6 Factors That Fuel The Spread Of Disease In An Environment

It shouldn't be a new story to us all that micro-organisms are the cause of all the numerous diseases and infections that have caused mankind so much pain. They have taken our loved ones away from us, made us fall sick, and has tormented our dear lives in so many different and life threatening ways.



 

Have you ever imagined living a life without sickness? I mean a life that you don’t have to bother about falling sick from any of the diseases caused by the numerous disease micro-organisms that have being roaming our planet earth for ages. Ifnot pushed your sense of imagination to that extent you are really missing a lot because I have done so and I bet you, it’s an exciting experience if at all it can ever come to pass, which I guess.

Micro-organisms cause diseases and infections and they can be found almost everywhere on the surface of the earth, they can be found floating around and suspended inside the air we breathe, they can be found in large quantity inside the assumed clean water we drink every day. Man has tried everything possible to keep its environment clean and void from this tiny, microscopic enemies, all to no avail. So many techniques has being employed to make this assignment a success but we are still far from what we will wish to call success.

In this article, I will try to highlight a number of environmental factors that influences the spread of this micro-organisms, in other wards causing diseases to us, the humans.

• Water Supply:

Water they say is a universal solvent. It is the most abundant substance on planet earth. It is very important in our lives but when it contains harmful organisms it is more harmful than good. Drinking or cooking with water that contains so many harmful organisms is very dangerous. Lack of safe and clean water in an environment, inadequate excreta disposal facilities, poor hygiene can provide disease micro-organisms a conducive habitat to live and breed in. A large number of the existing disease micro-organisms can fend very well when surrounded by water.

• Sanitation Facilities:

Since mankind cannot completely do away with this micro-organisms, reducing their number in a giving place can help checkmate the level at which they spread diseases and this is done by sanitation. Keeping the environment clean with efficient equipment have always being the way up. Developed countries can almost boost of that while developing and under-developing countries are still very far behind in the race to checkmate this micro-organisms.  This is because the Government cannot provide its citizens with good and efficient sanitation facilities.

• Climatic Change:

Our climate has a lot of roles to play in the spread of disease. Climatologists have identified upwards trends in global temperatures and has also estimated an unprecedented increase of 2.0 degrees centigrade by the year 2100. Micro-organisms will always fend well in environments with increased temperature. Entropy will be very high and they will continue feeling homely until the temperature increases to a level where they can’t survive any longer. The micro-organisms, plasmodium in mosquitoes and other micro-organisms that cause dengue fever, viral encephalitdes are among the organisms that are most sensitive to climate.

• Air:

The air we breathe can act as a means of transport for so many disease micro-organisms. Micro-organisms suspended inside the air can be transported into our nostrils when we breathe in air. Mostly so many micro-organisms mix together with dust particles, making their existence and movements hiding.

• Food:

We eat to live, but when the food we eat has being contaminated with deadly micro-organisms; then the food we eat will be more of harm than good to us. Food substances that wasn’t preserved will easily be attacked by micro-organisms which will breed and form a community inside the food, when ingested, the micro-organisms manifest within us the humans and causes diseases.

• Carrier Organisms:

Disease micro-organisms can be transmitted from one organism to another. This is one of the major means by which diseases spread. Plasm odium which causes malaria can be transmitted to man by mosquitoes. Man can also pass diseases to each other through body fluid contacts like sweat, semen, saliva. This is the most dangerous factor that has being giving rise to the spread of diseases since the beginning of planet earth.



As usual, your contributions, questions and what so ever has always being welcomed here on any article on Cliniconomy in form of comments.

If you don’t have anything to comment about. Why not tell us the most dangerous and effective factor whereby diseases have being spreading throughout the human population.

 

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Heart Disease In Women: How To Secure Your Self

Not everybody has actually giving ears to the numerous awareness raised by health associations concerning the issue of heart disease in women. Those who are missing out on this vital information; those who don't still realize that heart disease is so real and is a threat for them. While our young women believe that they're too young for heart disease, this is not the case. Risk factors often begin when women are in their twenties. The disease continues to develop over time.

 Statistics concerning heart disease in young women

• One in every three women over age 20 suffer from some form of heart disease.

• 35,000 women in the U.S. under the age of 55 have heart attacks each year.

• Twice as many women than men under the age of 50 die from heart attacks.

Risk Factors For heart disease in Women

Some of the common risk factors for heart disease in young women include the obvious ones: smoking, high cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity; along with a sedentary lifestyle. Metabolic syndrome is another common risk factor for women of all ages. This is actually a group of factors which includes abdomen fat, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high triglyceride levels.

However, there are hidden risks as well. These include: high blood sugar during pregnancy, a history of missed periods by age 35, and low levels of vitamin D. A recent news report also listed depression as a major risk factor for heart disease in young women. In fact, according to a new study, women under the age of 55 who suffered from depression doubled their chance of having a heart attack or other form of heart disease.

How can Women protect themselves?

Women can begin protecting themselves from heart disease while in their twenties. This protection starts with a visit to their primary care doctor. This is particularly important if a woman has a family history of heart disease and heart attacks.

The visit to a doctor should include a heart wellness exam. This includes a blood cholesterol test (starting at age 20), blood pressure check, heart rate, body mass index and waist measurement. Knowing where you stand can motivate you to make lifestyle changes if needed.

Lifestyle modifications for young women

Cut back on sugar: It can increase artery-clogging triglyceride levels and decrease your HDL (good) cholesterol levels.

Don't start smoking, and quit if you do smoke. This is extremely important if you take birth control pills. The combination of smoking and the pill can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Avoid secondhand smoke as well.

Eat foods that are on the "healthy" list: whole-grains, beans and other legumes, brightly colored vegetables and fruits. Don't forget fatty fish, which are high in omega-3 fatty acids. These include salmon, halibut, tuna, and sardines. Avoid the nasty trans-fats found in highly processed foods, fried foods, and store-bought baked goods. Eating healthier and limiting your sodium intake can also lower blood pressure levels and help you avoid or manage diabetes. It also improves cholesterol levels.

Learn to love exercise and physical activity. Once you find out what exercise can do for you, you'll find it easy to love. Exercise is a great way to reduce the risk of heart disease in women. It also boosts our energy, lowers blood pressure, and improves our mental health. A current study shows that running, even just for short periods of time, (5 to 10 minutes a day) is a particularly good way to avoid heart disease. Add strength training to an exercise program for additional heart benefits.

Take vitamin D supplements if you have low levels of this vitamin. A vitamin D deficiency can be discovered through a simple blood test.

Visit your doctor if you think you're suffering from depression. Prescription medications may help. Adding therapy may provide you with the additional benefit of being able to talk about issues you are facing. Regular exercise will also help reduce depression.

 

Why is it so important for young women to take care of their hearts? It's because heart disease is the number one killer for women of all ages. One in four women die from heart disease in women each year, and more women than men die from heart attacks. But women can, and should, fight back; by making necessary changes to save their hearts, and their lives.

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What Is Gangrene? The Effective Treatment For Gangrenous Tissues

Just like other life threatening medical conditions, medicine has always found an awkward name to give them and this one she called it Gangrene. It is used to describe the death of an area of the body which is caused when the blood supply to that part of the body is cut off, the dismissal of blood from the affected part may be caused either by an infection, vascular disease, injury or trauma. Gangrene can affect any part of the body but it is more predominant in the toes, fingers, feet and hands.

