13 Tricks for Flat-Belly

Pros share their top sleek-stomach tips

Don't even think about sucking it in so you'll fit into those cute fitted white jeans: There are less-painful and longer-lasting ways to get the amazing middle you crave. We went straight to experts to get their very best advice for quickly shrinking your tummy. Here are the surprising foods, tricks, and moves they swear by. Their genius tips will help you shed inches and pounds, banish the bloat, and feel even more gorgeous. Hello, skinny jeans!

Eat at this magic hour

"You must eat a snack that contains protein between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. Go for a protein bar, a piece of low-fat cheese, or some almonds with an organic apple. 

No matter what, do not miss that snack. It's important because it boosts metabolism and balances blood sugar. The lower you keep your blood sugar, the lower you keep your insulin, and insulin makes you store fat around your middle. Eating every three to four hours will keep your blood sugar even, but many people tend to go five or six hours between lunch and dinner without eating." 

—Natasha Turner, naturopathic doctor, author of The Hormone Diet

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Have a ball

"My No. 1 tip: Do the ball exchange three times a week. Lay flat on your back with your arms above your head and legs straight out. Start with a stability ball above your head in your hands. Bring the ball up above your chest as you bring your legs up to meet the ball and place it between your ankles. Bring the ball back down to the floor with your legs and straighten your arms back out over your head. 

Repeat the ball exchange 10 to 12 times, remembering to keep your lower back pressed into the floor as you do this move." 

—LaReine Chabut, author of Exercise Balls for Dummies

Beef up on this belly-zapping hormone

"Eat as close to zero grams of sugar as possible. This will keep insulin levels low and also keep levels of glucagon high. Glucagon, a hormone, is the best friend you could ever have in the struggle for a flat belly! Picture Ms. Pac-Man traveling around your waistline, gobbling up fat to be used as energy. That is glucagon. 

The closer to zero grams of sugar you consume, the lower your insulin and the higher your glucagon...it's as simple as that." 

—Jorge Cruise, author of The Belly Fat Cure

Chew on this

"Chewing is the No. 1 tip I give to prevent bloating. Chew food until it is like applesauce in your mouth. Digestion begins in the mouth, and without proper chewing, food is not well-digested. Better-digested food means less gas and bloating." 

—Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, author of The Flexitarian Diet

Put crunches last on your flat-belly list (for real!)

"I recommend the DCBA approach: Diet first, Cardio second, Building muscle third, and Abs exercises last. Follow it and you can safely lose one to two pounds a week. Spend 60 minutes a day preparing healthier meals. Spend 20 minutes a day three to five times weekly doing cardio. Spend 15 minutes a day three times a week strength training. Finally, spend 5 minutes a day three times a week doing abs exercises." 

—Myatt Murphy, author of The Body You Want in the Time You Have 

Watch the video: 5 Best Moves for Flatter Abs  

Shake on the sea salt

"The culprit making your tummy bloat? It could be the salt in your diet. Use natural sea salt or kosher salt, which is lower in sodium teaspoon for teaspoon than traditional table salts. And stay away from soy sauce: Even low-sodium soy sauce is still high in sodium and will cause practically instant bloating. 

Instead, flavor your food with a little fresh tomato salsa or a hint of cayenne pepper, which has an added benefit of boosting metabolism." 

Punch it out and lose 2 inches fast

"Add boxing to your cardio routine. When you throw punches with weights or at a fast pace, you're working your core in a way that helps to flatten your midsection. You must engage your core to throw punches, and twisting your torso works all the ab muscles. 

Boxing also gives you a cardio workout that burns extra calories. Add 16 minutes of boxing three times a week to your regular cardio routine (30 minutes at high intensity four to five times a week), and you can lose up to 2 inches from your waist in four weeks. Simply throw punches while holding 1- or 2-pound weights for 8 minutes, alternating arms, then repeat without weights at a faster pace for 8 more minutes." 

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Try the flat-belly cheat

"Play up a different body part to draw attention from your middle. 

If it's your legs, wear skirts or slim pants. Shoulders—bare them even if just a bit with a boatneck or sweetheart neckline. Cleavage? Make sure your bra does its job. If your bra rides up in the back, the bra has likely stretched out. If it accentuates back flab or if the space between the cups doesn’t lie flat, go up a size." 

