Living With Bronchitis.

      If you have bronchitis, there are steps you can take to help yourself:

Ongoing Care

      See your doctor regularly and take all of your medicines as prescribed. Also, talk with your doctor about getting a yearly flu shot and a pneumonia vaccine. If you have chronic bronchitis, you may benefit from pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). PR is a broad program that helps improve the well-being of people who have chronic (ongoing) breathing problems.

Quit Smoking

      Quitting smoking is the first and most essential step in treating chronic bronchitis. Once you stop smoking, your lung function may stabilize and even improve slightly, eventually declining at only about the same rate as nonsmokers in the same age group. No one with bronchitis should smoke, and smokers who live or work around a person with chronic bronchitis should make every effort to quit.

Protecting Against Respiratory Infections

      Protection against other respiratory infections is also important. Since most AECBs are caused by carrying viruses from the infected persons hands to an object like a paper, a plate or a cup, both avoidance of such objects when handled by someone with a cold and hand washing thoroughly and often is a simple way to avoid infections.
People with chronic bronchitis should ask their doctor about yearly flu shots. Another important vaccination is the pneumococcal vaccine, which protects against the major bacterium that causes pneumonia. The vaccine remains effective for years.

Breathing Exercises

      Breathing exercises can be important. People who have chronic bronchitis often breathe fast. Discuss with your doctor about a breathing method called pursed-lip breathing. This method decreases how often you take breaths, and it helps keep your airways open longer. This allows more air to flow in and out of your lungs so you can be more physically active.
To do pursed-lip breathing, you breathe in through your nostrils. Then you slowly breathe out through slightly pursed lips, as if you’re blowing out a candle. You exhale two to three times longer than you inhale. Some people find it helpful to count to two while inhaling and to four or six while exhaling.
Some practitioners believe that the use of an incentive spirometer for 15 minutes twice a day may also be helpful in strengthening breathing muscles and loosening mucus but this is quite controversial. This is a small hand-held device that contains a breathing gauge. The user exhales forcefully through the tube, using the pressure of the exhalation to raise the gauge to the highest level possible.

The Home Environment

To minimize the amount of contaminants in the home:

1.Ventilate by keeping windows open (weather and air pollution permitting).
2.Use exhaust fans for stoves and vents for furnaces.
3.Keep fireplace flues open.
4.If a wood-burning stove or fireplace is in use, make sure it is well-ventilated and meets the Environmental Protection Agency’s safety standards.
5.Burn pressed wood products labeled “exterior grade” since they contain the least amount of pollutants from resins.
6.Have furnaces and chimneys inspected and cleaned yearly if used heavily.
7.Eliminate molds and mildews stemming from household water damage.

Other Tips

Other measures you can take include:

1.Try to stay out of very hot or cold weather. When it’s very cold or windy, cover your nose with a scarf. When it’s humid, try to stay in air-conditioned places. This can make breathing easier.
2.Avoid taking tranquilizers, sedatives, or other drugs that may slow down breathing without your physician’s approval.
3.As much as possible, avoid exposure to air-borne irritants such as hair sprays and any aerosol products, paint sprayers, and insecticides.





Previous Topic > 10 signs and symptoms of Bronchitis.
Upcoming Topic.... Treatment For Bronchitis...
 

10 Signs and Symptoms of Bronchitis.

     A respiratory disease primarily characterized by coughing spells, Bronchitis is caused due to inflammation of the mucus membranes of the lungs. These membranes line the bronchial passage, and when irritated, then to grow thicker, thereby restricting the narrow airways in the lungs. This causes coughing which may be accompanied by phlegm and/or breathlessness.

     Bronchitis is of two varieties – acute and chronic. Acute bronchitis lasts for anywhere between one to three weeks, post which most symptoms disappear. Chronic bronchitis, on the other hand, lasts for at least three months and occurs recurrently for a minimum of two years. The latter condition is serious for it tends to impede routine functioning in severe cases.

With both acute and chronic bronchitis, the symptoms are largely so similar. There are some typical signs and symptoms of this condition, on the appearance of which, one should consult a physician as soon as possible.

1. Coughing Spells

The most defining symptom of bronchitis is continual coughing spells. The coughs are usually short and weak, though recurrent in incidence. They are caused due to the constriction of the bronchial passage, caused by the irritation and swelling of mucus membranes. Often patients’, victim to acute bronchitis, do not seek and receive speedy medical attention for they take the symptoms to imply common cold or cough. Though it is usually rest, fluids and in some cases cough medication that physicians prescribe, it is best if the condition is detected early, so as to prevent the possibility of contracting chronic bronchitis.

2. Phlegm

In typical cases, the hacking cough is accompanied by phlegm production. The phlegm usually begins to appear after 24 to 48 hours since the onset of coughing. It may be white, yellow or green, though in very severe cases, it may be streaked with red blood too. In the latter situation, immediate medical attention needs be sought. However, in normal cases, cough with phlegm is better for it lessens the discomfort. Otherwise, dry cough calls for the prescription of cough suppressants (so as to prevent disruption of sleep in most cases).

3. Chest Discomfort

Often patients of bronchitis, especially chronic bronchitis, complain of discomfort in the chest region. Some experience constriction and heaviness, while others feel pain below the breastbone on taking deep breaths. In case of acute bronchitis, doctors usually recommend the anti-inflammatory pain killers that are prescribed for common colds and cough; they seem to do the needful. In case of chronic bronchitis, suitable medication for long term relief and stability is prescribed to relieve the pain.

4. Wheezing

A common symptom of both acute and chronic bronchitis, wheezing is characterized by a whistling sound on exhaling. It is the constriction of the airways that causes this sound and although alarming, it subsides as the coughing spells do. In severe cases however, wheezing occurs in tandem with breathlessness, signalling much swelling of the mucus membranes. In such cases, doctors recommend using inhaled bronchodilators for relief. Those suffering from chronic bronchitis are alerted of aggravation of their condition when wheezing begins. They carry inhalers at all times, in case of an emergency.

5. Breathlessness

As mentioned before, breathlessness may also be experienced by bronchitis patients. It is usually in the more severe cases of acute bronchitis and aggravated state of chronic bronchitis that this occurs. Exertion and incessant coughing spells mostly precede the onset of breathlessness. When this begins to happen, doctors typically recommend the usage of inhaled bronchodilators which clear the airways immediately, thus allowing an adequate supply of oxygen to reach the lungs. If one is suffering from such severe bronchial disease, they should have their inhaler handy at all times.

6. Low Grade Fever

Many bronchitis patients, particularly children, tend to get a low grade fever alongside other symptoms. This is because when the disease is of acute nature, the cause is either viral or bacterial. When the potency of the virus or bacteria is high enough to not only affect the lungs but also hamper general immunity, patients’ get a fever. The fever can be treated with suitable drugs or antibiotics, based on the diagnosis of the physician consulted. If the fever shoots up and crosses 100F however, it is a cause for concern and emergency medical attention is required at the earliest.

