Metformin is usually prescribed for Type 2 diabetes patients who have trouble maintaining consistent blood sugar levels. As a general rule, it is unsafe to take any herbs, supplements or vitamins while taking metformin unless you have the express approval of your doctor. Many of these over-the-counter substances can lower your blood sugar too much or make the metformin less effective in controlling your blood sugar. Before taking any herbs with this medication, talk to your doctor and pharmacist to ensure safety.

Uses

Metformin is a type of antidiabetic drug called a biguanide. It is used primarily to lower blood sugar in Type 2 diabetics, but it is also used to treat the side effects of polycystic ovarian syndrome and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Some side effects include headache, muscle pain, weakness, mild nausea, vomiting, gas and diarrhea. Take this medication with a meal to avoid some of these side effects, and you should take vitamin B-12 to avoid the deficiency metformin can sometimes cause.

Herbs to Avoid

Some supplements and herbs lower your blood sugar and can make it drop too low when you’re taking metformin. Herbs and supplements in this category include ipriflavone, chromium, ginseng, magnesium, vanadium, aloe, bitter melon, bilberry, burdock, dandelion, fenugreek, garlic, gymnema, lipoic acid and carmitine. St. John’s wort and Dong quai can increase the sun sensitivity caused by metformin. Guar gum can interfere with the medication’s absorption, and gingko biloba combined with metformin made glucose tolerance worse in patients — their blood sugars remained higher with the combination.

Other Drug Interactions

Metformin interacts with many prescription drugs, as well. Tell you doctor if you take the water pill Lasix, the heart medication digoxin or the antibiotic vancomycin. Other medications to mention include nifedipine, cimetidine, amiloride and morphine. Some medications can cause a higher blood sugar than normal and interact with metformin. These medication types include water pills, steroids, some heart and blood pressure medications, niacin, birth control pills, seizure medicines, diet pills, cold pills and medicine to treat allergies.

Other Safety Considerations

The major safety concern with metformin is a rare but serious side effect known as lactic acidosis. This happens when lactic acid builds up in the muscles, and it can be fatal. Some early warning signs are muscle pain, weakness, numb or cold feeling in arms and legs, difficulty breathing, dizziness, stomach pain, nausea with vomiting, and a slow, irregular heartbeat. This condition is a medical emergency, so call your doctor even if you have minor symptoms of lactic acidosis.

Fundamental movement skills are the basis of the first movements that infants make in their lives. The child must master these skills before she can begin playing games, participating in sports or involving herself in any recreational activities. These fundamental movement skills benefit the child by providing her with control over her bodily movements.

Awareness

Fundamental movement skills help young people develop awareness of what their bodies can do. Awareness helps these individuals function on their own and within a group. This begins with effort awareness, as they learn how much muscular effort it takes to initiate, sustain and stop movements. The second is space awareness, where the infant learns how much space the body needs to complete these movements unhindered. The third is body awareness, where he learns how his bodily movements relate to other movements around him. This helps him anticipate where others could end up in relation to him based on their body movements.

Traveling

When learning traveling skills, the child learns how to move the body from one location to another location. This is accomplished through walking, sliding, skipping, hopping and galloping. This benefits the child because she learns about the muscles needed to move herself and begins to do so consistently. She learns that putting one foot in front of the other while keeping her balance gets her from the door of her bedroom to her bed. She can then repeat this movement continually whenever she wishes to move.

Balance

The child achieves balance through stabilization skills. This requires the child to gain control of his equilibrium. Once he can control his equilibrium, he can begin focusing on postural control. Controlling his posture remains important because leaning too far forward or backward can cause the child to fall. Once the child has control of his balance, other movement skills become easier. Keeping his balance and having the right posture comes from muscle memory. Once he learns which muscles to use when maintaining a standing position, he can do it repeatedly.

Object Control

Object control is the final fundamental movement skill that a child learns. This skill involves handling and manipulating objects around her. Once she learns how her movements can cause things around her to move, she can throw, kick, bounce and catch objects. For example, she learns that by hurling her arm forward while holding a ball, she can make the ball continue to travel in that direction.

