Healthy, Medical, Cure

Home Made Cleaning Products

2012-01-19T09:09:00.000-08:00

Commercial cleaners are not only bad for the environment, but also bad for your health and the indoor air quality of your home. These chemicals used in commercial cleaners are hormone disrupters, cause respiratory illnesses, and damage to your central nervous and reproductive systems. And most of all many are known carcinogens.

Manufacturers are required to provide labels that say "poison", or "flammable" but there is no labeling (labeling laws haven't been changed since 1960's and since then thousands of chemicals have been invented) on the harmful effects on our overall health.

Are you scared yet? Don't worry, there's good news!

If you don't have time to blend your own natural cleaning products (which by the way is not difficult and is fun), first start by dishing out the commercial cheap cleaning products and get some natural cleaners from the store. There are many options available now in most stores. It is a good start. Slowly you will be encouraged to make your own.

With a combination of few natural ingredients, you can take care of every cleaning need for your home and office. You will learn that it is so much cheaper, healthier for you, and better for the environment.

Using lemons, baking soda, club soda, vinegar, essential oils, and even vodka, you can take care of 100% of your home cleaning needs. Set aside some empty bottles from previously bought bottles and mix the following for your cleaning needs. Enjoy the process and you will love the results.

Disinfectant and all-purpose cleaner

Vodka. Yes, Vodka!! I buy a large cheap bottle of vodka, put some in a spray bottle, add eucalyptus oil and I use it all the time as my everyday cleaner. Alcohol will kill germs and bacteria instantly. You can add other essential oils, try lavender oil, tea tree, peppermint, etc. In my area, I can buy the largest cheapest bottle of vodka for around $8-$10 that will last for 2-3 months. Ultimately, it's cheaper over the toxic commercial cleaners. Did you know that lavender is a deterrent for many rodents? The power of essential oils is often overlooked.

Vinegar is also natural all-purpose cleaner and many of my green friends use a mixture of vinegar and water as their all-purpose cleaner. Mix one part water to one part vinegar in a spray bottle. You will smell it at first but the smell goes away once it dries within a few seconds. Avoid using vinegar on porous surface such as marble but otherwise it makes for a great cleaner. Certain areas such as inside the toilet bowl, you can use the full strength vinegar. For most all-purpose cleaning, use diluted with one part water and one part vinegar. For your hardwood floors, you can simply mix 1 cup vinegar to 1 gallon of water.

Another great all-purpose cleaner is baking soda. Sprinkle in a tub to tackle grime. Baking soda is great for soap scum. It is best when you sprinkle and leave it for 20 minutes and come back to it. You can also use baking soda as oven cleaner.

Finally Hydrogen Peroxide has many uses as well. i like soaking my tooth brushes in 1 part HP and 1 part water to disinfect it. You can also use full strength HP in your shower to get rid of mold.

Toilet Cleaner

Full Strength Vinegar....need I say more. You can use full strength or diluted depending on the situation. Leave it for a few minutes, scrub with toilet brush and flush. For extra strength cleaning, you can sprinkle some baking soda as well.

Window Cleaner

Vinegar and Water, it's that simple. You won't believe how great your windows/glass surfaces look. Give it some time as the buildup from commercial window cleaner (ammonia buildup). Give it a few tries and after you've cleared up the ammonia build up, you will like it even better than the commercial window cleaners.

Furniture polish

Mix 1 part oil (buy a cheap olive oil) with 1/2 part lemon juice. Wipe with a soft cloth. Your furniture will look amazing.

Carpet cleaning

Club Soda works great on carpet stains, better than any commercial carpet stain removers. Use baking soda as a deodorizer.

Laundry Bleach Alternative

one part hydrogen peroxide and one part water. Helps to brighten your laundry and your lungs will thank you for not having to take in all that bleach while you do your laundry.

Fruit Wash

1 cup water, 1 cup vinegar, 2 tablespoon baking soda, 2 tablespoon lemon juice. Put in a spray bottle. Adding a few drops of grapefruit oil also works great in the mixture

To any of the recipes above, you can add your choice of essential oils. Some of the ones I love using are Eucalyptus, lavender, tea tree, and peppermint.

Home made cleaning products are as effective if not more in cleaning as the harmful commercial products yet they are better for the environment, better for your health, and even cheaper. The indoor air quality of your home will improve significantly. So don't wait another day, start today in creating your own eco-friendly, green cleaning products.

Jaya Patel has a holistic and natural products online store and is obsessively passionate about all things healthy and non-toxic. She is dedicated to empowering women to achieve holistic health for them and their families through their food choices, cleaning products and personal care products.

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3 Blueberry Desserts for Your Health and Pleasure

2012-01-19T09:05:00.000-08:00

Berry Bliss Smoothie

This is a clear favorite with the kids and kids at heart for breakfast, snack, or on a hot day. Enjoy! It tastes so good that you forget that it's good for you!"

This smoothie contains super foods and flax seed. Blueberries and aronia berries have some of the greatest antioxidant levels you can find in a fruit and flaxseed is a powerhouse for omega-3s and good source of fiber.

2 scoops raspberry sherbet
1 ripe banana
4 strawberries
10 aronia berries
15 blueberries
5 blackberries
16 oz orange juice
1 ½ teaspoons ground flax seed

Put berries in a blender and blend until smooth while slowly adding the orange juice. You can make your smoothie thicker by adding some vanilla ice.

Pour into tall glass and serve chilled.

Blueberry Cake

You can use any berries such as aronia berries, blackberries or other berries, not just blueberries.

Using gluten-free flour makes this recipe good for people who have allergic reaction to gluten. You can make your own gluten-free flour or purchase it at a health food store. If you do not want to make your blueberry cake gluten-free just use regular flour. The use of Fructevia in place of sugar makes this a good desert for diabetics.

2 cups gluten-free flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup blueberries (frozen is fine)
2 tablespoons gluten-free flour
1/2 cup coconut oil or real butter
1/2 cup frictevia
2 eggs
1/2 cup warm milk
1/8 cup fructevia
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray olive oil or other lubricant on a 9-inch-square pan.

Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl and set aside. Use 2 tablespoons gluten-free flour to coat blueberries and set it aside. Mix real butter or coconut oil and fructevia in a bowl; add eggs and beat well. Add milk to the dry ingredients and mix then add the blueberries. Put mixture into the prepared pan. Mix furctevia and cinnamon together and sprinkle over the top of the cake. Bake 35 to 40 minutes.

A couple examples of gluten-free flour recipe you can use to make your own flour by grinding your own using a mill such as the Wonder Mill are as follows:

3 cups combined bean flour
3 cups cornstarch
3 cups tapioca starch flour
3 cup rice flour
1/2 tsp. xanthan gum

Another recipe that is not as heavy as the above is:

1 cup rice flour
1/2-3/4 cup potato starch
1/4 cup tapioca starch/flour or corn flour

This is good for coating fried chicken for example.

Milling your own flour is possible using a mill such as a Wonder Mill. There are many reasons you should/would want to grind your own flour for bread baking.

First if you have a mill it you can mill grains and save money. Flours are cheaper when ground at home.

Secondly the quality and flavor you get from home ground flour is better. The flavor simply cannot be duplicated with any commercially available flour.

A third reason you should consider grinding your own grain flours is for the health benefits. All commercially made grain flours have had the germ removed. The germ is the part of the grain that contains healthy nutritious oils.

A fourth reason to consider making your own flour is this will give you access to flours that you might not be able to get otherwise.

BLUEBERRY RICE PUDDING

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cooked rice
2 cups half and half
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup fructevia
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
whipped cream for garnish

Directions

Fill the prepared custard cups with ¼ cup of rice.
Put half and half, eggs, vanilla, fructevia and salt in medium bowl and beat.
Use the custard mixture to fill custard cups.
Put 1 inch of hot water in large shallow pan containing and put in cups.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes at 375 degrees or until you can inserted a knife near center it comes out clean.
Cool for about 10 minutes and then unmold.
Use a food processor or blender and Puree the blueberries.
Top custard with pureed blueberries and top this with whipped cream.