7. Chills

Chills are mostly experienced in patients who also contract fever which in itself is not a typical symptom. In the few cases where low grade fever occurs, patients may feel tingles running up their body, causing the sensation of uncomfortable coolness, felt in spurts. Fortunately, the chills recede as the fever dies down, which usually does after a couple of doses of medication. In severe cases however, the fever and chills together can cause a patient to be bedridden, feeling weak and lethargic due to their condition.

8. Runny Nose

This is a symptom that is typically observed in children suffering from either form of bronchitis. They not only have cough and phlegm, but also liquidy mucus running down their noses. The condition is not particularly alarming as long as it does not cause blockage of nasal passage during sleep. Runny noses, however, do not remain so for the entire duration of illness. In most cases, once the coughing spells begin to get lesser in number and intensity, such and other little discomforts also begin to subside.

9. Difficulty in Breathing

While breathlessness usually has a trigger such as exertion or prolonged coughing, difficulty in breathing implies an enduring impediment to taking in air. This usually occurs in patients of chronic bronchitis, whose bronchial airways are majorly blocked. If left untreated, their condition only worsens over time, thus leading to a situation wherein breathing becomes difficult. Often this is realized when taking breaths begins to cause tightness and pain in the chest region and physicians then prescribe inhaled or oral steroid for clearing passages and oxygen supplementation.

Causes Of Bronchitis.

     The bronchitis infection can be caused by either a virus or bacteria, although viral bronchitis is much more common.
In most cases, bronchitis is caused by the same viruses that cause the common cold or flu. The virus is contained in the millions of tiny droplets that come out of the nose and mouth when someone coughs or sneezes.
These droplets typically spread about 1m (3ft). They hang suspended in the air for a while, then land on surfaces where the virus can survive for up to 24 hours. Anyone who touches these surfaces can spread the virus further by touching something else. Everyday items at home and in public places, such as door handles and keyboards, may have traces of the virus on them. People usually become infected by picking up the virus on their hands from unclean objects, and then placing their hands near their nose or mouth. It is also possible to breathe in the virus if it is up in the air in aerial droplets.

Breathing in nuisance substances

Bronchitis can also be caused by breathing in irritant substances, such as smog, chemicals in household products or tobacco smoke.
Smoking is the main cause of long-term (chronic) bronchitis, and it can affect people who inhale second-hand smoke, as well as smokers themselves.

Occupational exposure

You may also be at risk of bronchitis and other forms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) if you are often exposed to materials that can damage your lungs, such as:
>grain dust
>textiles (fabric fibers)
>ammonia
>strong acids
>chlorine
This is sometimes mentioned to as “occupational bronchitis”, and usually comforts once you are no longer exposed to the irritant substance.

Causes of Acute and Chronic Bronchitis

Acute Bronchitis

Infections or lung irritations cause acute bronchitis. Acute bronchitis is normally caused by viruses, and usually those that cause colds and flu. The same viruses that cause colds and the flu are the most common cause of acute bronchitis. Sometimes bacteria can also cause the condition. Bacteria and exposure to substances that irritate the lungs – tobacco smoke, dust, fumes, vapors and air pollution can also cause it.
Certain substances can irritate your lungs and airways and raise your risk for acute bronchitis. For example, inhaling or being exposed to tobacco smoke, dust, fumes, vapors, or air pollution raises your risk for the condition. These lung irritants also can make symptoms worse. Being exposed to a high level of dust or fumes, such as from an explosion or a big fire, also may lead to acute bronchitis.

Chronic Bronchitis

Chronic bronchitis is caused by the repeated irritation and damage of the lung and airway tissue. Repeatedly breathing in fumes that irritate and damage lung and airway tissues causes chronic bronchitis. Smoking is the major cause of the condition. Smoking most commonly causes it, but can also be caused by long-term exposure to air pollution, dust and fumes from the environment, as well as repeated episodes of acute bronchitis.
Breathing in air pollution and dust or fumes from the environment or workplace also can lead to chronic bronchitis. People who have chronic bronchitis go through periods when symptoms become much worse than usual. During these times, they also may have acute viral or bacterial bronchitis.




Previous topic ..... You Should Know: What Is Bronchitis.
Upcomming topic.... 10 Sign and Symptoms Of Bronchitis......

You Should To Know : What is Bronchitis ?

     Bronchitis is a respiratory ailment in which the mucus membrane in the lungs’ bronchial passages becomes swollen.

Bronchitis is an infection of the inside layer of the bronchial tubes, which transfer air to and from the lungs. People who have bronchitis often cough up thickened mucus, which can be discolored. Patients of bronchitis often have a cough that brings up mucus. Mucus is a slimy substance made by the inside layer of the bronchial tubes. Bronchitis also may cause wheezing (a shrilling or squeaky sound when a person breathe), chest pain or distress, a low fever, and shortness of breath. As the irritated membrane swells and grows thicker, it contracts or shuts off the tiny airways in the lungs, initiating in coughing spells that may be accompanied by phlegm and breathlessness.
The disease comes in two forms: acute (lasting from one to three weeks) and chronic (lasting at least 3 months of the year for two years in a row).
People with asthma may also have asthmatic bronchitis, inflammation of the lining of the bronchial tubes.

Types of Bronchitis:

The two main types of bronchitis are acute (short term) and chronic (ongoing).
Bronchitis may be either acute or chronic.
Often developing from a cold or other respiratory infection, acute bronchitis is very common. Chronic bronchitis, a more serious condition, it is a continual irritation or soreness of the inside layer of the bronchial tubes, often due to smoking.
Acute bronchitis usually improves within a few days without lasting effects, although you may continue to cough for weeks. However, if you have repeated bouts of bronchitis, you may have chronic bronchitis, which requires medical attention. Chronic bronchitis is one of the conditions included in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Acute Bronchitis – Infections or lung irritations cause acute bronchitis. The same viruses that cause colds and the flu are the most common cause of acute bronchitis. These viruses are spread through the air when people cough. They also are spread through physical contact (for example, on hands that have not been washed).
Sometimes bacteria also cause acute bronchitis.
Acute bronchitis lasts from a few days to 10 days. However, coughing may last for several weeks after the infection is gone.
Several factors increase your risk for acute bronchitis. Examples include exposure to tobacco smoke (including secondhand smoke), dust, fumes, vapors, and air pollution. Eluding these lung irritants as much as possible can help lower your risk for acute bronchitis.
Most cases of acute bronchitis go away within a few days. If you think you have acute bronchitis, see your doctor. He or she will want to rule out other, more serious health conditions that require medical care.