As a man weighing over 200 pounds, you may be apprehensive about starting an exercise routine. People considered overweight who have not exercised in a while can suffer more injuries, especially in the joints and ligaments, and might feel out of breath faster than those who have maintained an active life. Before you embark on your quest to incorporate sustainable exercises into your routine, discuss your plans with your health care practitioner to ensure your safety.

Low-Impact Calisthenics

For a starting point, use your body’s weight and home environment to provide you with a series of calisthenics that work the primary muscle groups throughout your body. Stand before a wall with your hands at shoulder height pressed against the wall. Take two steps back from the wall and, with feet together, lean forward until your nose almost touches the wall, push back toward standing and repeat five to 10 times. On alternate days, find a pole or sturdy beam in your house — you also can use a door frame — grasp it firmly with both hands, placing your toes against the base of the beam, and lower yourself backward as far as you feel comfortable. Lift yourself back to standing at a steady pace. Start with five to 10 of these to work out your triceps. Practice squats by pressing against a wall and lowering yourself down to a mock seated position as far as your legs and knees are comfortable. Hold to a count of 10 seconds and raise back up. Make sure your knees do not extend past your toes. On alternate days, sit in a chair with your buttocks at the edge. Grasp the seat of the chair with both hands for balance and lean back with your knees bent so that your body resembles the letter "N." Extend your legs out together and bring them back. Repeat a few times each day.

Water Therapy and Swimming

Water produces 12 times the resistance as air does, and yet workouts in water do not put the same strain on your joints as workouts on a floor. You might find that swimming places less strain on your body, but because of water resistance, you still receive the benefit of resistance training and a demanding workout. Leg lifts, walking across the shallow end of a pool and swimming laps all provide you with good beginner workouts that reduce the pains and potential injuries associated with high-impact aerobics. Look for water therapy or hydrotherapy classes at your community pool to get the benefit of a trained instructor and a social environment to support your goals. Even attending a few of these classes can provide you with tools and ideas for how to give your body a complete workout that is varied, entertaining and simple to maintain each week.

Yoga

Whether you have access to a local yoga class or you practice at home, you can experience the benefit of a slow pace through yoga. Practicing this ancient art can provide you with greater flexibility and muscle tone. Similar to calisthenics, yoga includes poses that require a strong core. Through repetition, you build up those muscles and keep them toned as you progress. Stand with your feet together. Raise your arms above your head, pressing your palms together. Take a large step forward with your right foot, and bend your right knee, keeping your left leg straight behind you. Hold this pose for the count of 30 seconds and then return to standing. Reverse the pose putting your left leg forward. As you come back to standing, with your hands still extended above your head, lean to each side slowly and then back as far as you feel comfortable going, holding each pose for a count of 20 seconds. Lift your right foot to your left knee and stand with your knee bent. This is called "tree pose" and should be held for 20 to 30 seconds. Reverse the pose on the other side.

Bicycling

Bicycling works out your legs, gets your heart pumping and improves your core muscles. If it has been a while since you rode a bike, pick an area near your home with a flat trail that is not near cars. Start out riding for a few blocks or in a circuit near your home. Increase your distance each week until you are ready to try out the challenge of hills. An incline provides your body with greater resistance and works your lower body and core harder than a level path. Make certain you use safety equipment — a helmet and pads — and follow the rules of the road for bicyclists in your area, even if you are not sharing roads with larger vehicles. Balance your lower body work with upper body calisthenics or weight lifting at home.

Body Care

Whatever exercise or combination of activities you choose for your body, make certain that you warm up and cool down with free movement and stretches. Breathe through every exercise to receive maximum benefit. Aerobic exercise involves a regular intake of oxygen. If you do not breathe when you work out, you can damage your muscles instead of improve them. Set realistic goals for yourself; if you are uncertain what is reasonable for your body as you begin, ask a trusted health care practitioner for advice. Listen to your body. Although you may feel strain or difficulty as you begin, if you feel sharp or stabbing pains, stop your exercise immediately and consult with your doctor. Drink plenty of water before and after every exercise to refresh your body as you improve your health.