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Size matters

"Eating portion-controlled meals that include whole-grain foods and monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) throughout the day is the best way to eat for a flat belly: People who eat whole grains lose more abdominal fat. And making most of the fats you eat MUFAs reduces ab flab, research says." —Keri Glassman, RD, author of The O2 Diet andThe Snack Factor Diet

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The ultimate flat-belly menu

Best breakfast: A slice of whole-wheat bread with natural peanut butter and 1 cup of your favorite berries. 

Best lunch: Spinach salad with sliced avocado, grilled firm tofu, and cherry tomatoes, drizzled with a little olive oil and fresh lemon juice. 

Best dinner: Grilled salmon, a roasted sweet potato, and sautéed asparagus with olive oil and garlic. 

Best snack: A cup of fat-free yogurt with 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds.

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Laugh it up!

"The best thing for your abs is laughing. Every time you laugh it strengthens your abs. There are even laughing yoga classes (Go to Laughter Yoga to find a class near you). If you start busting a gust, you are absolutely toning your abs." 

Plank often

“The plank is a favorite, but we take it to another level opening and closing the legs like scissors while at the same time raising and dropping the hips! So not only are you strengthening the core but also timing the hips, thighs and waist. [We also do] the trunk twist along with a back row using the bands. The benefit of this exercise will give you flat abs and coke bottle obliques while removing those fat handles from the back and arms.”

Work all of your core

“First and foremost you have to train your abs on all three planes. You have to train them forward and back with something like a crunch or double crunch. You have to train your abs laterally to hit the obliques with something like a dumbbell side bend. And you have to train your abs on a rotational plane—your transverse abs—and you can do that from a seated trunk twist."

—Lady Gaga's trainer, Harley Pasternak, to Rodale Wellness

Skip processed foods

"Refined grains like white bread, crackers, and chips, as well as refined sugars in sweetened drinks and desserts increase inflammation in our bodies. Belly fat is associated with inflammation, so eating too many processed foods will hinder your ability to lose belly fat. Natural foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are full of antioxidants, which have anti-inflammatory properties and may therefore actually prevent belly fat.”

—Kate Patton, RD at Cleveland Clinic

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5 types of food or drinks that are detrimental to your teeth

5 types of food or drinks that are detrimental to your teeth

There are many types of food, we expose our teeth to.  But there are some that we should never expose our teeth to.  Here are 5 types of food or drinks we should avoid.

1. Junk food

We often enjoy eating lollies, chocolate and other types of junk food.  These food are packed with fat and sugar.  Fat contained in these food can cause weight gain, but sugar loaded in them may be detrimental to both health and teeth all the consumers.

Very often, these food may stick on your teeth and bacteria in your mouth will produce an acid which causes demineralization of your teeth surfaces. In the long run, this may cause dental decay which leads to dental problems like dental abscess if left untreated.

At Valley Gentle Dental, our Traralgon dentist discourage people from consuming or overindulging in junk food.

2. Sports drinks

Sports drinks are designed to replenish a person especially after vigorous exercise or sports events. Sports drinks are also loaded with sugar and are very acidic.

The sugar contained in sports drinks will stick to teeth surfaces for prolonged period and may cause dental decay in the presence of bacteria.  The acid will cause erosion to teeth surfaces.

At Valley Gentle Dental, our Traralgon dentists encourage our customers to avoid sports drinks but to drink water instead.

3. Energy drinks

Energy drinks are very popular among our younger generation.  With slick advertising, the energy drinks have become widely used.

These drinks are loaded with sugar and caffeine.  Sugar contained in energy drinks may cause decay in teeth, while the caffeine in these drinks may cause dehydration, increased appetite and may also cause teeth staining.  These may in turn cause bad breath due to dryness in mouths.

At Valley Gentle Dental, our Traralgon dentists always remind our customers of examining carefully contents of these energy drinks and if possible, keep them to the minimum.

4. Citrus fruits

Orange, grapefruit and lemon are among the citrus fruits which are detrimental to your teeth. While they complement our food well, sucking on them or overindulging in them are bad for your teeth and overall health.

Citric acid in these fruits may cause severe erosion in your teeth.  Eroded teeth are often linked to development of sensitivity in teeth to temperature.  Severe erosion of teeth may sometimes cause the loss of teeth structure causing nerve of teeth to be exposed and pain.

At Valley Gentle Dental, our Traralgon dentists recommend not to use excessive amount of citrus fruits.