Purchase your pesticide free aronia and blueberries from (Blueberry Croft Farm and Nursery). We understand both the theory and practical applications of growing aronia and blueberries. The farm is a reputable source for quality aronia and blueberry plants. Over 30 varieties of blueberries are grown and sold. Viking aronia plants are available for sale. Purchase your plants and get more information from http://www.blueberrycroft.com/. Get free S/H on orders of $75+. © 2011 May be reproduced in entirety with live link

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10 Best Home Remedies for Cholesterol Control

2012-01-09T23:40:00.000-08:00

Cholesterol accounts for most of the heart diseases you will hear. High blood cholesterol eventually leads to an imminent stroke or a cardiac arrest. There are two types of cholesterols in human body - HDL and LDL. HDL is considered good and essential for body. On the other hand, LDL cholesterol is the bad cholesterol and should be avoided as it blocks the arteries and bars the blood flow.

Medications apart, you can always keep a check on your cholesterol levels with few simple home remedies, which prove to be beneficial in longer run. These home remedies decrease the bad cholesterol and help increase the levels of HDL cholesterol in body. Ten best home remedies for cholesterol control are:

1. Regular consumption of vitamin E prevents formation of LDL cholesterol in body. Recommended daily are 400 international units of vitamin E as a dietary supplement in order to maintain good levels of HDL cholesterol. Vitamin E prevents the arteries from blocking and hardening.

2. Regular consumption of vitamin C increases good cholesterol in the body and also lowers the LDL levels. Recommended daily are vitamin C supplements either in tablet form or consumption of citric fruits like oranges, etc. Even vegetables with high vitamin C content can be taken everyday in diet.

3. Garlic has been world-renowned for its medicinal properties. Regular consumption of garlic also keeps a check on the LDL cholesterol levels in the body. Recommended daily are 6-7 cloves of garlic everyday either in food or wholly to maintain high levels of HDL cholesterol and control the levels of LDL cholesterol. Garlic can be taken in capsule form in case the patient cannot withstand its smell and taste.

4. Skin of grapes helps to keep the cholesterol under control. Grapes eaten wholly reduce the LDL levels and help in maintaining the HDL levels in body.

5. In addition to grapes, grapefruit too is known to have medicinal properties to treat your cholesterol levels. Regular consumption of grapefruit lowers the LDL cholesterol in the body. Whole fruit can be taken everyday for best results. Results, however, start appearing in nearly two months.

6. Daily consumption of only two cups of beans can reduce your LDL cholesterol levels by almost 22%. All kinds of beans legumes are helpful in this condition.

7. Cinnamon tea helps keeping the bad cholesterol away. Regular consumption keeps the cholesterol levels balanced.

8. Boil one tablespoonful of coriander seeds in two cups of water. Consume once a day. Helps reduction of bad cholesterol.

9. Taking 1-2 fish oil capsules daily before going to bed helps reduce LDL levels in body. The omega 3 fatty acids in fish oil help lower LDLs and triglycerides.

10. Water mixed with some onion juice helps maintain cholesterol levels.

Welcome to the world of natural treatments and home remedies. Cure High Blood Cholesterol naturally with proven home remedies for cholesterol and diet. Learn easy and simlplest home remedies for cholesterol and high blood cholesterol treatments. For more detail read my blog Chesterwilson's Blog.

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Ways to make your skin healthy

2012-01-09T21:47:00.000-08:00

The primary step to keeping your skin healthy is preventing damage. Pollutants, air, sun as well as by just natural aging can certainly mortify the form of your skin. Frequent grumbles incorporate dry along with itchy skin, sagging, wrinkles, color alterations, together with age spots. Luckily, there are various methods that you can readily apply in order to maintain a healthy skin, feeling and looking at its most excellent appearance.

Keeping yourself fit, having enough rest, as well as getting healthy diet can set the basis for fine-looking and vigorous complexion. Moreover, a proper diet is not only the excellent way in attaining good health in general but it as well assists you to guarantee that your skin will get all of the vitamins and minerals, along with the nutrients that it requires to preserve and fix itself.

Another way to keep your skin healthy is to apply the right skin care products to your skin. The best anti aging skincare products that can aid you to hydrate the skin are now available at your favorite skin care product store online. Having a clean skin by using the best skin cleanser is also a great way of preventing skin damages.

One of the most essential ways to protect your skin is to keep it away from the harmful rays of the sun. Ultraviolet radiation harms the skin as well as it can result to wrinkles, premature aging, age spots or even cancer as well. An individual should really get further preventative measures in order to be certain that his or her skin is not totally exposed under the harmful rays of the sun. Do not fail to remember that one should apply a natural sunscreen, or a moisturizer that includes sunscreen (with minimum of SPF 15) every day. Although, it does not mean that you should not go out at all during the day, as if you are like a nocturnal creature. Your skin also needs some sunlight every day. A 10 to 15 exposures at sunrise or sunset will be alright.

In addition to that, a variety of fine skin care products such as an all natural moisturizer is one of the essential components for a vigorous complexity. Keep on moisturizing all through the day to keep your sensitive skin vigorous. Your hands as well as your face is especially vulnerable to everyday dent, and might require it to be moisturized further.

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About The Author
Skin Care Products are not only witnessed in industrial or professional application since there are as well the likes which are utilized at home or as personal use. One is that I generally utilized is the area of elderly care or in areas where care of people enduring the dilemma of incontinence.
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Self Tanning Lotion Steps to Follow for a Perfect Tan

2012-01-09T21:36:00.001-08:00

To get the perfect results using a self tanning lotion, there are a few steps that are a must-do. First and foremost, follow the directions closely, primarily because not all lotions are created equal. For example, some may be runnier than others and some may be tinted instead of the normal clear.

Every day more self tanning lotions are coming out and are being improved, such as those that contain bronzers to let you see where you’re putting the lotion on and natural fragrances to reduce the chemical smell from your skin cells reacting to DHA.

In addition, there are other steps that you need to follow to help to ensure that you get the proper color the first time, every time. These include:

• EXFOLIATION! This is in capital letters because this is the one main cardinal rules when you apply any sunless tanning product. At least 4 hours before your session, make sure that you exfoliate.

If you use a salt-based scrub, either do this one day prior to your tanning or use a quality cleanser after so that no oil remains on the surface of the skin.

• Next, you really should use gloves. Using gloves helps to prevent the orange palms syndrome. Make sure the gloves snugly fit over your hands otherwise you will have some trouble applying the tan evenly.

One particularly useful tip is that if you can’t get gloves, keep a warm mixture of bleach water next to you so that you can immediately clean your palms off afterwards.

• Another step that is extremely important is to apply the tanning solution section by section. Many experienced self tanners suggest starting at the legs and working up the body.

Applying the lotion in sections, especially small ones, will help to avoid missing areas and streaking as well as make the application process easier.

• At each section, after you apply the self tanning lotion, work it into the skin until it is completely absorbed. Don’t be vigorous at this, a gentle motion will do, you just want to make sure that you get the full benefit of the lotion.

• If you didn’t buy another tanning product specifically designed for your face, use what you are using on the body.

It’s a good idea though to mix a couple of dabs of regular lotion in with the tanning product to disperse the coloring more evenly.

• In addition, tanning lotions will tint your eyebrows and if they are tinted too much, they will look kind of funny. It has been recommended that you use a damp Q-tip on the eyebrows after you’ve applied the tan to remove any leftover lotion.

• Tan the back of your hands gently and make sure to sponge around the dry areas of your body, such as the soles of the feet, elbows and knees to remove any excess.

• And lastly, let yourself dry completely before you put your clothes on.

When you are applying a self tanning lotion, remember to follow the directions on the bottle. There are also though, other tips of the trade that will help to give you the best tan.

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About The Author
Would you like to start your own mobile tanning business? Go to http://www.tanningbusiness.info now and sign up for our free business planning guide now.
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Five Secret Habits of Successful Weight Loss!

2012-01-09T21:36:00.000-08:00

Quote:

‘In eating, a third of the stomach should be filled with food, a third with drink and the rest left empty.’

Talmudin

Hello! May I start this article by sharing with you my most inner secrets. I want to reveal to you that no matter how difficult your weight problem may seem, you can change your life for the better. If I can do it, so can you.

As many know I wasn't always so strong or sure of myself, and much of that insecurity has to do with my weight. I have had a weight problem practically all my life and I always will. But now things are different, and they can do for you, too.

Enough of this lengthy intro, at least for now! OK? Then let’s dive in with the first success habit of thin or slim people.

