In the wake of threat posed by the A (HINI) influenza, the government has authorised a number of hospitals across the country to test and treat cases of swine flu:
All India Institute of Medical Sciences -- Ansari Nagar, Aurobindo Marg Ring Road, New Delhi
Phone: (011) 26594404, 26861698 Professor R C Deka – 9868397464.
National Institute for Communicable Diseases, 22, Sham Nath Marg, New Delhi - 54
Phone: (011) 23971272/060/344/524/449/326.
Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Kharak Singh Marg, New Delhi - 01
Phone: (011) 23741640, 23741649, 23741639, Dr N K Chaturvedi – 9811101704.
Vallabhai Patel Chest Institute University, Enclave, New Delhi- 07
Phone: (011) 27667102, 27667441, 27667667, 27666182
Kasturba Gandhi Hospital, Arthur Road, N M Joshi Marg, Jacob Circle, Mumbai - 11
Phone: (022) 23083901, 23092458, 23004512
Sir J J Hospital, J J Marg, Byculla, Mumbai - 08
Phone: (022) 23735555, 23739031, 23760943, 23768400 / 23731144 / 5555 / 23701393 / 1366
Haffkine Institute, Acharya Donde Marg, Parel, Mumbai - 12
Phone: (022) 24160947, 24160961, 24160962
ID Hospital, 57,Beliaghata, Beliaghata Road, Kolkata - 10
Phone: (033) 23701252
Victoria Hospital, K R Market, Kalasipalayam, Bangalore - 02
Phone: (080) 26703294 Dr. Gangadhar - 94480-49863
SDS Tuberculosis & Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases, Hosur Road, Hombegowda Nagar, Bangalore - 29
Phone: (080) 26631923 Dr. Shivaraj - 99801-48780.
Chennai King Institute of Preventive Medicine (24/7 Service) Guindy, Chennai – 32
Phone: (044) 22501520, 22501521 & 22501522
Communicable Diseases Hospital Thondiarpet, Chennai
Phone: (044) 25912686/87/88, 9444459543
Government General Hospital, Opp Central Railway Station, Chennai – 03
Phone: (044) 25305000, 25305723, 25305721, 25330300
Hospital Nr Le''Meridian, Raja Bahadur Mill, GPO, Pune - 01
Phone: (020) 26058243
National Institute of Virology, 20A Ambedkar Road, Pune - 11
Phone: (020) 26006290
Government Medical College, Gandhi Nagar P O, Kottayam - 08
Phone: (0481) 2597311,2597312
Government Medical College, Vandanam P O, Allapuzha - 05
Phone: (0477) 2282015
Taluk Hospital, Railway Station Road, Alwaye, Ernakulam
Phone: (0484) 2624040 Sathyajit – 09847840051,
Taluk Hospital, Perumbavoor PO, Ernakulam 542
Phone: (0484) 2523138, Vipin - 09447305200
Government General Hospital, near Railway Station, Trichy Road, Coimbatore - 18
Phone: (0422) 2301393, 2301394, 2301395, 2301396
Govt General and Chest Diseases Hospital, Erragadda, Hyderabad
Phone: (040) 23814939
(C)
Saturday, August 15, 2009
10 Home remedies to avoid swine flu
Are the rising swine flu casualties giving you jitters?
Not sure how you can avoid falling prey to the growing epidemic?
First and foremost, there is absolutely no need to panic. Watching television to keep tabs on the progress of H1N1, particularly in the badly affected areas like Pune, is all right. But don't let the hysterical anchors get under your skin and start wearing a mask each time you step out of the house, unless you are visiting a very crowded area. Then too, the mask will protect you only for a specified period. Without giving in to the swine flu panic and creating a stockpile of Tamiflu and N-95 masks at home and enriching pharma companies, there are a number of other measures you can take to ensure that the virus is not able to get you, irrespective of which part of the world you are in. It is essential to remember that all kinds of viruses and bacteria can attack you when your immune system is weak, or they can weaken it easily. Hence, building your own defences would be a better, more practical, long-lasting and much more economical idea. Here are some easy steps you can take to tackle a flu virus of any kind, including swine flu. It is not necessary to follow all the steps at once. You can pick and choose a combination of remedies that suit you best. However, if you are already suffering from flu, these measures can help only up to an extent. And, if you have been infected by H1N1, visiting a hospital and staying in solitary confinement is a must.
1. Have five duly washed leaves of Tulsi (known as Basil in English; medicinal name Ocimum sanctum) everyday in the morning. Tulsi has a large number of therapeutic properties. It keeps throat and lungs clear and helps in infections by way of strengthening your immunity.
2. Giloi (medicinal name Tinospora cordifolia) is a commonly available plant in many areas. Take a one-foot long branch of giloi, add five to six leaves of Tulsi and boil in water for 15-20 minutes or long enough to allow the water to extract its properties. Add black pepper and sendha (salt used during religious fasts), rock or black salt, or Misri (crystalised sugar like lumps to make it sweet) according to taste. Let it cool a bit and drink this kadha (concoction) while still warm. It will work wonders for your immunity. If giloi plant is not available, get processed giloi powder from Hamdard or others, and concoct a similar drink once a day.
3. A small piece of camphor (kapoor) approximately the size of a tablet should be taken once or twice a month. It can be swallowed with water by adults while children can take it along with mashed potatoes or banana because they will find it difficult to have it without any aides. Please remember camphor is not to be taken everyday, but only once each season, or once a month.
4. Those who can take garlic, must have two pods of raw garlic first thing in the morning. To be swallowed daily with lukewarm water. Garlic too strengthens immunity like the earlier measures mentioned.
5. Those not allergic to milk, must take a glass of hot or lukewarm milk every night with a small measure of haldi (turmeric).
6. Aloe vera (gwarpatha) too is a commonly available plant. Its thick and long, cactus-like leaves have an odourless gel. A teaspoon gel taken with water daily can work wonders for not only your skin and joint pains, but also boost immunity.
7. Take homeopathic medicines — Pyrogenium 200 and Inflenzium 200 in particular — five tablets three times a day, or two-three drops three times a day. While these are not specifically targeted at H1N1 either, these work well as preventive against common flu virus.
8. Do Pranayam daily (preferably under guidance if you are already not initiated into it) and go for morning jog/walk regularly to keep your throat and lungs in good condition and body in fine fettle. Even in small measures, it will work wonders for your body’s resistance against all such diseases which attack the nose, throat and lungs, besides keeping you fit.
9. Have citrus fruits, particularly Vitamin C rich Amla (Indian gooseberry) juice. Since fresh Amla is not yet available in the market (not for another three to four months), it is not a bad idea to buy packaged Amla juice which is commonly available nowadays.
10. Last but not the least, wash your hands frequently every day with soap and warm water for 15-20 seconds; especially before meals, or each time after touching a surface that you suspect could be contaminated with flu virus such as a door handle or a knob/handle, especially if you have returned from a public place or used public transport. Alcohol-based hand cleaners should be kept handy at all times and used until you can get soap and warm water.