[caption id="attachment_6225" align="aligncenter" width="240"] Toe infected with dry Gangrene[/caption]

 

 

What Are The Types Of Gangrene?

There are 2 main types of Gangrene name:

• Dry gangrene: It is the gradual reduction of blood flow through the arteries. In this type of gangrene, the gangrenous body tissue becomes cold and black, it begins to dry up and finally sloughs off (sheds away like that of the skin of a snake). It is mostly seen in people with blocked arteries (arteriosclerosis) which can either come up as a result of cigarette smoking, high level of cholesterol, diabetes and other genetic factors.

 

• Wet gangrene and Gas Gangrene: This type mostly develops as a result of untreated and infected wounds. Inflammations usually occur as a result of infection which was caused by the immediate halted flow of blood to the about to be gangrenous part of the body. When the blood stops flowing to the gangrenous tissue, the growth of bacteria is increased and tremendously multiplied because the white blood cells (disease fighting cells) cannot get to the gangrenous region because of the “no blood flow zone” instituted on the tissue.


•         Gas Gangrene: This is under wet gangrene and it looks very much like it, the different is that  gas gangrene is caused by clostridia bacteria, which can live , grow and reproduce in the absence of oxygen. As it grows, they emit poisonous toxins and gas which readily spreads into the bloodstream and has the capability to damage vital organs if not treated early.

What Are The Causes Of Gangrene?

Blood is the most important aspect of life. The red liquid is very important because it transport all the life sustaining substances round the body, to the body cells who need the resources to keep us alive. The blood transports oxygen, food substances, minerals and white blood cell which will always fight invading bacteria in the body so as to keep us healthy.

Any condition that will affect the normal flow of blood increases the risk of gangrene. Because blood keeps the cells alive and when the blood doesn’t get to the cell, the cell dies off and that is it. So, the conditions that can cause gangrene, includes:

• Smoking


• Obesity


• Trauma


• Atherosclerosis


• Diabetics


• Artery Disease


• Injury

 

What Are The Symptoms Of Gangrene?

The symptoms of gangrene includes:

1. The infected area is initially red and later turns to cold and numb when not properly treated.


2. It becomes black and shriveled (dry gangrene)


3. In wet gangrene, the infected area swells up and putrefies.


4. It becomes unbearably painful


5. Local oozing occurs.


6. The infected region produces an awful odor


7. It becomes black.


8. The patients gradually develops a fever. Increases heart rate and rapid breathing if the toxins in the infected part spreads into the blood stream.


9. In some cases of gas gangrene, the gas produced by clostridia produces a cracking or skin breaking sensation when the affected area is pressed down.

A quick question before we continue, as you have seen the symptoms of the three types of gangrene, which of them looks more deadly and scary to you?

 

What Are the Various Ways to Prevent Gangrene?

So, enough of the long scary story about gangrene, let us look at the ways in which you can prevent gangrene. Like so many other health conditions, the most important weapon in the treatment arsenal is the prevention.

• Simple, keep your wounds clean to avoid infections. Clean wound with antiseptic solution.


• Watch out for the signs that the injury has already being infected, such signs includes pus, redness, swelling and pain.


• People with diabetics should keep an eye on their blood sugar level, using proper medication to monitor it.


• If you are a cigarette smoker, you have to stop smoking.


• If eventually your injury becomes infected. Consult a qualified Doctor.


• Exercise and keep fit.

 

What Are the Available and Effective Methods For The Treatment Of Gangrene?

Introduction of antibiotics has proven its prowess in eliminating gangrene. Antibiotics will prevent the spread of any bacteria infection.

To treat dry gangrene, which is caused by the lack of blood flow. Trying to restore the blood supply will be very important. This could be carried out through surgery.

Wet gangrene and gas gangrene needs to be treated aggressively and with intense caution, this is because of the infection accompanying it. A type of surgery called Surgical Debridement (removal of dead tissues) is performed, alongside the application of intravenous (inside the blood vessels) antibiotics are administered to control infection.

 

Do you think i have left something behind? feel free to put it down on the comment box.

 

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The difference between cancer cells and normal cells

[caption id="attachment_5650" align="aligncenter" width="150"] Photo credit: freedigitalphotos.net[/caption]

A Cell is the basic unit of a living organism, meaning that a cell is the building block of a full organism. In my own understanding; different cells of the same function come together to form a body tissue and different body tissues of the same type and function come together to form an organ then different organs of the same function come together to form a whole system. The  cells that come together to form the skin can be referred to as skin cells, just like that, the cells that will come together to form a bone can be called the bone cells. We also have heart or cardiac cells and so on.

In this post we are going to discuss about the difference between cancer cells and normal cells.  Read along.

The body is made up of trillions of cells of different types which occupy different parts of the body. During the early stages of life, cells divide more rapidly and faster with the sole purpose to bring about growth, but immediately one reaches adulthood and no longer needs to grow, cells now divide to bring about the replacement of dying or worn-out cells. The process by which an individual increase in size right from childhood to adulthood is brought about by the division of this different type of cells in their various parts and locations of the body.

Normally, a cell is supposed to take a specific and systematic path during its life cycle; that is, undergoing cell division when matured and dying off when worn out.  Another thing that a normal cell does is to remain in its particular location in the body together with other cells of its type and function. As stated above, our body cells continue to divide even when we are adults to replace dead and worn out cells which will be ejected from the system at the long run. All this things occur systematically and orderly and it is engineered by the genetic instructions within the cell which regulates the operations and life cycle of a normal cell. The difference between cancer cells and normal cells is that a normal cell is has a  balance between its production, growth, division and death.

 

What about Cancer Cells?

Meanwhile, a cancer cell on the other hand is a cell also but far from being a normal cell. It is a cell that undergo uncontrolled and rapid proliferation instead of the slow coordinated mechanism of a normal cell. A cancer cell doesn’t follow the path of a normal cell instead they go the other way round. Cancer cells grow and divide rapidly through an unregulated and unsystematic way, thereby altering the balance and normal functioning of the body.  The genetic instructions contained in cells that coordinate the life processes of a normal cell has no power on a cancer cell. Cancer cells are stubborn cells that grow out of control. They will refuse to die when they are supposed to die, instead they continue growing and producing abnormal cells of their type. The main difference between cancer cells and normal cells is that it has the ability to leave its present location, flow through the blood stream and get deposited in another location where it becomes harmful when it starts reproduction of a cell different from the type of cell that originally occupies that part of the body. This process is called Metastasis.

You might like to read: 9 inexpensive ways to reduce your cancer risk

Cancer cells become cancer cells because of certain DNA damage in the nucleus of the cell. Normal cells can either repair the damage or die off. But cancer cells will neither repair the damage nor die off  but will continue creating cells that has that same damaged DNA; cells that the body doesn’t understand and cells that is of no use to the body. Damaged DNA can be caused by many factors mainly cigarette or hard drug smoking or exposure to radiation or nuclear substances.

When cancer cells come together they form a tissue called tumor. Tumors can replace normal body tissues and pose more threat to the body if not handled properly and early.

Although there are effective methods to combat cancer now but the very best and most effective weapon to do so is the early detection of cancerous cells, this should be when the cancerous cells have not started undergoing Metastasis.

 

As usual, your comments are highly encouraged. What do you think about this post? Do you have any contributions to make to this post? Do you have any question to ask? Drop it down on the comment box let us discuss about it together.

Remain blessed.

