GERD (GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX DISEASE)

HANYA satu persen masyarakat Indonesia yang memahami GERD, suatu gangguan kesehatan akibat meluapnya asam lambung yang diderita empat juta orang Indonesia. Asam lambung dalam jumlah cukup diperlukan agar tubuh dapat mencerna makanan dengan baik.

Namun, jika berlebihan, asam lambung yang seharusnya berdiam di dalam lambung dapat meluap hingga keluar dari katup lambung dan menyebar hingga ke organ-organ tubuh lainnya.

Spesialis penyakit dalam dari divisi Gastroenterologi Departemen Ilmu Penyakit Dalam FKUI/RSCM Jakarta, Dr H Ari Fahrial Syam SpPD KGEH MMB, mengungkapkan, penyakit akibat asam lambung umumnya mengenai tiga lokasi, yakni usus dua belas jari, lambung, dan kerongkongan.

Dyspepsia atau penyakit maag yang ditandai dengan rasa nyeri atau perih di lambung mungkin sudah populer di telinga masyarakat. Lain halnya dengan GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) yang mungkin masih asing di telinga orang awam. Menurut Montreal Definition, GERD diartikan sebagai kondisi adanya aliran balik (reflux) dari isi lambung ke kerongkongan yang menyebabkan gejala mengganggu hingga terjadi komplikasi.

"Keluhan utamanya adalah rasa panas (heartburn) pada tulang belakang dada,yang terkadang disertai pahit atau enek seperti mau muntah akibat asam lambung yang naik ke kerongkongan," kata Ari dalam acara talkshow kesehatan tentang GERD yang diselenggarakan PT AstraZeneca Indonesia di Jakarta, Senin (4/5/2009).

Aliran balik tersebut tak hanya memicu sindrom GERD yang ditandai nyeri dada seperti terbakar tadi, melainkan juga menyebabkan luka pada kerongkongan (esofagitis). Imbas lainnya adalah atypical syndrome (seperti asthma reflux) yang dapat mengganggu aktivitas sehari-hari dan sulit diobati. Reflux esophagitis itu sendiri merupakan proses terjadinya erosi atau kerusakan pada dinding dalam kerongkongan akibat kerap terpapar asam lambung.

Jika tidak diterapi dengan baik, dapat menyebabkan komplikasi seperti penyempitan dan perdarahan pada kerongkongan, serta kondisi yang disebut Barrett's esophagus, yakni terjadi pembentukan jaringan pada dinding kerongkongan seperti yang ditemukan dalam usus.

"Perlukaan pada kerongkongan tadi jika terus berlanjut tanpa ditangani dalam jangka panjang berpotensi memicu terjadinya kanker kerongkongan," katanya.

Ari mengingatkan, GERD adalah penyakit kronis yang bisa mengarah pada komplikasi yang dapat menurunkan kualitas hidup pasien. Gejala GERD sangat samar dan umum, kendati ada beberapa yang bisa ditengarai sebagai kekhususan. Tak heran, sering kali pasien menyamakan pengobatan untuk kasus yang dialaminya dengan obat yang dijual bebas di pasaran (over the counter/OTC).

Demikian halnya gejala yang tersamar acap kali membuat pasien atau bahkan dokter salah menduga. Misalkan, seseorang yang mengalami suara serak tidak musti disebabkan infeksi saluran napas akibat virus misalnya, boleh jadi asam lambungnya yang bermasalah.

"Saat batuk atau pilek, asam lambung juga cenderung meningkat. Jika terdapat gejala seperti tiap pagi mulut terasa pahit, dada tidak nyaman, apalagi disertai penurunan berat badan, patut dicurigai kemungkinan Anda terkena GERD," papar Ari seraya mengungkapkan serangan GERD bisa terjadi beberapa kali dalam sehari, kendati produksi asam lambung biasanya memuncak pada pukul 22.00-23.00 (malam).

GERD dapat menyerang siapa pun tanpa mengenal kelompok usia. Namun, hingga kini angka prevalensi GERD belum diketahui secara pasti. Di negara-negara Barat sekitar 10 persen-20 persen populasi orang dewasa mengalami heartburn secara teratur setiap minggu. Sementara di Asia Timur angkanya berkisar dua persen-enam persen.

