Page 20 - Florida Sentinel 2-23-18

Health
Anemia
Type 2 Diabetes
Wondering why you feel chilly? This condition might be a cause. Anemia hap- pens when you don't have enough healthy red blood cells to
bring your body all the oxygen it needs. It will leave you tired, weak, dizzy, and short of breath. It can also make you cold, especially your hands and feet. Your doctor will find the cause and tell you if you need changes in your diet, supplements, or another treatment.
If you have this disease, you may also have anemia and problems with your kid- neys and circu- lation, which
can make you feel cold. Nerve damage from your diabetes can also leave you chilly. Keeping your blood sugar under control with lifestyle changes and medicine can help.
Raynaud's Phenomenon
Not Enough Vitamin B12
When you have it, blood vessels in your hands overreact to cold temperatures or stress. During an attack, which usually lasts from a few
minutes to an hour, they narrow and limit blood supply. This can make your fingers and toes cold and numb, and they may turn white or blue. As blood returns, they may start to tingle or even hurt. Medicine can ease symptoms and prevent tissue damage. You may need surgery if it's a se- vere case.
It can bring on anemia, which can make you cold. You can get vitamin B12 when you eat chicken, eggs, and
fish. Some cereals and other foods are fortified with it, too.
Keep in mind that you may not get enough B12 even if you eat lots of food with it. Some people have trouble absorbing the vitamin because of an illness or medication they take.
Hypothyroidism
Kidney Disease
It's when the thy- roid gland in your neck doesn't make enough of some hor- mones. It can make you overly sensitive to cold. You also may
have aching joints, constipation, dry skin, and weight gain. Symptoms can take years to show up. Hypothyroidism may be caused by many things, including illness or treatments for other condi- tions. Your doctor can prescribe man-made hor- mones to replace the ones your body doesn't make.
Diabetes and high blood pressure often cause kidney disease. Waste may build up to danger- ous levels because your kidneys do a poor job of filtering
your blood. This can lower body temperature and cause other problems. Kidney disease is also linked to anemia, which can make you feel cold even when it's warm outside. You may get relief when your doctor treats your kidney disease.
GRINDING TEETH
Teeth grinding, or
bruxism, can wear teeth
down over time. It is
most often caused by
stress and sleeping
habits. This makes it
hard to control. Avoid-
ing hard foods during
the day can reduce pain
and damage from this
habit. Wearing a mouth guard at night can prevent the damage caused by grinding while sleeping.
BEDTIME BOTTLES
It’s never too early
to protect teeth. Giv-
ing a baby a bedtime
bottle of juice, milk, or
formula, can put new
teeth on a path to
decay. The baby may
become used to falling
asleep with the bottle
in his or her mouth,
bathing the teeth in sugars overnight. It's best to keep bottles out of the crib.
CHEWING ON ICE
It’s natural and
sugar free, so you
might think ice is
harmless. But
munching on hard,
frozen cubes can
chip or even crack
your teeth. And if
your mindless
chomping irritates
the soft tissue in-
side a tooth, regular toothaches may follow. Hot foods and cold foods may trigger quick, sharp jabs of pain or a lingering toothache. Next time you get the urge for ice, chew some sugarless gum instead.
GUMMY CANDY
All sugary treats promote tooth decay, but some candies are harder to bear. Gum- mies stick in the teeth, keeping the sugar and resulting acids in con- tact with your enamel for hours.
PAGE 8-B FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2018