Calming Chickenpox

Chickenpox, and its trademark itchy, red spots, is a common disease in children.
The Nemours Foundation offers these suggestions for relieving the itch and keeping your child more comfortable:
Have your child soak in a warm oatmeal bath every few hours.
Apply cool, damp rags across your child's body.
Gently pat your child's body dry. Don't rub or scratch the itchy spots.
Dab the pox with calamine lotion, everywhere but on the face.
If your child's chickenpox are inside the mouth, feed the child soft, cold foods. Avoid anything acidic or salty.
Have your child take acetaminophen to alleviate pain.
Talk to your child's pediatrician about OTC medications that soothe itching, and creams that are safe to alleviate pain near the genitals.

Cholesterol levels: What numbers should you aim for?

It's important to keep your cholesterol levels within healthy limits. And if you have other risk factors for developing heart disease, you need to be even more careful — especially with your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad," cholesterol level.


Interpreting your cholesterol numbers

Cholesterol levels are measured in milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per deciliter (dL) of blood in the United States and some other countries. Canada and most European countries measure cholesterol in millimoles (mmol) per liter (L) of blood. Consider these general guidelines when you get your lipid panel (cholesterol test) results back to see if your cholesterol falls in optimal levels
LDL targets differ
Because LDL cholesterol has a major association with heart disease, it's the main focus of cholesterol-lowering treatment. But it's not as simple as the chart may appear. Your target LDL number can vary, depending on your underlying risk of heart disease.
Most people should aim for an LDL level below 130 mg/dL (3.4 mmol/L). If you have other risk factors for heart disease, your target LDL may be below 100 mg/dL (2.6 mmol/L). If you're at very high risk of heart disease, you may need to aim for an LDL level below 70 mg/dL (1.8 mmol/L).
So who's considered at very high risk? If you've had a heart attack or if you have diabetes or carotid or peripheral vascular disease, you're at very high risk. In addition, two or more of the following risk factors might also place you in the very high risk group:

• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• Low HDL cholesterol
• Family history of early heart disease
• Age older than 45 if you're a man, or older than 55 if you're a woman
• Elevated lipoprotein (a)

Types of cholesterol
LDL cholesterol can build up on the inside of artery walls, contributing to artery blockages that can lead to heart attacks. Higher LDL cholesterol levels mean higher risk. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is known as "good" cholesterol because it helps prevent arteries from becoming clogged. Higher HDL cholesterol levels generally mean lower risk.
A blood test to check cholesterol levels — called a lipid panel or lipid profile — typically reports:
Total cholesterol
HDL cholesterol
LDL cholesterol
Triglycerides, a type of fat often increased by sweets and alcohol
For the most accurate measurements, don't eat or drink anything (other than water) for nine to 12 hours before the blood sample is taken.

Lifestyle changes
If your LDL cholesterol is too high, the first thing your doctor will probably suggest is lifestyle changes. Eating more soluble fiber, found in oatmeal, beans, fruits and vegetables, and less saturated fat and cholesterol can improve your cholesterol levels.
Being overweight and inactive tends to increase your LDL cholesterol and lower your HDL cholesterol, exactly the opposite of what you want. Exercise and weight loss can help reverse this trend. This is especially important for people who have large waist measurements — more than 40 inches (101.6 centimeters) for men and more than 35 inches (88.9 centimeters) for women — because people with this body shape are more likely to develop heart disease.

Medications may be needed
When lifestyle changes aren't enough to reach your cholesterol targets, your doctor may prescribe medications to help lower your cholesterol levels. These drugs, such as statins, aren't a replacement for lifestyle changes. You'll still need to eat properly and exercise.

A hidden risk factor
High cholesterol has no symptoms, but your genetic makeup — reflected in family history of high cholesterol or heart disease — might make you more prone to the condition, even if you eat right and exercise. That's why it's so important to have a baseline cholesterol test at age 20 and have follow-up tests at least once every five years. Finding the problem early allows you to take action before it's too late. Your doctor may recommend more frequent cholesterol tests if your total cholesterol level or LDL cholesterol level is high.