Nursing Writing Services - Blog

-Nurse Student Companion-

Good for Baby, Good for Mom The Importance of Breastfeeding

These days, it is rare to find mothers breastfeeding their sons or daughters because of personal reasons. It is a personal matter that sparks lots of debate between across mothers around the globe. Is breastfeeding, therefore, important to both the baby and the mother?

Medical experts believe and strongly recommend their mothers to continue with breastfeeding for roughly six months as the minimum time frame to up to a year with the inclusion of other foods such as vegetables, proteins, and even fruits. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists see breastfeeding as an important activity and bond between you and the child.

What are some of the benefits of breastfeeding?

Many medical experts recognize the importance of breast milk as it provides the baby with the necessary nutrition that is ideal for infants. A mother’s milk is complete with a perfect blend and mix of vitamins, fat, and proteins that are essential in the growth of a baby. The beauty of a mother’s milk is that all the ingredients mentioned above are easily digested by the infant compared to some of the formulas one purchases from the supermarkets.

A mother’s breast milk is known to contain antibodies that are essential to helping your baby’s immune system. It helps lower their chances of getting allergies or asthma attacks. Many babies that are breastfed often have fewer respiratory illnesses, ear infections, and even diarrhea thus reducing the number of trips they take visiting the doctor.

Studies have also linked breastfeeding to higher IQ scores in their later development when growing. Medical professional believes that the physical attraction, eye contact help parents to bond and feel secure when holding their babies.

Children who are breastfed are more likely to gain more weight that is right at their age rather than becoming overweight. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says breastfeeding plays an important role in the prevention of Sudden Infant death syndrome commonly known as SIDS and lower the risk of diabetes and other certain types of cancers.

Their lots of questions to whether breastfeeding a child also benefits the mother. Are there any benefits that the mother gets?

It is understood that mothers who breastfeed often burn calories which help them lose most of their weight at a faster rate. Breastfeeding releases a hormone known as oxytocin which is helpful in returning the uterus to its pre-pregnancy size thus reducing uterine bleeding after birth. Mothers who breastfeed lower the risk of them having breast and ovarian cancer and lowers one’s risk of getting osteoporosis.

Questions often asked by mothers is what the best position for them is to breastfeed their young ones. Many of the doctors and other medical experts believe that one’s best position is where you and your baby are comfortable and in a relaxed position hence reducing the limit that comes such as having to strain or being uncomfortable with your body. Some of the most common positions to breastfeeding include:

Cradle position that is used in resting the baby’s head in the crook of one’s elbow. It is advisable to position your body in a good way ensuring that their body is comfortable and supported.

The football position is where the mother line’s their baby’s back along with their forearm to hold their baby supporting both their head and their neck in their palm.

A side-lying position which is considered a great position for mothers to breastfeed at night. It is a great position whenever one is recovering from episiotomy which is an incision that is done to widen the vaginal opening during birth. Many gynecologists recommend the use of pillows under their heads to get comfortable when in the said position. It gives the mother an easier way to reach close to the baby while using their other free hand to lift their breast and nipple to reach their baby’s mouth.

From the above article, we find some of the benefits of breastfeeding to both the baby and the mother. What are your opinions on the above topic? Is breastfeeding important?

A Complementary Approach to Managing Arthritis

What is Arthritis? Pain, Stiffness, Swelling, decreased the range of motion are some of the symptoms people often encounter in their day-to-day routines. The above symptoms can seem like any other symptom, but they are some of the indicators associated with people that are suffering from arthritis. There are five common types of arthritis.

They include:

1. Osteoarthritis

2.Rheumatoid Arthritis

3.Psoriatic Arthritis

4.Gout

5.Lupus

The above list is endless, however, there exist over 100 types of arthritis. Osteoarthritis is a condition that is seen in more people and is a far much common form of arthritis. It is a condition which affects the joints whenever they are overused. The above condition often comes with age; however, others occur due to joint injuries, obesity or carrying out activities that cause a lot of strain on one’s muscles thus putting extra stress on one’s joints.

Some of the most common joint areas that bear weight include the hips, knees, spine, and feet. The problem with this type of arthritis is one loss the common shock absorbers known as the cartilages which are useful in the body in reducing the amount of friction. When one damages their cartilages, their often get pain from their knees thus making the movement more painful and unbearable. Depending with the joints affected some of the symptoms include a person having troubledressing, gripping things, climbing stairs, a swollen joint which is warm to the touch or one becoming unable to move through a full range of motion.

Gout is a type of arthritis which sees a buildup of uric acid crystals in a joint which is often on your big toe or another part of one’s foot. Other illnesses are also known to trigger gout attackssuch as stress or use of drugs. The above type of arthritis results from one’s body making more uric acid or a person eating too many foods that are known to raise the uric acid levels. Often, the reason for the high number of uric acid comes down to the fact that a person’s kidneys cannot process the amount of uric acid the body of a person makes.

Most of the symptoms related to gout come from discomfort i.e. a sharp pain from one’s joint or an inflammation or redness from the said area. Mostly, the pain makes one’s joint become stiff making it hard for one to move around.