5. Fruit juices and Soft drinks

Fruit juices and soft drinks are also loaded with plenty of sugar.  Whether these sugar are natural sugar or added sugar, excessive sugar in drinks again will cause weight gain and cause our teeth to be prone to dental decay.

At Valley Gentle Dental, our Traralgon dentists suggest these drinks if they need to be consumed, use straws so they are not exposed to our teeth.

About the author

DR Choong Chai (DENTIST)

Dr Choong Chai is a principal dentist at Valley Gentle Dental . We are conveniently located in Seymour Street, Traralgon. We take great pride in restoring your smile and maintaining your optimal oral health. We are preferred providers for NIB, HCF and Smile.com.au.

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What is emphysema?

Emphysema is a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The air sacs in the lungs become damaged and stretched. This results in a chronic cough and difficulty breathing.

Smoking is the most common cause, but emphysema can also be genetic. There is no cure, but quitting smoking can stop emphysema from getting worse.

In the United States (U.S.), 3.5 million people, or 1.5 percent of the population, received a diagnosis of emphysema in 2016. The number of deaths involving emphysema was 7,455, or 2.3 people in every 100,000.

Fast facts on emphysema

Here are some key points about emphysema. More information is in the body of this article.

• Most cases of emphysema are due to cigarette smoking.
• Shortness of breath and cough are the main symptoms of emphysema.
• Doctors diagnose COPD and emphysema with lung function tests that measure lung capacity.
• Treatment includes medications, the use of an inhaler, respiratory assistance and possibly surgery.
• Treatment does not halt or reverse lung damage, but it can ease symptoms and prevent attacks.
• Vaccinations can help prevent additional diseases that could become dangerous alongside emphysema.

What is emphysema?

Smoking is one of the key triggers of emphysema in those who are genetically predisposed to the condition.

Emphysema is a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It involves the loss of elasticity and enlargement of the air sacs in the lung.

The alveoli at the end of the bronchioles of the lung become enlarged because their walls break down or the air sacs are destroyed, narrowed, collapsed, stretched, or over-inflated.

Having fewer and larger damaged sacs means there is a reduced surface area for the exchange of oxygen into the blood and carbon dioxide out of it.

The damage is permanent. The ability to breathe properly cannot be fully recovered.

Symptoms

Two of the key symptoms of emphysema are shortness of breath and a chronic cough. These appear in the early stages.

A person with shortness of breath, or dyspnea, feels being unable to catch a breath.

This may start only during physical exertion, but as the disease progresses, it can start to happen during rest, too.

Emphysema and COPD develop over a number of years.

In the later stages, the person may have:

A chronic cough is one of the early signs of emphysema, alongside shortness of breath.

• frequent lung infections
• a lot of mucus
• wheezing
• reduced appetite and weight loss
• fatigue
• blue-tinged lips or fingernail beds, or cyanosis, due to a lack of oxygen
• anxiety and depression
• sleep problems
• morning headaches due to a lack of oxygen, when breathing at night is difficult

Other conditions share many of the symptoms of emphysema and COPD, so it is important to seek medical advice.

Treatment

Treatment of COPD and emphysema aims to stabilize the condition and prevent complications through the use of medication and supportive therapy.

Supportive therapy includes oxygen therapy and help with smoking cessation.

Drug therapies

The main type of medication used for COPD and emphysema are inhaled bronchodilators to relieve symptoms.

These help by relaxing and opening the air passages in the lungs.

Bronchodilators that are supplied though the inhalers include:

• Beta-agonists, which relax bronchial smooth muscle and increase mucociliary clearance
• Anticholinergics, or antimuscarinics, which relax bronchial smooth muscle.

These drugs are equally effective when regularly used to improve lung function and increase exercise capacity.

There are short-acting and long-acting drugs, and these can be combined.

The choice depends on individual factors, preferences, and symptoms.

Examples include albuterol, formoterol, indacaterol, and salmeterol.

Corticosteroid drugs, such as fluticasone, may also help. The steroids are inhaled as an aerosol spray. They can help relieve symptoms of emphysema associated with asthma and bronchitis.

Corticosteroids may help people with poorly controlled symptoms who regularly experience exacerbations despite using a bronchodilator.

In patients who continue to smoke, corticosteroids do not alter the course of the disease, but they can relieve symptoms and improve short-term lung function in some patients.

Used alongside bronchodilators, they can reduce the frequency of attacks.