 

 

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Computer Vision Syndrome: How Your Computer Is Destroying Your Sense Of Sight

Computer vision syndrome a group of eye and vision related problems, engineered by the prolonged engagement of our eyes on a computer's screen.
With the advent of modern technology, the world is now crawling out from previous centuries of darkness and individuals are dancing towards the light to embrace the illumination brought about by the modern piece of gadgets that help make our world so easy to live in. Wondering what would have being my personal fate if not for the laptop i am typing with.

Unfortunately enough, the popular saying, "everything that has an advantage also comes with some disadvantages," also applies here. If you are the type that spend at least 3 hours everyday, staring into the Computer screen; i am talking about people like me, my fellow bloggers who spend almost the whole day online, starring at the screen of our computer, if not trying to design  our blog to look good and acceptable, we are typing our next blog post or researching on the next idea for our next article.

On the other hand, another set of individuals that rely daily on computers to get their jobs done easily and accurately, talking about  the bankers, the secretaries in various big offices  and other individuals working in an office that require their eyes to be fixed to the computer's  screen for long.

If you find yourself among  this category of people  i mentioned above, or your lifestyle have being configured in such a way that you  just have to spend so much time on the computer. Just keep on reading because this post is basically for you. If basic care is not taken to checkmate this our present lifestyle, am sorry to say  we  are all strolling down the path to the eye condition called computer vision syndrome.  Stick with me let me tell you how:

Reading from a printed page and reading from a computer screen isn't the same, the eyes will always go for the option to read from a printed page if given the power to do so. This is because viewing from a computer screen makes the eyes to work harder more than the norm. The computer screen was designed in such a way that it will always laden the eye with a high visual demand. Which makes the eye stress out and at the long run develop certain visual related problems called computer vision syndrome.

The symptoms of computer visual syndrome includes:

• Eyestrain


• Headache


• Blurred Vision


• Dry Eyes


• Neck and shoulder pain


• Fatigue


• Vertigo


• Redness in the eye

This symptoms may be caused or aggravated by improper sitting position while working on the computer,  improper lighting conditions, a  bright overhead lighting or the direction of the air moving past the eyes.

What Can I Do About This?

Implementing the various techniques stated below when next you are to work for hours on your computer will make the situation  easier and bearable for your eye. And sticking to it means no computer visual syndrome for!

Poor Lighting Conditions:
The room shouldn't be filled with bright lights, if you are to use a computer at all, try and reduce the rooms illumination to an extent that it wouldn't cause you difficulties when trying to focus on the texts on your computer screen.

Glares on the computer screen:
Position your computer screens to avoid glares coming from either the window or wheresoever. If the glares cannot the avoided try and get an anti glare screen which will filter away glares from light sources.

Poor seating posture:
The height of your chair should be designed in such a way that allows your feet to lie flat on the ground, the chair's arm should be adjusted in such a way where you can rest your arm on it, and your wrist shouldn't rest on the keyboard.

Location Of Computer Screen:
The computer screen should be located 15 to 20 degrees below eye level  when measured from the center of the screen and 20 to 28 inches away from the eyes. Anything less than this will surely create a condition where your eyes will have to work more harder to

Resting Your Eye.
Always use the 20,20,20 method to rest your eyes, let me explain the 20,20,20 method, for every 20 mins , focus the eyes on an object 20 feet (6 meters) away for 20 seconds. This basically gives a convenient distance and timeframe for a person to rest his cilliary muscles. Or, you can just close  your eyes for 20 seconds, at least every half hour you focus uninterrupted on your computer screen.

Blinking Frequently:
To minimize your chances of developing dry eye when using a computer, try to blink  frequently. Because this  keeps the front surface of your eye moist by replacing the liquid on the eyes from time to time.

With regular eye rests during work and proper viewing habits, garnished with regular eye examinations, the chances of suffering from computer visual syndrome is highly reduced.

As usual, your ideas, thoughts and questions are highly encouraged on this post. Feel free to put them down on the comment box below.

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Top 8 Suggested Fruits And Vegetables For A Diabetic Patient

[caption id="attachment_5577" align="aligncenter" width="150"] Photo credit: freedigitalphotos.net[/caption]

Most health conditions comes along with the idea of depriving the patients from his/her normal everyday diet, for example,  an individual suffering from some sort of heart disease shouldn’t be seen digesting the same type of food as a normal, healthy individual will do; If not for anything but for the fact that the body chemistry and mechanism of the both individuals isn’t the same any longer.

A diabetic patient is not exempted from this predicament. Diabetics is a group of metabolic disease in which  there is high level of glucose  inside the blood, caused by the malfunctioning of Insulin (the enzyme that  will convert excess glucose to glycogen which can now be stored in the liver to be used when the level of glucose in the body goes down). Diabetics if left untreated can cause complications which can result to death.

Flowing with the topic’s stream, a diabetic patient shouldn’t be seen around certain foods if at all the patient wants his/her diabetic condition lifted from him. Foods that contain glucose should be avoided seriously so as to avoid the increased accumulation of unconverted excess glucose in the body.  But, in our today’s world, is it really easy or possible to see something both nutritious and sugar free to feed on? This is the main reason why such disease conditions like diabetics are very difficult to handle, because while trying to handle the disease through diet, you should also be concerned about your nutritional supplements which your body needs to function properly and keep you alive.

Hence, since the glucose that should act as an angel to the body has choosed to be the devil; courtesy of the malfunctioning of the enzyme, insulin. The diet of a diabetic patient should be made up of mostly fruits and vegetables which are very rich in fiber and also vitamins and minerals which are very important to the body. They should stay away from processed, refined and canned food substances.

 

1. Green leafy vegetables which are rich in fiber and vitamins, because they help in managing the glucose levels, and diminishes strings of appetite. Whole grains, sprouts, pulses, broccoli, beans, cabbage, spinach, peas, lettuce, and so forth are most valuable for the diabetics. The fiber rich eating regimen controls the glucose level as well as lessens the blood cholesterol level.


2. Vegetables like potato, corns, yams, beet roots, and cassava are high in carbs, so these can be kept away or taken in little amounts occasionally.


3. Sea fishes and sea weeds are extremely gainful for the diabetics, and these can additionally be incorporated in the normal eating methodology.


4. Fruits such as apples and oranges with high fiber, in the same way as nuts are gainful for the diabetic patients. Almonds, walnuts and peanuts are few of the nuts that can be taken by the diabetics.


5. Fruits like apples, oranges and others are mainly contain fructose, which does not need insulin for its metabolism. So these can be used in limited amounts. Fruits such as avocado, grapes, guava, apple, oranges and citrus are good for the diabetics. Fruits rich in Vitamin C are crucial for the diabetics.


6. Juicy fruits are suggested for the diabetics as they are of high water content.


7. Fruits with high sugar substance like mangoes, bananas, custard apple can be kept away or taken in little amounts.


8. Fruit juices that are available in the market must be entirely prohibited, as these juices does not have fiber and contain bunches of added sugar.

 

As usual, your ideas and thoughts about this post are highly encouraged and it is of great importance. Do put them down on the comment box lets have a chit chat together.

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Asthma: What Happens During An Asthma Attack

What is asthma? What happens during an Asthma attack? Have you being ever puzzled with such a question? Well, you are not alone, i was asking myself the same question until i went out in to find the answer and here i am with it. Asthma is an inflammatory disease that affects the airways; it comes with a variety of causes ranging from genetic to environmental factors. The inflammation causes the airways to become narrower. It is incurable but can be controlled if managed properly by an experienced Doctor. According to a recent study, asthma is currently affecting more than 300 million people in the world. Thank God for science and its welcomed developments, the probability of asthma attacks ending up with the death of the victim has reduced drastically so far the patients is taking his/her medications serious and following the guidelines laid down by the Doctor. Asthma kills about 255,000 people around the world every year.

