Our body naturally contains a certain number of microorganisms. These fungi and bacteria remain in the body and help our digestive system, immune system, and bodily functions. The good bacteria in our body helps in maintaining our biological ecosystem by regulating the number of fungi and harmful bacteria.

However, hormonal imbalances, blood sugar levels, stress, and other factors can affect the healthy balance of microorganisms in our bodies. Sometimes taking a lot of antibiotics kills both good and bad bacteria, disrupting our biological ecosystem.

This can lead to an overgrowth of fungi resulting in yeast infection. Most fungal overgrowths are caused by Candida, especially its most common variant called Candida Albicans.

The yeast grows on moist and warm areas of the body and can lead to infection of various kinds. Let us discuss different types of yeast infections and how you can treat them.

1. Vaginal yeast infection

This is the most common type of yeast infection and affects three out of four women. Itching, discomfort, and abnormal vaginal discharge are some of the telltale signs of vaginal yeast infection.

Most vaginal infections are mild and can be treated with an over-the-counter pill for yeast infections. You can buy an antifungal medication from your local medicine shop or even online. A single dose of fluconazole can clear up the signs of infection and provide relief.

However, in some cases, the issue can become severe, resulting in swelling, redness, and cracks on the wall of your vagina. Also, you can experience recurring episodes of infection. In such a case, you need a prolonged treatment with fluconazole, or topical medications to apply inside the vagina.

For chronic and recurring issues, you can also use a boric acid suppository that can help in treating vaginal yeast infections. If you experience severe discomfort or pain, you must consult your health care provider, who can suggest a suitable course of treatment.

2. Oral Thrush

Yeast infection in the mouth and throat is called oral thrush. If you have white patches on your tongue, throat, inner cheeks, and roof of the mouth, chances are you have a yeast infection. You can also experience redness, soreness, loss of taste, and pain in eating or swallowing.

Oral thrush can be treated with a topical antifungal medicine applied to the inside of the mouth for a couple of weeks. If you experience severe symptoms, you should consult your health care provider, who can suggest an oral antifungal pill or an intravenous medication.

If you have a yeast infection in your esophagus, taking fluconazole can be beneficial. However, your doctor may also suggest other prescription medicine.

3. Invasive candidiasis

When Candida spreads to the bloodstream or organs, it is known as invasive candidiasis. It is the most severe form of yeast infection that can affect the heart, eyes, brain, bones, blood, joints, and other body parts.

Hospitalized patients, infants in neonatal units, and people with weak immunity are more susceptible to the disease. As invasive candidiasis affects people who are already sick, it is difficult to distinguish the specific symptoms of infection.

However, most patients experience fever and chills that do not go away with antibiotics. The disease has a high mortality rate and needs immediate attention.

Your health care provider will choose a suitable treatment based on your age, immune system, and severity of infection. Your doctor may suggest an intravenous echinocandin. However, for some patients, fluconazole and other antifungal medications can also be helpful.

4. Small intestine fungal overgrowth

A small intestine fungal overgrowth can result in gastrointestinal symptoms like indigestion, nausea, bloating, diarrhea, and other discomforts. To ascertain that you are suffering from SIFO, your doctor may take a fluid sample from your small intestine via an endoscope.

The treatment usually consists of antifungal medication for 15-20 days.

These are some of the common types of yeast infections and their treatment methods. Most yeast infections are treatable with over-the-counter oral pills. However, you need to consult a doctor if you experience severe discomfort.

Cord Blood – A Precious Gift to Your Child

The general awareness as regards cord blood and the benefits of storing the same for future usage gets increased steadily. Umbilical cord blood, which hitherto was a waste, has gained high significance these days. Because of this increasing familiarity with the subject, a sizable section of the population is coming forward to preserve the umbilical cord blood as it should be. Experts say that stem cells have a typical curative capacity. This capacity is because of the intrinsic ability to replicate, and this will solve the various types of physical ailments that are par for the course in human life. The list of such diseases includes critical ones like strokes, cerebral palsy, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, autism, Alzheimer’s disease, etc. You can also check with your doctor and get an expert opinion regarding the cord blood banking option.

