HEALTHY FOREVER & EVER

The 3 Veggies with the Least Nutritional Value

2011-07-16T10:56:00.002+08:00

hi there, sorry for the late update..buzy is messing me..my last entry on 2010..so long journey right!! anyway, i would like to share this info with you..check it out..

Credit to SHINE at yahoo, Amy Paturel, SELF magazine

We're not here to demonize any form of produce. After all, every veggie has at least some nutritional value -- and we all need to include more vegetables in our diets, not less!

But if you're wondering whether to use iceberg or romaine in your signature summer salad, you may want to check out our list of the veggies with the least nutritional value:

1. Celery: Sure, you can nosh on 8 inches of celery for only 6 calories, but are you really getting any nutrients in return? The answer: Yes, but you'd have to go beyond an 8-inch stalk, which provides a mere 1.6 percent of our daily requirement for calcium and 2 percent of our daily requirement for vitamin C. It does, however, boast a decent amount of fiber and vitamin K. A better alternative: Carrots, which are loaded with eye-protecting beta carotene. Toss them into salads for a low-calorie crunch; braise them as a sweet summer side dish or slice them thin and add them to your favorite stir-fry.

2. Cucumbers: The cucumber is another low-calorie veggie. One cup of sliced cucumber weighs in at only 16 calories. But it's slim on nutrients, too. In fact, cucumbers contain 5 percent or less of our daily requirement for potassium, manganese, magnesium and vitamin C. On the plus side, cucumber extracts (not the whole cucumber) do have a number of disease-fighting antioxidant compounds, like tannins and flavonoids, says Registered Dietitian and Chef Consultant Michelle Dudash. A better alternative: Purslane, a peppery herb that's high in heart-healthy alpha linolenic acid (a type of omega-3). It's also higher in beta carotene than spinach. Toss it in salads, fold it into omelets or use it as a crunchy green on sandwiches.

3. Iceberg Lettuce: Iceberg lettuce is one of the most commonly consumed vegetables in the U.S., along with potatoes (as French fries) and tomatoes, but that doesn't mean it's the healthiest option. While iceberg is low in calories and offers some vitamins and fiber, other dark leafy greens contain much more vitamin A and C. A better alternative: Romaine lettuce, which offers much more beta carotene than iceberg. Use romaine in a traditional wedge salad with blue cheese crumbles, diced tomatoes and balsamic vinaigrette, or layer it on turkey sandwiches.

The only 6 fish you should eat

2010-04-14T12:40:00.003+08:00

Credits : The Editors of EatingWell Magazine,By Michelle Edelbaum

1. Salmon (wild-caught, Alaska)

To give you an idea of how well managed Alaska’s salmon fishery is, consider this: biologists are posted at river mouths to count how many wild fish return to spawn. If the numbers begin to dwindle, the fishery is closed before it reaches its limits, as was done recently with some Chinook fisheries. This close monitoring, along with strict quotas and careful management of water quality, means Alaska’s wild-caught salmon are both healthier (they pack 950 mg of omega-3s and carry few contaminants) and more sustainable than just about any other salmon fishery.

2. Pink Shrimp (wild-caught, Oregon) & Spot Prawns (wild-caught, British Columbia)

Most shrimp are plentiful and reproduce quickly. But whether they are sustainably farmed and harvested is the big question. In an effort to reduce the by-catch caused by netting and prevent ocean floors from being scraped clean by dragging, the U.S. has strict regulations on farming and trawling. The best choices are wild-caught MSC-certified pink shrimp (aka cocktail shrimp) from Oregon or their larger sisters, spot prawns, also from the Pacific Northwest, which are caught by traps. Avoid: imported shrimp, farmed or wild.

3. Mussels & Oysters (farmed)

Farmed mussels and oysters are good for you (a 3-oz. serving of mussels contains 700 mg of omega-3s and oysters pack 44 percent of the recommended daily values of iron). Better yet, they are actually good for the environment. Both feed off the natural nutrients and algae in the water, which improves water quality. They can also act as natural reefs, attracting and providing food for other fish. One health caveat: Raw shellfish, especially those from warm waters, may contain bacteria that can cause illnesses.

4. Sardines, Pacific (wild-caught)

The tiny, inexpensive sardine is making it onto many lists of superfoods and for good reason. It packs more omega-3s (1,950 mg!) per 3-oz. serving than salmon, tuna or just about any other food; it’s also one of the very, very few foods that’s naturally high in vitamin D. Many fish in the herring family are commonly called sardines. Quick to reproduce, Pacific sardines have rebounded from both overfishing and a natural collapse in the 1940s.

5. Rainbow Trout (farmed)

Though lake trout are high in contaminants, nearly all the trout you will find in the market is rainbow trout. In the U.S., rainbow trout are farmed primarily in freshwater ponds and “raceways” where they are more protected from contaminants and fed a fishmeal diet that has been fine-tuned to conserve resources.

6. Albacore Tuna (troll-or pole-caught, from the U.S. or British Columbia)

Many tuna are high in mercury but albacore tuna—the kind of white tuna that’s commonly canned—gets a Super Green rating as long as (and this is the clincher) it is “troll- or pole-caught” in the U.S. or British Columbia. The reason: smaller (usually less than 20 pounds), younger fish are typically caught this way (as opposed to the larger fish caught on longlines). These fish have much lower mercury and contaminant ratings and those caught in colder northern waters often have higher omega-3 counts. The challenge: you need to do your homework to know how your fish was caught or look for the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) blue eco label. Pregnant women and young children should consider chunk light tuna instead; it’s lower in mercury.

Breast-feeding would save lives, money

2010-04-06T14:35:00.001+08:00

Credit to Yahoo Health
By LINDSEY TANNER, AP Medical Writer

The lives of nearly 900 babies would be saved each year, along with billions of dollars, if 90 percent of U.S. women fed their babies breast milk only for the first six months of life, a cost analysis says.

Those startling results, published online Monday in the journal Pediatrics, are only an estimate. But several experts who reviewed the analysis said the methods and conclusions seem sound.

"The health care system has got to be aware that breast-feeding makes a profound difference," said Dr. Ruth Lawrence, who heads the American Academy of Pediatrics' breast-feeding section.

The findings suggest that there are hundreds of deaths and many more costly illnesses each year from health problems that breast-feeding may help prevent. These include stomach viruses, ear infections, asthma, juvenile diabetes, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and even childhood leukemia.

The magnitude of health benefits linked to breast-feeding is vastly underappreciated, said lead author Dr. Melissa Bartick, an internist and instructor at Harvard Medical School. Breast-feeding is sometimes considered a lifestyle choice, but Bartick calls it a public health issue.

Among the benefits: Breast milk contains antibodies that help babies fight infections; it also can affect insulin levels in the blood, which may make breast-fed babies less likely to develop diabetes and obesity.

The analysis studied the prevalence of 10 common childhood illnesses, costs of treating those diseases, including hospitalization, and the level of disease protection other studies have linked with breast-feeding.

The $13 billion in estimated losses due to the low breast-feeding rate includes an economists' calculation partly based on lost potential lifetime wages — $10.56 million per death.

The methods were similar to a widely cited 2001 government report that said $3.6 billion could be saved each year if 50 percent of mothers breast-fed their babies for six months. Medical costs have climbed since then and breast-feeding rates have increased only slightly.

About 43 percent of U.S. mothers do at least some breast-feeding for six months, but only 12 percent follow government guidelines recommending that babies receive only breast milk for six months.

Dr. Larry Gray, a University of Chicago pediatrician, called the analysis compelling and said it's reasonable to strive for 90 percent compliance.

But he also said mothers who don't breast-feed for six months shouldn't be blamed or made to feel guilty, because their jobs and other demands often make it impossible to do so.

"We'd all love as pediatricians to be able to carry this information into the boardrooms by saying we all gain by small changes at the workplace" that encourage breast-feeding, Gray said.

Bartick said there are some encouraging signs. The government's new health care overhaul requires large employers to provide private places for working mothers to pump breast milk. And under a provision enacted April 1 by the Joint Commission, a hospital accrediting agency, hospitals may be evaluated on their efforts to ensure that newborns are fed only breast milk before they're sent home.

The pediatrics academy says babies should be given a chance to start breast-feeding immediately after birth. Bartick said that often doesn't happen, and at many hospitals newborns are offered formula even when their mothers intend to breast-feed.

"Hospital practices need to change to be more in line with evidence-based care," Bartick said. "We really shouldn't be blaming mothers for this."

5 Bogus Diets That Will Do More Harm Than Good

2010-01-06T10:03:00.002+08:00

Source : Yahoo
Credit to: StyleCaster

With obesity as one of our top killers, it is no surprise that Americans are scrambling for any kind of weight loss help. Unfortunately, in this eternal struggle to be thin and healthy, people end up looking for salvation in all the wrong places. Instead of relying on exercise and following the credo "everything in moderation," we turn to miracle solutions, diet supplements, and calorie deprivation. The results are the following bogus diets that may work in the short term, but may also cause severe harm to your body over time.

1. The Cabbage Soup Diet

The title is self explanatory: the dieter's survival is based on a constant intake of cabbage soup. Even on the Cabbage Soup Diet website, red flags are evident. The first being the opening words on the homepage, warning that the diet should not be used long term and that followers of the Cabbage Soup Diet have felt light-headed, weak, and have suffered a lack in concentration. The second red flag appears in the suggested seven day menu. Each day, the dieter is instructed to "stuff themselves" with a different food group. How about a little "moderation?" The third warning lies in the "Health" section of the website, warning the dieter that the diet lacks "complex carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and minerals," all of which are necessary for your body to function properly.

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2. The Grapefruit Diet

The Grapefruit Diet functions the same way as the Cabbage Soup Diet; both are only successful because they deprive the body of calories, but at the same time leave out essential nutrients that keep you alive and healthy. The Grapefruit Diet claims to allow the dieter to eat a wide array of foods that they would not think possible, but as long as you follow your meal with half a grapefruit, you will lose weight. This claim is both startling and far-fetched. As predicted, and mentioned on the website, the Grapefruit Diet is dangerous. The Grapefruit Diet website suggests that the diet may lead to dehydration due to the low amount of calories and high levels of caffeine involved. The restrictions in this diet also make it an incredibly difficult and unlikely regimen to follow.

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3. The Hallelujah Diet

Developed by Rev. George Malkmus, the Hallelujah Diet is mainly comprised of organic raw fruits and vegetables, and the miracle worker of this diet: barley juice. Because the Hallelujah Diet strictly prohibits meat and dairy, the barley juice is meant to fill that vitamin and protein void with its high nutrition content. While not necessarily depriving the dieter of essential nutrients, the Hallelujah Diet's highly restrictive nature makes this diet hard to live on and therefore, not ideal.