However, there is a long-term risk of side-effects that include osteoporosis and cataract formation.

Oxygen therapy

Oxygen therapy can greatly improve the quality of life for those with emphysema.

As emphysema progresses and respiratory function declines, independent breathing becomes more difficult.

Oxygen therapy improves oxygen delivery to the lungs. Oxygen can be supplemented by using a range of devices, some of them for home use.

Options include electrically driven oxygen concentrators, liquid oxygen systems, or cylinders of compressed gas, depending on needs and how much time the person spends outdoors or at home.

Oxygen therapy can be administered 24 hours a day or 12 hours at night.

It prolongs life for people with advanced COPD and emphysema.

Patients will be monitored for oxygen saturation to prevent oxygen toxicity.

Air travel may create the need for supplemental oxygen due to the lower flight cabin air pressure.

Surgery

People with severe emphysema sometimes undergo surgery to reduce lung volume or carry out a lung transplantation.

Lung volume reduction surgery removes small wedges of the damaged, emphysematous, lung tissue.

This is thought to enhance lung recoil and to improve the function of the diaphragm. In severe cases, this can improve lung function, exercise tolerance, and quality of life.

Lung transplantation improves quality of life, but not life-expectancy, for people with severe emphysema.

Lifelong drug therapy is necessary to prevent the immune system from rejecting the new tissue. One or both lungs may be transplanted.

Treatment of exacerbations

Complications can be managed using drug and oxygen therapy. Antibiotics can help in cases of bacterial infection.

Most exacerbations are treated with corticosteroid drugs, such as prednisone, and oxygen therapy.

Opioid drugs may relieve severe coughing and pain may be relieved by opioid drugs.

In 2014, scientists at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston succeeded in growing human lungs using stem cells. In the future, this could offer hope for people with emphysema and other lung conditions.

Pulmonary rehabilitation and lifestyle management

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a program of care for people with emphysema.

It aims to help people improve their lifestyle by quitting smoking, following a healthful diet, and getting some exercise.

Drinking plenty of water can help keep the airways clear by loosening the mucus.

In winter, avoiding cold air can prevent muscular spasms. A scarf around the mouth or a cold-air face mask may help.

These changes may not alter the overall course of the illness, but they can help people live with the condition, and improve exercise capacity and quality of life.

Exercises that can help improve breathing include diaphragmatic breathing, purse-lip breathing, and deep breathing.

Causes

Cigarette smoking is responsible for at least 85 percent of cases of emphysema and COPD.

However, not all smokers will develop it, only those who are genetically susceptible.

Other inhaled toxins that can lead to emphysema and COPD include work-related ones. In some countries, smoke from indoor cooking and heating is the main cause.

Other contributory risk factors are:

• low body weight
• air pollution
• occupational dust, such as mineral dust or cotton dust
• inhaled chemicals, including coal, grains, isocyanates, cadmium
• childhood respiratory disorders, either a viral infection, or possibly asthma

Exposure to passive cigarette smoke is thought to be a minor contributor.

Some people have a deficiency of a protein, α1-antitrypsin. This is a genetic factor that can lead to a rare form of emphysema.

α1-antitrypsin protects the lungs against the destruction of alveolar tissue by neutrophil elastase.

This deficiency is congenital. People are born with it. These people can develop emphysema at a relatively early age, without ever smoking.

Smoking does, however, accelerate emphysema in people who are genetically susceptible.

Emphysema is not contagious. One person cannot catch it from another.

Types

Emphysema is a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and it can be classified into different types, depending on which part of the lungs is affected.

The different types are:

• paraseptal
• centrilobular, affecting mainly the upper lobes; this is most common in smokers
• panlobular, affecting both paraseptal and centrilobular areas

Stages

The stages of emphysema have been described by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD).

The stages are based on forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1).

• Very mild or Stage 1: FEV1 is about 80 percent of normal
• Moderate or Stage 2: FEV1 is between 50 and 80 percent of normal
• Severe or Stage 3: FEV1 is between 30 and 50 percent of normal
• Very severe or Stage 4: FEV1 is lower than in Stage 3, or the same as Stage 3 but with low blood oxygen levels

The stages help describe the condition, but they cannot predict how long a person is likely to survive. Doctors can carry out tests to know more about how serious a person's condition is.

Diagnosis

A doctor will carry out a physical examination and ask the patient about their symptoms and medical history.