One can find a lot of companies that offer cord blood storage. The doctor who attends the delivery will be able to advise you as regards this topic. That said, an internet search is the best way these days to locate a reliable cord blood bank company. However, you must go for a resourceful company from the list of the cord blood bank companies that stay within a proximate area. The company must have the required financial strength and technical expertise, apart from reliable nature. You must consider some practical points while selecting a cord blood bank company. These will be of much help to you to pick the right company.

Points to Ponder While Selecting Cord Blood Bank Companies

An internet search will fetch you the list of leading cord blood bank companies. Thus you will get a feasible option to pick the most suitable company.

• The cord blood bank company must be prompt in its actions. They must make arrangements to collect the cord blood in time and dispatch the same to their office swiftly.

• The lab facility must be super and must have all the technical stipulations. This point is vital, and so you must not overlook it.

• Experience counts a lot. If the company with whom you plan to hand over the cord blood for safe-keeping has relevant practical experiences, you can trust the company. There will not be any functional faults. Accreditation is another main factor. You must check whether the company has received accreditations such as FACT, AABB, ISO, CAP, etc., by which you can check the professional proficiency and reliability of the company.

• The pricing must be reasonable and must be within the budget of all people. It’s a reality that the cost for securing the efficacy of cord blood will be immense. The cord blood bank company will have to invest a large sum of money for buying related machinery and technical expertise. You can compare the pricing and the provided services of some of the companies to pick the best option.

What will be the best gift that one can give to their babies? Of course, something that will offer great assistance to a large extent as regards the preservation of their heath as long as they live here. That’s exactly what you can do by storing the cord blood of your baby. Of course, you will have to find one of the best and reliable cord blood bank companies. Once you do that, it will be, indeed, a precious gift to your child. Cord blood banking is a grand opportunity, which you will get only once in a blue moon. This is one of the best ways, according to the professional opinion of medical experts. They say that this method will help to protect the health of the child in his or her later years. Sure enough, you will have to invest some money for this option as only public cord blood banks will accept the cord blood for free. For getting the assistance of private cord blood banks, one will have to pay the required fees. However, this spending is negligible when compared to the benefits your child will get in the future life.

Prolonged smoking harms millions of people around the world annually. There are several thousand toxic chemicals in tobacco smoke, at least 70 of which are known carcinogens. Exposure to these chemicals—nicotine, lead, ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, carbon monoxide, polonium-210, arsenic, and others—can give rise to a wide range of health conditions, such as lung disease, heart disease, oral disease, cancer, and many other serious issues.

For the sake of your health, you might want to consider kicking the habit. Giving up smoking is easier said than done, however. The addictive nature of tobacco and the distressing withdrawal symptoms you experience when you stop cold turkey can make for an uphill struggle. To cope better in the transition from tobacco products, many smokers take to vaping.

What is vaping?

Vaping involves the use of e-cigarettes, vape pens, and other vaping devices that contain liquid-filled cartridges. The vaping device heats the liquid, which is infused with nicotine, flavoring, and other chemicals, and the user can then inhale the resulting vapor. It is similar to what you would experience with smoking regular cigarettes and cigars, except without the smoke and smell of burning tobacco. There is no issue of second-hand smoke with vaping and that has been making it more socially acceptable than traditional tobacco products.

In many states in the United States, vaping is legal for people above the ages of 18, 19, or 21. They can buy and use vaping devices, but they are required to follow state-issued laws about where they can engage in vaping in private and public places.

Is vaping safe?

Vaping has been marketed as a safer alternative to smoking. Since vaping devices contain fewer harmful chemicals than regular cigarettes and cigars, the effect on your health will be comparatively less. Does that mean vaping is healthier than smoking? Not necessarily. If you indulge in too much vaping, you could still end up injuring your lungs. It could also activate the bacteria present in your lungs and lead to bacterial infection.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the people most likely to experience lung injuries are those who either modify the vaping devices or alter the vaping liquids.