(Compiled)
Not sure how you can avoid falling prey to the growing epidemic?
First and foremost, there is absolutely no need to panic. Watching television to keep tabs on the progress of H1N1, particularly in the badly affected areas like Pune, is all right. But don't let the hysterical anchors get under your skin and start wearing a mask each time you step out of the house, unless you are visiting a very crowded area. Then too, the mask will protect you only for a specified period. Without giving in to the swine flu panic and creating a stockpile of Tamiflu and N-95 masks at home and enriching pharma companies, there are a number of other measures you can take to ensure that the virus is not able to get you, irrespective of which part of the world you are in. It is essential to remember that all kinds of viruses and bacteria can attack you when your immune system is weak, or they can weaken it easily. Hence, building your own defences would be a better, more practical, long-lasting and much more economical idea. Here are some easy steps you can take to tackle a flu virus of any kind, including swine flu. It is not necessary to follow all the steps at once. You can pick and choose a combination of remedies that suit you best. However, if you are already suffering from flu, these measures can help only up to an extent. And, if you have been infected by H1N1, visiting a hospital and staying in solitary confinement is a must.
1. Have five duly washed leaves of Tulsi (known as Basil in English; medicinal name Ocimum sanctum) everyday in the morning. Tulsi has a large number of therapeutic properties. It keeps throat and lungs clear and helps in infections by way of strengthening your immunity.
2. Giloi (medicinal name Tinospora cordifolia) is a commonly available plant in many areas. Take a one-foot long branch of giloi, add five to six leaves of Tulsi and boil in water for 15-20 minutes or long enough to allow the water to extract its properties. Add black pepper and sendha (salt used during religious fasts), rock or black salt, or Misri (crystalised sugar like lumps to make it sweet) according to taste. Let it cool a bit and drink this kadha (concoction) while still warm. It will work wonders for your immunity. If giloi plant is not available, get processed giloi powder from Hamdard or others, and concoct a similar drink once a day.
3. A small piece of camphor (kapoor) approximately the size of a tablet should be taken once or twice a month. It can be swallowed with water by adults while children can take it along with mashed potatoes or banana because they will find it difficult to have it without any aides. Please remember camphor is not to be taken everyday, but only once each season, or once a month.
4. Those who can take garlic, must have two pods of raw garlic first thing in the morning. To be swallowed daily with lukewarm water. Garlic too strengthens immunity like the earlier measures mentioned.
5. Those not allergic to milk, must take a glass of hot or lukewarm milk every night with a small measure of haldi (turmeric).
6. Aloe vera (gwarpatha) too is a commonly available plant. Its thick and long, cactus-like leaves have an odourless gel. A teaspoon gel taken with water daily can work wonders for not only your skin and joint pains, but also boost immunity.
7. Take homeopathic medicines — Pyrogenium 200 and Inflenzium 200 in particular — five tablets three times a day, or two-three drops three times a day. While these are not specifically targeted at H1N1 either, these work well as preventive against common flu virus.
8. Do Pranayam daily (preferably under guidance if you are already not initiated into it) and go for morning jog/walk regularly to keep your throat and lungs in good condition and body in fine fettle. Even in small measures, it will work wonders for your body’s resistance against all such diseases which attack the nose, throat and lungs, besides keeping you fit.
9. Have citrus fruits, particularly Vitamin C rich Amla (Indian gooseberry) juice. Since fresh Amla is not yet available in the market (not for another three to four months), it is not a bad idea to buy packaged Amla juice which is commonly available nowadays.
10. Last but not the least, wash your hands frequently every day with soap and warm water for 15-20 seconds; especially before meals, or each time after touching a surface that you suspect could be contaminated with flu virus such as a door handle or a knob/handle, especially if you have returned from a public place or used public transport. Alcohol-based hand cleaners should be kept handy at all times and used until you can get soap and warm water.
(Compiled)
Revised guidelines for swine flu patients
The Centre late on Friday night issued revised guidelines for treatment of the A (H1N1) influenza patients in the wake of a large number of people turning up at the hospitals for testing.
In order to prevent and contain outbreak of Influenza-A H1N1 virus for screening, testing and isolation all individuals seeking consultations for flu like symptoms will be screened at healthcare facilities both Government and private or examined by a doctor and categorized as patients with mild fever plus cough and sore throat with or without body ache, headache, diarrhoea and vomiting as category-A. They do not require Oseltamivir and will be treated for the symptoms shown. The patients will, however, be monitored for their progress and reassessed at 24 to 48 hours by the doctor. No testing is required in such cases.
The second category of patients in addition to all the signs and symptoms of the normal influenza has high grade fever and severe sore throat, may require home isolation and Oseltamivir; Children less than 5 years old; pregnant women; people aged 65 years or older; patients with lung diseases, heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease, blood disorders, diabetes, neurological disorders, cancer and HIV/AIDS; and those on long term cortisone therapy will be included in the second category. No tests are required for such people but they should confine themselves to home and avoid socializing.
More serious cases have been put under the third category and will include those who have all the above symptoms and complain of breathlessness, chest pain, drowsiness, fall in blood pressure, sputum mixed with blood, bluish discolouration of nails; irritability amongsmall children, refusal to accept feed; and worsening of underlying chronic conditions. Such people require testing, immediate hospitalization and treatment.
The guidelines were finalized after a five-hour long meeting chaired by the Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam nabi Azad. These guidelines will be reviewed and revised from time to time as per need and on the basis of spread of the disease.
The meeting was attended by the officials of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Directorate General of Health Services, and representatives and experts of private and public hospitals. During the meeting various guidelines and protocols developed by the World Health Organization Geneva, Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Atlanta, USA and National Health Service, United Kingdom were also discussed.
In order to prevent and contain outbreak of Influenza-A H1N1 virus for screening, testing and isolation all individuals seeking consultations for flu like symptoms will be screened at healthcare facilities both Government and private or examined by a doctor and categorized as patients with mild fever plus cough and sore throat with or without body ache, headache, diarrhoea and vomiting as category-A. They do not require Oseltamivir and will be treated for the symptoms shown. The patients will, however, be monitored for their progress and reassessed at 24 to 48 hours by the doctor. No testing is required in such cases.
The second category of patients in addition to all the signs and symptoms of the normal influenza has high grade fever and severe sore throat, may require home isolation and Oseltamivir; Children less than 5 years old; pregnant women; people aged 65 years or older; patients with lung diseases, heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease, blood disorders, diabetes, neurological disorders, cancer and HIV/AIDS; and those on long term cortisone therapy will be included in the second category. No tests are required for such people but they should confine themselves to home and avoid socializing.