Some diagnostic tests may also be used, to confirm that the patient has emphysema rather than asthma and heart failure.

If the patient has never smoked, a test may be carried out to see if the person has an α1-antitrypsin deficiency.

Lung function tests

Lung function tests are used to confirm a diagnosis of emphysema, to monitor disease progression, and to assess response to treatment.

They measure the capacity of the lungs to exchange respiratory gases and include spirometry.

Spirometry assesses airflow obstruction. It takes measurements according to the reduction in forced expiratory volume after bronchodilator treatment.

In this test, patients blow as fast and hard as possible into a tube. The tube is attached to a machine that measures the volume and speed of air blown out.

Forced expiratory volume in one second is abbreviated to FEV.

The four stages of COPD from mild to severe are determined by FEV.

Other tests

Other tests used by doctors in the process of diagnosing COPD and emphysema include:

• imaging, such as a chest X-ray or CT scan of the lungs
• arterial blood gas analysis to assess oxygen exchange

Prevention

Avoiding or quitting smoking is the best way to prevent emphysema or stop it from getting worse.

Vaccination

Vaccination can help prevent COPD and emphysema from getting worse.

An annual flu immunization is required, and a 5-yearly one against pneumonia may be recommended.

Nutrition

Reduced lung capacity places higher energy demand on daily activities, so people with emphysema can be at risk of weight loss and nutritional deficiency.

Some people with emphysema are overweight or obese, and they are encouraged to lose weight, as these conditions can lead to further ill health.

A healthful diet with plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, and wholegrains and a low intake of fat and sugar is important.

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What is the medical treatment for heart (cardiovascular) disease?

What is the medical treatment for heart (cardiovascular) disease?

• An aspirin may be used for its antiplatelet activity, making platelets (one type of blood cells that help blood clot) less sticky and decreasing the risk of heart attack. The decision to use aspirin routinely depends upon whether other risk factors for heart disease are present.
• Medications may be prescribed in patients with heart disease to maximize blood flow to the heart and increase efficiency of the pumping function of the heart.
• Beta blocker medications help block the action of adrenaline on the heart, slowing the heart rate. These medications also help the heart beat more efficiently and decrease the oxygen requirements of the heart muscle during work.
• Calcium channel blockers also help the heart muscle contract and pump more efficiently.
• Nitrates help dilate arteries and increase blood flow to the heart muscle. They may be short-acting (Nitrostat) to treat acute angina symptoms or long-acting preparations (Imdur) may be prescribed for prevention.
• Should there be significant stenosis or narrowing of the coronary arteries, angioplasty and/or stenting (described above) may be considered to open the blocked areas. These procedures are performed in conjunction with cardiac catheterization. Depending upon the patient's anatomy and the extent of the blockage present, coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) may be required.
• If a stent is placed, other antiplatelet medications like clopidogrel (Palvix) may be prescribed.

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What is the treatment for heart (cardiovascular) disease?

What is the treatment for heart (cardiovascular) disease?

The goal of treating cardiovascular disease is to maximize the patient's quantity and quality of life. Prevention is the key to avoid cardiovascular disease and optimize treatment. Once plaque formation has begun, it is possible to limit its progression by maintaining a healthy lifestyle with routine exercise, diet, and by aiming for lifetime control of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.

What lifestyle changes can a person make to prevent further heart disease or heart attack?

The goal of treating cardiovascular disease is to maximize the person's quantity and quality of life. Prevention is the key to avoid cardiovascular disease and optimize treatment. Once plaque formation has begun, it is possible to limit its progression by making these lifestyle changes:

• Maintain a healthy lifestyle with routine exercise
• Quit smoking
• Eat a heart healthy diet such as the Mediterranean Diet.
• Aim for lifetime control of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.

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What are the signs and symptoms of heart (cardiovascular) disease?

What are the signs and symptoms of heart (cardiovascular) disease?

• The classic symptoms of angina, or pain from the heart, are described as a crushing pain or heaviness in the center of the chest with radiation of the pain to the arm (usually the left) or jaw. There can be associated shortness of breath sweatingand nausea.
• The symptoms tend to be brought on by activity and get better with rest.
• Some people may have indigestion and nausea while others may have upper abdominal, shoulder, or back pain.
• Unstable angina is the term used to describe symptoms that occur at rest, waken the patient from sleep, and do not respond quickly to nitroglycerin or rest.