4. The Martha's Vineyard Detox Diet

The regimen alone explains why this diet is both dangerous and bogus. The diet is meant for the short term, "lose 21 pounds in 21 days," where the dieter survives on highly nutritious cocktails, a short list of raw vegetables, and soup. According to the itinerary for the Martha's Vineyard Detox Diet Retreat, dieters enjoy a breakfast of "detoxification cocktails." Hourly cocktails follow until lunch when an assortment of raw juices are available. Dinner is slightly more filling, with the option of nutritious soup. The bottom line is that surviving on nutritious cocktails and juices will only deprive your body of the nutrients it needs. Also, the minute you begin to eat normally again, the weight will pack back on.

5. The Apple Cider Vinegar Diet

Once used as a cure for Scurvy amongst American soldiers, apple cider vinegar is now used as an appetite suppressant amongst dieters. According to various evaluations of the Apple Cider Vinegar Diet, the diet touches that fine line between a dangerous and regular diet. The most dangerous part is the apple cider vinegar itself, which when taken in the recommended doses of 3 tbsp gets dangerously close to the point of damaging your stomach due to its high acidity. However, the diet's regimen includes eating in moderation and daily exercise, which is most likely why people lose weight on this diet, not the apple cider vinegar. It is still unclear as to whether or not the vinegar actually assists you in losing weight at all, apart from making you so sick that you don't want to eat anything at all.

7 Natural Ways to Avoid the Flu

2009-10-23T12:29:00.000+08:00

Just right, i read this tips from yahoo.com. its very interesting..lets check it out!!!

Credit To Dr. Mao

With cold and flu season around the corner and H1N1 virus still making appearances, it is more important than ever to bolster your immune system this fall and winter. Here are some natural, simple solutions that will help protect you!

1. Chestnuts bolster immunity
In both Asia and the Mediterranean region, chestnuts have been popular for centuries. Chestnuts differ from other nuts with their low fat content and high fiber. They have a mild, sweet taste and a crumbly consistency. An excellent source of potassium, folate, vitamins B6 and C, chestnuts strengthen the kidney-adrenal system and bolster the immune system to fight off the flu and combat infections. This flu season, introduce more chestnuts into your cooking: they are good roasted in the oven, cooked with chicken, lamb, beef, or pork, or in any dish with beans and legumes.

2. Stimulate your thymus
Your thymus is a fist-size gland located behind your sternum in the center of your chest. It plays a critical role in the functioning of the lymphatic and immune systems. It develops over time, reaching peak size when you are in your early 30s, then begins to physically diminish until it shrinks to the size of a pea around age 70. You experience the gland's waning as waning energy in your body.

To support thymus health, the Chinese use astragalus root. Studies show astralagus is an adaptogen, which means it corrects both high and low metabolic imbalances, acts on invaders wherever they attack the body, and promotes overall vitality. The usual dosage is 100 to 150 mg per day in capsules or you can drink astragalus tincture or tea.

Another way to stimulate your thymus is to use acupressure. With your index and middle finger, gently tap against the sternum (midway between the nipples) 50 times, in the morning and evening.

3. Immune-supporting herbs
You can use the following herbs to help strengthen your immune system:

• Ligustrum has undergone much research recently, which has revealed this herb's immune boosting functions. Its actions include increasing white blood cell production, phagocytosis, and T-lymphocyte help cell activities.

• Cherokee Rose is traditionally used to protect the body from external pathogens with its astringent properties. It is also one of the highest natural sources of vitamin C.

• Honeysuckle is a natural anti-microbial herb that has been used for centuries to increase resistance and fight against bacterial, viral, and fungal infections.

You can find these herbs in health food stores, online, and at the offices of acupuncturists and Chinese herbalists.

Or look into a formula that combines all of these herbs in one immune-boosting herbal formula, called "Perpetual Shield."

4. Be healthy with bee products
Royal jelly has long been regarded in Asia as a longevity tonic that enhances energy, virility, and immunity. Rich in vitamins and collagen, royal jelly is used to feed queen bees. An antibacterial protein in the substance, dubbed royalisin, is effective against certain bacteria, including streptococcus and staphylococcus.

Bee propolis is rich in flavonoids that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It also contains terpenoids that possess antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and antiprotozoan agents. Not unlike some prescription antibiotics, propolis prevents bacterial cell division and breaks down the invading organism's cell walls and cytoplasm.

Find royal jelly and bee propolis in enriched honey or in supplement form from herb shops and health food stores.

5. Beta-carotene Builds Immunity
Beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant that improves immune function and promotes mucous membrane health. In fact, a 1997 study conducted by the Institute of Food Research in the United Kingdom suggested that dietary intake of beta-carotene can enhance cell-mediated immune responses. How to get these beta-benefits this flu season? Eat more orange-colored vegetables, including carrots, winter squash, butternut squash, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and yams. Additionally, these are all an excellent source of Vitamin C, a famous immune support.

6. An all-in-one immunity soup
Cook up a broth of shiitake mushrooms, any kind of seaweed, cabbage, any type of squash, carrots, fresh ginger, oregano, and onion in chicken or vegetable stock. Shiitake mushrooms contain polysaccharides, sterols, and coumarin, as well as vitamins and minerals that increase your immune function. Seaweed cleanses the body, cabbage has ability to increase your body's ability to fight infection, ginger supports healthy digestion, and the remaining ingredients promote general health and well-being.
Eat this soup every other day to build a strong and healthy immune system.

7. Treat Your Body Right
Encourage your body to fight flu and other infections by giving it the care it needs.

• Get at least 7 hours of quality sleep every night. Studies show that your immune system function drops by an average of 60% after just three nights of poor sleep.

• Keep your stress level low with meditation, tai chi, or yoga.

• Dry body brushing daily can activate lymph circulation that is important to clear out toxic debris and stimulate immunity.

• If you feel your immune system has already been compromised and illness is on the way, consider this Cold & Flu elixir, which supports recovery as it boosts your immune system.

I hope you find the ways to build your immunity for a winter free from cold and flu! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.

May you live long, live strong, and live happy!

-Dr. Mao

Women More Likely to Avoid Abnormal Babies

2009-10-15T16:10:00.002+08:00

Thank You~Lauren Neergaard, Associated Press

Women Look Away

Puzzling new research suggests women have a harder time than men looking at babies with facial birth defects. It's a surprise finding.

Psychiatrists from the Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital, who were studying perceptions of beauty, had expected women to spend more time than men cooing over pictures of extra-cute babies. Nope.

Instead, the small study being published Wednesday raises more questions than it can answer.

First the background: The McLean team already had studied men and women looking at photos of adults' faces on a computer screen. The participants rated facial beauty, and could do various keystrokes to watch the photos longer. A keystroke count showed men put three times more effort into watching beautiful women as women put into watching handsome men.

Lead researcher Dr. Igor Elman wondered what else might motivate women. Enter the new baby study.
This time 13 men and 14 women were shown 80 photos of babies, 30 of whom had abnormal facial features such as a cleft palate, Down syndrome or crossed eyes. Participants rated each baby's attractiveness on a scale of zero to 100, and used keystrokes to make the photo stay on the screen longer or disappear faster.

Women pressed the keys 2.5 times more than men to make photos of babies with the facial abnormalities disappear, researchers reported in PLoS One, a journal of the Public Library of Science. That's even though they rated those babies no less attractive than the men had.

"They had this subliminal motivation to get rid of the faces," said Elman, who questions whether "we're designed by nature to invest all the resources into healthy-looking kids."

Both genders spent equal time and effort looking at photos of the normal babies.

The study couldn't explain the gender disparity. Elman noted that previous work has linked child abandonment and neglect to abnormal appearance, and even asked if the finding might challenge the concept of unconditional maternal love.

That's too far-reaching a conclusion, cautioned Dr. Steven Grant of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which funded the study.

The work is part of broader research into how we normally form attachments and what can make those attachments go awry, work that tests if what people say matches what they do.

"Common sense would tell you one thing," Grant said. "This doesn't fit with common sense. It raises a question."

Ten Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy

2009-07-17T12:46:00.001+08:00

Thank You Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum

As mothers tend to sacrifice during their lives to meet their children's needs, a mother's body will give up its own essential nutrients to provide health and growth for her developing baby. Unfortunately, the Standard American Diet (S.A.D.) is often so nutritionally deficient that even this sacrifice does not guarantee adequate nutrition for the unborn baby.

Fortunately, there are a number of tips that, if followed during pregnancy, can help both baby and mother stay healthy and vital!

Here is my top 10 list for ensuring a healthy pregnancy. It includes recommendations on nutrition, vitamins, minerals and other common-sense tips that can lead to a happier, healthier and more vital pregnancy:

1. Zinc
Inadequate zinc is the most common and problematic deficiency during pregnancy. Zinc is critical for two reasons: proper growth and for developing a healthy immune system for the baby. Studies suggest that inadequate zinc may even cause immune deficiency in the next generation (i.e., your grandchild) as well. Be sure to get at least 15 milligrams per day of zinc in your diet, which can be found in high protein foods such as meat and beans.

2. Folic Acid
Getting enough folic acid is critical both before and during pregnancy to help assure proper growth and to prevent birth defects. It is present in deep green, leafy vegetables. Women should get at least 400 to 800 micrograms per day.

3. Magnesium
Magnesium deficiency is routine in the American diet and can increase the possibility of high blood pressure and seizures during pregnancy, a condition known as eclampsia. To prevent this deficiency, take 200 milligrams of magnesium in the glycinate form daily. Whole grains, green leafy and other vegetables and nuts are good sources of magnesium. Taking the proper amount of magnesium a day also helps to decrease the leg cramps and constipation often experienced during pregnancy. In addition, magnesium is critical for more than 300 other body functions and will generally help you to feel a lot healthier.

4. B Vitamins
These are critical for energy, mental clarity and to prevent depression. B vitamins have also been found to improve pregnancy-related complications such as gestational diabetes. Taking 200 milligrams a day of vitamin B6 can improve the health of those women suffering from this form of diabetes. But please note that only women who develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy should take this high level of B vitamins, and should drop the level of consumption to 100 milligrams per day during the last month. For all other soon-to-be moms, take approximately 25 to 50 milligrams a day of B vitamins and plenty of vitamin B12 for normal nerve function.