Asthma mostly develops from childhood, although adults can develop asthma at some certain stage in life courtesy of the environment they inhabit. A young man that works in a factory that deals on harmful chemicals that irritates the airways will surely develop asthma over time if he doesn’t take precautionary and safety measures while at work. Among children, asthma has being recorded to be the most chronic disease, susceptibility factors includes when the child is born with a low birth weight, exposed frequently to secondary cigarette smoke. Children of mothers who smoke have a higher risk of being asthmatic. An early symptom starts mostly at the age of 5 and includes wheezing and frequent respiratory infections. What happens during an asthma attack could result to death if proper care on the casualty isn't taken.

So, what happens during an asthma attack? Like I stated above, the inflammation caused by asthma, tightens up the muscles around the airways and narrows the airways thereby decreasing the amount of air that plies the airways. Inflammation of the walls of the airways increases and further narrowing the channel through which air passes through. Mucous is produced, undermining the flow of air. The whole complications make the airways extremely sensitive to irritations which can be triggered by anything like dust, chemicals, smoke, etc. At this period, an allergic reaction sets in.  The inhaler helps to clear the airways and reduce the inflammation a little so as to bring about relief during an attack. It is advised to take your inhaler around but many asthmatic patients fling this advice away because they don’t want people to know what they are suffering from. They are also advised to stay away from dusty areas, chemicals that trigger irritation of the airways. When working in a place where such chemicals are produced, try to adhere to the safety measures and remain healthy. Stay away from secondary cigarette smoke. Obese adults with a B.M.I between 25 and 30 are 38% more likely to have asthma compared to adults who are not obese. Check your B.M.I here

In my future posts, I will like to expatiate more on the causes of asthma so that you know how to avoid living a lifestyle that will get you suffering from asthma soonest. But until then, i think i leveraged the opportunity on this post properly to let you know what happens during an asthma attack.

Thanks for visiting!

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A Trace On The 2014 Ebola Virus Outbreak

Experts has traced the course of spread of the deadly Ebola virus outbreak down to a 2-year-old boy who died on Dec. 6, just a few days after falling ill in a village in Guéckédou, in southeastern Guinea. Guinea has three countries bordering it which are, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

A week later, the boy’s mother died after being ill with the same symptoms as her son. Then his 3-year-old sister, then followed by his grandmother. All had fever, vomiting and diarrhea, but then, no one knew what was happening and what the disease was about. No one knew that the strange and tragic death was what we all are going to refer to as Ebola virus outbreak.

The chain didn't stop there. During the grandmother's funeral. Two mourners contracted the virus and transported it home to their villages. furthermore, a  health worker carried it to still another, where he died, as well as  his doctor. The both infected their relatives from other towns.

By the time Ebola was recognized, in March, dozens of people had died in eight Guinean communities, and suspected cases were popping up in three of the world’s poorest countries recovering from years of political dysfunction and civil war: Liberia and Sierra Leone. It all started in  Guéckédou, where it all began this 2014.

On March 31, Doctors Without Borders , which has intervened in many Ebola virus outbreak (s), called this one is “unprecedented,” and then  warned that the disease had erupted in so many locations with a little period of time and fighting it would be enormously difficult.

Also, this parts of Africa had never seen Ebola virus before. Health workers did not recognize it earlier, just like earth being hit by an alien attack. They also had neither the training nor the equipment to avoid infecting themselves or other patients. These countries lack water which would have reduced the spread as individuals and health workers has always lacked running water to even wash their hands.

Hospitals in these regions  lack  gloves, and other hospital equipments which provides a fertile ground for epidemics. Gregory Hartl, a spokesman for the World Health Organization said. “Earlier on in the Ebola virus outbreak, we had at least 26 villages or little towns that would not cooperate with responders in terms of letting people into the village, even,”
He continued by saying that the Ebola virus outbreak has occurred in three waves: The first two were relatively
small, and the third, starting about a month ago, was much larger, Mr. Hartl said. “That third wave was a
clarion call,” he said.
The people will also bot allow their family members to be taken into isolation. With the reason being that the doctors their are killing them. So when they discover the symptoms of the disease on their loved ones they hoard the person who eventually dies inside their house. The virus being more virulent and active when its victim are dead will spread to the victim's relatives and family and the virus continues from there. Reports has it that dead bodies of Ebola victims has being found dumped  along the streets of this countries. These cannot help the world combat against this virus.

At a House subcommittee hearing on Thursday, Ken Isaacs, a vice president of Samaritan’s Purse, said his aid group and Doctors Without Borders were doing much of the work on the Ebola virus outbreak. “That the world would allow two relief agencies to shoulder this burden along with the overwhelmed Ministries of Health in these countries testifies to the lack of serious attention the epidemic was given,” he said.

In mid-March, Guinea’s Ministry of Health asked Doctors Without Borders for help in Guéckédou. At first, the group’s experts suspected Lassa fever, a viral disease endemic in West Africa. But this illness became worse. Isolation units were set up, and tests confirmed Ebola virus. Like many African cities and towns, this region hums with motorcycle taxis and minivans crammed with passengers. The mobility, and now the sheer numbers, make the basic work of containing the disease a monumental task. The only way to stop an outbreak is to isolate infected patients, trace all their contacts, isolate the ones who get sick and repeat the process until, finally, there are no more cases. But how do you do that when there can easily be 500 names on the list of contacts who are supposed to be tracked down and checked for fever every day for 21 days? “They go to the field to work their crops,” said Monia Sayah, a nurse sent in by Doctors Without Borders. “Some have phones, but the networks don’t always work. Some will say, ‘I’m fine; you don’t have to come,’ but we really have to see them and take their temperature. But if someone wants to lie and take Tylenol, they won’t have a temperature.”

At Donka Hospital in Guinea’s capital, Dr. Simon Mardel, a British emergency physician who has worked in seven previous hemorrhagic fever outbreaks and was sent to Guinea by the World Health Organization, realized this Ebola virus outbreak was the worst he had seen. A man had arrived late one night, panting and with abdominal pain. During the previous few days, he had been treated at two private clinics, given intravenous fluids and sent home. The staff did not suspect Ebola virus because he had no fever. But fever can diminish at the end stage of the disease.
The treatment room at Donka was poorly lit and had no sink. There were few buckets of chlorine solution, and the staff found it impossible to clean their hands between patients. The man died two hours after arriving. Tests later showed he had been positive for Ebola. Untold numbers of health care workers and their subsequent patients had been exposed to the disease. Gloves, in short supply at the hospitals, were selling for 50 cents a pair on the open market, a huge sum for people who often live on less than a dollar a day. At homes where families cared for patients, even plastic buckets to hold water and bleach for washing hands and disinfecting linens were lacking.

 

Workers were failing to trace all patients’ contacts. The resulting unsuspected cases, appearing at hospitals without standard infection control measures, worsened the spread in a “vicious circle,” Dr. Mardel said. Tracing an Epidemic’s Origins.  As is often the case in Ebola virus outbreaks, no one knows how the first person got the disease or how the virus found its way to the region. The virus infects monkeys and apes, and some previous epidemics are thought to have begun when someone was exposed to blood while killing or butchering an infected animal.