Other heart (cardiovascular) disease symptoms and signs

Not all pain from heart disease have the same signs and symptoms. The more we learn about heart disease, the more we realize that symptoms can be markedly different in different groups of people. Women, people who have diabetes, and the elderly may have different pain perceptions and may complain of overwhelming fatigue and weakness or a change in their ability to perform routine daily activities like walking, climbing steps, or doing household chores. Some patients may have no discomfort at all.

Most often, the symptoms of cardiovascular disease become worse over time, as the narrowing of the affected coronary artery progresses over time and blood flow to that part of the heart decreases. It may take less activity to cause symptoms to occur and it may take longer for those symptoms to get better with rest. This change in exercise tolerance is helpful in making the diagnosis.

Often the first signs and symptoms of heart disease may be a heart attack. This can lead to crushing chest pressure, shortness of breath, sweating, and perhaps sudden cardiac death.

What causes heart (cardiovascular) disease?

Heart or cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and often can be attributed to the lifestyle factors that increase the risk of atherosclerosis or narrowing of arteries. Smoking, along with poorly controlled hypertension (high blood pressure), and diabetes, causes inflammation and irritation of the inner lining of the coronary arteries. Over time, cholesterol in the bloodstream can collect in the inflamed areas and begin the formation of a plaque. This plaque can grow and as it does, the diameter of the artery narrows. If the artery narrows by 40% to 50%, blood flow is decreased enough to potentially cause the symptoms of angina.

In some circumstances, the plaque can rupture or break open, leading to the formation of a blood clot in the coronary artery. This clot can completely occlude or block the artery. This prevents oxygen-rich blood from being delivered to the heart muscle beyond that blockage and that part of the heart muscle begins to die. This is a myocardial infarction or heart attack. If the situation is not recognized and treated quickly, the affected part of the muscle cannot be revived. It dies and is replaced by scar tissue. Long term, this scar tissue decreases the heart's ability to pump effectively and efficiently and may lead to ischemic cardiomyopathy (ischemic=decreased blood supply + cardio=heart + myo=muscle + pathy=disease).

Heart muscle that lacks adequate blood supply also becomes irritable and may not conduct electrical impulses normally. This can lead to abnormal electrical heart rhythms including ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. These are the heart arrhythmias associated with sudden cardiac death.

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Heart (cardiovascular) disease definition and facts

Heart (cardiovascular) disease definition and facts

• Heart disease refers to various types of conditions that can affect heart function. These types include:
  • Coronary artery (atherosclerotic) heart disease that affects the arteries to the heart
  • Valvular heart disease that affects how the valves function to regulate blood flow in and out of the heart
  • Cardiomyopathy that affects how the heart muscle squeezes
  • Heart rhythm disturbances (arrhythmias) that affect the electrical conduction
  • Heart infections where the heart has structural problems that develop before birth
• Coronary artery disease is the most common type of heart disease in the US.
• Coronary arteries supply blood to the heart muscle and coronary artery disease occurs when there is a buildup of cholesterol plaque inside the artery walls. Over time, this buildup of plaque may partially block the artery and decrease blood flow through it.
• A heart attack occurs when a plaque ruptures and forms a clot in the artery causing a complete blockage. That part of the heart muscle that is denied blood supply starts to die.
• Classic signs and symptoms of coronary heart disease may include:
  • Chest pain (angina) - This pain may radiate or move to the arm, neck or back.
  • Shortness of breath
  • Sweating
  • Nausea
  • Irregular heartbeat
• Not all people with coronary artery disease have chest pain as a symptom. Some may have signs and symptoms of indigestion, or exercise intolerance where they cannot perform activities that they normally once could.
• Coronary heart disease is initially diagnosed by patient history and physical examination. EKG blood tests, and tests to image the arteries and heart muscle confirm the diagnosis.
• Treatment for coronary heart disease depends upon its severity. Many times lifestyle changes such as eating a heart healthy diet, exercising regularly, stopping smoking and controlling high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetesmay limit the artery narrowing.
• In some people, surgery or other procedures might be needed.

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Prevention Of asthma attack

The best way to avoid an asthma attack is to make sure your asthma is well-controlled in the first place. This means following a written asthma plan to track symptoms and adjust your medication.

While you may not be able to eliminate your risk of an asthma attack, you're less likely to have one if your current treatment keeps your asthma under control. Take your inhaled medications as prescribed in your written asthma plan.