5. Fish Oils
The human brain is made predominantly of DHA, an essential fatty acid found in fish oils. Perhaps this is why there is an old wives' tale about fish being brain food. Regardless, DHA deficiency is very common and it is critical that pregnant women get adequate fish oils so that their baby can develop healthy and optimal brain tissue. DHA may also decrease the risk of postpartum depression. Unfortunately, though, the FDA has raised concerns about high mercury levels in the same deep sea fish (salmon and tuna) that have the highest levels of these oils. An excellent alternative for those who'd rather not risk it is to take one half to one tablespoon of Eskimo 3 fish oil. This is a special form of fish oil that actually tastes good (most do not), and has been tested to make sure that it does not have mercury or other problematic compounds.

6. Calcium
Ideally, pregnant women should ingest 1,500 milligrams of calcium per day. It is best to take this at night (it helps with sleep) in the liquid, powdered or chewable form. Many calcium tablets are simply chalk and do not dissolve in the stomach, and therefore are not absorbed properly. Each cup of milk or yogurt contains 400 milligrams of calcium.

7. Iron
Approximately 18 to 36 milligrams of iron per day can be helpful. Interestingly, iron deficiency can sometimes cause infertility. Also, pregnant women who don't get enough iron are at risk for anemia, fatigue, poor memory and decreased immune function.

8. Water
Be sure to drink plenty of water. When pregnant, blood volume can increase about 30 percent and it is easy to become dehydrated. If your mouth or lips are dry, drink more! Adequate salt is also helpful in preventing dehydration (less so if you have problems with fluid retention).

9. Check Your Thyroid
Millions of women suffer from an underactive metabolism, also known as hypothyroidism, which often goes undiagnosed. This results in fatigue, weight gain and simply feeling like you've run out of gas. Hypothyroidism accounts for more than 6 percent of miscarriages and can be cause for learning disabilities in the child. Treating a low thyroid is both safe and easy during pregnancy. The earlier it is treated the better. Either once you start trying to get pregnant, or as soon as you know you're pregnant, take a Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) blood test to check your thyroid. Most doctors do not yet know that the TSH has to be less than three — anything above and you need treatment — so look at the test result yourself (many doctors still use the dangerous and outdated criteria of a TSH over five being abnormal). If you like, you can get a lab requisition for a TSH to take to your lab by visiting www.Vitality101.com (click on "online program" then on "Laboratory Requisition Form"). If you were on thyroid medication before getting pregnant, it is normal to increase the dose during pregnancy (the TSH should be kept between .5 and 2.0). If your doctor is not familiar with the new guidelines, he or she can send an email to the Web site above and a copy of the guidelines will be sent to them.

10. Things for Pregnant Women to Avoid
A few cautions for pregnant women: avoid taking more than 8,000 units of vitamin A per day. And don't partake in anything that can raise your body temperature too high (hot tubs, saunas or steam rooms). These have been implicated as possibly increasing the risk for birth defects. Most pregnant women are also, of course, aware that smoking, drugs and alcohol should all be avoided during pregnancy. Exercise, on the other hand, has been shown to be very beneficial and results in babies and moms that are quite healthy.

Bed Bug Weapon Uses Insect's Own Juice

2009-06-16T10:11:00.002+08:00

Thank You; Emily Sohn, Discovery News

Researchers have enlisted a new weapon against bed bugs: their own chemical signals. It's first time scientists have used any insect's alarm pheromones as a method of control.

While the new technique probably won't single-handedly solve anyone's bed bug woes, experts say, the research may add to our arsenal of tools for fighting what has become a disturbing nuisance for a growing number of people.

"To control bed bugs, there's not going to be one easy solution," said Joshua Benoit, an entomologist at Ohio State University in Columbus. "We are trying to encourage people to find new and creative ways to kill bed bugs."

Bed-bug infestations have been on the rise in recent years, Benoit said, probably because people travel so much. All it takes is one pregnant female hopping a ride in a suitcase for a new crop of insects to invade homes and apartment buildings.

The tiny critters don't spread diseases, but a single person can easily get a few hundred bites in one night. Those chomps cause intense itching and even scarring in some people.

So far, there is no ideal way to get rid of bed bugs. Pesticide treatments can be expensive, invasive, toxic, and often ineffective. Already, the insects have developed resistance to some of the most common chemicals used to fight them.

In an effort to get the upper hand, Benoit experimented with alarm pheromones -- the chemicals that bed bugs release when they're disturbed or in danger. In turn, their comrades get excited and start scurrying around.

Benoit and colleagues mixed synthetic versions of bed-bug alarm pheromones with desiccant dust, a pesticide that works by drying insects out. In order to work, the bugs need to run directly through the dust.

The researchers placed varying concentrations of these mixtures in Petri dishes and in small enclosures that contained hiding places for the insects. Then they added bed bugs.

Their results, published in the Journal of Medical Entomology, showed that mixtures of alarm pheromones and desiccant dust killed up to 50 percent more bed bugs than did desiccant dust alone. The idea is that the pheromones get the bugs to move around more, making them more likely to run through the dust, which is relatively non-toxic and inexpensive.

"This is the first study of its kind to use alarm pheromones in this manner," Benoit said, "for any insect."

It's still way too soon to recommend that people run out and buy alarm pheromones (which are synthesized for other purposes, including as food preservatives). Outside the confines of a plastic dish, getting bed bugs to run around like crazy is not necessarily a good thing, said Michael Potter, an urban entomologist at the University of Kentucky, Lexington. Bed bugs are notoriously good at getting behind baseboards, inside walls, and into other cracks and crevices.

"Some might run into the apartment next door," Potter said. "Some might run into inaccessible areas."

In one recent incident in Columbus, Benoit said, bed bugs had infested 23 out of 24 units in an apartment building. Residents had to leave their homes for a week while the building was fumigated. Even then, there was no guarantee that the treatment killed all the bugs.

The incident illustrates how important it is to continue learning more about the inner workings of these pests.

"Any new work on bed bugs," Potter said, "is interesting work."

WHO Declares Swine Flu Pandemic

2009-06-16T10:08:00.000+08:00

The World Health Organization told its member nations it was declaring a swine flu pandemic Thursday -- the first global flu pandemic in 41 years as infections climbed in the United States, Europe, Australia, South America and elsewhere.

In a statement sent to member countries, WHO said it decided to raise the pandemic warning level from phase 5 to 6 -- its highest alert level -- after holding an emergency meeting on swine flu with its experts.

"At this early stage, the pandemic can be characterized globally as being moderate in severity," WHO said in the statement, urging nations not to close borders or restrict travel and trade. "(We) remain in close dialogue with influenza vaccine manufacturers."

Health officials from Scotland, Indonesia and Thailand previously announced the agency would declare a swine flu pandemic -- a global epidemic -- on Thursday after a teleconference with leading flu experts. Officials at U.N. missions in Geneva also said they expected the imminent announcement of a pandemic.

"It is likely in light of sustained community transmission in countries outside of North America -- most notably in Australia -- that level 6 will be declared," Scotland's Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon told Scottish lawmakers, adding it would be Thursday.

Indonesian health minister Siti Fadilah Supari said she had been notified by WHO that "today will be declared to be phase 6."

The last pandemic -- the Hong Kong flu of 1968 -- killed about 1 million people. Ordinary flu kills about 250,000 to 500,000 people each year.

Since swine flu first emerged in Mexico and the United States in April, it has spread to 74 countries around the globe.

On Wednesday, WHO reported 27,737 cases including 141 deaths. Most cases are mild and require no treatment, but the fear is that a rash of new infections could overwhelm hospitals and health authorities -- especially in poorer countries.

The long-awaited pandemic announcement is scientific confirmation that a new flu virus has emerged and is quickly circling the globe. It will trigger drug makers to speed up production of a swine flu vaccine and prompt governments to devote more money to containing the virus.

In May, several countries urged WHO not to declare a pandemic, fearing it would spark mass panic.

Panic has already gripped Argentina, where so many people worried about swine flu flooded into hospitals this week that emergency health services have collapsed. Last month, a bus arriving in Argentina from Chile was stoned by people who thought a passenger on it had swine flu. Chile has the most swine flu cases in South America.

In Hong Kong, the government on Thursday ordered all kindergartens and primary schools closed for two weeks after a dozen students tested positive for swine flu.

In Australia, swine flu cases jumped to more than 1,000 on Monday and reached 1,260 by late Wednesday.

WHO says its pandemic announcement would not mean the situation was worsening, since no mutations have been detected in the virus to show it is getting more deadly.

In Edinburgh, Sturgeon told lawmakers that a WHO announcement means countries should immediately activate their pandemic plans.

"A move to level 6 is not a verdict on the severity of the virus," she said. "It simply means that the extent of global spread now fulfills the definition of a pandemic."

Armpits: 'Rain Forests' For Bacteria

2009-06-11T10:42:00.002+08:00

Thank You, Lauran Neergaard

Eeeww. There's a zoo full of critters living on your skin -- a bacterial zoo, that is. Consider your underarm a rain forest. Healthy skin is home to a much wider variety of bacteria than scientists ever knew, says the first big census of our co-inhabitants. And that's not a bad thing, said genetics specialist Julia Segre of the National Institutes of Health, who led the research.

Sure they make your sneakers stinky, "but they also keep your skin moist and make sure if you get a wound that (dangerous) bacteria don't enter your bloodstream," she said. "We take a lot for granted in terms of how much they contribute to our health."

People's bodies are ecosystems, believed home to trillions of bacteria, fungi and other microbes that naturally coexist in the skin, the digestive tract and other spots. But scientists don't have a good grasp of which microbes live where, much less which are helpful, even indispensable, in maintaining health.

The NIH's "Human Microbiome Project" aims to change that, recruiting healthy volunteers to learn what microbes they harbor so scientists can compare the healthy with diseases of microbes gone awry -- from acute infections to mysterious conditions like psoriasis or irritable bowel syndrome.

The skin research, published in Friday's edition of the journal Science, is part of that project. Scientists decoded the genes of 112,000 bacteria in samples taken from a mere 20 spots on the skin of 10 people. Those numbers translated into roughly 1,000 strains, or species, of bacteria, Segre said, hundreds more than ever have been found on skin largely because the project used newer genetic techniques to locate them.

Topography matters, a lot, the researchers reported. If a moist, hairy underarm is like a rain forest, the dry inside of the forearm is a desert. They harbor distinctly different bacteria suited to those distinctly different environments. In fact, the bacteria under two unrelated people's underarms are more similar than the bacteria that lives on one person's underarm and forearm.

Mom's advice to wash behind your ears notwithstanding, that spot contained the least diverse bacteria -- 19 species on average. The most diverse spot: the forearm, which averaged 44 species.

