Top 5 Heart Disease & Cancer Causing MeatsIf you are a meat lover then you must be well acquainted with several mouth watering dishes! But have you taken care to find out whether a type of meat is associated with any harmful effect?It remains as a fact that you cannot think of a party or a social get-together without non-vegetarian items! However, you should be able to make healthy...
- How Salt Can Affect Blood Flow To Arteries
It takes a mere 30 minutes for a single salty meal to constrict the blood flow in your arteries.Scientists tested how quickly salt had a damaging effect on the body by recruiting healthy adults and feeding them each a high-salt meal, containing four grams, and later a low-salt meal, made with just 0.3 grams.Before and after each meal, they..
- Strengthen Your Legs For Better Heart Health
Our legs provide us with mobility and deliver extra strength for lifting heavy items. They also support many of the fitness exercises we do to enhance our strength and boost our cardiovascular systems.Yet many people - even those who hit the gym regularly - neglect to exercise them in a thorough.``All of our movement is generated from our...
- New rogue genes discovered behind heart disease
The new discovery of rogue genes mean heart disease could be eradicated within 50 years, say researchersHeart disease is linked to just a few rogue genes as well as lifestyle choices, landmark research into Britain’s biggest killer has found.The 18 genes that raise the risk of cardiac problems, from heart attacks to hardening of the arteries,...
- Disease? May be it's in your genes
HYDERABAD: In the last one year, Dr Mohana Vamsi, chief surgical oncologist of Omega Hospitals, has performed what may appear as unusual procedures. He carried out `bilateral mastectomy' (removal of both breasts) on three women who were not suffering from breast cancer, well not yet. They were in the `high risk' category and the decision to carry out the preemptive procedure was based on the results of their genetic tests carried...
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- Kumquats Fruit Delivers Many Health Benefits
Kumquats fruit effective in preventing most disease and conditionsKumquats is a small, orange citrus fruits from China in which both skin and flesh are edible. An average Kumquat tree can produce up to fifty fruits per one year. Usually people like to enjoy Kumquats in a raw form. They have a sweet, delicate flavour. They are only occasionally...
- When does osteoporosis usually happen in women?
For most women, it is somewhere between the ages of 25 and 30. It may also peak even sooner for some women which depend on what their risk factors for osteoporosis are.The tide turns when the total amount of bone peaks and at some point, it is usually around the age of 35 where women start to lose bone.While some bone is lost each year, the...
- Most Effective Supplements To Prevent Anxiety
Anxiety disorder is described by excessive, overinflated anxiety and worry about everyday life events with no obvious reasons for worry. People with symptoms of anxiety disorder tend to always expect disaster and can't stop worrying about health, money, family, work, or school. In people with AD, the worry often is unrealistic or out of proportion...
- Health Benefits of Working in Night Shifts
Women on night-shift could escape skin cancer, it looks like. For disturbed circadian rhythm can reduce production of melatonin, and it helps in warding off skin cancer.Shift work has been thought to have important health impacts, with evidence linking shift work to an increased risk of several cancers including breast, endometrial, prostate,...
- Ibuprofen May Reduce the Risk of Parkinson's Disease
Ibuprofen is a popular painkiller, which works wonders to reduce inflammation in chronic conditions like arthritis and more discrete hurts brought about by surgery. Now researchers are hoping to add another condition to that list — Parkinson's disease.Based on a study of more than 136,000 healthy men and women, scientists report Wednesday in the journal Neurology that those taking ibuprofen regularly over six years lowered their...
- Anise Effective Herb To Boost Health
Anise Plant Most Effective Herbal Plant To Boost HealthThe Anise or Aniseed plant is native to Egypt, Crete and Western Asia but is widely cultivated, e.g. in Central Europe and North Africa. The spice, derived from the seeds has been used for thousands of years and has a distinctive flavour resembling liquorice. Both seeds and fruit are...
- Great Tips To Take Care of Your Face (Facial health)
First of all it is very important to practice good personal hygiene and proper grooming. The face must be free of pimples or warts or any skin problems.Here are some tips to have great facial features:* First thing you have to do is eat a healthy diet rich in vitamins and minerals.* Have a good and regular exercise. Good exercise means good...
- A salty meal 'reduces blood flow in arteries in 30 mins'
It may sound alarming, but a new study has claimed that eating a single salty meal could reduce blood flow in your main arteries in just 30 minutes.And, blood flow becomes temporarily more restricted for between 30 minutes and an hour after the salty food has been consumed, say researchers. The researchers tested how quickly salt had a damaging effect on the body by recruiting 16 healthy adults and feeding them each a high-salt...
- Beware Of These Cancer Signs!
The worst and deadly disease after heart attack is cancer. This life threatening disease has become wide spread and most common in all ages of life. Apart from the common types of cancer like that of Breast Cancer and Prostrate cancer, the other types which are raging is the throat cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, thyroid cancer, stomach...
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Some Useful Health Tips
Today's Health News Headlines
Today's Health News HeadlinesBelly Laughs And Good Nursing Best Medicine For Leg Ulcers
Good quality nursing care and having a good belly laugh now and again is the best medicine for patients with venous leg ulcers, according to a BMJ report of a five-year study that examined the effectiveness of adding...