Success Habits No.1. Follow A Rugged framework for diet and exercise.

Let me set the record straight! Diet and exercise guidelines can provide you with a framework for making these healthy changes, but ultimately it's up to you to devise your own rules and come up with your own strategies for healthy living and dieting. It is not expected of you to grab any article or a report and immediately start following the tactics and strategies recommended. Everyone’s body is different from another.

We have DNA’s that are very different even from our blood brothers and sister. Why then should you follow exactly what people tell you. Even advices herein. The best bet is to use your own body to study the actions and reactions of the guidelines given and applied there. Fair enough?

Success Habits No. 2. Adhere to a ‘low-fat' low-calorie diet and exercising regularly

Let me clue you in on an undisputed statement. In the largest study of successful dieters to date researchers have found that sticking with a ‘low-fat' low-calorie diet and exercising regularly helped the participants shed and keep off at least 30 pounds. Sounds impossible? But trust me it’s true. You can bet your eyeball on this fact.

By the way, are you are you getting into this, or it is rubbing you the wrong way? Just be patient and carry on reading. It’s worth your few minutes of your precious time. Then shall we proceed to secrets number three. OK?

Success Habits No.3. Discover and Adapt to Better Dieting Therapies

OK, I know you’re probably shaking your head after reading success habits number three .But rests assured what you about to read is no rocket science materials. It is just plain and simple fact. Here goes!

Rest assured that successful dieters aren't afraid to do things far different from the norm. Just to find tactics that really works for them. And to use them when they work for them.

Time changes so does things. Remember the old adage, ‘Time and Tides awaits no man or for that matter woman’ Get my drift?

Up next,

Success Habits No. 4. A strong Belief in ‘Quitters Never Wins, and Winners never Quit’ motto.

Hello! Are you prepared to prepared to be shocked, disappointed and finally refreshed, reading this success secret no. 4. Right? Then let me get straight to the point! Make no mistake, along the road to change, lapses are inevitable for any one. But in and of themselves, they're not necessarily setbacks; it all depends on how you handle them.

Remember this weight loss thing is not a one shot affair. We have to live in our body every day of our lives, by the minutes, days, weeks, months and years. How our mind adapts to failures will largely determine the condition of our inherited body. Agreed?

Correct me if I am wrong. But what you are about to read may be shocking to you. If you are ready to see what’s next then go ahead and continue reading but brace yourself first!

Success Habits No. 5. Progressively overcoming unhealthy life styles

No matter how you argue or try to justify this habits number 5, common sense dedicates this obvious fact. Changing distasteful habits involves six predictable stages, researchers have found. If you can identify the stage where you are, you can take steps to spur yourself forward.

In case you don’t know the six stages, let’s have a fast reminder. Step One. Know the exact problem causing the unhealthy lifestyle. Step 2. Find alternative solutions to overcome the problem. Step 3. Select the best alternative to overcome the problem. Step 4. Schedule the start and finish times to work at this problem Step 5. Get down to solving the problem and step 6. Finish, follow up and revise if there is a need to. Simple enough?

To sum up, let’s recap! Firstly adopt a rugged framework for dieting and exercising . Secondly, to adhere to a ‘low-fat' low-calorie diet and engage in indoor or outdoor sports regularly. Thirdly to continue discovering and adapting to better dieting therapies Fourthly, have a strong belief in ‘Quitters Never Wins, and Winners never Quit’ motto. And finally take the concerted efforts to progressively overcoming unhealthy life styles.

In closing, let me add to these facts! This article has given you this weight loss information . It has given you the justification and the facts and the best advice we can give, the rest is up to you. Health is really is wealth in more than just financial, and whatever choices you make, we wish you best of luck in your pursue of a slimmer and healthier body. Goodbye and happy weight loss endeavor. Thanks for reading. Bye!

DISCLAIMER AND/OR LEGAL NOTICES

The information presented herein represents the views of the author as of the date of publication. Because of the rate with which conditions change, the author reserves the rights to alter and update his opinions based on the new conditions. This material is for informational purposes only and the author does not accept any responsibilities for any liabilities resulting from the use of this information. While every attempt has been made to verify the information provided here, the author and his referrals cannot assume any responsibility for errors, inaccuracies or omissions. Any slights of people or organizations are unintentional.

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source:http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_12500.shtml About The Author Author’s Profile. CTM. Joseph SF Ng is a seasoned writer in knowledgeable articles especially on matters of weight loss, health, fitness, obesity and slimming. His personal encounter has revealed how he struggled to lose weight from 189 to 143 over the period of six to eight months. . He could be contacted at his email: josephsfng@gmail.com.Your visit to our blogger website is most welcomed at :http://josephsfng.wordpress.com . Thanks The author invites you to visit : http://www.josephsfng.wordpress.com

Best Treatment Options for Mesothelioma

2012-01-06T09:21:00.000-08:00

Finding the Best Solutions for this Tricky Cancer

When you are dealing with Mesothelioma, you don't have a lot of different options for treatment in most cases. The way that this condition presents, combined with its known latency period that can last between 4 and 5 decades, makes it very difficult to treat effectively. Patients can experience many types of this condition, and while 75% of cases present in the lungs, it can also be diagnosed in the abdomen or heart. Finding the right treatment is all about understanding the type of Mesothelioma that is present, its stage of development, and where it is located in the body.

Avoid Misdiagnosis

This is a very uncommon cancer in the grand scheme of things. Therefore, it often goes undiagnosed for a long time, or it is misdiagnosed because the odds of actually having it are so rare. Once a suspected diagnosis of Mesothelioma is present, the doctor will order tests to figure out exactly what is going on. Make sure that if you have had exposure to asbestos in your lifetime and you present with common symptoms, you note this so that you have a better chance of getting the right diagnosis for more effective treatment options.

The Prognosis

Mesothelioma doesn't have a particularly good outlook for patients who are suffering from the condition. There are plenty of elements that affect your survival rate and initial prognosis, including things like:

-The size and stage of the cancer

-Whether surgery is an option

-The type of Mesothelioma that is diagnosed

-The age and health of the patient

-Initial diagnosis vs. a secondary case after treatment and remission

Treatment Solutions

There are many different treatment options for this condition, depending on various factors like those mentioned previously. In most cases, radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery are the standard treatment options. Of course, this cancer usually requires an aggressive combination treatment for the best possible results.

Surgery:

There are four types of surgery that are used to treat Mesothelioma. An excision will remove the cancer and some of the healthy tissue to make sure that the cancer is completely gone. This is effective, but rarely an option because the cancer has spread too far by the time of diagnosis. Pluerectomy and decortication, which is a procedure that removes the lining of the lungs and other areas that are affected, is another option. In some cases, doctors will remove an entire lung, as well as parts of the diaphragm and the lining of the pericardium, which protects the heart. The final procedure involves using chemicals and drugs to create scarring in the lung lining. That stops the buildup of fluid in this disease.

Radiation Therapy:

Like most cancers, Mesothelioma can be treated using radiation in many cases. This helps kill the cancer cells, but can cause a lot of side effects that are less than desirable. Because of the advanced stage that is usually present at diagnosis, most people require aggressive radiation therapy combined with medications or surgery to get the best treatment possible.

Medications:

Chemotherapy, which is administered orally or by injection, is effective at stopping the cells from growing and spreading. This treatment can be done with pills, IV treatments, or intramuscular injections, which will help ensure that the cells are killed or stopped in the right area. In many cases, combination chemotherapy is employed because multiple drugs have a better chance of killing the disease than a single drug alone

Choosing the Right Treatment

It starts by talking to your doctor and developing a treatment plan. The type of Mesothelioma that you have, combined with other factors, will determine the right solution for your best prognosis.

Bob Hartzell is a freelance writer who writes on topics of education, health and law. More recently he has focused on small cell lung cancer as it pertains to mesothelioma cancer.

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How To Stop Acne

2012-01-06T06:39:00.000-08:00

First, a caveat. If you are genetically predisposed to having excessive acne (a serious skin condition), no matter what you read or hear, you will probably only be able to manage your acne, not stop it altogether. In addition, most people that pass through adolescence and beyond have to battle a pimple or two or ten. That is normal, but the good news is that there are many steps that you can take to stop acne before it becomes a widespread problem for your face, chest, back or other parts of your body.

