.

Some,  only half a life.

Some, hardly a life at all.

We all come to a day that we fall.

But we have to make the most of it as much as we can;

because we could be here today

and gone tomorrow.

I'm working hard to make the most of it:

finding a place that I fit,

getting up when i stumble,

and walking right along.

I don't know who I am

but I'm learning everyday.

And maybe when it's my time,

I will know who I am

and what to say.

I will have made the most of it.

That's all that matters.

That's what we are born for, right?

http://trulyheal.com/the-miracle-of-death/

The miracle of Death – by Paula Burchart

The miracle of birth is a common concept, but is not death a miracle in itself?

The only one thing that we can count on is our birth and ultimately our death.

What is being discussed here is not the tragic loss of a child or an accidental death. It is about the ability of a person whose body is ravaged by disease and beyond repair, to see going out of this world as great a miracle as it was coming in.

The end of life is viewed as a failure to live. Somewhere along the way, a war will be raged and we will all find ourselves caught in this fight for our lives. If we win, we live and if we die, we lose. Is that not what we have all been taught? Do we not go through life fearing that one day we will die? It is a subject that no one wants to talk about, especially when someone is approaching their last days on earth.

Marcus teaches a belief alternating exercise where he asks you to list the benefits of dying right now. When he suggests this to a room full of cancer patients, the response is less than positive. The avoidance of death is why they are here and it is not something they are willing to discuss. People are speechless and cannot come up with a single benefit. Marcus starts it off by telling them a few from his list. His number one benefit is to find out if what he believes about the afterlife is true. Then he goes on to tell about no more diets, eating whatever he wants and before long no one can resist weighing in. The energy in the room shifts and becomes noticeably lighter. People are agreeing and laughing and the list grows longer with comments of no more money worries and never having to talk to my mother-in-law again. Only when you have a list of the benefits of dying that equal the benefits of living, can you dissolve the belief that in the end you lose.

I believe that sometimes the suffering at the end of life is a result of the need to hang on.

A lifetime of unfulfilled dreams and regrets can defer one from the natural process of death. When you keep looking back and hoping for a do-over, you miss the beauty of what is happening in the here and now. I believe that death is similar to giving birth. During a natural birth, you get to a point where you can move past the pain. Sure, the pain is still evident but your focus shifts. You trust your body to do the work and you watch from a place of amazement.

As crazy as it may sound, aspire to the death you desire so that you can live your life beyond your wildest dreams. Is it really that easy? If I am mistaken, I will have a lifetime of happiness to reflect upon instead of a lifetime of misery. I am stacking the odds in my favour by cultivating life changing habits that will predict the end of my love story.

I am not an expert in living or an expert in dying. I do not advocate that you commit suicide or give up trying to heal. The purpose of this writing is to provoke thought and in return you may question whether everything is as black or white, good or bad, right or wrong as previously perceived. There are people who do not want to live. There are people who will do anything not to die. Healing is about the here and now. It is every choice you make and every thought you think. Watching someone suffering is extremely difficult and rattles you to your very core. Being present and witnessing a person’s last breathe, is a miracle and a gift.