How many are supposed to live there? That's not clear yet. Some certainly could be tourists, picked up as we go about our day. When researchers re-checked five of these volunteers a few months later, the bacteria in some spots -- the moist nostril and groin, for example -- proved pretty stable while other spots, including the forearm, had changed quite a bit.

Which are good bugs, and which bad? That depends. A common skin bacteria is Staph epidermidis, found all over the body. Segre said it helps protect us from its nasty cousin, Staph aureus, which about a third of people are thought to carry on the skin or in their nose even if they have no active infection.

But, back to topography, Staph epidermidis itself can harm if it gets under the skin; it's a common trigger of catheter-caused infections.

The research helps lay the groundwork for what doctors really want to know: What's different in the skin of people with diseases such as eczema or psoriasis? Those studies are about to begin, says Dr. Martin Blaser of New York University Langone Medical Center, who is leading one on psoriasis and performed some first-step studies of skin bacteria that helped lead to the NIH's census.

Then there's the scrubbing question, society's antibacterial obsession.

"There's an all-out assault on our normal skin organisms," Blaser noted. "In trying to get rid of the bad guys, are we getting rid of the good guys?"

Segre hopes knowing there are so many bacteria alters how people think about the relationship.

"I'm a mother of two small children; I believe very strongly in sanitation, washing your hands," Segre said. But, "we have to understand that we live in harmony with bacteria and they are part of us as super-organisms ... and not just conceive of bacteria as bad and germs and smelly."

Is a Vitamin Supplement Necessary For your Kids? Spoonful of dietary supplements

2009-05-25T10:00:00.000+08:00

thank you Healthkicker Web log

When it comes to your kids and vitamin supplements, you should know that most children do not need extra or supplemental vitamins or minerals. If you base your children’s diet on the food guide pyramid, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, you shouldn’t need to give your child vitamin supplements.

However, it is important to know that of all the age groups, children can be the one that is the hardest to control when it comes to diet. Children don’t understand what it means when something is essential for their bodies, and they are much more prone to being picky eaters or having poor diets. If you child is eating a special diet, they might need more vitamins or minerals. These can include vegetarians, children with allergies, or children that have religions which state certain foods shouldn’t be eaten.

The most important thing for you to keep in mind when it comes to making sure that your child has a healthy diet is to ensure that they are getting the proper amounts of the right kinds of vitamins and minerals. If this isn’t happening because of what they are eating, you either need to change what they are eating, or make sure that they are getting the vitamins in another way. Vitamin supplements can be purchased in kid-friendly shapes and flavors, so it shouldn’t be a problem to have your child take them.

There are several vitamins and minerals that are going to be important for your child to have enough of. These include, especially, iron, which is needed in children to prevent anemia. This usually happens if children aren’t given enough extra iron after they are six months old, which happens often if a baby drinks cow or goat milk instead of formula. Young and adolescent girls are also at a risk of having an iron deficiency.

Another important thing that children need is calcium. This is something that is completely necessary for healthy bones and teeth. If children are drinking milk and eating dairy products, they are probably getting enough calcium, but if they aren’t, you might need to supplement this in their diets.

It is also important that children are getting fluoride. This helps to build healthy teeth. However, it is important that they only get enough fluoride, and not too much, so don’t add to their intake unless your dentist or doctor thinks that you should.

If you don’t think that your child is getting enough vitamins or minerals, you should consult with your doctor to make sure that you can find a good balance and a good children’s multivitamin for them to be taking. However, it is crucial that you realize that a vitamin is not a replacement for food and is not a substitute for a varied diet.

Do you think vitamins are necessary for kids?

Swine Flu-Bound Mexicans Turn to Web

2009-05-23T12:22:00.001+08:00

Thank You, Alexandra Olson

Churchgoers celebrate Mass via television. Congressional candidates campaign with real-time speeches on the Web. A magazine promises Internet tours through the real Mexico -- the one with open museums and pyramids. And rock bands plan online concerts.

Swine flu is creating a virtual Mexico.

With school canceled nationwide and many parents forbidding their kids to party, teenagers are logging a lot more time chatting on Facebook, Twittering and downloading music and movies from the Internet. So are many adults, especially after most business and government offices in Mexico City shut down Friday for five days.

Two rock bands are making a go at reaching shut-in fans, announcing a virtual concert for Tuesday. Los Estramboticos, a Mexico City group, and Pastilla, a Latino band from the United States, will perform in a studio and broadcast it online. At least they can get exposure while Mexico's ban on concerts lasts.

"Entrance is free and you can come without a surgical mask or fear of getting diseases," the bands proclaimed in a Web advertisement.

The problem is that even teenagers -- gasp! -- are starting to get bored of the virtual life

"I'm like, sick of it," said Bibiana Perez, 16, a Mexico City high schooler whose daily routine has consisted of morning Facebook chats with her friends, watching movies in the afternoon, and evening Facebook chats with her friends.

"I've started to cook and do things I don't I normally do," she said. "I've never made brownies, so I made brownies. I tried lasagna, but it didn't turn out so good."

Alex Pradillo, 17, has reached his limit, too. Rugby practices that normally take up two hours of his day have been suspended. He tried to invite a few friends over but their parents forbade them to go. So he finds himself spending six to eight hours a day downloading music from the Web or chatting with friends.

"It's definitely getting boring," he said. "It's tedious sitting around all day and the computer is starting to annoy me."

But boredom was still not enough to lure many Mexican City residents from their homes Sunday, 10 days into a flu outbreak that killed at least 22 people and sickened more than 560 in the country, most of them in the capital region.

Normally packed churches were all but empty. Priests in surgical masks offered Mass before a handful of faithful -- also wearing masks. Cardinal Norberto Rivera held a televised service from the Metropolitan Cathedral for those staying home.

Sunday also marked the official start of campaigning for the July 5 congressional elections -- but the government urged candidates not to hold rallies where the virus could spread. So candidates turned to the Internet to reach a population afraid join screaming crowds, shake hands or hold out babies for kisses.

Gabriela Cuevas Barron, a candidate for the conservative National Action Party, giddily claimed she was launching Mexico's first virtual campaign, promising in a Webcast to work for a cleaner and safer Mexico City -- for now, through Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

"Nothing is more important than health," the smiling candidate chirped on her Web site Sunday morning. "I can listen to you from here through this page."

Her opponents beat her to the punch. Political activist Oscar Romero, 34, launched a Facebook and Twitter page at the stroke of midnight Sunday for candidates of his leftist Democratic Revolution Party.

But Romero worries that voter turnout could be swine flu's next victim if the disruption to everyday life drags on much longer. The Web is no substitute for old-fashioned rallies and canvassing in a country full of sprawling shantytowns and remote villages.

Party members "are pretty worried, I have to tell you. Because, effectively, they really can't campaign right now," he said.

Mexico has shut all its museums, archaeological ruins and theaters, and even nightclubs and bars in the Pacific resort of Acapulco are closed. Mexico City residents are discouraged from leaving the city.

The local magazine Inside Mexico jumped at the chance to promise an alternative: virtual strolls through "cobblestone medieval-tinged streets," biking and hiking in spa towns and even jungle treks.

"Are you suffering from flu-overload and hankering for a break (even if it's a virtual escape) from it all?" a Web blurb from the magazine asks. "We thought you might like to pause and remember some of Mexico's beauty."

Still, the magazine catered to the swine flu obsession. One of its most popular online articles?

"How to make your own anti-flu protective mask: Part II."

Is Tobacco the Next Anti-HIV Weapon?

2009-05-17T14:43:00.002+08:00

Thank You Eric Bland, Discovery News

The tobacco plant could soon redeem itself in the eyes of public health experts, say scientists who are producing huge amounts of a powerful but prohibitively expensive HIV drug inside modified tobacco leaves.

"This is very significant news," said Polly Harrison, Director of the Alliance for Microbicide Development, who was not involved with the research.

"So often it's difficult to make enough of a promising drug to even do laboratory studies, but here production is at a level that allows them to literally make tons of the drug," said Harrison.

Scientists have known for years that the drug, known as griffithsin, protects some people from HIV infection by stopping the virus from colonizing the vaginal lining.

What has prevented griffithsin from becoming a standard HIV preventive measure is the cost of producing it.

The only known naturally occurring source of griffithsin is a red algae found off the coast of New Zealand, which grows in amounts too small to be effectively harvested.

Scientists can produce larger amounts of griffithsin by genetically engineering E. coli bacteria to produce the drug, but maintaining the necessarily high temperatures, supplying the raw materials, and harvesting the drug is expensive.

Now scientists have turned to a virus, the tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), that commonly infects tobacco plants.

TMV is rod-shaped, about 18 nanometers wide by 200 to 300 nanometers long. Once the virus enters a plant cell, it hijacks the cell's molecular machinery. Usually the hijacked plant cells are reprogrammed to produce more virus.

The scientists first mail-ordered a synthetic version of the red algae gene that produces griffithsin. They then injected that gene into the TMV, mixed it with water, and sprayed the virus over a greenhouse field of eight-inch-tall Nicotiana benthamiana, a close cousin of commercial tobacco plants that is especially susceptible to TMV.
After a few days the leaves of infected plants began to wilt. The scientists harvested the plants by hand and processed them to extract the griffithsin.

The research is published in this week's edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

The most effective way griffithsin can prevent HIV infection is in a vaginal cream applied before sex, said Kenneth Palmer, a researcher at Owensboro Cancer Research Program who was the corresponding author on the study.

A cigarette containing griffithsin hasn't been discounted either, said Palmer.

Tobacco-derived griffithsin in a gel has already been tested in both mice and in the cells of women who have had their cervix removed. In both cases the griffithsin stopped all HIV transmission without any toxic side effects and without any sign of inflammation or irritation.

The researchers hope to begin phase one FDA clinical trials of the microbicide gel within a year.

A next-generation Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine, also produced inside Nicotiana benthamiana, is already scheduled for clinical trials later this year.

Nano Ink 'Tattoo' Could Monitor Diabetes

2009-02-25T15:53:00.003+08:00

Thank you Eric Bland, Discovery News

A special tattoo ink that changes color based on glucose levels inside the skin is under development by Massachusetts-based Draper Laboratories. The injectable nanotech ink could eventually free diabetics from painful blood glucose tests.

"It doesn't have to be a large, over-the-shoulder kind of tattoo," said Heather Clark, a scientist at Draper. "It would only have to be a few millimeters in size and wouldn't have to go as deep as a normal tattoo."

Clark and her colleagues didn't set out to create a glucose-detecting ink.

