We all know what hypertension is. Many of your friends and relatives may be suffering from this chronic serious (although it does not seem serious because only a minor percentage of individuals suffering from high blood pressure have troublesome symptoms) disease. Hypertension (and its complications) is a silent killer and it is one of the leading causes of deaths worldwide.

What exactly is hypertension or high blood pressure?

Different experts explain/define blood pressure in different ways. Hypertension or high blood pressure is the high (more than normal) lateral pressure blood puts to the walls of the blood vessels, while flowing through it. It can be compared to water flowing through a rubber tube and if water puts excess pressure than the rubber tube can handle, there is a great risk of bursting of the rubber tube.

The same is true for blood vessels also, which are also elastic in nature and if excess pressure continues for long duration, aneurysms may develop, especially in smaller blood vessels of the brain and this is the reason brain stoke (most commonly due to bursting of aneurysms) is so common among individuals with high blood pressure.

From the above example it is not difficult to understand why and how hypertension develops. But the fact is we still do not know causes of most of the cases of hypertension, hence it is called essential hypertension. Practically more than 95% of cases are essential hypertension and very small percentage the cause is known.

Some of the causes of hypertension are:

• Hypertension can develop if the walls of blood vessels become less elastic.
• Hypertension can occur if there is excess blood volume for any reason.
• Hypertension can develop if blood vessels constricts for any reason.
• Hypertension can occur if osmotic pressure of blood increases, which puts excess lateral pressure to the blood vessel walls with same amount of blood in it.
• Hypertension can occur if walls of blood vessels become thick, as seen in atherosclerosis (deposition of cholesterol in blood vessel walls).

Why the above mentioned things occur/happen is not clear and hence, we do not know the causes of hypertension.

Hypertension is classified as given below:

• Normal blood pressure: systolic/diastolic: <120/<80 mm of Hg (mercury)
• Pre-hypertension: systolic/diastolic: <120-139/<80-89 mm of Hg
• Mild hypertension: systolic/diastolic: <140-159/<90-99 mm of Hg
• Moderate hypertension: systolic/diastolic: <160-179/<100-109 mm of Hg
• Severe hypertension: systolic/diastolic: <160-179/>110 mm of Hg
• Isolated systolic hypertension: systolic/diastolic: >140/>90 mm of Hg

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Field of dreams: saw palmetto thriving in Florida's Osceola National Forest.

Geoff Gallice/Flickr

Field of dreams: saw palmetto thriving in Florida's Osceola National Forest.

If you're one of the millions of men who takes the supplement saw palmetto for prostate trouble, there's more evidence that it's not worth the money.

A clinical trial that gave saw palmetto every chance to succeed â€" eventually increasing the daily dose of the stuff to three times the usual amount â€" found it was no better than a placebo.

The National Institutes of Health funded the study, which involved 369 men who got a placebo or various doses of saw palmetto extract for a year and half. A European maker of the supplement donated the saw palmetto and matching placebo capsules.

"There was no evidence that saw palmetto at any dose had any influence on men with lower urinary tract symptoms," urologist Kevin McVary, an investigator on the study team, said in a video interview. In fact, saw palmetto had no effect on the rate of urinary flow, sleep quality or any measure of quality of life, including sexual function.

 

In case that isn't clear enough, McVary puts a point on it: "Our study suggests that the utility of saw palmetto in improvement of urinary health is probably not existent." Health problems and side effects were mild and about the same in both groups, except for physical injuries, which, curiously, were higher among men taking saw palmetto.

The findings were published this week in JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association.

This isn't the first big study to cast doubt on saw palmetto as a remedy for symptoms of an enlarged prostate, such as frequent bathroom visits at night or difficulty urinating. Another randomized study published five years ago also found no benefit of saw palmetto over placebo. But it didn't test doses as high as those in the latest trial, which used up to 960 milligrams of saw palmetto extract a day.

To be sure, the JAMA study did find that men taking saw palmetto did have better scores on a standardized measure of prostate-related symptoms. But the reduction of 2.2 points to a 12.22 rating over the course of the study wasn't statistically different from the 2.99 point drop to 11.7 for those taking a placebo. So you choosing saw palmetto or a sugar pill is a tossup.

We all are aware of the potential health benefits (cardiovascular health benefits, not cardiovascular health benefits such as prevention of certain cancers, anti-inflammatory, immune function etc.) of omega-3 fatty acids (ALA or alpha-linolenic acid, EPA or eicosapentaenoic acid and DHA or docosahexaenoic acids), but very few of us are aware of the health risks involved with excess (more than recommended daily intake) consumption of omega-3 fatty acids.

Some health risks are associated with excess consumption of omega-3 fatty acids, mainly EPA and DHA. It is reported that intake of EPA and DHA more than 3 grams per day is associated with health risks. The health risks associated with excess intake of EPA and DHA can be cardiac health risks and non cardiac health risks. The potential of health risks associated with excess consumption of omega-3 fatty acids of DHA and EPA is endorsed by the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, the Office of Nutritional Products, Labeling, and Dietary Supplements as well as United States Food and Drug Administration.

Cardiac health risks associated with omega-3 fatty acids:

The patients who are suffering from CHF (congestive heart failure) and recurrent angina should discuss with their doctor before taking dietary supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA and EPA, as these are responsible for cardiac health risks. In CHF heart is able to pump only the minimum blood that is required for survival of cardiac cells and in these patients excess omega-3 fatty acids may remove some of these pumping cells and the heart will not be able to pump enough blood for survival. This may lead to increased risk of sudden cardiac death.

Non cardiac health risks of omega-3 fatty acids:

The non cardiac health risks of omega-3 fatty acids include increased risk of bleeding tendency, hemorrhagic stroke (bleeding in brain occurs due to rupture of minute aneurysms). Omega-3 fatty acids oxidation produces some active oxidation products which may be harmful. There is report that omega-3 fatty acids may cause control of blood glucose difficult. Patients with diabetes and hyperlipidemia, there may be increase level of LDL cholesterol, which is bad for health.

In general the health benefits far outweigh the health risks even if a person consumes more than recommended amount of omega-3 fatty acids, as seen among the Inuit tribe of Greenland. So, you can consume dietary supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids, without much health risks.

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Construction at the new Nemours Children's Hospital, at the medical city at Lake Nona, Fla., in late 2010.

Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel

Construction at the new Nemours Children's Hospital, at the medical city at Lake Nona, Fla., in late 2010.

Many children's hospitals started out humbly, like Children's Hospital Boston, which began with 20 beds in a row house shortly after the Civil War.

Today, Boston Children's and many other leading independent children's hospitals are health care juggernauts with extensive facilities, lots of assets and millionaire CEOs, Kaiser Health News reports in a series of articles.

The hospitals are nonprofits, but you wouldn't know that looking at the bottom lines of many of them. They're pouring billions of dollars into new buildings, adding beds and equipment and staff at the same time Washington, the states and employers grapple with budget-busting increases in health care spending.

Hospitals strongly defend the need for new and bigger facilities, and often claim they're good for the economy because of all the jobs created. But nothing is free in health care: tax exemptions accorded nonprofits help to fund the construction, and all the costs of care ultimately are borne by taxpayers, employers and workers.

The average American doesn't focus on the question of cost, says Martin Gaynor, an economist at Carnegie Mellon University and an expert on hospital spending. "They look at children's hospitals and think, 'my goodness, we're helping poor kids," he says. "But who do you think is paying for all this?"

Omega-3 fatty acids have several potential health benefits. Several studies have proved that Omega-3 fatty acids, DHA (docosahexaenoic acids) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) have cardiovascular health benefits and even the other omega-3 fatty acid i.e. ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) have the same health benefits as ALA can be converted by the body to DHA, which provide the health benefits.

The important health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids include cardiovascular health benefits and anti-cancer properties. There are other health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids include anti-inflammatory property, boost body immunity, prevention/delay of certain psychotic disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, dementia etc., seen in several studies, although not conclusively proved.

There are several nutritional supplement products in market which claim to have Omega-3 fatty acids, but some of them contain only ALA of plant origin, as DHA and EPA are mainly found in fish.

Omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory property (according to available current research/study), although not confirmed. The anti inflammatory property of Omega-3 fatty acids is also evident from the fact that patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (a chronic inflammatory condition) have reduced pain, if they consume foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids or take supplements, in compare to patients taking only standard NSAIDs (non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs), such as piroxicam, diclofenac, etc., which are standard drugs for management of rheumatoid arthritis.

Omega-3 fatty acids as Immunity Booster:

Some studies suggest that omega-3 fatty acids can improve immune function, if given to infants or young children.

Omega-3 fatty acids and psychotic disorders:

There are some statistically significant evidences (from several studies) that omega-3 fatty acids (especially DHA and EPA) can delay/prevent progression of certain psychotic conditions such as schizophrenia, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease etc. Children with high risk of developing schizophrenia, taking omega-3 fatty acids rich foods or supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids, show decrease in progression to schizophrenia, in compare to high risk children not taking omega-3 fatty acids.