Food Safety: Packaging From Recycled Cardboard May Transfer Unsafe Levels Of Mineral Oil
Concerns that foods packed in material made of recycled cardboard may contain mineral oil above agreed limits are causing some food companies to change their packaging material, and in one UK company's case, to stop using...
[read article]
Being Called At Home About Work Bothers Women More Than Men
Women are more psychologically distressed when receiving emails or phone calls about work while they are at home than men are, researchers from the University of Toronto wrote in Journal of Health and Social Behavior...
Health in Your Hands (Salud en tus Manos)
Health in Your Hands (Salud en tus Manos)
Morbidity and mortality associated with inadequate and nonexistent hand hygiene has an expansive impact worldwide. This project focuses on the problem of marginal or non-existent use of hand- hygiene in rural communities due to inadequate sanitation infrastructure, deficient hygiene knowledge, and the inconvenience of washing hands with local soaps that are designed for dishes and clothes. The Health in your Hands Program (Salud en tus Manos) is designed to decrease the complexity of hand hygiene for rural inhabitants living in developing countries, with corresponding reductions in sanitation related diseases. This will be achieved through the introduction of a simple, attractively branded, accessible, and context-appropriate hand-sanitizer technology program with a comprehensive education and support system that will ensure it's effective implementation and long term success.
The program will partner with three key organizations in Mexico to reduce diseases associated with hand hygiene, providing a comprehensive solution for mothers and their young children and children attending rural schools. It includes the provision of hand sanitizer, coupled with context specific delivery methods and educational support to:
Field Location: Baja California Sur and Yucatan, Mexico
Saturday, February 19, 2011
What is Healthy Diet
Healthy and nutritious foods are considered as the general medicines of human beings. If people can rely on nutritious healthy food always, then they need not fear about any unhealthy conditions in their life. Unhealthy food deposits impurities in our blood whereas nutritious and healthy food clears blood to a greater extend. An individual’s health foundation starts from his embryonic stage. That is why women are advised to take high grade nutritious food during their pregnancy stages. In addition to healthy food pregnant women should take milk and fruits daily. Milk and fruits are capable to provide essential vitamins and minerals to pregnant women. As far as these pregnant women are concerned folic acid is very important. Folic acid is one among the important vitamins and is an inevitable factor for the development of embryonic nervous system. Since brain is the first part which usually develops in a fetus the presence of folic acid in the blood of pregnant lady ensures well developed brain and nervous system to the respective embryo. Hence, the presence of folic acid in the diet of pregnant women can avoid the birth of mentally retarded children to a greater extend.
Human body needs healthy food for the proper functioning of hormonal and metabolic activities taking place. The scarcity of essential boosters to the above mentioned body functions, makes hormone deficiencies and poor metabolic growth in the body. On account of hormone deficiency and poor metabolism men usually suffer hair falling and infertility. People suffering from hair falling are advised to take egg, milk and fruits to makeup the hormone deficiency. Similarly dry fruits like Dates and Badam are advised for people suffering from infertility in addition to milk and egg. Hence to make people free from various health problems they are advised to take milk and egg in addition regular nutritious food.
Exercises For Health
Year’s ago people had to work hard for finding their living means. During that time majority of people’s job was cultivation. The people who had performed office jobs and other governmental jobs were negligible. More over there were no vehicle facilities at that time as if we are experiencing nowadays. Hence people had to walk long distances for reaching their destination. The only vehicle which was common during that period was bicycles. Since walking and bicycle riding were very good body exercises there were no needs of extra exercises for those people who rely on bicycles and walking. Thus even office going people were in good health condition because of their to and fro walking and bicycle riding. But nowadays there are facilities of two wheelers, three wheelers and four wheelers in addition to regular bus services. Hence people have no need to walk even to cover short distances. Thus these advantages minimized the body exertion of people on a large scale. That is how the need of separate physical exercises aroused among people for maintaining good health condition.
Regarding various health exercises nothing is better than simple walking. On e hour walking in the morning and evening is sufficient to ensure proper health condition to people who have no physical exertion during day hours. If open place can be chosen for walking people can breathe fresh air during morning. Morning hours ensure unpolluted air in all respects. Other fitness activities similar to walking are swimming, bicycling and running at minimum speed. All these activities are capable to provide all body movement and hence they are good exercises also. Other body fitness activities are exercises, weight lifting and body building. Since all these activities are to be performed indoors the advantages of fresh cannot be enjoyed for those who prefer body building and weight lifting. But all these activities are very good for keeping good health in all respects.
Seasonal Diet For Better Health
Controlling weight and caring body health should be continuous process in all aspects. Hence body caring must be in full swing in all seasons of the year irrespective of rain winter or summer. If only this can be carried out carefully, better health can be maintained. In order to achieve this successfully people must rely on seasonal healthy foods in addition to regular exercises and walking. These techniques will enable people to gain health skin as well as healthy body. Fruits and vegetables are the various food items available with respect to various seasons. If we can consume these fruits and vegetables with respect to their availability then we will be in sound health through out. Since fruits and vegetables contain minerals and vitamins in abundance, they can be considered as the better alternative for ideal balanced diet. Fruits and vegetables which are available seasonally are capable to keep man in good health all the time. More over, they can be refreshed and rejuvenated all time by taking these foods regularly.