Cooking will destroy the virus, so the risk is not in eating the meat, but in handling it raw. Ebola virus is also thought to infect fruit bats without harming them, so the same risks apply to butchering bats. Some researchers also think that people might become infected by eating fruit or other uncooked foods contaminated by droppings from infected bats.

Once people become ill, their bodily fluids can infect others, and they become more infectious as the illness progresses. The disease does not spread through the air like the flu; contact with fluids is necessary, usually through the eyes, nose, mouth or cuts in the skin. One drop of blood can harbor millions of viruses, and corpses become like virus bombs.

A research team that studied the Guinea outbreak had made this trace of the disease down  to the 2-year-old who died in Guéckédou and published a report in The New England Journal of Medicine. The boy  and his relatives were never tested to confirm Ebola, but their symptoms matched it and they fit into a pattern of transmission that included other cases confirmed by blood tests. But no one can explain how such a small child could have become the first person infected.

Many health workers has losed their lives, killed by the virus while trying to take care of the sick. Some of them have falling sick while others have remained at home in fear. A very sad story had it that at a  government hospital in Kenema, Dr. Sheik Umar Khan was leading the efforts to treat patients and control the epidemic.
But he was desperate for supplies: chlorine for disinfection, gloves, goggles, protective suits, rudimentary sugar and salt solutions to fight dehydration and give patients a chance to survive. Early in July, he emailed friends and former medical school classmates in the United States, asking for their help and sending a spreadsheet listing what he needed, and what he had. Many of the lines in the “available” column were empty. One

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Ebola Virus: Could ZMapp Vaccine Be The Long Awaited Cure?

I previously posted  an article concerning Ebola Virus. Ebola was introduced into the human population through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals( chimpanzees, gorillas,
fruit bats, monkeys, forest antelope and porcupines).

The incubation period, that is, the time interval from infection with the virus to onset of symptoms, is 2 to 21 days. Its symptoms includes:

•  Sudden onset of fever,

•   Intense weakness, muscle pain


• Headache and sore throat.

• Vomiting,

• Diarrhoea,

• Rash

• Impaired kidney and liver function,-Both internal and external bleeding.

 

For several months, the whole of west Africa have being heating up with the advent of the deadly Ebola virus outbreak. Three west african countries have being crippled with the outbreak of the virus.  Namely, Guinea, Liberia and  Sierra Leone,  with several rumours that i pray they  remain rumours circulating around the net that Ebola virus is in my own Country, Nigeria. The virus has being on the  front pages of  several  newspapers, television and its news is everywhere online.

A report came in,  titled: Experimental drug likely saved Ebola patients. The drug named Zmapp was developed by the biotech firm Mapp Bio-pharmaceutical Inc and it was flown into liberia secretly  inside experimental vials stored at subzero temperatures last week to save the American missionary workers, Dr Brantly and Writebol who had contracted Ebola Virus  while taking care of the Ebola victims in Liberia.

According to Cnn, the drug  is a three-mouse monoclonal antibody, which means that lab mice were exposed to fragments of the Ebola virus and then the antibodies generated within the mice's blood were harvested to create the medicine.  It works by preventing the virus from entering and infecting new cells. Ebola Virus attacks the cell nucleus and colonizes it; making the cell differentiate, creating the virus itself in rapid succession instead of creating its own type of cell. The cell then bursts open to release the Ebola virus into the E.c.f(extra cellular fluid ) and the released viruses will go on to attack other cells creating the same impact. The Zmapp drug prevents the Virus from spreading.

Also, documents from the pharmaceutical company that developed the drug stated that  four monkeys infected with Ebola survived after being given the therapy within 24 hours after infection. Two of four
other monkeys that started therapy within 48 hours after infection also survived. One monkey that was not treated died within five days of exposure to the virus.

Dr Brantly who first recieved the drug through I.V.f was quick to recover from his terrible health condition.  They were both stable enough to be evacuated to America for further treatment.

 

Could this be the cure and end to  this deadly virus that plans to end the human race? Share your views and thoughts about this new development.

 

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Ebola Virus Continues To Spread In Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea

A Report from W.H.O states that the deadly Ebola virus has continued to spread in Sierra Leone,
Liberia and Guinea, with a basic number of 44 new cases and 21 deaths between July 6 and 8.

   Ebola first appeared in 1976 in 2 simultaneous outbreaks, in Nzara, Sudan, and in Yambuku, Democratic Republic of Congo. Nzara was in a village situated near the Ebola River, from which the name of the disease was koined from.

   Transmission of Ebola virus into the human population is through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals. In Africa, infection has been documented through the handling of infected chimpanzees, gorillas, fruit bats, monkeys, forest antelope and porcupines found ill or dead or in the rainforest.

The recent spread in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea brought the total in West Africa’s first outbreak of the deadly disease to 888 cases,
including 539 deaths since February. According to the U.N agency which agreed that this is known as the largest and deadliest ever.
“The epidemic trend in Liberia and Sierra Leone remains precarious with high numbers of new cases
and deaths being reported,” the WHO said on
Friday.

   Just one confirmed new case had been reported during the past week in Guinea.

Recently, The Economic Community of West African States (E.C.O.W.A.S) set up an Ebola solidarity fund at a summit in the capital of Ghana, Accra, on Thursday in a bid to back a regional approach to the epidemic.
Ebola causes fever, vomiting, bleeding and diarrhoea and kills up to 90 percent of those infected. It is highly contagious.

The WHO has flagged three main factors driving its
spread:

-The burial of victims in accordance with tradition,

- The dense populations around the capital cities of Guinea and Liberia 
-The bustling cross-border trade across the region.




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The Link Between Saturated Fat and Heart Disease

According to a recent study published by AST Enzymes, which came with an information that goes against everything we’v already known about saturated fat and heart disease. What role does saturated fat actually has to play in heart disease? We have being hearing  the sermons for ages; stating that we should  limit your saturated fat intake. Eating foods like butter, red meats, and cheese on a regular basis has been associated with adverse heart health for years.

According to Digeseb, which stated on a critics level on the saturated fat hypothesis that when Americans cut back on saturated fats, they tend to increase their intake of carbohydrates. As it happens, these carbohydrates are usually simple as opposed to complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates can be found in any sugary foods or drinks, white bread, and pasta. Complex carbohydrates are those found in foods high in fiber like whole wheat and whole grain products. Since the early 1970’s, it’s estimated that Americans eat 25% more carbohydrates.

The problem is that there is no one food that causes heart disease. Heart disease is caused by a totality of the circumstance approach. This means that people who don’t exercise typically eat more saturated fat, and they are more likely to engage in activities like smoking and drinking. It really isn’t fair to say that saturated fats cause heart disease, or that carbohydrates cause heart disease. The truth is that too much saturated fat contributes to heart disease.

Nutrition is a biochemical science that is not black and white. The easiest way to explain nutrition to consumers is this: there are certain foods, when eaten in excess, that can tip the scale toward good health – and some that tip the scale toward risk of disease. No wonder consumers are so confused; studies are being published with conflicting results, while only factoring in a piece of the whole picture. Furthermore, results are being published without also making public the limiting aspects of the study. Nutritional studies are being placed next to each other, while consumers have no idea if lifestyle factors were accounted for, how many people were in each study, if the subjects were on any medications, and so on. Not to mention every individual’s study if the subjects were on any medications, and so on. Not to mention every individual’s genetic factors. There is a long list of factors that can skew study results, all for a good headline.