These preventive medications treat the airway inflammation that causes asthma signs and symptoms. Taken on a daily basis, these medications can reduce or eliminate asthma flare-ups — and your need to use a quick-acting inhaler.

See your doctor if you're following your asthma action plan but still have frequent or bothersome symptoms or low peak flow readings. These are signs your asthma isn't well-controlled, and you need to work with your doctor to change your treatment.

If your asthma symptoms flare up when you have a cold or the flu, take steps to avoid an asthma attack by watching your lung function and symptoms and adjusting your treatment as needed. Be sure to reduce exposure to your allergy triggers, and wear a face mask when exercising in cold weather.

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Causes and risk factor of asthma attack

Causes

An overly sensitive immune system makes your airways (bronchial tubes) become inflamed and swollen when you're exposed to certain triggers. Asthma triggers vary from person to person. Common asthma attack triggers include:

• Pollen, pets, mold and dust mites
• Upper respiratory infections
• Tobacco smoke
• Inhaling cold, dry air
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Stress

For many people, asthma symptoms get worse with a respiratory infection such as a cold. Some people have asthma flare-ups caused by something in their work environment. Sometimes, asthma attacks occur with no apparent cause.

Risk factors

Anyone who has asthma is at risk of an asthma attack. You may be at increased risk of a serious asthma attack if:

• You've had a severe asthma attack in the past
• You've previously been admitted to the hospital or had to go to the emergency room for asthma
• You've previously required intubation for an asthma attack
• You use more than two quick-acting (rescue) inhalers a month
• Your asthma attacks tend to sneak up on you before you notice symptoms have worsened
• You have other chronic health conditions, such as sinusitis or nasal polyps, or cardiovascular or chronic lung disease

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Asthma attack

Overview

During an asthma attack, also called an asthma exacerbation, your airways become swollen and inflamed. The muscles around the airways contract and the airways also produce extra mucus, causing your breathing (bronchial) tubes to narrow.

During an attack, you may cough, wheeze and have trouble breathing. An asthma attack may be minor, with symptoms that get better with prompt home treatment, or it may be more serious. A severe asthma attack that doesn't improve with home treatment can become a life-threatening emergency.

The key to stopping an asthma attack is recognizing and treating an asthma flare-up early. Follow the treatment plan you worked out with your doctor ahead of time. Your treatment plan should include what to do when your asthma starts getting worse, and how to deal with an asthma attack in progress.

Symptoms

Asthma attack signs and symptoms include:

• Severe shortness of breath, chest tightness or pain, and coughing or wheezing
• Low peak expiratory flow (PEF) readings, if you use a peak flow meter
• Symptoms that fail to respond to use of a quick-acting (rescue) inhaler

Signs and symptoms of an asthma attack vary from person to person. Work with your doctor to identify your particular signs and symptoms of worsening asthma — and what to do when they occur.

If your asthma symptoms keep getting worse even after you take medication as your doctor directed, you may need emergency room care. Your doctor can help you learn to recognize an asthma emergency so that you'll know when to get help.

When to see a doctor

If your asthma flares up, immediately follow the treatment steps you and your doctor worked out ahead of time in your written asthma plan. If your symptoms and peak expiratory flow (PEF) readings improve, home treatment may be all that's needed. If your symptoms don't improve with home treatment, you may need to seek emergency care.

When your asthma symptoms flare up, follow your written asthma plan's instructions for using your quick-acting (rescue) inhaler. PEF readings ranging from 50 to 79 percent of your personal best are a sign you need to use the quick-acting (rescue) medications prescribed by your doctor.

Check asthma control steps with your doctor

Asthma can change over time, so you'll need periodic adjustments to your treatment plan to keep daily symptoms under control. If your asthma isn't well-controlled, it increases your risk of future asthma attacks. Lingering lung inflammation means your asthma could flare up at any time.

Go to all scheduled doctor's appointments. If you have regular asthma flare-ups, low peak flow readings or other signs your asthma isn't well-controlled, make an appointment to see your doctor.

When to seek emergency medical treatment

Seek medical attention right away if you have signs or symptoms of a serious asthma attack, which include:

• Severe breathlessness or wheezing, especially at night or in the early morning
• The inability to speak more than short phrases due to shortness of breath
• Having to strain your chest muscles to breathe
• Low peak flow readings when you use a peak flow meter
• No improvement after using a quick-acting (rescue) inhaler

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