Archives for November 2016

Is Your Gut to Blame for Your Migraine?

Have you ever experienced a migraine? Not just a headache – but a full blown thunderclap inside your head, with terrible nausea and hypersensitivity to light and sound to boot? Chances are that if you have experienced a migraine in the past, then you have already assessed the need to seek relief with board-certified internist Dr. Ishan Gunawardene. If not, it’s important to do so as soon as possible to make sure that the issue is not something more serious, and so that we can provide you with the relief you seek so your quality of life no longer suffers.

While medications and therapies can definitely help to stave off extremely painful migraines, it’s also important to recognize potential triggers in order to either avoid or prepare for them. Certain triggers are obvious, such as stress, changes in barometric pressure, physical exertion, and sleep imbalance. Less obvious are certain foods and medications that may overreact during digestion due to some very helpful and naturally occurring bacteria that we all carry around in our guts.

Studies show that there is a correlation between migraines and a higher than normal volume of a certain bacteria found in your gut and mouth. The bacteria break down nitrates into nitric oxide (NO), which regulates blood flow and oxygen release to the blood cells and aids the immune system by fighting off parasitic organisms.

However, people who suffer from migraines contain a much higher amount of these nitrate-modifying bacteria in their bodies, which means that more NO is produced than normal. As a result, the higher volume of NO could be what causes these migraines to occur.

Since the bacteria break down nitrates into NO, avoiding certain foods and medications that have a high nitrate content may help to prevent the triggering of a migraine. Nitrates can be found in processed meats like bacon, leafy vegetables like arugula and spinach, wine, and chocolate.

Medications that contain nitrates are nitroglycerin (Nitrostat and Rectiv), isosorbide dinitrate (Dilatrate-SR), and nitroprusside (Nipride). These are all vasodilators whose purpose is to lower blood pressure through widening your blood vessels. Too much nitric oxide could cause your blood pressure to drop too much, leading to a higher risk of stroke or heart attack, and potentially to a migraine based on new research.

Do you suffer from chronic migraines? Get the relief you need as soon as you need it. Our two convenient locations in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach are open Monday – Thursday, 9 am – 5 pm and Fridays, 9 am – 12:30 pm. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Gunawardene online or by calling (561) 434-1935.

Do you suffer from migraines?  What triggers have you faced before?  What do you do to prevent or cope with a migraine?

What is the Difference Between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes and Who is at Risk?

Diabetes is a word that’s often thrown around in conversation or in media coverage due to increasing awareness of this ever-growing disease. The information can be very confusing, as there are different types of diabetes with different causes, symptoms, and risk groups. Diabetes is typically diagnosed as either type 1 or type 2, and they can be quite different.

Here are some key differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetes:

Type 1 diabetes is also called juvenile diabetes due to the fact that most individuals with this disease are diagnosed before the age 20. Type 1 is an autoimmune disorder with no known cause, except for the possibility of being passed down through genetics.

Healthy bodies produce insulin in order to break down glucose from the food we eat and help the body’s cells to absorb it for energy. If you have type 1 diabetes, your body produces cells that create insulin but your body mistakes these cells as foreign bodies and destroys them, preventing you from producing insulin. In these cases, you are not able to absorb the necessary glucose without regular injections of insulin.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type in the United States, and primarily affects individuals over the age of 45, those with high blood pressure or cholesterol, those with 120% or more of the recommended body weight, and those with a family history from a first-degree relative. Type 2 is brought on very slowly and is preventable if changes are made to one’s lifestyle and diet. Pre-diabetes alerts an individual to the oncoming of diabetes type 2 before the level of one’s blood sugar rises above the threshold of type 2. In order to prevent type 2 from occurring, one must recognize the changes they need to make in their diets and in daily activity and make a conscious effort to improve their condition before onset occurs.

Both type 1 and type 2 sufferers experience some of the same symptoms: frequent urination, constant thirst or dry mouth, chronic fatigue, blurred vision, excessive hunger, or sudden unexplained weight loss. Diabetes is a very serious disease and should be managed carefully and diligently. Other than gestational diabetes, which only occurs in pregnant women and resolves on its own most of the time, type 1 and type 2 diabetes are incurable. They must be diligently managed to maintain healthy blood sugar levels, and to avoid further complications.

Board-certified internal medicine specialist Dr. Ishan Gunawardene and his wife, Nurse Practitioner Shariffa, have helped many patients living with diabetes enjoy happier, healthier lives. Yes, a diabetes diagnosis may sound scary, but we can help you learn how to manage your diabetes through medication management and lifestyle and dietary changes. For more information on managing your diabetes in Wellington or Royal Palm Beach, request an appointment or call (561) 434-1935 today.

Do you suffer from type 1 or type 2 diabetes? What’s the most difficult thing about living with this disorder you’ve faced so far?