Lupus is a condition which even many of the doctors do not have a definite idea to what causes the condition which is an autoimmune disease that normally affects the joints and other organs in one’s body. Women who give birth are more likely to get lupus and studies show that it mostly affects African-American women more than their white counterparts. Some of the symptoms related to lupus include mouth sores, swollen joints, headaches, sun sensitivity, chest pain around the linings of the heart and lungs as well as fatigue.

So, is arthritis diagnosed?

A primary care physician is known to perform a physical exam and conduct somebody tests including scans to help determine whether you have the issue and the type you are suffering from. If the diagnosis is uncertain then a specialist or a rheumatologist are needed to try and manage the ongoing treatment that is being done for your inflammatory arthritis or any other complicated case. There exist other surgeons who are specialized in more areas whenever the condition is thought to have spread to other internal organs. They may include ophthalmologists, dermatologists or any other person that works in the medical profession.

What are some of the ways one can manage the condition?

One can undertake lots of ways to try and manage the condition in coming up with ways to preserve their joint function, mobility, and quality of life. Some of the possible ways one can do this are by learning about the disease, ensuring that they have a good physical lifestyle by constantly checking their weight and what intakes which is essential to their body health.

Common Childhood Cancers

Cancer is an abnormal growth of cells in a human’s body. It is not unheard of to hear that many of the cases frequently reported about the sudden rise in the number of patients that are diagnosed with the disease. There are over 100 types of cancer which are known to affect people in different parts of the body. Some of the examples include:

1.Breast cancer

2.Lung cancer

3.Skin cancer

4.Colon cancer

5.Prostate cancer

6.Lymphoma

The most suitable way to treating this disease is by use of chemotherapy that has been the most sort out a medicinal way to curbing the spread or to cure a person. Other methods include the used of radiation or heading out to surgery if any of the above methods do not work.

The disease not only affects adults only but also children. Cells in our bodies are known to divide and replace themselves in a controlled way but when most of the cells start multiplying in an uncontrollable way, a tumor gets formed which is a mass composed of a cluster of these abnormal cells. It should be noted that most of the cancer cells are known to form tumors but not all tumors found in the body are cancerous.

Cancer is a serious ailment that is known and recognized all over the globe as a human with which many cancer specialists around the globe often known as oncologists are making tremendous achievements in the advances they continue to do every year to come up with ways they can prevent the spreading of the disease and at the same time treat patients who are said to be ailing from the same condition.

The cancer cells need to be diagnosed earlier for one to become treated and have a better chance of survival. Many of the types listed above can be treated and detected in common routine activities often through self-examination. Other symptoms are usually screened for the identification of symptoms before they become serious.

Some of the common cancers that develop in children include:

Leukemia

It is cancer of the bone marrow and blood that mostly affects children. Some of the most common types include lymphocytic leukemia and acute myelogenous leukemia which are known to cause joint pain, skin bleeding, fever, pale skin, and even weight loss. Acute leukemia is known to spread quickly and thus many of the patients have to undergo scheduled chemotherapy to try and treat the disease.

Brain and Spinal cord tumors

Occupy a large percentage of the cancers in children making about 26%. Tumors in the brain consist of many types to which require different ways to how each requires treatment. Most of a child’s brain tumor starts in the lower part of the brain causing severe headaches, nausea, blurred vision, seizures, trouble walking or handling of objects and various other symptoms. Spinal cord tumors are less common compared with brain tumors as seen in both adults and children.

Neuroblastoma

It is an early form of cancer that develops at an early stage often found in nerve cells in the embryo or fetus. They are known to account for about 6% of the cancers that are found in children to which early symptoms show a swelling or a lump in the belly. Other symptoms that are noticeable include pain, fever, pain, poor appetite in children and various other symptoms.

Bone cancer

It is a common type of cancer that is known to affect children. It mostly occurs in older children and teenagers with which they develop at any age. They account to 3% of cancer that affects children and are mostly in two main types:

a. Osteosarcoma

Which is a common teen cancer developing in areas where bones grow quickly such as the near ends of long bones in the arm or legs.

b. Ewing sarcoma

It is a less common type of bone cancer that affects children causing pain and swelling often in young teens. It commonly starts in the pelvic areas or around the chest walls such as the ribs or shoulders.

Food Isn’t Food Anymore The Frightening World of Fillers

There has been a shift in the meals people are consuming nowadays making the cost of food become lower than it has ever been before. The constant rise in technology has made new possible improvements to how we manufacture our food products thus reducing the cost of labor required.

It is evident that there is a sudden rise in food prices in most developing nations with the level of inflation continuing to rise affecting food production. Some of the demands has led manufacturers and many other industries to come up with ways to how they can significantly reduce the price making it easier for normal consumers to purchase their goods. The reduction in prices has brought about a positive effect on many consumers bringing the prices of commodities down.

