Stroke: Recognise & Respond

Stroke is a medical emergency. Know these warning signs of stroke and teach them to others.

Warning Signs Prior to a Stroke
Prior to a stroke, many people experience a TIA (transient ischemic attack). This is a "mini-stroke" or "warning stroke." TIAs can occur days, weeks or even months before a major stroke. TIAs occur when a blood clot temporarily clogs an artery, and part of the brain doesn't get the blood it needs. The warning signs are the same as for stroke; but they occur and disappear relatively quickly, usually in less than five minutes.

Unlike a stroke, when a TIA occurs, the blood clot resolves itself and there's no permanent injury. When a stroke occurs and part of your brain dies from lack of blood flow, the part of the body it controls is affected. Strokes can cause paralysis, affect language and vision, and cause other problems.

EVERY MINUTE MATTERS! Know these warning signs of a stroke, and teach them to others.
Warning signs include sudden:

*Numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
*Confusion
*Trouble speaking or understanding
*Trouble seeing in one or both eyes
*Difficulty walking
*Dizziness
*Loss of balance or coordination
*Severe headache with no known cause


In the past, doctors couldn't do much to help stroke victims. That's not true today. Now stroke doesn't have to lead to disability or death. The key is to recognize a stroke and get to the hospital immediately. The clot-dissolving drug tPA (tissue plasminogen activator) can reduce long-term disability if it's given within three hours after an ischemic stroke starts. (Ischemic strokes are caused by clots and are by far the most common type of stroke.)

Unfortunately, tPA isn't used as often as it could be because many people don't seek care quickly. Don't you make that mistake. If you or someone near you has the warning signs of a stroke, call 9-1-1 immediately OR your state's emergency numbers.

To be FOREWARNED is to be FOREARMED!

Source:www.powertoendstroke.com

Home Remedies and Medical Information on Treating Acne

By Guest Blogger - Gunter Jameson

Acne is never fun—especially when you’re a teenager, and you’re extremely self-conscious about your looks. Although acne usually decreases once you hit your early twenties, for some people it is an ongoing problem that has to be dealt with into one’s 30s or 40s. But because acne can have such a negative impact on self-image, there are a host of remedies and medical treatments that seek to lessen or cure the symptoms of acne.

What is acne?

Acne is the result of small hair follicles being clogged or blocked by excess skin cells and by a naturally secreted oil called sebum. When the follicle is blocked, Propionibacterium acnes, a bacterium, enters the blockage and causes inflammation, leading to redness, swelling, soreness, etc.,—in short, pimples. To combat these formations, there are a couple of methods you may want to try before seeing your doctor for an anti-acne medication.

Wash, wash, wash

First, make sure that you regularly wash your face. If acne is caused by follicles blocked by oils and excess skin cells, you’ll need to wash your face regularly to break up the oil and clean excess skin cells off your face. Make sure to use an antibiotic soap to kill the bacteria and scrub your face with a washcloth or loofah sponge meant to scrub away dead skin cells.

Other home remedies

After you’ve washed your face, you can try putting tea-tree oil on trouble spots. Tea tree oil has some anti-bacterial properties that make it a great soldier against Propionibacterium acnes. Other treatments include taking zinc supplements, or applying a mixture of lemon juice and rose water to the skin, both of which have mild anti-bacterial properties.











Medications

If you’ve tried the cheap, homemade options, maybe it’s time to turn to doctor prescribed medications:
1) Benzoyl peroxide is usually the first treatment prescribed by doctors. It is a cream that is applied to the skin and has very mild side effects—generally dryness or redness of the skin and some peeling.
2) Antibiotics are the next step in fighting acne and are usually reserved for more severe cases.
3) Retinols are the last line of medical defense against acne. Taken orally, retinols are thought to affect oil-secreting glands in the body and are generally taken over a 4-6 month treatment regimen. Retinols are much harsher on the body and cause irritation of the digestive tract and nose bleeds, but can have even more severe side effects like liver damage, and birth defects in pregnant women who take the medication. In addition, retinols and have been linked to symptoms of depression in those taking the treatment.