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No so spontaneous: A stuntman burns during a controlled stunt in Ontario.

iStockphoto.com

No so spontaneous: A stuntman burns during a controlled stunt in Ontario.

Lead singer of the fake rock band Spinal Tap, David St. Hubbins, famously uttered these words in the 1984 mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap: "Dozens of people spontaneously combust every year. It's just not widely reported."

If you believe today's news reports out of Ireland, St. Hubbins might have been onto something: Spontaneous human combustion can happen. But, we thought, really?

 

Here's a quick refresher for those who might have forgotten: Spontaneous combustion occurs when something (or someone) bursts into flames that originate internally. And according to the BBC, The Telegraph, The Irish Independent, and sundry other media outlets, an Irish coroner deemed it the cause of death in a 9-month investigation of a mysterious fire which killed a Mr. Michael Faherty, 76, in his home in December 2010.

"This fire was thoroughly investigated and I'm left with the conclusion that this fits into the category of spontaneous human combustion, for which there is no adequate explanation," West Galway coroner Dr. Ciaran McLoughlin said in a statement.

Faherty's badly burnt body was discovered in his sitting room. Though there was a fire in the fireplace not far the body, McLoughlin said it wasn't the source of the fire that killed Faherty. He also said there was no damage to the room except for the ceiling above him and the floor beneath him.

And McLoughlin, it seems, was no novice detective. He said it was the first time in 25 years of investigating deaths that he had come to such a conclusion.

Yet we had to wonder, how does spontaneous combustion jibe with the laws of physics? So we called up Stephen Cina, a forensic pathologist and former deputy chief medical examiner of Broward County, Fla., to get an expert opinion on the matter.

Though Cina has written on thermal injuries and has more than 20 years in the field, he says he's never come across a single case of spontaneous combustion as a cause of thermal injury or death. The problem he says, is that "it's not well-documented that you could generate enough focal energy inside the body and burst into flame. It would have to start at some focus point, somewhere."

The notion has been posited by U.S. coroners before, he says, but usually when fully investigated, these cases turn out to be caused by cigarettes.

Will there be further inquiry into the fate of Faherty? It's not clear, but if there's any small lesson to be gleaned, it's that the wisdom of Spinal Tap hasn't been lost over the years.

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fatty acids. They are poly-unsaturated fatty acids which are considered very much important for cardiovascular health and also in many other aspects such as prevention of certain cancers. Essential fatty acids (EFA) are fatty acids (molecules) that can not be synthesized by human body and must be supplied in diet or by supplementation, if dietary intake is inadequate. The essential fatty acids are vital for normal metabolism in human body and health. Other than family of omega-3 fatty acids, there are also other types of essential fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids perform several important metabolic functions in humans.

For human nutrition there are three important omega-3 fatty acids namely alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acids (DHA). The rich sources omega-3 fatty acids are fish oil and some plant oils such as flaxseed oil, also known as linseed oil.

United States FDA, status for DHA and EPA is “qualified health claim”, which indicate that there are supportive evidence (research) that consumption of EPA and DHA can reduce risk of CHD (coronary heart diseases), but conclusive research/evidence is still lacking. The Canadian government accepted that ” DHA or docosahexaenoic acids (an omega-3 fatty acid), supports the normal development of the brain, eyes as well as nerves”.

The discovery of health (especially of cardiovascular health) benefits of omega-3 fatty acids (such as DHA and EPA) were made when researchers studied Inuit tribe of Greenland, in 1970s. It is well known that the people of Inuit tribe of Greenland consume large quantity of fats and read meat (meat is staple diet for them), but actually have no cardiovascular diseases. Researchers found that, the virtually non existence of cardiovascular disease among Inuit tribe’s people was due to consumption of high level of omega-3 fatty acids which prevent cardiovascular disease by reducing blood pressure, atherosclerosis, triglycerides etc.

In most countries omega-3 fatty acids are sold as dietary supplements, but in US and EU some highly purified and more effective omega-3 fatty acids are sold as prescription medicines. Many nutritionists and doctors prefer use of highly purified products of omega-3 fatty acids, may it as dietary supplement or as prescription medicine.

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I don't want to freak you out. OK, maybe a tiny bit. Being a little scared might get you to wash your hands more often. And that would be a good thing for everyone.

So just tool around this collection of interactive maps showing the march of drug-resistant germs across North America and Europe. The global health nonprofit Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy came up with the ResistanceMap. The project is called Extending the Cure, and in addition to mapping the problem, it also wants to find ways to keep antibiotics effective and develop new ones.

Here in the U.S., we're doing better than average when it comes to antibiotic-resistant pneumonia with a resistance score of 19. That's compared with, say, Greece, which gets a 90 on a scale of 100, which would be the worst.

But we have nothing to brag about when it comes to drug-resistant staph, or MRSA. The group's analysis shows, for example, that we have one of the highest rates of drug-resistant staph strains, despite some improvement. And within the U.S. the problem is most acute in the South, as the screengrab above shows.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a funder of NPR, helped with financial support of the project through its Pioneer Portfolio. The maps update previous work by Extending the Cure.

Cholesterol is an essential nutrient for humans (contrary to popular belief that cholesterol is bad). Cholesterol is not bad for human health; it is the excess cholesterol which is bad for our health and general well being. Cholesterol is essential for synthesis of several hormones (estrogens, progestin’s, and other male and female sex hormones) as well as for synthesis of steroid hormones. Without steroid hormones human life is difficult to imagine. But, cholesterol is a two edge sword, which cuts on both sides, if beyond limit and we need to take care of this.

Regulation of diet can help us keep cholesterol within normal limit and maintain good health status. We need approximately one gram of cholesterol every day and fortunately our body can synthesize the required one gram in liver and we do not need any cholesterol from exogenous sources such as food. Excess dietary intake of cholesterol thus can harm us by getting deposited in different organ systems, especially cardiovascular system.

Foods high in saturated fats, cholesterol and high in total fat content contribute to high blood cholesterol levels. Total amount of fat as well as type of fat influence blood cholesterol. In general the higher the total fat content the greater is blood cholesterol level. Types of fat have greater influence on blood cholesterol levels, e.g. presence of saturated fatty acids (which are mostly found in fats of animal origin such as beef, pork and other red meat) increase blood cholesterol level, whereas presence of unsaturated (mono unsaturated fatty acids and poly unsaturated fatty acids) fats in food can reduce blood cholesterol level and good for health.

Most foods generally contain both saturated as well as unsaturated fats. But, animal foods contain higher amount of saturated fatty acids than unsaturated fatty acids and plant fats contain higher amount of unsaturated fatty acids and little of saturated fatty acids. This is the reason most people should eat fat form plant origin and this is recommended by experts to reduce blood cholesterol.

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An injury like this could set you back financially more than you might expect.

Maurice van der Velden/iStockphoto.com

An injury like this could set you back financially more than you might expect.

Many people, if they think about disability insurance coverage at all, focus on their employer's long-term disability plan rather than any short-term coverage they may get on the job. That makes sense in many ways, since you face a bigger financial risk if you're unable to work for two years rather than for two months.

But just as some employers are cutting back their long-term plans â€" trimming benefits or asking employees to pick up more of the tab â€" they're doing the same with short-term disability coverage. When your annual enrollment period rolls around, don't forget to eyeball your short-term plan in addition to your long-term disability benefits.

If an illness or accident keeps you from working, short-term disability insurance typically pays about 60 percent of your salary for up to six months (after which your long-term disability coverage would kick in).

Only about half of employers offer short-term disability coverage. Of those, the percentage that pay the entire premium declined to 36 percent in 2010 from 45 percent in 2002, according to financial services trade group LIMRA.

It's not only that employees are being asked to pay a bigger chunk of the premium, say experts. Employers are increasing the waiting period before the plan pays in some cases. So instead of short-term benefits kicking in right away, you might have to wait up to two weeks, says Steve Cyboran, a vice president at Sibson Consulting.

Many employers require employees to use their accumulated sick leave before short-term disability coverage takes effect. But now some employers are reducing the number of days employees can accumulate in their sick leave banks to use before short-term disability starts, say experts.

It's all part of the now well-established employer benefits strategy of pushing employees to have more skin in the game. "Employers are trying to get employees to recognize the risks that are being assumed, and get them to share in that risk and plan for it and manage it," says Cyboran. In other words, save your pennies, because if you break your arm and can't do your job for a couple of weeks, you may be on the hook financially for more than you expect.