Sejumlah kalangan memperkirakan reflux esophagitis dirasakan oleh 50-65 persen penderita GERD. Saat ini di Indonesia juga belum ada angka pasti jumlah penderita GERD. Namun, menurut Ari, dari hospital base yang dapat ditelusuri, terdapat sekitar 20 persen dari total pasien yang berobat ke Departemen Ilmu Penyakit Dalam menyampaikan keluhan gejala GERD, mulai tingkat ringan hingga parah.

Hal senada dikemukakan Medical Affair PT AstraZeneca Indonesia, dr Mary Josephine. Menurut dia, pemahaman GERD di Indonesia memang masih sangat rendah, yakni hanya satu persen. Angka ini jauh lebih kecil dibanding negara Asia lainnya seperti Filipina (17 persen) dan Taiwan (13 persen). Padahal, saat ini sekitar empat juta orang Indonesia terserang GERD, tanpa mengetahui bagaimana metode penatalaksanaan gejala yang efektif.
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Food Selection for Gastric Bypass Patients

Dieters who dejectedly complain they are figuratively “stuck” with their excess fat may be surprised to learn there is a scientifically-accurate truth to their statement. Fat cells -- which are created when the body is unable to convert excess calories to energy -- are permanent. Fat cells cannot be removed by any diet known to humanity [1]. They can, however, be reduced in size. This is the experience enjoyed by people who lose weight [i].

There is, however, an increasingly popular – and controversial – method to eliminate fat cells permanently via an external, non-diet method. Scientifically referred to as a Gastric Bypass Operation, but more popularly known as “stomach stapling”, this procedure literally staples part of the stomach together. The result is that food intake becomes severely restricted, and the body begins the process of malabsorption, or a decreased ability to absorb nutrients. In addition, the duodenum [2] is bypassed to prevent the absorption of nutrients that could cause excess calories, and as such, the creation of additional fat cells [ii].

In addition to this, a more complex and less frequent procedure called Extensive Gastric Bypass or “biliopancreatic diversion” involves the removal stomach parts, and the circumvention of the duodenum and jejunum – or in laypersons terms, the circumvention of the first part of the small intestine, and the middle portion the small intestine. The result is an even greater malabsorption capacity.

The bulk of concern surrounding stomach-stamping procedures is emanating from the medical community. Some experts are worried that individuals opting for this rather dramatic surgery are not prepared to make post-procedure lifestyle changes. They point out that since stomach stapling reduces the size of the stomach, and therefore the amount of food that a person can digest is severely reduced, an individual must be fully equipped to eat wisely after the procedure. This “wise eating” must include both the volume of post-procedure food that is eaten, and the number of calories that are eaten on a daily basis [iii].

These experts are also quick to point out that the failure to adequately prepare people for post-procedure wise eating habits often leads to various forms of malnutrition. These include anemia due to Iron and B12 deficiencies, hair loss, calcium deficiencies, nausea, vomiting, excessive sweating, diarrhea, and the loss of water-soluble essential vitamins such as C, Niacin, and B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, Biotin, and Folic Acid [iv].

The jury on whether stomach stapling is a “fair” choice, or one that is driven by unhealthy body-image stereotypes propagated by the media and elsewhere, is hotly debated and will continue to dominate conversations about this controversial procedure. Yet what cannot be lost in this debate is that, everyday, real human beings are facing an uphill battle after their stomach stapling surgery. For these people, whether they chose to have the surgery due to body image issues or not, the rationale is rather academic once the surgery is over. What they clearly need at this point are nutritional supplement solutions that cater to their new eating limits and framework.

Profect, which is a nutritional supplement created by Protica Research, does not support the proliferation of unhealthy body image expectations that people are inundated with each day; especially impressionable youth. Yet with this being said, Profect has been engineered to provide those who have opted for this dramatic weight-loss surgery with an ideal source of post-procedure food.

Each serving of Profect is contained in 2.7 fluid ounces, which is significantly smaller than most other nutritional supplements. It is therefore aptly suited for those who must limit their volume of food intake. At the same time, each serving of Profect contains only 100-calories – none of which are from fat -- and as such will not lead to runaway caloric intake.

What is clearly the most appreciated medical quality, however, is Profect’s protein configuration. Each 2.7 fluid ounce serving of Profect contains 25 grams of protein. This is the densest protein available on the market. As such, individuals who are obliged to eat very small food portions can easily ingest 100% of the U.S. Recommended Daily Intake of protein in less than six fluid ounces.