"At first I didn't even think it was possible," said Clark.

Originally the scientists developed a sodium-sensitive ink to monitor heart health, advancing basic knowledge of electrolytes in the body, or to ensure athletes are properly hydrated.

'Tattoos' With a Purpose

Monitoring a single ion is easier than a complex molecule made of 24 atoms however. After speaking with a colleague, Clark decided to give glucose detection a try.

She started with the basic three-part system to detect sodium and modified to detect glucose. The nano ink particles are tiny, squishy spheres about 120 nanometers across. Inside the sphere are three parts: the glucose detecting molecule, a color-changing dye, and another molecule that mimics glucose. When the particles are dissolved in water they look like food coloring, says Clark.

The three parts continuously move around the inside the hydrophobic orb. When they approach the surface, the glucose detecting molecule either grabs a molecule of glucose or the mimicking molecule.

If the molecules mostly latch onto glucose, the ink appears yellow. If glucose levels are low, the molecule latches onto the glucose mimic, turning the ink purple. A healthy level of glucose has a "funny orangey," color, according to Clark. The sampling process repeats itself every few milliseconds.

Time measured in milliseconds is much faster than then most current blood testing systems, and certainly less painful. But is it as accurate?

Glucose levels in the skin, where the ink would be injected subcutaneously, might not necessarily reflect the more critical measurement of glucose levels in the blood. Some studies show that skin glucose levels can lag up to 20 minutes behind blood glucose levels, while other show a much faster change.

"It's an interesting question," said Clark. "It's one that we might even be able to help answer."

Even if there is a significant lag time between blood and skin glucose levels, a small tattoo, in the several square millimeter range, according to Clark, would let diabetics know if an abnormally high or low reading was either returning to a normal level or getting worse.

Initial tests of the sodium-detecting ink in mice have had "spectacular" results, according to Clark. Testing the glucose monitoring nanotech ink in mice could begin by the end of this month.

Consumers will have to wait. Clark estimates that it will be at least two years before the necessary human testing is complete to bring the ink to the market.

Robert Rubin, a professor at Harvard Medical School, is excited by Clark's work at Draper.

"This will give me a great short cut for understanding what is happening inside the body," said Rubin.

Brushing Teeth May Help Prevent Preterm Birth

2009-01-14T14:12:00.001+08:00

Thank You Eric Bland, Discovery News

Previously undiscovered bacteria usually found in the mouth could be responsible for up to 80 percent of early preterm labors, estimate doctors from Case Western and Yale Universities in a new study published recently in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology.

The research could help doctors prevent preterm births by encouraging oral hygiene or stop early labor from developing by prescribing targeted antibiotics.

"The earlier the woman goes into preterm labor, the higher the chance that she will be infected," said Yiping Han, a doctor at Case Western University and the first author on the study.

Most human pregnancies last about 40 weeks. A birth prior to 37 weeks is classified as preterm. About 12 percent of all births in the United States are preterm, a number that has grown by more than 30 percent since 1981 for reasons unknown. Babies born preterm can face many hurdles: vision and hearing loss, cerebral palsy, mental retardation, even death.

Labor itself is still somewhat of a mystery to science, which makes puzzling out preterm labor even more difficult. Anything from socioeconomic status and race to bacterial infection and genetics have been linked to preterm births, but a definitive cause is still elusive.

Han and her colleagues think they have found a major cause, at least in mice. By infecting the rodents with Bergeyella, a previously unknown bacteria found in the mice, the researchers caused preterm births.

In humans, the scientists showed a strong correlation between infection and preterm births. Doctors removed amniotic fluid from 46 different women with potentially higher risk pregnancies. Of that group, 21 delivered an early preterm baby (32 weeks or earlier). Nineteen of those women, or about 85 percent, were positive for previously undetected bacteria.

The bacteria normally live in the mouth, but if a cut, cavity or other wound allows the bacteria to enter the blood stream, they can travel and eventually colonize the uterus. That triggers an immune response, which can inflame the uterus and eventually cause a mother to go into labor prematurely.

To identify bacteria behind preterm labor, doctors used polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a much more sensitive technique for finding and identifying bacteria than bacterial culturing, the current standard technique. Using PCR, the scientists identified the Bergeyella bacterium, as well as DNA belonging to 10 or 11 different strains of newly identified bacteria.

Now that doctors know about another link to preterm labor, the next step is to treat it. Antibiotics that specifically target these new bacteria are currently being tested.

"I thought it was a very interesting paper, and it seemed very sound," said Floyd Dewhirst, who is leading an effort to catalog the estimated 1,500 species of bacteria found in the human mouth at the Forsyth Institute in Boston.

"My recommendation is for women to keep their mouth as healthy as possible, and if they have periodontal disease, to get it treated before they become pregnant," said Dewhirst.

A 'Slurpee' That Could Save Your Life

2008-11-21T14:51:00.001+08:00

By Eric Bland, Discovery News - TQ

By crushing and shaving the sharp edges off tiny ice crystals, scientists in Chicago have created a slurry that can be pumped into veins, arteries and the lungs. The life-saving, Slurpee-like slurry rapidly cools the body from the inside out, giving doctors more time to treat patients while staving off harmful complications, saving lives.

"What you end up with is not what you'd get from the local 7-11," said Ken Kasza of the Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois. "With a Slurpee you get the liquid but not the ice. In our slurry you get the liquid and the ice."

Protective cooling, as rapidly cooling the body to prevent inflammation, acidosis and other problems is called, has been around unintentionally for thousands of years. It explains why, when a person falls into a frozen lake or river and doesn't breathe for as long as 90 minutes, they can be successfully revived with little or no brain damage.

For decades scientists have artificially induced localized and universal hypothermia using cooling blankets, cold, liquid saline solutions and packed ice chunks, in surgical patients to protect them.

These techniques are effective, but slow. Speed is critical for protective cooling. Pumping iced saline directly into veins, arteries and lungs lets doctor cool organs much more quickly than cooling externally, increasing survival rates and the time doctors have to treat a patient. During a surgery, that could mean having more than two hours to operate on a patient, instead of the 30 minutes currently available for some procedures.

"The fact that we have high ice loading means that we can absorb many times more heat than with cold saline," said Kasza. "That means that the amount of coolant needed to reduce body temperature is reduced dramatically."

Kasza's Argonne colleague, Yue Wu (Ryan), ran initial tests of the ice, compared with cold saline during an angioplasty, and found the slurry is about five times more effective at cooling the body.

In large animals, the scientists were able to at least triple the window of time to treat a heart attack, from 10 to 15 minutes for a heart attack, up to 30 and 45 minutes. The scientists think they could extend that time even longer; they discontinued the experiments early to ensure that all animal survived. The scientists are currently seeking FDA approval to test the ice slurry on humans.

The Argonne National Laboratory and University of Chicago scientists created their life-saving slurry by first freezing large chunks of saline solution into a clear, solid mass. Then they mechanically ground up the ice using a special, propriety method that turns the sharp, crystalline ice into round, smooth balls.

The tiny, icy spheres, small enough to fit through a 1-mm-wide catheter, can then move around one another and not become stuck, like what can happen in a 7-11 Slurpee, allowing for a quick brain freeze. The table-top-sized machine can produce about three to four liters of ice slurry at a time, more than enough to treat a patient.

Chilling down the brain and spinal cord is just one area doctors hope to use the slush. Organ transplantation, laproscopic kidney surgery and heart attacks are all areas where the life-saving saline slurry could be used, say the doctors.

Once the ice slurry melts the saline is absorbed into the body harmlessly. If it is injected into the lungs, most of the saline is sucked back out, while the remaining solution is then absorbed into the body.

This is all good news, says James Black, a surgeon at the Johns Hopkins University who was not involved in the research.

"If the research shows that it the body cools faster, that's a great advantage," said Black.

Ultimately the Argonne and University of Chicago scientists want to use the icy slurry outside the hospital, by equipping ambulances and paramedics with bottles of ice slurry to treat patients. It's an idea that Black is hesitant about. Without general anesthesia, protective cooling could actually worsen acidosis, he said, which is one of the conditions protective cooling is supposed to help.

Without anesthesia, as the body cools it shivers to generate heat. Shivering uses a lot of energy, and the products, including lactic acid, acidifies the body, creating another set of problems doctors must deal with. Administering anesthetic is necessary during protective cooling to ensure that the body doesn't shiver.

The doctors are also experimenting with mixing synthetic blood substitutes and micro injections of oxygen into the slurry, which would also help patients by providing oxygen and nutrients to the body during a traumatic event, potentially staving off acidosis, among other problems. This would be particularly useful during heart attacks outside a hospital, where as few as five percent of patients survive.

The Chicago team hopes to begin FDA trials of the basic ice slurry within the year. They are also speaking with an unmentioned biomedical company to market the slurry producing process. If everything goes well, their life-saving slush could be cooling patients in a few years.

"We want to be able to get this stuff into the small capillaries deep in the body, heart and brain, to protect cells from dying from a lack of oxygen," said Kasza.

Grooming Baby: Keeping Your Little One Clean and Comfortable

2008-10-14T15:06:00.002+08:00

By Christina Breda Antoniades - TQ

Source: Discovery Health

You probably think that that you know everything you need to know about baby care, baths, and grooming — after all you've been grooming and caring for yourself since you were in elementary school. Sometimes basic baby care can present some unique challenges that you may not know how to tackle; we've asked our experts to handle some of the toughest questions to help you understand baby care, bathing, and grooming. From treating baby acne to clipping nails, we've found the answers to help you give your baby excellent care. We talked to pediatrician Lynn Smitherman, M.D., recently about basic baby care. Here is what the assistant professor of pediatrics at Detroit's Wayne State University had to say:

Q: Because many parents — especially first timers — are obsessed with germs and cleanliness, bath time might seem like a crucial part of baby's hygiene. But how often does a baby really need to be bathed?

A: Infants don't really need to be bathed more than two to three times per week. Parents should always wash their baby's face and diaper area really well, but the rest of the body —arms, legs, tummy and back — doesn't really get that dirty. Once babies start crawling or toddling, it is important that their hands are kept clean, and if they are going barefoot, that their feet are clean. That means bathing baby more frequently — maybe every other day. Be careful, especially in the winter, not to overdo the washing because the soap and water can dry out their skin. By 1 year of age, they will need to be bathed even more frequently, perhaps daily, because they can get really messy.

Q: When it comes to baby's first bath, a lot of parents head for the kitchen sink, which is at a comfortable height and is small enough to seem manageable. Do you need to do anything special if you're going to use the sink?