The causes of psoriasis are not well understood. There may be multifactorial causes of the disease. Currently there are two hypotheses that are well accepted as the cause of psoriasis, namely genetical cause and immunological cause. The genetical cause of psoriasis hypothesis explains the disease as a fault of epidermis (the outermost dead epithelial cell layer) and keratinocytes (the cells which produce keratin and essential ingredient protein of skin cells). Due to genetic fault in epidermis and keratinocytes there is excessive growth and reproduction of skin cells and as a result the skin cell turnover occurs much faster than normal of approximately 28 days, i.e. less than 28 days e.g. 25 days or lesser.

The second hypothesis of cause of psoriasis sees the disease as an immune mediated disease, which results in excess production of skin cells. The T-cells of immune system become active and migrate to dermis which triggers release inflammatory mediators and there is excess production of skin cells.

Immune mediated cause of psoriasis:

This hypothesis is supported by the fact that use of immunosuppressant medications (such as methotraxate) can clear the plaques of psoriasis. But the role of immune system in causation of psoriasis is not well understood. There are contradictory reports on the role of immune system in psoriasis. For example medications which reduce T-cell count can cause improvement of psoriasis, whereas advanced HIV (Human Immunodeficiency virus) infection (which reduces the number of T-cells) may result in psoriasis.

Psoriasis pathogenesis is not well understood. Majority of psoriasis patients experience remissions/exacerbations of the disease for apparently not reason. Certain factors can trigger psoriasis, such as streptococcal infection, skin injury, mental stress, climate change etc. Certain medications also reported to exacerbate psoriasis such as anti malarial drugs, beta blockers, lithium (used sometimes in epilepsy) etc.

Genetical factors in causation of psoriasis:

The genetic component of the disease is very important and there are several genes which are associated with psoriasis. Most likely the various genes work in association with immunological factors to cause the disease.

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Enlarge Sue Ogrocki/AP

Painkillers like these being counted at the Oklahoma Hospital Discount Pharmacy in Edmond, Okla., need to be used far less often, some prominent doctors say.

Sue Ogrocki/AP

Painkillers like these being counted at the Oklahoma Hospital Discount Pharmacy in Edmond, Okla., need to be used far less often, some prominent doctors say.

In a bracing call to action, three doctors from California are telling their peers to think twice before prescribing potent narcotics for patients with chronic pain.

Drugs such as Vicodin, Percocet and Oxycontin have become among the most prescribed in the country. Between 15 and 20 percent of patient visits with physicians the U.S. include a prescription for an opioid, the modern painkilling medicines whose roots can be traced back to the opium poppy.

But their editorial, published this week in the Archives of Internal Medicine, says there's a troubling shortfall in the evidence to support the use of such drugs for long-term treatment of pain. And, there's ample evidence of harm.

"Unfortuantely, the use of prescription opioids currently results in more deaths in the United States due to intoxication than heroin and cocaine combined," says Dr. Mitchell H. Katz, a co-author of editorial, in a podcast. "That's shocking."

 

Doctors' prescriptions for the medicines that are supposed to decrease pain and improve patients' ability to function, he says, are "killing more people than two drugs that we think of as lethal, so much so that they're illegal." The death toll from the legal pain pills is about 12,000 a year, he says. "It's a public health problem."

So what's their prescription? Until there's more scientific evidence, doctors "should not continue to prescribe high-dose opioids" for chronic non-cancer pain. Narcotic drugs for short-term relief of pain are fine, but Katz says there's insufficient evidence to support their use over the long haul.

Instead, doctors should talk with patients about the limits of pain relief and give alternatives to opioid drugs, such as physical therapy or yoga, their due. To some patients, doctors may need to give a sobering message, Katz says in the podcast: "This is not something I'm going to be able to completely take away."

The bottom line of the editorial, part of a series in the journal called "Less Is More," is that a rethink on these narcotics is overdue.

What do the pain specialists think? I asked for a comment on the editorial, and got a statement from Dr. Robert Chou, who heads the group at the American Pain Society working on guidelines for clinical practice.

While it's important for clinicians to be more thoughtful about who they prescribe long-term opioids to and to stop opioids when they aren't helping or there is evidence that it is causing problems, the American Pain Society believes opioids have a role in the management of chronic non-cancer pain in carefully selected and monitored patients.

There is evidence from long-term observational studies and evidence coming from some long-term clinical trials that opioids are effective for improving pain in some patients.

For example, we do not believe that a trial of low doses of opioids should be denied to a low-risk woman in her 70's who has severe hip arthritis, who may be able to garden and walk with decreased pain on it.

While the data on overdose deaths and abuse of opioids should concern all members of society, it does not justify an extreme blanket position of no opioids for chronic non-cancer pain.

Today we have CarolMontrose amongst us as guest writer, who is expert author in the field of alternative medicine. This is the first guest post by the writer and hope you all will like the valuable post.

If you’re one of the many people in the world who has begun to spurn the use of pharmaceuticals then you may find yourself in the unfortunate situation of dealing with symptoms to strange allergies without the aid of the antihistamines and corticosteroids that most people take like candy.  But don’t despair; there are homeopathic remedies out there that may help to alleviate your ailments.  Here are just a few uncommon allergies and the safe and natural treatments that can be used to combat them.

Water.  Experts speculate that this hypersensitive skin condition is actually a reaction not to H?O itself, but to chemicals and additives present in most tap water.  Unfortunately, it results in rashes, hives, and even lesions from any contact with the wet stuff.  There are actually a number of homeopathic treatments to reduce itching, swelling, and other allergic reactions that affect the skin, but you may want to start by taking vitamin C regularly and applying coconut oil to the affected area.  Of the many natural remedies out there, these two are the least likely to also contain water (unlike lemon juice, mint leaves, and papaya seeds, for example).

Shoes.  An allergy to shoes (which results in itchy, flaky skin) is not actually that uncommon, it is simply misdiagnosed in most cases.  As with most strange allergies, you’re not actually allergic to your footwear, per se, but rather the chemicals, glues, and resins that mix with your sweat to form an allergen soup.  Your best bet is to keep plenty of clean, cotton socks on hand and consider switching to eco-friendly footwear.  But in the meantime, you may want to apply vitamin E oil to soothe your sore tootsies and consider regular vinegar rinses if your feet sweat quite a bit (since a buildup of bacteria could exacerbate the condition).

Deodorant.  Although this allergy is not terribly common, you’re in for a bit of good news if you suffer from it.  Natural beauty products are abundant, so you should have no trouble finding chemical-free deodorants, possibly even at your local pharmacy.

Computers.  If you find that sitting in front of a computer monitor for even a few moments (let alone a few hours) brings on symptoms like itchy skin and irritated sinuses, then you could have an allergy to computers.  In truth, this odd allergy is not as uncommon as you might think because it’s really not the whole kit and caboodle that is causing your body to react.  In most cases, you are actually allergic to the plastic components or some of the many chemicals used in manufacturing (especially triphenyl phosphate, which is used as a flame retardant).  Luckily, there is a new homeopathic remedy on the market known as butterbur that may provide some relief.  Derived from a European herb, this remedy is said to work just as well as OTC antihistamines (when taken four times a day).

Sex.  If getting busy makes you break out, you could have an allergy to sex.  More to the point, you are likely allergic to human seminal plasma (semen).  So before you start to suspect that sheets or mattress covers are to blame for your inflammation, you may want to calculate just when the symptoms show up.  The treatment for this rare allergy is bound to make your partner happy since it involves desensitization to the allergen in question.  Doctors recommend intercourse at regular intervals (every 48 hours) over a span of several months, a routine that has worked for at least one case study (remember, the allergy is rare and difficult to diagnose, so there probably aren’t a lot of volunteers for the study).  The upside is, you won’t need any pharmaceuticals.

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Enlarge Brazilian Federal Police/HO/AFP/Getty Images

A man arrested at Congonhas Airport in Sao Paulo, Brazil, had quite a bit of undeclared carry-on baggage: 72 bags containing almost a kilogram of cocaine inside his body.

Brazilian Federal Police/HO/AFP/Getty Images

A man arrested at Congonhas Airport in Sao Paulo, Brazil, had quite a bit of undeclared carry-on baggage: 72 bags containing almost a kilogram of cocaine inside his body.

Here's a picture worth almost a thousand grams.

The CT scan above shows the insides of a 20-year-old man apprehended Monday at an airport in São Paulo, Brazil, as he was getting ready to board a flight to Brussels.

All those reddish capsules lined up in his intestines are filled with cocaine.

 

The Irish national, identified only as P.B.B., was pinched by authorities because he was acting nervous. Wouldn't you be, too, if you were carrying nearly a kilogram of cocaine in your guts?

Carrying cocaine inside your body is risky, and not just because you could wind up in jail. Mules can suffer serious intestinal obstruction and death from cocaine poisoning, if the packages burst.

The Irish guy was reportedly taken to the Santa Misericordia Hospital where the capsules were removed from his body. How exactly? That isn't clear from the press coverage I saw.