More serious cases have been put under the third category and will include those who have all the above symptoms and complain of breathlessness, chest pain, drowsiness, fall in blood pressure, sputum mixed with blood, bluish discolouration of nails; irritability amongsmall children, refusal to accept feed; and worsening of underlying chronic conditions. Such people require testing, immediate hospitalization and treatment.
The guidelines were finalized after a five-hour long meeting chaired by the Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam nabi Azad. These guidelines will be reviewed and revised from time to time as per need and on the basis of spread of the disease.
The meeting was attended by the officials of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Directorate General of Health Services, and representatives and experts of private and public hospitals. During the meeting various guidelines and protocols developed by the World Health Organization Geneva, Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Atlanta, USA and National Health Service, United Kingdom were also discussed.
SWINE FLU - Updates
What are the symptoms?
Swine flu symptoms are similar to the symptoms of regular flu and include fever of over 100.4°F, fatigue, lack of appetite, and cold. Some people with swine flu have also reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Nearly everyone with flu has at least two of these symptoms.
So, how do you know if you have flu or just cold?
There is one clue: when you have the flu, you feel flu symptoms sooner than you would cold symptoms, and they come on with much greater intensity. With the flu, you may feel very weak and fatigued for up to 2 or 3 weeks. You'll have muscle aches and periods of chills and sweats as fever comes and goes. You may also have a stuffy or runny nose, headache, and sore throat.
Can I compare flu symptoms with cold symptoms?
Yes. The following chart can help you compare flu symptoms with cold symptoms. Use it to lean the differences and similarities between flu and cold symptoms. Then, if you get flu symptoms, call your doctor and ask about an antiviral drug.
FACT FILE
Symptoms Cold Flu
Fever Rare Characteristic, high 100-102 degrees F); lasts 3-4 days
Headache Rare Prominent
General aches, pains Slight Usual; often severe
Fatigue, Weakness Quite mild Can last up to 2-3 weeks
Extreme Exhaustion Never Early and prominent
Stuffy Nose Common Sometimes
Chest Discomfort, Cough Mild to moderate; hacking cough Common; can become severe
You cannot confirm if you have swine flu just based on your symptoms. Like seasonal flu, pandemic swine flu can cause neurologic symptoms in children. These events are rare, but, as cases associated with seasonal flu have shown, they can be very severe and often fatal.
Doctors may offer a rapid flu test, but what you need to understand is a negative result doesn't necessarily mean you don't have the flu. Only lab tests can definitively show whether you've got swine flu. State health departments can do these tests.
What should you do immediately?
Those of you who have traveled from the affected countries in the past ten days and show symptoms swine flu like fever, cough, sore throat and difficulty in breathing should immediately contact the telephone number given below or visit the nearby Government Hospital.
Important contact numbers:
Outbreak Monitoring Cell (Control Room, NICD): 011-23921401
Websites: www.mohfw.nic.in and www.nicd.nic.in
You can also contact a toll free number 2392 1401 at the National Institute of Communicable Disease
Contact number for each cities:
Bangalore
BIAL Swine Flu Center - 91-80-22001490
SDS TUBERCULOSIS & RAJIV GANDHI INSTITUTE OF CHEST DISEASES(Govt. of Karnataka), Hosur Road, Bangalore - 560029
Helpline No: 91-80-26631923
Chennai
Communicable Disease Hospital, 87, T.H. Road, Tondiarpet, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Hyderabad
Govt. General and Chest Diseases Hospital, Erragadda , Hyderabad
Hospital Helpline Number - 040-23814939
Kolkata
Beliaghata Infectious Diseases Hospital, 57, Beliaghata Main Road, Kolkata
Mumbai
Kasturba Hospital, Arthur Road, Sane Guruji Marg, Mumbai 400011
Ph: 022- 23083901 / 23092458 / 23000889
New Delhi
Yellow Fever Quarantine Centre, Near AAI Residential Colony, New Delhi
Ph: 91-11-25652129
Influenza Ward, Ward no 5, Second Floor, New Building, RML Hospital, Delhi-1
RML- 91-11-24525211,23404328,23365525- Ext 4328
Source: Swine Flu India website
Who is at risk?
Those who are more at risk from becoming seriously ill with swine flu are people with:
• chronic (long-term) lung disease, including people who have had drug treatment for their asthma within the past three years,
• chronic heart disease,
• chronic kidney disease,
• chronic liver disease,
• chronic neurological disease (neurological disorders include motor neurone disease, Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis),
• suppressed immune systems (whether caused by disease or treatment),
• diabetes,
• pregnant women,
• people aged 65 or older, and
• young children under five.
Source: National Health Service, UK website
How does it spread?
The new swine flu virus is highly contagious, that is it spreads from person to person. The virus is spread through the droplets that come out of the nose or mouth when someone coughs or sneezes. If someone coughs or sneezes and they do not cover it, those droplets can spread about one metre (3ft). If you are very nearby you might breathe them in.
Or, if someone coughs or sneezes into their hand, those droplets and the virus within them are easily transferred to surfaces that the person touches, such as door handles, hand rails, telephones and keyboards. If you touch these surfaces and touch your face, the virus can enter your system, and you can become infected.
Source: National Health Service, UK website
Can it be prevented?
Influenza antiviral drugs also can be used to prevent influenza when they are given to a person who is not ill, but who has been or may be near a person with swine influenza. When used to prevent the flu, antiviral drugs are about 70% to 90% effective. When used for prevention, the number of days that they should be used will vary depending on a person’s particular situation.
Follow this general procedure to reduce the risk of catching or spreading the virus, you should:
• Cover your mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, using a tissue
• Throw the tissue away quickly and carefully
• Wash your hands regularly with soap and water
• Clean hard surfaces (like door handles and remote controls) frequently with a normal cleaning product
• Keep away from others as much as possible. This is to keep from making others sick. Do not go to work or school while ill
• Stay home for at least 24 hours after fever is gone, except to seek medical care or for other necessities. (Fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.)
• Drink clear fluids (such as water, broth, sports drinks, electrolyte beverages for infants) to keep from being dehydrated
• Wear a facemask – if available and tolerable – when sharing common spaces with other household members to help prevent spreading the virus to others.
Source: CDC, National Health Service, UK website
Will it help to wear a mask?
Information on the effectiveness of facemasks and respirators for decreasing the risk of influenza infection in community settings is extremely limited. So, it is difficult to assess their potential effectiveness in decreasing the risk of Swine Flu virus transmission in these settings. However, a well-fitted, FDA-approved mask together with other preventive measures MAY reduce the risk of contracting the flu. Those who are sick or caring for someone who is ill should consider using a mask or respirator if leaving the house becomes necessary.
Source: CDC
What precautions should one take at home?
Two things - soap and water can reduce the chance of infection by 30 per cent. All you need to do is keep washing your hand with soap and water frequently. Wash hands frequently with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand cleaner when soap and water are not available. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
Eat healthy: Proteins are essential to help your body maintain and build strength. Lean meat, poultry, fish, legumes, dairy, eggs, and nuts and seeds are good sources of protein.
