NengiJOE BlogoSphere

KNOWING HEPATITIS C

2014-08-24T04:40:00.002+01:00

What is Hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C is a disease that affects the liver and is caused by the hepatitis C virus. The virus can cause both acute and chronic hepatitis infection, ranging in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness.
Most people infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) have no symptoms and may live without being able to detect it.

How is it gotten?
Hepatitis C is gotten through contact with contaminated blood. The most common modes of infection are through unsafe injection practices; inadequate sterilization of medical equipment in some health-care settings; and unscreened blood and blood products.

How does one know he/she is infected?
Hepatitis C virus infection usually does not present any signs and symptoms until later stages. You will have to see the doctor if you notice the following symptoms: fever, fatigue, decreased appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, grey-coloured faeces, joint pain and jaundice (yellowing of skin and the whites of the eyes).

Are there any other means of getting infected?
Hepatitis C is not spread through breast milk, food or water or by casual contact such as hugging, kissing and sharing food or drinks with an infected person.

Who are those at risk?
Your risk of hepatitis C infection is increased in the following instances:

health care worker who has been exposed to infected blood, such as may happen if an infected needle pierces your skin
recipients of infected blood products or invasive procedures in health-care facilities with inadequate infection control practices
children born to mothers infected with HCV
people with sexual partners who are HCV-infected
people with HIV infection
people who have used intranasal drugs
people who have had tattoos or piercings.

How to prevent HCV?
There is no vaccine for hepatitis C, therefore prevention of HCV infection depends upon reducing the risk of exposure to the virus in health-care settings and in higher risk populations.

Stop using illicit drugs. If you use illicit drugs, seek help.

Be cautious about body piercing and tattooing. If you choose to undergo piercing or tattooing, look for a reputable shop. Ask questions beforehand about how the equipment is cleaned. Make sure the employees use sterile needles. If employees won't answer your questions, look for another shop.

Practice safer sex if you choose to have sex. Don't engage in unprotected sex with multiple partners or with any partner whose health status is uncertain. Sexual transmission between monogamous couples may occur, but the risk is low.

hand hygiene: including surgical hand preparation, hand washing and use of gloves;

safe handling and disposal of sharps and waste;

safe cleaning of equipment;

testing of donated blood;

improved access to safe blood;

training of health personnel.

For people infected with the hepatitis C virus, WHO recommends:

education and counselling on options for care and treatment;
immunization with the hepatitis A and B vaccines to prevent coinfection from these hepatitis viruses to protect their liver;
early and appropriate medical management including antiviral therapy if appropriate; and
regular monitoring for early diagnosis of chronic liver disease.

VIRAL HEPATITIS DAY 2014- #ThinkAgain

2014-07-28T08:53:00.000+01:00

Awareness

Informed? Unaware? Viral hepatitis kills 1.5 million people worldwide each year. That's as many people as HIV/AIDS. Hepatitis: Think Again.
Informed? Unaware? Viral hepatitis is the leading cause of liver cancer. Liver cancer is the second biggest cancer killer. Hepatitis: Think Again.

Feeling fine? Are you sure? Symptoms of viral hepatitis often go unnoticed. Get tested. Hepatitis: Think Again.

Prevention

Safe? At Risk? Viral hepatitis can be avoided. Know the risks. Hepatitis: Think Again.

Treatment

Treated? Treatable? Viral hepatitis can be treated. Everybody deserves the chance. Hepatitis: Think Again.

Vaccination

Protected? Vulnerable? Viral hepatitis can be prevented. Vaccinate your children. Hepatitis: Think Again.
Protected? Vulnerable? Protect against viral hepatitis. Vaccination works. Hepatitis: Think Again.

Stigma

Accepted? Refused? Stigma kills. Don't discriminate. Hepatitis: Think again.
Accepted? Refused? Viral hepatitis doesn't discriminate. Neither should you. Hepatitis: Think again.

Taking part

Team player? Spectator? Viral hepatitis can be beaten. Play your part. Hepatitis: Think again.

"EBOLA" A THREE-FOLD PROBLEM!

2014-07-26T18:56:00.000+01:00

As terrifying as Ebola is, the virus has been controlled in the past, and can be again. The current crisis, which threatens an 11-nation region of Africa that includes the continent's giant, Nigeria, is not a biological or medical one so much as it is political. The three nations in Ebola's thrall need technical support from outsiders but will not succeed in stopping the virus until each nation's leaders embrace effective governance.

A CNN editor's opinion

The virus, which can kill within days, spreads by exposure to infected bodily fluids and other secretions. The symptoms include severe fever, muscle pain, weakness, vomiting and diarrhoea. In some cases, bleeding can be unstoppable and the organs could be shut down. The virus can even spread to those who handle the dead body of the infected person, without proper protection. Urgent action is required to halt the spread of this deadly virus because it has the potential to spread across borders.

With early medical intervention, chances of survival can be increased but no such medicine or vaccine exists that could be used to treat this deadly disease.

Difficulty in accessing remote areas will lead to the sufferers going untreated. There is also fear that the sufferers have a mistrust towards Western medicine or are superstitious.

Reducing the risk of Ebola infection in people

In the absence of effective treatment and a human vaccine, raising awareness of the risk factors for Ebola infection and the protective measures individuals can take is the only way to reduce human infection and death.

In Africa, during EVD outbreaks, educational public health messages for risk reduction should focus on several factors:

Reducing the risk of wildlife-to-human transmission from contact with infected fruit bats or monkeys/apes and the consumption of their raw meat. Animals should be handled with gloves and other appropriate protective clothing. Animal products (blood and meat) should be thoroughly cooked before consumption.
Reducing the risk of human-to-human transmission in the community arising from direct or close contact with infected patients, particularly with their bodily fluids. Close physical contact with Ebola patients should be avoided. Gloves and appropriate personal protective equipment should be worn when taking care of ill patients at home. Regular hand washing is required after visiting patients in hospital, as well as after taking care of patients at home.
Communities affected by Ebola should inform the population about the nature of the disease and about outbreak containment measures, including burial of the dead. People who have died from Ebola should be promptly and safely buried.

Pig farms in Africa can play a role in the amplification of infection because of the presence of fruit bats on these farms. Appropriate biosecurity measures should be in place to limit transmission. For RESTV (Reston ebolavirus), educational public health messages should focus on reducing the risk of pig-to-human transmission as a result of unsafe animal husbandry and slaughtering practices, and unsafe consumption of fresh blood, raw milk or animal tissue. Gloves and other appropriate protective clothing should be worn when handling sick animals or their tissues and when slaughtering animals. In regions where RESTV has been reported in pigs, all animal products (blood, meat and milk) should be thoroughly cooked before eating.

Controlling infection in health-care settings

Human-to-human transmission of the Ebola virus is primarily associated with direct or indirect contact with blood and body fluids. Transmission to health-care workers has been reported when appropriate infection control measures have not been observed.

It is not always possible to identify patients with EBV early because initial symptoms may be non-specific. For this reason, it is important that health-care workers apply standard precautions consistently with all patients – regardless of their diagnosis – in all work practices at all times. These include basic hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, the use of personal protective equipment (according to the risk of splashes or other contact with infected materials), safe injection practices and safe burial practices.

Health-care workers caring for patients with suspected or confirmed Ebola virus should apply, in addition to standard precautions, other infection control measures to avoid any exposure to the patient’s blood and body fluids and direct unprotected contact with the possibly contaminated environment. When in close contact (within 1 metre) of patients with EBV, health-care workers should wear face protection (a face shield or a medical mask and goggles), a clean, non-sterile long-sleeved gown, and gloves (sterile gloves for some procedures).

Laboratory workers are also at risk. Samples taken from suspected human and animal Ebola cases for diagnosis should be handled by trained staff and processed in suitably equipped laboratories.

SUPPLEMENTS FOR VISION AND HEALTHY EYES

2014-07-20T11:07:00.000+01:00

You may have heard about recent research suggesting that certain nutrients can help delay or prevent eye problems and disease. You may also have heard a lot of claims for over-the-counter (OTC) vision supplements containing these nutrients -- and claims for others that have not been tested in clinical studies.

So what should you believe? What can you do to protect your eye health and eyesight using vision supplements? Here is information to help you decide.

Important: Your doctor is your first resource for information about your health. Regardless of dosage, supplements are not a cure for health problems or a substitute for medication your doctor has recommended. Always check with your doctor before beginning to take any dietary supplement, including vision supplements.

Vision Supplements in Multivitamins

Before you ask your doctor about taking mega-doses of vision supplements, take a look at the multivitamin you're taking now. You'll probably find you're already taking several of the following nutrients for healthy eyes. If not, look for these nutrients, in at least these amounts, when you buy a multivitamin or supplement:

Vitamin C, 250 mg
Vitamin E, 200 mg
Beta-carotene, 5,000 IU
Zinc, 25 mg
Zeaxanthin, 500 mcg
Selenium, 100 mcg
Lutein, 10 mg
Calcium, 500 mg
Thiamin, 2 mg
Folic acid, 800 mcg
Omega-3 essential fatty acids (including flaxseed oil), 2,000-3,000 mg
N-acetyl cysteine, 100 mg
Alpha lipoic acid, 100 mg

If you can't find a single product that contains all or most of these nutrients, they are available individually.

Read the Labels!

As with any prepared food you buy, read the labels on supplements to be sure you're getting what you want. Here are some tips:

Be sure the product you buy is fresh: Check expiration dates.
The bottle should be sealed for your protection. If it isn't, or the seal is broken, don't buy it.
If you're prone to stomach upset, capsules may be a better choice than tablets, which are harder for your system to absorb.
Consider organic vision supplements. You may pay more, but the quality is often better.
Avoid supplements containing fillers, ingredients used to bulk up products so they "look like more." These include wheat, corn, and dairy products, which could cause digestive or allergic problems.
If fish oil is listed as a source of omega-3 essential fatty acids, the label should state that it has been produced in a manner that eliminates contaminants, particularly mercury.
Keep in mind that drug regulatory authorities do not regulate dietary supplements. If you're concerned whether you're getting what the label of a product says, ask. A nutritionist may be able to help you. You can also contact the manufacturer directly and ask for proof of quality. For vision supplements, ask for proof that their product has undergone Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity (ORAC) testing -- a widely accepted test of antioxidant effectiveness.

PROBIOTICS AND INFANT GIT PROBLEMS

2014-07-20T10:45:00.000+01:00

Probiotics May Reduce Gastrointestinal Problems in Infants

Prophylactically using probiotics in infants may reduce the development of gastrointestinal conditions, according to a recent study.

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria (sometimes referred to as "friendly germs") that help to maintain the health of the intestinal tract and aid in digestion. They also help keep potentially harmful organisms in the gut (harmful bacteria and yeasts) under control. Most probiotics come from food sources, especially cultured milk products. Probiotics can be consumed as capsules, tablets, beverages, powders, yogurts, and other foods.
In a recent study, researchers conducted a clinical trial to evaluate the effects of Lactobacillus reuteri supplementation during the first 3 months of infant life on the onset of colic, acid reflux and constipation. A total of 589 infants less than one week old were randomly assigned to receive L reuteri or placebo for 90 days. Data on the development of gastrointestinal problems was recorded by the parents. The main outcome measures evaluated included constipation, reduction in crying time and regurgitation.

The researchers found that by the age of 3 months-old, the infants receiving Lactobacillus reuteri vomited and cried significantly less and had significantly fewer bowel movements daily. The authors also noted that probiotic supplementation resulted in both the parents and community spending less money on the infant.
The authors concluded that prophylactic use of probiotics during the first 3 months of life may reduce the development of gastrointestinal problems and reduce costs associated with these conditions. Additional well-designed clinical trials are needed.

FRESH APPLES

2014-07-19T13:34:00.000+01:00

Apples in a refrigerator will stay fresh up to 10 times longer than on a counter at room temperature.

SECRETS WOMEN WISH MEN KNEW

2013-11-03T23:07:00.001+01:00

1. A Caring Guy Is a Hot Guy

What do women want? For those who've ever pondered this question, here are 19 relationship secrets. They're based on the study of healthy, happy couples and our changing gender roles. Secret No. 1: Women appreciate a guy with a sensitive side, especially when they're upset. Put your arm around her and hand her a tissue. Nurturing is a powerful way to connect.

2. Chivalry Still Has a Place

When it comes to romance, many women do like men to take a traditional masculine role. This is especially true in the wooing stage of a relationship, according to psychologist Diana Kirschner, PhD, who's written several books about love. She's perfectly capable of pulling out her own chair or opening a door, but if you see her hesitate, she might just be waiting for you to be the gentleman.

3. Dress to Impress

Styles come and go, but a man's attention to his grooming and clothing should be long lasting. It's important to women from the first flirtation through the honeymoon and beyond. "You've got to figure out if there's a certain look that she likes," says Kirschner. "If she likes a guy in tight jeans, you wear tight jeans."

4. Guy Wears Red, Guy Gets Girl

OK, this tip doesn't come from women, but from clever testing by psychologists of women's subconscious preferences. One intriguing study found that the color red made men seem more powerful, attractive, and sexually desirable to women. There's a caveat, though. Red doesn't make guys appear nicer or kinder. That part is up to you.

5. Don't Hide Your Flaws

Nothing captures a woman's heart quite like a good man who wants to be a better man, according to love guru Kirschner. "Women love personal growth, they love a man who is thoughtful and sensitive." She likes it when her man recognizes a flaw -- a short temper, for example, or a regularly sullen mood after work -- and loves it when he makes an effort to address it.

6. Don't Try to Fix Her World

When something's bothering her, she wants your ear, not your advice. "Men feel the need to fix things because they are solution-oriented," says Kirschner. "But to a woman, really listening is a wonderful, wonderful thing that deepens the relationship."

7. Nodding Is Not Enough

Listening is important, but she also wants to know that she is being heard. Nodding along won't cut it. When she pauses, she's giving you a cue to respond in a compassionate, caring way, says Kirschner. If she tells you that she is upset because her boss gave her a tough time, she wants to hear you say, "I'm sorry that work was such a drag for you today." And remember: Resist the urge to offer solutions.

8. Date No. 3 Is Not a Bedroom Key

The three dates before sex rule is an urban legend. Women don't set a timeline on when they'll invite a potential partner into the bedroom. Some women will want to have many dates before sex. A good rule of thumb is to give the relationship at least two months to grow before entering the sexual arena.

9. Women Like the Slow Lane

Guys often want to take the quickest path to sex. But many women prefer the scenic route. "Women want sex but they get to it in a different way," says psychologist Kirschner, who has helped hundreds of couples achieve a more rewarding relationship. "They want to feel connected and understood, they want to be romanced." That means time and talking and touching -- in other words, foreplay.

10. Safe Sex Is a Turn-On

This is something both of you need to focus on, but Kirschner says that women appreciate it and feel more protected when the guy makes it clear that it's a concern to him -- and then shows her that he practices what he preaches.

11. Learn What She Wants in Bed

Women do like to talk to about what's going on in the sack, and they want to please their man -- and a tactful approach is often best. Ask her what she likes. Be sure to ask for what you want in a positive and validating way. Kirschner advises saying something along the lines of, "I would really love if you [fill in the blanks]."

12. Performance Anxiety Is Shared

When you have an off night and can't perform, she feels bad, too. She might worry that she no longer turns you on and she will want assurance that that is not true. She will want to talk about what's going on and what you are doing about it, especially if it's a recurring problem. "It's a touchy thing for both of you," says Kirschner, "but talking about it is a plus."

13. Mirroring Is a Barometer of Love

Remember the saying "imitation is the highest form of flattery"? A woman often conveys how she feels about you by mirroring your moods and moves. She may order a meal that pairs with yours, wear your favorite color, or smile or cross her arms when you do. Mimicking is her way of putting you at ease and letting you know she is charmed.

14. Your Shirt May Be a Love Magnet

Does your partner curl up in your sweater or sneak into your work shirt? Some researchers have found that the scent of a man's perspiration has a relaxing effect on women.

15. Say It, Again and Again

Women like to be told they look nice, and they like a man who notices without being told. When she's wearing a sexy new dress, for example, she'll give you major points for saying how hot she looks, especially if you mention the dress before she does. If she's looking particularly attractive, if she has a new haircut, if she's looking more fit -- let her hear about it.

16. Don't Fear the Relationship Talk

When your woman wants to talk about the relationship, it doesn't mean you did something wrong (well, not necessarily). Kirschner says that many women like to talk about the "state of the union" -- what's going right, what's going wrong, or simply what's going on. This is a good thing. An honest, wide-ranging talk can bring the two of you closer.

17. Look Your Partner in the Eye

You may feel more comfortable sitting side by side, but many women prefer face time -- and we don't mean the latest mobile video chat technology. Kirschner says that women prefer their men to make eye contact with them as they're talking. And looking her in the eye during sex will deepen the relationship outside the bedroom.

18. Don't Miss the Moment

How do you know if she is ready to commit? She'll say so. This is something that women are often quite up front about. But they don't want to have "the talk" too often. If she's ready and she's given you time, the next time the subject comes up, be prepared to step up or step off.

19. Romance Is Simple; Keep It Coming

Romance is something she will always want, whether you've been together two months or 20 years. Flowers, an intimate dinner, a few lines of love poetry -- don't worry, they don't have to be your own -- might sound cliché, but Kirschner insists that most women appreciate such simple romantic gestures and often show their appreciation after the lights go down.

Source: WebMD

ANGER MANAGEMENT

2013-10-18T17:02:00.000+01:00

10 tips to tame your temper

Keeping your temper in check can be challenging. Use simple anger management tips — from taking a timeout to using "I" statements — to stay in control.

By Mayo Clinic staff

Do you find yourself fuming when someone cuts you off in traffic? Does your blood pressure go through the roof when your child refuses to cooperate? Anger is a normal and even healthy emotion — but it's important to deal with it in a positive way. Uncontrolled anger can take a toll on both your health and your relationships.

Ready to get your anger under control? Start by considering these 10 anger management tips.

No. 1: Take a timeout

Counting to 10 isn't just for kids. Before reacting to a tense situation, take a few moments to breathe deeply and count to 10. Slowing down can help defuse your temper. If necessary, take a break from the person or situation until your frustration subsides a bit.

No. 2: Once you're calm, express your anger

As soon as you're thinking clearly, express your frustration in an assertive but no confrontational way. State your concerns and needs clearly and directly, without hurting others or trying to control them.

No. 3: Get some exercise

Physical activity can provide an outlet for your emotions, especially if you're about to erupt. If you feel your anger escalating, go for a brisk walk or run, or spend some time doing other favorite physical activities. Physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that can leave you feeling happier and more relaxed than you were before you worked out.

No. 4: Think before you speak

In the heat of the moment, it's easy to say something you'll later regret. Take a few moments to collect your thoughts before saying anything — and allow others involved in the situation to do the same.

No. 5: Identify possible solutions

Instead of focusing on what made you mad, work on resolving the issue at hand. Does your child's messy room drive you crazy? Close the door. Is your partner late for dinner every night? Schedule meals later in the evening — or agree to eat on your own a few times a week. Remind yourself that anger won't fix anything, and might only make it worse.

No. 6: Stick with 'I' statements

To avoid criticizing or placing blame — which might only increase tension — use "I" statements to describe the problem. Be respectful and specific. For example, say, "I'm upset that you left the table without offering to help with the dishes," instead of, "You never do any housework."

No. 7: Don't hold a grudge

Forgiveness is a powerful tool. If you allow anger and other negative feelings to crowd out positive feelings, you might find yourself swallowed up by your own bitterness or sense of injustice. But if you can forgive someone who angered you, you might both learn from the situation. It's unrealistic to expect everyone to behave exactly as you want at all times.

No. 8: Use humor to release tension

Lightening up can help diffuse tension. Don't use sarcasm, though — it can hurt feelings and make things worse.

No. 9: Practice relaxation skills

When your temper flares, put relaxation skills to work. Practice deep-breathing exercises, imagine a relaxing scene, or repeat a calming word or phrase, such as, "Take it easy." You might also listen to music, write in a journal or do a few yoga poses — whatever it takes to encourage relaxation.

No. 10: Know when to seek help

Learning to control anger is a challenge for everyone at times. Consider seeking help for anger issues if your anger seems out of control, causes you to do things you regret or hurts those around you. You might explore local anger management classes or anger management counseling. With professional help, you can:

Learn what anger is
Identify what triggers your anger
Recognize signs that you're becoming angry
Learn to respond to frustration and anger in a controlled, healthy way
Explore underlying feelings, such as sadness or depression

Anger management classes and counseling can be done individually, with your partner or other family members, or in a group. Request a referral from your doctor to a counselor specializing in anger management, or ask family members, friends or other contacts for recommendations. Your health insurer, employee assistance program (EAP), clergy, or state or local agencies also might offer recommendations.

SOURCE: Mayo Clinics

MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

2013-10-18T13:28:00.000+01:00

FIVE MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

Are you worried about high blood pressure in yourself, a family member, or a friend? Your concern is well-founded. If left untreated, high blood pressure -- also called hypertension -- can lead to a range of health problems, including heart disease and stroke. Knowing more about high blood pressure can help you prevent this condition from damaging your health, or the health of someone you love. You can start by learning what's true about this condition -- and what's not. Here are five common misconceptions about high blood pressure.

First Misconception Is That High Blood Pressure Isn't a Big Deal

Early on, you may not notice symptoms of high blood pressure, so you may not be too concerned. However, in the long run high blood pressure can kill you. Normally, your heart beats regularly, pumping blood through the vessels all over your body. As the blood is pushed by the heartbeat, the blood in turn pushes against the sides of your blood vessels. Blood vessels are flexible and can widen or constrict as needed to keep blood flowing well. For a variety of reasons, your blood may begin to push too hard against the blood vessels. This is high blood pressure.
High blood pressure can lead to damage of your blood vessels, heart, kidneys, and other organs in your body. Heart disease and stroke, both caused by high blood pressure, are the first and third leading causes of death in the U.S.
The scary thing about high blood pressure is that you may have it without even knowing it. That's why doctors often call high blood pressure the "silent killer." Health care professionals agree: High blood pressure is a big deal.

Second Misconception Is That High Blood Pressure Can't Be Prevented

Perhaps you have other relatives with high blood pressure. Maybe you're a member of a group of people who are at greater risk. For these or other reasons, you may be tempted to think that there's nothing you can do about high blood pressure.
Here is some good news about high blood pressure: Even if you have many risk factors, there are steps you can take to prevent high blood pressure:

Keep your weight at a healthy level. You can accomplish this by a combination of healthy eating and regular exercise.
Eat a healthy diet. This includes eating only the amount of food your body needs and choosing foods high in nutrients and low in fat, sugar, and salt.
Limit how much salt you eat. Most of the sodium you eat is in the form of salt. It may be salt that you add at the table or salt added to processed foods you consume.
Limit how much alcohol you drink.
Don't smoke tobacco, and minimize your exposure to secondhand smoke.
Get regular exercise. Try to get at least 30 minutes of activity each day. Exercise relieves stress and helps you control your weight.
Don't let stress build up. The chemicals your body makes in response to stress make your heart beat harder and faster and your blood vessels tighten. All this makes blood pressure higher.

Ask your doctor for suggestions about high blood pressure and how to prevent it. Your doctor may refer you to other health care professionals who can help.

Third Misconception About High Blood Pressure: It's OK As Long As One Number Is Normal

You may notice that when your doctor measures your blood pressure, the reading includes two numbers, one written on top of the other. These numbers can be confusing. The top number is called your systolic blood pressure. This number represents the force of blood through your blood vessels during your heartbeat.

119 or below is normal systolic blood pressure
120-139 is prehypertension
140 and greater is high blood pressure

The bottom number is called your diastolic blood pressure. This number represents the force of blood through your blood vessels in between heartbeats, while your heart is resting.

79 or below is normal diastolic blood pressure
80-89 is prehypertension
90 and greater is hypertension

Many people pay more attention to the systolic rate than the diastolic, but experts say that the heart can tolerate a high top (systolic) number better than a high bottom (diastolic) number.
Blood pressure does change throughout the day, depending on your activities. Blood pressure changes over time, as well. Systolic blood pressure tends to rise as you get older. Diastolic blood pressure may decrease as you get older.
If either of your blood pressure readings is consistently above normal, then you need to take action right away. You and your doctor can develop a plan to treat high blood pressure or even prehypertension before damage to your organs occurs.

Fourth Misconception About High Blood Pressure Is About Treatment

Give up your favorite foods. Take drugs with annoying side effects. These are some things you might fear when you think about high blood pressure treatment. It is true that it may take some time to develop a treatment plan that works best for you, because high blood pressure often has several underlying causes. In many cases, the specific cause of high blood pressure may not be evident.
Your doctor will work closely with you to determine which combination of treatments works to best control high blood pressure. Your treatment plan is likely to include the following elements:
The DASH eating plan. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) plan includes eating less fat and saturated fat as well as eating more fresh fruits and vegetables and whole-grain foods. Limiting use of salt and alcohol can also help lower your high blood pressure. A dietitian can help you find ways to meet these goals without giving up your favorite foods or great flavor.
Weight Control. Being overweight increases your risk of developing high blood pressure. Following the DASH eating plan and getting regular exercise can help you lose weight. Ask your doctor to help you determine a goal. Your doctor can also refer you to other health care professionals for assistance in setting up a weight loss plan.
No smoking. Tobacco smoke can make blood pressure rise. It can also directly damage your heart and blood vessels. Talk with your doctor about ways to quit.

Medication. Your doctor is likely to prescribe medication to control your high blood pressure. It's common to take more than one drug to treat high blood pressure. Your doctor may ask you to switch drugs or change the dosage until you find a combination that works best to control high blood pressure with the fewest side effects for you. Medications used to treat high blood pressure include:

Diuretics to reduce the amount of fluid in your blood by helping your body rid itself of extra sodium.
ACE inhibitors, alpha-blockers, and calcium channel blockers to help keep your blood vessels from tightening.
Beta-blockers to prevent your body from making the hormone adrenaline. Adrenaline is a stress hormone. It makes your heart beat harder and faster. It also makes your blood vessels tighten. All of this makes blood pressure higher.

Fifth Misconception About High Blood Pressure: Treatment Doesn't Work

In fact, if you work with your doctor to develop a comprehensive program for managing your high blood pressure, that plan can work. To maximize the benefits of your plan, follow these steps:

Check your blood pressure as often as recommended by your doctor.
Follow your treatment plan consistently. Let your doctor know right away if you have problems with parts of the plan. Your doctor may refer you to other health care professionals who can help.
See your doctor as often as requested. Bring your blood pressure records to show your doctor how the plan is working.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist for information about medication side effects. Know when to call your doctor if there is a problem.

Learning about high blood pressure and how it can harm your health is the first step in controlling this condition -- so you can remain healthy for years to come.

Source: WebMD

STATE OF EMERGENCY IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES

2013-08-26T18:52:00.000+01:00

It's my opinion that a "state of emergency" be declared in all government universities across the country. The reason is not far fetched as we are all aware of the current admission by ASUU and other individual bodies about the deplorable state of infrastructure necessary for training of students. I'll recommend a minimum of One year by which time all Universities should have been adequately equipped.
The country has witnessed over the years an efflux of students to other neighboring countries and farther countries around the world where they are sure to get uninterrupted and quality education and amazingly not so expensive. Apart from the time and stress saved, they gain a wealth of exposure which would last a lifetime.
It is true that the problems in Nigeria are of a peculiarly complex nature which can be felt in all aspects of our daily lives. In order to adapt, it has become natural to "manage" or yield to the pressure of survival which ultimately boils down to "corruption".

A "state of emergency" is not an indication of a worsening of the prevailing condition, but should be seen as a means for a "complete overhaul". Admission into should be discontinued since it has become obvious that enrolling in our institutions results in "falling educational standards" and "unemployable" graduates.
This "state of emergency" is what I propose because repairs cannot happen overnight and it will be unreasonable to claim work can be done simultaneously with training of students.

DIABETES AND YOUR DENTAL HEALTH

2013-08-25T13:30:00.001+01:00

4 Signs You May Have a Problem

Diabetes puts you at risk for dental problems. It impairs your ability to fight bacteria in your mouth. Having high blood sugar encourages bacteria to grow and contributes to gum disease. You may have gum disease if you have:

Gums that are red, sore, bleeding, or swollen, or that pull away from your teeth
Loose teeth
Chronic bad breath
An irregular bite or dentures that don't fit well

Control Diabetes to Keep Your Smile

Well-controlled diabetes contributes to a healthy mouth. If you have poorly controlled or high blood sugar, your risk increases for dry mouth, gum disease, tooth loss, and fungal infections like thrush. Since infections can also make your blood sugar rise, your diabetes may become even harder to control. Keeping your mouth healthy can help you manage your blood sugar.

See Your Dentist Regularly

People with diabetes are prone to oral infections. You should get dental checkups at least twice a year. Let your dentist know you have diabetes and what medicines you take. Regular checkups and professional cleanings can help keep a mouth healthy. And your dentist can teach you the best ways to care for your teeth and gums at home.

Keep Plaque at Bay

Sticky plaque -- food, saliva, and bacteria -- starts to form on your teeth after you eat, releasing acids that attack your tooth enamel. Untreated plaque turns into tartar, which builds under gum lines and is hard to remove with flossing. The longer it stays on your teeth, the more harmful it is. Bacteria in plaque causes inflammation and leads to gum disease. Having high blood sugar often makes gum disease worse.

Brush Daily, Brush Right

Brushing your teeth twice a day not only keeps your breath sweet, but also helps rid your mouth of bacteria that makes up plaque and can lead to oral infections. To brush properly, point your bristles at a 45-degree angle against your gums. Use gentle back-and-forth strokes all over your teeth -- in front, in back, and on chewing surfaces -- for two minutes. If holding a toothbrush is hard for you, try an electric toothbrush. Also brush your gums and tongue.

Floss Every Day

Flossing helps control plaque. It can reach where a toothbrush can't, like between the teeth. Ask your dentist for tips if you're not sure how to floss. Like everything else, flossing gets easier with practice.

Take Care of Your Dentures

Loose-fitting or poorly maintained dentures can lead to gum irritation and infections. It's important to talk to your dentist about any changes in the fit of your dentures. When you have diabetes, you are at a higher risk of fungal infections like thrush. And poorly maintained dentures can contribute to thrush, too. It's important to remove and clean your dentures daily to help reduce your risk of infection.

Toss the Tobacco

Tobacco products -- including cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, and pipes -- are bad for anyone's mouth. But if you have diabetes and you smoke, you are at even greater risk of developing gum disease. Tobacco can damage gum tissue and cause receding gums. It can also speed up bone and tissue loss, leading to lost teeth. Motivate yourself to quit. List your reasons for quitting, set a date, and get the support of family and friends.

Prepare for Oral Surgery

Well-controlled blood sugar reduces your risk of infection and speeds healing. If you need oral surgery, tell your dentist and surgeon you have diabetes beforehand. Your doctor may recommend that you wait to have surgery until your blood sugars are under control.

4 Steps to Protect Your Health

The same steps that ensure a healthy mouth also help you manage your diabetes.

Eat a healthy diet.
Don't smoke.
Keep up with your diabetes medications.
See your dentist regularly to reduce your risk of developing a serious problem.

Know the Warning Signs

Regular dental checkups are important because your dentist can spot gum disease even when you don't have any pain or symptoms. But you should examine your teeth and gums yourself for early signs of trouble. Infections can move fast. If you notice redness, swelling, bleeding, loose teeth, dry mouth, pain, or any other oral symptoms that worry you, talk to your dentist right away.

Source: WebMD

The Effects of Noise Pollution on the Physical Environment

2013-08-24T17:02:00.000+01:00

The physical environment includes everything that surround us: land, air, water, people, plants, animals, buildings and infrastructures. The levels of noise in the physical environment can influence the physical and mental health of humans and other living creatures. Noise pollution, often with levels above 75 decibels, seriously damages the whole physical environment. Sources of noise pollution include factories, transport, building sites and loudspeakers.

High levels of noise pollution in an area can negatively affect property values. In residential areas, the value of houses decreases according to the increase of decibels. Near noisy highways, the value of a property decreases even more significantly, partly due to other negative effects of intense traffic, such as air pollution.

Noise pollution can cause physical damage to the human ear that is constantly exposed to sound levels from 80 to 130 decibels. Light traffic noise, for instance, generates about 74 decibels; the approaching of a subway train produces 90 decibels, and an aircraft takeoff can produce as much as 120 decibels of noise. Noise-related hearing loss can be temporary, or it can be permanent, called "noise-induced permanent threshold shift," or NIPTS. A sound level of 150 decibels or more can negatively affect the circulatory system by raising blood pressure.

Excessive noise can cause emotional or psychological effects, such as irritability, anxiety, mental fatigue and stress in humans and animals. Noise exposure is related to memory deficit, increased aggression and reduced helping behavior. Symptoms reported among industrial workers exposed to noise pollution include nausea, headaches, argumentativeness, changes in mood, and anxiety. Noise pollution can also interfere with the cognitive performance of children at school.

In addition to sight and smell, some animals rely on their hearing to locate prey. Highways or airports built close to wildlife areas can expose the animals to noise pollution, making the hunting process more difficult and causing ecological imbalance. Noise pollution can also disrupt the animals' breeding patterns, and it has been identified as a reason for the extinction of some animal species, according to Charter Township of West Bloomfield, Michigan.

HIGH HOMOCYSTEINE LEVELS LINKED TO REDUCED COGNITIVE FUNCTION

2013-08-24T16:16:00.000+01:00

A recent study suggests that high levels of homocysteine in the blood may be associated with a higher risk of cognitive impairment in older people.

Homocysteine is a naturally occurring, sulfur-containing amino acid in the blood that requires enzymes, vitamin B12, folic acid, and other vitamins to be converted to the essential amino acid methionine. Deficiencies in folic acid (folate), vitamin B6, vitamin B12, or betaine may lead to hyperhomocysteinemia, a medical condition characterized by high levels of homocysteine in the blood. The concentration of homocysteine in the blood may decrease after appropriate supplementation with the deficient vitamins.

In a recent study, researchers from the University of Western Australia and Royal Perth Hospital recruited 358 people over the age of 50 to determine if homocysteine levels may be associated with cognitive impairment in older adults with depressive symptoms. About 70 percent of the participants met the criteria for major depression. The researchers collected blood samples to determine levels of homocysteine, vitamin B12, and folate, and administered cognitive tests to assess verbal and visual recall and memory.

The researchers found that people who had major depression and high homocysteine levels performed significantly worse on the cognitive tests. Participants who had high homocysteine levels without major depression had lower scores than those with normal homocysteine levels. Furthermore, those with high homocysteine levels were almost twice more likely to show cognitive decline on several tests.

The researchers concluded that high blood levels of homocysteine may be linked to weaker performance on cognitive tests, compared to normal levels, independent of the presence or severity of depressive symptoms. The authors suggested that B-vitamin supplementation may be an effective way to lower homocysteine levels and reduce the impact of cognitive deficits in older adults.

Source: NaturalStandard

GREENHOUSE GASES ARE HEALTH THREATS

2013-08-18T16:00:00.001+01:00

GREENHOUSE GASES

Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses from power plants, cars, and other sources can harm human health directly. Ground-level ozone, for example, can contribute to asthma and other lung diseases.
The six greenhouse gasses are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6).
Global warming has broader health effects on the population. It has been found that global warming could increase rates of heat stroke, infectious diseases, drownings due to higher water levels, more frequent and intense wildfires, and water-quality problems.
In both magnitude and probability, climate change is an enormous problem. The greenhouse gases that are responsible for it endanger public health and welfare within the meaning of the Clean Air Act as announced by some agencies such as the "Environmental Protection Agency" in Washington.
The EPA announcement was the result of a review ordered by the Supreme Court. The court ruled that the EPA has the authority to regulate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses if the agency determines they endanger health and welfare.

Source: WebMD

SLEEP

2013-08-09T15:33:00.000+01:00

TOP TIPS TO GET BACK TO SLEEP.

1. If you wake up and struggle to get back to sleep, there's usually a reason.
Illness, heartburn, hot flashes, and what you eat and drink can keep you up. So can anxiety, stress, and depression.
Many people also have trouble sleeping after a troubling event such as a death or divorce.
2. While alcohol can make you sleepy, it won't help you get a good night's rest. You're more likely to wake up when the alcohol's effects wear off.
Avoid alcohol after dinner. More than a drink or two can keep you from getting the deep sleep you need.
3. When it comes to getting a good night's sleep, a lot of medications can get in the way. Some antidepressants can keep you awake, as can over-the-counter pain relievers and decongestants.
Heart and blood pressure medications like beta-blockers and diuretics can also disrupt your sleep.
4. If you wake up and can't get back to sleep within 15 to 20 minutes, the worst thing you can do is stay in bed and watch the clock.
Get up and go into another room. Read, take a bath, have a light snack, or do something quiet. When you feel sleepy, get back into bed.
5. Healthy sleeping habits known as sleep hygiene can help you shift from daytime frenzy to nighttime slumber.
Go to sleep when you are tired and avoid caffeine four to six hours before bedtime. Don't smoke near bedtime, and finish dinner several hours before going to sleep. Keep your bedroom quiet, dark, and cool, and only use it for sleeping and sex.
And don't drink too much water. If you do, you'll wake up because you'll need to use the bathroom.
6. The word apnea means "not breathing." If you have sleep apnea, your airway gets blocked on and off during the night, which wakes you up. You might wake up hundreds of times a night without remembering it. Your partner might tell you that you snore loudly, snort, or gasp.
Insomnia and sleep apnea can be connected. Sleep apnea can be dangerous. People who have it have a high risk of heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, and high blood pressure.
7. A sleep diary can help you find out what's keeping you from getting a good night's sleep.
Keep a record for one week of things like when you went to bed, how often you woke up during the night, and how many caffeinated drinks you had during the day.
Bring your sleep diary with you to your next doctor appointment. Then you and your doctor can come up with a plan for sleeping better.
8. If you want to sleep better, start exercising. People who exercise, especially those who exercise vigorously, report sleeping better than those who don't.
Try to exercise at least 30 minutes a day on most days. For most people, exercising any time -- even near bedtime -- is better than no exercise. If you have trouble sleeping and your doctor has told you not to exercise at night, follow that advice.
9. Having a fan or another "white noise" device in your room can help you tune out outside noise, such as barking dogs and loud power generators and cars.
Try not to watch TV or use a computer before bedtime. Some studies suggest the light from those devices can suppress melatonin, the hormone that helps bring on sleep.
10. It may be tempting to turn to over-the-counter sleeping pills when you are staring at the ceiling in the middle of the night. But while these medications may help you for a few days, they don't work well in the long run.
Many people who take nonprescription sleeping pills feel tired the next day. That can be due to a "hangover" effect of the medication. These drugs may not completely stop working after eight hours.

Night Owls More Likely to Experience Nightmares

2013-08-09T00:43:00.000+01:00

Night owls might think staying up late is a real hoot, but a new study hints that delayed sleep might have a sinister side. People who hit the sack late might have a greater risk of experiencing nightmares, according to scientists, although they add that follow-up research is needed to confirm the link.
"It's a very interesting preliminary study, and we desperately need more research in this area," says Jessica Payne, director of the Sleep, Stress and Memory Lab at the University of Notre Dame, commenting on the new findings.
Previous reports have estimated 80 percent of adults experience at least one nightmare a year, with 5 percent suffering from disturbing dreams more than once a month. The new paper, from a group of scientists writing in the journal Sleep and Biological Rhythms, surveyed 264 university students about their sleep habits and frequency of nightmares, defined as "dysphoric dreams associated with feelings of threat, anxiety, fear or terror."

The scientists, led by Yavuz Selvi at the Yuzuncu Yil University in Van, Turkey, used a measure known as the Van Dream Anxiety Scale to assess the rate of bad dreams. Specifically, study participants were asked to rate their frequency of experiencing nightmares on a scale from zero to 4, corresponding to never and always, respectively.
On average, individuals who described themselves as evening types had a score of 2.10, whereas their morning-type equivalents averaged 1.23 on the scale, a significant difference according to the authors of the study.
The Turkish study follows from a larger online survey of nearly 4,000 people that found hints of an association between being a night owl and nightmares among women beginning in their 20s. Those results from Tore Nielsen, director of the Dream and Nightmare Laboratory at the Sacre-Coeur Hospital in Montreal, were published in 2010 in theJournal of Biological Rhythms. "I was pleased to see that they replicated the association between being an evening person and having nightmares," Nielsen says. But he adds that more research is needed into how this might play out according to a person's sex: "Men and women have very different emotional systems, and I think we're seeing a different expression of that difference in nightmares."
Experts are intrigued by the idea that a person's daily body cycle, known as the circadian rhythm, might be linked to nightmares. "I think it's certainly of interest," says Russell Rosenberg, director of the Atlanta School of Sleep Medicine & Technology and chairman of the National Sleep Foundation. "There's certainly not a lot of research in this area."
Mood matters
Exactly why evening types might report more nightmares is a mystery. The authors of the new study point to previous work that found these individuals might be more likely to have mood disorders and stressful lifestyles. Other scientists have found an association between mood disorders, such as depression, and sleep problems.
Mark Blagrove, director of the Sleep Lab at Swansea University, notes that the survey by Selvi et al. found that evening types were slightly more likely to recall their dreams overall, so this could in part explain the findings.
However, Blagrove adds that night owls who go to bed late during the week and have to wake up for work at the same time as early birds are more likely to experience sleep deficit—and to make up for it on the weekends by sleeping in. It's during this extended weekend sleep that they might experience more REM sleep, a sleep phase that is characterized by rapid eye movement, increased brain activity and vivid dreaming. "They might have a whole lot of recovery sleep on the weekend that explains why this is happening," Blagrove says.
A so-called stress hormone known as cortisol might also be involved, Payne hypothesizes. The hormone usually peaks in the body in the morning, just before we wake up. It's also around this time that REM sleep cycles also peak. "The first question is whether there is a connection between REM and cortisol peaking," Payne says. "The idea is that if your sleep has been shifted you may be asleep when cortisol is elevated, which might lead to nightmares or bizarre and vivid dreams."
It's unclear from the new study whether the students who self-reported as evening-types were true night owls or natural early birds who mischaracterized themselves because they were forcing themselves to stay up late to socialize or complete a term paper. According to Rosenberg, follow-up studies on the possible nightmare link should have participants record their habits in a sleep diary, or wear a movement-detecting device known as an actigraph unit—essentially a specialized accelerometer that can record sleep patterns based on periods of rest.
The value of knowing the causes of nightmares is not lost on researchers themselves. "I used to have a whole load of dreams ten years ago that were thrillers, with a slightly threatening aspect to them," Blagrove says. "I don't miss them at all."
This article was provided by ScientificAmerican.com. © 1905 ScientificAmerican.com. All rights reserved.

THE JOY OF WORK

2013-07-27T06:40:00.001+01:00

Who says work is all work and no fun? The job profile could be different and difficult, the company's rules could be strict and claustrophobic and even the timings can be a real pain and of course, the boss can be a dragon. All that is bad, but it wouldn't matter if you have colleagues as friends.

Then the challenges will be like the ones in video games. Fun to beat them and enjoy the stay. The only thing is you should reciprocate the love and friendship that they offer you.

Don't be a snob, but be a pal. Workplace will be one that you would look forward to being in even on a Monday!
ALAGOA N.J.

How to Build a Better Butt

2013-06-18T15:18:00.000+01:00

Booty Boot Camp

If you feel your "rear view" needs a makeover, the right fitness routine can help give you a lift. Can you achieve the "perfect" Brazilian beach butt seen on TV? That depends partly on your body type and genes. But most everyone can shape up to look better in jeans. These pictures show you the moves.

Behind It All: Meet Your Glutes

The shape of the buttocks is defined by muscles known as the glutes. That's the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus, as well as the fat that lies over them. Walking, running, and climbing all work the glutes. Strength training that targets these muscles can help give you a tighter, more rounded look. Adding a few butt-busting moves to your routine may be enough to see a change.

Squat and Tone

The squat tops every list of butt-sculpting exercises. It directly works the glutes.You can build bigger bottom muscles by adding hand-held weights.
Form: Keep feet parallel, shoulder-width apart. Slowly lower the hips as if sitting in a chair; then return to standing. Make sure your knees do not push out in front of your toes. Keep your torso tight and back straight.

Or Try a Ball Squat

If you're just starting out, a large ball can help with balance while you master the form. For each exercise on our list, aim for three sets of 15 reps. Try to do each exercise three times a week.
Form: Keep the ball between your low back and a wall. Slowly perform the classic squat. Walk your feet out in front so the knees stay behind your toes.

Forward Lunge

This butt builder also tones the thighs and calves. It's a pretty good fat burner, too.
Form: With your feet parallel and hip-distance apart, take one giant step forward. Lower your body slowly, bending both knees, and return to standing. Repeat on the other side. Bend your knees no more than 90 degrees. Keep your front knee stacked right over your front ankle. Do not rest your back knee on the ground.

Or Try a Backward Lunge

When you step backward into a lunge, it works the glutes a little harder. Your workout gets variety, too. Lunges also add flex to your hips. They align your body better, too, something that can suffer when people spend long hours sitting at a desk.
Form: Use the same posture as in a forward lunge, but step backward to position the lower leg. Don't let the front knee push out in front of your toes.

Or Try a Side Lunge

The side lunge targets the muscle on the outside of the hips, the glutes, and tones the inner thighs, too.
Form: From a wide stance, bend one knee. Keep the shinbone under that knee straight up from the floor. If the knee falls inside the foot, use a shorter stance. Lean forward slightly, but keep your shoulders behind your knees to keep from hurting yourself. Put your hands where they help with balance.

On the Ball: Leg Lift

Leg lifts done while you balance on an exercise ball will strengthen your shoulders and abs, as well as your glutes. As you get more fit, try lifting both legs at the same time for a harder, beautiful-butt move.
Form: Keep your abs tight and back flat. Squeeze your glute muscles tight as you lift one leg. Just a few inches is fine when you're just starting out. Be careful not to use your lower back muscles.

On the Ball: Hip Lift

This small movement focuses on the gluteus maximus, the largest muscle in the body. Be careful not to use the back muscles; the glutes should do the work.
Form: Bend the knees 90 degrees, feet together. Squeeze the glutes and slowly move the thighs up off the ball. A small, controlled, 2-inch movement is the goal.

Floor Work: Bridge

This classic is a super workout for the glutes, as well as the hamstrings and hips.
Form: Begin on your back with your knees bent, feet hip-width apart. Slowly peel your spine off the floor from the tailbone. Tighten the glutes and hamstrings as you do this. When your body has formed a long, slanted line from shoulders to knees, hold for a few seconds. Then lower slowly.

Floor Work: Side Leg Raises

This move targets the two smaller muscle groups in the buttocks, the gluteus medius and minimus.
Form: Lift the top leg while lying on your side. Keep the hips stacked and the torso still. Both knees should face forward. To work slightly different muscles, you can turn the top leg out from the hip.

Floor Work: Dirty Dog

This bottom builder gained fame in the exercise videos of the 1970s as the "fire hydrant." It targets two of the muscle groups in the buttocks.
Form: Keep your knees hip-width apart and your hands directly under your shoulders, elbows straight. Gently stiffen the abs and keep your back in a neutral position with no sagging or arching. Slowly draw one knee up. Rotate the hip to bring the leg toward the torso, then away.

Floor Work: Mountain Climbers

Along with pushing your glutes, the running plank works the shoulders, hips, and core muscles. Do it quickly to burn calories while building muscle.
Form: Tighten the abs to protect the lower back. Spread your fingers wide to protect the wrists. Bring one leg in at a time -- bending the knee, like you were running. Keep your upper body steady. Repeat as if you’re running in place.

Walk the Hills

For a no-fuss butt workout, all you have to do is walk. Tackle hills for the most glute-shaping impact. You'll burn extra calories, too. On a treadmill, you can get this effect using a 5% to 7% incline.

Tone Your Tush With Cardio

In the gym, try stair steppers, arc trainers, and elliptical machines.They challenge the glutes while giving your heart and lungs a healthy workout. Inline skating and cycling are other choices that help both heart and tush.

Firm Up Without Bulking Up

Some people's muscles rise to a challenge by bulking up. If that's what your genes have dealt you -- and you don't like a pumped-up look -- focus on aerobic activity over weight training. Don't crank the resistance up too high on an exercise machine. And skip the weights when you do butt-sculpting exercises.

Slim Your Assets

Targeted exercises alone may give you a firmer behind but not always a smaller one. For more impact, watch your diet, burn more calories, and lose weight. You'll reduce the fat pad lying over the gluteal muscles, giving you tight, trim curves back there.

How To Go for the Maximum

If bigger is better to you, you'll want to really challenge the glute muscles. Dial up the resistance on a stationary bike or other cardio machine. During strength training, go for more weight, more reps, and shorter rest periods between exercises. A high-quality diet also helps build muscle mass.

Can You Shift Your Shape?

There's much talk in beauty magazines about a rounded, "Brazilian-style" butt. Targeted exercises can move a flat fanny closer to this beauty ideal. But a workout will most likely enhance the shape your behind already has: heart-like, pear, bubble, or another. For total reshaping, after a huge weight loss, for instance, cosmetic surgeons offer implants, lifts, and reshaping.

Shapewear for Your Tush

Lots of underwear now aims to "separate and lift" your bottom. Some styles rein in skin with elastic panels. Others enhance your rear view with padding. You can even find padded inserts and lifting Spandex panels in jeans.

Dress Your Assets Down

Boot-cut and flared jeans balance out the hips and rear for a slimming effect. Long pant legs make your legs look longer and your booty smaller. And back pockets can do much to buff up your butt. Just beware of super-long back pockets. They can make your behind look flat or saggy instead of showing off those sexy contours you earned at the gym.

Dress Your Assets Up

Skip the peg leg and ankle jeans. They widen the hips and make your body look like an ice cream cone with a big, round scoop on top. A better choice to really show off your curves are skinny-fit pant legs or leggings. Look for a tight, form-fitting rear panel for head-turning style.

Read more: WebMD

Food Poisoning From Coffee

2013-06-11T12:23:00.002+01:00

By Kimberly Schaub

Kimberly Schaub is a nutritionist, writer, and cook whose passions have led from serving in the United States Air Force (2005-2006), to R&D for Day by Day Gourmet (2009) and into professional writing for publications since 2006. She has been published in Pepperdine's "Graphic," "That's Natural in Pueblo," and "Pike Place Market News." Schaub earned her Bachelor of Science in nutrition at Pepperdine.

Photo Credit coffee and coffee-beans image by Dmitri MIkitenko from Fotolia.com

Food safety is an important issue, but coffee is an unusual source of food poisoning. However, while most food professionals are more concerned with meat, dairy and cooked foods, coffee can become contaminated with ochratoxin and mold. Milk and creamers used to flavor coffee drinks can also transmit food-borne illnesses.

Sources

ServSafe, FDA's food safety guidelines, states that foods that contain carbohydrates or protein, such as meat, poultry, dairy and eggs are at risk for causing illnesses. However, ServSafe emphasizes that any food can be contaminated and be a carrier for bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi that will cause illness. Foods previously not considered sources of food illness include sliced melons, cut tomatoes, sprouts and untreated flavored oil mixes. In addition, corn, peanuts, cottonseed, milk, treenuts and coffee beans are potential sources for fungi contamination.

Toxins and Molds

According to ServSafe, fungi mostly spoil food without causing illness, and they can be found in air, soil, plants, water and some foods. Some molds produce aflatoxin, which can cause liver disease. According to Food Safety Watch, toxicity of aflatoxin results in necrosis and cirrhosis of the liver. Coffee is a potential host for aflatoxin-producing molds because it is grown in tropical climates, where there is higher humidity and more rainfall. Coffee can also be a source of ochratoxin, another toxin produced by fungi, that can cause severe illness or even death. Our Food states that this dangerous toxin cannot be destroyed by cooking, and mortality is high if a person consumes the toxin.

Considerations

The incidence of mold developing in food is increased when food is improperly harvested and dried. This is particularly the case with coffee, because the humid climate in which coffee naturally grows can slow adequate drying. In humans, toxicity is rare, but there have been documented cases of people becoming ill due to consuming contaminated food, according to Food Safety Watch. Our Food suggests that low level contamination is fairly common, but the levels found have been below the legal limits.

Dairy-related Food Poisoning

Bacterial contamination is the most typical cause of dairy-related food-borne illnesses. According to ServSafe, bacteria can cause gastroenteritis, listeriosis and salmonellosis. When the bacteria infect the food, they rapidly reproduce when the environmental conditions are ideal. They thrive in room temperature foods and in contaminated, unpasteurized dairy products. They can also be transferred to other foods that would not naturally host the bacteria. People can be at risk if contaminated milk is used to make coffee drinks.

Safe Handling and Storing

Carefully handling coffee and milk products can keep food safe and prevent food-borne illness. ServSafe, which complies with state regulations, recommends keeping milk at 41 degrees F or colder. When heating milk and coffee, the beverage should be heated to above 140 degrees F. Make sure to adhere to the expiration dates and discard expired milk. The FDA states that the shelf-life for coffee in unopened containers is up to one year, and once opened can last two to three months at room temperature. If you refrigerate your coffee, you shorten the shelf-life, and it will last only two or three weeks, but frozen coffee can last up to four months.

OBESITY & OVERWEIGHT

2013-06-05T23:54:00.001+01:00

Obesity and overweight

Fact sheet N°311
Updated March 2013

Key facts

Worldwide obesity has nearly doubled since 1980.
In 2008, more than 1.4 billion adults, 20 and older, were overweight. Of these over 200 million men and nearly 300 million women were obese.
35% of adults aged 20 and over were overweight in 2008, and 11% were obese.
65% of the world's population live in countries where overweight and obesity kills more people than underweight.
More than 40 million children under the age of five were overweight in 2011.
Obesity is preventable.

What are overweight and obesity?

Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health.
Body mass index (BMI) is a simple index of weight-for-height that is commonly used to classify overweight and obesity in adults. It is defined as a person's weight in kilograms divided by the square of his height in meters (kg/m²).
The WHO definition is:

a BMI greater than or equal to 25 is overweight
a BMI greater than or equal to 30 is obesity.

BMI provides the most useful population-level measure of overweight and obesity as it is the same for both sexes and for all ages of adults. However, it should be considered a rough guide because it may not correspond to the same degree of fatness in different individuals.

Facts about overweight and obesity

Overweight and obesity are the fifth leading risk for global deaths. At least 2.8 million adults die each year as a result of being overweight or obese. In addition, 44% of the diabetes burden, 23% of the ischaemic heart disease burden and between 7% and 41% of certain cancer burdens are attributable to overweight and obesity.
Some WHO global estimates from 2008 follow.

More than 1.4 billion adults, 20 and older, were overweight.
Of these overweight adults, over 200 million men and nearly 300 million women were obese.
Overall, more than 10% of the world’s adult population was obese.

In 2011, more than 40 million children under the age of five were overweight. Once considered a high-income country problem, overweight and obesity are now on the rise in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in urban settings. More than 30 million overweight children are living in developing countries and 10 million in developed countries.
Overweight and obesity are linked to more deaths worldwide than underweight. For example, 65% of the world's population live in countries where overweight and obesity kill more people than underweight (this includes all high-income and most middle-income countries).

What causes obesity and overweight?

The fundamental cause of obesity and overweight is an energy imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended. Globally, there has been:

an increased intake of energy-dense foods that are high in fat; and
an increase in physical inactivity due to the increasingly sedentary nature of many forms of work, changing modes of transportation, and increasing urbanization.

Changes in dietary and physical activity patterns are often the result of environmental and societal changes associated with development and lack of supportive policies in sectors such as health, agriculture, transport, urban planning, environment, food processing, distribution, marketing and education.

What are common health consequences of overweight and obesity?

Raised BMI is a major risk factor for noncommunicable diseases such as:

cardiovascular diseases (mainly heart disease and stroke), which were the leading cause of death in 2008;
diabetes;
musculoskeletal disorders (especially osteoarthritis - a highly disabling degenerative disease of the joints);
some cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon).

The risk for these noncommunicable diseases increases, with the increase in BMI.
Childhood obesity is associated with a higher chance of obesity, premature death and disability in adulthood. But in addition to increased future risks, obese children experience breathing difficulties, increased risk of fractures, hypertension, early markers of cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance and psychological effects.

Facing a double burden of disease

Many low- and middle-income countries are now facing a "double burden" of disease.

While they continue to deal with the problems of infectious disease and under-nutrition, they are experiencing a rapid upsurge in noncommunicable disease risk factors such as obesity and overweight, particularly in urban settings.
It is not uncommon to find under-nutrition and obesity existing side-by-side within the same country, the same community and the same household.

Children in low- and middle-income countries are more vulnerable to inadequate pre-natal, infant and young child nutrition At the same time, they are exposed to high-fat, high-sugar, high-salt, energy-dense, micronutrient-poor foods, which tend to be lower in cost but also lower in nutrient quality. These dietary patterns in conjunction with lower levels of physical activity, result in sharp increases in childhood obesity while undernutrition issues remain unsolved.

How can overweight and obesity be reduced?

Overweight and obesity, as well as their related noncommunicable diseases, are largely preventable. Supportive environments and communities are fundamental in shaping people’s choices, making the healthier choice of foods and regular physical activity the easiest choice (accessible, available and affordable), and therefore preventing obesity.
At the individual level, people can:

limit energy intake from total fats and sugars;
increase consumption of fruit and vegetables, as well as legumes, whole grains and nuts;
engage in regular physical activity (60 minutes a day for children and 150 minutes per week for adults).

Individual responsibility can only have its full effect where people have access to a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, at the societal level it is important to:

support individuals in following the recommendations above, through sustained political commitment and the collaboration of many public and private stakeholders;
make regular physical activity and healthier dietary choices available, affordable and easily accessible to all - especially the poorest individuals.

The food industry can play a significant role in promoting healthy diets by:

reducing the fat, sugar and salt content of processed foods;
ensuring that healthy and nutritious choices are available and affordable to all consumers;
practicing responsible marketing especially those aimed at children and teenagers;
ensuring the availability of healthy food choices and supporting regular physical activity practice in the workplace.

WHO response

Adopted by the World Health Assembly in 2004, the WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health describes the actions needed to support healthy diets and regular physical activity. The Strategy calls upon all stakeholders to take action at global, regional and local levels to improve diets and physical activity patterns at the population level.
WHO has developed the 2008-2013 Action plan for the global strategy for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases to help the millions who are already affected cope with these lifelong illnesses and prevent secondary complications. This action plan aims to build on, the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and the WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health. The action plan provides a roadmap to establish and strengthen initiatives for the surveillance, prevention and management of NCDs.
The Political Declaration of the High Level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases of September 2011, recognizes the critical importance of reducing the level of exposure of individuals and populations to unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. The political declaration commits to advance the implementation of the WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health, including, where appropriate, through the introduction of policies and actions aimed at promoting healthy diets and increasing physical activity in the entire population.

SOURCE: WHO

FOODS FOR BETTER SEX

2013-06-05T23:45:00.001+01:00

AFRODISIAC FOODS

When your love life is lacking, you're tempted to try almost anything to reignite the spark. Well one answer may lie as close as what’s on your plate.
Sari Greaves, RD, spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association and co-author of the Cardiac Recovery Cookbook, says, "For centuries, the smell, taste, and appearance of food has been touted as passion-producing."

Certain foods are reputed to strip away inhibitions, put you in the mood for lovemaking, or improve blood flow to your genitals, all of which could enhance your performance and your pleasure.
In truth, there’s not much scientific proof to substantiate the link between food and passionate sex. But that's no reason why you and your partner should shy away from these so-called natural love potions.
Experts say that most notorious food aphrodisiacs are a treasure trove of nutrients that are needed for sexual prowess and good health. It’s a win-win situation.

Sexually Suggestive Fruits and Vegetables

Some people find produce erotic. Bananas, asparagus, cucumbers, and carrots speak for themselves.
Avocados were prized by the Aztecs, who called them "testicle trees" because they grow in pairs. Ancient Greeks and Romans feasted on figs to promote potency. Pomegranates were also known as "love apples."
Ancient civilizations were on to something. Fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamins and minerals required to produce the sex hormones necessary for sexual arousal and pleasure.

Honey

Ever wonder where the term "honeymoon" came from?
Centuries ago, newlyweds in Europe drank honey wine during the first month of marriage to improve their sexual stamina. As a bonus, the long-ago lovebirds also got small amounts of beneficial vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants from honey.

Chocolate

The Aztec emperor Montezuma's chocolate consumption is legendary. Rumor has it that he drank 50 glasses of honey-sweetened chocolate a day in the name of virility.
Perhaps Montezuma valued chocolate for its feel-good qualities too. Cocoa beans contain phenylethamine, a compound that triggers the release of endorphins, compounds associated with pleasure.
Cocoa powder processed without alkaline provides the biggest bang for the buck. It contains the highest levels of the antioxidants associated with lower blood cholesterol levels, reduced inflammation in blood vessels, and maximum blood flow. Darker chocolate contains more cocoa powder.

Oysters

Oysters are dripping with dopamine, a compound that stirs feelings of sexual desire and pleasure. These mollusks are also bursting with zinc, a mineral that fosters the production of testosterone, necessary for arousal and pleasure in men and women.
You may need to resist the temptation to ply your paramour with raw oysters -- your romantic interlude could end with a severe case of food poisoning. Some raw oysters in the U.S. carry a bacterium called Vibrio vulnificus. Healthy people are unlikely to have adverse effects from eating raw oysters. But those with diabetes, liver disease, immune systems disorders, AIDS, and other chronic diseases can end up with a severe infection that may be fatal.

Salmon

You can't get down when you're uptight. Eating salmon can help brighten your disposition.
"Salmon harbors an abundance of omega-3 fats, which qualifies it as a natural mood booster," says registered dietician and author or The Good Mood Diet, Susan Kleiner.
Salmon also supplies large amounts of vitamin D. Researchers at the University of Toronto have found that vitamin D appears to work in the brain like many antidepressant medications do: by raising levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that induces feelings of calm and banishes bad moods.

Garlic

Rich in antioxidants that protect against cell damage, garlic is said to stir sexual desire and increase blood flow, Greaves says.
Just be sure to eat as much as your bed partner because the effects of garlic can linger on your breath for hours.

Alcohol

A glass of the bubbly can help set the mood. But remember, though a drink a day may help reduce the risk of heart disease in healthy people, too much booze can turn your tryst into a snooze fest. Alcohol is a central nervous system downer. Chronic drinking is also linked to erectile dysfunction, which will put an even heavier damper on lovemaking.

The Couple that Eats Together, Sleeps Together?

If you enjoy foods with a reputation for making you hot to trot, you may be thinking about whipping up meals that will knock your partner’s socks off. Well, there's more involved than just what's on the menu.
"A delicious meal can be a prelude to sex," Kleiner says. The act of cooking together can even be a form of foreplay, and the smell of food can ignite intimacy.
Research has shown that for men the aroma of pumpkin pie, cheese pizza, and buttered popcorn induces blood flow to the penis, and the combination of pumpkin pie and lavender does the best job. Women, on the other hand, respond to a combination of Good & Plenty and cucumber.
The smell of vanilla is particularly alluring. "Add vanilla extract to whole grain French toast or drop a vanilla bean into your champagne," Greaves says.
If you're not interested in any of the foods with a reputation for enhancing your love life, are you doomed to a lust-free existence? Not at all.
What matters most is that you and your partner dine on meals that include foods you both enjoy, as long as you don't overeat or drink yourself into a stupor, Kleiner says. "What you eat on a daily basis is far more important to overall sexual satisfaction than a single meal."

Good Health Is the Ultimate Aphrodisiac

Judith Reichman, MD, author of I'm Not In the Mood: What Every Woman Should Know About Improving Her Libido, says, "If you want better sex, take care of your health." Peak physical and emotional well-being is the most important factor in a satisfying sex life.
You don't need to be model-thin to have a wonderful sex life, but if you're uncomfortable with your weight, you may not be at your best in the bedroom for a few reasons.
"Being overweight may deflate your libido, especially if you don't feel attractive," Kleiner says.
Extra body fat also raises the specter of elevated blood glucose levels that can damage the blood vessels and nerves that allow for arousal and sexual pleasure. It also increases the risk for high blood pressure and clogged arteries.
Clear, flexible arteries allow maximum blood flow to all the right places during sex, enhancing your pleasure.
A balanced diet rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and other lean protein foods helps to control your blood pressure, blood cholesterol levels, and your weight.
But don't cut too many calories. According to Reichman, menopausal women lose 90% of their circulating estrogen, which may result in less blood flowing to the genitals and diminished capacity for arousal. Body fat offers some protection, because, like your ovaries, it produces estrogen.
Whatever your weight, exercise has a positive effect on your sex life because it improves circulation, manages blood pressure, increases energy levels, and helps you look better.

ByElizabeth M. Ward, MS, RD
WebMD Feature

GENITAL HERPES FACTS

2013-03-16T16:50:00.003+01:00

INTRODUCTION
The incidence of herpes, a sexually transmitted disease, varies across the world. Among pregnant women with herpes, nearly 75% can expect at least one flare‐up during their pregnancy. Transmission of the virus from mother to baby typically occurs by direct contact with the virus during birth. It is often recommended that a cesarean should be offered to women with active lesions to reduce the risk of transmission to the baby. In addition, several antiviral agents are available for use both for therapy and for preventing a flare‐up. These antiviral drugs include acyclovir, penciclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir. The review assessed whether antiviral drugs given to pregnant women with herpes before a recurrence might be effective in reducing transmission to the baby. Seven studies were identified involving 1249 women. Giving antiviral drugs reduces viral shedding and recurrences at labor and birth. They also reduced the use of cesarean, but there is no evidence of reduction in neonatal herpes. Women should also be informed that the risk of the baby getting herpes during birth is low.

FACTS TO KNOW ABOUT GENITAL HERPES
1. Most people with genital herpes do not know it.
About 16% of people aged 14-49 in the U.S. are infected with the herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2) that causes genital herpes, but as many as 81% of them had not received the diagnosis.

2. Genital herpes is very common, infecting at least 45 million people aged 12 and older in the United States.

3. About one in five women between the ages of 14 and 49 have genital herpes caused by HSV-2, while about one in nine men in that same age range are infected.

4. Genital herpes is caused by a virus, so antibiotics will not help resolve the infection. There is no cure for herpes, but treatment is available to reduce and prevent outbreaks and decrease the risk of transmission to a partner.

5. As with other sexually transmitted diseases, herpes can be spread by close contact or sexual activity. It is highly unlikely to be spread by a toilet seat or other objects.

6. Genital herpes can be transmitted even if the infected partner has no symptoms or visible signs or doesn’t know he or she is infected.

7. Washing the genital area doesn’t help prevent any sexually transmitted disease (STD), including genital herpes. The best way to prevent any STD is to abstain from sex or engage in sex only with someone you know is not infected. Condoms are not guaranteed to prevent infection, but research has shown that they provide some protection.
The estimated number of pregnant women infected with HSV-2 is 880,000. Most transmission to newborns occurs during vaginal delivery. If a woman had genital herpes before getting pregnant, her baby may be infected but the chance is very low -- less than 1%. However, the risk of infecting the baby is much higher (25% to 50%) when a woman is newly infected late in pregnancy.

8. If you are pregnant and think you may be infected, tell your doctor right away. Women with genital herpes are examined carefully for any symptoms before giving birth. If sores or signs that an outbreak is coming are present at the time of delivery, the baby may be delivered by cesarean section (C-section).

9. To find out if you have genital herpes, a doctor can take a sample from a sore and test it in the laboratory. There is also a blood test that looks for antibodies to the virus that your immune system would have made. HSV-2 almost always infects the genitals, so if antibodies to HSV-2 are detected in your blood, you probably have genital herpes.

A blood test that shows antibodies to HSV-1 means you could have genital or oral herpes. That's because oral herpes, typically caused by HSV-1, can be spread to the genitals during oral sex.

10. When a person is first infected with the herpes virus, if symptoms occur they usually develop within the first two weeks of virus transmission. Symptoms can include fever and flu-like symptoms, genital itching, burning and discomfort, vaginal discharge, swollen lymph nodes, and a feeling of abdominal pressure.

11. The classic symptom of genital herpes is small fluid-filled blisters that break, forming painful sores that crust and heal. These may appear four to seven days after the initial virus transmission.

12. Genital herpes typically causes several outbreaks (four or five) within a year of the first outbreak, with fewer and less severe outbreaks over time.

13. Some commonly reported triggers for genital herpes outbreaks include stress, illness, surgery, vigorous sex, diet, and menstrual periods.

14. Once inside the body, HSV-2 travels to the nerve roots near the spinal cord and settles there permanently.

15. About half the people who have recurrent outbreaks of genital herpes feel an outbreak coming a few hours to a couple of days before it happens. They may feel tingling, burning, itching, numbness, tenderness, or pain where the blisters are going to appear. This is called the prodrome.

SOURCE: WebMD

LYMPHATIC FILARIASIS (ELEPHANTIASIS)

2013-03-16T13:30:00.005+01:00

Lymphatic filariasis

Fact sheet N°102
Updated March 2013

Key facts

Nearly 1.4 billion people in 73 countries worldwide are threatened by lymphatic filariasis, commonly known as elephantiasis.
Over 120 million people are currently infected, with about 40 million disfigured and incapacitated by the disease.
Lymphatic filariasis can result in an altered lymphatic system and the abnormal enlargement of body parts, causing pain and severe disability.
Acute episodes of local inflammation involving the skin, lymph nodes and lymphatic vessels often accompany chronic lymphoedema.
To interrupt transmission WHO recommends an annual mass drug administration of single doses of two medicines to all eligible people in endemic areas.

The disease

Lymphatic filariasis, commonly known as elephantiasis, is a neglected tropical disease. Infection occurs when filarial parasites are transmitted to humans through mosquitoes. When a mosquito with infective stage larvae bites a person, the parasites are deposited on the person's skin from where they enter the body. The larvae then migrate to the lymphatic vessels where they develop into adult worms in the human lymphatic system.
Infection is usually acquired in childhood, but the painful and profoundly disfiguring visible manifestations of the disease occur later in life. Whereas acute episodes of the disease cause temporary disability, lymphatic filariasis leads to permanent disability.
Currently, more than 1.4 billion people in 73 countries are at risk. Approximately 65% of those infected live in the WHO South-East Asia Region, 30% in the African Region, and the remainder in other tropical areas.
Lymphatic filariasis afflicts over 25 million men with genital disease and over 15 million people with lymphoedema. Since the prevalence and intensity of infection are linked to poverty, its elimination can contribute to achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.

Cause and transmission

Lymphatic filariasis is caused by infection with nematodes (roundworms) of the family Filariodidea. There are three types of these thread-like filarial worms:

Wuchereria bancrofti, which is responsible for 90% of the cases
Brugia malayi, which causes most of the remainder of the cases
B. timori, which also causes the diseases.

Adult worms lodge in the lymphatic system and disrupt the immune system. They live for 6-8 years and, during their life time, produce millions of microfilariae (small larvae) that circulate in the blood.
Lymphatic filariasis is transmitted by different types of mosquitoes for example by the Culex mosquito, widespread across urban and semi-urban areas; Anopheles mainly in rural areas, and Aedes, mainly in endemic islands in the Pacific.

Symptoms

Lymphatic filariasis infection involves asymptomatic, acute, and chronic conditions. The majority of infections are asymptomatic, showing no external signs of infection. These asymptomatic infections still cause damage to the lymphatic system and the kidneys as well as alter the body's immune system.
Acute episodes of local inflammation involving skin, lymph nodes and lymphatic vessels often accompany the chronic lymphoedema or elephantiasis. Some of these episodes are caused by the body's immune response to the parasite. However most are the result of bacterial skin infection where normal defences have been partially lost due to underlying lymphatic damage.
When lymphatic filariasis develops into chronic conditions, it leads to lymphoedema (tissue swelling) or elephantiasis (skin/tissue thickening) of limbs and hydrocele (fluid accumulation). Involvement of breasts and genital organs is common.
Such body deformities lead to social stigma, as well as financial hardship from loss of income and increased medical expenses. The socioeconomic burdens of isolation and poverty are immense.