Surgical removal of the packages is one option. But as doctors reported in the Canadian Journal of Surgery two years ago, surgical removal is far less likely than it used to be. Cocaine-filled packages can rupture during surgery, endangering patients, and there are other complications.

More often, the cases are treated with laxatives and fluids in the intestines. The report in the Canadian journal looked back at the cases of 61 cocaine mules treated over a five-year period at a hospital near Heathrow Airport in London.

Fifty-six of the people were treated conservatively. The remaining five required surgery. Nobody died. The average length of treatment was 2.8 days.

What about the cocaine and the outcome for the patients?

Here's the straight dope from the doctors who wrote the paper:

Customs staff counted and secured the obtained packets. At no point during the conservatively managed patients' stays were hospital staff involved in the handling of cocaine packets because the laws regarding the handling of evidence require a secure chain of custody to guarantee the identity and integrity of the specimen, from collection through to reporting of the test results. In most cases, we were therefore unable to obtain first-hand information regarding the type of packaging used or the patients' conditions after passage.

Prolotherapy and Shiatsu are two very different types of therapy, but what they have in common, is that they both stimulate the body’s natural healing mechanisms. Increasingly, people suffering from chronic pain are turning to these alternative therapies for relief because conventional medicine has failed them. The prevailing model of pain management relies heavily on medication with anti-inflammatory, steroid, analgesic and muscle relaxant drugs being commonly prescribed. In most cases these drugs provide only temporary relief, simply covering up or masking the pain without doing anything to resolve the underlying problem.

There is ample evidence that the drugs used to manage pain are not only risky and/or potentially addictive, they actually inhibit the healing process and if used over the long-term can weaken body tissues and worsen the condition that they were prescribed to treat in the first place. Physiotherapy is frequently used in conjunction with drug therapy, but since the drugs inhibit healing, it is often ineffective. When attempts to control the pain have failed, modern medicine turns to more drastic measures such as surgery, joint replacement, destroying the nerves that conduct the sensation of pain or implanting morphine pumps and devices that block pain. These procedures are risky and expensive, and although they may be necessary in some cases, they often fail to address the cause of the pain and even surgery doesn’t always alleviate the pain. Despite its dismal success rate, conventional medicine continues to search for drugs, devices and surgical procedures to deal with chronic pain.

Natural therapies are based on the belief that the body is capable of repairing itself, it just need a little assistance from time to time. Prolotherapy is a minimally invasive form of therapy used to treat musculoskeletal pain. Chronic pain is often caused by injuries to ligaments and tendons, which have a great many nerve endings but a poor blood supply. Treatment involves injecting an irritant solution into the affected ligament or tendon which causes a localized inflammatory response that triggers the natural healing process. It essentially turns a chronic injury into an acute one, activating the immune system and increasing the blood supply to the area. This stimulates the growth of new connective tissue that is thicker and stronger. Prolotherapy can offer permanent relief and has been successful in treating sports injuries, arthritis, TMJ syndrome, tendinitis, sciatica, herniated discs and degenerated joints.

Shiatsu, another effective therapy, is a Japanese healing art that is simple, powerful and holistic. It is based on the same concept of energy movement as acupuncture, but uses non-invasive massage and other manipulative techniques to adjust the body’s physical structure and correct energy imbalances by releasing energy blockages and moving energy into areas that are depleted. It activates the body’s natural healing process by increasing blood and lymphatic flow. It is regularly used to treat neck, shoulder and back pain as well as the pain associated with arthritis, fibromyalgia and myalgic encephalitis (chronic fatigue syndrome).

Alternative therapies like Prolotherapy and Shiatsu are not only more effective at treating conditions like chronic pain, they are far less expensive. They both offer benefits beyond anything that conventional medicine currently provides and with far less risk.

Hello my name is Nisha, I am the Editor for healthypages.co.uk. I love to write about health and beauty, especially Complementary Therapies, please visit our site for more information Hypnotherapy.

DISCLAIMER: THE STORY(s) DEPICTED ON THIS SITE AND THE PERSON(s) DEPICTED IN THE STORY ARE NOT REAL. RATHER, THIS FICTIONAL STORY IS BASED ON THE RESULTS THAT SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE USED THESE PRODUCTS HAVE ACHIEVED. THE RESULTS PORTRAYED IN THE STORY AND IN THE COMMENTS ARE ILLUSTRATIVE, AND MAY NOT BE THE RESULTS THAT YOU ACHIEVE WITH THESE PRODUCTS. THIS PAGE RECEIVES COMPENSATION FOR CLICKS ON OR PURCHASE OF PRODUCTS FEATURED ON THIS SITE.

Enlarge Matthew S. Gunby/AP

Students walk to their cars after school at Severna Park High School in Severna Park, Md. Researchers say tougher licensing laws have led to fewer fatal car crashes involving 16-year-old drivers.

Matthew S. Gunby/AP

Students walk to their cars after school at Severna Park High School in Severna Park, Md. Researchers say tougher licensing laws have led to fewer fatal car crashes involving 16-year-old drivers.

Terrified to see your teenager behind the wheel? You're not alone. But a new study finds tougher state licensing laws have led to a decrease in fatal accidents, at least among 16-year-olds. That's the good news.

But here's the rub. Some kids are waiting until they're 18-years-old to get their driver's licenses. At this point, they're considered adults, and they don't have to jump through the hoops required of younger teens. They can opt out of driver's ed. And they are not subject to nighttime driving restrictions or passenger restrictions.

"[Older teens] are saying, 'The heck with your more complicated process,'" says Justin McNaull, director of state relations for the American Automobile Association. At 18, teenagers can, in many cases, get their license in a matter of weeks.

It's one explanation for the latest findings published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Researchers at the University of North Carolina and the California Department of Motor Vehicles analyzed more than 130,000 fatal teen crashes over 22 years.

They found that tougher licensing laws have led to 1,348 fewer fatal car crashes involving 16-year-old drivers. But during the same period, fatal crashes involving 18-year-old drivers increased. They were behind the wheel in 1,086 more fatal accidents.

 

States have made the licensing process more rigorous in many ways: longer permitting times, driver's ed requirements, and restrictions on nighttime driving and carrying fellow teenage passengers. Experts say all of these requirements help give teenagers the experience they need on the road. "In the last 15 years, we've made great strides in getting the licensing process to do a better job in helping teens get through it safely," says McNaull.

California has seen a big drop in 16-year-olds getting their driver's license. Back in 1986, 27 percent got licensed. By 2007, the figure dropped to 14 percent.

"We have more novices on the road at 18," says Scott Masten of the California DMV and an author of the study. And some of them may not have enough experience under their belts to face risky conditions. Masten says this may help explain the increase in fatal crashes.

It's not clear whether there are significantly fewer 16-year-olds behind the wheel in other states because there's no national database. But anecdotally, experts see this as a trend.

"There's a belief that graduated licensing has led to a delay," says Anne McCart, a senior vice president at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

A survey of teens conducted by the Allstate Foundation found that there are many reasons teens are delaying the process of getting a license. Some say they don't have a car or can't afford it. Others report that their parents are not available to help them, or that they're too busy with other activities.

But parents who do want to be more proactive can refer to the tips the AAA has compiled on how to keep teens behind the wheel safe. And they might also consider another recent study, which showed that starting the school day a little bit later seems to reduce the accident rate for teen drivers.

Enlarge Danny Johnston/AP

A truckload of live turkeys arriving at a Cargill processing plant in Springdale, Ark., on Aug. 4. Cargill recalled fresh and frozen ground turkey products produced at the plant from Feb. 20 through Aug. 2 due to possible contamination from the strain of salmonella linked to 76 illnesses and the one death.

Danny Johnston/AP

A truckload of live turkeys arriving at a Cargill processing plant in Springdale, Ark., on Aug. 4. Cargill recalled fresh and frozen ground turkey products produced at the plant from Feb. 20 through Aug. 2 due to possible contamination from the strain of salmonella linked to 76 illnesses and the one death.

After the wave of illnesses tied to organic sprouts in Europe earlier this year, we figured the time was right to check in again on how Americans feel about the safety of food in this country.

The latest NPR-Thomson Reuters health poll revisits questions we asked in July 2010. Back then, problems with lettuce and the safety of seafood after the big oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico were on people's minds.

What's changed? Well, fewer people in the U.S. are as worried about food safety now as were concerned about it a year ago. About 57 percent say they're concerned or very concerned about the safety of food now, compared with 61 percent who answered that way in the summer of 2010.

 

NPR

This year and last, a similar proportion of respondents said something they had eaten had made them sick in the previous three months â€" around 11 percent. But more of the people who reported getting sick this year said the illness was pretty serious. About 22 percent said that this year, compared to 12 percent in 2010.

Income appears to bear on how concerned people are about the safety of the food they eat. A majority â€" 53 percent â€" of respondents making less that $25,000 a year said they were very concerned about food safety, compared with 39 percent for those making more than $100,000 a year.

