Swine flu cases in Michigan are raising the question about what role obesity plays in some people with infections become seriously ill. It has been brought to our attention that a large number of people who have gotten extremely ill with the swine flu infection are either obese or extremely obese.

However, health officials disregard the role of obesity in the severity of the infection. According to them, people with swine flu are getting extremely ill due to the fact that heavy people tend to have asthma and other conditions that make them more susceptible. Obesity alone has never been seen as a risk factor for seasonal flu.
In the meantime, it is important to note that the government is about to spend an additional $1 billion in ordering swine flu vaccination.

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We need all vitamins and minerals for good health, well being and energy.

However, particular nutrient deficiencies are associated with reduced energy and chronic tiredness. These include iron, magnesium, B12 and folic acid. We will explore each of these nutrients; how they contribute to tiredness; how to test their levels in the body; and symptoms of a deficiency.

Iron

Iron is an essential mineral needed for the manufacture of haemoglobin, the part of red blood cells that carries oxygen and is needed for energy production. When iron levels are low, red blood cells can’t carry enough oxygen to the body’s tissues, causing fatigue. When haemoglobin levels are low, anaemia occurs.

There are two types of iron: haem iron (from animal sources) and non-haem iron (from plant sources). The body absorbs haem iron much more easily than non-haem iron, which is why vegetarians are at greater risk of iron-deficiency anaemia.

Symptoms of deficiency: fatigue (especially on exertion); pale lower eyelids, palms, nails, tongue; brittle nails; headaches; constipation; inflamed tongue. Read more »

When speaking about chickenpox, the first thing that comes to mind is those itchy rashes on the body. But what really is chickenpox? Chickenpox is an infectious illness which is caused by a kind of virus called varicella zoster. Although the virus can be caught by a grown up, children are usually the ones who are infected by such illness.

How do you know if your child has been infested by chickenpox?

Slight fever and itchy rash are two common symptoms of chickenpox. At the initial stage, smooth and red spots can be easily seen on the body and face and by the third day, these red spots will become blisters which can be extremely itchy.

How is the virus spread?

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The Acai Berry is being touted as the antioxidant dietary supplement. There are good reasons why many people use this antioxidant dietary supplement. I am going to go over some of the reasons you should try them.

Your body is full of free radicals. These free radicals roam around your body and damage your cells. I won’t go over the mechanics of this, but suffice it to say, these are bad. If you want more details, I recommend trying Wikipedia or WebMD.

Free radicals are neutralized by antioxidants. However, in the process of neutralizing a free radical, the antioxidant is destroyed. This means you have to keep replenishing the supply of antioxidants in your body.

You can get more antioxidants by eating fruits or vegetables that are rich with antioxidants. Below are some fruits and vegetables and how much antioxidants they have in them. I can’t tell you exactly what ORAC is, but more is better so you want to have higher values if you are trying to get more antioxidants.

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Myths, half-truths and wives’ tales persist in medicine. Sometimes doctors and nurses believe things that aren’t true or at least are unproven. That’s the focus of a new book, “Don’t Swallow Your Gum! Myths, Half-Truths and Outright Lies About Your Body and Health,”
by Dr. Aaron E. Carroll and Dr. Rachel C. Vreeman.
INSERT DESCRIPTION Two doctors tackle medical myths.

Dr. Carroll and Dr. Vreeman, both from the Indiana University School of Medicine, have written a lot about medical myths and misunderstandings. In December 2007, the pair published an article in the British Medical Journal about seven medical myths even doctors believe. A year later, they identified six medical myths for the holiday season.

Now, “Don’t Swallow Your Gum” offers a fun collection of numerous medical myths that are likely familiar to most of us. The book is organized to focus on various types of myths, including myths about your body (you should poop at least once a day), myths about disease and illness (cold weather makes you sick), myths about sex and pregnancy (twins skip a generation) and myths about what we eat and drink (gum stays in your stomach for seven years.)

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New Hyde Park, New York (PRWEB) May 16, 2009 — People of African, Asian, Latin and Native American backgrounds know that their skin, hair and nails are subject to conditions that do not affect lighter skinned people. “While most of these are not serious, they may be disturbing, troubling or unsightly,” says Joshua Fox, MD, a leading dermatologist, founder of Advanced Dermatology and an official spokesperson for the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery.

