Known in the medical field as pertussis, whooping cough is a respiratory system infection caused by a strain of the Bordetella pertussis (B. pertussis) bacterium. It gets its name from the severe coughing that produces a whooping noise whenever the affected person breaths in during an episode. As expected, the cough itself is not the only symptom of this particular illness. Initial Symptoms For many, the initial symptoms of whooping cough are similar to the symptoms of a common cold. Early symptoms include a low-grade fever, sneezing, runny nose and a mild cough. Since the cough at the initial stage is so mild, few people seek out the help of a medical professional as they often assume this is after all, a simple cold. Progression of Symptoms Anywhere from one to two weeks after the onset of initial symptoms, the mild cough changes into a more advanced cough with coughing spells. These coughing spells can last for a minute or longer and are the stage where whooping cough gets its name. During a coughing spell, the characteristic whooping noise will be heard between breaths. These coughing spells may also cause some people to vomit or turn red or purple during the episode. A particularly bad coughing spell can cause a person to stop breathing for a few to several seconds.

Let's face it. No one has time to get sick in today's hectic world. We also don't have time to go to the doctor's office for the common cold. Which is okay, since the most he can do is give you some antibiotics. Thankfully, there are several remedies found in your cabinets at home. Here are just five home remedies for the common cold. Drink Hot Tea for Congestion Not being able to breath through your nose can get annoying. The good news is this is actually easy to take care of. Sipping on a hot mug of tea can help break up the congestion. Best of all, it can also help sooth a sore throat. If you want, you can add honey and lemon to better sooth your sore throat. A shot of whiskey in the tea can also help your cough.

Fruits and vegetables really are good for you. That’s no joke or exaggeration. This post will focus on some fruit that is healthy to eat and go over some of their benefits. The more you get a sense of this, the more you will be motivated to eat more fruit and enjoy the positive impact it can have on your health. The affects of increased fruit consumption can be quite far reaching and profound, so don’t underestimate what eating them can do. The following are 7 examples of fruits that you might consider eating in order to increase your overall state of health. Raspberries

Food shopping is something everybody has to do, so it is understandable that it is one of the main areas where people spend money. As you are buying food once or twice a week, it’s a good idea to save money where you can. Below are six great tips to help you save money when grocery shopping. Buy Own-Label These days the majority of supermarkets have their own lines of food that they sell alongside well known brands. The own-label brands are usually a lot cheaper than main name brands and are often just as tasty. Products that are made by supermarket brands include medicines, bath product, laundry detergents and foodstuffs so you can save money on a range of items, sometimes as much as 20 per cent.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month might be nearly over, but the threat of breast cancer remains. In previous years, we tried our best to help spread information and clarify issues about breast cancer, from popular myths to tips for breast self-examination. This time, I find it fit to focus on the often neglected issue of male breast cancer. Despite much attention given to breast cancer, one thing you will almost never hear even during information campaigns is the existence of male breast cancer. This is understandable considering that male breast cancer accounts for only 1% of all breast cancers; a very small number compared to the thousands of women falling prey to the disease each year. Even that small number is, however, unacceptable since breast cancer is no less fatal in men than in women. The problem with so little information about male breast cancer is that men tend to put off ...

Monosodium Glutamate was discovered by Professor Kikunae Ikeda in 1908 as a result of his research to find answers to the unique taste of dashi (Japanese broth) when combining it with katsuobushi (dried skipjack tuna) and kombu seaweed. He noticed that the flavor emanating from the soup stock is not sweet, sour, salty, nor bitter. He unearthed “umami” or the “fifth taste” by extracting the glutamic acid found in kombu through the process of aqueous extraction and crystallization. From then on, the taste of many foods in the world has been influenced with this new innovation, which was known by the name of Ajinomoto, and first sold in 1909.

  Meals that are tastier and with improved meatiness and flavor. This is the effect of monosodium glutamate in most foods. However, there have been claims coming from various people that ...

A lot of people are trying to lose weight now, getting a jump-start on the battle of the bulge, the winter blues, and the holidays before things spiral out of control. The problem is that there is a ton of information out there on the web – and in doctors offices- that isn't as valuable as you might have originally hoped. Here are some weight loss myths you need to be aware of – and avoid. Counting Calories Isn't Important This, my friends, is a load of pure bull. Calories in versus calories out (through exercise and daily movement) will give you the magic number that equals weight loss. If you aren't counting calories, you will have no idea what type of deficit you are creating. If you aren't creating a deficit, you will not lose weight. Period. End of statement. You do not need to make counting calories difficult. Simply tally up the calories in the portions of foods you eat regularly and you won't have to make a huge show of it. It'll be work in the beginning, but things will ease up later on.

Tags: Weight Loss, weight loss myths, weight loss tips

You may be wondering why at certain times of the year you unexpectedly fall into a mild to deep depression. Out of nowhere you suddenly feel despair, loneliness and even have a difficult time getting out of bed. There are no indications as to why you feel this way. Everything in your life seems fine and you are surrounded by loving, supportive people. So therefore you wonder, why the gloom? SAD These unexplained symptoms were recognized by the psychiatric community as recently as 1984 which became known as Seasonal Affective Disorder or, more appropriately, SAD. Although there is no official test to determine a SAD diagnosis, it is usually attributed to symptoms reacting to the slow change from light to dark and warm to cold during the winter months. However, SAD can also be experienced when the season changes from winter into spring and sometimes spring into summer, however winter is the most prominent time. Duration SAD usually begins around mid to late September and can hang on all the way through November. The good news is that this condition usually dissipates as the season gets into full swing and the body adjusts accordingly.

Heart disease is no joke. Whether you've recently been diagnosed or simply want to make sure you're doing all you can to prevent it, it is important to realize that half your battle is in the kitchen. Some of the food choices we make on a regular basis cause our bodies to react in strange ways – retaining salt and fluid, clogging our arteries, and so on. Here are some cooking tips to help you better safeguard the health of your heart. Create a Weekly Meal Plan One of the hardest parts of sticking to a healthy diet is planning what you're going to eat from one meal to the next. While it's always easy to run through a fast-food line, gorging on sodium-laden foods, it isn't as easy to look in the fridge and decide what to make. Start each week by spending some time writing out a specific meal plan. What will you have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day? Make a trip to the grocery store and purchase the healthy ingredients you'll need. The more you plan, the easier it will be to make healthier choices for your heart.

Tags: diet, healthy diets

The saying “Health is wealth” is oft quoted but not taken too seriously by most people, at least until they themselves fall sick or have a loved one fall victim to some dreadful disease. I have to admit that I too did not take the saying literally until I became a mom to a child with a rare disorder called Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). Prader-Willi Syndrome is a genetic disorder that affects about 1 in 15,000 people. It is both incurable and unpreventable, but is definitely manageable. However, it does mean that my son has to go to endless therapy sessions with his physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech therapist, and countless doctors, all of whom we have to pay out of our own pockets since such diseases are unfortunately not covered by our health insurance policy. So you see why I ...

Tags: Health Saying, Prader Willi Syndrome, PWS