Meat still leads the list of foods that worry people most. Forty-four percent of those polled say it's the food that poses the greatest risk. But that's about a 7-percentage-point drop from last year. Concerns about fresh produce have increased. Now 30 percent of people say fruit and vegetables pose the greatest risk, compared with 23 percent who held that view last year.

The telephone poll was conducted during the first two weeks of July. The results reflect the answers of 3,017 people. The margin of error is plus or minus 1.8 percentage points. Read the full results here.

For the results from previous NPR-Thomson Reuters polls, click on the poll tag below.

Prolotherapy and Shiatsu are two very different types of therapy, but what they have in common, is that they both stimulate the body’s natural healing mechanisms. Increasingly, people suffering from chronic pain are turning to these alternative therapies for relief because conventional medicine has failed them. The prevailing model of pain management relies heavily on medication with anti-inflammatory, steroid, analgesic and muscle relaxant drugs being commonly prescribed. In most cases these drugs provide only temporary relief, simply covering up or masking the pain without doing anything to resolve the underlying problem.

There is ample evidence that the drugs used to manage pain are not only risky and/or potentially addictive, they actually inhibit the healing process and if used over the long-term can weaken body tissues and worsen the condition that they were prescribed to treat in the first place. Physiotherapy is frequently used in conjunction with drug therapy, but since the drugs inhibit healing, it is often ineffective. When attempts to control the pain have failed, modern medicine turns to more drastic measures such as surgery, joint replacement, destroying the nerves that conduct the sensation of pain or implanting morphine pumps and devices that block pain. These procedures are risky and expensive, and although they may be necessary in some cases, they often fail to address the cause of the pain and even surgery doesn’t always alleviate the pain. Despite its dismal success rate, conventional medicine continues to search for drugs, devices and surgical procedures to deal with chronic pain.

Natural therapies are based on the belief that the body is capable of repairing itself, it just need a little assistance from time to time. Prolotherapy is a minimally invasive form of therapy used to treat musculoskeletal pain. Chronic pain is often caused by injuries to ligaments and tendons, which have a great many nerve endings but a poor blood supply. Treatment involves injecting an irritant solution into the affected ligament or tendon which causes a localized inflammatory response that triggers the natural healing process. It essentially turns a chronic injury into an acute one, activating the immune system and increasing the blood supply to the area. This stimulates the growth of new connective tissue that is thicker and stronger. Prolotherapy can offer permanent relief and has been successful in treating sports injuries, arthritis, TMJ syndrome, tendinitis, sciatica, herniated discs and degenerated joints.

Shiatsu, another effective therapy, is a Japanese healing art that is simple, powerful and holistic. It is based on the same concept of energy movement as acupuncture, but uses non-invasive massage and other manipulative techniques to adjust the body’s physical structure and correct energy imbalances by releasing energy blockages and moving energy into areas that are depleted. It activates the body’s natural healing process by increasing blood and lymphatic flow. It is regularly used to treat neck, shoulder and back pain as well as the pain associated with arthritis, fibromyalgia and myalgic encephalitis (chronic fatigue syndrome).

Alternative therapies like Prolotherapy and Shiatsu are not only more effective at treating conditions like chronic pain, they are far less expensive. They both offer benefits beyond anything that conventional medicine currently provides and with far less risk.

Hello my name is Nisha, I am the Editor for healthypages.co.uk. I love to write about health and beauty, especially Complementary Therapies, please visit our site for more information Hypnotherapy.

DISCLAIMER: THE STORY(s) DEPICTED ON THIS SITE AND THE PERSON(s) DEPICTED IN THE STORY ARE NOT REAL. RATHER, THIS FICTIONAL STORY IS BASED ON THE RESULTS THAT SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE USED THESE PRODUCTS HAVE ACHIEVED. THE RESULTS PORTRAYED IN THE STORY AND IN THE COMMENTS ARE ILLUSTRATIVE, AND MAY NOT BE THE RESULTS THAT YOU ACHIEVE WITH THESE PRODUCTS. THIS PAGE RECEIVES COMPENSATION FOR CLICKS ON OR PURCHASE OF PRODUCTS FEATURED ON THIS SITE.

Symptoms of psoriasis, especially severe symptoms of psoriasis can affect the quality of life. The health related quality of life can be negatively affected by psoriasis like other chronic incurable diseases such as hypertension (high blood pressure) and other heart diseases, diabetes, depression etc. The severity and location of the skin lesion determines the affects on lifestyle, by causing discomfort and some degree of disability. For example pain and itching of psoriatic plaques can interfere with sleeping, walking, self care and lead to irritation. Presence of scaly plaques on feet and hands can pose some peculiar problems, such as problems in certain occupations (employment restrictions), playing certain sports etc. Presence of psoriatic plaques on scalp can be embarrassing as flaky plaques can be mistaken as dandruff. In general health care for psoriasis can be time consuming, costly and may interfere with daily routine such as school schedule or employment/job schedule.

Depression and self isolation due to psoriasis (especially in severe cases) is a common problem among these patients. Poor self image, self-conscious about their appearance and fear of rejection are common psychosocial problems for psoriasis patients.

Several studies have shown that psoriasis does interfere with quality of life. More than 70% of sufferers of this disease report significant problems (such as self-consciousness and embarrassment) in day to day activity due to psoriasis. Many patients with psoriasis avoided social activities such as parties, dating and other social gatherings.

How grading severity is done in psoriasis:

There are several factors taken into account while grading severity of psoriasis, such as the proportion of the affected body surface area, disease activity (redness, thickness and scaling of plaques) and the impact of the disease on the person. Response to previous treatment is also a factor in determining severity of psoriasis, and if response is not good, it can be graded as severe.

Psoriasis can be graded as mild (affect less than 3% of body surface area), moderate (affect 3-10% of body surface area) and severe (affect more than 10% of body surface area). Currently PASI (Psoriasis Area Severity Index) is the most commonly used tool to measure severity of psoriasis in research. PASI scale gives a score of 0 (zero, which indicate no disease) to 72 (which indicate maximal disease).

DISCLAIMER: THE STORY(s) DEPICTED ON THIS SITE AND THE PERSON(s) DEPICTED IN THE STORY ARE NOT REAL. RATHER, THIS FICTIONAL STORY IS BASED ON THE RESULTS THAT SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE USED THESE PRODUCTS HAVE ACHIEVED. THE RESULTS PORTRAYED IN THE STORY AND IN THE COMMENTS ARE ILLUSTRATIVE, AND MAY NOT BE THE RESULTS THAT YOU ACHIEVE WITH THESE PRODUCTS. THIS PAGE RECEIVES COMPENSATION FOR CLICKS ON OR PURCHASE OF PRODUCTS FEATURED ON THIS SITE.

Enlarge Jim Gathany/CDC

Deer ticks like this one can spread a parasite that causes babesiosis. And infected people can spread it through blood donations.

Jim Gathany/CDC

Deer ticks like this one can spread a parasite that causes babesiosis. And infected people can spread it through blood donations.

Nobody likes ticks. Well, maybe some scientists who study them do. But civilians and people concerned with public health really are not fans.

Earlier this week, we saw some new anti-tick fodder in a roundup of cases of babesiosis, an emerging illness that's usually transmitted by a tick's bite, or in some cases, by blood transfusions. A paper in the Annals of Internal Medicine described 159 cases of babesiosis, a malaria-like infection with the parasite Babesia microti, due to transfusions over a 31-year period ending in 2009. Some people died. And the figures, in all likelihood, underestimate the true extent of the illnesses.

Cases of babesiosis are found mostly in the Northeast and Upper Midwest, where the parasite lives. But the illness is becoming a bigger public health worry, and the study showed the blood supply could spread it further. The big problem, as an accompanying editorial points out, is that there's no test to screen blood for the parasite.

 

I talked about it with parasitologist David Leiby, who wrote the editorial and is the head of transmissible disease research at the American Red Cross' Holland Laboratory. "Technically, there are challenges, of course," he said, with developing a test. The parasite gets inside red blood cells which make it trickier to detect. But, he said, that's not "insurmountable."

The bigger issue at the moment is economic. Because babesia are a regional rather than a national or international hazard, the market for a test is limited, which reduces the incentives for a company. And any test has to pass muster with the Food and Drug Administration, which isn't a trivial or inexpensive hurdle to clear.

A test has to be very sensitive and fast, so blood can be screened quickly, he said. Cost, too, is an issue â€" a test has to be affordable. He says there's some momentum building for one, and he expects the recent report on transfusion-related illnesses will help galvanize action.

And it's already the case that the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute has given a $214,000 grant to Immunetics, a company that develops blood assays, to work on one.

For more on the rather disgusting, intertwined life cycles of babesia, ticks, mice and humans, there's a video below from the University of Rhode Island's Tick Encounter Resource Center.