Before you go to your dermatologist, give some home remedies a try. Over-the-counter treatments can also be helpful, but may or may not be any more effective than washing with an antibacterial soap and water.

Gunter Jameson writes about several topics including travel, minimalism and online schools.

Enter The Laughter in the Kings Court with Edo Charles

Laughter has been said to be good medicine for the soul, body and spirit.

Laughter reduces the level of stress hormones like cortisol, epinephrine(adrenaline), dopamine and growth hormone. It also increases the level of health-enhancing hormones like endorphins, and neurotransmitters. Laughter increases the number of antibody-producing cells and enhances the effectiveness of T cells. All this means a stronger immune system, as well as fewer physical effects of stress.

Laughter has tremendous benefits such as:

Physical Release: Have you ever felt like you "have to laugh or I'll cry"? Have you experienced the cleansed feeling after a good laugh? Laughter provides a physical and emotional release.

Internal Workout: A good belly laugh exercises the diaphragm, contracts the abs and even works out the shoulders, leaving muscles more relaxed afterward. It even provides a good workout for the heart.

Distraction: Laughter brings the focus away from anger, guilt, stress and negative emotions in a more beneficial way than other mere distractions.

Perspective: Studies show that our response to stressful events can be altered by whether we view something as a 'threat' or a 'challenge'. Humor can give us a more lighthearted perspective and help us view events as 'challenges', thereby making them less threatening and more positive.

If you wanna have a good laugh and get the stress out of your mind, you are invited to a comedy show ‘Enter the Laughter in the Kings Court with Edo Charles.

Date: Saturday, October 23, 2010
Time: 4pm {Laugh Carpet}
Venue: Lagoon Restaurant, 1C Ozumba Mbadiwe Road, V/I Lagos.

Tickets are up for grabs, for ticket reservations, for further enquiries and/or questions, please dial the following numbers: 0802 – 305 – 7070 or 0803 – 927 – 1244 0r send a mail to cedobor@yahoo.com or ada.amogu@gmail.com

We look forward to receiving you and also thrilling you to a wonderful comedy experience!

Be there, you don’t want to be told!

Negative Ions with Immense Benefits: Anion Sanitary Pads

Did you know that a woman will use an average of 15000 pieces of sanitary napkins within 30 to 40 years in her entire lifetime? Having a trusted brand of sanitary napkins has become paramount for every health-conscious modern woman. Not only must the sanitary napkin provide comfort and safety, but also enhance every woman's health and lifestyle...

Every single napkin is embedded with "negative ions" tape. All materials used in the making of the napkin are 100% safe and no chemicals are used. The materials used are raw and not recycled.

Negative ions tape releases high concentration of negative ions, which has been proven effective in eliminating harmful bacteria or odor, enhancing comfort and improving women's health.

The pads/liners help to check hormonal imbalance, cervical cancer and even helps in weight loss because the anion strips in the pad, one can tear out and put inside drinking water and it cures many ailments. It also contains testers that after your period, you can use to take a vaginal swab to see if you have any infections. It is color coded and the color will tell if you have contacted any infection or not. You know women are prone to infections especially from the toilet. It also helps to relieve arthritis in older people. The pack has panty liners that if you use every day, also helps to check certain ailments, and even pulls out fibroids! Hence, it is not recommended for pregnant women.

Anion Sanitary pads have 7 layers of unique protection. They are:
1st Layer - Premium soft cotton surface - giving you ultra comfort.

2nd Layer - Unique Anion Padding - works naturally to relieve menstrual discomforts.

3rd Layer - Ultra soft cotton layer - enhances softness and freshness.

4th Layer - Super absorbent polymer - locks in moisture, keeps surface dry.

5th Layer - Ultra soft cotton layer - enhances softness and freshness.

6th Layer - Breathable bottom layer - eliminates moisture and heat fast, keeping you fresh.