The Food and Drug Administration recommends that adults eat 50 grams of protein per day. Pregnant and nursing women need more. By eating foods high in protein, we also get the benefit of other healing nutrients such as vitamins B6 and B12, both of which contribute to a healthy immune system.
Vitamin B6 is widely available in foods, including protein foods such as turkey and beans as well as potatoes, spinach, and enriched cereal grains. Proteins such as meats, milk, and fish also contain vitamin B12, a powerful immune booster.
Minerals such as selenium and zinc work to keep the immune system strong. These minerals are found in protein rich foods such as beans, nuts, meat, and poultry.
Exercise: Regular exercise may help prevent the flu. According to recent findings, when moderate exercise is repeated on a near daily basis, there is a cumulative immune-enhancing effect. That is, your strong immune system can fight flu better. When you exercise, your white blood cells -- the blood cells that fight infections in the body -- travel through your body more quickly, fighting bacteria and viruses (such as flu) more efficiently. To maintain good health, experts recommend at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity such as walking, swimming, biking, or running each day.
Source: Flu India website, CDC, WebMD
What precautions should one take at schools?
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• People who are sick with an influenza-like illness should stay home and keep away from others as much as possible; including avoiding travel, for at least 24 hours after fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Fever should be gone without the use of fever-reducing medicine). Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing
• Wash your hands often
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth
Source: CDC
Is it safe to travel?
Avoid traveling unnecessarily. However, if you must travel, check how the country you're going to handles swine flu. Although, the WHO doesn't recommend travel restrictions, many countries have set up their own H1N1 policies, and some travelers have been screened or quarantined in other countries because of swine flu concerns.
Source: WebMD.com
Swine flu symptoms are similar to the symptoms of regular flu and include fever of over 100.4°F, fatigue, lack of appetite, and cold. Some people with swine flu have also reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Nearly everyone with flu has at least two of these symptoms.
So, how do you know if you have flu or just cold?
There is one clue: when you have the flu, you feel flu symptoms sooner than you would cold symptoms, and they come on with much greater intensity. With the flu, you may feel very weak and fatigued for up to 2 or 3 weeks. You'll have muscle aches and periods of chills and sweats as fever comes and goes. You may also have a stuffy or runny nose, headache, and sore throat.
Can I compare flu symptoms with cold symptoms?
Yes. The following chart can help you compare flu symptoms with cold symptoms. Use it to lean the differences and similarities between flu and cold symptoms. Then, if you get flu symptoms, call your doctor and ask about an antiviral drug.
FACT FILE
Symptoms Cold Flu
Fever Rare Characteristic, high 100-102 degrees F); lasts 3-4 days
Headache Rare Prominent
General aches, pains Slight Usual; often severe
Fatigue, Weakness Quite mild Can last up to 2-3 weeks
Extreme Exhaustion Never Early and prominent
Stuffy Nose Common Sometimes
Chest Discomfort, Cough Mild to moderate; hacking cough Common; can become severe
You cannot confirm if you have swine flu just based on your symptoms. Like seasonal flu, pandemic swine flu can cause neurologic symptoms in children. These events are rare, but, as cases associated with seasonal flu have shown, they can be very severe and often fatal.
Doctors may offer a rapid flu test, but what you need to understand is a negative result doesn't necessarily mean you don't have the flu. Only lab tests can definitively show whether you've got swine flu. State health departments can do these tests.
What should you do immediately?
Those of you who have traveled from the affected countries in the past ten days and show symptoms swine flu like fever, cough, sore throat and difficulty in breathing should immediately contact the telephone number given below or visit the nearby Government Hospital.
Important contact numbers:
Outbreak Monitoring Cell (Control Room, NICD): 011-23921401
Websites: www.mohfw.nic.in and www.nicd.nic.in
You can also contact a toll free number 2392 1401 at the National Institute of Communicable Disease
Contact number for each cities:
Bangalore
BIAL Swine Flu Center - 91-80-22001490
SDS TUBERCULOSIS & RAJIV GANDHI INSTITUTE OF CHEST DISEASES(Govt. of Karnataka), Hosur Road, Bangalore - 560029
Helpline No: 91-80-26631923
Chennai
Communicable Disease Hospital, 87, T.H. Road, Tondiarpet, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Hyderabad
Govt. General and Chest Diseases Hospital, Erragadda , Hyderabad
Hospital Helpline Number - 040-23814939
Kolkata
Beliaghata Infectious Diseases Hospital, 57, Beliaghata Main Road, Kolkata
Mumbai
Kasturba Hospital, Arthur Road, Sane Guruji Marg, Mumbai 400011
Ph: 022- 23083901 / 23092458 / 23000889
New Delhi
Yellow Fever Quarantine Centre, Near AAI Residential Colony, New Delhi
Ph: 91-11-25652129
Influenza Ward, Ward no 5, Second Floor, New Building, RML Hospital, Delhi-1
RML- 91-11-24525211,23404328,23365525- Ext 4328
Source: Swine Flu India website
Who is at risk?
Those who are more at risk from becoming seriously ill with swine flu are people with:
• chronic (long-term) lung disease, including people who have had drug treatment for their asthma within the past three years,
• chronic heart disease,
• chronic kidney disease,
• chronic liver disease,
• chronic neurological disease (neurological disorders include motor neurone disease, Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis),
• suppressed immune systems (whether caused by disease or treatment),
• diabetes,
• pregnant women,
• people aged 65 or older, and
• young children under five.
Source: National Health Service, UK website
How does it spread?
The new swine flu virus is highly contagious, that is it spreads from person to person. The virus is spread through the droplets that come out of the nose or mouth when someone coughs or sneezes. If someone coughs or sneezes and they do not cover it, those droplets can spread about one metre (3ft). If you are very nearby you might breathe them in.
Or, if someone coughs or sneezes into their hand, those droplets and the virus within them are easily transferred to surfaces that the person touches, such as door handles, hand rails, telephones and keyboards. If you touch these surfaces and touch your face, the virus can enter your system, and you can become infected.
Source: National Health Service, UK website
Can it be prevented?
Influenza antiviral drugs also can be used to prevent influenza when they are given to a person who is not ill, but who has been or may be near a person with swine influenza. When used to prevent the flu, antiviral drugs are about 70% to 90% effective. When used for prevention, the number of days that they should be used will vary depending on a person’s particular situation.
Follow this general procedure to reduce the risk of catching or spreading the virus, you should:
• Cover your mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, using a tissue
• Throw the tissue away quickly and carefully
• Wash your hands regularly with soap and water
• Clean hard surfaces (like door handles and remote controls) frequently with a normal cleaning product
• Keep away from others as much as possible. This is to keep from making others sick. Do not go to work or school while ill
• Stay home for at least 24 hours after fever is gone, except to seek medical care or for other necessities. (Fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.)