If you are going to try vaping as a cigar or cigarette substitute, the CDC has the following recommendations:

• Choose high-quality vaping products and devices.

• Do not modify the e-cigarette, vaping pen, or other vaping devices. Use it exactly as instructed by the manufacturer.

• Do not alter the content of the vaping liquid and don’t try to refill cartridges with cheaper black-market stuff.

• Make sure that you do not use vaping liquid containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC vaping products make use of Vitamin E acetate as a thickening agent. According to the CDC, it is a chemical that can harm your lungs.

Other tips for safe vaping

It may also help be moderate in your vaping practice. Since vaping products also contain nicotine, they can get addictive too, just like regular tobacco products. You might also end up inhaling more nicotine than what you would normally get from cigarettes or cigars if you use extra-strength vaping liquid cartridges.

If you are using vaping to quit your smoking habit, make sure that you stop smoking cigarettes and cigars. Otherwise, as with many people, you will end up both smoking and vaping. And the combination won’t bode well for your health.

Recent studies show that people who use both regular cigarettes and e-cigarettes have higher levels of inflammatory and oxidative stress profiles. The levels are significantly lower if you only use e-cigarettes, and much more so if you don’t vape or smoke at all.

So, is vaping safe? Well, as discussed, it depends on how you intend to use it and how determined you are to quit smoking and not get addicted to a new habit. At present, with smoking being frowned upon in many public places around the country, vaping is on the rise. There are currently over 40 million people in the United States who use vaping devices. It seems to be particularly prevalent with the youth, many of whom have never smoked traditional tobacco products and find vaping flavors appealing.

Most new parents will do anything within their power to give their newborn child a healthy and happy life. That is why the decision of investing in cord blood banking might seem like a big one in your life. You will not be changing this decision later in your life. Thus choosing an ideal cord blood bank is exceptionally significant. If you are confused about is it worth investing in or what does the cord blood bank costs, this article is perfect for you.

Cost of the Cord Blood Banking Both in Private and Public Banks

Private cord banks store the stem cells of the blood for a fee, in case of any event the family will need it in the future. But private cord blood banks can be quite costly as the initial processing fees vary between 500 to 2500 dollars, based on the conditions if you are storing cord tissue or blood or both, current promotions, and the organization. The average storage fees then range from 100 to 300 dollars every year from that time onwards.

Sometimes private banks also weave some or the entire fees if the client includes a family member who might stand to benefit from the stored cells. However, the criteria for qualification and the discount amount depend on the cord blood bank. Donation to the public bank is for free.

Is the Cost Worth for Cord Blood Banking?

Well, to understand whether the cost of blood banking is worth it or not, you need to know about its various advantages. It will help you understand the real fact in this regard.

• The Blood can save lives.

Cord blood is full of stem cells that can morph any blood cells and treat various diseases that harm the immune and blood system like cancers and leukaemia. It can also cure numerous metabolic disorders and sickle cell anaemia. There are different ways to get the required blood cell for the transplant patients; however, the cord blood is much easier to access if you can bank them at the time of the birth.

• Therapies with cord blood become more successful.

The transplant results have tremendously improved over the past ten years. It is due to the researchers who have learned more ways on how to use cord blood efficiently. It is done by picking better matches and giving proper supportive care to the patient.

• The cord blood will always be accessible.

You will always have access to the cord blood if you invest in storing the stem cells present inside the cord in a private bank. The blood will get reserved for the family. Nobody else will get hold of it or use it. It will also never get allotted to any other family for the transplant or the research. The private cord blood bank costs might be high, but if you save your cord blood in a public bank, anyone compatible with the blood can have it. There is no guarantee that a family who wants it might need that blood during their time of need.

What are the chances of using the blood of the cord in the future?

The chances of using the cord blood shortly are exceptionally low, but the odds are that your child might have a disease that will be treatable with this blood. According to the statistics, there are 0.005 to 0.04% chances that you might need the cord blood within 20 years of your child age. However, various new technologies allow the researcher to multiple the stem cells of the cord blood, but it is quite an expensive procedure.