A: You do want to wash out the sink really well. Just make sure there is no food or dirt left over from the last time you washed dishes. And, if you use harsh cleansers on your sink, be sure to wash it really well with soap and water and then rinse it one last time with hot water to get rid of any residue. If there's residue left over, it can cause irritation to baby's skin. Another option is bathing baby in an infant bathtub. Most keep baby at an angle so they're not lying flat, helping to keep water from pooling up in the diaper area, which is where you need to concentrate your cleaning anyhow.

Q: What about temperature? How do you know if it's too hot or too cold?

A: The best way to check the temperature of the water is with your elbow or forearm, since those are more sensitive than your fingers. You want the water to be a little warmer than lukewarm — just warm enough to feel comfortable. And keep in mind that the naval cord has to be completely off and healed — this happens around week three — before you submerse baby entirely. Until then, you can make do with a sponge bath.

Q: Babies have a reputation for silky-smooth skin, but in reality their skin is often rough, bumpy and dry. What do parents need to know about skin care for their infant?

A: First, they should know that when babies are first born, they go through a very natural process of peeling skin. Many parents get concerned because they think the skin is peeling because it's dry. It's not. I tell parents to try to imagine what would happen to their skin if they sat in a bathtub full of water for nine months and then had to adapt to the dry air. Skin peeling right after birth is a natural process, and it doesn't need any special treatment. In terms of washing, it's best to use a very mild soap. Even though there are a lot of products advertised, I find that unscented Dove soap works best. It is very mild, which is good because some children have reactions to the perfumes and dyes used in some soap. This will help keep their skin from getting irritated.

Q: While we're talking about skin, what about baby acne? If baby has pimples, is it time to break out the Clearasil?

A: Baby acne — little pimples, usually on the face — usually shows up within a few days of life and goes away without treatment. These pimples may come and go for the first month or so, but they're nothing to worry about. Some babies also get eczema, which is a dry skin condition that usually runs in the family. The best way to treat that is to keep the skin moisturized, using a very mild, unscented lotion such as Vaseline or baby lotion. But if your baby has very sensitive skin, you may have to use a special lotion like Lubriderm or Cetaphil. If that doesn't help, have your pediatrician check it out to make sure it isn't something else.

Q: Do you recommend using baby powder or talcum powder?

A: Nowadays, we're trying to get away from using powder altogether because if it is inhaled it can cause lung damage. So we try to discourage the use of baby, or talcum, powder. But if you choose to use it, don't sprinkle the powder directly on the baby, because the risk of breathing it in is very high. Stand away from baby and put some in your hand and then rub it on baby, keeping it away from the face.

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The ABCs for combating the cold and flu season

2008-09-20T11:47:00.000+08:00

Source: Dumex

With cold and flu season in full swing, parents who pay attention to hygiene and nutrition can boost the odds that their children will stay healthy - or at least healthier than last year.

Some of the techniques may be surprising and, better yet, take much less time than you think.

"Probably the most important thing is to tell kids to wash their hands frequently," said Dr. Jim King, a family physician in Selmer, Tenn., who is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians' board of directors.

Germ-laden hands are the most common source of bacteria, he added, and frequent hand-washing will reduce the number of colds and infections.

Encourage your kids to wash their hands after using the bathroom, playing with toys shared by other children and when they get home from school, King said. To enlist their support, set up a chart system with gold stars or, for older children, other appropriate rewards.

Also, "teach kids not to always be touching their faces and their mouths," said Dr. Ari Brown, a pediatrician in Austin, Texas, and author of Baby 411.

"Germs will live on surfaces such as the desk or doorknob for several hours," Brown said. So if kids touch a contaminated surface and then their face, mouth or nose, they can easily spread germs, she added.

"As kids get older, they tend to share food and drinks," Brown continued, saying that should also be discouraged. The reason: Sharing food and drinks can also spread germs, and "you can end up getting strep throat or mono," he said.

Then there's the inevitable showdown over bedtimes. But be sure to enforce reasonable ones, King and Brown agreed.

Most children don't get enough sleep, boosting their risk of getting sick. For 5- to 9-year-olds, 10 or 11 hours of sleep is needed, Brown and King said. 10- to 14-year-olds need nine or 10 hours, and 14- to 18-year-olds need eight or nine hours.

Getting kids to go to bed has always seemed like mission impossible. "But if you remind them how crummy they feel in the morning when the alarm goes off [if they haven't gotten enough sleep], they might be a little bit more reasonable," Brown said.

King urges parents to "get kids up at the same time every day, too." This will help establish a regular sleep-wake pattern. He encourages this practice even on weekends, although he acknowledges it's not easy - especially with teens who think they have a right to sleep in when school's out.

Brown also suggests talking to your child about the value of nutritious eating. And develop a policy that limits buying food from school vending machines or from fast-food operations.

Finally, encourage your child to get regular physical activity. The best way is to lead by example, Brown said.

"Go for a nightly walk, a nightly bike ride, or walk the dog together. Incorporate exercise into family time," he suggested.

Pregnant women miss a key nutrient

2008-09-12T15:37:00.002+08:00

Many women understand the dietary benefits of folic acid and calcium with vitamin D, but some could be missing DHA Omega-3, a fatty acid found in fish and a nutrient important for a baby's development.

DHA Omega-3 aids in the growth of a baby's brain, heart and eyes. Consumption of this nutrient also lowers the risk of pre-term birth and postpartum depression.

Sixty-eight percent of women say their doctor has never told them about DHA, according to a Kelton Research survey sponsored by the Society for Women's Health Research in Washington, D.C.

The survey reveals 72 percent of women have no clue how to include DHA in their diet.

Cold-water oily fish, like mackerel, herring, and salmon, are the best sources of DHA.

This can be problematic for pregnant women because some seafood contains mercury and other contaminants harmful to nervous system development in unborn infants.

Women can eat certain types of eggs, soymilk, nutrition bars, and other foods supplemented with algal-based DHA to avoid consuming too much mercury while still getting the DHA benefits.

Experts recommend consumption of 300 milligrams of DHA per day for expectant and new mothers.

Source:DUMEX

Fasting: Heart Healthy?

2008-09-12T15:13:00.003+08:00

Monthly Fasting May Tune the Ticker
Thank You ...Marilynn Marchionne, Associated Press
Dec. 11, 2007

Mormons have less heart disease -- something doctors have long chalked up to their religion's ban on smoking. New research suggests that another of their "clean living" habits also may be helping their hearts: fasting for one day each month.

A study in Utah, where the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is based, found that people who skipped meals once a month were about 40 percent less likely to be diagnosed with clogged arteries than those who did not regularly fast.

People did not have to "get religion" to benefit: non-Mormons who regularly took breaks from food also were less likely to have clogged arteries, scientists found.

They concede that their study is far from proof that periodic fasting is good for anyone, but said the benefit they observed poses a theory that deserves further testing.

"It might suggest these are people who just control eating habits better," and that this discipline extends to other areas of their lives that improves their health, said Benjamin Horne, a heart disease researcher from Intermountain Medical Center and the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

He led the study and reported results at a recent American Heart Association conference. The research was partly funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Roughly 70 percent of Utah residents are Mormons, whose religion advises abstaining from food on the first Sunday of each month, Horne said.

Researchers got the idea to study fasting after analyzing medical records of patients who had X-ray exams to check for blocked heart arteries between 1994 and 2002 in the Intermountain Health Collaborative Study, a health registry. Of these patients, 4,629 could be diagnosed as clearly having or lacking heart disease -- an artery at least 70 percent clogged.

Researchers saw a typical pattern: only 61 percent of Mormons had heart disease compared to 66 percent of non-Mormons. They thought tobacco use probably accounted for the difference. But after taking smoking into account, they still saw a lower rate of heart disease among Mormons and designed a survey to explore why.

It asked about Mormons' religious practices: monthly fasting; avoiding tea, coffee and alcohol; taking a weekly day of rest; going to church, and donating time or money to charity.

Among the 515 people surveyed, only fasting made a significant difference in heart risks: 59 percent of periodic meal skippers were diagnosed with heart disease versus 67 percent of the others.

The difference persisted even when researchers took weight, age and conditions like diabetes or high cholesterol or blood pressure into account. About 8 percent of those surveyed were not Mormons, and those who regularly fasted had lower rates of heart disease, too.

Horne speculated that when people take a break from food, it forces the body to dip into fat reserves to burn calories. It also keeps the body from being constantly exposed to sugar and having to make insulin to metabolize it. When people develop diabetes, insulin-producing cells become less sensitive to cues from eating, so fasting may provide brief rests that resensitize these cells and make them work better, he said.

But he and other doctors cautioned that skipping meals is not advised for diabetics -- it could cause dangerous swings in blood sugar.

Also for dieters, "the news is not as good as you might think" on fasting, said Dr. Raymond Gibbons of the Mayo Clinic, a former heart association president.

"Fasting resets the metabolic rate," slowing it down to adjust to less food and forcing the body to store calories as soon as people resume eating, Gibbons said.

healthy heart...healthy body

Can humans sense the Earth's magnetic field?

2008-08-28T08:06:00.003+08:00

If you are lost on a farm, try using the cows to find your way home. Bizarre as it may seem, cattle apparently don't just stand around randomly chewing the cud - they in fact behave like huge compasses, aligning themselves with magnetic north. The German and Czech researchers who discovered the phenomenon by poring over Google Earth satellite images of pastures around the world also found the same phenomenon among herds of deer. Though they have no idea why the animals do it.

But can humans sense the Earth's magnetic field, and does it affect our behaviour or health? Put magnets and human health into Google (I don't recommend it) and you will be bombarded with products: magnetic pillows that supposedly cure insomnia, magnetically aged wine, bandages that use magnets to heal you quicker and so on. But according to the World Health Organisation, the evidence that humans are affected by low-level magnetic fields is weak to non-existent.

"Based on a recent in-depth review of the scientific literature, the WHO concluded that current evidence does not confirm the existence of any health consequences from exposure to low-level electromagnetic fields," it says. "However, some gaps in knowledge about biological effects exist and need further research."

But very precise electro- magnetic stimulation can have some interesting and useful effects on the brain. A relatively new technique used by neuro-scientists called Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) involves placing a powerful and extremely short (200 millisecond) electrical current next to a person's head and inducing a much lower electrical current in part of the brain. This current disrupts activity there briefly, so allowing researchers to work out what individual bits of the brain do. "We temporarily modify the activity in this area artificially from the outside," says Dr Sven Bestmann at University College London. "It's a way to stimulate nerves in the cortex without having to open the skull and insert electrodes."