Around 75 percent of all women experience a yeast infection at some point in their lifetime, according WomensHealth.gov, with nearly half of this number suffering a recurrence two or more times. The most common cause is a fungus called Candida albicans, which is more likely to spread if you eat a lot of sugar or take certain medications. However, the risk of yeast infection in all women decreases after menopause.

About Green Tea

Like all “true” teas, green tea comes from Camellia sinensis. This plant does not originate in the wild, but was originally cultivated in China centuries ago. Today, the tea plant is grown commercially in Japan, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Turkey, Argentina and Pakistan, as well as China. Green tea is less processed than black tea, which means the chemical structure of the beneficial compounds in the leaves is left intact.

Causes of Yeast Infection

At least 40 percent of the time, says the University of Maryland Medical Center, a vaginal yeast infection is caused by an overgrowth of the fungus Candida albicans. This fungus is present in the vagina all the time to some extent, but overgrowth can be triggered by a poor diet, especially if you consume a lot of sugar. Pregnancy, diabetes, sexually transmitted diseases, HIV infection and wearing panty hose regularly may increase the risk of infection. Certain medications, such as birth control pills and antibiotics, also increase risk. Green tea, however, is not associated with promoting Candida growth or yeast infections in women of any age.

Role of Estrogen

The degree to which Candida albicans resides in the vagina decreases as estrogen levels decline. This means post-menopausal women rarely experience a yeast infection unless they are taking hormone replacement therapy. The reason that oral birth control medications increase the risk of Candida yeast infections is because they deliver estrogen.

Green Tea Effects

Green tea contains a variety of triterpene saponins, catechins and flavonoids, such as quercetin and theaflavine. Collectively, these agents exert several pharmacological effects, including antimicrobial actions. According to the “Physicians’ Desk Reference for Herbal Medicines,” green tea encourages the growth of “friendly” bacteria in the gut and colon like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacter species, while interrupting the spread of Clostridum, Salmonella and other harmful species. A study published in the “Canadian Journal of Microbiology” in September 2009 reports that green tea compounds also disrupt the colonization of Candida albicans. Specifically, the scientists found that a compound in green tea called epigallocatechin-3-gallate, or EGCG, impairs the ability of Candida cells to adhere to one another or the host organism by 75 percent. If you have or are prone to yeast infections, the University of Maryland Medical Center recommends drinking green tea or taking green tea supplements.

Pregnancy can be an immeasurably satisfying event in your life, but most mothers-to-be can also expect some inconvenience and outright terror along the way. The question of what to eat is a prime example. Many expectant mothers are startled to find that innocuous foods like deli meats should be avoided. However, if your day is incomplete without that turkey panini on your favorite bread, take heart. You may not have to avoid it for nine months.

Listeriosis and Cold Cuts

Deli cold cuts, including turkey, are frequently singled out as a high-risk food for pregnant women. Deli meats and other pre-cooked meat products such as hot dogs may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, which causes a disease called listeriosis. Healthy, vigorous adults experience listeriosis as a mild, flu-like illness, but for pregnant women it can be more serious. Pregnancy suppresses the immune system, which can increase the impact of an infection. More importantly, the L. monocytogenes bacteria can cross the placenta and cause illness in your unborn baby.

Listeriosis Risks

Infants are at especially high risk for listeriosis, because their immune systems are still unformed and unprepared to deal with a major infection. If you eat foods containing Listeria, you may barely notice the symptoms. Your baby may not be so lucky. Prenatal listeriosis can cause a number of problems, including premature delivery, miscarriage and stillbirth. According to the American Pregnancy Association, 22 percent of women who contract listeriosis during pregnancy lose their baby. Pregnant women account for 17 percent of listeriosis cases in the United States.