Postoperative care of eye after lasik eye surgery is very important for healing and health of the eye. Sometimes the success and failure of lasik eye surgery depends to a great extent on the quality postoperative care of eye after lasik eye surgery. Good care of eye after surgery is important for success of lasik surgery. The eye surgeon should teach the procedure of caring eye after surgery and the eye care should be followed strictly to make lasik eye surgery completely successful.

Lasik eye surgery has fewer side effects in compare to conventional eye surgeries and side effects can be reduced further by using latest technologies. More than 90% of lasik surgeries generally do not have any notable side effects. The percentage of patients suffering from side effects after lasik eye surgery is very few and the side effects suffered by few are also minor in nature. Minor side effects do not pose any serious threat to the eye and these are mostly due to lack/faulty caring of eye after Lasik surgery.

Most side effects of lasik surgeries are due to lack/fault in postoperative care of eye, a greater emphasis should be given to the postoperative care of eye. To reduce side effects of lasik eye surgery, it is important for the patient to learn from the eye surgeon and other health care providers about postoperative care of eye after lasik eye surgery, which may have to be carried out for several years.

The following postoperative care of eye are required after lasik eye surgery:

• Take complete rest (preferably sleep) immediately after lasik eye surgery. This help in healing of the operated eye faster.
• Do not rub, bump or make any contact with the operated eye for at least 5-7 days. To prevent any contact, including accidental rubbing of the eye, eye guard should be used (especially during sleeping).
• Avoid exposure to bright light.
• Avoid using operated eye for a week or two for reading and seeing which you were not able to see before surgery. Avoid temptation of using the operated eye.
• To prevent dryness use lubricant eye drops as per direction of your eye surgeon. Use of lubricant eye drops can also aid in healing. Sometimes, despite use of lubricant eye drops there may be dryness of eye, but usually this is temporary.

Following simple postoperative care of eye after lasik eye surgery given above can reduce side effects to a great extent and make your lasik eye surgery successful.

DISCLAIMER: THE STORY(s) DEPICTED ON THIS SITE AND THE PERSON(s) DEPICTED IN THE STORY ARE NOT REAL. RATHER, THIS FICTIONAL STORY IS BASED ON THE RESULTS THAT SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE USED THESE PRODUCTS HAVE ACHIEVED. THE RESULTS PORTRAYED IN THE STORY AND IN THE COMMENTS ARE ILLUSTRATIVE, AND MAY NOT BE THE RESULTS THAT YOU ACHIEVE WITH THESE PRODUCTS. THIS PAGE RECEIVES COMPENSATION FOR CLICKS ON OR PURCHASE OF PRODUCTS FEATURED ON THIS SITE.

Enlarge Inga Ivanova/iStockphoto.com

FDA says Beware Brazilian Blowout

Inga Ivanova/iStockphoto.com

FDA says Beware Brazilian Blowout

Nearly a year ago, we warned you that a popular hair product which turns frizzy locks smooth and luxurious may be endangering the health of the salon workers who use it. Well, now the Food and Drug Administration has made it official.

The FDA issued a warning letter to the makers of Brazilian Blowout saying their product contains dangerously high levels of formaldehyde. Known to many as the stuff used to pickle frogs for biology class, formaldehyde is a chemical the National Cancer Institute calls a cancer-causing substance.

But the company says the product is safe and is working with the FDA to clear up the "misunderstanding."

 

Brazilian Blowout markets itself as formaldehyde free, but an FDA analysis of the product found unacceptably high levels of methylene glycol, the liquid form of formaldehyde. Levels ranged from 8.7 percent to 10.4 percent, far higher than the 0.2 percent considered safe by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Panel.

The FDA told the California company that makes Brazilian Blowout to stop misleading customers and misbranding its product. In the warning letter, Michael W. Roosevelt, acting director of the Office of Compliance at the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition wrote: "It is your responsibility as a manufacturer, to ensure that the products your firm markets are safe."

Mike Brady, the chief executive for Brazilian Blowout, points to numerous tests done by OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration). "We have been tested countless times by OSHA," Brady says, "And we have never exceeded a safety standard ever," he tells Shots.

Brady says he will work with the FDA, but in the mean time, he says salons can "continue to confidently offer the Brazilian Blowout Treatment to your customers with the knowledge that Brazilian Blowout falls well below the stringent standards set forth by OSHA," he says in a statement on the company website.

The investigation of Brazilian Blowout was prompted by complaints from an Oregon hair stylist who said she suffered chest and throat pain and nosebleeds after using the product.

According to the FDA, other complaints have included eye irritation, blurred vision, nausea, rashes and vomiting.

Postoperative care of eye after lasik eye surgery is very important for healing and health of the eye. Sometimes the success and failure of lasik eye surgery depends to a great extent on the quality postoperative care of eye after lasik eye surgery. Good care of eye after surgery is important for success of lasik surgery. The eye surgeon should teach the procedure of caring eye after surgery and the eye care should be followed strictly to make lasik eye surgery completely successful.

Lasik eye surgery has fewer side effects in compare to conventional eye surgeries and side effects can be reduced further by using latest technologies. More than 90% of lasik surgeries generally do not have any notable side effects. The percentage of patients suffering from side effects after lasik eye surgery is very few and the side effects suffered by few are also minor in nature. Minor side effects do not pose any serious threat to the eye and these are mostly due to lack/faulty caring of eye after Lasik surgery.

Most side effects of lasik surgeries are due to lack/fault in postoperative care of eye, a greater emphasis should be given to the postoperative care of eye. To reduce side effects of lasik eye surgery, it is important for the patient to learn from the eye surgeon and other health care providers about postoperative care of eye after lasik eye surgery, which may have to be carried out for several years.

The following postoperative care of eye are required after lasik eye surgery:

• Take complete rest (preferably sleep) immediately after lasik eye surgery. This help in healing of the operated eye faster.
• Do not rub, bump or make any contact with the operated eye for at least 5-7 days. To prevent any contact, including accidental rubbing of the eye, eye guard should be used (especially during sleeping).
• Avoid exposure to bright light.
• Avoid using operated eye for a week or two for reading and seeing which you were not able to see before surgery. Avoid temptation of using the operated eye.
• To prevent dryness use lubricant eye drops as per direction of your eye surgeon. Use of lubricant eye drops can also aid in healing. Sometimes, despite use of lubricant eye drops there may be dryness of eye, but usually this is temporary.

Following simple postoperative care of eye after lasik eye surgery given above can reduce side effects to a great extent and make your lasik eye surgery successful.

DISCLAIMER: THE STORY(s) DEPICTED ON THIS SITE AND THE PERSON(s) DEPICTED IN THE STORY ARE NOT REAL. RATHER, THIS FICTIONAL STORY IS BASED ON THE RESULTS THAT SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE USED THESE PRODUCTS HAVE ACHIEVED. THE RESULTS PORTRAYED IN THE STORY AND IN THE COMMENTS ARE ILLUSTRATIVE, AND MAY NOT BE THE RESULTS THAT YOU ACHIEVE WITH THESE PRODUCTS. THIS PAGE RECEIVES COMPENSATION FOR CLICKS ON OR PURCHASE OF PRODUCTS FEATURED ON THIS SITE.

Enlarge Inga Ivanova/iStockphoto.com

FDA says Beware Brazilian Blowout

Inga Ivanova/iStockphoto.com

FDA says Beware Brazilian Blowout

Nearly a year ago, we warned you that a popular hair product which turns frizzy locks smooth and luxurious may be endangering the health of the salon workers who use it. Well, now the Food and Drug Administration has made it official.

The FDA issued a warning letter to the makers of Brazilian Blowout saying their product contains dangerously high levels of formaldehyde. Known to many as the stuff used to pickle frogs for biology class, formaldehyde is a chemical the National Cancer Institute calls a cancer-causing substance.

But the company says the product is safe and is working with the FDA to clear up the "misunderstanding."

 

Brazilian Blowout markets itself as formaldehyde free, but an FDA analysis of the product found unacceptably high levels of methylene glycol, the liquid form of formaldehyde. Levels ranged from 8.7 percent to 10.4 percent, far higher than the 0.2 percent considered safe by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Panel.

The FDA told the California company that makes Brazilian Blowout to stop misleading customers and misbranding its product. In the warning letter, Michael W. Roosevelt, acting director of the Office of Compliance at the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition wrote: "It is your responsibility as a manufacturer, to ensure that the products your firm markets are safe."

Mike Brady, the chief executive for Brazilian Blowout, points to numerous tests done by OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration). "We have been tested countless times by OSHA," Brady says, "And we have never exceeded a safety standard ever," he tells Shots.

Brady says he will work with the FDA, but in the mean time, he says salons can "continue to confidently offer the Brazilian Blowout Treatment to your customers with the knowledge that Brazilian Blowout falls well below the stringent standards set forth by OSHA," he says in a statement on the company website.