• Drink clear fluids (such as water, broth, sports drinks, electrolyte beverages for infants) to keep from being dehydrated
• Wear a facemask – if available and tolerable – when sharing common spaces with other household members to help prevent spreading the virus to others.
Source: CDC, National Health Service, UK website
Will it help to wear a mask?
Information on the effectiveness of facemasks and respirators for decreasing the risk of influenza infection in community settings is extremely limited. So, it is difficult to assess their potential effectiveness in decreasing the risk of Swine Flu virus transmission in these settings. However, a well-fitted, FDA-approved mask together with other preventive measures MAY reduce the risk of contracting the flu. Those who are sick or caring for someone who is ill should consider using a mask or respirator if leaving the house becomes necessary.
Source: CDC
What precautions should one take at home?
Two things - soap and water can reduce the chance of infection by 30 per cent. All you need to do is keep washing your hand with soap and water frequently. Wash hands frequently with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand cleaner when soap and water are not available. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
Eat healthy: Proteins are essential to help your body maintain and build strength. Lean meat, poultry, fish, legumes, dairy, eggs, and nuts and seeds are good sources of protein.
The Food and Drug Administration recommends that adults eat 50 grams of protein per day. Pregnant and nursing women need more. By eating foods high in protein, we also get the benefit of other healing nutrients such as vitamins B6 and B12, both of which contribute to a healthy immune system.
Vitamin B6 is widely available in foods, including protein foods such as turkey and beans as well as potatoes, spinach, and enriched cereal grains. Proteins such as meats, milk, and fish also contain vitamin B12, a powerful immune booster.
Minerals such as selenium and zinc work to keep the immune system strong. These minerals are found in protein rich foods such as beans, nuts, meat, and poultry.
Exercise: Regular exercise may help prevent the flu. According to recent findings, when moderate exercise is repeated on a near daily basis, there is a cumulative immune-enhancing effect. That is, your strong immune system can fight flu better. When you exercise, your white blood cells -- the blood cells that fight infections in the body -- travel through your body more quickly, fighting bacteria and viruses (such as flu) more efficiently. To maintain good health, experts recommend at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity such as walking, swimming, biking, or running each day.
Source: Flu India website, CDC, WebMD
What precautions should one take at schools?
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• People who are sick with an influenza-like illness should stay home and keep away from others as much as possible; including avoiding travel, for at least 24 hours after fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Fever should be gone without the use of fever-reducing medicine). Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing
• Wash your hands often
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth
Source: CDC
Is it safe to travel?
Avoid traveling unnecessarily. However, if you must travel, check how the country you're going to handles swine flu. Although, the WHO doesn't recommend travel restrictions, many countries have set up their own H1N1 policies, and some travelers have been screened or quarantined in other countries because of swine flu concerns.
Source: WebMD.com
Friday, June 26, 2009
EMOTIONAL ADAPTABILITY
Managing Emotions.
Observe your Thoughts.
Pause for a moment, just close your eyes, and become aware of what’s happening in your mind. You’ll notice that you are engaged in a perpetual internal dialogue, interpreting and evaluating what has happened, is happening, or might happen to you. The mind has an astonishing capacity to hop from one idea to the next, and most people have an average of 60,000 thoughts each day. About 59,000 of these thoughts, however, are the same ones we had yesterday. We think and do things repeatedly, and then we wonder why it’s so difficult to create something new in our lives.
Most of our thoughts originate from our past experiences, information we gathered, continue gathering on daily basis from various sources and our beliefs. Thought is followed by our internal dialogue creating a feeling and emotion, depending on the nature of the thought.
But are not our emotions natural?
Do we really have any control over our emotions?
Is it possible to hold the reins of emotion and maneuver it to where we guide?
Are emotions really manageable?
These questions always puzzle us and what we need are concrete answers for those queries.
Feelings & Emotions
A feeling is the body and mind’s response to any given situation. Some psychologists and scientists believe we have five basic feelings: joy, fear, anger, grief and love, with other feelings being variations on these five states.
An emotion is what your body does with one of these feeling states.
Emotions Positive and Negative.
Though there are broadly 7 different human emotions, according to the researchers, they each have two sides - a positive side, and a negative side. They either create Pleasure or Pain in us.
There are 7 human emotions that bring us pleasure: Love, Hope, Sex, Faith, Sympathy, Loyalty, and Optimism. The negative counterparts of these emotions are Fear, Anger, Hatred, Revenge, Jealousy, Greed, and Superstition. These are the emotions that cause us pain.
We believe that our emotions are caused by things outside of us, and are not something we have control over. But we can learn to take control of our emotional responses to the things we encounter in our daily life. We need to just remember that though we do not have the power to control what really happens in our life, but, we certainly have the power to take a positive response to the matter.
The emotions we experience are all created by us. Most of us don't realize this. Our emotions all have a purpose, whether they are positive or negative. They serve to let us know what we are moving towards. Are we heading in a direction that will bring us happiness, or are we traveling down a path that will lead to pain? Our emotions are there to guide us, so we must learn to listen to them. Suppressing unpleasant emotions or merely avoiding our negative emotions is never the answer, for we need to know what path we are on.
Our amazing Body always gives us some signals. Be aware of what our body is trying to tell us.
We also need to know that our body and mind works as one. Either one can lead and the other will follow. But the mind is the overall in charge. The power of our mind has the ability and capability to override the body. Simply put, when we always indulge in negative thoughts, illnesses arise faster.
EMOTIONS to IMMUNITY
When we have a feeling, say Fear, Joy, Love, Compassion or Euphoria, then our brain makes certain chemicals and these chemicals are called “Neuro Peptides” Neuro because they found in the Brain and Peptides because they are Protein molecules. These are literally the molecules of emotion. And these are known to the researchers for the past 25 years. These molecules of emotion are not contained only in the brain; they actually circulate all over in your body.
Your immune cells which are protecting you from diseases like infection, cancer and many other diseases have certain receptors in their cell walls where these neuropeptides or immune peptides or molecules of emotion fit like a key fitting into a lock.
In other words the immune cells which are protecting you from illnesses are eves dropping on the conversation that you have with your self – the internal dialogue (mental chattering) you are having with yourself! These conversation or internal dialogue goes on always, goes on your dreams, even in your deepest sleep and your immune cells are listening! Not only your immune cells are listening, they are also participating in your conversation because they make the same peptides that your brain makes when you think!
In other words your immune cells are thinking cells or conscious cells.
.
In fact, according to studies there is actually no difference between immune system and nervous system. The immune system is a circulating nervous system.
If you say that you have a gut feeling about such and such, you are not saying metaphorically but literally because your gut makes the same peptides that your brain makes, when you are thinking, researchers say!
This connection between the brain and the immune system is being explored by the relatively new science of psychoneuroimmunology. The processes at work in the mind/body link are highly complex. Neurotransmitters in the brain can be affected by emotions and, in turn, trigger physical reactions in other parts of the body, including the systems that combat illness. And illness, of course, affects emotions and behavior.