The advice below might prove to be really disappointing to you because it won't reveal any magical cures or an ingredient just discovered in a plant in New Guinea that, when ingested, cures acne forever. Hang in there. These tips might require a little work on your part, a little change to your routine, a little adjustment to your diet, but it all will be worth it, won't it? Won't it be way cooler to wake up and see no new zits on your face? I thought so. Okay, let's get to work:

1) Acne is primarily a nasty combination of excessive oil, blocked pores and bacteria that live on your face and multiply, thus aggravating your skin and producing a pimple. This first step will be quite simple: DON'T EVER touch your face unless you've washed your hands vigorously. I'm not going to do any surveillance on you, but I'm willing to bet that you touch your face at least 10 times a day without washing your hands before. Am I right? Yeah, that's what I thought. So, the lesson here is to make a conscious effort not to touch your face. The reason is those hands, which might seem pretty clean to you, are actually loaded with bacteria that you picked up from your locker handle, your backpack, your basketball, any number of sources. That bacteria, when added to the already generous pool of bacteria on your face, will produce nothing but trouble for your acne. Step one: stop touching your face during the day.

2) Wash your face thoroughly and gently at least once a day, preferably at night. Apply a medicated cleanser to fight the bacteria on your face and to clean off the dead skin cells that can clog your pores. Do a little research and find a moderately-priced cleanser. Remember, everyone's skin is different. What works for your friend might not work for you. If you try the same cleanser as a friend and your acne just gets worse, switch it up.

3) Exercise regularly. You're going to have to get up off that couch if you are serious about your fight with acne. You might say, "Aw, c'mon, a couple of video games never caused acne." You're right, to an extent, but the benefits of regular exercise will do nothing but help you in your battle with acne. Exercise reduces stress, which has been linked to acne, and it increases circulation and oxygen penetration of the skin cells. A healthier, fitter you will be a less stressed, better sleeping you, which equals probable better results with acne.

4) That leads to point four-getting regular sleep. Yeah, I know that you claim to be a night owl. I also know that you can't maintain your 2 a.m.-6 a.m. sleep time and live to tell about it. Turn off the computer, get off the phone, power down your game console. You need to get to bed and do all you can to minimize the stress in your life and keep your body in balance. And, as you sleep, be sure to take all of your makeup off and pull your hair back away from your face. Also be sure to sleep in clean pillowcases and linens, changing them about once a week. You might have acne worse than you need to because you've been sleeping on grimy pillowcases because you never let your Mom into your room. Lighten up! Pull that pillowcase off, get it washed, make sure your sleeping area is clean and get the rest you need. You do want to get rid of those zits, right? OK, quit trying to win the contest at school for who sleeps the least. The "winner" of that contest just loses in the long run.

5) Take a shower right after you sweat a lot, like after the exercise you're going to get now as you apply point 3. As you sweat, your body is producing even more oils than usual. You need to clean them off ASAP and keep your pores unblocked. Don't you dare skip that shower to go to McDonald's! You need to get that layer of sweat off, or the chances of more pimples coming multiplies.

6) Drink lots and lots of water. H2O is a natural detoxifier that will help keep your skin healthy. And, as you drink more water, you'll need less soda to quench your thirst, another good move for your overall health.

Remember: drink enough water, shower daily, get your sleep in a clean area, exercise, wash your face once a day and don't touch it, and soon you'll be well on your way to eliminating the scourge of puberty: dreaded acne. The power to limit and eliminate it is in your hands.

To discover the 5 simple steps to curing acne, take advantage of this resource while it's still available. Finally get your acne under control, quickly and easily.

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8 Natural Home Remedies for Acne

2012-01-06T06:25:00.000-08:00

Most people will have to deal with acne at some point or another, with many people having to deal with it to a significant degree for a significant period of time. What's worse, many of the over-the-counter remedies for pimples do more harm than good. However, you shouldn't let that discourage you from your search for good, natural home remedies for acne.

1. Some people recommend an apple cider vinegar facial application. You simply do a 50/50 mixture of filtered water and apple cider vinegar. Be careful not to apply too much to your face, as vinegar is a drying agent.

2. Some people use sour cream and strawberries on their faces. You simply mix them and you have a nice weekly facial paste.

3. Cucumbers are a classic for skin health. Cucumbers soothe irritated skin and help to keep it from drying out. You simply cut slices out of the cucumbers and apply them for about a half hour to any irritated skin.

4. Green tea bags are a popular natural home remedy for acne. You can drink your green tea and then rinse the tea bags in cold water for use as a half-minute acne application.

5. Honey masks are thought to be natural home remedies for acne and other infections of the skin. It's not known how it works exactly, but many people believe in it enough to put it all over their faces twice per week.

6. Garlic, as you might expect, is commonly used as a natural home remedy for acne. It's a natural antibiotic and has properties that repair and even reduce acne breakouts. Apply fresh garlic to areas where there is acne. Few things get more positive testimonials than garlic. Use this acne natural remedy at bedtime if you'd rather not be walking around during the day smelling like garlic.

7. Rosewater is among the more surprising natural remedies for acne. Two to three washes in rosewater daily is worth a try if you want healthier looking facial skin.

8. Tea tree oil may be directly applied to pimples. Unlike many of the other directly applied natural home remedies, tea tree oil will leave your skin with a nice moisture balance.

You don't have to be a victim of acne. However, if you have severe acne or any other skin conditions, you should consult with your doctor before beginning any topical acne treatment program. For those with mild, but embarrassing acne breakouts, these acne natural treatments may be worth the effort it takes to test each for yourself.

If you suffer from acne, there are acne natural treatments available. Visit Acne-Skin-How.com to find out about a clinically proven step-by-step holistic clear skin success system.

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Copyright © Sherry Ann Smith
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Protect Your Cells From Free Radicals And More With The Xanthophyll Canthaxanthin

2012-01-04T08:06:00.001-08:00

Canthaxanthin is a xanthophyll and phytonutrient (health boosting, plant based chemical compounds) that can be sourced from certain types of fish and mushrooms. It is a powerful antioxidant that can keep your body's cells safe from dangerous free radicals. In this article I will be providing a full overview of canthaxanthin and its role in human health.

1) DISCOVERY:

Canthaxanthin was first discovered in 1970 by the British chemist Basil Weedon.

2) HEALTH BENEFITS:

As discussed above, canthaxanthin is a highly effective antioxidant that can keep your body's cells safe from free radicals. Free radicals are dangerous substances that get released into your body's cells during oxygen based reactions. They have been linked with accelerated ageing, an increased risk of cancer (a health disorder where your body's cells start to grow in a rapid, out of control way), an increased risk of diabetes (a health disorder where your blood glucose levels become dangerously high) and a weak immune system.

Early studies indicate that this xanthophyll may also prevent ultraviolet (UV) damage to the skin cells. However, additional studies are required before this can be confirmed.

3) FOOD SOURCES:

Canthaxanthin can be sourced from algae, chanterelle mushrooms, various crustaceans and various fish. However, the exact amounts these foods contain is not known.

4) OVERDOSE SYMPTOMS:

There are no reported overdose symptoms associated with canthaxanthin sourced from natural foods. However, this xanthophyll is often added to illegal sunless tanning products. When taken in this unnatural form it can lead to aplastic anemia (a blood disorder where the body's bone marrow stops producing enough new blood cells), canthaxanthin retinopathy (a disorder where yellow deposits form on the retina of the eye) and urticarial (a skin rash that causes red itchy patches to develop). Due to these health hazards you should avoid any sunless tanning products that list canthaxanthin as an ingredient.

5) SUMMARY:

The research on canthaxanthin is still in the very early stages. Whilst there is very little information available on this xanthophyll, I highly recommend that you include it in your diet by consuming fish at least twice a week. Not only will fish provide you with canthaxanthin but it will also give you plenty of other health boosting nutrients such as omega 3 essential fatty acids, protein and a wide range of vitamins and minerals. You can incorporate fish into your diet either by having it as part of your main meal, eating it for lunch or even eating it for breakfast.

Tom Parker owns Free Fitness Tips - a fantastic source of free, impartial fitness advice. You can learn more about canthaxanthin, the xanthophylls and the many potential xanthophyll benefits by visiting his website.

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Sitting For Too Long Can Lead to Cancer

2012-01-04T08:06:00.000-08:00

Sitting for too long and being inactive has been associated with an estimated 100,000 cancer cases each year according to estimates given this year. It's becoming more obvious all the time that activity (and inactivity) plays a significant role in the development of cancers.