The investigation of Brazilian Blowout was prompted by complaints from an Oregon hair stylist who said she suffered chest and throat pain and nosebleeds after using the product.

According to the FDA, other complaints have included eye irritation, blurred vision, nausea, rashes and vomiting.

If you are a health care professional, such as doctor, nurse, technician or have good knowledge in the field of medicine, give a try in the field of medical translation. Before giving medical translation a try it is important to understand clearly what about the field or topic we are discussing about. In simple words, medical translation is translation of medical records in simple language so that a non medical person can understand it. The medical translation can be in the field of health care, technical, clinical, medical device, pharmaceutical fields as well as in the field of medical training curriculum, medical regulatory authority and in medical related software. In another words, it means translation in any field related to medical and health care.

Across the globe any medical/health care related products require that literature provided with any health care product should be in local and national language. For example if any company markets a health care product such as a health drink or an over the counter medication, it should be provided with a literature and labeling local and national language.

The translation in local and nation language is essential for easy understanding by users who are usually non medical persons. In the field of clinical research (such as clinical trials and other research activities) also medical translation is required, so that patients and regulatory representatives as well as local physicians can understand the documents easily.

Who can become medical translator?

Medical professionals such as doctors, nurses, technicians, dieticians after undergoing specific training on subject matter can become medical translator. As medical texts are highly sensitive, tightly regulated and highly technical in nature, one should be well trained in the subject before becoming a medical translator.

Medical translation requires high skills and sound knowledge and for this reason this is usually handled by medical translation agencies, with vast experience in the field. It is not a job of single person and it is best handled by translation agencies.

DISCLAIMER: THE STORY(s) DEPICTED ON THIS SITE AND THE PERSON(s) DEPICTED IN THE STORY ARE NOT REAL. RATHER, THIS FICTIONAL STORY IS BASED ON THE RESULTS THAT SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE USED THESE PRODUCTS HAVE ACHIEVED. THE RESULTS PORTRAYED IN THE STORY AND IN THE COMMENTS ARE ILLUSTRATIVE, AND MAY NOT BE THE RESULTS THAT YOU ACHIEVE WITH THESE PRODUCTS. THIS PAGE RECEIVES COMPENSATION FOR CLICKS ON OR PURCHASE OF PRODUCTS FEATURED ON THIS SITE.

About half of adult smokers who live with young children say they don't smoke in the house. But that leaves the rest who do.

iStockphoto.com

And the children of these at-home smokers â€"according to a study just published in the journal Pediatrics â€" are missing more days of school.

The study found that children living with a smoker in the house miss about one extra day per year. And if two adults in the house smoke, children miss 1.54 more days compared to kids from nonsmoking households.

Just about everybody knows that second-hand smoke increases the risk of respiratory ailments and asthma attacks, but it wasn't clear how illnesses related to smoking influenced absenteeism.

 

School absenteeism, as the study's authors note, is an easy-to-measure marker that can flag all sorts of illness. The researchers conclude that up to one-third of all missed school days by children of smokers can be attributed to the exposure of second-hand smoke.

"It was a surprise," says lead author Douglas Levy of the Mongan Institute for Health Policy at Massachusetts General Hospital. "A good chunk of these kids missed-school days is just due to secondhand smoke exposure." In their analysis, the researchers adjusted the figures to account for differences in household income, education and several other factors.

The educational impact of these absences isn't entirely clear, but missed days can't be good. But, in any case, the financial toll is significant. When these children get sick working parents need to stay home. And that adds up to lots of lost wages â€" about $227 million a year â€" the researchers figure.

Levy explains that about half of the children living with a smoker are in low-income families, so the hardship for them could be significant. "If we could eliminate second-hand smoke exposure" says Levy. "It would help a lot."

Refractive error (myopia, hypermetropia, astigmatism etc.) of eye is a common medical problem of eyes and by the time you are 40 years of age or around 40 years, the problems of refractive error of eyes increases. It is important you take care of your eyes appropriately and treat your eye problems. If you have eye problem and your doctor advised you to undergo surgery (such as lasik eye surgery) it is important to know if lasik will be good for you and it is a normal thing to have doubt and try to understand it, as lasik eye surgery is comparatively new and uses latest technology in compare to conventional eye surgeries.

At present there is tremendous advancement in use of technology (such as use of IntraLase laser and “wavefront technology”), especially in lasik eye surgery and due to use of latest technology; many patients can undergo eye lasik eye surgery without complication, the patients who were considered unfit few years back.

Use of latest technology such as use of “wavefront technology” to map the cornea before Lasik eye surgery, which reduce the side effects and complications in Lasik eye surgery. Currently most patients with refractive error can undergo lasik eye surgery unless there is specific medical conditions in the patients such as glaucoma (pressure inside eye is raised), severe hypertension, uncontrolled diabetes, compromised immunity (such as AIDS) etc. Even the here mentioned medical conditions are not absolute contraindications to lasik eye surgery. Bring the medical condition under control (such as blood sugar within normal limit for diabetics, blood pressure under control for hypertensive etc.) and you can undergo lasik eye surgery.

The risk of complication (intra-operative or during operation and post operative complications) are high if the systemic disease (such as glaucoma, diabetes, hypertension) is not under control. General health is also important and your general health should be sound to have eventless surgical procedure.

Have clear idea about the procedure and possible complications and risk factors related to lasik eye surgery and decide, if you want to use lasik eye surgery.

DISCLAIMER: THE STORY(s) DEPICTED ON THIS SITE AND THE PERSON(s) DEPICTED IN THE STORY ARE NOT REAL. RATHER, THIS FICTIONAL STORY IS BASED ON THE RESULTS THAT SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE USED THESE PRODUCTS HAVE ACHIEVED. THE RESULTS PORTRAYED IN THE STORY AND IN THE COMMENTS ARE ILLUSTRATIVE, AND MAY NOT BE THE RESULTS THAT YOU ACHIEVE WITH THESE PRODUCTS. THIS PAGE RECEIVES COMPENSATION FOR CLICKS ON OR PURCHASE OF PRODUCTS FEATURED ON THIS SITE.

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Some patients describe chronic fatigue syndrome as feeling like an "unrelenting flu."

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Some patients describe chronic fatigue syndrome as feeling like an "unrelenting flu."

Nearly three decades have passed since the debate began about a series of symptoms that have come to be known as chronic fatigue syndrome. It's cause is still unknown, but over the years, researchers have identified various brain, immune system and energy metabolism irregularities involved. Some patients describe the syndrome as feeling like an "unrelenting, unremitting flu."

Doctors say some treatments can help. Arthur Barsky, a psychiatrist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and a professor at Harvard Medical School, says patients need to change how they experience symptoms â€" typically pain, insomnia and anxiety. When patients adopt a more positive attitude, Barsky points out, it often translates into greater confidence and more energy.

A study published this year in The Lancet found that a form of talk therapy, as well as exercise, offered relief for some patients. Researchers from the United Kingdom looked at cognitive behavior therapy, or CBT.

 

In the study, over 600 patients with chronic fatigue syndrome were assigned to different treatments. All of them received medical care for symptoms like pain, insomnia or anxiety.

One group got counseled about how to pace activities. Another took part in an exercise program. And a third received the cognitive behavioral talk therapy. The therapy and the exercise group improved the most, reporting less fatigue, insomnia and anxiety.

Barsky says his patients do best when cognitive behavior therapy is also combined with gradually increased exercise. "People need to begin to push themselves in the face of their fatigue, because if you don't, you become deconditioned and you get caught in a cycle which ... makes fatigue worse," says Barsky.

But he cautions against overdoing it. People should start with mild, gentle exercise like clearing the table, doing the dishes, or taking the dog for a short walk. Then, slowly build up to longer and more frequent walks, he says.

Lucinda Bateman is a doctor at the Fatigue Consultation Clinic in Salt Lake City who specializes in chronic fatigue syndrome.

She's skeptical about the Lancet study, pointing out that patients improved only moderately, and not much more than those who were counseled about pacing themselves. Bateman suggests her patients pace themselves, and try to do only as many activities as they can manage.

She says some patients get caught in a "push and crash" cycle. When symptoms abate and they feel better, they may go all out, exercising, doing errands and socializing. But soon that level of activity often comes to a crashing end and patients can relapse dramatically, even becoming bedridden for several days or longer.

Bateman takes also issue with CBT's implication that chronic fatigue syndrome is psychosomatic. We still don't know what exactly causes the syndrome. And, like most professionals who treat patients, Bateman eagerly awaits the day when science can finally pinpoint its cause.

With additional reporting from Joanne Silberner

Refractive error (myopia, hypermetropia, astigmatism etc.) of eye is a common medical problem of eyes and by the time you are 40 years of age or around 40 years, the problems of refractive error of eyes increases. It is important you take care of your eyes appropriately and treat your eye problems. If you have eye problem and your doctor advised you to undergo surgery (such as lasik eye surgery) it is important to know if lasik will be good for you and it is a normal thing to have doubt and try to understand it, as lasik eye surgery is comparatively new and uses latest technology in compare to conventional eye surgeries.