The recently published study that questions the role of fats in heart disease is not completely wrong. In fact, eating small amounts of saturated fat on a regular basis can be totally harmless. However, every person has their own, individual genome – which places them on the spectrum of heart disease risk. Lifestyle factors are just as important, as cardiovascular exercise strengthens the heart and preserves the arterial walls, while regulating cholesterol metabolism. It’s important for consumers to realize that journalists who regurgitate news about biochemical science will often leave important details out, and no matter what, living a balanced lifestyle and eating a balanced diet is always the best route.

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9 inexpensive ways to reduce your cancer risk

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="135" caption="Cancer"][/caption]



Incredibly, the best things you can do to prevent – even reverse cancer – are not only inexpensive,


but many times absolutely free. So, instead of reaching for
ineffective, toxic medications –
you may want to try some of these safe, highly- effective strategies listed below.

“If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health.” – Hippocrates

Exercise helps to prevent cancer
More than two dozen studies have shown that women who exercise have a 30% to 40%t lower
risk of breast cancer than their sedentary peers.
According to the National Cancer Institute, people who exercise regularly have a 40% to 50%
lower risk of colon cancer , compared with those who don’t exercise regularly.
The reason exercise works so well in preventing cancer is it switches on an enzyme called AMPk –
which is considered a metabolic master switch.
By activating this enzyme you increase mitochondria activity and glucose uptake making you insulin sensitive, so you don’t need as much insulin.
You may be wondering – why should you care about insulin production and blood sugar levels?
Excess insulin stimulates the growth of tumors and increases systemic inflammation – which is
a leading factor in the development of any cancer. Regular physical activity lowers estrogen levels and this also reduces a women’s risk of
developing breast cancer.

Minimize your exposure to EMF pollution
Electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs) – especially from wireless technology – is a growing health
concern – according to the BioInitiative Report, produced by 29 independent scientists from
around the world. Studies suggest that EMFs may be linked to a variety of health problems
including leukemia, lymphoma, brain and nervous system cancers, melanoma, breast
cancer, miscarriage, birth defects, Alzheimer’s disease, Lou Gehrig’s disease, depression and
suicide.
In addition, EMFs have been associated with symptoms such as nausea, headache, fatigue,
anxiety, dizziness, mental confusion, memory loss, sleep disturbance, itchy or burning skin
sensations, and skin rashes.
The research suggests that certain EMFs affect the pineal gland’s secretion of melatonin at
night. Melatonin is one of our bodies’ most potent natural cancer fighters, as well as the
vital hormone that regulates our wake/sleep cycle.
Keep in mind, especially for those concerned about cancer, our ability to heal is best at night
and if our sleep cycle is disturbed – this will inhibit our ability to avoid cancer.
So, do everything you can to reduce your exposure to EMFs . For example, limit your cell phone usage and never hold a cell phone near your head. If you own a cordless phone – throw
it away and use a corded phone instead. And, of course, those wireless devices are not such a
great idea.

Don’t overeat for better digestion
We all know that the body gains energy from the food we eat. However, if our digestive system has to exert lots of energy to digest food – we will tend to feel tired – on a regular basis.
A healthy diet and digestive system allows our body to focus on maintaining healthy immune
function and cellular repair. So, instead of wasting so much energy on digestion – our body will focus on disease prevention activities.
Remember, overeating – in general – accelerates cellular division, increasing the chances of DNA damage and the creation of cancerous cells.

Avoid processed sugar and white flour
This is a big one. White food generally refers to foods that are white in color and that have
been processed and refined, like flour, rice, pasta, bread, crackers, cereal, and simple
sugars like table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup.
Extra sugar molecules tend to damage blood vessel walls. The repeated injury to blood vessels
will cause inflammation. Besides having no nutritional value and supplying empty calories,processed foods increase your risk for tooth and gum problems, obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer’s,
and cancer.
The solution is simple – eat an organic, plant- based diet loaded with lots of vegetables and fruit. If you eat animal products – eat only grass fed, pasture raised meats and dairy products – as much as possible.

Chewing will improve immune function
This is one of the best ways to improve your digestion and immunity – at the same time.
Chewing helps to produce saliva and is essential for the proper absorption of nutrients.
After you swallow, hydrochloric acid is produced by the stomach for protein digestion and digestive enzymes are excreted by the intestines and pancreas to enhance digestion.
If the enzymes can’t get the job done, then bacteria in the intestines will take over and
finish the task. This production of bacteria will produce gas, bloating and other digestive
disturbances.

Want to avoid cancer? (read this carefully)
Since these food particles aren’t small enough to be recognized and used by the body, they provoke immune system reactions – meaning that the immune system thinks these undigested food
particles are foreign enemies and being their attack to eliminate the threat.
Over time this can produce inflammation and pain in various parts of the body. It will also
weaken the immune system, so that it cannot effectively do its job of destroying foreign
invaders, such as bacteria, parasites, yeasts; as well as cancerous cells.
So, it’s essential to relax at mealtimes and thoroughly chew each mouthful of food at least
20 times or more for better health.

Four essential nutrients to prevent cancer

Vitamin C- is one of the most well researched nutrients on the planet. Scientific studies have
shown that diets high in fruits and vegetables – containing vitamin C – reduce the risk of
developing cancers of the pancreas, esophagus, larynx, mouth, stomach, colon and rectum, breast, cervix and lungs.
These studies show people who eat foods to get a high level of vitamin C have about half as much
cancer as those who have a low intake of these foods. Likewise, people with higher blood levels
of vitamin C tend to have a lesser risk of developing cancer than do people with lower
levels.

Vitamin D - is known as the sunshine vitamin. Many studies have shown that vitamin D doubles
a breast cancer patient’s survival rate.
Researchers at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine have found that a
vitamin D deficiency can lead to aggressive prostate cancer. Additional research involved
taking human breast cancer cells and treating them with a potent form of vitamin D. Within a
few days, half the cancer cells shriveled up and disappeared.
Vitamin D, a steroid hormone, influences virtually every cell in your body and is easily one
of nature’s most potent nutrients to prevent cancer. Receptors that respond to vitamin D have been found in nearly every type of human cell.

Beta-carotene- is the precursor of vitamin A and has been known to inhibit cancers since the 1940s. In fact, there are over 200 studies showing positive benefit for beta-carotene in the prevention of cancer.
Studies suggest that those who eat 4 or more daily servings of fruits and vegetables – rich in beta-carotene – can reduce their risk of developing cancer. A study which started in the 1970s in Switzerland and lasted 12 years
concluded that men with a lower blood level of carotenoids had a higher cancer mortality rate.
In 1989, the University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre linked high beta-carotene intake with lowered cervical
cancer rates. After clinical trials on prostate, cervical, colon, melanoma and breast cancers,
the United States Prostate Cancer Research Institute concluded there was “sufficient reason
to supplement with beta-carotene.”
So, we now have a greater reason to eat 5 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables per day – including carrots, sweet potatoes, squash and lots of dark, leafy greens like, kale and collard
greens.

Curcumin- is the most active component in the curry spice turmeric. Researchers have found that curcumin changes the regulation of DNA to help kill cancer cells. It modulates genetic activity and expression so that both the initiation and proliferations of tumor cells are
inhibited.
Curcumin also helps the body destroys cancer cells by inhibiting the growth of blood vessels that feed tumors, thus decreasing metastasis.
Research has also shown that there are low rates of certain types of cancer in countries where
people eat curcumin at levels of about 100 to 200mg a day over long periods of time.
Obviously, there are many other ways to prevent cancer. Join the discussion – post your comments
(below) and share this information with your family and friends. Thank you.