In additional to these seasonal foods if people can take milk and eggs also, nothing extra is needed to maintain better health. Fruits and vegetables are very good supplementary food for eyes, skin, hair, bone, teeth and hemoglobin found in blood. The diet we usually consume are suitable to apply externally also. In this regard certain fruits, vegetables, vegetable juice and fruit juices are recommended to use in our body and face. Fruit juices and vegetables have certain tendencies to reduce our body heat. Hence they are highly recommended for using during summer seasons. No vegetarian foods and dishes are not suitable to develop cool in human body. Hence they are not ideal especially during summer season. In addition to these nutritive foods, people must drink enough water every day. Since water is the main constituent of human body tissues drinking enough water will enable tissues to perform better metabolic activities. Thus seasonal diet and water consumption have key roles to develop better health.
Some Useful Health Tips
Youngsters of these years prefer to be slim in view to look more young and beautiful. This thought is more on young ladies than young men. Loosing weight and looking slim is really wonderful. This is really a dream of those who are bulky in look. This can be achieved by exercising regularly together with diet control. Those who want to be fit in all respects must get up early in the morning. Eight hours sleep is sufficient for a healthy man. Sleeping more is not good to the body. Hence after eight hours comfortable sleep everybody should get up early in the morning. Morning is the best time for doing daily exercises. During morning hours the environment will be slightly cool even during summer. Hence doing exercises in the morning will not make people to get tired so easily. People can breathe fresh air during morning hours. The process polluting atmospheric air will not have started in the morning. Hence the ideal time for doing exercises is morning.
Apart from exercising, people can choose either walking or swimming. Both for walking and swimming morning are highly desirable. Walking is beneficial in numerous ways comparing to exercising. Walking can be performed by all irrespective age and health conditions where as health should be considered preliminarily while doing exercises. There may be some side effects in the process of doing exercises. For a fresher there may be pain or uneasiness in the body on successive days. The fresher has to experience these difficulties until their body respond to the exercising process. But in walking no such difficulties can be found. For a fresher in walking, minimum distance is sufficient for the first day. Then the distances can be gradually increased in the next coming days. In this way individuals can walk considerable distances daily. If both walking and exercising are continued the people can maintain good health through out in their life.
Health And Fitness
Health And Fitness
The importance ‘Health Fitness’ is too great. In olden times men had to work hard physically to gain their food and other living means. This had provided them enough physical exercises unknowingly. Thus, during that period the health condition of all people were in good condition. This is the reason as to why the men who lived in olden days had no illness or physical uneasiness. But nowadays the life of men is very easy on account of the development of science and related technologies. If they have money they need not even travel for collecting their food. The currently prevailing conveniences enable men to gain everything by just making a phone call. This lazy life kept men away from the physical exercises required for their health fitness. In addition to this people prefer to eat spicy fast food items which are considered as the examples of malnutrition. From the above mentioned facts we can understand the importance of health fitness as far as men’s wellbeing is concerned.
It is high time to think about the measures by which men can maintain their health in good condition. On account of these unrestricted life all people who are above forty are suffering from various health problems. Hyper Tension and high glucose content in blood are the main illness conquering men because of their unhealthy life. If they concentrate on daily exercises they can make their health in good condition. They need not spend majority of their time for performing these exercises. They can utilize one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening for health fitness activities. In between these two hours they can concentrate on their normal works or business. All people have been becoming fully aware abut the importance of health fitness nowadays. Hence we can expect a generation of healthy people in the near future.
health At Home
At Home
Over the past 20 years, childhood obesity rates have doubled and are now at epidemic rates. Overweight children and teens are more likely to develop serious health problems such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. If current trends continue, today’s kids could be the first generation to live shorter lives than their parents.
Parents and guardians are key decision-makers when it comes to the nutrition, physical activity and health needs of their child. Each day, you can take advantage of the healthy choices around you and do little things that can affect your child’s health in a big way.
It’s important for kids to get 1 hour or more of physical activity each day! Indoors or out, kids can find all sorts of ways to stay active and start a healthy routine. You don’t need fancy equipment or a health club, just some regular household items and a little imagination. Combine a few of these tips, including tips to get them active indoors, and they’ll quickly add up to a fun and healthy 60-minute routine. Read More.
Parents and guardians are key decision-makers when it comes to the nutrition, physical activity and health needs of their child. Each day, you can take advantage of the healthy choices around you and do little things that can affect your child’s health in a big way.
Simple Indoor Fitness Tips for Your Kids
It’s important for kids to get 1 hour or more of physical activity each day! Indoors or out, kids can find all sorts of ways to stay active and start a healthy routine. You don’t need fancy equipment or a health club, just some regular household items and a little imagination. Combine a few of these tips, including tips to get them active indoors, and they’ll quickly add up to a fun and healthy 60-minute routine. Read More. Over the past 20 years, childhood obesity rates have doubled and are now at epidemic rates. Overweight children and teens are more likely to develop serious health problems such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. If current trends continue, today’s kids could be the first generation to live shorter lives than their parents.
