As scientists in the medical field continue to make huge advancements in both the knowledge and treatment technologies associated with various diseases, there become more and more considerations for soon-to-be parents to think about. One of the biggest and most controversial of these considerations lately is the banking of a baby’s umbilical cord blood.
As a parent, it’s wise to consider the reasons for and benefits of
stem cell banking preservation these days, as it’s something that could be potentially lifesaving for your child or other members of your family in the future.
Here we examine just what cord blood banking is, as well as some of the biggest reasons to consider cord blood banking for your family:
- What it is: Cord blood banking is a system of banking a collected sample of a child’s umbilical cord blood directly after the baby is born, following the cutting of the umbilical cord. The actual banking is done using cryopreservation, or, cryogenic freezing methods, that maintain the vital functionality of the blood after it’s been processed in a number of ways in a laboratory.
Tags: baby, blood, newborn
Who hasn't thought about dying? Granted we all get morbid thoughts on dying once in a while, I'm pretty sure that most people don't go about researching the exact figures on factors that increase your chances of dying. Still, the facts from the
infographic below are pretty interesting to know and something any health conscious / life lover will appreciate. So if you want to know just how much various outdoor activities, smoking, and obesity increases your chances of not making it to the ripe old age of 70 plus, read on so you can avoid the more dangerous stuff (Cross out base jumping on your bucket list if you want to live longer!) and enjoy safer activities like jogging, riding a plane, and playing computer games.
Oh, and you might want to find out a cure for aging because this infographic reports that "regardless of all of these risks, ...
Depression is a very real problem that many people go through without even realizing it. A study made by the
National Library of Medicine revealed that 20 million people suffer from depression in the United States alone.
Depression can happen to anyone – male, female, young or old. In fact, about 26.2 percent of Americans from ages 18 and up can suffer from a
mental disorder that can be diagnosable. That’s one in four adults. Depression can be diagnosed and if you know the symptoms of depression, you can identify if you or a loved one is suffering from it.
Here are some of the more common symptoms of depression.
Tags: Depression, symptoms
To reduce and remove the fat in the breasts many are now having this done by liposuction. Breast Liposuction will make a visible breast lift, if you have enough elasticity of your skin. This is called retract. Breast liposuction cost is also cheaper then going in for a full reduction of the breast as well.
Tags: Breast Liposuction
Nonnutritive sweeteners (sometimes called artificial sweeteners or sugar substitutes) may seem like the sweet solution to people struggling with diabetes or weight loss problems. But how healthy are these chemicals, and are there natural sweeteners that can deliver similar benefits but at a reduced risk to your health?
Tags: Health, natural sweeteners, nonnutritive sweeteners, stevia
Everyone knows how important good health is, but no matter how important it may be many still do not change their unhealthy habits. Though reasons for continuing with such unhealthy habits vary per person it is not uncommon to hear people utter feelings of hopelessness it comes to turning their lives around. What’s sad about this is that these feelings of hopelessness are definitely off the mark, since a healthy lifestyle is something that is truly achievable.
We have to realize though that people feel like they will never truly be able to achieve a healthier lifestyle not just because they are negative, but because there are real barriers to reaching this goal. The problem though is getting people to realize that these barriers are surmountable and can slowly be overcome.
A big mistake people often make when aiming to achieve a ...
Vitamins are always good for you, right? Not always!
According to a review of 67 studies done by scientists at the Copenhagen University, called the Cochrane Collaboration, certain vitamins, specifically beta-carotene and Vitamins A and E, may shorten your life. In fact,
BBC reports that "the researchers linked vitamin A supplements to a 16% increased risk of dying, beta-carotene to a 7% increased risk and vitamin E to a 4% increased risk."
This does not mean, however, that you should stop taking your vitamin supplements altogether. However, as the researchers themselves warn, you should "exercise caution in the use of high doses of purified supplements of vitamins, including antioxidant vitamins, and minerals." Instead of relying on vitamin supplements alone to provide the anti-oxidants and minerals you need, it is still best to eat a balanced and healthy diet rich in natural vitamins ...
In my last post I emphasized
the importance of good mental health, encouraging everyone to take stock of your present situation and do what's necessary to preserve your mental well being. Taking care of your mental well being does not always necessarily mean having to go to a shrink for help, though in some cases it really is needed or simply better. It's also not entirely about getting a mind reset, although learning to think positively is paramount to good mental health. What people often do not realize is just how much taking care of your physical health can help your mental state. After all, being sick (and sickly) will surely affect you mentally. Small steps like the ones listed below might seem trivial, but can help you a long way in achieving a healthier and happier life:
Eat right - ...
I have noticed that most of the posts here on The Health Blog is focused physical health. While aiming for a healthy lifestyle that will result in a healthy body is indeed important, I think we sometimes fail to emphasize the importance of having good mental health.
Good mental health is not just being free of mental illnesses that would require you to see a doctor. Instead, you can look at it as having the "ability to enjoy life, and create a balance between life activities and efforts to achieve psychological resilience." In short, it is important because it is a prerequisite to being able to live your life to the fullest.
Just because you are an achiever doesn't mean that you have sound mental health. Indeed, we only need look at the number of famous people in history who have taken their ...
If you had a strange physical deformity would you choose to keep it or would you want to remove it? You would think that most people would choose to have surgery to have it corrected but not Chandre Oram, who was born with a
human tail.
In the womb human embryos have a prenatal tail but as the embryo develops into a fetus the tail is absorbed by the growing body. But this didn’t happen to Oram and he now has a tail 13 inches long. Despite this Oram has refused any operation to have it removed saying he wouldn’t be the same person without it.
Oram lives in West Bengal and was born on the date known as Rama Navami, which is the birthday of Hindu King
Rama. Because of this Oram is regarded by many as an incarnation of the ape like Hindu deity Hanuman. Thousands of people queue up ...