This article was originally posted on naturalhealth365

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10 symptoms of kidney disease

Late last year i lost a very good friend of mine from kidney disease. It was really a painful period to go through. When he noticed the early signs of his kidney diseases, before it entered the chronic stage, he thought it was an ordinary condition that he would just take some pills and it will disappear. When he finally got to understand what was going on in is body, his case was already worst. He had to start living by a dialysis support machine, which will do the work his already dead kidney was to do. Matters got worst and on a very good day i came back home to hear that my friend is gone. If tears do bring the dead back, i think by now he would have being sitting near me adding more points to this his short story. May his gentle soul rest in peace.

Just like every other deadly disease, lets say cancer, early detection is the first step in treating  kidney disease. But unfortunately, many people never shows up with some symptoms until the basic kidney functions has being destroyed. Kidney disease is a silent killer! Various health conditions can cause kidney disease, and on top of the chart is,high blood pressure or diabetes. Your lifestyle also can cause the destruction of your kidney, Infections, certain medicines, which can develop to the known kidney diseases available:glomerulonephritis (caused due to damage to filters of the kidney also called the glomeruli), autoimmune diseases like Systemic lupus erythematosus or SLE (where the body’s own immune system starts working against the host), inherited or genetic diseases like polycystic kidney disease. lastly, kidney stones.

The symptoms which could indicate that something is wrong with your kidney are:

 

Changes in your urinary function

The frequency of your urination either increases, or decreases in some people, as this may be because of the pills you took some minutes ago, but i bet you, it is the very first symptom to kidney disease. This usually occur especially at night. It may also look more dark colored. Sometimes, You may feel the urge to urinate but are unable to do so.

Difficulty or pain during voiding

As stated in the last sentence above, Sometimes you may develop difficulty or feel pressure and pain while urinating. Urinary tract infections may cause symptoms such as pain or burning during urination. When these infections spread to the kidneys they may cause fever and pain in your back.

Blood in the urine

If you aren't moved by other signs, i think this one should get you running to your doctor, There may be other strings attached but no matter what, it is abnormal and you should visit your doctor.

Ammonia breath and metallic taste

Kidney failure increases level of urea in the blood (uraemia). This urea is broken down to ammonia in the saliva causing urine-like bad breath called ammonia breath. It is also usually associated with an unpleasant metallic taste (dysgeusia) in the mouth.

Swelling

The Kidney removes wastes and extra fluid from the body. When they are not performing properly extra fluid build up causing swelling of the feet, puffiness of the face and tightness of hands. The fluid build-up in lungs can also lead to breathlessness.

 Fatigue and Weakness

Erythropoietin also called EPO, is a glycoprotein hormone that controls erythropoiesis, or red blood cell production. It is a cytokine (protein signaling molecule) for erythrocyte (red blood cell) precursors in the bone marrow. EPO is produced in the  interstitial fibroblasts in the kidney. If kidney disease lower levels of erythropoietin causing decrease in red blood cells production in the body, anaemia is the resultant condition.  There is decreased oxygen delivery to cells because hemoglobin that transports oxygen are found on the red blood cells.

Dizziness & Inability to concentrate

I stated something like anemia previously which might occur if kidney disease should lower the production of EPO in the kidney. Anaemia associated with kidney disease also depletes your brain of oxygen which may cause dizziness, trouble with concentration, etc.

Feeling cold all the time

Some infections that affect the kidney, like  Pyelonephritis can cause some chills. Also If you have kidney disease you may feel cold even when in a warm surrounding due to anaemia.

Skin rashes and itching

Kidney failure causes waste build-up in your blood. This can causes severe itching and skin rashes. 

 

Nausea and vomiting

The build-up of waste products in your blood in kidney disease can also cause nausea and vomiting.

 

Hence, when ever you notice any of this symptoms, you shouldn't wait to be told, just rush to your doctor. for inspiring this post

Much respect to   WEBMD and HEALTHSITE  for inspiring this post.

REMAIN BLESSED

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How Omega-3 Oils Can Help Reduce The Risk Of Heart Diseases

Fatty fishes, such as salmon, lake trout, herring, sardines and tuna, are the fishes with the highest
amounts of omega-3 fatty acids.  Although many types of seafood contain small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. As directed by the American Heart Association which recommended that people eat fish rich in
omega-3 fatty acids at least twice a week.
This is because the unsaturated fats in fish, called omega-3 fatty acids, are the nutrients that has being scientifically proved to reduce the risk of people  dying of heart diseases.

Wondering how the omega-3 oils does this? Here we go. We all know that most of the species of Fishes we eat contains unsaturated fatty acids called omega-3 oils, if you previously don't know about that i am glad you know now. This oil when substituted for saturated fatty acids such as those we see in meat, lowers our cholesterol level.

Also, Omega-3 fatty acids in fatty fish are a type of unsaturated fatty acid that can reduce inflammations throughout the body. Inflammation in the body which can damage our blood vessels and lead to complicated problems which might eventually land into heart diseases.

Omega-3 fatty acids may decrease triglycerides( A lipid, an ester of glycerol and three fatty acids (the same or different); the major constituent of animal and vegetable fats).
Omega-3 oils lowers blood pressure, reduce blood clotting,
decrease the chances of stroke and heart failure risk, it reduces
irregular heartbeats, and it may increase learning in children.

Taking One or two fishes that contains omega-3 fatty acids a week can put you on the course. Although this Omega-3 fatty acid can be absent in some known fishes, fishes like tilapia and catfish are among the list.

While am specifically concerned about eating the fishes produced on farms because researchers think the antibiotics, pesticides and other chemicals used in raising farmed fish may cause harmful effects to people who eat the fish. The wild caught fishes can also poss a bigger threat as the some of their aquatic habitats(water bodies) may have some mercury leak in them, mercury flowing from nearby factories and industries which doesn't dissolve. This mercury will continue accumulating in the fishes present in the water and when eaten by humans, it might cause mercury poisoning.

Hence, we have to be careful with the fishes we consume as this has caused so many health ailments that would have gone worst before they could be properly diagnosed out. Finally, fishes that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, reduces the risk of heart disease, and taking them regularly cleans your heart and makes it healthy.

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French Drugmaker Successfully Completes Dengue Vaccine Study

According to a report from (Reuters) this morning, French drugmaker, Sanofi announced that

the first of two Phase III clinical studies of a proposed dengue vaccine had been successfully completed,  and a significant
reduction in cases of the disease was witnessed.

Dengue fever is a disease caused by a family of viruses that are transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. symptoms includes headache, fever, exhaustion, severe muscle and joint pain, swollen lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy), and rash. Other names for the fever is:
breakbone or dandy fever.

For the fact that dengue fever is caused by a virus, there is no specific medicine or antibiotic to
treat it yet until now. the treatments that has being used before includes the relief of the symptoms, intake of fluids to replace the loss in hydration, rest, Aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs which are  taken under strict doctor's supervision because of
the possibility of worsening bleeding. Also, Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and codeine may be given for severe headache and
for joint and muscle pain (myalgia)

Sanofi, will be conducting a
second study in Latin America later on to conclude his study and research. He said the
first trial carried out in Asia had shown a reduction of 56% of dengue disease cases.

Sanofi is a multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Paris, France. In the global ranking in 2014, Sanofi ranked the world's fifth-largest by
prescription sales. The company was formed in 2004 as Sanofi aventis but changed its name to
Sanofi in May 2011.