Parents and guardians are key decision-makers when it comes to the nutrition, physical activity and health needs of their child. Each day, you can take advantage of the healthy choices around you and do little things that can affect your child’s health in a big way.
It’s important for kids to get 1 hour or more of physical activity each day! Indoors or out, kids can find all sorts of ways to stay active and start a healthy routine. You don’t need fancy equipment or a health club, just some regular household items and a little imagination. Combine a few of these tips, including tips to get them active indoors, and they’ll quickly add up to a fun and healthy 60-minute routine.
Parents and guardians are key decision-makers when it comes to the nutrition, physical activity and health needs of their child. Each day, you can take advantage of the healthy choices around you and do little things that can affect your child’s health in a big way.
Simple Indoor Fitness Tips for Your Kids
It’s important for kids to get 1 hour or more of physical activity each day! Indoors or out, kids can find all sorts of ways to stay active and start a healthy routine. You don’t need fancy equipment or a health club, just some regular household items and a little imagination. Combine a few of these tips, including tips to get them active indoors, and they’ll quickly add up to a fun and healthy 60-minute routine. Healthy Foods
Cumin
07 7th, 2009Scientific Name: Cuminum cyminum
Biological Background: A seasoning that is the principal ingredient of curry powder, a blend of powdered Indian spices. Cumin is a member of the parsley family and cumin seeds resemble caraway seeds. The aromatic seed has a characteristic strong, slightly bitter taste. Traditionally cumin has been used to flavor cheese, unleavened bread, chili, and tomato sauce.
Nutritional Information: Due to its use as a spice, cumin provides insignificant amount of nutrients.
Healthy Recipes That Taste Good
03 7th, 2009Delicious Cauliflower
6 servings
- 1 head cauliflower
- 1 cup good quality olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 Tbs minced garlic
- 2 Tbs chopped parsley
12 6th, 2008Eating is one the most important events in everyone’s life. We enjoy eating - it’s part of who we are and part of our culture; in fact, eating is the hottest universal topic of all times. We depend on eating: the foods we eat are the sole source of our energy and nutrition. We know so much about eating: we are born with the desire to eat and grown up with rich traditions of eating. But we also know so little about eating - about how the foods we eat everyday affect our health. We are more confused than ever about the link between diet and health: margarine is healthier than butter or not; a little alcohol will keep heart attacks at bay but cause breast cancer; dietary vitamin antioxidants can prevent lung cancer or can not. Eating is a paradox and a mystery that our ancestors tried and modern scientists are trying to solve.
09 8th, 2008Scientific Name: Citrullus Vulgaris
Biological Background: The fruit of an annual vine belonging to the squash and melon family. Watermelon originated in Africa and has been cultivated since ancient times in the Mediterranean region, Egypt and India.
Nutritional Information: One slice of watermelon (480 g) contains 152 calories, 3 g protein, 34.6 g carbohydrates, 2.4 g fiber, 560 mg potassium, 176 mg vitamin A (RE), 47 mg vitamin C, 0.3 mg thiamin, 0.1 mg riboflavin, and 0.96 mg niacin.
06 30th, 20088 Servings
- 2 Tbs olive oil
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 stalks of celery, chopped 2 cups dried lentils
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 8 cups of water
- 1 small can tomato paste
- 4 cups shredded spinach
- Salt and white pepper to taste
- 3 Tbs lemon juic
Brain power is characterized by how alert, energetic, and concentrated your brain is in response to a task. Information in your brain passes through neurotransmitters, which are manufactured by the nerve cells using precursors. Different neurotransmitters will have different impacts on your brain activity. For example, serotonin is the calming neurotransmitter that usually makes you more relaxed, drowsy, and fuzzy-headed. While dopamine and norepinephrine are neurotransmitters that make you more alert, more attentive, motivated and mentally energetic.Pineapple
04 1st, 2008Scientific Name: Ananas cosmosus
Biological Background: A tropical plant with stiff, spiny leaves that yields a single large fruit. Pineapple originated in Brazil.
Nutritional Information: One cup (155 g) of raw pineapple contains 76 calories, 0.6 g protein, 19.2 g carbohydrates, 2.95 g fiber, 175 g potassium, 124 mg vitamin C, 0.14 mg thiamin, 0.06 mg riboflavin, 0.65 mg niacin.
02 21st, 2008Coronary heart disease is the most common of all heart diseases. It is characterized by blockage in the coronary arteries that result in reduction of blood flows to the heart muscle, depriving it of vital oxygen. The clogging of coronary artery, known as arteriosclerosis, begins with fatty streaks in and under the layer of cells, that line artery walls. Gradually, the streaks are transformed into plaques-fatty scar tissue that bulges into the artery opening, partly choking off blood flow.