We know that exercising as part of your daily routine has been linked with lower risks of some cancers. How much time we spend sitting has been less well studied, until recently that is.

Earlier work has found that being sedentary - sitting for prolonged periods - has been associated with a higher risk of inflammation and other indications of cancer risk.

Researchers estimate that regularly being more active would prevent almost 100,000 breast and colon cancers in the Untied States each and every year.

To work out the effect of being active on risk of cancer, the current study used a database from the NCI (National Cancer Institute).

There were over 141,200 colon cancers along with nearly 230,500 breast cancers reported for the year 2011. It's estimated that 30% (43,000) of the cases of colon cancers could be avoided by increasing activity levels; almost 21% (49,000) of the breast cancers would also be prevented.

Today there is evidence that regular exercise cuts the risk of both colon and breast cancers, and possibly endometrial as well. There's weaker evidence on exercise's effect on cancers of the lung, prostate and ovaries.

For colon cancer, those who worked out the most had a 30% to 35% reduction in risk in comparison to those who were the least active. In breast cancer and activity studies, the most active subjects cut their risk by 20% to 30% when compared to subjects who were the least active.

The important point to get here is that exercise is good for you, though researchers have yet to say just how much (or how little) you need. The thing is, you just can't sit all day long.

Experts are encouraging Americans to change the way they think about being active. They need to find time for frequent exercise sessions while being aware of the dangers of sitting for long periods and working to counteract them.

Adults who sit for long periods during the day should take one to two minute activity breaks each hour. Even if you exercise regularly, you need to understand that sitting for a long time is dangerous to you.

Here are some ways to work breaks into a desk bound day.

- Set a timer on your PC or smart phone to go off every hour. Then take a walk down the corridor, outdoors or around the office.

- Hold meetings as you walk (inside or out) rather than sitting in a conference room. This works best with one or two other people.

- Refill a water cup regularly - using a small, 12oz. cup is best as it has you up regularly.

- When on the phone, stand up, stretch, walk around if you can.

- Investigate a standing workstation or kneeling chair.

Some experts believe that sitting time is soon to be acknowledged as a risk factor for cancer. In the research the team measured things like waist circumference and other factors of disease risks and found that breaks of a minute of two can make these biomarkers go down.

It's high time all Americans began to rethink exercise - to make sure we get enough on a regular basis, but also try not to spend sitting for too long.

FREE Bonus Secret Health Reports - For a limited time you can grab 5 FREE essential health reports from the Daily Health Bulletin. Click through now to discover more on the risk factors of cancer including sitting for too long.

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Successful Ebola Cure In Monkeys Offers Hope To Humans

2010-06-13T09:57:00.000-07:00

In what could be called as a breakthrough study, monkeys infected with the deadly Ebola virus have been treated successfully-a feat that could possibly bring humans a step closer to a cure.

According to a new study, a team of scientists used special gene-silencing drugs to selectively “knock out” viral proteins in Chinese rhesus macaques infected with a lethal dose of the Zaire Ebola virus.

Zaire is the most virulent strain of Ebola-90 percent of infected people die during outbreaks.

Ebola spreads via bodily fluids or tainted needles and razors, and it’s highly contagious.

Infections in humans and other primates typically cause acute fever and headaches, followed by uncontrollable bleeding from the body’s openings. Shock from heavy internal and external bleeding usually proves fatal.

“Ebola is not only of interest because it can cause high mortality, but also because it can be used as a bioterror weapon,” National Geographic quoted study leader Thomas Geisbert, a virologist at Boston University, as saying.

“There are a lot of groups working on preventive vaccines, but this is the first time someone has developed a post-exposure treatment,” he added.

The researchers used drugs based on synthetic versions of small interfering RNA, or siRNA, a type of molecule in the body that can interfere with the expression of particular genes. (Get a genetics overview.)

Since genes are the codes the body uses to make proteins, interfering with specific viral genes should stop production of proteins the Ebola virus needs to survive.

“We specifically targeted the L protein, as it kick-starts virus replication. If you knock out that protein, you can really inhibit the ability of the virus to replicate,” said Geisbert.

The team also targeted the VP24 and VP35 proteins, which are involved in disabling an infected host’s immune response.

Seven of the nine monkeys in the study received the same amount of the drug over a six-day period.

Three of the seven monkeys got the drug every other day, while four received it daily.

One monkey in each group served as a control animal and didn’t receive the drug.

On analysing the treated monkeys, it was found that ten days after having been infected with Ebola, the first group of monkeys had very low levels of the virus in their blood.

Researchers could not detect the virus at all in the group that had received daily doses.

“The siRNAs inhibited the replication of the virus and completely protected the monkeys against death from hemorrhagic fever. This has never been done before,” noted Geisbert.

Geisbert thinks the real novelty of the study-is that the scientists were able to deliver the drug to infected cells, which can be a challenge, because synthetic siRNA drugs can activate the body’s immune system, triggering inflammation.

To ferry the drug into cells while preventing unwanted side effects, the researchers packed the drug inside fat molecules.

“This capability offers a therapeutic option that has been lacking with certain hemorrhagic fever viruses that have a high level of mortality associated with infections,” said Anthony Sanchez, an Ebola researcher at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The interesting part of the technique is that the [siRNA drug] can be quickly synthesized for a specific strain of Ebola virus. Thus, if a new strain suddenly appears, whether in Africa or in another region of the world, a therapeutic solution can be quickly generated and deployed for use,” added Sanchez.

In a commentary on the study, Heinz Feldmann of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases wrote that the new work is “long overdue and should be considered a milestone in what has been a difficult and frustrating specialty of filovirus research.” Newstrack India

Low Cost Medical Insurance

2010-06-09T10:28:00.000-07:00

An important measure to ensure good health is to buy low cost medical insurance that will take care of any healthcare financing required to ensure you have access to the best treatments available. Many people thought that only rich people can afford the spare cash to buy health insurance but that is a very wrong misconception.

Major medical plan and especially HMO health insurance are all considered low cost medical insurance whose monthly preimum is around $30 a month from Aetna, Humana, Blue Cross etc. That is around a dollar a day, which makes it affordable for just about any working adults.

The problem is some unethical insurance salesmen try to push too hard and sold inappropriate medical insurance, such as unnecessarily high coverage or GOLD plans to unknowing consumers at higher than they can afford premiums. When word spreads around, many people become disillusioned and think that there is no low cost medical insurance that are designed for their lower incomes.

Deductibles For Medical Insurance

The reason why insurers can come up with low cost medical insurance is because of the use of co-payment and deductibles schemes. Whenever you make a claim for some medical services, the insurer will process the claim and if valid, pay around 70 to 80% of the covered expenses while the insurance claimant will pay the remaining. This simple but effective strategy puts a stop to people that try to abuse the benefits of their medical insurance and increase the expenses of the insurers. When that is not controlled, the only result is higher monthly premiums to offset these fraud cases.

However, the co-payment nature of low cost medical insurance may be a problem for some low income families as they may need to come up with a substantial amount of money for long term treatments or expensive surgeries. Although there are some health plans with lower deductibles, these means the monthly premium will be correspondingly increased hence it is essentially equivalent. Nevertheless, either plans are still better than having zero health insurance coverage which means you must pay the very expensive hospital bills in full which can be typically several hundred times compared to the total amount of premiums paid on average.

Buy Medical Insurance

When you are considering to buy health insurance, be sure to compare the medical insurance quotes from Humana, Aetna, Blue Cross, etc and examine the features and disadvantages of each plan. Do not buy more than what you can afford and it is definitely better to ensure everyone in the family is insured with the basic family medical insurance plans than to leave someone out while using that saved money to upgrade to a GOLD plan.

A subtle difference between the health policies quoted by different insurers can be found in the list of catastrophic illnesses covered and the amount claimable per annum. Some cheaper quotations may conveniently leave out coverage for some expensive surgical procedures and ordinary consumers may not be able to tell the differences.

If you have some special family medical history that make you belong to the high risk group of developing a particular health condition, make sure you choose a medical insurance that does insure you against it. You also need to be upfront about your medical status when applying such that the insurer can send you for more in-depth examinations to review your case.