Magnetic fields may not help you find your way home then, but scientists have used them to investigate which parts of the brain are involved in a range of conditions, such as stroke, tinnitus, migraine and depression, says Bestmann. "It is really the only way we can make such an investigation in healthy volunteers, to say something about brain areas that are critically involved in a certain behaviour."

Source:guardian.co.uk
Thanks
James Randerson
The Guardian, Wednesday August 27 2008
Article history

NUTRILITE™ Glucosamine HCl

2008-08-19T16:34:00.001+08:00

NUTRILITE Glucosamine HCl offers support for building and maintenance of collagen between joints. It also helps to maintains healthy connective tissues.

Product Benefits

NUTRILITE Glucosamine HCl has a variety of health benefits:

It helps support the building and maintenance of collagen between joints.
The unique formula contains additional herbal ingredients to help support joint mobility and help protect against the breakdown of joint cartilage and tissues.
High impact sports, muscle weakness, and repetitive stress injuries can cause joints to weaken; this NUTRILITE formula helps ease joint movement and flexibility to help you enjoy everyday activities.
NUTRILITE Glucosamine HCl is for people who are experiencing limited flexibility related to their joints. It is intended for active people who are aging, and may already take antioxidants and multivitamins. It can also be used by those who participate in sports.

This product may not be available in all markets. For some markets, the formulas, product names and claims may be different than stated above due to regulatory requirements.

Memang berbaloi vitamin ni untuk orang yang sakit sendi terutama sekali di bahagian lutut. Lebih2 lagi untuk orang yang sudah berusia yang selalu mengalami masalah sakit di sendi. Ia mengaktifkan cecair seperti "minyak pelincir" di bahagian lutut untuk kelancaran semasa berjalan. Cuba lah!! anda pasti tidak menyesal.

DOUBLE X™ / TRIPLE X™ Multivitamin/Multimineral Supplement

2008-08-19T16:12:00.010+08:00

DOUBLE X is designed around a simple nutritional principle:
To provide an essential nutritional foundation for people who understand the many benefits provided by vitamins, minerals, and plant concentrates (phytonutrients).

Product Benefits

People depend on DOUBLE X because of its sound nutritional basis:

DOUBLE X is power-packed with vitamins, minerals, and plant concentrates, supporting your active and healthy lifestyle.
DOUBLE X has phytonutrients with antioxidant protection, targeting key groups of cell-damaging free radicals.
In Japan, this product is named NUTRILITE TRIPLE X.

For More Information: AMWAY

Dietary Supplement Helper For Women

2008-08-15T11:11:00.013+08:00

The combination of a multivitamin-multimineral, an additional calcium and magnesium supplement, an Omega 3 supplement, plus a B Complex supplement will help you (woman)to maintain your health.

multivitamin-multimineral
With real demands on your health, you need a multi that covers the bases. Deep, enduring energy, long-term vitality. Antioxidant protection, from the inside out. You get it all with Nutrilite Double X.
It's everything you need your multi to be -- a finely calibrated balance of 12 vitamins, 9 minerals and 17 plant concentrates. You can be sure of broad spectrum support for your health, everyday.

calcium and magnesium supplement
Made from natural forms of calcium carbonate and magnesium oxide
3 tablets daily provide 600 mg of calcium and 400 mg of magnesium, plus the exclusive NUTRILITE Alfalfa Concentrate.
Calcium is the main components of our bones and teeth, it influences blood clotting, transmission of nerve impulses, maintenance of cell membranes, enzyme reactions and hormone secretions.
Magnesium is important for healthy cells, the manufacture of proteins and normal kidney functions.
A deficiency of magnesium affects the body's ability to regulate its use of calcium. People of all ages need to replace calcium which is continually being excreted, especially for children, adolescents, pregnant and nursing women
The body's needs for calcium does not diminish with age and later in life it may be difficult to replenish bone calcium. It is good nutritional insurance to make certain the daily diet is supplemented with calcium.

Omega 3 supplement
Omega-3 oils have been called “the miracle food of the 21st century.” Research shows the right kind can help prevent heart disease, maintain optimum blood pressure and cholesterol levels and give almost immediate relief from joint pain, migraines, depression, autoimmune diseases and many other conditions. And, by improving brain development and memory functioning, from conception through old age, certain Omega-3 oils also provide the perfect brain food.

B Complex supplement
Naturally derived from cultured, deactivated yeast. One tablet provides 100% or more of the US RDI of all 7 B vitamins - B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, folic acid, and B12; plus inositol and PABA (para-amino-benzoic-acid), that all adult men and women need.
Water-soluble B-complex vitamins assist in the release of energy from fats, carbohydrates and proteins, to meet added energy needs brought on by stressful living. Helps promote healthy skin, nails, hair and eyes
Essential for the development of red blood cells as well as the normal functioning of the nervous system. Alcohol, smoking, caffeine, dieting and the use of birth control pills can deplete the body of B-vitamins.

So, all woman in the world, dont you only depends with your meals to generate your nutrient for your body..Ensure your supplement vitamin was in your list..together we healthy forever & ever except to old & die. Adios.

Di Malaysia, mungkin belum ramai yang mahu makan suplemen vitamin ni dengan penuh disiplin..ketahuilah semua wanita malaysia, dianggarkan wanita sebelum 50 tahun sudah dijangkiti macam2 penyakit yang kita rasa kita boleh elakkannya..Salah satu cara nak mengelakkannya adalah makan makanan tambahan..tak sume makanan yang kita makan ader mengandungi nutrien yang di perlukan badan..vitamin2 ni lah yang menjamin kesihatan kita..makan dengan tertib dan ikut panduan.. insyaalah kita akan healthy forever & ever kecuali ajal atau terlalu tua..

My Technorati Links..

2008-08-13T15:34:00.003+08:00

Today i already sign up at Technorati..just for fun ..wanna to add more template in my blog..here it is my profile at technorati..

To all my friends, sudi sudilah jengok blog aku ni..

Technorati Profile

Edymium Bracelet is works...

2008-08-12T14:15:00.029+08:00

Magnet therapy, magnetic therapy, magnetotherapy or magnotherapy is a complementary and alternative medicine practice involving the use of static magnetic fields. Practitioners claim that subjecting certain parts of the body to magnetostatic fields produced by permanent magnets has beneficial health effects. Magnet therapy is considered pseudoscientific due to both physical and biological implausibility, as well as a lack of any established effect on health or healing. Hemoglobin is weakly diamagnetic, and is repulsed by magnetic fields. The magnets used are many orders of magnitude too weak to have any measurable effect on blood flow.

A 2002 NSF report on public attitudes and understanding of science noted that magnet therapy is "not at all scientific." A number of vendors make unsupported claims about magnet therapy by using pseudoscientific and new-age language. Such claims are unsupported by the results of scientific and clinical studies. Most criticisms include:

The typical magnet used produces insufficient magnetic field to have any effect on muscle tissue, bones, blood vessels, or organs.
Some manufacturers claim that the magnets help to circulate the blood by interacting with the iron in hemoglobin, a major component of red blood cells. There is no indication that circulatory benefits would result even if some blood component were to couple strongly to magnetic fields.
Others claim that the magnets can restore the body's theorized "electromagnetic energy balance", but no such balance is medically recognized.
Even in the many times stronger magnetic fields used in magnetic resonance imaging, none of the claimed effects are observed.
There are claims that the south pole of a magnet acts differently on the body than the north pole.
Many of the websites that provide information and resources promoting the benefits of magnetic therapy belong to individuals and companies that profit from the sale of magnetic therapy products.

Itu sedikit sebanyak info pasal terapi magnet. kita tak semata2 bergantung pada ubat sajer.alternatif mcm ni pun kita boleh guna..tetapi hati2 ..jgn sampai tertipu..

Nak dijadikan cerita, husband aku sakit kaki dah seminggu..sebab musababnyer mungkin kenaikan berat badan..dulu dia pernah accident..patah kaki..tempurung lutut dah kena buang..so jalan pun dah tak proper sgt.. semalam sebab dah tak tahan sgt, dia pakai lah gelang magnetik edymium tu..(tahu beli jer tapi pakainyer tidak)..sajer nak try kot2 boleh kurangkan sakit dia..dia pun letak arr gelang tu atas lutut dia...lepas beberapa minit, dia kata macam diurut urut plak kaki dia..memang lega sikit kata nyer..alhamdulillah..kalo tak asyik berkerut jer muka dia tahan sikit..cian nyer

tapi yang kelakarnyer, start malam tadi dia kata nak makan sayur jer..aku kata ok lah tu..turunkan lah berat badan tu..dah buncit dah.tak encem...hahahah...betul2 palk tu dia makan sayur..tapi pastu dia telan la pulak NUTRILITE fire & vegetable, BIO C PLUS(nak ilangkan selesema sebab resdung) & B Complex..pastu aper lagi dia tido...tapi gelang tu dia pakai kat tangan..

pagi tadi dia bangun, macam fresh jer (dia kata dia rasa fresh)..kaki pun dah kurang tak macam semalam...so kesimpulannya..nasib baik lah ader gelang ni..melegakan kesakitan dari luar tapi yang bekerja di dalam tu vitamin yang husband aku makan la...dua2 ni kira support untuk keseluruhan..tak bergantung pada luar jer..dalam pun main peranan juga...

lagi satu situasi pasal gelang magnetik ni..setahun lepas mak aku sakit..doktor kata, peredaran darah tak berapa lancar, kurang selera makan, sakit kaki lah & mcm2 macam lagi lah..bab halus2 pun tak ketinggalan juga...so hasben aku pun belikan lah gelang magnetik untuk mak aku...lama kelamaan mak aku pun semakin sihat..bukan sebab gelang tu saje..tapi ubat2 doktor pun main peranan..so gelang ni untuk melancarkan peredaran darah dan membawa oksigen ke dalam badan kita..

Kalo nak tau kegunaan lain gelang magnetic ni , pergilah kat sini
Edymium

...inilah contoh gelang yang husband aku pakai..

Cacing / Worms - Compose Fertilizer for Agriculture Biznez

2008-08-09T08:50:00.021+08:00

Baru2 ni ader kawan aku bisnes bela cacing..sekarang ternak cacing popular betull..kalo jadi ternak cacing ni silap2 boleh kaya.. mahal tu siot..jual cacing ingat jual umpan gi memancing ker..sekilo lebih kurang RM 400 lebih..lumayan tu...kat sini aku bagi information pasal cacing..(ingat cacing ni tak guna ker??)..korang tak sedar lagi kot..hehehe..,ni blog kawan aku yang bela cacing...kalo nak berjinak2 bela cacing tu , contact arr dia yekk ... http://bhealthworms.blogspot.com/

Earthworm is the usual name for the largest members of Oligochaeta (which is either a class or subclass depending on the author) in the phylum Annelida. In classical systems they were placed in the order Opisthopora, on the basis of the male pores opening posterior to the female pores, even though the internal male segments are anterior to the female. Theoretical cladistic studies have placed them instead in the suborder Lumbricina of the order Haplotaxida, but this may again soon change. Folk names for the earthworm include "dew-worm", "rainworm", "night crawler" and "angleworm" (due to its use as fishing bait).

