kidney | The 3H:health,happiness,healing

Hello everyone ! Have a wonderful and safe weekend 🙋🏻

Maybe, we all at some point or very often been troubled with puffiness around eyes, especially below the eyes, interfering with our looks. Puffy eyes are seen usually in the age group above 30 to 40 years. But, nowadays, often young people are also seen with puffy eyes. So, it very common among all age groups. Structurally, eyes are surrounded by orbital fats on all sides that protect the eyes from any external injury and help smooth eyeball movement on all sides. There is also an orbital septum between the orbital bone and the eyelid, preventing orbital fat from bulging. As we age, this orbital septum gets weaker and weaker, and hence the puffiness can be prominent.

Since it is found in both young and aged, the causes are plenty. It can be temporary or persistent, mild to severe depending upon the underlying cause. Sometimes, puffiness can be idiopathic that is without any known cause. Transient puffiness is mostly seen after waking up in the morning, which can disappear as the day progresses. In most of the people, it can be persistent, as the ageing process moves. It can be in varying degree ranging from mild, moderate to severe. The different probable causes can be :

1. Allergy like due to allergens like dust, pollen, dander.
2. Infection in the eyes like conjunctivitis, which can cause both pink and puffy eyes.
3. Wearing contact lenses for too long can cause puffiness as the cornea gets swelled up due to cut off oxygen supply while the lenses are on.
4. Ageing is the most typical cause as the orbital fat below the eyes slowly start protruding.

5. Too much alcohol intake causes bloating.
6. Not getting enough sleep.
7. Too much salt consumption causes water retention.

8. Too much artificial sugar, or high sugar diet can cause water retention, inflammation and bloat.
9. Kidney issues and when protein intake is high. There is an electrolyte imbalance, more sodium in the body. So, there is water retention.
10. Thyroid causes.
11. Cirrhosis as liver problems can cause bloating.
12. Crying for too long can cause transient puffiness.

Depending upon the cause and the severity, the remedies and treatment are required.

1. If it is a mild kind of puffiness, and due to a temporary cause like eye injury, not getting enough sleep, high salt consumption or high alcohol intake. Correcting the underlying cause and applying a cold compress or caffeine creme can be very helpful.

2. If it is due to a medical cause like thyroid issues, kidney issues or liver Cirrhosis, the individual needs to make lifestyle changes like – low carbohydrate diet, low protein diet, cutting down salt and sugar. Sometimes, increasing potassium content through dietary sources can help to get rid of the excess fluid. And, of course, treating the underlying cause with medication.
3. Cosmetic reasons: Sometimes, due to the ageing process, the puffiness can be severe and hinder the physical appearence. In such cases, Hyualuronic acid fillers and lower eyelid blepheroplasty can be helpful.

Thanks for reading.

Blessings and much love to all 💐

Hello everyone ! Have a great and safe day 🙋🏻

Potassium is an essential mineral which is used as an electrolyte by our body to conduct electrical impulses throughout our body to carry out many vital functions like blood pressure regulation. Since our body doesn’t produce Potassium on its own, it has to be sourced from the food items, we eat.

Other vital functions of Potassium include
fluid balance,
muscle contractions,
nerve impulses,
Heart rythm
aid in digestion
Maintain the ph balance

People get enough necessary Potassium by eating a healthy balanced diet. Too little Potassium state is called Hypokalaemia may cause health problems. The Hypokalaemic condition is diagnosed by a blood level of less than 3.5 mmol/lit. Similarly, high potassium state is called Hyperkalaemia when blood level is more than 5.0 mmol/lit, which also causes health issues. So, the right balance is required. Daily Potassium requirement for the body is 3500 – 4700 mg per day. So, that is quite a massive amount of quantity for daily consumption.

Naturally, the kidneys maintain the level of Potassium in the body with the excess being eliminated in the urine. Majority of the Potassium in the body that is almost 98% is stored inside each bodily cell and the rest in liver, RBCs and bone.

Hypokalaemia: Symptoms can be muscular cramps, spasms, fatigue, constipation and irregular heartbeats. Health problems that cause this state can be:

Diuretics (water pills for high BP)
Excessive fluid loss (diarrhoea, vomiting, sweating)
Kidney diseases
Magnesium deficiency

The sources of Potassium-rich food are Avocado, Potatoes, sweet potatoes, all greens, most of the varieties of beans, Salmon, bananas.

Hyperkalaemia: In a healthy individual, the condition of Hyperkalaemia usually is not seen. So, there is no adverse effect on consuming potassium-rich food daily. However, such a state is seen in people with compromised kidney functions like in chronic kidney diseases, and those who take medications that affect kidney functions like blood pressure medication (ACE inhibitors). The most common symptom of Hyperkalaemia is abnormal heartbeat called Arrhythmia. Calcium gluconate is usually used to stabilize such cases.

In such an individual, food that is known to be rich sources of Potassium should be avoided.

Potassium is crucial for the body’s vital functions. To maintain the correct blood potassium level, consuming varieties of food items are good enough, to add up to a group of 4700 mg per day. Over the counter, Potassium supplements can provide only a small fraction of it, which is hardly useful. So, it is not recommended to use Potassium supplements unless specifically prescribed by your Physician.

Thanks for reading.

Blessings and much love to all 💐

Tag: kidney

All about Puffy eyes 🙄

Like this:

Potassium: Facts to know 🙌

Like this:

health,healing,wellness,life

Like this:

health,healing,wellness,life

Like this: