Month: June 2008

Categories
News on Health & Science

Fast Food Goes Organic

Organic to Go, a Seattle organic fast food company founded in 2004, has purchased cafes and catering operations. The company plans to create lunch places serving organic meals.

CLICK & SEE

People who eat meals out increasingly want more nutritious food. More than 76 percent of the people in a recent poll said they are trying to eat out more healthfully than they were two years ago.

Another showed that, after bite-sized desserts, the hottest trends in food were locally grown and organic produce.

Organic to Go opened its first cafe three years ago. Now it boasts 33 outposts in Seattle, San Diego, Los Angeles and Washington D.C.

.
Sources: Washington Post June 3, 2008

Related articles
Categories
Ailmemts & Remedies Pediatric

Infant Fever

A mother holds her baby while it is immunized

Image via Wikipedia

Fevers are fact of life for most children. In most cases they are nothing to worry about, but it is important to monitor the symptoms closely and to seek medical advice if they persist.

CLICK & SEE

What is a fever?

Fever has been defined as a body temperature elevated to at least 1F above the ‘normal’ of 98.6F (37.0C).

A baby’s temperature normally varies by as much as 2F, depending on the temperature of his surroundings, clothing worn, degree of stress, level of activity or time of day.

What prompts a fever?

In most cases a fever is the body’s reaction to an acute viral or bacterial infection. Raising the temperature helps create an inhospitable environment for viral or bacterial invaders, it also stimulates the production of disease-fighting white blood cells.

Why are babies prone to fevers?

The body’s temperature control system is not well developed in babies.

Infant and childhood fevers can be caused by a number of different factors including:

* Overexertion
* Dehydration
* Mosquito bites
* Bee stings
* Allergic reactions
* Viral or bacteria infections

What are the symptoms?

Typical symptoms of a fever include coughing, aches or pains, an inability to sleep and shivering.

Other symptoms include poor appetite, lethargy and prolonged irritability.

In some cases breathing may be difficult.

What are the treatments?

Dehydration is a risk for infants, and a feverish baby should always be given lots of fluids.

A child with a temperature of less than 102F (38.8C) does not always require immediate medical attention. The child should be observed, and help sought if the symptoms appear to get worse, or the fever does not subside within 24 hours.

A child with a temperature of 102F or higher should be given paracetamol. A doctor or pharmacist should be consulted for a recommended dose.

A doctor’s advice should always be sought for a child whose temperature is 104F (40C) or higher.

Children should not be given aspirin. Several studies link aspirin use in children with Reye’s Syndrome a severe illness that often is fatal.

Are there danger signs?

Certain symptoms, when combined with a fever, warrant an immediate call to the doctor. These include:

* Red spots on the skin, sensitive eyes and runny nose (measles)
* Red, itchy spots (chicken pox)
* Stiffness in the neck or headache (a sign of a more severe infection)

Febrile seizures

Occasionally, a child with a fever will have a seizure. This is called a febrile seizure, and it demands immediate attention from a doctor.

The seizures do not seem to be related to the height of the fever, or to the rapidity with which it rises, but a small number of children seem to be predisposed to attacks.

About 50% of the children who suffer one febrile seizure will go on to have another one. About 33% will have a third one.

While waiting for a doctor to arrive, it is important to follow basic instructions:

* Keep the child upright and make sure they are breathing well
* Stay with the child and talk reassuringly
* Watch for changes in breathing, and make sure that the airways are kept open
* Clear the area to prevent injury
* Do not restrain as this can cause additional injury
* Try placing a soft pillow or blanket under the child’s head
* Loosen clothing to prevent injury and ease discomfort
* If vomiting occurs, turn the head to the side so there is no risk of his choking on inhaled vomit

You may click to learn more about Infant Fever:->Infants Fever

>Fever Quiz

Disclaimer: This information is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advise or help. It is always best to consult with a Physician about serious health concerns. This information is in no way intended to diagnose or prescribe remedies.This is purely for educational purpose.

Sources:BBC NEWS:2nd.June,1999

Zemanta Pixie
Related articles
Categories
Featured News on Health & Science

Hay Fever: Beat the Sneeze


[amazon_link asins=’B00G9E1GYA,0573610045,B00MXOVBO0,B00D1Z52DQ,B000FPD98U,1936251213,B00WDYH9KU,B009AMOHIA,0470398337′ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’ed6ad48b-7a6b-11e7-a347-c9fbf0817161′]

Hay fever sufferers face a really bad summer. Lucy Atkins offers advice.

CLICK & SEE

This summer’s pollen forecast is one of the worst ever, meaning that about one in four of us can expect to slip into a wheezing fug any minute.

Experts say that we are surprisingly inept at managing our symptoms. Many of us do not understand our hay fever triggers and take inappropriate medications. Others throw away money on alternative “remedies” that do not work.

Simply popping a pill when symptoms get out of hand is not the best approach.

“People don’t realise you have to take the right dose at the right time in order to keep levels of the drug high in your system,” says Maureen Jenkins, allergy nurse and spokeswoman for Allergy UK.

“Otherwise it just won’t work.”

Antihistamine nasal sprays can stop your nose running, nasal steroid sprays can unbung you and sprays containing a drug called sodium cromoglicate, a “mast cell stabiliser”, can stop white blood cells from releasing histamine, which causes the sneezing and itching.

But Jenkins says that “many people have no idea how to use these sprays properly.” It is no good just stuffing the product up your nose – a good spraying technique is vital (see below). It is also important to follow dosage instructions.

The sodium cromoglicate spray, for instance, will only work if you start to use it two weeks before your allergy begins, then keep using it four times a day. Many other medications work best if you start to use them before your allergies kick in, allowing the drug to build up in your system. To do this you have to know your triggers.

Though there are many pollen allergens, birch and grass are the most common. These two are usually released in different months, but experts say that this summer, perhaps because of climate change, they are likely to overlap. According to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, more than 5million of us could be taking inappropriate medicines because we have misdiagnosed our allergies.

Talking to your pharmacist before buying medicines is the first step to a sniffle-free summer. In addition, Allergy UK has just started an “accredited pharmacy allergy screening service” in association with the National Pharmacy Association. At these centres Allergy UK-trained pharmacists can diagnose triggers then recommend the right over-the-counter medications for your specific allergy type.

They can also refer you to a GP with details of the nearest appropriate allergy specialist. GPs are a good source of help if you are a severe sufferer. Several effective antihistamines can be obtained only on prescription and some people may be suitable for a newly developed kind of immunotherapy, where you either dissolve tablets under the tongue or have regular injections.

Those who want to avoid medication may turn to anything from fish oils to Reishi mushrooms as miracle hay fever cures. But there is no clinical evidence that nutritional supplements or dietary changes work on hay fever symptoms (although the herb butterbur has shown promise in clinical trials).

Acupuncture has had mixed success in trials. Daniel Maxwell of the British Acupuncture Council, says: “It’s great for hay fever because of the significant effect it has on modulating the immune system.”

Homeopathic treatments have also shown some promising clinical results, though more trials are needed. In other words, although you can’t avoid this year’s pollen onslaught, you may be more empowered than you think to defend yourself against it.

Click for natural and home remedy for Hay Fever:->.…………………...(1)…….(2).…….(3)………(4)

Sources:Telegraph.co.uk

Related articles
Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
Categories
Featured News on Health & Science

The Omega Balance

Without question, each of us needs omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in our diet. But the balance between the two has recently become the center of a hot debate.

click & see

These two key polyunsaturated fats are called “essential fatty acids” because our bodies can’t manufacture them; they must come from the foods we eat. Each has its own actions in the body, often opposing each other: omega-6s, for example, are converted in the body to substances that assist in responding to inflammation and bleeding; omega-3s, by contrast, convert to substances that slow blood clotting and decrease inflammatory responses. Together, they work as a check-and-balance system of sorts, and some researchers argue that our modern Western diets have thrown that balance out of whack.

Throughout most of human history, since our Paleolithic ancestors first hunted game, speared fish and gathered wild greens, humans have eaten a diet that kept the omega-6 to omega-3 balance fairly equal—”close to a 2 to 1 ratio,” notes Artemis Simopoulos, co-author of The Omega Diet. This pattern continues in the traditional diet of Crete, where heart disease and cancer rates are among the lowest in the world.

But in the United States, omega-6 fatty acids now dominate the ratio because people are eating more processed foods, such as chips and packaged cookies, which are made with high-omega-6 oils like soybean or cottonseed. Our meats, poultry and dairy products have also become more omega-6 heavy as we feed our animals grains instead of grasses. Today, the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio hovers around 17 to 1, says Simopoulos, explaining that this imbalance is a key contributor to the modern plague of heart disease. “Major dietary studies have shown that when people are fed diets that lower this ratio, their death rates from heart disease fall significantly.”

Not everyone agrees that increased omega-6s threaten our health, however. Frank Hu, of the Harvard Nurses’ Health Study, argues that omega-6s also have beneficial effects on heart-disease risk. “Because omega-6 has very strong LDL-lowering effects, it actually lowers the LDL to HDL ratio, which is the most powerful predictor of heart disease.” Reducing omega-6 levels, then, would take away some of those benefits.

Although he is skeptical, Hu suggests the following for anyone who wants to lower their omega-6 to omega-3 ratio: focus on getting more omega-3s, rather than cutting omega-6s, by eating more fish, freshly ground flaxseeds and walnuts, and by using oils that provide omega-3s, like canola and walnut.

Simopoulos counters, “If you have too many omega-6s, you can’t use omega-3s as efficiently. To get the full benefit of omega-3s, you must lower the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio.” She recommends following a dietary pattern similar to that of the traditional diet of Crete: vegetable-and-fruit laden, low in saturated fats, generous in omega-3s and stingy with omega-6s. “It is the diet on which humans evolved, and which our genetic profile has adapted to.”

Related Omega-3 Recipes:

* Basic Basil Pesto
* Orange-Miso Sauce
* Edamame Lo Mein
* Grilled Rosemary-Salmon Spedini
* Chard with Shallots, Pancetta & Walnuts

Sources:http://bl147w.blu147.mail.live.com/mail/mail.aspx?&n=1809073841

Related articles
Zemanta Pixie
Related articles
Categories
Featured

Hysterectomy

A hysterectomy is a major surgical procedure. It always involves removal of the uterus, but can also include the removal of other parts of the genital tract.

..

Are there different types of hysterectomy?

Yes. A total hysterectomy is the most common operation and this means removal of the uterus and cervix (neck of the womb).

A sub-total hysterectomy means the removal of the body of the uterus, leaving the cervix behind.

A radical hysterectomy involves the removal of the uterus, cervix, a small portion of the upper part of the vagina and some soft tissue from within the pelvis.

Why is it carried out?

A hysterectomy can help to ease many gynaecological complaints. These include:

* Heavy or very painful periods

* Fibroids: Swellings of abnormal muscle that grow in the uterus, and can cause heavy or painful periods, or problems with urination.

* Prolapse: Where the uterus, or parts of the vaginal wall, drops down.

* Endometriosis: A condition where the cells which line the uterus are found outside the uterus in the pelvis. This can cause scarring around the uterus, and may cause the bladder or rectum to ‘stick’ to the uterus or fallopian tubes.

* Various forms of cancer, including cancer of the cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, or ovaries.

In most cases – except for cancer – the procedure is usually only used as a last resort.

How is the operation carried out?

The most common method is to cut through the lower abdomen, usually leaving a six-inch scar.

However, doctors may opt in some instances to remove the uterus through the vagina.

Are there any risks?

No operation is risk-free, especially surgery as major as a hysterectomy.

However, the vast majority of women undergo the procedure without any complications.

Obesity can make surgery more tricky, and increase the risk of post-operative complications, such as heavy bleeding.

There is also a small risk of damage to the bladder, or the tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder.

An uncommon – but serious – complication is the development of a blood clot in the veins of the leg.

Is it a common procedure?

Up to one in five women will undergo a hysterectomy during their lifetime so it is a relatively common operation.

Over 40,000 hysterectomies were carried out in the UK in 2004/2005.

The NHS drug and treatment watchdog, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), warned in January 2007 that too many women were ‘suffering in silence’ from heavy periods because they feared having to have a hysterectomy.

NICE stressed that drugs and minor surgery could often be effective alternative treatments.

What impact does it have on sex?

A woman who has had a hysterectomy should be able to enjoy a satisfying sex life – in fact many women report that their level of sexual pleasure improves following the surgery.

Provided the surgery goes well, it should be possible to resume a normal sex life about six weeks after the operation.

You may click to see:->Hysterectomy Surgical Procedure

>Medical Encyclopedia:Hysterectomy

Sources: BBC NEWS: February 12,2007

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
css.php