What to Do

This doesn’t mean you have to give up eating turkey sandwiches while you’re pregnant, it simply means you need to be more selective. Packaged sliced turkey from a reputable manufacturer is safer than deli-sliced turkey, because it is handled less. Roasting a turkey breast at home is even safer, as long as you’ve cooked it to the USDA’s recommended safe internal temperature of 160 F before removing it from the oven. However, even deli-sliced meats can be safe if they’re heated to 165 F or higher.

Turkey Panini

There are several ways to heat your deli meats to make them safe, including steaming and microwaving. However, if you are partial to panini, your panini press can also serve that purpose. If you press your sandwich long enough for the meat to be heated through and steaming, it should be safe. If you own a probe-type digital thermometer, you can check for yourself. Sanitize the probe with a mild solution of 1 tablespoon bleach in 3 cups of water, then dry it and put it in the middle of your sandwich. Cook the sandwich until the thermometer shows 160 F. To be safe, always consult your doctor before eating turkey or other lunch meats during pregnancy.

Vegetarians often have a problem getting enough iron in their blood, which directly relates to ferritin levels in your blood. Ferritin, a protein, helps with iron storage and the amount of it in your body correlates to the amount of iron you have. Whether you’re a vegetarian or a meat-eater, consuming nutritional yeast may cause high ferritin levels.

About Nutritional Yeast

Nutritional yeast is a type grown on enriched purified cane and beet molasses. It is a source of vitamin B vitamins, amino acids, protein, chromium and phosphorus and provides a taste similar to cheese, which you might use as a flavoring for popcorn, salads, juice, cereals, soups and casseroles. A study published in the 2000 issue of Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism notes that even though consuming nutritional yeast was a good option for vegetarians to boost vitamin B12, or cobalamin, levels, you should regularly have your blood monitored for a cobalamin deficiency.

About Ferritin

Ferritin is a protein that resides inside the cells of your body — this protein stores iron for later use. When your physician suspects you might have anemia, he might recommend a serum ferritin test to check on the levels of iron in your body. The normal ferritin level varies according to gender; if you are a man, it should be 12 to 300 nanograms per milliliter, and if you are a woman, the range is 12 to 150 nanograms per milliliter.

Nutritional Yeast and Ferritin Levels

Eating nutritional yeast supplements your iron levels — 2 tablespoons of a popular brand of nutritional yeast provides you with 0.77 milligrams of iron. As a rule, your body requires 8 to 18 milligrams of iron each day, although you require more if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. In boosting iron levels, you also boost ferritin levels. While nutritional yeast could conveivably cause high ferritin levels, you would need to eat a great quantity to even meet your daily requirements, let alone achieve a high level of ferritin. The tolerable upper limit for iron intake stands at 45 milligram per day, so endeavor to avoid consuming more iron than is healthy — iron overload is associated with constipation, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea and may eve be fatal.

Other Options for Influencing Ferritin Levels

If you do not like the flavor of nutritional yeast, there are other foods you can eat that influence your serum ferritin levels. If you are a vegetarian, choose foods such as fortified oatmeal, soybeans, lentils, tofu, molasses, spinach and raisins. Many types of dried beans also provide iron that will raise your ferritin level. If you are a meat eater, try chicken livers or oysters to increase ferritin in your blood. Again, watch your intake of iron to avoid side effects from iron overload.

The National Eye Institute, a branch of the National Institutes of Health, reports that 8.2 million people have trichiasis, as of 2009. Babies can contract trichiasis from several sources, but early treatment is essential for preventing damage to eyes. Once you know more about the condition, what causes it and how to treat it, you can work with your baby’s doctor to determine the most appropriate course of treatment.

Trichiasis

Trichiasis causes eyelashes to grow inward rather than outward. When the eyelashes grow toward the eye, they can rub against and irritate the cornea, causing pain. Corneal scratching, caused by trichiasis, can also cause long-term damage, including blindness. When a baby develops trichiasis, treatment is essential to correct the problem and help prevent damage to the eyes. Babies who are left untreated will experience discomfort throughout childhood, and will also develop more severe eye problems in adulthood.