01 15th, 20084 Servings
- 4 tomatoes, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bunch scallions, chopped
- 2 Tbs chopped parsley
- 1/2 tsp each salt and black pepper
12 13th, 2007Free radicals are oxygen-containing chemicals that have an impaired electron. The impaired electron makes free radicals highly reactive to DNA, proteins, membranes, and other cell machineries, resulting in oxidative damages including DNA mutations, protein dysfunction, and destruction of membrane and other cell structures. These oxidative damages promote aging and increase the risk of age-related diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, immune system declines, brain dysfunction, and cataracts. Known free radicals that are involved in the aging process are superoxide, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), hydroxyl radical (OH), singlet oxygen, lipid epoxides, lipid hydroperoxides, lipid alkoyl, peroxyl radicals, and oxides. They are either produced during our normal metabolisms or introduced into our bodies from outside sources.
A Low Fat Quick and Healthy Weight Loss Diet
A Low Fat Quick and Healthy Weight Loss Diet
As seen on 20/20
Start now! Be the best you can be!!
Start now! Be the best you can be!!
 | Lose Weight & Improve Your Health Now Low Fat Quick and Healthy Weight Loss Diet TM by Diet 4U Online, helps you to lose weight while bringing your cholesterol, triglycerides and body fat down to a healthy level. It's a simple plan that is easy to follow, and actually reduces the hunger pangs and cravings that initially contributed to your weight gain by restricting fats and filling you up with satisfying protein and carbohydrates.. |
You will be surprised at the way pounds and inches disappear as you follow this low fat diet, which was developed using the latest findings from Dr Katz, Pritikin, Ornish, Adelle Davis and the The American Heart Association
| Who benefits from a Low Fat Diet? This diet is for anyone who wants to reach their ideal weight. It is also excellent for clients with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease. |
| How does this diet work? Over a period of several weeks, the Diet 4U Online Low Fat Quick and Healthy Weight Loss Diet eliminates most fats from your diet, and replaces them with fiber-rich whole fruits, vegetables, lean meat, brown rice, and products made from whole wheat flour. Our goal is to reduce the harmful saturated fats in your diet and replace them with beneficial carbohydrates, protein and polyunsaturated oils. |
| What will I receive? You will receive four weeks of low fat meal plans, one week at a time in your email. Each week will come with a shopping list and all delicious, easy to prepare recipes are included. Week one and week four may be repeated if you wish. You will also receive your own, private nutritional counselor's email address to answer any questions you might have in the six week period. |
| Where can I get personal dietary counseling? You will receive your own, private nutritional counselor's email address to answer any questions you might have. The Diet 4U Online's nutritional counselors provide daily (if needed) guidance to help you understand the way the program works and to help you monitor your progress. With their help, you will learn to adjust your food intake according to your body's need for carbohydrates and the way that it reacts to them. |
| Do I have to buy special foods to be successful on this diet? Not at all. Even in the strictest sense, this diet includes lean meat, poultry, seafood, low fat cheese, eggs, egg substitutes and a wide variety of vegetables. Whole fruits, cereal and skim milk, wheat, multi-grain and pita bread, as well as whole wheat pasta, brown rice, peas, beans and lentils are part of your normal food intake. |
| How much weight will I lose? Men lose an average of 6-8 pounds after the first two weeks on this diet. Women lose an average of 4-6 pounds. In subsequent weeks, dieters lose an average of 1-2 pounds each week. |
| How long do I stay on Diet 4U Online's Fat Quick and Healthy Weight Loss Diet ? You can remain on the Low Fat Quick and Healthy Weight Loss Diet TM plan for four to six weeks. After that you may choose one of Diet 4U Online's low fat individualized meal plans if you wish to lose more weight. Our goal is that you will enjoy the way you look and feel so much that you will permanently incorporate the guidelines of our meal plans into your lifestyle. |
| How much will this six week program cost? Six weeks of meal plans, shopping lists, recipes, and individualized counseling is only $29.95. This is less than $5 a week. You can kick-start your new, lean and healthy body for less than a cup of coffee per day. And unlike other programs, we will NEVER charge you again! |
So!! Start your program NOW!
We are now offering PayPal Payments on our website. You do not have to have a PayPal account. You may use your credit card or bank account (where available).
Helping Indonesian mothers keep their babies healthy
Just here in Indonesia, malnutrition caused by improper use of baby formula is responsible for more than 30,000 deaths each year. This heartbreaking number could go way down if more mothers turned to breastfeeding, which is free and creates a lifelong bond between mother and child.
But unfortunately, as it stands, the practice of exclusive breastfeeding is going down in this region — and more aggressive advertising and promotion of baby formula is one major reason why. One health survey here in Indonesia says that consumption of baby formula has increased from 15 percent in 2003-2004 to 30 percent in 2007. During the same time period, the number of babies who were exclusively breastfed dropped from 40 percent to 30 percent. And the child mortality rate here in Indonesia has reached a crisis point: three percent of babies won't live to reach their first birthday.
This high number can be reduced by teaching more mothers how to breastfeed, reducing the social stigma that many feel and creating groups of breastfeeding mothers that will be able to help others withstand the influence and pressure of baby formula advertisements.
Four years ago, to promote the benefits of breastfeeding to Indonesian women. We've trained hundreds of local health officials and midwives on the importance of the practice, and brought thousands of women together to encourage and support each other.