Chronic Bronchitis – Chronic bronchitis is an ongoing, serious condition. It occurs if the inside layer of the bronchial tubes is constantly irritated and swollen, causing a long-term cough with mucus. Smoking is the main cause of chronic bronchitis.
Viruses or bacteria can easily infect the irritated bronchial tubes. If this happens, the condition worsens and lasts longer. As a result, people who have chronic bronchitis have periods when symptoms get much worse than usual.
Chronic bronchitis is a serious, long-term medical condition. Early diagnosis and treatment, combined with quitting smoking and eluding secondhand smoke, can mend quality of life. The chance of complete recovery is low for people who have severe chronic bronchitis.




Upcoming topic.... Causes Of Bronchitis.

Health : Body Defenses

Physical Barriers

The human body constantly faces attack from foreign invaders that can cause infection and disease. These invaders range from living microbes (MY-krobes), such as bacteria * , fungi * , parasites * , and viruses * , to nonliving toxins, chemicals, and drugs. Fortunately, the body has a number of external and internal safeguards that prevent most dangerous invaders from entering and causing harm. The physical barriers that keep them at bay commonly are referred to as the body's first line of defense. Skin, the largest body organ, provides both a physical and a chemical barrier against the outside world. The skin forms a protective layer that completely wraps around the body, shielding blood vessels, nerves, muscles, organs, and bones. When cuts or tears in the surface of the skin provide an entrance for infective agents, glands beneath the skin produce an enzyme * that helps kill bacteria. Areas of the body not covered with skin do not go unprotected. Mucous membranes, the moist linings of the respiratory system, produce mucus (MYOO-kus), a sticky substance that traps irritants that enter through the nose. Structures like tiny hairs, called cilia (SIH-lee-uh), line the body's airways and constantly wave foreign particles and mucus away from the lungs to where they can be swallowed safely. Most harmful microbes that make it to the stomach are destroyed by stomach acids. In addition, tears and saliva both contain enzymes that destroy invaders. Another important defense mechanism is the brain-blood barrier, a specialized "filter" that surrounds the brain and spinal cord and acts as a physical barrier to keep out proteins, toxins, and most microbes, while letting in glucose, the source of the brain's nutrients.

* bacteria (bak-TEER-e-uh) are microscopic organisms, some types of which can cause disease.

* fungi (FUNG-eye) are microorganisms that can grow in or on the body, causing infections of internal organs or of the skin, hair, and nails.

* parasites (PAIR-uh-sites) are organisms such as protozoa (one-celled animals), worms, or insects that must live on or inside a human or other organism to survive. An animal or plant harboring a parasite is called its host. Parasites live at the expense of the host and may cause illness.

* viruses (VY-ruh-sez) are tiny infectious agents that can cause infectious diseases. A virus can only reproduce within the cells it infects.


The Immune System

A second line of defense is housed within the body: a finely tuned immune system that recognizes and destroys foreign substances and organisms that enter the body. The immune system can distinguish between the body's own tissues and outside substances called antigens * . This allows cells of the immune army to identify and destroy only those enemy antigens. The ability to identify an antigen also permits the immune system to "remember" antigens the body has been exposed to in the past, so that the body can mount a better and faster immune response the next time any of these antigens appear.

Lymphocytes (LIM-fo-sites), white blood cells that develop in bone marrow * and circulate throughout the body in the lymphatic system * , are a vital part of the immune system. Lymphocytes can be divided into two subgroups: B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes. B lymphocytes (or B cells) produce immunoglobulins (ih-myoo-no-GLAH-byoo-lins), also called antibodies (AN-tih-bah-deez). These protein molecules attach themselves to specific antigens and work with another type of white blood cell, called phagocytes (FAH-go-sites)—scavenger cells that surround and digest infected cells or microorganisms—to destroy the invaders. T lymphocytes (or T cells) help control the immune response and destroy foreign antigens directly.

The activity of B cells and T cells targets specific antigens. This means that each time a new kind of antigen invades the body, the immune system must produce a new round of B cells and T cells, which attack only that antigen. It is estimated that the immune system can create more than 100 million types of antibodies. As B cells and T cells mature, they begin to recognize which tissues belong in the body and which do not. These cells become "memory" cells that remember a particular antigen, so that the next time it appears, the immune response can mobilize quickly. In some cases, people have permanent immunity * to a disease; for example, people who contract chicken pox usually will not have it again—or, if they do, they will have a much more mild case.

The immune system works with amazing complexity. When a B cell encounters a foreign invader, it starts to produce immunoglobulins, or antibodies. Like a key designed to fit only a specific lock, an antibody "locks" onto a single type of antigen like an identifying marker. Once the antibody attaches to an antigen, one class of T cells called helper T cells alerts other white blood cells to head toward the site, while another class called killer T cells begins to destroy the antigen marked by the antibody. At the same time, millions of antibodies swarm through the bloodstream to attach to any more of that type of antigen and mount a larger attack.

The immune system also includes other proteins and chemicals that assist antibodies and T cells in their work. Among them are chemicals that alert phagocytes to the site of the infection. The complement system, a group of proteins that normally float freely in the blood, move toward infections, where they combine to help destroy microorganisms and foreign particles. They do this by changing the surface of bacteria or other microorganisms, causing them to die.

* enzyme (EN-zime) is a protein that helps speed up a chemical reaction In the body.

* antigens (AN-tih-jens) are substances that are recognized as a threat by the body's immune system, which triggers the formation of specific antibodies against the substance.

* bone marrow is the soft tissue inside bones where blood cells are made.

* lymphatic (lim-FAH-tik) system is a system that contains lymph nodes and a network of channels that carry fluid and cells of the immune system through the body.

* immunity (ih-MYOON-uh-tee) is the condition of being protected against an infectious disease. Immunity often develops after a germ is introduced to the body. One type of immunity occurs when the body makes special protein molecules called antibodies to fight the disease-causing germ. The next time that germ enters the body, the antibodies quickly attack it, usually preventing the germ from causing disease.

In some instances, people receive antibodies from another person to help their own immunity. This is known as passive immunity. Infants are born with immature immune systems and receive important antibodies from their mothers, both during pregnancy (across the mother's placenta * ) and after birth from breast milk. These antibodies usually disappear within 6 to 12 months, but until then they help protect the infant against a range of infections, including pneumonia * , bronchitis * , influenza * , and ear infection. Doctors also can give people gamma globulin (GAH-muh GLAH-byoo-lin), an antibody preparation that offers temporary immunity to patients who might need this protection. When a person gets an immunization, or vaccine * , the body's immune system learns to recognize that particular bacteria or virus. If, sometime later, the person is exposed to the germ again, the body can fight it off and not come down with the disease.