Stress, for example, is one area in which body and mind are strongly linked. Stress and anxiety raise levels of cortisol and adrenaline in the body, which affect the immune system. Stress has also been shown to trigger other chemicals, which are linked with ‘illness type' behavior including changes in mood and eating and sleeping patterns.
Many conditions appear to be exacerbated by stress. Studies have shown, for example, that relapses in people with multiple sclerosis can be associated with stressful events.
What is good emotional health?
People with good emotional health are aware of their thoughts, feelings and behaviors. They have learned healthy ways to cope with the stress and problems that are a normal part of life. They feel good about themselves and have healthy relationships.
However, many things that happen in your life can disrupt your emotional health and lead to strong feelings of sadness, stress or anxiety.
These things include:
• Being laid off from your job
• Having a child leave or return home
• Dealing with the death of a loved one
• Getting divorced or married
• Suffering an illness or an injury
• Getting a job promotion
• Experiencing money problems
• Moving to a new home or having a baby.
“Good” changes can be just as stressful as “bad” changes.
Poor emotional health can weaken your body's immune system, making you more likely to get colds and other infections during emotionally difficult times. Also, when you are feeling stressed, anxious or upset, you may not take care of your health as well as you should. You may not feel like exercising, eating nutritious foods or taking medicine that your doctor prescribes. Abuse of alcohol, tobacco or other drugs may also be a sign of poor emotional health.
Thoughts and emotions are habits, kind of like smoking. We keep going back to the same thoughts; especially negative ones, over and over. Emotions are the same way.
Managing Emotions. How?
We need to ask these questions once in a while.
Am I really happy with what I am doing?
If not, what is causing me unhappiness?
Am I getting disturbed and mentally agitated while I am on my job?
What causes my internal agitations?
Am I getting angry often?
Am I getting irritated?
Am I becoming a victim to others criticism?
Am I getting hurt?
Am I getting stressed up and feeling burned out?
And finally……
Who is responsible for all these emotional unrest in me?
Am I or some one or things outside?
Can I be happy?
Do I have a choice?
Please note you have a choice to be in happiness or to be in pain and remember; only YOU have that choice.
When you are ready for a change your change is only a thought away!
"Emotions play an important role in modulating bodily systems that influence our health... We turned to the brain to understand the mechanisms by which the mind influences the body."
Dr Davidson - Body Mind Research
“Mind is the master power that molds and makes
And we are mind, and evermore we take
The tool of thought, and shaping what we will,
Bring forth a thousand joys, a thousand ills.
We think in secret, and it comes to pass-
Our world is but our looking glass”
-James Allen
It has been well established by the scientific world that our emotions have a great effect on our total or holistic health. Mind and body were once thought to operate completely separately, but recent studies and research by scientists are showing that this isn't the case. There's now biological evidence that what we think, feel and believe can have a direct effect on the way in which our bodies function – and, consequently, on our wellbeing.
Dr Davidson - Body Mind Research
“Mind is the master power that molds and makes
And we are mind, and evermore we take
The tool of thought, and shaping what we will,
Bring forth a thousand joys, a thousand ills.
We think in secret, and it comes to pass-
Our world is but our looking glass”
-James Allen
It has been well established by the scientific world that our emotions have a great effect on our total or holistic health. Mind and body were once thought to operate completely separately, but recent studies and research by scientists are showing that this isn't the case. There's now biological evidence that what we think, feel and believe can have a direct effect on the way in which our bodies function – and, consequently, on our wellbeing.
Observe your Thoughts.
Pause for a moment, just close your eyes, and become aware of what’s happening in your mind. You’ll notice that you are engaged in a perpetual internal dialogue, interpreting and evaluating what has happened, is happening, or might happen to you. The mind has an astonishing capacity to hop from one idea to the next, and most people have an average of 60,000 thoughts each day. About 59,000 of these thoughts, however, are the same ones we had yesterday. We think and do things repeatedly, and then we wonder why it’s so difficult to create something new in our lives.
Most of our thoughts originate from our past experiences, information we gathered, continue gathering on daily basis from various sources and our beliefs. Thought is followed by our internal dialogue creating a feeling and emotion, depending on the nature of the thought.
But are not our emotions natural?
Do we really have any control over our emotions?
Is it possible to hold the reins of emotion and maneuver it to where we guide?
Are emotions really manageable?
These questions always puzzle us and what we need are concrete answers for those queries.
Feelings & Emotions
A feeling is the body and mind’s response to any given situation. Some psychologists and scientists believe we have five basic feelings: joy, fear, anger, grief and love, with other feelings being variations on these five states.
An emotion is what your body does with one of these feeling states.
Emotions Positive and Negative.
Though there are broadly 7 different human emotions, according to the researchers, they each have two sides - a positive side, and a negative side. They either create Pleasure or Pain in us.
There are 7 human emotions that bring us pleasure: Love, Hope, Sex, Faith, Sympathy, Loyalty, and Optimism. The negative counterparts of these emotions are Fear, Anger, Hatred, Revenge, Jealousy, Greed, and Superstition. These are the emotions that cause us pain.
We believe that our emotions are caused by things outside of us, and are not something we have control over. But we can learn to take control of our emotional responses to the things we encounter in our daily life. We need to just remember that though we do not have the power to control what really happens in our life, but, we certainly have the power to take a positive response to the matter.
The emotions we experience are all created by us. Most of us don't realize this. Our emotions all have a purpose, whether they are positive or negative. They serve to let us know what we are moving towards. Are we heading in a direction that will bring us happiness, or are we traveling down a path that will lead to pain? Our emotions are there to guide us, so we must learn to listen to them. Suppressing unpleasant emotions or merely avoiding our negative emotions is never the answer, for we need to know what path we are on.
Our amazing Body always gives us some signals. Be aware of what our body is trying to tell us.
We also need to know that our body and mind works as one. Either one can lead and the other will follow. But the mind is the overall in charge. The power of our mind has the ability and capability to override the body. Simply put, when we always indulge in negative thoughts, illnesses arise faster.
EMOTIONS to IMMUNITY
When we have a feeling, say Fear, Joy, Love, Compassion or Euphoria, then our brain makes certain chemicals and these chemicals are called “Neuro Peptides” Neuro because they found in the Brain and Peptides because they are Protein molecules. These are literally the molecules of emotion. And these are known to the researchers for the past 25 years. These molecules of emotion are not contained only in the brain; they actually circulate all over in your body.
Your immune cells which are protecting you from diseases like infection, cancer and many other diseases have certain receptors in their cell walls where these neuropeptides or immune peptides or molecules of emotion fit like a key fitting into a lock.
In other words the immune cells which are protecting you from illnesses are eves dropping on the conversation that you have with your self – the internal dialogue (mental chattering) you are having with yourself! These conversation or internal dialogue goes on always, goes on your dreams, even in your deepest sleep and your immune cells are listening! Not only your immune cells are listening, they are also participating in your conversation because they make the same peptides that your brain makes when you think!