Even though leading a healthy lifestyle and eating a sensible diet is perhaps the most important prevention against the onset of diseases, the low costs associated with health insurance have made it a no brainer decision, especially when you have taken a look at any recent hospitalization expenses.

By the way, do not get confused with the low cost group insurance plans that you may have bought in at your company or neighborhood. Such plans only provide protection against death and is used as a form of dependant protection to ensure your family has some monetary support in the event that you are no longer around. Low cost health insurance is more towards protecting you from the financial difficulties of not being able to foot the medical bills necessary to nurse you back to health.

Herb garden

2010-06-09T10:04:00.000-07:00

The herb garden is often a separate space in the garden, devoted to growing a specific group of plants known as herbs. These gardens may be informal patches of plants, or they may be carefully designed, even to the point of arranging and clipping the plants to form specific patterns, as in a knot garden.

Herb gardens may be purely functional, or they may include a blend of functional and ornamental plants. The herbs are usually used to flavour food in cooking, though they may also be used in other ways, such as discouraging pests, providing pleasant scents, or serving medicinal purposes (e.g., a physic garden), among others.

A kitchen garden can be created by planting different herbs in pots or containers, with the added benefit of mobility. Although not all herbs thrive in pots or containers, some herbs do better than others. Mint, is an example of herb that is advisable to keep in a container or it will take over the whole garden.

The culinary use of herbs may result in positive medical side-effects. In addition, plants grown within the garden are sometimes specifically targeted to cure common illnesses or maladies such as colds, headaches, or anxiety. During the medieval period, monks and nuns developed specialist medical knowledge and grew the necessary herbs in specialist gardens. Now, especially due to the increase in popularity of alternative medicine, this usage is heavily increasing. Making a medicinal garden however, requires a great number of plants, one for each malady.

Herbs grown in herb gardens are also sometimes used to make herbal teas.

Some popular culinary herbs in temperate climates are to a large extent still the same as in the medieval period.

Examples of herbs used for specific purposes (lists are examples only, and not intended to be complete):

* Annual culinary herbs: basil, dill, summer savory
* Perennial culinary herbs: mint, rosemary, thyme, tarragon
* Herbs used for potpourri: lavender, lemon verbena
* Herbs used for tea: mint, lemon verbena, chamomile, bergamot, Hibiscus sabdariffa (for making karkade).
* Herbs used for other purposes: stevia for sweetening, feverfew for pest control in the garden.

However, herbs often have multiple purposes. For example, mint may be used for cooking, tea, and pest control.

Chrysanthemum tea

2010-06-09T09:55:00.000-07:00

Chrysanthemum tea is a flower-based tisane made from chrysanthemum flowers of the species Chrysanthemum morifolium or Chrysanthemum indicum, which are most popular in East Asia. To prepare the tea, chrysanthemum flowers (usually dried) are steeped in hot water (usually 90 to 95 degrees Celsius after cooling from a boil) in either a teapot, cup, or glass; often rock sugar is also added, and occasionally also wolfberries. The resulting drink is transparent and ranges from pale to bright yellow in color, with a floral aroma. In Chinese tradition, once a pot of chrysanthemum tea has been drunk, hot water is typically added again to the flowers in the pot (producing a tea that is slightly less strong); this process is often repeated several times.
Varieties

Several varieties of chrysanthemum, ranging from white to pale or bright yellow in color, are used for tea. These include:

* Huángshān Gòngjú, literally "Yellow Mountain tribute chrysanthemum"); also called simply Gòngjú
* Hángbáijú, originating from Tongxiang, near Hangzhou; also called simply Hángjú
* Chújú, originating from the Chuzhou district of Anhui
* Bójú, originating in the Bozhou district of Anhui

The flower is called gek huay in Thai. In Tamil it is called saamandhi.

Of these, the first two are most popular. Some varieties feature a prominent yellow flower head while others do not.
Medicinal use

Chrysanthemum tea has many purported medicinal uses, including an aid in recovery from influenza, acne and as a "cooling" herb. According to traditional Chinese medicine the tisane can aid in the prevention of sore throat and promote the reduction of fever. In Korea, it is known well for its medicinal use for making people more alert and is often used to waken themselves. In western herbal medicine, Chrysanthemum tea is drunk and used as a compress to treat circulatory disorders such as varicose veins and atherosclerosis.

In traditional Chinese medicine, chrysanthemum tea is also used to treat the eyes, and is said to clear the liver and the eyes. It is believed to be effective in treating eye pain associated with stress or yin/fluid deficiency. It is also used to treat blurring, spots in front of the eyes, diminished vision, and dizziness. The liver is associated with the element Wood which rules the eyes and is associated with anger, stress, and related emotions.

Commercially available chrysanthemum tea

Although typically prepared at home, chrysanthemum tea is also available as a beverage in many Asian restaurants (particularly Chinese ones), and is also available from various drinks outlets in East Asia as well as Asian grocery stores outside Asia in canned or packed form. Due to its medicinal value, it may also be available at Traditional Chinese medicine outlets, often mixed with other ingredients.

The History of Penicillin

2010-03-11T09:14:00.000-08:00

Penicillin is one of the earliest discovered and widely used antibiotic agents, derived from the Penicillium mold. Antibiotics are natural substances that are released by bacteria and fungi into the their environment, as a means of inhibiting other organisms - it is chemical warfare on a microscopic scale.

Sir Alexander Fleming

* Alexander Fleming
* born August. 6, 1881 , Darvel, Scotland
* died March 11, 1955 , London, England

In 1928, Sir Alexander Fleming observed that colonies of the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus could be destroyed by the mold Penicillium notatum, proving that there was an antibacterial agent there in principle. This principle later lead to medicines that could kill certain types of disease-causing bacteria inside the body.

At the time, however, the importance of Alexander Fleming's discovery was not known. Use of penicillin did not begin until the 1940s when Howard Florey and Ernst Chain isolated the active ingredient and developed a powdery form of the medicine.

History of Penicillin

Originally noticed by a French medical student, Ernest Duchesne, in 1896. Penicillin was re-discovered by bacteriologist Alexander Fleming working at St. Mary's Hospital in London in 1928. He observed that a plate culture of Staphylococcus had been contaminated by a blue-green mold and that colonies of bacteria adjacent to the mold were being dissolved. Curious, Alexander Fleming grew the mold in a pure culture and found that it produced a substance that killed a number of disease-causing bacteria. Naming the substance penicillin, Dr. Fleming in 1929 published the results of his investigations, noting that his discovery might have therapeutic value if it could be produced in quantity.

Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin

Hodgkin used x-rays to find the structural layouts of atoms and the overall molecular shape of over 100 molecules including penicillin. Dorothy's discovery of the molecular layout of penicillin helped lead scientists to develop other antibiotics.

Dr. Howard Florey

It was not until 1939 that Dr. Howard Florey, a future Nobel Laureate, and three colleagues at Oxford University began intensive research and were able to demonstrate penicillin's ability to kill infectious bacteria. As the war with Germany continued to drain industrial and government resources, the British scientists could not produce the quantities of penicillin needed for clinical trials on humans and turned to the United States for help. They were quickly referred to the Peoria Lab where scientists were already working on fermentation methods to increase the growth rate of fungal cultures. One July 9, 1941, Howard Florey and Norman Heatley, Oxford University Scientists came to the U.S. with a small but valuable package containing a small amount of penicillin to begin work.

Pumping air into deep vats containing corn steep liquor (a non-alcoholic by-product of the wet milling process) and the addition of other key ingredients was shown to produce faster growth and larger amounts of penicillin than the previous surface-growth method. Ironically, after a worldwide search, it was a strain of penicillin from a moldy cantaloupe in a Peoria market that was found and improved to produce the largest amount of penicillin when grown in the deep vat, submerged conditions.

Andrew J. Moyer

By November 26, 1941, Andrew J. Moyer, the lab's expert on the nutrition of molds, had succeeded, with the assistance of Dr. Heatley, in increasing the yields of penicillin 10 times. In 1943, the required clinical trials were performed and penicillin was shown to be the most effective antibacterial agent to date. Penicillin production was quickly scaled up and available in quantity to treat Allied soldiers wounded on D-Day. As production was increased, the price dropped from nearly priceless in 1940, to $20 per dose in July 1943, to $0.55 per dose by 1946.