The human body has several lines of defense against infection, which work to prevent germs from invading the body or to destroy them once they find their way in.

Immune Responses and Disease

Strong and healthy immune systems successfully ward off many diseases, particularly infections, but weakened immune responses can permit various diseases to develop. Age can influence the immune system's effectiveness. Newborns and the elderly may have a weak or impaired immune response to antigens. Newborns' immune systems are not fully developed at birth but typically become stronger during the first year of life. To strengthen their immune response, newborns can benefit from breastfeeding.

* placenta (pluh-SEN-ta) is an organ that provides nutrients and oxygen to a developing baby; it is located within the womb during pregnancy.

* pneumonia (nu-MO-nyah) is inflammation of the lung.

* bronchitis (brong-KYE-tis) is a disease that involves inflammation of the larger airways in the respiratory tract, which can result from infection or other causes.

* influenza (in-floo-EN-zuh), also known as the flu, is a contagious viral infection that attacks the respiratory tract, including the nose, throat, and lungs.

* vaccine (vak-SEEN) is a preparation of killed or weakened germs, or a part of a germ or product it produces, given to prevent or lessen the severity of the disease that can result if a person is exposed to the germ itself. Use of vaccines for this purpose is called immunization.

* histamine (HIS-tuh-meen) is a substance released by the body during inflammation. It causes blood vessels to expand and makes it easier for fluid and other substances to pass through vessel walls.

Immune systems that work but react incorrectly to the antigens within a person's body can lead to a number of immunological (ih-myoo-no-LAH-jih-kul) disorders. These are called autoimmune (awtoh-ih-MYOON) diseases. In autoimmune diseases, the body cannot distinguish between itself and foreign particles and may turn its disease-fighting powers on its own tissues, blood, and organs. Although no specific cause for this imbalance has been uncovered, hormones * may be involved.

Gender factors into who might experience an autoimmune disease. According to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, of the more than 80 chronic autoimmune diseases, about 75 percent of cases occur in women, and women appear to be most vulnerable to these diseases during their childbearing years, when the levels of hormones are highest in their bodies. Heredity seems to play a part as well. A person may inherit the tendency to have an autoimmune disorder but might not have the same disease a close relative has. For example, a grandmother may have rheumatoid arthritis * , and the granddaughter may have lupus * . These conditions are related in many ways, but they are different diseases.

Some common medical conditions can put people at increased risk for infections. People with diabetes * are especially prone to infection, in part because high levels of sugar in the blood can interfere with the functions of certain white blood cells. Patients with chronic lung disease are often at a high risk for pneumonia and bronchitis. Urinary tract infections tend to occur more frequently among people born with abnormal urinary tracts or those who experience an obstruction, such as a kidney stone * . People with certain types of heart disease, particularly of the heart valves, are more likely to have endocarditis (en-do-kar-DYE-tis), an inflammation of the inner lining of the heart (called the endocardium, endoh-KAR-dee-um), after dental procedures or surgery. Chronic malnutrition that causes a protein deficiency in the body also can lead to immune problems, because immunoglobulins and other parts of the immune system are made up largely of proteins.

In severe combined immunodeficiency, a person's ability to fight infections is severely impaired. This condition has been dubbed "bubble boy disease" and became widely known during the 1970s with the case of David Vetter, who lived for 12 years sealed in a plastic, germfree environment.

Compromised Immune Systems

Chronic diseases can wear down the immune system and make people more susceptible to infection. An immune system that is weakened in this way is said to be compromised. Sickle-cell anemia * , for instance, causes damage to the spleen * . Because the spleen helps protect against bacterial infections, this leaves the body more vulnerable to infections, such as those involving the lungs, bone, and blood. As human immunodeficiency virus (HYOO-mun ih-myoo-no-dih-FIH-shen-see) (HIV) infection damages and weakens the immune system, many kinds of infectious diseases that take advantage of a poor immune response can appear. In many cases, prompt diagnosis of such "opportunistic" infections and treatment with combinations of antiviral drugs have been able to slow this process.

* hormones are chemical substances that are produced by various glands and sent into the bloodstream carrying messages that have certain effects on other parts of the body.

* rheumatoid arthritis (ROO-mah-toyd ar-THRY-tis) is a chronic disease characterized by painful swelling, stiffness, and deformity of the joints.

* lupus (LOO-pus) is a chronic, or long-lasting, disease that causes inflammation of connective tissue. the material that holds together the various structures of the body.

* diabetes (dye-uh-BEE-teez) is a condition in which the body's pancreas does not produce enough insulin or the body cannot use the insulin it makes effectively, resulting in increased levels of sugar in the blood, This can lead to increased urination, dehydration, weight loss, weakness, and a number of other symptoms and complications related to chemical imbalances within the body.

* kidney stone is a hard structure that forms in the urinary tract. This structure is composed of crystallized chemicals that have separated from the urine, It can obstruct the flow of urine and cause tissue damage and pain as the body attempts to pass the stone through the urinary tract and out of the body.

* sickle-cell anemia, also called sickle-cell disease, is a hereditary condition in which the red blood cells, which are usually round, take on an abnormal crescent shape and have a decreased ability to carry oxygen throughout the body.

* spleen is an organ in the upper left part of the abdomen that stores and filters blood. As part of the immune system, the spleen also plays a role in fighting infection.

Certain drugs and therapy regimens also can undermine the work of the immune system. Chemotherapy drugs, a term for several kinds of drugs that destroy cancer cells, often kill the beneficial white blood cells in the bone marrow as well. Patients who have organ transplants are given high dosages of drugs called corticosteroids (kor-tih-ko-STIR-oyds) to suppress their immune systems and try to keep their bodies from rejecting the transplanted tissue, which typically is recognized as "foreign."
* genetic (juh-NEH-tik) refers to heredity and the ways in which genes control the development and maintenance of organisms.

* sepsis is a potentially serious spreading of infection, usually bacterial, through the bloodstream and body.

* meningitis (meh-nin-JY-tis) is an inflammation of the meninges, the membranes that surround the brain and the spinal cord. Meningitis is most often caused by infection with a virus or a bacterium.

* lymph (LIMF) nodes are small, bean-shaped masses of tissue that contain immune system cells that fight harmful microorganisms. Lymph nodes may swell during infections.