In other words your immune cells are thinking cells or conscious cells.
.
In fact, according to studies there is actually no difference between immune system and nervous system. The immune system is a circulating nervous system.
If you say that you have a gut feeling about such and such, you are not saying metaphorically but literally because your gut makes the same peptides that your brain makes, when you are thinking, researchers say!
This connection between the brain and the immune system is being explored by the relatively new science of psychoneuroimmunology. The processes at work in the mind/body link are highly complex. Neurotransmitters in the brain can be affected by emotions and, in turn, trigger physical reactions in other parts of the body, including the systems that combat illness. And illness, of course, affects emotions and behavior.
Stress, for example, is one area in which body and mind are strongly linked. Stress and anxiety raise levels of cortisol and adrenaline in the body, which affect the immune system. Stress has also been shown to trigger other chemicals, which are linked with ‘illness type' behavior including changes in mood and eating and sleeping patterns.
Many conditions appear to be exacerbated by stress. Studies have shown, for example, that relapses in people with multiple sclerosis can be associated with stressful events.
What is good emotional health?
People with good emotional health are aware of their thoughts, feelings and behaviors. They have learned healthy ways to cope with the stress and problems that are a normal part of life. They feel good about themselves and have healthy relationships.
However, many things that happen in your life can disrupt your emotional health and lead to strong feelings of sadness, stress or anxiety.
These things include:
• Being laid off from your job
• Having a child leave or return home
• Dealing with the death of a loved one
• Getting divorced or married
• Suffering an illness or an injury
• Getting a job promotion
• Experiencing money problems
• Moving to a new home or having a baby.
“Good” changes can be just as stressful as “bad” changes.
Poor emotional health can weaken your body's immune system, making you more likely to get colds and other infections during emotionally difficult times. Also, when you are feeling stressed, anxious or upset, you may not take care of your health as well as you should. You may not feel like exercising, eating nutritious foods or taking medicine that your doctor prescribes. Abuse of alcohol, tobacco or other drugs may also be a sign of poor emotional health.
Thoughts and emotions are habits, kind of like smoking. We keep going back to the same thoughts; especially negative ones, over and over. Emotions are the same way.
Managing Emotions. How?
We need to ask these questions once in a while.
Am I really happy with what I am doing?
If not, what is causing me unhappiness?
Am I getting disturbed and mentally agitated while I am on my job?
What causes my internal agitations?
Am I getting angry often?
Am I getting irritated?
Am I becoming a victim to others criticism?
Am I getting hurt?
Am I getting stressed up and feeling burned out?
And finally……
Who is responsible for all these emotional unrest in me?
Am I or some one or things outside?
Can I be happy?
Do I have a choice?
Please note you have a choice to be in happiness or to be in pain and remember; only YOU have that choice.
When you are ready for a change your change is only a thought away!
The Japanese X-Factor
In the 1960s, Len Syme, the first sociologist to land a job in the U. S. Department of Health, suspected that social factors had a bearing on certain diseases believed only to have dietary or environmental causes, such as heart disease, cancer or arthritis.
In one of his early attempts to tease out why rates of cardiovascular disease varied in numerous U. S. states, Syme found that the ‘culturally mobile’, as he began to call them — those who’d moved geographically from one societal culture to something quite different, particularly those who’d moved from farms to white collar city jobs – went on to get heart disease. This connection prevailed even when he’d eliminated other factors, such as smoking, blood pressure and all the other supposed major risk factors of cardiovascular disease. Social mobility – moving outside society as you knew it – made you ill.
At the School of Public Health at Berkeley, Syme teamed up with Reuell Stallones, another of Berkeley’s professors, to test his migration hypothesis with the perfect population: the Japanese who’d migrated to Hawaii and California.
The Japanese paradoxAs a race, the Japanese fascinate any student of epidemiology because they are such an apparent paradox: they have the lowest heart disease in the world, despite the fact that smoking — one of the biggest risk factors of heart disease — is virtually universal.
Japan’s longevity statistics confound all our expectations about what is required to live a long and healthy life. In fact, Japan produces the world’s largest number of centenarians: almost 18,000 people live to 100 — many of them smokers.
Epidemiologists find transplanted societies particularly instructive, as they afford an opportunity to examine just how a particular community fares when confronted with profound social, cultural or dietary upheaval.
Syme and Stallones examined heart disease risk, plus dietary factors and any social change in a pool of 12,000 men, divided up among those who lived in Japan and two groups that had emigrated to Hawaii or northern California.
Stallones was interested in whether the Japanese had low rates of heart disease because of their low-fat diet, and whether heart disease went up when the Japanese, who maintain an excellent low-fat diet in their home country adopt a typical burger-and-fries American diet, but Syme was interested in the social factor: whether moving countries and cultures was so destabilizing that it caused heart disease.
The results confounded both their expectations. The Japanese men migrating to California had five times the heart disease of those in Japan, while the heart-disease levels in Hawaii were midway between the two, so simply migrating somewhere else didn’t automatically cause disease.
Nevertheless, the results appeared to be completely independent of any of the usual supposed risk factors of heart disease, like smoking, high blood pressure, diet or cholesterol count; in fact, the Japanese population studied contained the highest number of smokers, but the lowest levels of heart disease.
Amazingly enough, their results also appeared independent of any dietary changes. Whatever the Japanese ate — whether tofu or a Big Mac — had no bearing whatever on their propensity to heart disease.
Although changes in the dietary habits made no difference in terms of heart disease, the kind of society the transplants created for themselves did. Those Japanese men who’d adopted American cultural ways suffered the increase in heart disease, while those who’d retained their traditional culture had the lowest levels of heart disease — comparable to Japanese men back home.
The most traditional group of the Japanese Americans had a heart attack rate as low as their fellow Japanese living in Japan, while those who’d adopted the Western go-ahead lifestyle increased their heart attack incidence by three to five times. These differences could not be accounted for by any of the usual risk factors. Those with social networks and social support were protect against heart disease — regardless of whether they smoked or suffer from high blood pressure.
In search of the x-factorSyme was intrigued enough by these results to travel to Japan in search of the missing x-factor of impregnable health. He interviewed scores of the Japanese to find out the single factor that most distinguished the social fabric of America from that of Japan.
What most marked their culture from that of America, his interviewees repeated in interview after interview, was that Americans were lonely. Anyone could see that. Americans even walked on the street alone.
The Japanese, particularly in southern Japan, maintained tight-knit social groups that were mutually supportive, as was the work environment. Joining a business is not unlike marrying into a family; it is, in most instances, a relationship for life.
In southern Japan, the Japanese even create ‘moai’, a kind of life-long social and financial safety net made up by the contributions of your friends and loved ones.
