Fighting fat is something that most everyone engages in these days. Even those who are not really overweight have become more conscious of the battle of the bulge. What with the media focusing on being skinny and all, this is not a surprise. From weight loss pills to exercise regimens to diet programs – everyone has his own surefire product!
But what about taxing soda in order to help fight fat? Well, if the U.S. health authorities are to be followed, we will soon be paying a lot more for sodas and other similar sugary drinks. According to a
report by the AFP, the authorities think that getting these drinks out of the Americans’ menus would solve the problem.
Thomas Frieden, the head of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, says that the average American ...
Botox is known to most everyone. Celebrities and the rich are always suspected of going to their doctor to get a shot to make them look better and younger. Whether or not these people actually do get Botox shots, the fact remains that this drug is usually associated with cosmetic applications.
But did you know that it can also be used to treat other conditions? I didn’t! I just read a story about how an Australian stroke victim was able to walk again because of Botox. Russell McPhee, 49, has been paralyzed for the past 23 years. He had a stroke that was so severe that his doctors told him that he would never be able to walk again. Or so they thought.
So how did this happen? Botox, or botulinum toxin, actually ...
Every now and then we hear of diseases that are deadly and have the potential to become widespread. I think it’s that time of the year again, and this time, we are facing a potentially serious threat from swine flu. In fact, the World Health Organization has already stepped in and has declared a public emergency.
The current strain of swine flu originates from Mexico and is said to be different from the previous ones that we have encountered. In Mexico, it has been reported that 81 people have died from the disease and that more than 1,000 people are currently infected with it.
Swine flu, as the name implies, is transferred from infected pigs to humans. Humans who contract the disease exhibit the normal signs of flu – fever, respiratory problems, fatigue, and the like. However, ...
To drink or not to drink? That is the question.
I must admit all these new studies about the benefits and negative effects of each and every food and drink I like makes my head spin. They said alcohol is good for your heart but now new findings state that it actually leads to increased risk for cancer. So what should one do? I guess it depends on whether you’re more afraid of a heart attack or getting cancer!
Seriously though, even moderate amounts of alcohol leads to increased cancer risk. According to Oxford University researchers women that drank more than 2 alcoholic beverages a week increases their risk by 2% while those that had 7 to 14 drinks a week increased their cancer ...
The human brain is considered to be the last frontier to unlock the utter complexity of the human body. It is the most studied yet most puzzling part of our bodies due to a complexity that cannot be rivaled by today's super-computers pound for pound. The human brain is a compact supercomputer that has an area that is larger than you think is in the human skull. The complex inner workings of the
human brain has baffled scientists who know what it is made of but how it works is still a big puzzle. Today's advanced
imaging sciences and devices have allowed the unlocking of some of its
secrets and the
information they gather is proving to be a huge benefit to those who suffer from disease. Studies with stem cells, the body's super-cells, are giving clues ...
Tags: Amazing Human Body, Human Brain, Imaging Technology, Supercomputer
I might be a prime candidate for Alzheimer’s Disease! This is what I found out from a report that Reuters recently published. They quoted a study conducted by Swedish researchers which stated that there is a link between eating fast food and the disease. If you know me, I tend to eat McDonald’s a lot. If not McDonald’s then KFC or some other fast food meals. This is because a lot of times, I find myself short on time and cooking becomes a non option.
The Reuters report states that:
Mice fed junk food for nine months showed signs of developing the abnormal brain tangles strongly associated with Alzheimer's disease, a Swedish researcher said on Friday.
The findings, which come from a series of published papers by a researcher at Sweden's Karolinska Institutet, show how a ...
This slogan became very popular all over the world many years ago but today, it might not be a good idea to stock up on milk – especially if it comes from China. I am sure that you have heard of the powdered milk scare. Last week, reports came out that powdered milk from China has been contaminated with melamine.
Melamine is a chemical that is usually used for coatings, laminates, adhesives, and other industrial applications. Apparently, some Chinese manufacturers have added this chemical to their dairy products. The reason behind this is that it makes the products seem to have higher protein levels. So how can melamine hurt you?
According to experts, melamine can cause various illnesses like kidney stones, stomach ulcers, and irritation of the skin and eyes. Naturally,
infants drinking ...
If you are in Iowa, it is the best time to be very careful with the water you drink. The state’s
health officials have issued a warning regarding a crypto outbreak, which is a waterborne disease. Crypto is short for cryptosporidiosis. If you are not familiar with this disease, here are some facts from the
CDC web site:
Cryptosporidiosis is a diarrheal disease caused by microscopic parasites of the genus Cryptosporidium. Both the disease and the parasite are commonly known as "Crypto."
Many species of Cryptosporidium exist that infect humans and a wide range of animals. The parasite is protected by an outer shell that allows it to survive outside the body for long periods of time and makes it very resistant to chlorine disinfection.
While this parasite can be transmitted in several different ways, water ...
The Health Department has recently issued a warning about the West Nile Virus. According to health officials, the virus is at its worst during the fall – which we are about to enter here soon – and that people should be even more careful. As recent as the 15th of August, there have been
cases of West Nile Virus infection.
The
Center for Disease Control has provided detailed information on how to protect yourself from possible infection:
When dealing with West Nile virus, prevention is your best bet. Fighting mosquito bites reduces your risk of getting this disease, along with others that mosquitoes can carry. Take the commonsense steps below to reduce your risk:
• avoid bites and illness;
• clean out the mosquitoes from the places where you work and play;
• help your community control the disease.
Something to remember: The chance ...
…and more, actually. We know that every summer, the elderly are put at risk because of the extreme temperatures that may occur. This is something that happens in most temperate countries and the risk is even greater now that the world’s climate is going wacko.
According to the
U.S. National Institute on Aging (NIA), however, there is more to heat than what we normally know. They have highlighted some factors that we should pay particular attention to if we are elderly or we have someone elderly in the home:
• Age-related changes to the skin such as poor blood circulation and inefficient sweat glands.
• Heart, lung and kidney diseases, as well as any illness that causes general weakness or fever.
• High blood pressure or other conditions that require
dietary changes. For example, people on salt-restricted diets may be at ...