Some people's immunity is weakened from the beginning, because they are born with components missing from their immune systems. Primary immune deficiencies are genetic * conditions that impair the immune system. Hypogammaglobulinemia (hi-po-gah-muh-gloh-byoo-lih-NEE-me-uh), a condition that arises when the body has fewer antibodies than normal, can result in more bacterial respiratory illnesses. Agammaglobulinemia (a-gah-muh-gloh-byoo-lih-NEE-me-uh), a complete lack of antibodies in the blood, can cause severe, often fatal infections. Other primary immune disorders include these:

Severe combined immune deficiency syndrome, in which an infant is born with a significant lack of both B cells and T cells, often leads to serious immunity problems; it occurs in one in a million births. During the first 3 months of life, babies with this condition can experience life-threatening infections and diseases, particularly sepsis * , pneumonia, and meningitis * . Common childhood diseases, such as chicken pox, can easily overwhelm these patients' immune systems.
Chronic granulomatous (gran-yoo-LO-muh-tus) disease occurs in males when the body's phagocytes are ineffective against certain bacteria and fungi. Patients develop recurrent and unusual skin, lymph node * , and other infections. Repeated infections can lead to granulomas (gran-yoo-LO-muhs), masses that develop in the skin, lungs, liver * , lymph nodes, and bones. They can be slow to heal and drain.


Other Influences

Numerous other influences can affect the health of the immune system as well. In societies where smoking is acceptable, for example, people are more at risk for lung cancer and respiratory ailments, both of which can lead to various secondary infections, including bronchitis. Second-hand smoke, or passive smoking, increases respiratory infections for both infants and children. Children who are exposed to second-hand smoke may be predisposed to pneumonia, allergies * , and asthma * as well as repeated irritations of the eyes, nose, and mouth.

Nutrition, too, has an impact on the immune system. Malnutrition, with diets deficient in a variety of nutrients, such as certain vitamins, minerals, or protein, can cause increased vulnerability to infection.

* liver is a large organ located beneath the ribs on the right side of the body. The liver performs numerous digestive and chemical functions essential for health.

* allergies are immune system-related sensitivities to certain substances, for example, cat dander or the pollen of certain plants, that cause various reactions, such as sneezing, runny nose, wheezing, or swollen, itchy patches on the skin, called hives.

* asthma (AZ-mah) is a condition in which the airways of the lungs repeatedly become narrowed and inflamed, causing breathing difficulty.

   

10 Bad Habits and the Best Ways to Quit Them

It's not too late to reverse your worst habits (stopping smoking, drinking, over-eating, and more) and immediately start living a happier, healthier life.

1. Bad Habit: Snacking non-stop, even when not hungry.

Why It's Dangerous: Losing touch with your body's natural hunger and satisfaction signals can lead to chronic overeating and unhealthy extra pounds that can lead to diabetes, heart disease, and other serious conditions. If it's junk foods you snack on, you're also flooding your body with unhealthy ingredients. Why You Should Stop: With determination, anyone can fix bad eating habits, and get to a healthier, more natural weight. By paying attention to your hunger signals and switching to healthy snacks, you can boost nutrition, control cravings, lose weight, and avoid energy slumps. Your weight will fall to a healthier level, and you'll replace unhealthy trans and saturated fat, sugar, refined carbohydrates, and extra sodium with more nutritious fare. Reverse the Habit: - Reacquaint yourself with hunger: Wait to eat until your body is physically craving food. - Stop eating before you're stuffed: Finish when you feel just a little bit full, you'll eat less this way. - Eat for the right reason: Because you're hungry—not because you're stressed, bored, angry, or sad. - Stop mindless eating: If snacking is an old, bad habit, ban unhealthy food from your home. - Replace junk food with real food: Once you've cleared your pantry, stock your kitchen with fruits, veggies, nuts, and low-fat, whole-grain products. - Plan snacks like you do meals: Eat your healthy snack on a plate, with a glass of water, and sit down at the table to enjoy it.

2. Bad Habit: Spending too much time on the couch watching TV.

  Why It's Dangerous: The more TV you watch, the less physical activity you're getting, increasing your odds of being overweight and developing type 2 diabetes. A large-scale study of over 9000 people found that those who watched more than two hours of TV a day ate more, while downing more sugary soft drinks and high-fat, high-calorie, processed snack foods than those who watched less. If television is replacing time you'd spend on an old hobby, visiting friends, or exercising your mind, it can also speed up memory loss. Why You Should Stop: By turning TV time into active time and committing to a healthy TV/activity balance, you can burn more calories, become more fit, and reduce your odds for related health problems quickly. You'll have a fitter body and more time for sleep, plus more energy, a better mood, sharper mind, and more social connections, which can even help you increase your self-confidence. Reverse the Habit: - Follow the 2/30 rule: That means no more than 2 hours of TV a day—and at least 30 minutes of exercise. - Don't channel surf: Only turn the TV on when you have something specific to watch. Get out instead of searching mindlessly. - Don't snack in front of the TV: It's far too easy to eat hundreds of calories' worth of chips and barely realize it. - Exercise while you watch: Walk in place, do sit-ups, pushups, or drag your treadmill into the TV room. - Clean during commercials: Avoid food commercials by emptying wastebaskets, vacuuming a room, or doing a load of laundry. It can add up to 20 minutes' worth of calorie-burning chore time everyday. - Resolve to leave home more often: See more friends, do more interesting things, and stimulate your mind every day.

3. Bad Habit: Overspending your way into debt.

Why It's Dangerous: Money worries can have serious health consequences. In a Rutgers University telephone survey, responders said financial stress contributed to high blood pressure, depression, insomnia, headaches, digestion troubles, aches and pains, ulcers, excessive smoking and drinking, and gaining or losing weight. Why You Should Stop: You'll regain a hold on your finances. It's tough, but getting yourself out of debt is a lot like losing weight. It takes time, can be hard on your ego and your lifestyle, you have to be constantly vigilant, and it's easy to revert back to old habits. But for those who succeed, and many people do, the results are stunning. You'll feel more in control of your life with less stress and fewer worries. You'll be able to sleep better, stop overeating, and have fewer headaches. Finding ways to curb your spending and focus on the simple joys in life will also help improve your relationships. Reverse the Habit: - Learn about money management: Educate yourself on the the basic rules and methods of personal finance—for credit cards, mortgages, budgeting, and investing. - Freeze your credit cards: Literally. Put them in a cup, add water, and relegate them to the back of your freezer so you'll stop using them. - Create a budget: How much money is coming in each month? How much are you spending on essentials, and how much frivolously? Keep track, and discover what you need to cut back on. - Pay at least the monthly minimum on your bills: Prioritize paying more on the highest-interest credit card. Once you've paid it off, move on to the next worst. - Automate good monthly habits: Use online banking to transfer some of your paychecks into a savings account, and set your bills to be paid automatically. - Change money priorities: Stop shopping as a form of entertainment or distraction. Identify important things you'll need in the future and start savings programs for each.