7th Layer - Specially designed back adhesive - conforms with human ergonomics

Benefits Of Negative Ion or Anions
- Increase energy
- Increase physical stamina
- Reduce pain
- Balance blood pressure
- Eases breathing
- Smoothen skin
- Regulate cholesterol
- Weight loss
- Relieve tension
- Reduce inflammation
- Improve sleep patterns
- Relieve joint stiffness
- Speed recovery time from injuries and surgery
- Enhance immune system
- Balances PH
- Purifies blood and lymph
- Inactivates viruses, bacteria, yeast and fungus
- Removes heavy metals
- Removes blood clot material
- Improves liver and kidney and lung functions
- Enhances body detoxification
- Enhances damaged cell replacement and repair
- Active DNA repair
- Better regulation of production of neurotransmitters
- Aids with depression and memory
- Slows many conditions associated with aging

The Anion sanitary pads can be used during the menstrual cycle and as liners as needed for protection. However, they may also be used as treatment. The treatment may last anywhere from 1 to 2 cases of the pads. Most of the time, the results happen sooner.

But, we have to keep in mind that everyone's body may respond differently, and we have to listen to our bodies to be able to tell if we professional and expert care.

If you are in Nigeria and you would like to get Anion Sanitary Pads, call the following numbers: 08027586016/07028844641 0r send a mail to: unyimek2007@yahoo.com or TreasureTrove09@hotmail.com

To Lose More Weight, Love Your Body

By Gunter Jameson {Guest Blogger}

Everyone wants to be healthier. Even people who are already in great shape are looking for ways to be even healthier than they already are. But too many people watch commercials on TV and think they can lose 20 lbs. in 2 weeks just by ordering a set of meals over the phone. Although they may lose the weight fast, they will also feel miserable and will likely gain the weight back again after the course of meals is over. The reason people yo-yo in weight is that they haven’t made a lasting change in their lives to live a healthy lifestyle and change their attitudes about their bodies.

Love your body
It’s almost impossible for you to eat right and maintain a healthy lifestyle if you don’t love your body. But loving your body means two things. First loving your body means being comfortable with who you are and knowing that no outward transformation in your body is going to change how you feel on the inside. Second, it’s about loving your body enough to give it the right nutrition it needs to achieve a healthy balance. Extreme dieting and yo-yo weight cycles hurt your body and damage it. Love your body enough to give it what it needs to achieve the balance it craves.

Regular healthy meals
One of the biggest mistakes people make when they want to lose weight is to stop eating, or deprive themselves of food. Although it is true that you need to lower your caloric intake if you currently overeat, denying your body regular nutrition releases stress hormones that make you hungry, irritable, and can actually make your body go into “survival” mode, storing MORE fat than it would if it were receiving all the nutrition it needed. Eating regular, healthy meals will actually lower your food cravings between meals and will lessen your desire for fatty and sugary foods. And your body will be more relaxed, allowing you to lose more weight. This is especially true if you are exercising regularly.

Introduce fresh foods
Once you’ve started eating regularly, it’s time to introduce more fresh foods into your diet. This doesn’t mean you have to eat salad for every meal, but it does mean that you can start having orange slices and grapes as a side dish to your lasagna, or it means eating a small side-salad before digging into your pizza. Once you start eating more fresh veggies and fruits with your meals, your body will start to maintain a healthy balance, crave more healthy foods, and feel more relaxed, allowing for increased weight loss and a healthier outlook on life.

When you love your body enough to be comfortable with who you are and care about what goes into it, you’ll be on the road to making a lasting change toward a healthier lifestyle.

Gunter Jameson writes about several topics including travel, minimalism and Online Colleges.

Little Angel Without Wings: My Paediatrics Experience

As I walk into the Neonatal Unit and glanced in the crib placed in the corner, I found myself staring at this little baby. I would like to call her an angel but she is without wings. I hear tiny cries which come out of her mouth with her legs dangling in the air. The first time I laid my hand on Baby Ola*, a 4- week old premature baby, I was scared because of her tiny fragile frame.

Baby Ola was diagnosed having Tetanus. She was given birth to in a traditional birth home and her umbilical cord was cut with a tetanus infected instrument. The fact that she came into the world weeks earlier than expected was already traumatizing, and then to be infected at such a tender age with tetanus was heart breaking for the family members and the health team.

Knowing her condition, one had to be careful not to trigger any spastic attacks. Baby Ola needed some more attention and certain procedures from every member of the health team. Her case was one that required much effort and knowledge in taking care of her.