As a result of their work, two members of the British group were awarded the Nobel Prize. Dr. Andrew J. Moyer from the Peoria Lab was inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame and both the British and Peoria Laboratories were designated as International Historic Chemical Landmarks.

Andrew J Moyer Patent

On May 25, 1948, Andrew J Moyer was granted a patent for a method of the mass production of penicillin.

Resistance to Penicillin

Four years after drug companies began mass-producing penicillin in 1943, microbes began appearing that could resist it.

The first bug to battle penicillin was Staphylococcus aureus. This bacterium is often a harmless passenger in the human body, but it can cause illness, such as pneumonia or toxic shock syndrome, when it overgrows or produces a toxin.

Antibiotics

2010-03-11T09:11:00.000-08:00

Professor Alexander Fleming

In 1928, Professor Alexander Fleming, a bacteriologist working at St Mary’s Hospital in London accidentally discovered Penicillin. It was the first of the antibiotics but failed to stabilize the substance because the germ-destroying qualities lasted for only a few days.

The next major breakthrough was achieved when stabilization was achieved by Australian-born pathologist Howard Florey and the German-born Ernst Chain, a chemist, working at Oxford University in 1940

Over the years new antibiotics have been discovered such as streptomycin (effective against tuberculosis) ,chloramphenicol (effective against typhoid fever) and terramycin (effective against many diseases.)

An antibiotic is a germ-killing substance derived from a living source, often a mould. The penicillin takes the form of a living mould, producing an antibiotic, which could have a place in treatment. It is effective against a wide range of serious diseases and at the same time it has virtually harmless to normal tissues.

The invention of antibiotic has proved to be the "miracle drug" for which the medical world of that time was hoping for. It has helped prevent against various diseases that without it, people could have died from the disease. It has also saved many lives especially during the World Wars for treatment on soldiers. Without this great invention, many more would have died.

Soft Drinks Effects to Your Health

2009-12-07T08:32:00.000-08:00

One of the worst beverages that affected your health is softdrink. It contains no vitamins but carbonation, caffeine, simple sugars ( or worse sugar substitutes) and food additives such as artificial coloring and flavoring.

Many health problems like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, tooth decay, and nutritional depletion, caused by consuming high quantity soft drink (read :Liquid Candy: How Soft Drinks are Harming Americans’ Health)

Most soft drinks contain a high amount of simple sugars. excess sugar will be stored as fat in your body, which results in weight gain and elevates risk for heart disease and cancer.

Diet soda is filled with artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, or saccharin that make your health worse. Saccharin, for instance, has been found to be carcinogenic. Aspartame is a chemical that stimulates the brain to think the food is sweet. It causes more cravings for sweets and leads to carbohydrate loading. University of Texas found that Aspartame has been linked to obesity. Beverages with bubbles contain phosphoric acid, which can severely deplete the blood calcium levels. For long time it will increases your risk of osteoporosis.

If you care with your health try to reduce (or stop) drinking soft drink. Try consume more healthy beverage.

Fresh water

Water is a vital beverage for good health. Each and every cell needs water to perform its essential functions. If you need to enhance the flavor of your water, drop it with honey or mint leaves.

Tea

All tea (Black, green, white, and oolong teas) contain antioxidant polyphenols. Tea ranks as high or higher than many fruits and vegetables on the ORAC scale(antioxidant potential score). If you need more sweet taste you can adding cinnamon or a little honey.

Fruit Juice

Buy a jar of organic 100% juice, especially cranberry, acai, pomegranate, and then dilute three parts water to one part juice to cut back on the sugar content.

How Much Water Your Body Need?

2009-12-07T08:29:00.000-08:00

Many health article give suggestion to drink eight glasses of water a day to keep your body trim and healthy. Unlike other vital nutrients, water doesn’t have specific daily requirements. Just like everyone has different caloric needs, a person’s water intake is affected by age, weight, activity level, and environment. If you are sick, live in a hot or high-altitude environment, have extended sweat sessions at the gym, or are pregnant or breast-feeding, you may have to adjust your fluid intake accordingly. You may not have to drink as much as you think.

Institute of Medicine gives estimation: Women should drink approximately 2.7 liters (about 11 cups) and men approximately 3.7 liters (more than 15 cups) of total water a day.

The key word in this sentence is total. Liquids can include water, juice, milk, plus all of the juicy fruits and veggies you eat each day. Fruits such as strawberries, cantaloupe, and grapefruit, and vegetables such as broccoli, cucumber, and spinach are more than 90% water. Eighty percent of our water intake comes from beverages, but the other 20% comes from food.

To get enough fluids for your body, drink plenty of water and other low-calorie, nutritious beverages, eat fresh fruits and veggies, and rehydrate soon when you are thirsty.

Get Winning Health Insurance Leads

2009-12-07T08:21:00.001-08:00

An ideal situation for an insurance agent would be when he has a constant supply of winning health insurance leads at his disposal. Is it possible to have such a situation in real life? It is certainly possible provided the agent is ready to put in some effort to find good sources to get his leads. As far as health insurance is concerned there is a big advantage for agents – group insurance plans help them to achieve greater profits. Even if they get one winning group insurance lead they can land a bulky deal.

There are many ways in which an agent can get hold of high quality insurance leads. Referral leads can be said to the best among them. In this method, an insurance agent’s existing customer who is happy with the service he gets talks about the agent to his friends and neighbours. The good word about the agent spreads and he soon has people looking to do business with him rather than the other way round. So every agent would do well to invest time in keeping his customers happy by serving them well – giving them cost effective deals, getting them all possible discounts and helping them get their insurance quickly when they do make claims.

Another way to generate health insurance leads is by calling on small firms either over phone or directly to explain about the various group insurance plans that could benefit the entire employee set. Even if the employees have individual insurance the low cost advantages of group insurance can be explained to win deals. Usually small business firms do not offer insurance to their employees and so they can be leads that can be easily worked.

The most happening method is buying of health insurance leads. This has become especially true in the booming online scenario where people typically jump in to search for insurance plans to suit their needs. There are a number of lead delivery services that can provide agents with insurance leads on a regular basis. Agents can opt for companies that give them exclusive leads which means one lead is given only to a single agent. There are also shared leads that typically cost lesser in which one lead is given to multiple agents. For shared leads to be effective the maximum number of agents who get a given lead should not exceed 7 or 8.

Agents should also make sure that they get a consistent volume of insurance leads periodically. Of course there is no point in the volumes alone being high; in fact smaller volumes with higher quality are any day better. Getting the insurance leads on time is another crucial aspect – the older a lead becomes the colder it turns that is the probability of working the lead into a winning deal is reduced to a large extent. When an agent keeps his eyes open to the above criteria he can easily see the pros and cons of a service. He can then choose a service that gives him the best health insurance leads day after day.

Cheap Health Insurance – How to Control the Cost of Your Insurance and Cut it Fast

2009-12-07T08:20:00.001-08:00

Because health care prices are increasingly expensive, people do not have the money to pay for extra medical expenses such as health insurance plans. This is especially true for people with serious conditions which need occasional checkups and trips to the doctor.

The monthly charges for these insurances also increase in a continuous manner. Because of this, it is important to look for other ways to minimize health costs.

Nowadays, there are so many health companies that provide appealing payment schemes for insurance plans. An interested customer only needs to spend a little time searching for the best deal through the internet.

Various information and online quotes can be provided by a health insurance companies websites. Once you have gathered these online quotes, you can then start comparing the differences of these companies and find the right one which will fit your budget as well as suit your medical needs. Asking advice from your family and friends is also recommended.

Choose a health insurance company that has a higher deductible, because this will produce a lower premium. In general, healthcare providers cover basic care like prescription drugs and professional fees without consulting the plan holder to shell out for the amount deductible.

However, this option is only recommended if you are normally healthy. Otherwise, choosing a higher deductible is not advisable especially if you possess a family medical history or a chronic disease.

The best way to minimize your medical insurance expenses is to choose a healthy lifestyle. Not only does it reduce your healthcare costs, it makes you live a longer life with fewer trips to the doctor. Another benefit is that better bonuses and lower premiums are offered by health insurance providers to healthy people.

Chloroform

2009-10-22T10:54:00.000-07:00

Chloroform (also known as trichloromethane and methyl trichloride) is a chemical compound with formula CHCl3. It does not support combustion in air, although it will burn when mixed with more flammable substances. It is a member of a subset of environmental pollutants known as trihalomethanes, a by-product of chlorination of drinking water and a long-standing health concern.