4. Bad Habit: Eating too much fast food.

Why It's Dangerous: A steady diet of double cheeseburgers and fries washed down with an oversize soda or milkshake often leads to a bigger waistline and other related health problems, like heart disease and diabetes. Trans fat, often found in fast food, raises 'bad' cholesterol and blood fats that contribute to hardening of the arteries, as well as firing up inflammation, which contributes to the build-up of fatty plaque in artery walls. Why You Should Stop: The health benefits of making the switch to healthy food will be immediate and substantial. Making a permanent lifestyle change won't be easy at first. Fast food is super-convenient, surprisingly inexpensive, and thanks to all its fat, salt, and sugar, undeniably tasty. Healthy eating takes more time and thought, and in some cases, more money. It's worth it though. In addition to losing extra weight, slimming your waistline, and protecting yourself from heart disease and diabetes, you'll save money if you prepare your own meals instead of buying fast food. Reverse the Habit: - Wean yourself off slowly: Cut back a little per week, and buy a little less each time you go. - Switch to healthier menu options: Replace soda with coffee or water, burgers with grilled chicken, and fries with a salad. - End impulse visits: Avoid popping into a fast food joint just because you walked or drove by one, especially if you aren't hungry or it isn't meal time. - Switch to grocery stores: Hungry and need a fast meal? You can usually find healthier prepared meals at your local grocery store. - Try a local sandwich shop: Walk into one and order a turkey on whole-wheat with a salad on the side. - Make your own: Eat with confidence in your own kitchen, preparing yourself a healthy meal with last night's leftovers, adding a side of fruits and vegetables.

5. Bad Habit: Getting sunburned a few times every summer.

Why It's Dangerous: If you love sunbathing or make an effort to maintain a golden-bronze tan, you've unwittingly contributed to the aging of your skin. Sunbathing destroys the elastic fibers that keep skin looking firm and smooth, leading to earlier wrinkles, blotches, freckles, and discolorations. More importantly, sunburns contribute significantly to cancers of the skin. If you've added trips to the tanning salon, it's even worse. Despite what ads suggest, using tanning beds doesn't build up a 'safe' base tan. It actually raises your risk for skin cancer and wrinkles. Why You Should Stop: Sun exposure, especially if your quest for the perfect tan has left you sunburned, damages skin in ways that can never be repaired or reversed. Avoiding additional burns can at least help you prevent further damage. Protecting your skin also results in softer, suppler skin with fewer wrinkles and less discoloration. 6 Tips for Recovery: - Schedule an annual skin check by a dermatologist: Your doctor will inspect your skin for any unusual changes, and take a small sample to determine the nature of the growth. - Always wear sunscreen: Keep high SPF sunscreens near all your exits. It only takes about 30 seconds to apply. - Stay safe in the sun: Stick to the shade, wear a hat, sunglasses, long sleeves and pants during peak sunburn hours. - Get your glow with a self-tanner instead of the sun: You'll get the bronzed look without the cancer risk. - Know a danger sign when you see it: Anything new that doesn't look right to you on your skin deserves to be checked by a doctor. - Sip green tea: There's some evidence that green tea may protect your cells against cancer-causing sun damage.

6. Bad Habit: Behavior that leaves you angry, worried, or stressed all of the time.

Why it's Dangerous: An unhappy lifestyle releases a cascade of stress hormones that increase your blood pressure and blood sugar, lower immunity, slow digestion, and make you feel downright mean. Nature intended stress to be a short-lived fight-or-flight response to a threat, but modern life can lead to chronic stress and to far-reaching impacts on your health, such as increased risk of being overweight and overeating high-fat, sugary foods. Both raise your odds for heart disease and diabetes. Why You Should Stop: Stress-reduction techniques have been proven to lower blood sugar, improve immunity, reduce depression, ease chronic pain, lower blood sugar, and possibly protect your heart, too. A regained sense of joy and control is worth its weight in gold, and the physical health benefits will be substantial as well. Reverse the Habit: - Learn to stop getting stressed so easily: How you react to triggers determines your stress level. Next time you feel a situation emerging, work hard at managing it and staying cool. - Learn a formal stress-relief process: Among the most proven are yoga, meditation, and deep breathing. - Rediscover optimism: Pessimism is a learned behavior. Regaining your sense of hope can go a long way toward stifling stress and regaining a sense of happiness. - Eat healthy and exercise: A healthy lifestyle does wonders for your ability to manage stressful situations. - Enjoy a relaxing hobby: Calm down by immersing yourself fully during your down time. - Rediscover silliness: Remember than in every grown adult resides a young child. You're older, but you spirits doesn't have to be. Stop suppressing your sense of fun and silliness and remember to enjoy yourself.

7. Bad Habit: Skipping breakfast.

Why It's Dangerous: Skipping the first meal of the day can have serious consequences for your weight, your energy levels, and even your blood sugar. Munching a piece of morning toast or crunching a bowl of bran flakes signals to your metabolism that it's time to kick things up a notch. Skipping the fuel keeps your metabolism running on low, which can lead to weight gain and sluggishness. You'll also create a starve-now-indulge-later eating pattern, which is why breakfast-skippers tend to overeat later in the day. Why You Should Stop: Starting a breakfast routine is easy. The moment you do, you take a major step towards fixing the problems skipping breakfast caused, including excess weight and unhealthy blood sugar swings. Eating breakfast will result in more stable blood sugar, which means fewer food cravings and hunger pangs later in the day. Because you're re-fueling your body early in the day, you'll also have more energy in the morning. You may find that you start to control your weight more easily, too. Reverse the Habit: - Work with your body: Not hungry first thing in the day? Wait and hour or two until you're ready to eat. - Eat foods you like: No need to start the day with breakfast food. Have a sandwich, a bowl of soup, or last night's leftovers—whatever your pleasure is. - No time? Make a portable breakfast sandwich: Bring along a piece of fruit, and maybe some milk in a coffee mug. - Grab an energy bar and a cup of yogurt: Both are instantly ready, and together they are the perfect amount of nutrients and calories to start your day. - Have a smoothie: Whirl low-fat yogurt, frozen berries, half a banana, a little OJ, and some honey in a blender. It's the ultimate healthy on-the-go breakfast. - Set things up in advance: Prep breakfast the night before, so you can eat it at the kitchen table in 10 minutes or less.

