Turmeric is a distinctively yellow-hued spice known for adding a pleasantly pungent aromas and flavors to many Indian dishes (i.e., curries). However, this spice has also been long-touted as a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory by Chinese and Ayurvedic practitioners who’ve used it to treat an array of skin disorders for thousands of years. While much of the research on turmeric isn’t conclusive, the research that does exist claims the spice is rich in the active compound, curcumin, which is linked to soothing chronic skin conditions, like psoriasis by natural health practitioners and mainstream medical experts alike. According to the findings of a clinical trial, published by the Iran Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, plaque psoriasis treated topically with curcumin significantly decreased scaling, redness, and skin thickness in patients compared to study participants treated with a placebo. Psoriasis is a chronic yet non-contagious skin condition that causes the overproduction of skin cells on the surface of the skin, resulting in painfully dry skin, itchy and red scaly patches, swelling and stiffness of the joints, and cracked and bleeding skin. Many psoriasis patients opt for a prescribed treatment meant to decrease excess skin cell growth, which may include: Topically applied corticosteroids Light therapy Topical retinoids Calcineurin inhibitors Coal tar Vitamin D analogue treatment Salicylic acid Anthralin (Dritho-Scalp) However, many of these potent and prescribed drugs cause several adverse side effects, including:

The Mayo Clinic characterizes chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (or COPD) as a type of chronic inflammatory lung disease that results in obstructed airflow in the lungs. COPD symptoms are indicative of obstructed airways—with chronic coughing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, wheezing, increased mucus production, and extreme fatigue. COPD most commonly develops in patients with emphysema (destruction of the alveoli) and chronic bronchitis (swelling of the lining of the bronchial tubes), mainly due to damage caused from long-term smoking (i.e., cigarettes or pipe tobacco) or exposure to chemicals, pollutants, and gases. COPD is treatable, however, the lung damage caused is irreversible, which is why COPD treatments focus on decreasing the patient’s risk of developing respiratory infections (i.e., pneumonia), cardiovascular disease, and lung cancer in addition to managing symptoms and improving quality of life. Here are the most common treatment options for COPD patients: 1. Quit smoking Complete smoking cessation is imperative to improve breathing and keep COPD from progressing. However, butting out isn’t easy for long term smokers. Talk to your doctor about smoking cessation medications, nicotine replacements, and supports to help you quit smoking for good. 2. Oxygen therapy Patients with moderate to severe COPD may benefit from oxygen therapy, which supplements blood oxygen levels using a lightweight, portable oxygen tank that is mobile with you.

Meningitis is a condition that develops due to a bacterial, viral, or fungal infection, which causes inflammation of the membranes around the brain and spinal cord. Even though meningococcal meningitis is most rampant in sub-Saharan Africa, or what’s known as the “meningitis belt”, roughly 2,600 cases of meningococcal meningitis are reported in the U.S. annually, with approximately 15% of those cases resulting in permanent brain damage or death, according to statistics from Florida Hospital. Thankfully, the same research shows that quick diagnosis and treatment with antibiotics significantly increases survival by over 85%. All types of meningitis typically cause the same array of symptoms—including fever, headache, and neck stiffness that gradually gets worse over time. Due to the fact that meningitis can progress extremely fast, doctors will typically treat the patient with antibiotics while conducting a spinal tap to diagnose whether a meningitis infection is present. Treatment courses for meningitis will depend on whether the infection is viral, bacterial, or fungal, for instance: 1. Viral meningitis Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) deems viral meningitis the most common form, most patients usually don’t require hospitalization or antibiotic treatment, but rather are able to recover on their own. However, if viral meningitis is diagnosed in a patient with a compromised immune systems (i.e., recent surgery or cancer treatment), or in a baby under one-month old, hospitalization is often required as well as relieving symptoms using anti-emetics for nausea and vomiting, painkillers for headache and fever, and antibiotics to fight the infection.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) refers to a blood clot (or thrombosis) that develops within the deep veins located in the legs or arms. DVT tends to form due to being immobile for long periods of time—for instance, patients who are sedentary due to hospitalization, surgery, a cast, pregnancy, prolonged travel, or due to obesity at at the highest risk of developing a DVT. However, additional risk for blood clot formation include smoking, fractures to the arm or leg, a family history of blood clots, and female patients who take certain estro-oral contraceptives (i.e., Yaz and Yasmin). The veins are at highest risk of DVT because, unlike the arteries, veins contain inadequate muscle lining so they depend upon the mobility of large muscles to squeeze, contract, and pump blood back to the heart. A DVT is considered potentially life-threatening if it embolizes. This can occur if a portion of the blood clot breaks off and as it’s transported through the circulation system (heart), becomes logged within a pulmonary artery, blocking adequate blood flow through the lungs. Diagnosis and treatment of a DVT is meant to prevent a fatal pulmonary embolism (or the blockage of an artery in the lungs) in the following ways:

Atrial fibrillation, also known as AFib or AF, is described unusually rapid and irregular heart rhythm that result when uncontrolled electrical signals cause the heart’s upper chambers (atria) to beat at different rates than those of the lower heart (the ventricles). As a result, the heart’s rhythm becomes quick and irregular, ranging between 100 to 175 beats per minute vs. a healthy, normal 60 to 100 beats per minute. This accelerated and irregular heart rate often causes the patient to experience heart palpitations (or flutters), shortness of breath, and extreme fatigue. AFib is classified in 4 stages, depending on the duration and persistence, for instance: 1. Occasional AFib Also medically referred to as paroxysmal AFib, will come and go and tends to go on for only a few minutes to hours. 2. Long-standing persistent AFib As the name suggests is present over the long term, or continues in periods that exceed 12 months. 3. Persistent AFib Is a constant and irregular heart rhythm that requires medical therapy or electric shock therapy to regain a normal heart rhythm. 4. Permanent AFib Is a permanent, irregular heart rhythm that can only be returned to a normal heart rate with the aid of medication.