But as days passed, I found myself thinking of her. I felt the excitement of seeing her each day however I still have this fear- the fear of losing her. I got used to being with her, monitoring her temperature, her heartbeats and even her respiration. A big part of my nursing hours were spent with her. As I spend many hours with her, the more my heart draws near to her and I’ve learned a lot by just nursing her.

Her cot side was always full of doctors and nurses. A time when her heartbeat would slow down or when she is having a spastic attack. This were just one of the many instances where Baby Ola would again face many painful procedures like pricking her sole for blood sample not just once but for many times as possible until she becomes stable. Medications of all sorts were injected into her system to combat the infection. As a matter of fact, she had been placed on different types of antibiotics. I felt so downhearted when it seemed her body will no longer stand each prick, injections and the chemicals being introduced to her. I was just hopeful that she would get through it.

Baby Ola was a fighter at her very young age and innocent existence; I know that she was strong and that she would endure till the end. There was a moment that I would just stare at her very tiny and yet lovely face and something in her just touched my heart and I have this hope that she’ll make it whatever circumstances may bring.

Behind those pains, hardships, I have also witnessed how one’s soul suffers more and that is Baby Ola’s mother, I gazed at how Baby Ola’s mom sacrificed many things for her, I can really say that a mother’s love is indeed unconditional.

This fateful morning, she was again deteriorating. I guess she was finally tired and couldn’t take it anymore. She left this cold world. She stopped fighting!

*name changed
*Baby in picture, not Baby Ola
Image: google.com

What’s In Season: Guava the Super Fruit!!!

Guava is all around us even if you have no eyes you can smell it. The taste of the guava is often described as a combination of pears and strawberries.

The guava is a good source of several vitamins and minerals including vitamin C, calcium, potassium, iron, carotenoids (vitamin A), and folate. It is also a good source of fiber, which is known to help prevent gastrointestinal cancers as well as lowering cholesterol levels. In addition, the level of vitamin C in the edible rind of the guava is five times higher than that of an orange.

What’s In One Guava?

• Vitamin C – 165mg
• Carotene: (Vitamin A) 713 IU
• Calories: 46
• Calcium: 18mg
• Carbohydrates: 10g
• Fiber: 5g
• Protein: 1g
• Fat: 1g

Guavas can be eaten raw, cooked or blended into a drink.

Start eating, drinking or cooking now!! Your time starts now…lol…

Breast Cancer Symptoms!

By Guest Blogger: Gunter Jameson


Each year, in the US, over 180,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer and about 44,000 die each year from the disease (mylifestages.org). In fact, that means that almost one in 8 women in the US will have a breast cancer scare at some time in their lives, that’s almost 13% of the US female population, second only to lung cancer (breastcancer.org). And your likeliness of developing breast caner double if you have a close relative who has been diagnosed. Because breast cancer is so prevalent it is a good idea to know how you can detect breast cancer symptoms early, so you can talk to your doctor and get any potential problems looked at before they become serious or life threatening.

Self-Exams

One of the best and simplest ways to detect breast cancer is through self-examination. You should perform a self-exam monthly, usually a few days after your period when your breasts a least likely to be swollen or painful. If you no longer have a period, you can pick a day of the month that is easy to remember. As you feel your breasts, make note of any changes or hard spots. As you age, your breasts will naturally develop some lumpiness, so what you want to look out for are hard, immovable spots. Also make sure that you feel up into your arm pit because not all breast cancer develops in the largest part of the breast.

Physical Changes

When you perform your self-exam, also look for other changes in the breast, like a flattening or dimpling on the breast. As well, be aware of any scaliness or any discoloration, like redness, on your breast. It is also important to examine your nipples for any recent changes. Things to look out for are redness, a thickening of the skin on the nipple, itching, scaliness, the nipple turning inward, or a discharge other than breast milk. An unusual swelling or tenderness of the breasts can also be something to look out for. Doing your monthly exams will give you a good idea of how your breasts normally feel, so when something unusual develops, you’ll know right away.