At present there is tremendous advancement in use of technology (such as use of IntraLase laser and “wavefront technology”), especially in lasik eye surgery and due to use of latest technology; many patients can undergo eye lasik eye surgery without complication, the patients who were considered unfit few years back.

Use of latest technology such as use of “wavefront technology” to map the cornea before Lasik eye surgery, which reduce the side effects and complications in Lasik eye surgery. Currently most patients with refractive error can undergo lasik eye surgery unless there is specific medical conditions in the patients such as glaucoma (pressure inside eye is raised), severe hypertension, uncontrolled diabetes, compromised immunity (such as AIDS) etc. Even the here mentioned medical conditions are not absolute contraindications to lasik eye surgery. Bring the medical condition under control (such as blood sugar within normal limit for diabetics, blood pressure under control for hypertensive etc.) and you can undergo lasik eye surgery.

The risk of complication (intra-operative or during operation and post operative complications) are high if the systemic disease (such as glaucoma, diabetes, hypertension) is not under control. General health is also important and your general health should be sound to have eventless surgical procedure.

Have clear idea about the procedure and possible complications and risk factors related to lasik eye surgery and decide, if you want to use lasik eye surgery.

DISCLAIMER: THE STORY(s) DEPICTED ON THIS SITE AND THE PERSON(s) DEPICTED IN THE STORY ARE NOT REAL. RATHER, THIS FICTIONAL STORY IS BASED ON THE RESULTS THAT SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE USED THESE PRODUCTS HAVE ACHIEVED. THE RESULTS PORTRAYED IN THE STORY AND IN THE COMMENTS ARE ILLUSTRATIVE, AND MAY NOT BE THE RESULTS THAT YOU ACHIEVE WITH THESE PRODUCTS. THIS PAGE RECEIVES COMPENSATION FOR CLICKS ON OR PURCHASE OF PRODUCTS FEATURED ON THIS SITE.

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Stroke so small they're never noticed may add up.

Lisa F. Young/iStockphoto.com

Stroke so small they're never noticed may add up.

Old people who don't have signs of cardiovascular disease still may have suffered microscopic strokes that don't show up on conventional tests. The small strokes may impair their ability to walk, balance and function just the same.

Scientists examined the brains of 418 priests and nuns after they died. The researchers found that one-third of the brains that had seemed normal using conventional tests while the people were alive actually had damage to tiny blood vessels. The damage was so slight it was impossible to see without a microscope.

The people whose brains had these tiny signs of hardened arteries and stroke were most likely to have had shuffling gait and other movement problems while they were still alive.

This means that problems with walking, rigidity, tremors, and other movement issues that are often considered a normal part of aging may not be normal at all. Many old people considered healthy may actually have considerable damage to the tissue and blood vessels in their brains.

 

"There's a limit to what you can see in brain imaging using current technologies," says neurologist Aron Buchman, Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, and lead author of the study. "These are not people who had a diagnosis of Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. These are people who had mild motor findings that otherwise would be written off as normal aging."

Though that may sound like yet another grim prognosis associated with aging, Buchman says it opens the possibility that what seems like an inevitable result of old age could be treated or prevented.

"Loss of mobility, mobility disability, slowing of gait is something that's ubiquitous in older people," Buchman told Shots. But this study didn't show that the brain damage caused the movement problems, because it only compared the state of the people's brains at death with examinations of their health while still alive. "I wish that we had something like carbon-14 dating like they have at archeological sites, so we can figure out when problems arise in the brain," he added.

One way to figure that out may be to use conventional brain imaging techniques like MRI over time, then compare the changes over time with the state of the person's brain at death. But that work has yet to be done.

Buchman praised the priests and nuns who volunteered for the research, which was part of the Religious Orders Study. "They came in for tests for 15 years, and then they donate their brains at death. They deserve our special thanks."

The results were published online in the journal Stroke.

Many people wonder if there are any natural solutions available to treat and overcome Candida yeast infection. Typically, the only remedy required for a yeast overgrowth is a good probiotic, however, natural anti-fungals and low-glycemic diets can help as well.

Besides taking probiotic and antifungal supplements,  it may be also beneficial for you to decide to change your dietary habits. Instead of indulging in way too many snacks, treats and breads, try to consider giving up sugar, sodas and foods containing gluten. Most experts recommend to replace them with fresh vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and high-quality animal protein.

Candida, also known as yeast overgrowth, is a condition that can be caused by many factors, including antibiotics, stress, hormonal imbalances, steroids, and diets high in carbohydrates. As a result, sufferers often end up feeling sick, with a myriad of debilitating symptoms that require thorough cleanse regimen. It is recommended that you first check with your doctor before starting any treatment to see if they have any recommendations for you.

These types of diet modifications will definitely help transform your inner terrain, especially since Candida albicans (the yeast causing the problems) thrives on sugar and the acidity it causes, and that’s exactly what it won’t be getting.

Usually, it takes time and consistency to rebalance, but there are several other things that can help. Specifically, anti-fungals can be an important part of your treatment. These drugs actively eliminate the cells of Candida and can be prescribed by your doctor.

Although you do have a lot of options, it is understandable if you are still a little confused about what you’re supposed to do. If you’re worried about potential side effects of pharmaceutical drugs, know that recent research has brought attention to a number of promising natural alternatives that you may want to check out. These include raw garlic, caprylic acid, and oil of oregano, among others.

The bottom line â€" dealing with Candida and yeast over-growths can be hard, however, as we’ve just discussed there are many things that can alleviate your symptoms. Candida treatment can seem overwhelming at first. If you really need some help, don’t be afraid to ask a health care practitioner what they think you should do.

DISCLAIMER: THE STORY(s) DEPICTED ON THIS SITE AND THE PERSON(s) DEPICTED IN THE STORY ARE NOT REAL. RATHER, THIS FICTIONAL STORY IS BASED ON THE RESULTS THAT SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE USED THESE PRODUCTS HAVE ACHIEVED. THE RESULTS PORTRAYED IN THE STORY AND IN THE COMMENTS ARE ILLUSTRATIVE, AND MAY NOT BE THE RESULTS THAT YOU ACHIEVE WITH THESE PRODUCTS. THIS PAGE RECEIVES COMPENSATION FOR CLICKS ON OR PURCHASE OF PRODUCTS FEATURED ON THIS SITE.

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Potatoes have gotten a lot of bad press as major contributors to obesity and diabetes. But Joe Vinson, a chemistry professor at the University of Scranton, aims to rehabilitate the humble tuber. When he had overweight people eat potatoes daily for a month, their blood pressure dropped, and they didn't gain weight.

That's far different than the current line on potatoes. In June, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health reported that potatoes were a key culprit in weight gain, more so than red meat or sugary drinks. That study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

But Vinson thinks the Harvard unfairly lumped together fries with healthier baked and steamed potatoes. He thinks that beneficial antioxidants in potatoes are destroyed by frying, that that the microwaved potatoes his test subjects consumed should still retain contain those good vitamins and polyphenols.

 

His study was small, with just 18 subjects eating 6 to 8 microwaved potatoes twice daily for one month, then going potato-free. After eating potatoes for a month, their diastolic blood pressure dropped an average of 4 millimeters of mercury, or 4.3 percent.

Vinson had his subjects eat fancy purple potatoes because they have higher levels of compounds like clorogenic acid. Vinson had done earlier research on beneficial compounds in coffee, and was surprised to find that chlorogenic acid, a major bioactive compound in coffee, was abundant in potatoes, too. That sparked this study. He hopes to repeat it with regular potatoes.

"The big question in my mind is whether white potatoes would work," Vinson told Shots. He hasn't found earlier research on potatoes of any color and blood pressure. "How come somebody didn't do this before?" the chemist wonders. "You ask yourself this question in science."

Potatoes of all hues contain vitamin C, folic acid, potassium and iron. In the old days sailors ate potatoes to stave off scurvy, and potatoes remain a major source of nutrition for millions of people around the world.

But potatoes also have been blamed for expanding American waistlines. For instance, Walter Willett, an epidemiologist at Harvard who was one of the authors of the New England Journal of Medicine article, puts potatoes in the "really unhealthy" category on his Healthy Eating Pyramid, along with red meat, soft drinks, and chips. (All Things Considered host Michele Norris recently interviewed Willett on potatoes and healthy foods.)

So potato fans have a choice: Experiment with Vinson's "potatoes can be good for you" theory, and start nibbling microwaved tubers. Or stick with the mainstream view espoused by Willett, and presume that there's no such thing as a healthful spud.

Vinson's findings, which haven't been published yet, were presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society in Denver. Funding for the work came from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's State Cooperative Potato Research Program.