“Fortunately, your dermatologist is well acquainted with these conditions and can help people with dark skin to diagnose and treat their concerns early and quickly,” says Dr. Fox. He offers the following listing of the top skin conditions faced by people of color and how it differs from lighter-skinned individuals.

1. Acne - Many dark skinned women suffer from acne vulgaris, sometimes combined with hyper pigmentation, or skin darkening in spots or patches, which occurs in response to the outbreak of acne. Unlike fairer-skinned individuals, the discoloration plays an integral role in treatment. Surprisingly, these patients are more bothered by the discoloration than the acne itself. Treatments may include topical skin lightening creams for dark spots, sunscreen and topical, prescription acne medications. Read more »

Growing long curly hair takes more patience than growing straight hair. The curl shrinkage can make it difficult to determine the true hair length. Some curlies feel like their hair never grows. A few may be right because of breakage.
Can Curly Hair Grow Long?

Yes, curly hair can grow long just like any other hair type. On average, all hair grows half an inch a month. Curly hair can appear shorter because the strands curl up or appear to “shrink”, making the monthly growth less obvious. Curlies must gain at least a few inches before the curls appear longer.

Why Does Curly Hair Break Off Easily?

Curly hair is more fragile than straight or wavy hair because the cuticle naturally remains somewhat raised. When a hair cuticle is raised, the strand is more vulnerable to split ends and breakage.

According the curly hair expert Ouidad, the majority of curlies have fine hair. Fine hair is fragile and more prone to damage without the right care.

Unfortunately, many curlies believe they have coarse hair because the raised hair cuticle feels rough and frizzes issues. This leads to the use of harsh hair products for a stronger hair type.

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While it is common to see scientific studies on how health can be improved by using certain, particular supplements of vitamins and minerals it is not the same for the real McCoy.

How true? Ask yourself and do a goggle search (or a PUB Med or any advanced search of scientific articles) about how many times you see a study–any study–on a particular fruit or vegetable that comes out proving some health improvement. Not a group, but a particular fruit or vegetable. And proof of health, not disease (this is an important distinction).

We are talking about real science here not just made up stuff from some science nut or health nut. And we are talking about real fruits and vegetables like a particular apple or broccoli as opposed to a group of fruits or vegetables. In other words we are talking about something very concrete and not at all abstract–this is where real scientific study comes in very handy: such study is not abstract or it is not science. And, importantly, if I can prove it and you cannot, it is not scientifically provable. Period.

How many? Which vegetable? Which fruit?

There are plenty of promoters of eating fresh fruits and vegetables and many of them provide solid credentials like the Harvard, Tufts, Eat 5 a day, and so on (for a really good goggle search try vegetables and health or fruits and health).

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Have you ever tried using an acne Remedy? It’s quite normal that adolescents’ oil-secreting glands go into overdrive during puberty. The consequence of this process is pimple and blackheads mostly on our facial skin but we also find it on the shoulders and the back.

In most cases, acne is innocent and a normal part of growing up. However, for the teen it can seem like the end of the world to develop huge pimples two days before the senior prom! Before we fully understood the nature of acne, we believed that it was a result of eating foods like for example, candy and French fries, two of the most common ingredients of a teenager’s meal plan.

Today we understand more; we know that acne is caused by the increased oil gland secretions that take place in normal puberty. How many bumps and pimples a teenager will develop is mostly determined by the person’s general stress-level and heredity.

In most cases acne reacts well to treatment with prescription free products that control and dry oil secretions. Be aware though that the most severe variant of this condition - cystic acne - can result in serious scaring of the face. Read more »

The Aloe vera plant is an African succulent that is popular as skin care ingredient. Now you will find Aloe vera outside Africa as it is a popular garden plant, especially in dry areas where gardens must be made with the climate in mind.

Aloe vera is commercially cultivated over the world to be used in skin care cosmetic. Outside Africa, you will find the largest Aloe vera farms in the Mediterranean region, the United States, the Caribbean and Japan. An Aloe vera plant will also do well indoors, but notice that it can grow very large and need re-potting.

The Greeks people, for example Alexander, applied the juice from the leaves to the wounds of his soldiers. In Egypt, Cleopatra, ever conscious of her beauty anointed her skin with many concoctions include aloe vera. It have been used in the Asian cultures of bygone days. Evidence is found of aloe vera usage in the ancient texts of China and India.

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