Causes

An infection of the eye is one cause of trichiasis. Trachoma is a bacterial infection that begins with mild itching, but can cause blurred vision and eye pain if not treated. Untreated trachoma can also cause blindness if left untreated. If the skin around the eye develops scarring, the deformity can cause the eyelashes to turn in toward the eye. Blepharitis is another eye infection that can cause trichiasis if not treated. Other causes of trichiasis in babies are eye trauma and eye surgeries. Less common causes in any population include chemical burns or leprosy.

Babies

The National Eye Institute reports that trachoma primarily affects children, but the long-term ramifications of the infection last into adulthood. Bacterial infections that lead to trichiasis are highly contagious and affect babies in underdeveloped parts of the world more often than in developed countries. Repeated infections cause scarring to the eyes and is what leads to trichiasis. If your baby has trichiasis because of an eye injury or eye surgery, her doctor will begin treatment right away to correct the problem before it causes damage.

Treatment

The bacterial infections that can cause trichiasis are treated with antibiotics, but the scarring that can occur is more difficult to treat. One of the first ways trichiasis is treated is by forcibly removing the eyelashes growing the wrong way. If the eyelashes grow back in the same position, electrolysis can be used to permanently remove the eyelashes. Cryotherapy or laser therapy might be used if the trichiasis affects a larger area of the eyelid. The success of any treatment depends on how early it is used to correct the problem. The earlier any treatment is administered, the higher the chance of preventing future damage.

The salivary glands help keep your mouth and tongue moist. A dry tongue and mouth may result from salivary gland dysfunction due to diseases such as Sjogren’s syndrome, or they may be a side effect of burning mouth syndrome. Dry tongue and mouth also are common side effects of more than 400 medications, including those used for treating allergies, according to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.

Dry Tongue Due to Airborne Allergies

Sneezing, coughing, a runny nose, itchy eyes and an itchy throat are common reactions to airborne allergens, such as dust or pollen. You get these symptoms when your immune system overreacts and produces chemicals, such as histamine, to fight off the allergens. Dry tongue isn’t a direct result of airborne allergies. You may get a dry tongue if you have a stuffy nose, causing you to breathe through your mouth. This often happens at night, so you find your tongue is dry when you awaken in the morning. You also may get a dry mouth or tongue from the antihistamines you take to counteract your allergy symptoms.

Alternative Medical Treatment for Dry Tongue from Allergies

Antihistamines are the usual treatment for airborne allergies, especially seasonal allergies, such as allergic rhinitis. If allergic rhinitis is causing you to breathe through your mouth, and you don’t want to take pharmaceutical antihistamines or decongestants, you could try Petasites hybridus, or butterbur, extract. In an analysis reported in the December 2007 issue of the "Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology," Ruoling Guo and others at the Peninsula Medical School at the University of Exeter in England found butterbur to be as effective as nonsedative antihistamines for those with intermittent allergic rhinitis. Mangosteen is another possible alternative, according to Dr. Ray Sahelian.

Other Treatments for Dry Tongue or Mouth

If you have chronic dry mouth or tongue, you can try artificial saliva sprays or oral rinses. Lozenges or mouth washes may help stimulate saliva production, and drinking plenty of fluids will help you avoid dehydration, which often leads to a dry tongue and mouth. Try using a room vaporizer to keep your nasal passages open at night, so you don’t breathe through your mouth.

Health Effects of Dry Tongue or Mouth

A dry tongue and mouth isn’t just a nuisance; it can have serious health effects. You need saliva for three functions: to stimulate your digestive process; moisten your food to allow you to chew and swallow it effectively; and control bacteria and fungi in your mouth to prevent infections. Chronic xerostomia, the clinical name for dry mouth, can lead to bad breath, tooth decay, gingivitis and other dental conditions.

Running baby lotion through your hair can make it seem extra soft and shiny. Adding a little baby lotion to your tresses can relieve heat damage and get rid of fly-away hairs. Going overboard and dabbing a large amount on your head can give you an undesirable greasy look. Before changing up your hair-care routine, talk with a professional stylist. She can recommend products specifically designed for your hair texture and color.