Here's what we've been able to do so far through the Healthy Start program in particularly poor neighborhoods of North Jakarta:
- The percentage of babies 0-5 months who exclusively breastfeed within the last 24 hours increased from 29% to 36%
- The percentage of children between 0-23 months who received food/fluids other than breastmilk within three days after birth decreased from 62% to 35%
- 67 of 108 registered public and private health facilities have made progress toward baby-friendly health facilitiesAlthough we have seen success in turning the tide from excessive use of baby formula back to breastfeeding, we have a long way to go. It all starts with teaching mothers how to breastfeed, giving them ongoing support and creating mother and child groups that will keep the encouragement going
Let's hope it won't take another earthquake to continue this work"
It’s the beginning of summer here in southern Chile. The weather is spectacular and everyone has something to be happy about. Schoolchildren look forward to the end of classes and the start of their long vacation. Workers look forward to extra days off at the end of the month, especially when accompanied by the Christmas bonus that almost all employers provide. Families look forward to visits from relatives and friends, good cheer and hopefully a special meal, no matter how humble.At the Educacion Popular en Salud (EPES, Mercy Corps' local partner in Chile) Center in Concepción, we are also in a celebratory mood, albeit “con dulce y grasa” (“sugar and lard,” the Chilean equivalent of bittersweet).On the one hand, we’re bidding farewell to participants in the emotional recovery programs we’ve been coordinating since the devastating February 27 earthquake and tsunami.
Its been a big job: over the past nine months, we’ve trained 100 teachers and community leaders in seven quake-stricken cities to deliver 55 workshops of approximately 10 sessions each, reaching nearly 1,500 youths between the ages of 6 and 14. The workshops adapted Mercy Corps' Comfort for Kids and Hacia Adelante (Moving Forward) methodologies of personal narratives, games and team sports to help children recover.Our goal has been to provide support to the youngest survivors of the natural disaster, help them restore confidence in themselves and their surroundings, and prepare them for the uncertainties of the future. We are delighted that this cycle of recovery is coming to a close because our greatest measure of success is not to be needed anymore.But even as these emergency programs wind down, the vulnerabilities that underlie them still exist — and, in many cases, have deepened.The 8.8 earthquake that rocked central and southern Chile took hundreds of lives and left thousands of people living indefinitely in emergency camps. Beyond the immediate damage, the earthquake revealed schisms of Inequality and poverty in Chilean society beyond the scope of short-term reconstruction efforts.
From emergency to opportunity
In the initial stages of this project, we heard many moving stories of solidarity and survival in the face of natural disaster. But as the months passed, we began to hear new stories, no longer about coping with the emergency but about coping with lives getting back to “normal.”At the closing ceremony for a Comfort for Kids workshop held in a shelter for battered women in Chiguayante, the mother of a participant sought us out to give us hugs and say: “We are so grateful to EPES for reaching out to our children. So often, because of our difficult circumstances, our children are treated as if they don’t matter.”In Población Nueva Candelaria, in a sector of San Pedro de la Paz notorious for drug-trafficking, EPES-trained facilitators from the Fundación Paula Jaraquemada incorporated Comfort for Kids and Hacia Adelante into school programs for children at social risk.Based on their experience at Sgt. Candelaria Perez Primary School, facilitators Ruth López and Paulina Ruiz added more structured sessions and group dynamics This included working with youngsters to develop “ground rules” for the workshop. Among them: “Don’t throw papers,” “Don’t fight,” “Don’t hit the teachers” and “Don’t swear.” The tangible reward for complying with the rules: each child received a new backpack with school supplies, a stuffed animal, toothbrush, toothpaste, a flashlight and his or her own “My Story of the Earthquake/Tsunami” workbook.
The third graders told us that what they liked best was drawing the emotions produced by the earthquake on the faces in the workbook. This makes sense in light of the facilitators’ observation that most have problems reading and writing.
The fifth graders loved the Hacia Adelante sports program — girls, especially, felt vindicated in their right to play soccer, which, they noted, is not only for boys. Thanks to the soccer and volley balls, nets, whistles, markers, T-shirts and other equipment donated to the school by the program, they will now have more chances to form teams and learn to play together.In the primary school in Lirquén, social workers from the Housing Ministry’s “I Love My Neighborhood” urban renewal program helped the gym teacher implement Hacia Adelante. The playing field here is surrounded by pines and has magnificent views of the ocean, so calm today, so treacherous the day it claimed the children’s houses.The children like Tuesdays best because that’s the day they play the games that have taught them, in their own words, “to share more,” “ to work together” and “ to express our emotions better.” Here, too, the girls were grateful for the opportunity to play, because “usually, the boys don’t lend us the ball.”According to facilitator Paulina Trincado, Hacia Adelante has improved the children’s academic performance, added new excitement to the school day and helped break down barriers based on gender.Co-facilitator Ana Luisa Vargas believes the program has tremendous potential to prevent bullying in the schools — a growing problem in this community of high unemployment and social vulnerability. She would like to see it should be implemented nationwide, and not just in response to the earthquake.
