Many people enjoy eating and crunching ice cubes in their mouths. Sometimes, there’s nothing like having that as a refreshing break from the warm weather. But consuming more than healthy amounts of ice cubes indicates that this refreshing “snack” has become an addiction. Yes, there is such a thing. The strange addiction to eating ice cubes is called pagophagia.
Enjoying a cube of ice once in a while could be a nice past time for some, but taking such likeness to eating ice cubes to the extreme might mean that you are suffering some nutritional deficiency. Consumption of excessive quantity of ice or pagophagia can be a symptom for anemia.
In the past, no link was made between the aforementioned disease and this strange pica (craving to eat or consume largely unhealthy objects such as paper, dirt, soap, etc.). It was on 1969 that an initial study was published where it was revealed that severe iron deficiency anemia was marked by pagophagia. Anemic individuals usually do not connect their unusual appetite for ice cubes to their ailment, until their doctors ask them about it. People with this addiction love to order their extra-large iced tea with lots of ice, or would prefer to sip on their glass of water filled with lots of ice cubes. Some anemic persons would get their water bottle and put it in the freezer so that they could drink ice cold water. That is called bottle freezing, which is somehow a subtler variation of ice cube eating.
On a closer study, it appears like some forms of pica are due to some nutritional deficiency. On the case at hand, it seems that ice tastes better to a person when he is having iron deficiency. Some doctors observe that when one suffers from severe iron deficiency, the coldness of ice or iced water or liquid soothes the esophageal tenderness that he experiences. Aside from that observation, the occurrence of pagophagia in anemic persons cannot yet be given a better explanation by the medical world.

Gout is a disease that develops along with the high levels of uric acid in the body. The pains usually occur in the cartilage of joints or tendons where the monosodium urate (uric acid) crystals are deposited. Symptoms include the excruciating pain together with the swelling of the infected joint. Oftentimes, a low grade fever can be present. Sources of pain can be from the crystal deposits in the joints or the inflamed tissues around the joints. Approximately, 75% of the first major attacks of gout occur in the big toe. The rest can occur in the heel, ankle, knee, wrist or even the spine.

The development of gouts can be the accounted as a complication from other medical conditions or the result of too much uric acid in the body itself. Causes can also be traced with heredity factors like the imbalance of purine-pyrimidine metabolism during the infancy period. However, this kind of disease is common on individuals who enjoy lobsters or crabs and other foods made from various animal organs. Thus higher percentage of developing gout is often associated with the kind of lifestyle that one is embracing. That is why obese and diabetic people are also prone to developing gout.

The diagnosis of gout is supported with the presence of plasma urate at a level greater than the specified normal value. In males, the value of urates must not exceed 420 ?mol/L (7.0 mg/dL) and 380 ?mol/L for females. The most common clinical sign for gout is the presence of podagra or the tophi.

There are various treatments available for gout related health issues but later creates severe side effects. However, reducing the risk factors can be practiced before any major complications can occur. This includes maintaining the ideal body weight, exercising, and the intake of the recommended daily water requirement.

The brain changes as a person grows in age. There can be problems with remembering things as well as slowed thinking. However abnormal changes such as serious memory loss are not part of aging. Instead, it can be a sign of Alzheimer’s disease. This is caused by the increasing numbers of deteriorating and dying brain cells.

People getting affected by this disease are usually at their sixties and seventies. Since Alzheimer’s is hereditary, you are prone to inherit the disease yourself if one of your family members have acquired such disorder.

Here are some signs of Alzheimer’s disease:

• having a hard time in remembering things
• difficulty in completing familiar tasks
• confusion on keeping track of dates
• occurrence of visual problems
• struggles in conversing with other people
• misplacing things and the difficulty in retracing them
• changes in mood or personality

As the disease progresses, signs of apathy and poor judgment is notable. Others may no longer recognize the things around them and what used to be a simple task will turn out to be very difficult. The worst stage of Alzheimer’s is when you already experience that you can no longer do things on your own. You already need help and support of caregivers who are trained in coping with this kind of situation.

Like any health problems, getting Alzheimer’s increases with age. But not everyone will suffer this kind of disease. Heredity may play a vital role. Several lifestyle factors may also contribute to the risk of having one. Limiting alcohol intake, avoiding tobacco, staying active and having a well balanced diet will protect you from acquiring the disease. Also, people who do not suffer from any heart ailments are less prone to developing Alzheimer’s.

The disease creates devastating effects on the patient. However, it is important that you understand how this will affect a person’s life. In such way, you will be able to provide them moral support.