8. Bad Habit: Drinking too much alcohol.

Why It's Dangerous: If you over-drink on a regular basis, alcohol can be a poison. Women who regularly consume two or more drinks a day and men who regularly down three or more are at higher risk for liver damage,  various cancers including those of the liver and mouth, high blood pressure, and depression. Women, who are more sensitive to alcohol, can also develop heart disease, brittle bones, and even memory loss. Why You Should Stop: Soon after you cut back or quit, your digestion will improve and you'll sleep more soundly. Your blood sugar will be lower and steadier, your blood pressure may fall toward a healthier range, and even your brain will bounce back. You'll have a healthier liver and cardiovascular system. Since you're limiting your alcohol intake, you'll also be cutting your risk of being in a car accident. On top of feeling more energetic, you'll probably have better relationships with your family and friends, if drinking has caused problems in the past. Reverse the Habit: - Stick to healthy limits: That's two or less drinks per day for men, one for women. - Reserve alcohol for meals: You're more likely to sip your drink slowly that way. - Drink for flavor, not to get drunk: As an adult, you shouldn't drink to escape. Find a healthier coping mechanism. - Can't stop? Acknowledge the addiction: Talk with your doctor and contact a support group like AA. - Take screenings for bone density and cancers seriously: Check with your doctor if you should be screened more often. - Liver damaged? Get a health plan: Talk to a doctor about a high-calorie diet to help your liver regenerate.

9. Bad Habit: Smoking cigarettes.

 Why It's Dangerous: As far as health goes, no popular habit on Earth is as harmful. It directly causes 30 percent of heart disease deaths, 30 percent of cancer deaths, and a massive 80 to 90 percent of all lung cancers, not to mention increasing the risk of developing mouth, throat, and, bladder cancer. This bad habit also astronomically raises your odds for heart attacks, strokes, and high blood pressure, on top of possibly triggering or aggravating breathing problems like bronchitis and asthma attacks. Why You Should Quit: The health benefits are almost immediate, because your lungs and cardiovascular system begin repairing themselves within minutes of your last cigarette. Within a month, your lungs will work better and you should be coughing less, feel more energetic, and have less shortness of breath. Quitting smoking significantly reduces threat of cancer or heart disease, improves your sense of taste and smell, and gives you better endurance. You'll also reap confidence-boosting rewards like fresher breath, younger-looking skin, and an end to that unpleasant tobacco smell on your clothes. Reverse the Habit: - Treat it like an addiction, not a habit: Before you stop, prepare for the tough road ahead. Prepare a strategy,a support team, and a Plan B if your first methods fail. - Ask your doctor about a stop-smoking drug: Buprion and varenicline have been shown in studies to increase the chance for success. - Get support: Enlist your friends and family. Counselors, hotlines, and support groups can also help. - Time it right: Plan to quit during a calm period - not over the holidays or when you're under a lot of stress. - Try 'nicotine fading': Use a nicotine patch or gum to help you gradually become accustomed to life without cigarettes and nicotine. - Remember that a lapse isn't a failure: Use slip-ups to discover your personal obstacle to quitting and create a plan for dealing with those needs.

10. Bad Habit: Overusing pain killers and sedatives.

Why It's Dangerous: When they're not taken properly, long-term habitual use can cause more problems than it solves. Using drugs like ibuprofen or aspirin for arthritis or muscle pain can over time increase your risk for ulcers, gastrointestinal bleeding, high blood pressure, and heart attacks. Calming drugs and sleeping pills can leave you feeling confused and prone to stumbling and falling if you take them in higher-than-prescribed doses. Since they make you feel good, you may want to keep on taking them, turning them into a habit or addiction before you you know it. Why You Should Stop: New pain-relief strategies can ease muscle, joint, and head pain with fewer pills and side effects. Kicking the sedative and prescription pain pill habit is possible with commitment and support, and once the pill-taking has ceased, your body will quickly rebound from their effects. You'll spend less money on medications. You may cut your risk for heart and high blood pressure problems as well as gastrointestinal ulcers and bleeding. You'll also be more alert and enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that you've beaten a drug dependency. Reverse the Habit: - Switch to acetominophen for chronic pain: It doesn't cause stomach irritation, and doesn't raise blood pressure like aspirin and ibuprofen. Save ibupofen for flare-ups of severe, short-term pain. It's usually safe for up to 10 days, but not more. - For frequent headaches see your doctor: Migraines can be stopped quickly with the right medication. - Check out alternate pain-relief strategies: Weight loss, exercise, stress relief and avoiding triggers can help. - Don't take habit-forming drugs for over four months: Challenge your doctors when they want to put you on pain, mood, or sleeping medication long-term if you think you'll be susceptible to addiction—particularly if the drugs work well. - Watch for hidden signs: Clues you're taking too much of a tranquilizer include memory loss, excess sleepiness, feeling unresponsive and falling frequently. - Get help if you can't stop: There's no shame in asking for help from family members, friends, or your doctor.

Top 11 Health Foods That Can Harm You

Nutrition is full of nonsense.

You will find bold health claims for all kinds of foods, most often based on zero evidence.

Here are the top 11 “health foods” that can actually be pretty harmful.

1. Fruit Juices

The fruit juices you find at the supermarket aren’t always what they seem.

They may have small amounts of real fruit in them, but often they are little more than water, artificial flavor and sugar.

But even if you’re drinking real fruit juice, it is still a bad idea.

Fruit juice is like fruit with most of the good stuff removed.

All that is left is the sugar and a few vitamins. Orange juice, for example, contains the same amount of sugar as Coca Cola.

There’s no fiber in it, no chewing resistance and nothing to stop you from downing massive amounts of sugar in a short amount of time.

Eating too much sugar is associated with all sorts of diseases. These include obesity, type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease and many others.


It is much better to avoid fruit juices and eat real fruits instead.

2. Whole Wheat

It is true that whole wheat is healthier than refined wheat.

But this does NOT mean that whole wheat is healthy.

It’s kind of like saying that because filtered cigarettes are healthier than unfiltered cigarettes, everyone should be smoking filtered cigarettes. It’s flawed logic.

There are plenty of good reasons to avoid wheat… both the refined and the whole variety.

For example, wheat is the main source of gluten in the diet and a large part of the population may be gluten sensitive.

The immune system of susceptible individuals attacks the gluten proteins in the digestive tract. This can cause damage to the lining of the digestive tract, pain, bloating, tiredness, stool inconsistency and other nasty symptoms.

One study shows that wheat fiber can make you Vitamin D deficient, making you burn through your stores of this important vitamin much faster.

Another study shows that whole wheat raises small, dense LDL (the truly “bad” cholesterol) by a whopping 60%.


Bottom Line: Whole wheat is rich in gluten and can cause digestive problems and various symptoms. It may also cause Vitamin D deficiency and elevated small, dense LDL cholesterol.

3. Agave Nectar

In the health food isle at the supermarket, you will definitely find some “sugar-free” products that are sweetened with Agave.

This sweetener is touted as a healthy alternative to sugar because it is natural has a low glycemic index.

But the harmful effects of sugar have little to do with its glycemic index, it is harmful primarily because it is loaded with unnatural amounts of fructose.

Too much fructose in the diet can cause all sorts of problems, especially in people who don’t exercise much.

All fructose is metabolized by the liver. If the liver is full of glycogen the fructose will be turned into fat.