In addition, each serving of Profect contains 50% to 100% of all nine water-soluble vitamins. These vitamins help consumers replenish the vitamin stores that they may be losing due to the post-procedure side effects noted above, such as diarrhea, vomiting, and sweating. In the long-term, daily usage of Profect provides the body with the critically important constant flow of water-soluble vitamins.

Indeed, the controversy surrounding stomach stapling, which also includes its hefty price tag, will continue; and it is important to hear all views. Yet what must also continue is quality education and awareness. People must be adequately informed that while their weight may seemingly “disappear” overnight thanks to stomach stapling, there is still a challenging road ahead. This road includes an eating regimen that will require conscientious food selections, much smaller portions, and careful monitoring of protein and vitamin intake.
by: Protica Nutritional Research

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Bila Penangkal Kuman Meradang

AMANDEL memiliki peranan penting sebagai penjaga daya tahan tubuh. Namun, jika dibiarkan meradang, bakal menyakitkan. Untuk itu, jagalah kesehatan amandel Anda.

Amandel (tonsil) adalah tumpukan lapisan seperti tisu yang terletak pada sisi kerongkongan bagian belakang. Amandel merupakan bagian dari sistem kekebalan tubuh, yang didesain untuk melindungi kita dengan menjebak bakteri atau virus yang berusaha masuk ke tubuh kita melalui mulut.

Celah di jaringan amandel berfungsi menangkap kuman. Dalam celah-celah tersebut, banyak terdapat sel makrophag dan sel-sel darah putih yang bertugas menangkap kuman dan membunuh kuman tersebut. Amandel dapat mengatasi antigen spesifik terutama terhadap diphteri, virus poliom kuman streptococus, hemofilus influenza , staphylo cococus, dan e coli sampai suatu tahap tertentu.

Dalam penelitian, didapatkan bahwa daya imunologis amandel jauh lebih kuat dan baik dibandingkan dengan zat kekebalan tubuh yang terdapat dibagian lain. Itu karena zat kekebalan amandel langsung berhubungan dengan dunia luar, sehingga menjadi tempat pertahanan tubuh pertama kali.

Sebenarnya terdapat lima buah amandel di tenggorokan manusia, tetapi hanya dua buah yang terlihat jelas dari bagian luar. "Kalau kita periksa maka ada dua buah amandel terdapat menempel d ibagian lidah belakang, dua buah amandel di sisi kanan kiri yang kita lihat melalui mulut dan bagian atas," kata Spesialis THT RSCM, Dr Irwan Effendy.

Bila kuman yang masuk sudah tak bisa diatasi, Amandel akan membesar dan koloni kuman di amandel terlihat sebagai bercak putih yang terdiri dari banyak kuman. Celakanya, perlawanan yang dilakukan oleh amandel justru menginfeksi dirinya sendiri, hal ini yang disebut radang amandel.

Dr Irwan Effendy menyebutkan, keseluruhan amandel apapun jenis dan bentuk peradangan yang menimpanya bisa diatasi dengan baik. "Sebetulnya bila cepat diobati, radang amandel dapat disembuhkan dan tidak berbahaya," katanya dihubungi beberapa waktu lalu.

Gejala radang amandel akut pada setiap orang akan berbeda. Namun beberapa gejala yang umumnya timbul antara lain rasa nyeri amat sangat di tenggorokan, demam dengan suhu tinggi, amandel membesar dan menjadi lebih merah. "Pada anak kecil, radang amandel bila tidak diobati dengan baik, dapat menyebabkan radang jantung, bisul di dalam mulut, hingga kematian akibat tidak ditangani secara tepat," katanya lagi.

Gejala lainnya yang menyertai amandel akut antara lain tubuh menggigil, terdapat jaringan berwarna kuning atau putih yang menempel pada amandel dan kalau dilepaskan, bisa berdarah. Amandel akut biasanya juga disertai suara serak bila terkena pita suara. Pembesaran kelenjar getah bening leher juga bisa membuat nafas berbau busuk dan dapat disertai radang telinga tengah.

Pengobatan secara umum adalah istirahat dan pemberian obat panas, pemberian antibiotika yang sesuai dengan penyebab amandel. "Untuk mengurangi keluhan akibat radang, tindakan operasi hanya dilakukan bila pembesaran tonsik mencapai T3-T4 sehingga menyebabkan sulit bernafas, atau pada penyakit difteri karena kuman itu berpotensi menyebabkan radang jantung, atau pada absces (bisul) bernanah di amandel.