Surgery History

2009-10-21T10:06:00.000-07:00

Surgery (from the Greek cheirourgia - lit. "hand work") is the medical specialty that treats diseases or injuries by operative manual and instrumental treatment. Surgeons are medical practitioners who specialize in surgery.

History of surgery

The earliest known surgical procedure is trepanation, also known as trephinning or trepanning, in which a hole is drilled or scraped into the skull, leaving the membrane around the brain intact. A trepanned cranium found near Kiev, Ukraine, is the oldest yet found, dating back to 7300-6220 BC. Trepanation attempts to address health problems that relate to abnormal intracranial pressure, and has been found in cultures around the world. Modern surgery has been largely abandoning this practice, however.

Researchers have also uncovered an Ancient Egyptian mandible, dated to approximately 2750 BC, having two perforations just below the root of the first molar, indicating the draining of an abscessed tooth. Recent excavations of the construction workers of the Egyptian pyramids also led to the discovery of evidence of brain surgery on a labourer, who continued living for two years afterwards.

The Edwin Smith papyrus is the oldest known surgical text, dating back to the 1600s BC, although it contains information dating back to 3000 BC. It is an ancient Egyptian textbook on surgery, and describes in exquisite detail the examination, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of numerous ailments.

Susrutha (about 400 B.C) - also spelt Susruta or Sushrutha - is an important figure in the history of surgery. He lived, taught and practiced his art of surgery on the banks of the Ganges in the area that corresponds to the prensent day city of Benares in North-West India. Because of his seminal and numerous contributions to the science and art of surgery he is also known by the title "Father of Surgery". Much of what is known about this inventive surgeon is contained in a series of volumes he authored, which are collectively known as the Susrutha Samhita.

Although surgeons are now considered to be specialised physicians, the profession of surgeon and that of physician have different historical roots. For example, the Hippocratic Oath warns physicians against the practice of surgery, specifiy that cutting persons laboring under the stone, i.e. lithotomy, an operation to relieve kidney stones, which was to be left to such persons as practice .

By the thirteenth century, many European towns were demanding that physicians have several years of study or training before they could practice. Surgery had a lower status than pure medicine, beginning as a craft tradition until Rogerius Salernitanus composed his Chirurgia, which laid the foundation for the species of the occidental surgical manuals, influencing them up to modern times.

Among the first modern surgeons were battlefield doctors in the Napoleonic Wars who were primarily concerned with amputation. Naval surgeons were often barber-surgeons, who combined surgery with their main jobs as barbers.

In London, an operating theatre or operating room from the day before modern anaesthesia or antiseptic surgery still exists, and is open to the public. It is found in the roof space of St Thomas Church, Southwark, London and is called the Old Operating Theatre.

Before advent of anaesthesia, surgery was a traumatically painful procedure and surgeons were encouraged to be as swift as possible to minimize patient suffering. This also meant that operations were largely restricted to amputations and external growth removals. In addition, the need for strict hygiene during procedures was little understood, which often resulted in life threatening post-op infections in patients.

Beginning in the 1840s, surgery began to change dramatically in character with the discovery of effective and practical anaesthestic chemicals such as ether and chloroform. In addition in relieving patient suffering, anathesia allowed more intricate operations in the internal regions of the human body. In addition, the discovery of muscle relaxants such as curare allowed for safer applications.

However, the move to longer operations increased the danger of dangerous complications since the prolonged exposure of surgical wounds to the open air heightened the chance of infections. It was only in the late 19th century with the rise of microbiology with scientists like Louis Pasteur and innovative doctors who applied their findings like Joseph Lister did the idea of strict cleanliness and sterile settings during arise.

Four Things You Didn’t Know About Natural Medicine

2009-10-21T08:17:00.000-07:00

If natural medicine still sounds too alternative for you, here are four things that may help mainstream the concept for you.

It’s not so “out there”

In addition to the 38 percent of all adults in the United States who have tried natural medicine, nearly 12 percent of children have used complementary and alternative (CAM) therapies. Veterinarians use it on pets, too. “It’s not just the fringe anymore,” says Donald B. Levy, MD, medical director of the Osher Clinical Center for Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

“It’s more widespread.” In fact, CAM is considered standard treatment in many European countries (including Germany, which regulates herbs, and France, where hospitals widely use acupuncture), so sometimes alternative treatments new to the States have already been researched and used for years abroad.

It’s a spa thing

Our strong desire to “heal” ourselves with natural medicine has made alternative therapies hot items at spas and resorts. Some treatments may sound like a wacky mix of the scientific and the spiritual—Crystal Bowl Sound Healing (at Rancho La Puerta Fitness Resort and Spa in Baja California) claims to activate alpha waves in the brain; Spirit Flight treatment (at Miraval in Tucson, Arizona) is touted as a blend of energy medicine, full-body massage, acupuncture, craniosacral therapy, and spinal alignment, along with indigenous ceremonial rituals.

But treatments like these are very popular, and an arm of the National Institutes of Health called the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is researching their validity. In fact, you may be able to take part in a clinical trial for an alt med therapy being studied at a university near you. For information, visit the NCCAM’s Web site.

How Heart Surgery May Extend Your Life

2009-10-20T10:54:00.000-07:00

In 2005 doctors performed about 280,000 bypass surgeries to route new vessels around blocked arteries and 800,000 angioplasties to open blocked arteries. Another 100,000 Americans had heart valves surgically repaired or replaced.

If your doctor says you need an intervention to fix or protect your heart, you'll have some pressing questions.

• What type of procedure is the best choice for you?

• What are the risks?

• What kinds of improvements can you expect?

Can surgery extend your life?

While heart surgery can't cure heart disease, it should relieve chest pain and help you live longer.

Patients with serious coronary artery disease who undergo bypass surgery are nearly 50% more likely to be alive in five years than patients who receive drug treatment alone.

Angioplasties can also relieve chest pain, but the results are not as lasting. More than 40% of the patients who receive angioplasty need bypass surgery within a decade.

Long-term survival following the two procedures is just about the same, according to a recent overview of both by researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine. Results for almost 10,000 patients from 23 clinical trials in the United States and Europe showed 98.2% survival for bypass surgery and 98.9% for angioplasty.

Survive a Bad Air Day

2009-10-20T10:48:00.000-07:00

If you’ve ever seen a brown haze of pollution hanging over your city, most likely your response was, “Ugh. How can I avoid breathing that stuff?” But let’s face it, even if you know it’s a bad air day, you probably need to grab some sunshine, get in an outdoor run, or get to work.

Polluted air contains particulate matter, lead, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide—all of which can cause problems in people with allergies or asthma. Even if pollution is low, airborne pollen and mold can make a trip outdoors particularly daunting for people with respiratory conditions.

How to tell if it’s a bad air day

The first step toward protecting your lungs is to know your city or town. More than 115 million people nationwide still live in counties with pollution levels considered potentially harmful to their health.

Air quality varies widely around the United States. Ozone, for instance—which can pose a major problem for asthmatics—tends to be more prevalent in urban areas, though it can be found in suburban and rural areas as well. If you live in Fargo, N.D.—one of the cities with the cleanest air in the nation—you are likely to breathe easier than if you live in Los Angeles, which has the highest ozone levels in the country.

Local weather stations often provide this information on their websites, and radio stations typically give ozone alerts. In addition, many websites can tell you if pollutants, ozone, or pollen counts are high in your area on any given day.

* AirNow.gov, a site run by federal government agencies, provides a daily Air Quality Index as well as other useful information on air quality.

* The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology’s National Allergy Bureau has a daily mold and pollen report.

* The American Lung Association rates the air quality annually by state at stateoftheair.org.

* The Environmental Protection Agency has a feature on its website called “My Environment”, which gives you an up-to-date air-quality forecast for your zip code.

* Pollen.com offers a four-day allergy forecast using data from the National Weather Service.

However, it’s not just pollen or air pollution that can trigger problems. Michael Benninger, MD, the chairman of the Head and Neck Institute at the Cleveland Clinic, in Ohio, says changes in barometric pressure and temperature can also spell trouble for people with allergies to pollen and mold, people with severe sinus symptoms, and even people without allergies.