The major benefits of earthworm activities to soil fertility can be summarized as:

Biological. In many soils, earthworms play a major role in converting large pieces of organic matter (e.g. dead leaves) into rich humus, and thus improving soil fertility. This is achieved by the worm's actions of pulling down below any organic matter deposited on the dried dirt, such as leaf fall or manure, either for food or when it needs to plug its burrow. Once in the burrow, the worm will shred the leaf and partially digest it, then mingle it with the earth by saturating it with intestinal secretions. Worm casts (see below) can contain 40% more humus than the top 6" of soil in which the worm is living.

Chemical. As well as dead organic matter, the earthworm also ingests any other soil particles that are small enough—including stones up to 1/20 of an inch (1.25mm) across—into its gizzard wherein minute fragments of grit grind everything into a fine paste which is then digested in the stomach. When the worm excretes this in the form of casts which are deposited on the surface or deeper in the soil, minerals and plant nutrients are made available in an accessible form. Investigations in the US show that fresh earthworm casts are 5 times richer in available nitrogen, 7 times richer in available phosphates and 11 times richer in available potash than the surrounding upper 6 inches (150 mm) of soil. In conditions where there is plenty of available humus, the weight of casts produced may be greater than 4.5 kg (10 lb) per worm per year, in itself an indicator of why it pays the gardener or farmer to keep worm populations high.

Physical. By its burrowing actions, the earthworm is of great value in keeping the soil structure open, creating a multitude of channels which allow the processes of both aeration and drainage to occur. Permaculture co-founder Bill Mollison points out that by sliding in their tunnels, earthworms "act as an innumerable army of pistons pumping air in and out of the soils on a 24 hour cycle (more rapidly at night)". Thus the earthworm not only creates passages for air and water to traverse, but is itself a vital component in the living biosystem that is healthy soil.

Various species of worms are used in vermiculture, the practice of feeding organic waste to earthworms to decompose (digest) it, a form of composting by the use of worms. These are usually Eisenia fetida (or its close relative Eisenia andrei) or the Brandling worm, also known as the Tiger worm or Red Wiggler, and are distinct from soil-dwelling earthworms.
Earthworms are sold all over the world. The earthworm market is sizable. According to Doug Collicut (see "Nightcrawler" link below), "In 1980, 370 million worms were exported from Canada, with a Canadian export value of $13 million and an American retail value of $54 million."
Earthworms are also sometimes sold as food for human consumption. Noke is a culinary term used by the Māori of New Zealand to refer to earthworms which are considered delicacies.
A report on biodiversity published by the Irish Government in May 2008 estimated the activities of the earthworm to be worth a minimum of €723 millon per annum to Irish agriculture. Taken From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthworm

gelik aku nengok cacing ni....eee

Water The Best Medicine!!!!

2008-08-08T12:18:00.030+08:00

Tadi aku ader terima email..saje nak kongsi ngan korang betapa pentingnyer air..takder letrik takper asal jagn takder air....hehehhe

DRINK WATER ON EMPTY STOMACH *!!!!

It is popular in India today to drink water immediately after waking up every morning. Furthermore, scientific tests have proven its value. For old and serious diseases as well as modern illnesses the water treatment had been found successful by a Indian medical society as a 100% cure for the following diseases:

Headache, body ache, heart system, arthritis, fast heart beat, epilepsy, excess fatness, bronchitis asthma, TB, meningitis, kidney and urine diseases, vomiting, gastritis, diarrhea, piles, diabetes, constipation, all eye diseases, womb, cancer and menstrual disorders, ear nose and throat
diseases.

METHOD OF TREATMENT

1. As you wake up in the morning before brushing teeth, drink 4 x 160ml glasses of water .....interesting
2. Brush and clean the mouth but do not eat or drink anything for 45 minutes
3. After 45 minutes you may eat and drink as normal.
4. After 15 minutes of breakfast, lunch and dinner do not eat or drink anything for 2 hours
5. Those who are old or sick and are unable to drink 4 glasses of water at the beginning may commence by taking little water and gradually increase it to 4 glasses per day.
6. The above method of treatment will cure diseases of the sick and others can enjoy a healthy life.

The following list gives the number of days of treatment required to
cure/control/reduce main diseases:
1. High Blood Pressure - 30 days
2. Gastric - 10 days
3. Diabetes - 30 days
4. Constipation - 10 days
5. Cancer - 180 days
6. TB - 90 days
7. Arthritis patients should follow the above treatment only for 3 days in the 1st week, and from 2nd week onwards - daily.

This treatment method has no side effects, however at the commencement of treatment you may have to urinate a few times. It is better if we continue this and make this procedure as a routine work in our life.

Drink Water and Stay healthy and Active.

This makes sense .. The Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals ...not cold water. Maybe it is time we adopt their drinking habit while eating!!! Nothing to lose, everything to gain...

For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you.It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion.

Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.

A serious note about heart attacks:

Women should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting.
Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line.You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack. Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms.

Quite Interesting *. Keep Walking..... (Pressure Point of Hand & Leg)
Just to check this out......
The Organs of your body have their sensory touches at the bottom of your foot, if you massage these points you will find relief from aches and pains as you can see the heart is on the left foot.
Typically they are shown as points and arrows to show which organ it connects to. It is indeed correct since the nerves connected to these organs terminate here. This is covered in great details in Acupressure studies or textbooks.

God created our body so well that he thought of even this. He made us walk so that we will always be pressing these pressure points and thus keeping these organs activated at all times.
So, keep walking...

Health - Very Very Important Tips

Answer the phone by LEFT ear.
Do not drink coffee TWICE a day.
Do not take pills with COOL water ..
Do not have HUGE meals after 5pm.
Reduce the amount of OILY food you consume.
Drink more WATER in the morning, less at night.
Keep your distance from hand phone CHARGERS .
Do not use headphones/earphone for LONG period of time.
Best sleeping time is from 10pm at night to 6am in the morning.
Do not lie down immediately after taking medicine before sleeping.
When battery is down to the LAST grid/bar, do not answer the phone as the radiation is 1000 times.

Prevention is better than cure*!!!.

Strengthen Baby's Immune System

2008-08-08T10:08:00.015+08:00

Have you ever wondered why newborns and young babies are so susceptible to a whole gamut of infections such as the common cold, ear infections and gastrointestinal diseases? This is because their immune system is still immature and is often unable to mount an effective immune response against disease-causing organisms such as bacteria and viruses.

Fortunately, newborns are generally protected by the antibodies because of

they receive through the placenta before birth and from their mother's breast milk after birth. This type of protection is known as passive immunity because it is "borrowed" from another source. But it disappears during the first 6 to 8 months of life, while their bodies step up the process of producing antibodies.
those delivered naturally through their mother's birth canal, is that by healthy bacteria that are transferred from their mother's intestine and vagina to the babies' gut during the birth process.
the adaptive (or active) immunity. This type of immunity develops throughout our lives as we grow and become exposed to diseases or when we are immunized against diseases through vaccination. The two components of the adaptive immunity are the T- and B-lymphocytes.

The Optimal Immune System
In order for your baby's immune mechanism to work optimally to respond to all possible dangers, her immune system must have:

Speed to attack and destroy all foreign invaders before they multiply and defeat the immune system. Adequate Numbers of Immune Cells to overpower foreign invaders and fight off infections. Studies have shown that certain nutrients are crucial for the normal functioning of the immune cells and adequate intakes will optimize their response, either directly or indirectly, while deficiencies might adversely compromise their functions. Examples of such nutrients are protein, vitamin C, Vitamin A, Beta-carotene, Vitamin E, the B-Complex, Selenium, Zinc, Alpha-Linolenic Acid and Oligosaccharides (prebiotics).
Breast milk provides babies with all the nutrients that they need to grow and develop optimally in the first few months of life. Its promote the growth of beneficial bacteria e.g. bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, that help to stimulate a balanced and effective gut immune system in babies. Taken From Dumex

Apa yang artikel ni cakap sume betul..dengan cukup antibodi dan immune yang kuat, baby kita pasti jarang dijangkiti penyakit..macam anak aku ler.aktif jer..jarang demam..demam terkejut adalah sebab bersunat aritu..tak pun lepas kena imunisasi injection..tapi tak lah lama demam tu..dalam masa 24 jam dah ok..

lagi satu, susu ibu adalah susu paling berkhasiat di dunia..tiada susu yang lebih baik daripadanya.anak aku still hari ini consume susu ibu..tu pasal badan debab dan lebih besar drpda rakan sebayanyer..hahahha..so ingatlah bakal2 ibu sedunia..berilah susu ibu..menjimatkan, halal dan berkualiti...hehehehe

To boost more immune & antibody consume chewable multivitamin for your children. i suggest you NUTRILITE Chewables Multivitamin and Iron Supplement

the best breast feeder

Glory Moment

Tak Tau

2008-08-07T14:32:00.007+08:00

Hari aku tak tau nak tulis ape untuk perasmian blog aku ni..tak der idea sebab aku tengah blur sekarang..tapi yang pastinyer aku lah newbie untuk arena blogger..nak try test..best ker buat blog ni..apa faedahnyer..mungkin untuk suka2 ataupun nak buat duit (ramai org cakap kalo sape2 buat blog ni bleh jadi kaya.. tul ker)..itu aku no comment..nanti aku try buat duit kat blog aku ni..kalo berjaya bleh arr aku kongsi ngan korang sume..
tapi yang pastinyer (ape yang aku rase sekarang lah, aku telah melepaskan kekusutan fikiran aku melalui penulisan blog ni..ade rase lega sikit..)..tengoklah sekarang, panjang juge aku menaip ni..kepala aku yang kusut ni dah lega plak..hahaha
best juga menulis ni lagi2 tang meluahkan perasaan..memang superb la kesannyer..tak yah nak marah kat orang depan2, marah kat PC ni jer..orang pun tak tau kita sebelum ni tengah marahh..hehehhe

anyway, cukup arr aku taip karangan ni..banyak keje..nanti sambung..daaa