Jika hal tersebut sudah terjadi, operasi amandel harus dilakukan oleh dokter ahli THT dan dokter ahli Anestesi yang profesional dan baik, sehingga mencegah terjadinya komplikasi. Komplikasi yang dapat timbul dalam operasi mulai dari perdarahan dalam mulut, hingga kematian akibat alergi obat bius.

Sebenarnya ada beberapa upaya yang dapat dilakukan sendiri di rumah untuk pencegahan, perawatan, dan pengobatan. Langkah yang bisa dilakukan antara lain minum banyak air atau cairan seperti sari buah, terutama selama demam agar mengurangi bengkak. Jangan minum es, sirop, es krim, makanan dan minuman yang didinginkan, gorengan, makanan awetan yang diasinkan, dan manisan.

Berkumur air garam hangat 3-4 kali sehari. Menaruh kompres hangat pada leher setiap hari. Diberikan terapi antibiotik (atas petunjuk dokter) apabila ada infeksi bakteri dan untuk mencegah.

Selain itu hindari merokok atau hal lain yang menyebabkan kerongkongan iritasi. Sangat baik meminum banyak cairan. Pilihlah makanan yang lebih lembut untuk dimakan, seperti es krim, bubur gelatin atau bubur apel. Jika merasa tidak seperti makan, cobalah minum air yang mengandung kalori, seperti jus buah, milkshake, dan sup.

Jika sedang menjalani pengobatan dengan antibiotik, tidak masalah pergi ke sekolah 24 jam setelah demam hilang dan badan terasa agak sehat setelah meminum antibiotik. Jika tetap merasa lemah, lelah, dan gatal di kerongkongan, yang paling baik dilakukan adalah istirahat di rumah selama satu sampai dua hari. Istirahat dan relaksasi terkadang menjadi obat mujarab jika kita sakit.
(Koran SI/Koran SI/tty)
http://lifestyle.okezone.com

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Glyconutrients and Inflammation

Inflammation is not a disease.

Inflammation is best described as a defense mechanism to limit tissue damage. It can be caused by infection, injury or immune conditions. In each case, the inflammation is the result of your immune system responding to another event. This article will cover inflammation and how glyconutrients and inflammation can be utilized to your benefit.

When such an event occurs, a special cell called a neutrophil targets the damaged cells and releases a proinflammatory cytokine ( a natural substance used by the body for immune regulation ). This attracts more neutophil and begins a cycle of communication between neutrophil and macrophage ( a type of cell in your immune system that works to protect against infection and from toxins ). These signals are generated using structures composed of glyconutrients. This cycle would apply to the inflammation of the cells in a vein, the thyroid, intestine, liver, a muscle, the scalp, or any other collection of cells that are given a name.

When we take a drug or an herbal to "stop inflammation," we are really interrupting the natural process where the body is sending out signals to other helper cells to say "Hey, come deal with this." We are also interrupting the natural process where the body is sending signals to us saying "take it easy, we have something that needs care." Certainly inflammation can be a discomfort and an annoyance but the importance of inflammation as part of the immune response cannot be overstated.

After the immune cells have cleared out the source of the inflammation, additional immune cells begin a clean up process and engulf dead neutrophils and other cellular debris. If the process is successful, the body will return to normal levels of cells and mediators.

Inflammation is affected by diet in that certain nutrients play a role in the normal inflammation process. Various glyconutrients are used to construction glycoforms for signaling in the body and antioxidants bind to free radicals which may either be the source, or by product of, the damage.

In summary, inflammation is a normal cellular process. Your body induced inflammation in response to something else. While the process can lead to discomfort, it should be understood that medications and herbs which mask the inflammation by interfering with it may also be interfering with the underlying immune response. Studies have shown that concentrations of glyconutrients can have a very beneficial effect on inflammation. While the processes are still being studied, non-toxic glyconutrient supplements have been available to the public for over 10 years.
by: David S Saunders

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Raih Orgasme dengan Sentuhan

SENTUHAN memiliki makna mendalam bila dilakukan oleh orang yang dicintai. Sentuhan memacu Anda dan pasangan mencapai puncak kenikmatan seksual atau orgasme.