The main reason for these reductions in prices is because most of the manufacturing industries are now using fillers in most of their products in food making. The situation has made the cost of food to become lower than it has ever been which is evident in some of the processed meat that is being sold in major supermarkets nationwide. Most of these fillers put in meat lower their cost which makes the market price become lower than even the production price.

So, what are these food fillers?

Food fillers are mostly additives that help bulk food which is essential in lowering the prices of most commodities in the food basket. Many of these fillers are often found in meat products helping the price of the meat reduce at a margin of up to 30%. Lowering of food prices is a welcome to many consumers to whom many see it as a great idea, however, it is imperative to note that most of the additives and fillers to which we put in these food products are costly to us.

There are two types of fillers that are often used. They include the non-meat fillers which are often made of high starchy carbohydrate binders that are known to have a low nutritional value. Most of these fillers tend to include a processed food additive known as maltodextrin that is made from starch and can include proteins e.g. soy The other type of fillers is known as meat fillers that often are composed of mechanically deboned meat which are pieces left over from animal carcasses that are neither ingested by the human body. Most of these fillers are found in poultry meat and chicken breasts.

What are some of these additives that are added in most processed food?

1. Cellulose

It is a natural component often found in many plants which are used in the production of paper. Most of the cellulose that is often used is got from wood pulp then later used in making cereal, shredded cheese, ice cream, and salad dressing. It is widely known that humans are incapable of digesting cellulose thus adding it to the foods we eat makes for a non-fat filler. The above additive is often found in many high-fiber snacks and eating organic will not help one avoid it.

2. Soy

It is an additive that is mostly filled in a variety of foods such as frozen yogurt to ground beef. Most of the meals sold in supermarkets have Soy which is common in over 50% of the foods sold in the facilities. Soy acts as a cheap filler that helps lower some of the prices of food content and reducing the quality of meat. The above additive contains high levels of phytic acid which is known to eliminate some of the important vitamins and minerals from a person’s body.

3. Olestra

It is another additive that is normally used in as a fat substitute, however, the body cannot digest some of the big molecules that it is often made of. It explains the reason to why the body ingests some of the nutrients in it because of the zero calories. It is with the above examples that many food professionals and health nutritionists around the world are becoming worried about the kind of meals we are ingesting as a nation. Do you check some of the ingredients when purchasing food?

What is a Capstone Project and why are they required by most Masters Programs?

Every student undertaking a graduate degree is expected to undertake a final research paper for them to successfully finish graduate school. Many higher education programs require students to complete a capstone project or write a thesis in their final years.

So, what is a capstone project?

Capstone projects differ from each institution to how they are presented by every student in many colleges. Many projects very differently from each institution and thus some are more experimental which require students to relate whatever they have learned throughout their graduate program.

There exist many programs that require students to take capstone projects. Many nursing schools, public administration classes, mass communication, and liberal arts require graduate students to finish their project before being allowed to graduate. The reason behind the study for this project is that it gives students the opportunity to learning and use the knowledge they have acquired in the real world.

A capstone project is defined as a research paper that seeks in identifying an existing problem and try to come up with answers or solutions to the said problems. It is often done by applying most of the skills and methods learned to try and address the solution in a direct manner. Many of these projects are often geared towards research whereas others put much emphasis on solving problems.

What are some of the goals a student accomplishes when undertaking a capstone project?

A capstone project is useful in master’s programs since it focuses on defining a problem and deciding some of the techniques used in mastering and thinking of all the aspects to fixing an information problem. Some of the options may include using technology or conducting a technical analysis of past information.

Capstone project papers help create a positive difference needed in helping the community, an institution or a different organization in some of the solutions they may be having regarding an issue.

There are different types of capstone projects. Many are often case studies or surveys about a product or a case. Each program with which students go through has different sets of capstone project papers that they are required to complete when in their final year. Capstone project papers are known to take a considerable amount of time depending on the institution you are taking it from.

What are some of the ways of writing a capstone project?

1. Choose a Topic

A capstone project is known to take a longer period which is essential for one to identify a topic that naturally interests you helping you explain more and broadly about a given topic. Writing a paper about a topic you care about makes it easier for one to explore broadly and search for material to write about. A good topic should, however, be narrow enough and within the limits to explaining a topic thoroughly.

2. Writing a thesis statement.

It is imperative to start your capstone project paper by having a clear, concise thesis statement. It is important to choose your thesis statement carefully since it is the foundation around which your whole paper is built from. Conducting your own research is important before beginning to carry out your arguments and supporting them. Writing your thesis statement early is the sole reason why one should start writing their capstone paper early enough.

3. Construct an outline

Before officially embarking on your project. Ensure you have an outline of where you will begin from. It is best to start by listing down all the main points and dividing them into categories to which one can have them in an appropriate order into having a logical flow i.e. from the introduction to the conclusion.

4. Submission & Conclusion

It is important to have your capstone project paper in an engaging note ensuring that it ends the same way capturing their attention. Ensure that you revise your work by looking at the important details to check for any problems that arise with punctuation, grammar, and even word choice ensuring that one makes the necessary revisions.

Chat on WhatsApp?