Hair Types

Combing baby lotion through your hair might be more beneficial for some hair types than others. If you have fine hair that falls flat after blow-drying, you might experience greasy hair after adding baby lotion. Even a small amount of baby lotion weighs hair down and can minimize body in fine hair, making it seem dull and listless. Having thick coarse hair, such as African-American or Asian-hair types, increases your need for added moisture. In this case, rubbing baby lotion on your palms and dabbing it on your locks helps add moisture, making your hair more manageable.

Baby Lotion

If your hair is free from dye, perm, relaxer or other chemicals, the first ingredient in your hair-care products should be water, explains the Harvard School of Public Health. Many baby lotions include water as the first ingredient on the list, which means it has the highest concentration of all the ingredients. Water-based products, such as baby lotion, won’t make your hair greasy or dry it out. Chemically treated hair might require something heavier, such as an oil-based type of lotion, in order for your dry hair to absorb all the moisture. Read the ingredient list on your favorite bottle of baby lotion to determine if it is water-based or oil-based.

How Much

Baby lotion can replace any styling products you normally use. Dab a small quarter-size amount of baby lotion on your palms and apply it to your ends after a shower. After normal blow-drying and styling, run your fingers through your hair and see how it feels. If your hair feels dry after adding a small amount of baby lotion, add a little more next time you wash your hair. Putting on baby lotion while your hair is still wet allows it to soak up the moisture. Adding lotion after your hair is dry causes the lotion to sit on the hair follicles, weighing your hair down.

Negative Effects

Even though putting baby lotion in your hair can add moisture and make your hair softer, too much can make your hair greasy. Keep baby lotion away from your scalp. Too much moisture at the root of your hair growth can weigh it down dramatically. Avoid using baby lotion to treat dandruff. A dry flaky scalp might be a sign of a skin condition, and baby lotion might aggravate it. Opt for baby lotions free of colors and fragrances. These ingredients might dry out your hair and interact with hair dye.

Vision is a precious sense, and you want to protect it. At the same time, you want to be able to see where you’re walking in a dark room, and you want your child to sleep through the night without screaming about the shadows being monsters in the closet. A night light can take care of both of these problems, but your family or friends might criticize you for using one, claiming they affect your eyes. This claim is based on study results that no one has been able to reproduce.

Background

The idea that using a night light could hurt your eyesight arose in 1999 after researchers at the University of Pennsylvania noticed that results from a survey they took of parents found an apparent relationship between night light use before age 2 and the incidence of nearsightedness. The rate of nearsightedness increased even more in a group of children who apparently had room lights on while they slept. However, as the University of Washington notes, this shows a relationship known as a correlation, meaning there’s some sort of connection but it’s not necessarily indicative that night lights actually cause nearsightedness. No other evidence of the cause has appeared, and conventional wisdom is that night lights do not cause nearsightedness.

Sleep Hygiene

Night lights might not harm your eyesight, but they can contribute to poor sleep hygiene. Sleep hygiene is the condition of the environment in which you try to sleep; it includes light and noise exposure, pre-slumber food and drink, exercise and activity levels, fidgeting bed partners and other factors that could interfere with sleep. Having any light exposure while you sleep could prevent you from getting a good night’s rest. Harvard University notes that your brain takes light to be a signal to start waking up and could interfere with your ability to rest through the night.

Advantages

Night lights have advantages that can outweigh any possible problems. Children who refuse to sleep in dark rooms could be completely fine in a room with a tiny night light. The Baby Centre website notes these lights also help parents who have to rush in if the child suddenly starts crying. If you share a room with a younger sibling who insists on a night light that you don’t want, try using a sleep mask to block out any unwanted light, Harvard University suggests.

Fall Risk

Regardless of how night lights affect your eyesight, not having light can have worse repercussions if you fall in a dark room. Common safety advice for adults as they get older is to have night lights in each room and hallway so that if they need to get up and move quickly, they can do so without tripping over unseen obstacles. Turning on a regular light sounds like an option at first, except if you do not sleep alone, your roommate or sleeping partner is not going to appreciate the lights going on each time you have to find the bathroom.