Berdasarkan sebuah studi yang dilakukan para peneliti di Swiss, terdapat fakta menarik seputar sentuhan. Seorang wanita yang mendapat dukungan berupa sentuhan di pundak dari orangtuanya, memiliki tingkat stres lebih rendah dibandingkan dengan wanita yang tidak mendapatkan sentuhan. Tak hanya itu saja, sentuhan juga dapat menurunkan kinerja jantung pada hitungan normal.

"Sentuhan menjadi pemicu naiknya hormon oxytocin. Hormon yang membuat perasaan lebih intim. Hormon ini juga menurunkan rasa sakit. Apapun sentuhannya, berupa ciuman, berpelukan, berpegangan tangan, atau berhubungan intim," jelas Pimpinan Heart Institute New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, Mehmet Oz, M.D.

Bagi kaum hawa, orgasme tak melulu harus diraih lewat penetrasi. Lewat sentuhan dari pasangannya, wanita bisa menggapai puncak kenikmatan seksual.

Caranya? Sebelum aksi pergumulan dimulai, maka Anda dan istri dapat saling merangsang lewat sentuhan. Kepuasaan seksual dapat diperoleh melalui permainan jemari, lidah, di area-area sensitif dan genital masing-masing.

Dengan aksi saling menyentuh ini akan membuat si dia merasa lebih relaks dan dekat dengan Anda. Sehingga, menggapai puncak kenikmatan seksual baginya tak lagi jadi kendala.(nsa)
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Allergic Reactions

IQ Air Purifiers: The human beings is ever growing and so is the human race. We seem to be working in a race in which our most horrible resisters are ourselves. Mother Nature seems to be going as fast as she can, delicate to cope up with the new discoveries, new engineerings, and the new trends that seem to be popping up from everyplace. We absorb in so many bodily functions that lento peril our surroundings and, in the eternal run, us. We have become so used to all the smoke, disperse, smog, and other types of air contamination that we hardly find out that there is something wrong with the air that we’re breathing. Not unless we go to the country or some rural area where nature is in copiousness and the air is clear and free from the pollutants ever present in cities.

But for absolute majority of the individuals who live in cities, it is ordinary and quite normal to fill their lungs with dirty and polluted air. Little do we know that we are causing such detriment to our bodies. Some common reactions that we get are Allergies and breathing-related problems. That is the reason why IQ Air created some of the best air purifiers in the cosmos. IQ Air Purifiers come in contrastive innovations and sizes to ply to each particular need.

Some of the main features of these air purifiers are:

§Hyper HEPA Filtration System. This type of filter transfers the closest corpuscles, including microorganisms like bacterias, viruses, allergens, and sprinkle and other particles that are literally microscopic in size. The great thing about this hyper HEPA system is that it can filter corpuscles even smaller than 0.3 microns. This air purifier filter system is patented by IQ Air and is the first filter tested and certified with the ability to filter up to 0.003 microns. This guarantees a minimum efficiency of 99.5 percent. Other purifiers only capture up to 0.3 micron particles and allow the rest to permeate.

§ Sealed Structure. The body of IQ Air Purifiers is housed in such a way that there will be no need for additional sealants to trap the micro-atoms in. This gives the assurance that all the air that goes into the air purifier passes through the hyper HEPA structure.

§ V5 Cell Gas and Odor Filter. Some models of IQ Air Purifier contain triggered carbon and active aluminum that filter the specks that escape the initial filtration system. The triggered carbon works by adsorption. That means the smaller specks stick to the compound. The excited aluminum reacts with the remaining specks by oxidation process.

The top-of-the-line models of IQ Air Purifiers are so efficient that they are used in rooms that hold medium U.S. military equipment. The unchanged air purifier is also used in hospital rooms particularly in cases wherein patients need reverse isolation or are hypersensitive to allergens. Pharmaceuticals and microchip manufacturers also use IQ Air Purifiers to keep their production rooms sterile. Plus, the IQ Air HealthPro air purifier model is so efficient that it was the first of its kind to obtain an EN 1822 Certification. This is one of the most stern clean air certification processes. In fact, IQ Air Purifiers can assure you of a 99.5 percent overall efficiency and you can say goodbye to Allergies.

Find meaning information about IQ Air Purifiers at Bank’s Vacuum Superstores. The site testifies helpful for you to be able to read the models’ characteristics and liken prices with other vacuum models.

by: Stacy Carolin

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