Mammograms

Consensus in the medical community suggests that all women should have yearly Mammograms at age 40. However, if you have a directly-related family member who has already been diagnosed with breast cancer, consult your doctor. Your doctor may suggest that you start yearly mammograms earlier than 40.

Keep these signs and symptoms in mind and you’ll be able to recognize them early, get treated, and be a survivor.

Gunter Jameson writes about several topics including travel, minimalism and online classes.

'Heartbreak': How Rejection Literally Stops Your Heart

Heartbreak is not a myth or some mystical notion devised by grieving lovers. A new study has proven once and for all that heartbreak is a real physiological phenomenon—the one that makes one’s heart stop, literally. Your levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, fluctuate when you think you're being rejected.

It really can have a physical effect, scientists have found. The study is published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. A Noida based physician and head of Redix Hospital, Dr.Ravi Malik says that many young boys and girls visit him in order to address their `ailment`. “After failure in love, they feel very sad and dejected. They deserve pep talk," Dr.Malik concludes.

The effect on the nervous system explains why some of us find ourselves unable to eat or sleep after a break-up. And the more rejected we feel, the slower the heart rate becomes, a joint study by scientists at the University of Amsterdam and Leiden University in the Netherlands has found. To test the theory the researchers asked a group of volunteers to take part in an experiment which, unbeknown to them, tested their heart rate when rejected by others. First the participants were asked to send in photos of themselves.

They were told that for a study on first impressions, students would look at the photo to decide whether they liked the volunteer. This was just a cover story for the real experiment. Each volunteer then had wires placed on their chest for an electrocardiogram, was shown a face on screen and was then asked to guess whether that student liked them.

Each participant’s heart rate fell in anticipation before they found out the person’s supposed opinion of them. Heart rate was also affected after they were told the other person’s opinion. If they were told the other student did not like them, the heart rate dropped further, and was slower to get back up to the usual rate. `Unexpected social rejection could literally feel `heartbreaking, ` as reflected by a transient slowing of heart rate, ` the researchers said.

Like most Psychological Science articles, this one suggests no antidote to the physical problems associated with rejection. But the findings help explain how evolution programs human sociability. We are meant to find comfort in one another — through chemical means, if necessary — and not to be loners.

If you ever find yourself suffering from heartbreak, therefore, comfort yourself with knowing that while the pain is real, it is only transient in nature.

IVF Pioneer Robert Edwards Wins Nobel Prize

Thirty two years after the first test tube baby was born, the biologist who was the first to successfully mix egg and sperm in a lab dish and generate a healthy human baby was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine.
Robert Edwards, 85, an emeritus professor at the University of Cambridge in England, was honored for developing in vitro fertilization (IVF), a technique that now accounts for 1-2% of all births and has helped more than four million babies come into the world.

Working for years with rabbits and then mice, often making trips to the lab in the middle of the night to collect eggs from the ovulating animals, he pioneered a process in which he could artificially prompt the ovary to release several eggs at a time, and then conducted experiment after experiment with human eggs to correctly time their removal with fertilization by fresh sperm to generate an embryo. He partnered with Patrick Steptoe, a gynecologist, for the latter studies and eventually hit upon the right process of hormones and culture conditions to not only obtain eggs but fertilize them and keep the resulting embryos alive in a dish before they could be transplanted into a woman's womb.

The work was hardly welcomed ethically, as critics felt that moving the first steps toward life out of the body and into the laboratory crossed a moral line. The government's Medical Research Council, which had initially supported Edwards' work, terminated its support and he was forced to find private funding to continue the project.

Despite the challenges, on July 25, 1978, Louise Brown became the first baby born from this process. “His achievements have made it possible to treat infertility, a medical condition afflicting a large proportion of humanity including more than 10% of all couples worldwide,” noted the Nobel committee in its award. “His contributions represent a milestone in the development of modern medicine.”

While initially doctors were concerned about potential health problems among IVF babies, the Prize committee noted that to date, babies born from IVF appear as healthy as those conceived naturally.

Edwards, who is in poor health, was informed of the citation by his wife, who answered the call from the Nobel committee and was "delighted" by the honor.


Source: Time.com
Pictures: Google.com