This can cause non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and all kinds of metabolic problems like resistance to the hormones insulin and leptin, which will ultimately lead to obesity and diabetes.

While regular sugar is 50% fructose, the fructose content of Agave is as high as 90%. If anything, agave is even worse than sugar!


Bottom Line: Agave nectar is loaded with fructose and therefore causes all the same problems as regular sugar and High Fructose Corn Syrup.

4. Sports Drinks

Sports drinks were designed for athletes who have just finished an intense training session with massive sweating and glycogen depletion.

For this reason, sports drinks contain:

Water – to replenish lost fluid.
Electrolytes – to replenish electrolytes like sodium that were lost via sweat.
Sugar – because athletes need energy after an intense workout.

You don’t need any additional electrolytes unless you’ve been doing a very intense workout and most people are already eating too much sugar.

One bottle of Gatorade contains over 30 grams of sugar.

You’re better off sticking to plain water, which you should certainly drink plenty of, especially around workouts.


Bottom Line: If you’re not doing super intense workouts, then you should avoid sports drinks. They are not needed and contain sugar.

5. “Heart-Healthy” Vegetable Oils


As the fear of saturated fat took hold of the world, consumption of all kinds of nasty ingredients increased.

Prime examples are industrial seed- and vegetable oils like soybean, corn and cottonseed oil.

These oils are extracted from seeds using very harsh processing methods and include high heat, bleaching and the toxic solvent hexane.

These oils contain very large amounts of Omega-6 fatty acids, way more than humans ever consumed throughout evolution.

We need small amounts of these fatty acids in the diet, such as the amounts found in meat and nuts. However, if we eat way too much like is the case with Western populations, this causes problems.

Eating too much of these fats can lead to inflammation, which is a leading cause of many chronic diseases.

These oils get incorporated into our body fat stores and cellular membranes, where they are highly sensitive to oxidation and damage.

To top it all off, the industrial vegetable oils that you find in the supermarket contain 0.56-4.2% of their fatty acid as trans fats, which are highly toxic.

(This does not apply to olive oil, which is good for you!)


Bottom Line: Vegetable oils are unhealthy and lead to inflammation. They are potential key players in the epidemic of Western diseases.

6. Low-Fat or Fat-Free Foods


It ain’t the fat, people!

Despite the last decades of propaganda against saturated fats, they have now been proven to be harmless.

When the anti-fat message first came out, food manufacturers started producing “healthy” products that were low-fat or fat-free.

The only problem is that foods that have had the fat removed taste like crap.

The food manufacturers then loaded their products with chemicals, artificial sweeteners and massive amounts of sugar.

What they basically did was remove the good stuff (fat) and replace it with bad stuff (sugar).

This is how they managed to turn perfectly healthy foods like yogurt into very harmful products filled with unhealthy ingredients.


Bottom Line: Avoid everything labelled “low-fat” or “fat-free.” These are highly processed products loaded with sugar and other harmful substances.

7. Gluten-Free Junk Foods


Many people have started to avoid gluten… a protein found in wheat, spelt, rye and barley (and a few other grains).

Almost a third of the U.S. population currently wants to cut back on gluten or go gluten-free.

Food manufacturers have caught up on the trend and have started offering all sorts of gluten-free “health foods.”

The problem with these foods is that they’re usually not healthy at all.

Instead of a gluten grain, they’re made with other starches like potato starch, tapioca starch or some others. These starches are usually highly refined, void of nutrients and spike blood sugar fast, just like wheat.

But these products are often also loaded with sugar and other harmful or artificial chemicals.

This does NOT apply to foods that are naturally gluten free, like meats or vegetables. If a product says “gluten-free” on the package, then it’s probably bad for you.


Bottom Line: Gluten-free foods are highly processed foods that are not much healthier than their gluten-containing counterparts. It’s best to avoid them.

8. Margarine And Fake Butters


“I wish butter tasted more like margarine, said nobody ever.” – Danny J. Albers

Another side effect of the anti-fat histeria is a plethora of so-called “healthy” butter alternatives.

The most notable example of these is margarine. It used to be loaded with trans fats, now it tends to contain processed vegetable oils instead.

Butter consumption went down, margarine consumption went up.

The problem with this is that butter is healthy. Margarine is NOT.

Grass-fed butter, in particular, is an excellent source of the fatty acid butyrate and Vitamin K2, both of which can have powerful positive effects on health.

Margarine is a processed food with harmful ingredients that can make you sick.

In one large study, replacing butter with margarine led to a drastically increased risk of death from heart attacks.

This is one great example of where blindly following the mainstream advice can put you in an early grave.


Bottom Line: Margarine is a processed food that contains unhealthy, artificial ingredients. Avoid it, use real grass-fed butter instead.

9. Energy Bars


Energy bars are in the same boat as sports drinks – most people don’t need them.

If you’re an elite athlete who desperately needs to keep protein intake high and eat every 2-3 hours, then these bars can definitely be convenient.

However, most people don’t need to eat that often and these bars don’t contain anything that you can’t get from real foods.

Energy bars and protein bars are often highly processed products. Even though they may be higher in protein than chocolate bars, they often still contain the same unhealthy ingredients.

Sugar, white flour, artificial flavor… you name it, they’ve got it.

Of course, there are some healthier brands available, but if you want to avoid the crap then you must read labels!

If you’re starving and far away from home, then healthier types of energy bars can certainly be better than a burger and a coke, but your money is still better spent on real foods.


Bottom Line: Energy and protein bars are often highly processed products. Most people don’t need them and they tend to contain sugar and other nasty ingredients.

10. Low Carb Junk Foods


As people have changed their mind on fat being the root of all evil, some people have started cutting back on carbs instead.

Again, food manufacturers have caught notice and brought all sorts of low-carb junk foods to the market.

Even though something is low in carbs and can help you lose weight, it may still be very unhealthy.

Great examples are the low-carb Atkins bars. These are nasty, highly processed products that nobody should be eating.

If you’re going to do a low-carb diet, stick to real, unprocessed foods.


Bottom Line: There are some low-carb processed foods on the market that are extremely unhealthy and loaded with artificial ingredients.

11. “Healthy” Breakfast Cereals


Most highly processed breakfast cereals are not healthy.

In fact, they are among the worst foods you can eat.

They’re often loaded with sugar and refined carbohydrates.

Then the manufacturers fortify them with some synthetic vitamins and put tiny amounts of whole grains in the mix, then market their products as healthy.

Don’t be fooled by the labels… low-fat, fat-free, whole grain, etc. Just check the ingredients list on these products, they’re usually loaded with sugar.

Starting the day with a high-sugar cereal will set you up for a blood sugar crash later in the day, followed by hunger, cravings and another high-carb meal.

Take Home Message


If the packaging of a food tells you that it is healthy, then it probably isn’t.