Our modern past paced life is riddled with stress. We are constantly racing for and against time. Stress adversely affects our health in multiple ways. Learning to breathe correctly and effectively may help combat stress. Stress can affect all systems of the body. It has effects on the respiratory, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, endocrine, gastrointestinal, nervous, and reproductive systems. Learning to cope with and overcome stress is fundamental to our well being. Stressful situations may not go away. What we can change is our response to them and look after our health mindfully. Why do we ..read more

Guest post by Layla Hassanali About the Author: Layla Hassanali is the owner of My Modest Mama, a Muslim parenting website designed to make parenting easier. You can find them on www.mymodestmama.com. Although I was holding a positive test in my hands, I just knew deep down I was losing the pregnancy. This wasn’t just the regular spotting you experience in early pregnancy – what I had initially hoped it was – but rather a full flow of blood. As I walked over to the local A&E, I kept praying to Allah to keep this pregnancy viable and if I was to lose it, to make it as easy as possible. As t ..read more

Bismillah Aloe vera is well known for its health benefits. Aloe has been used for medicinal purposes since 1500 B.C. It has been used by Egyptians, Indians, Mexicans, and Greeks among many others. In current times, the COVID pandemic has forced us to look deeper into optimizing our health. Rapidly developing new strains of the coronavirus that evades vaccines means we have to fall back on our immune system to help prop us up. We know that obese and diabetic people and those with low immunity are more likely to die from COVID. Obesity and diabetes are reaching pandemic levels throughout the wor ..read more

Bismillah Placenta accreta is a condition where the placenta (afterbirth) attaches very deeply to the muscle of the uterus. After childbirth, the placenta may not separate from the uterus, sometimes causing torrential bleeding. Placenta accreta is an uncommon condition, but with the possibility of serious complications. It has been on the rise for the past 60-70 years and we see it more often now. It is more common in women who have had a caesarean section. The rise in caesarean sections has propelled a rise in cases of placenta accreta. 1 in 4027 pregnancies in the 1970s had placenta accreta ..read more

Bismillah Our body has numerous bacteria, viruses, and other microbes. They live in various parts of our body like the gut, skin, urinary and genital areas, without causing disease. These microbes maintain good health, may help to fight off infections, and even promote a good mood! Studies of the human microbiome, essentially all the bugs that are present naturally in the human body, have sparked a lot of interest. Could gut problems like diarrhea be treated by friendly bugs rather than medication? Could we use harmless bugs to prevent serious infection by other similar, but disease-producing ..read more

Bismillah Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the UK. Out of every 100 cancers diagnosed, 15 are breast cancer. Early detection, catching the disease at an early stage and effective treatment has improved outcomes. More women are being treated early. There are 3.1 million breast cancer survivors in the US. Screening programmes have played a huge role. However, 50-70% of younger women under the age of 50, detect breast cancers themselves. Breast awareness is key to early detection of breast cancer. The burden of breast cancer 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their life ..read more

Bismillah HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) is the commonest STD (sexually transmitted disease). It may cause no symptoms at all. HPV is known to cause genital warts, warts in the mouth and oral cavity. It may also cause cancer of the genital tract, anal cancer, as well as cancer of the head and neck. Nearly all cases of cervical cancer (cancer of the neck of the womb) are caused by HPV. With other cancers, the association with HPV is not so strong. What is HPV? HPV is a group of around 100 different viruses. 8 in 10 people who have had intimate relations are infected with HPV. It can happen with a ..read more

Bismillah We have known the benefits of sleeping early and getting up early for a long time. In fact this fact is embedded in our faith. Waking up for Fajr prayer at dawn is a pillar of the Islamic faith. We are encouraged to sleep straight after Isha prayer. A recent study affirms the benefits of an early sleep cycle. A large study published in JAMA Psychiatry found that for late risers, sleeping an hour early and waking up an hour early, reduced depression risk by 23%. The science behind Sleep is made up of 4 stages, 3 are non-REM (non rapid eye movement sleep) and 1 is REM (rapid eye moveme ..read more

Bismillah Nearly half the adult population in the United States takes a multivitamin supplement. Does it boost your general health? Does it reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer? You will be surprised to learn that certain vitamins when taken in excess may increase your risk of developing cancer. Multivitamins provide little protection for cardiovascular disease, the number 1 cause of death globally. Some special groups of people like pregnant women, elderly and young children need specific supplements. But for most of us, before popping the pill in your mouth, ask yourself – D ..read more

Bismillah Irritable syndrome (IBS) affects 8 in 100 women. Symptoms may be mild in some. In others it may cause a lot of discomfort, interference with daily activities and absence from work with financial consequences. In most instances, there is no cure as such. However, you can learn to avoid triggers, and manage the symptoms allowing you to stay on top of this condition. I have suffered from irritable bowel syndrome for years. At times, I feel things are completely under control. At other times, I feel overwhelmed by the symptoms. At times I think its a type of diet that triggers it, lactos ..read more