Let’s hope it won’t require another earthquake to continue to do this work,” she says. The camps: surviving winter, building skills
Mercy Corps also funded EPES’ work in Penco’s Camp Ebenezer settlement to help residents get through the winter in leak-proof homes with a bit more dignity. The original roofs on the makeshift emergency shelters were so flimsy that people wrote their names on the roof panels in order to retrieve them each time they blew off.
Although the shacks lack running water and indoor plumbing, they are home to 43 families whose long-term possibilities for definitive housing are unclear. EPES purchased building materials for roofs and insulation, working with the community to identify people who needed special help. EPES also refurbished the Camp Ebenezer community room with chairs, tables, bookshelves and a heater.
The first activity in the community hall was a training course in first aid led by EPES. Fifteen participants began the 10-week course, which covers poisoning, injuries, fractures, burns, convulsions, hemorrhages, animal bites and other emergency situations.“I am so thrilled with course,” one woman told us. “All my life, I wanted to do something like this. Who could have imagined that I could finally do this because of an earthquake?”
The women were especially delighted to receive their own copy of the book Where There Is No Doctor. EPES also organized and provisioned a first aid station for the community.
As a health educator with EPES for 17 years, the course reminds me of our early work in shantytowns with women living in another kind of “temporary” settlement — land takeovers. EPES organized local health committees, trained community health promoters and helped ignite the spark that led many women to empower themselves and their communities. .Recently, our work with Mercy Corps caught the attention of the Harvard Public Health Review, which featured EPES as the cover story of its Fall 2010 issue. “When an earthquake struck in Chile,” the article notes, “Karen Anderson and the community health group she founded were the first on the scene — and they’re still there.”That’s our plan. And, like the women of Lirquén, we hope it won’t take another earthquake to support our work.
Spiritual leader doubles as public health educator
The local religious leader continued to speak passionately about the chief health concerns in Mastcho district of Northern Tajikistan, interspersing public health quips with Qur’anic references and poetic proverbs. Within minutes, it became clear that his philosophy of moral responsibility goes far beyond words.
As a locally-respected voice on Islam, tenured history teacher and active community member, Salohideen is the ideal public health educator and community mobilizer. “After the fall of the Soviet Union, I was able to bring together what we always knew as opposing ideologies: secularism and religion,” explains Salohideen. With the support of Mercy Corps field staff, Salohideen was able to fully transform his hybrid beliefs into action when he joined his local Village Development Committee (VDC) in 2009.
Tsunami survivors are ready to live healthy
Health
Our work to build healthy communities, families and individuals is at the heart of Mercy Corps' vision for social change. By partnering with a range of partners, from village health committees to government agencies, we help build the means to improve maternal, newborn and child health, ensure proper nutrition and combat infectious diseases.
In the internally-displaced person (IDP) camps adults and children are suffering from diarrhea, vomiting, fever, cough and itching in some parts of the body. Recently, children have broken out in measles, but there are only a few doctors on the island and the numbers have not been confirmed. Children have been taken to Sikakap at the beginning of last week, but there were no medicine to treat their conditions.
Basal Cell Skin Cancer / Carcinoma
Basal Cell Skin Cancer / Carcinoma
Basal cell skin cancer is commonly found in the:
Basal cell skin cancer or carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer. Here, skin cells in the basal layer of the epidermis - cells which can form hair, sebaceous glands, and sweat glands - become tumorous.
Symptoms of Basal Cell Carcinoma
The symptoms of this cancer include:
In rare cases, basal cell skin cancer can take the appearance of:
- Small bump
- Smooth or waxy in appearance
- Pink or white in color
- May form an ulcer or sore as it grows
- Slowly growing
- Small, red spot with fine border
- A sore on the skin that persists, heals, and then recurs
- Spontaneous scar that is not caused by injury
- Face
- Neck
- Head
Who Gets Basal Cell Skin Cancer?
Affecting about 1 million people, basal cell skin cancer is the most common form of skin cancer. People with light skin are more predisposed to developing this cancer. Indeed, white men have a 33% to 39% and white women have a 23% to 28% chance of developing this form of skin cancer.This form of skin cancer rarely occurs in black people or those with darker skin.
How Can It Be Prevented?
As with any other sun-induced skin damage, basal cell skin cancer can be prevented by:
- Avoiding too much sun exposure and sunburns
- Avoiding suntanning
- Applying lotion with SPF (sun protection factor) 15 or higher
- Wearing protective clothings and hats
Basal Cell Carcinoma Treatments?
The cancerous basal cell carcinoma growth needs to be removed by:
- Curettage and electrodessication
Here, the growth is scraped with a spoon-shaped blade called a curette and then exposed to the heat from electric current.
- Surgical excision with scalpel
- Mohs' Surgery
Here the doctor shaves away the cancer one skin layer at a time. Microscopic examination is made on each shaved layers, until no more cancerous cells are found. By using this technique, the surgeon can try to remove all the cancer cells while conserving as many healthy cells as possible.
Mohs' surgical technique is commonly used on skin cancers in the face, where the smallest possible scar is wanted.Basal cell skin cancer is usually not fatal. When detected early, the cure rate of this skin cancer is an encouraging 95%.