You can also use the cord blood for your other child or a sibling when they are sick with diseases like leukaemia. If your kid has an illness that can get cured with the stem cell transplant, a sibling who is an exact match can offer their stem cells by undergoing a stimulating treatment. It also depends on the age of the person going through the healing process. We would suggest storing the cord blood in a private bank over the public one, as it will be more secure and easily accessible.

If you are suffering from any bacterial infection, your doctor will most certainly prescribe you a dose of antibiotics. Antibiotics help eliminate unwanted microbes from the body. However, antibiotics do not distinguish between good or bad bacteria. Hence in the process of killing bad bacteria, it can wipe out beneficial bacteria as well.

Our body maintains a healthy number of good bacteria for its smooth functioning and overall wellness. A disbalance can cause allergies and side effects like dizziness, diarrhea, nausea, and yeast infection.

What is a yeast infection?

Vagina usually has a small amount of yeast called candida fungus, and the presence of bacteria keeps their outgrowth in check. However, any disruption in vaginal balance can cause a sudden outgrowth of candida. This is referred to as yeast infection.

Yeast infection is common but extremely uncomfortable. Three in four women have been infected by yeast infection at least once in their life, and half of them have recurring episodes of ailment.

Yeast infection can cause irritation, discharge, itchiness, vaginal discomfort, etc. The symptoms also depend on the severity of the infection.

How can antibiotics cause a yeast infection?

The vagina contains a healthy balance of yeast and bacteria for its smooth functioning. A type of bacteria called Lactobacillus is responsible for maintaining the ph. balance of your vagina. The presence of lactobacillus keeps the vagina slightly acidic, which helps keep the growth of yeast in check.

When you are taking antibiotics for any other bacterial infection, it may end up killing the lactobacillus bacteria. This disrupts the vaginal ph. and creates a conducive environment for vaginal yeast to multiply. The sudden outgrowth of yeast in the vagina can cause yeast infection followed by its dreaded symptoms.

How to know whether you have yeast infection caused due to antibiotics?

When you start taking antibiotics for any bacterial infection, it is essential to be aware of signs and symptoms that can point to yeast infection. Early detection can help you avoid a lot of pain and discomfort.

The symptoms of a yeast infection are as follows:

•  The vulva is the area outside your vagina. Itching or burning sensation on or around the vulva can point towards an infection.

•  A sudden increase in vaginal discharge can also be an indicator of yeast infection. The discharge is usually thick, white, odorless, and lumpy.

•  Vaginal rash, pain or soreness, and Redness or swelling of the vulva can also be a symptom of yeast infection.

•  Pain or burning sensation, especially during intercourse and urination could be caused by yeast infection.

•  If you notice these symptoms during your antibiotic medication, it can point towards a yeast infection.

How to prevent and treat yeast infection from antibiotics?

As we mentioned earlier, yeast infections are very common. There are numerous over-the-counter medications available that can help treat yeast infection. Choose the ones that suit you better.

You can get a suppository or an antifungal cream for yeast infections at your local medical shop. You can also order them online and get them delivered to your doorstep.

If you get a yeast infection every time you take antibiotics, it is better to consult your health care provider. They may prescribe a pill containing fluconazole to be taken during your antibiotic medication. Also, you must consult your doctor if you are unsure whether you have a yeast infection or not.

Since broad-spectrum antibiotics wipe out all the bacteria from your body, including the beneficial ones, you need to replenish the good bacteria in your body. There are numerous probiotic supplements containing lactobacillus that can reverse the damage caused by antibiotics.

Adding yogurt to your diet can also help replenish the good bacteria. Yogurt contains lactobacillus bacteria and can increase the number of good bacteria in your body.

Try avoiding antibiotics until necessary. Minor infections can heal by themselves, and the antibiotics do not create a significant difference in the healing time. However, if your health care provider prescribes antibiotics, you must take them but be careful if you notice any after-effects.