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Meet Eclampsia, The Most Deadliest Disease That Can Affect A Pregnant Mother

Eclampsia, the world most deadliest disease that affects pregnant mothers. Rare but severe, it causes seizures during pregnancy. Seizures are periods of disturbed brain activity that comes with series of staring, decreased alertness, and violent shaking (convulsions). Eclampsia affects about one in every 2,000 to 3,000 pregnancies, and it can affect you even if you do not have a history of seizures. Eclampsia sets in after its predecessor Preclampsia. Formerly called toxemia, preclampsia is marked by high blood pressure followed by a high level of protein in the urine.

 This condition usually appears during the second half of pregnancy, characterized by a swelling feet. Some preclamptic mothers will experience no symptom, while will. Eclampsia the deadlier successor surfaces into the mirror when Preclampsia is undiagnosed

Eclampsia is the serious type of Preclampsia, the type of condition that can put you and your baby at risk, and in most cases, cause death.

Preclampsia can prevent the placenta from receiving enough blood, which can cause your baby to be born very small. It is also one of the leading causes of premature births, and the complications that can follow, including learning disabilities, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, hearing and vision problems.

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Symptoms Of Eclampsia:
Because Preclampsia leads to eclamsia, one might experience the same type of symptoms in the both

The following are common symptoms of eclampsia:

• seizures


• loss of consciousness


• agitation


• headaches or muscle pain

TREATMENT FOR ECLAMPSIA:

There is no remedy for Eclampsia, this will sound a little bit scary to some to be mothers, but wait... medicine has always found a way to go about everything.

Firstly, reporting to your doctor whenever you notice the symptoms of Preclampsia, which includes,

• swelling in your face or hands


• headaches


• excessive weight gain


• nausea and vomiting


• vision problems


• problems urinating

Reporting to your doctor can help manage the situation and prevent it from entering into its deadlier stage which is eclampsia, this is why  ante-natal  cares should not be missed.

The help your doctor will prescribe to you depends on the stage of your preclampsia and also the intensity of the symptoms. If it is mild:

• Bed rest either at home or in the hospital; you'll be asked to rest mostly on your left side.


• Careful observation with a fetal heart rate monitor and frequent ultrasounds


• Medicines to lower your blood pressure


• Blood and urine tests to checkmates its transfiguration into eclampsia

If it is already severe before you report to your doctor:

Your doctor will:

• inject magnesium into the veins to prevent eclampsia's related seizures


• Hydralazine or another antihypertensive drug to manage severe blood pressure elevations

• and your doctors last and final vault will be to deliver your baby right away, even if you're not close to term.

After delivery, signs and symptoms of preclampsia should go away within 1 to 6 weeks.

 

There is no defined causes of Eclampsia or Preclampsia as different doctors bring up there own observations and theories frequently. Eclampsia is often dominant in first time pregnancies and teen pregnancies and also women that are over the age of menopause. Women with histories of high blood pressure, obesity, kidney diseases, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

Due to the fact that one can also have preclampsia and not experience any symptom. That's why it's so important to see your doctor for regular blood pressure checks and urine tests.

Eclampsia cannot only harm the mother, it also has a very big effect on the fetus. Preclampsia and eclampsia affect the placenta, which is the organ that delivers oxygen, blood, and nutrients to the fetus.
When eclampsia strucks, high blood pressure might set in which reduces the blood flow of the mother, this will cause the placenta not to function properly. This may result in your baby being born with a low birth
weight or other health problems.
Problems with the placenta often require a method of delivery called
preterm delivery for the mother's and baby's health and safety. In rare cases, these
conditions cause stillbirth.

To be on the safest side, as a mother, endeavor to enroll for antenatal care in the same hospital you are registered.

Remain blessed!

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Toothache: Causes, Symptoms And Effective Treatments

Toothache is something i consider as one of the most dreadful experience one can ever pass through. The drilling pain it


produces within will leave even the most strongest individual crying. This is the pain that occurs in or around a tooth.

The pain usually comes from within a tooth or the surrounding gum and bone structures. Toothache can occur constantly or  spontaneously but mostly it is usually stimulated by something. It's absolutely impossible to ignore and go about your daily schedule with an aching tooth. These are sure ways to get through it but before that, let me take you deep into the causes, symptoms and finally its treatment.

Last month when we were almost starting our exams, it was a period where everybody was supposed to be reading immensely, a very good friend of mine, one of my reading partners fell for these. His tooth aches him alot and he was always unsteady, crying and he couldn't read along with us after all. He complained of tooth pains with a sharp, pricky and constant pain. Sometimes he will experience headache and fever, swelling around the tooth and a foul-taste being emitted from the infected tooth.

Toothaches are usually caused by trauma or injury. A traumatic blow to a tooth can cause sensitivity. Injury can also cause Toothache in the form of dental decay or you can call it Cavity. A cavity is usually felt when it gets larger and deeper into the layers of tooth structure.  The Enamel which is the hardest part of the teeth's structure and the softer layer beneath enamel is called Dentin. Dentin is sensitive with tiny microscopic tubes that run from the very center of the tooth. The center of the tooth is called the pulp chamber and contains the pulp. The pulp is comprised of blood vessels and nerves. If decay gets past enamel into the dentin, the cavity can sometimes cause discomfort. A deeper cavity that approaches the center of the tooth will likely cause pain since there is more damage to the tooth and there is less tooth structure to insulate and protect the pulp. The decay can be triggered by the decomposition of left over food particles, especially sugar. When the food particles decompose, they produce an acid which wears away the the tooth's structure causing the cavity. Toothache can also be triggered by:

Sinusitis
Third molars
Exposed root surfaces
Gum infection or gum disease
Teeth clenching or grinding
Dental work
Damaged or fractured tooth

 

Treatment for a toothache depends on the origin and stage. It is advised to see a Dentist for these, although some over the counter drugs do exist but they are only for relief and not for treatment. These drugs includes:

-Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen (Advil or Aleve)

-Clove oil

-Benzocaine (including Orajel or Anbesol)

When you get to a Dentist Doctor he will treat you according to the Cause and extent of damage the decay has already done to your teeth, for tooth fractures or “cracked tooth syndrome” situations(i will talk on that later), a dental crown is usually used. A crown will be used to replace the missing tooth structure or it will help protect the weakened tooth from further breakdown and sensitivity.

For a shallow cavity on a tooth, the decay is removed and a filling is placed to seal the tooth. If the cavity is very deep and gets into the pulp, "root canal treatment" is performed because the pulp has been exposed and infected with bacteria. In applying the renal Canal  procedure, the Dentist removes all the vital contents of the tooth (nerves and blood vessels) and seals the inner aspects of the tooth (root canal system) with an nonreactive filling material. Root canal treatment along with antibiotic therapy is required for an abscessed tooth that has very localized infection. If the infection has become widespread, antibiotic therapy and additional steps may be needed to properly drain the infection. If the patient is so unlucky and the tooth and its surrounding gum  has being so much damaged, the Dentist will be left with no other option than to remove the teeth entirely. This is the more reason why you need to visit your Dentist often and whenever you experience any of the symptoms above.

 

Let me ask you, who wants to carry a tooth decay induced open teeth after all?

For tooth fractures or “cracked tooth syndrome” situations, a dental crown is usually used. A crown will replace missing tooth structure or it will help protect the weakened tooth from further breakdown and sensitivity.

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