Prostate Cancer
Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is malignant and uncontrolled growth of cells in the prostate, a small gland located between the bladder and the penis.Compared to other types of cancer, prostate cancer is usually slow growing and dependent on testosterone to grow. This cancer usually involves the epithelial cells of the inner lining of the prostate gland, and is therefore classified as an adenocarcinoma.
Prostate Cancer Symptoms
In early stages, there are no noticeable symptoms of prostate cancer. It is estimated that between 60 to 70% of men of 80 years of age or older living with prostate cancer do not show symptoms.
In later stages, prostate cancer symptoms include:
Inability to urinate
Difficulty in starting to urinate (hesitancy in urinating)
Weak urine stream or dribbling
Frequent urination
Waking up in the middle of the night to urinate or due to urges to urinate (also called nocturia)
Pain or burning sensation while urinating (called dysuria)
Blood in the urine (hematuria)
Feeling that the bladder is not empty even after multiple attempts of urination
Pain in the lower back, hip or pelvis, abdomen, and upper thighs.These symptoms are similar to other diseases, such as benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostatitis, and urinary tract infection.In advanced cases of prostate cancer, where the cancer has metastasized or spread to other organs of the body, the following symptoms may be present
- Loss of appetite and weight loss
- Swelling or edema of the legs and feet
- Pain in the bone, especially in the abdomen, pelvis, and lower back.
- Pain in the bone, especially in the abdomen, pelvis, and lower back.
Prostate Cancer Diagnosis
Your doctor would use the following tests to diagnose prostate problems:
Digital rectal exam
In this exam, enlarged prostate can be felt by inserting a lubricated finger into the rectum.
- Urinalysis or laboratory analysis of the urine
- Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test
In this test, elevated level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the blood may indicate an enlargement, infection, and also prostate cancer.
PSA test is often used as a screening test for prostate cancer, however, positive result does not equal proof of cancer because other prostate conditions also can cause high PSA levels.
- Prostate Biopsy
To confirm the presence of prostate cancer, a sample of the prostate tissue is taken.In this procedure, a needle is inserted through the rectum (called a transrectal biopsy), through the urethra, or through the perineum (the area between the anus and the scrotum). The most common technique is transrectal, often with the guide of an ultrasound.
Risk Factors for Developing Prostate Cancer
Although the exact cause of prostate cancer is unknown, certain risk factors are known to increase the likelihood of developing this condition:
- Age
Age is the most important risk-factor in prostate cancer. Both incidence and mortality rate increases significantly with age: more than 75% of new diagnosis and 90% of death occur in men older than 65.
- Race / Ethnicity
African Americans are at greater risk of developing and dying from prostate cancer when compared to Caucasian population in the United States. On the other hand, Asian men in Japan and China have much lower incidence of prostate cancer diagnosis.
- Genetics
Family history plays a key role in determining your chances of developing prostate cancer. Both having relatives diagnosed before the age of 55 and the number of family member with the disease increases your risk, for example:
Relative with cancer | Increase in risk |
1 (brother / father) | 2x |
2 | 5x |
3+ | Almost certainty |
- Diet
Prostate cancer is more commonly found in countries with high-fat diet. Indeed, diet maybe the determining factor why Asian men in China and Japan are at much lower risk of developing this condition.
- Obesity
Being overweight or having a body mass index or over 32.5 is a risk factor as well. Weight gain at an earlier age and keeping that weight on may bring a greater risk of developing the more aggressive form of prostate cancer.
- Testosterone
While the link between testosterone and prostate cancer is not well established, it is thought that the growth of the cancer cells are nourished by testosterone - and thus controlling the level of this hormone may help prevent or slow down prostate cancer.
Nevertheless, studies have shown that high testosterone level, vasectomy, and frequent sexual activities - do not cause prostate cancer.
- Exposure to toxins and carcinogens
Exposure to high levels of cadmium, pesticides such as methyl bromide, herbicides and cigarette smoke can increase the risk. Veterans exposed to Agent Orange, a herbicide used to defoliate trees in jungle warfare, may be twice as likely to develop prostate cancer.
Prostate Cancer Treatment
Treatment for prostate cancer include:
- Radiation Therapy
In this treatment, high-energy rays or radiactive particles are used to kill rapidly growing cells, such as cancer cells. The two forms of radiation therapy are external beam therapy, where high-energy rays are aimed at the prostate, and interstitial radiation or brachytherapy, where radiactive materials or seeds are implanted directly into or near the cancer.
- Surgery
Surgical treatment of prostate cancer usually means removal of the prostate gland or prostatectomy. This can be done either through an incision in the lower abdomen (retropubic approach) or between the rectum and the scrotum (perineal approach).
With a new technique called laparoscopic surgery, where a surgical instrument called a laparoscope is inserted into the abdomen, removal of the prostate gland can be done without the invasive open surgery.
Watchful Waiting
In many instances, however, your doctor may not recommend any treatment. Instead, the patient is advised to monitor the situation closely by having frequent medical checkups, PSA testing, and biopsies in combination with dietary changes.
This watchful waiting (also called active surveillance, expectant therapy or simply just observation) is often used since prostate cancer grows so slowly that a man is likely to die naturally or of other causes than the cancer itself. If the cancer becomes a health threat, then the treatment options above may be used.