Treatment and prevention

The recommended regimen for treatment through mass drug administration (MDA) is a single dose of two medicines given together - albendazole (400 mg) plus either ivermectin (150-200 mcg/kg) in areas where onchocerciasis (river blindness) is also endemic or diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) (6 mg/kg) in areas where onchocerciasis is not endemic. These medicines clear microfilariae from the bloodstream.
Mosquito control is another measure that can be used to suppress transmission. Measures such as insecticide-treated nets or indoor residual spraying may help protect populations in endemic regions from infection.
Patients with chronic disabilities like elephantiasis, lymphoedema, or hydrocele are advised to maintain rigorous hygiene and take necessary precautions to prevent secondary infection and aggravation of the disease condition.

WHO's response

World Health Assembly Resolution 50.29 encourages Member States to eliminate lymphatic filariasis as a public-health problem.
In response, WHO launched its Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF) in 2000. The goal of the GPELF is to eliminate lymphatic filariasis as a public-health problem by 2020.
The strategy is based on two key components:

interrupting transmission through annual large-scale treatment programmes, known as mass drug administration, implemented to cover the entire at-risk population;
alleviating the suffering caused by lymphatic filariasis through morbidity management and disability prevention.

Mass drug administration (MDA)

To achieve interruption of transmission first the disease is mapped to know where to administer MDA then community-wide annual MDA of single doses of albendazole plus either diethylcarbamazine or ivermectin is implemented in endemic regions, treating the entire at-risk population.
MDA should be continued for 4-6 years to fully interrupt transmission of infection. By 2011, 59 endemic countries had completed mapping, and 53 countries had started implementing MDA. Of the 53 countries that had implemented MDA, 12 countries have moved to the post-MDA surveillance phase.
From 2000 to 2011, more than 3.9 billion treatments were delivered to a targeted population of about 950 million individuals in 53 countries, considerably reducing transmission in many places. Recent research data show that the transmission of lymphatic filariasis in at-risk populations has dropped by 43% since the beginning of the GPELF. The overall economic benefit of the programme during 2000-2007 is conservatively estimated at US$ 24 billion.

Morbidity management

Morbidity management and disability prevention are vital for public health improvement and should be fully integrated into the health system. The GPELF aims to provide access to a minimum package of care for every person with acute dermatolymphangioadenitis (ADLA)/acute attacks, lymphoedema/elephantiasis or hydrocele in all areas where lymphatic filariasis is endemic, thus alleviating suffering and promoting improvement in their quality of life.
Clinical severity of lymphoedema and acute inflammatory episodes can be improved using simple measures of hygiene, skin care, exercise, and elevation of affected limbs. Hydrocele (fluid accumulation) can be cured with surgery.

SOURCE: WHO

MAKING AN APPOINTMENT WITH A DOCTOR

2013-01-24T07:41:00.002+01:00

The relationship between you and your doctor should be one of open communication and complete trust -- a two-way street of listening and discussion. Things you need to know.

1. Don't wait until you are sick to pick a doctor. You may be rushed and possibly too sick to make a good decision.

2. It's actually a good idea to have a friend or family member present during doctor's visits so they can take notes or help you remember what the doctor said.

3. If you are worried you will forget something important from a doctor's office visit, bring a tape recorder with a blank tape and fresh batteries to your next appointment. A cell phone with recording capability will also work.

4. Bring any X-rays or pathology reports to a doctor's appointment. If these tests were performed at a hospital or clinic that does not release files directly to you, make sure they will send that information to your doctor's office prior to your visit so he can review it ahead of time.

5. Prior to an appointment with your doctor, prepare your questions, bring the list with you and write down your doctor's answers during your appointment. This ensures you will remember all the questions you had, and you will get the most from your appointment.

6. When booking a doctor's appointment, always try to get the first appointment of the day. At that time, things haven't had a chance to become backed up, and you'll spend less time waiting.

7. A doctor’s time is limited: the average office visit is estimated to last 15 minutes.

8. If you have a lot to discuss during a particular visit, tell the office receptionist so he or she can help. You may also consider asking if you can have two consecutive appointments. Finally, befriend the office nurses and the administrators -- they can make your life much easier when dealing with the doctor.

9. In addition to any questions you may have and past lab results, you should also bring a baggie filled with every medication, vitamin, herb or whatever else you take regularly (in the original bottles or containers) and a copy of your health profile to your appointment.

10. A health profile is one or more forms that lists pertinent health information: current and past medical problems, family health history, as well as current medications or supplements.

11. The best way to start a doctor's appointment is by providing a concise background of your symptoms. Although you may need to discuss several issues, it's best to start with just one.

12. You should tell your doctor if an explanation, description or word is unfamiliar. Ask your doctor to explain it in more simple terms.

13. You may have several more questions at each doctor's visit, but these three should always be asked: How is my overall health?; Are there any tests I should have based on my age or for other reasons?; Do you have any recommendations about lifestyle modifications I should make?

14. It's crucial to be honest about your medical history and compliance (or not) with the doctor's treatment or prescription. Doctors can act only on what they're told. If you're not honest, Doctors will not be able to treat you properly; Doctors will not be able to diagnose your condition properly; Doctors will think the treatment or prescription they suggested for you is not working.

15. If you don't feel comfortable with your doctor, he's probably not the best doctor for you. In order to work, a doctor-patient relationship has to be open and trusting.

16. If your doctor isn't providing the right kind of care, find another one. Physicians provide a service, and if you're not happy or comfortable with it, it is your right to seek better care elsewhere.

17. Some people are told they have "white coat hypertension." This means the patient's blood pressure may be elevated at the doctor’s office or clinic, but not at home or at other times.

18. Some patients take their prescription medicines only as long as the doctor's white coat remains vivid in their minds. About half of patients who need drugs long-term stop taking their medications within six months of their last doctor visit. This is called "white coat non-compliance."

19. Patient non-compliance happens when the patient does not take prescription medications as directed by the doctor. Reasons may include cost, a fear of becoming addicted to the medication and side effects, as well as forgetting to take medications on time.

20. You should always ask for a copy of your test results. There may be a time you need them and the doctor's staff can't be reached.

THE CATFISH SENSE OF TASTE.

2013-01-21T07:00:00.001+01:00

The catfish has over 27,000 taste buds.

There are really lots of amazing things in an animal kingdom. For sure, your ideas about these animals are somewhat limited, unless you take a major study about animals. Catfish is actually one of those interesting animal that you can study. They are diverse group of ray-finned fish. They are also considerable commercial importance; many of the larger species are farmed or fished for food.

Catfish have many taste bud’s that are located over their entire body. The area with the most taste buds is the barbells, which are their whiskers. These whiskers surround the mouth can have as many as twenty-five buds per square millimeter. That is why the catfish can seek out food in the darkest and dirtiest of water. Because of their many taste buds, it is always wise to use live bait such as suckers, sunfish, herring, minnows and even shad when fishing for a catfish. There are channel catfish that can also sense one part per one hundred million amino acids in water. Since the catfish has four barbells, you can imagine the sensitivity of their sense of taste. Smell and taste is high in the catfish. I have heard of some catfish biting at ivory soap, but I would not recommend this as bait. Live fish will work the best for catching catfish. Underwater conditions that are muddy will still result in catching a catfish. That might be another reason why catfish prefer nighttime feeding. They can smell and taste their food so far away and with no sight of it needed that they can sneak up on anything. Although the channel catfish has so many taste buds, you still need to make the presentation appealing. Try live bait on a jig and you should catch a catfish in no time. They do have strange taste preferences, but that is the nice thing about fishing for the big catfish.

NengiJOE BlogoSphere

KNOWING HEPATITIS C

VIRAL HEPATITIS DAY 2014- #ThinkAgain

Awareness

Prevention

Treatment

Vaccination

Stigma

Taking part

"EBOLA" A THREE-FOLD PROBLEM!

SUPPLEMENTS FOR VISION AND HEALTHY EYES

Vision Supplements in Multivitamins

Read the Labels!

PROBIOTICS AND INFANT GIT PROBLEMS

Probiotics May Reduce Gastrointestinal Problems in Infants

FRESH APPLES

SECRETS WOMEN WISH MEN KNEW

1. A Caring Guy Is a Hot Guy

2. Chivalry Still Has a Place

3. Dress to Impress

4. Guy Wears Red, Guy Gets Girl

5. Don't Hide Your Flaws

6. Don't Try to Fix Her World

7. Nodding Is Not Enough

8. Date No. 3 Is Not a Bedroom Key

9. Women Like the Slow Lane

10. Safe Sex Is a Turn-On

11. Learn What She Wants in Bed

12. Performance Anxiety Is Shared

13. Mirroring Is a Barometer of Love

14. Your Shirt May Be a Love Magnet

15. Say It, Again and Again

16. Don't Fear the Relationship Talk

17. Look Your Partner in the Eye

18. Don't Miss the Moment

19. Romance Is Simple; Keep It Coming

ANGER MANAGEMENT

10 tips to tame your temper

Keeping your temper in check can be challenging. Use simple anger management tips — from taking a timeout to using "I" statements — to stay in control.

By Mayo Clinic staff

MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

First Misconception Is That High Blood Pressure Isn't a Big Deal

Second Misconception Is That High Blood Pressure Can't Be Prevented

Third Misconception About High Blood Pressure: It's OK As Long As One Number Is Normal

Fourth Misconception About High Blood Pressure Is About Treatment

Fifth Misconception About High Blood Pressure: Treatment Doesn't Work

STATE OF EMERGENCY IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES

DIABETES AND YOUR DENTAL HEALTH

4 Signs You May Have a Problem

Control Diabetes to Keep Your Smile

See Your Dentist Regularly

Keep Plaque at Bay

Brush Daily, Brush Right

Floss Every Day

Take Care of Your Dentures

Toss the Tobacco

Prepare for Oral Surgery

4 Steps to Protect Your Health

Know the Warning Signs

The Effects of Noise Pollution on the Physical Environment

Economic Effects

Physical Health Effects

Mental Health Effects

Effects on Wildlife

HIGH HOMOCYSTEINE LEVELS LINKED TO REDUCED COGNITIVE FUNCTION

GREENHOUSE GASES ARE HEALTH THREATS

SLEEP

Night Owls More Likely to Experience Nightmares

THE JOY OF WORK

How to Build a Better Butt

Booty Boot Camp

Behind It All: Meet Your Glutes

Squat and Tone

Or Try a Ball Squat

Forward Lunge

Or Try a Backward Lunge

Or Try a Side Lunge

On the Ball: Leg Lift

On the Ball: Hip Lift

Floor Work: Bridge