The heart attack rates of the Californian Japanese-Americans had nothing to do with moving from Japan, but everything to do with losing the close social ties that proved to be Japan’s secret weapon in staying healthy.
In the 1960s, Len Syme, the first sociologist to land a job in the U. S. Department of Health, suspected that social factors had a bearing on certain diseases believed only to have dietary or environmental causes, such as heart disease, cancer or arthritis.
In one of his early attempts to tease out why rates of cardiovascular disease varied in numerous U. S. states, Syme found that the ‘culturally mobile’, as he began to call them — those who’d moved geographically from one societal culture to something quite different, particularly those who’d moved from farms to white collar city jobs – went on to get heart disease. This connection prevailed even when he’d eliminated other factors, such as smoking, blood pressure and all the other supposed major risk factors of cardiovascular disease. Social mobility – moving outside society as you knew it – made you ill.
At the School of Public Health at Berkeley, Syme teamed up with Reuell Stallones, another of Berkeley’s professors, to test his migration hypothesis with the perfect population: the Japanese who’d migrated to Hawaii and California.
The Japanese paradoxAs a race, the Japanese fascinate any student of epidemiology because they are such an apparent paradox: they have the lowest heart disease in the world, despite the fact that smoking — one of the biggest risk factors of heart disease — is virtually universal.
Japan’s longevity statistics confound all our expectations about what is required to live a long and healthy life. In fact, Japan produces the world’s largest number of centenarians: almost 18,000 people live to 100 — many of them smokers.
Epidemiologists find transplanted societies particularly instructive, as they afford an opportunity to examine just how a particular community fares when confronted with profound social, cultural or dietary upheaval.
Syme and Stallones examined heart disease risk, plus dietary factors and any social change in a pool of 12,000 men, divided up among those who lived in Japan and two groups that had emigrated to Hawaii or northern California.
Stallones was interested in whether the Japanese had low rates of heart disease because of their low-fat diet, and whether heart disease went up when the Japanese, who maintain an excellent low-fat diet in their home country adopt a typical burger-and-fries American diet, but Syme was interested in the social factor: whether moving countries and cultures was so destabilizing that it caused heart disease.
The results confounded both their expectations. The Japanese men migrating to California had five times the heart disease of those in Japan, while the heart-disease levels in Hawaii were midway between the two, so simply migrating somewhere else didn’t automatically cause disease.
Nevertheless, the results appeared to be completely independent of any of the usual supposed risk factors of heart disease, like smoking, high blood pressure, diet or cholesterol count; in fact, the Japanese population studied contained the highest number of smokers, but the lowest levels of heart disease.
Amazingly enough, their results also appeared independent of any dietary changes. Whatever the Japanese ate — whether tofu or a Big Mac — had no bearing whatever on their propensity to heart disease.
Although changes in the dietary habits made no difference in terms of heart disease, the kind of society the transplants created for themselves did. Those Japanese men who’d adopted American cultural ways suffered the increase in heart disease, while those who’d retained their traditional culture had the lowest levels of heart disease — comparable to Japanese men back home.
The most traditional group of the Japanese Americans had a heart attack rate as low as their fellow Japanese living in Japan, while those who’d adopted the Western go-ahead lifestyle increased their heart attack incidence by three to five times. These differences could not be accounted for by any of the usual risk factors. Those with social networks and social support were protect against heart disease — regardless of whether they smoked or suffer from high blood pressure.
In search of the x-factorSyme was intrigued enough by these results to travel to Japan in search of the missing x-factor of impregnable health. He interviewed scores of the Japanese to find out the single factor that most distinguished the social fabric of America from that of Japan.
What most marked their culture from that of America, his interviewees repeated in interview after interview, was that Americans were lonely. Anyone could see that. Americans even walked on the street alone. The Japanese, particularly in southern Japan, maintained tight-knit social groups that were mutually supportive, as was the work environment. Joining a business is not unlike marrying into a family; it is, in most instances, a relationship for life.
In southern Japan, the Japanese even create ‘moai’, a kind of life-long social and financial safety net made up by the contributions of your friends and loved ones.
The heart attack rates of the Californian Japanese-Americans had nothing to do with moving from Japan, but everything to do with losing the close social ties that proved to be Japan’s secret weapon in staying healthy.
In one of his early attempts to tease out why rates of cardiovascular disease varied in numerous U. S. states, Syme found that the ‘culturally mobile’, as he began to call them — those who’d moved geographically from one societal culture to something quite different, particularly those who’d moved from farms to white collar city jobs – went on to get heart disease. This connection prevailed even when he’d eliminated other factors, such as smoking, blood pressure and all the other supposed major risk factors of cardiovascular disease. Social mobility – moving outside society as you knew it – made you ill.
At the School of Public Health at Berkeley, Syme teamed up with Reuell Stallones, another of Berkeley’s professors, to test his migration hypothesis with the perfect population: the Japanese who’d migrated to Hawaii and California.
The Japanese paradoxAs a race, the Japanese fascinate any student of epidemiology because they are such an apparent paradox: they have the lowest heart disease in the world, despite the fact that smoking — one of the biggest risk factors of heart disease — is virtually universal.
Japan’s longevity statistics confound all our expectations about what is required to live a long and healthy life. In fact, Japan produces the world’s largest number of centenarians: almost 18,000 people live to 100 — many of them smokers.
Epidemiologists find transplanted societies particularly instructive, as they afford an opportunity to examine just how a particular community fares when confronted with profound social, cultural or dietary upheaval.
Syme and Stallones examined heart disease risk, plus dietary factors and any social change in a pool of 12,000 men, divided up among those who lived in Japan and two groups that had emigrated to Hawaii or northern California.
Stallones was interested in whether the Japanese had low rates of heart disease because of their low-fat diet, and whether heart disease went up when the Japanese, who maintain an excellent low-fat diet in their home country adopt a typical burger-and-fries American diet, but Syme was interested in the social factor: whether moving countries and cultures was so destabilizing that it caused heart disease.
The results confounded both their expectations. The Japanese men migrating to California had five times the heart disease of those in Japan, while the heart-disease levels in Hawaii were midway between the two, so simply migrating somewhere else didn’t automatically cause disease.
Nevertheless, the results appeared to be completely independent of any of the usual supposed risk factors of heart disease, like smoking, high blood pressure, diet or cholesterol count; in fact, the Japanese population studied contained the highest number of smokers, but the lowest levels of heart disease.
Amazingly enough, their results also appeared independent of any dietary changes. Whatever the Japanese ate — whether tofu or a Big Mac — had no bearing whatever on their propensity to heart disease.
Although changes in the dietary habits made no difference in terms of heart disease, the kind of society the transplants created for themselves did. Those Japanese men who’d adopted American cultural ways suffered the increase in heart disease, while those who’d retained their traditional culture had the lowest levels of heart disease — comparable to Japanese men back home.
The most traditional group of the Japanese Americans had a heart attack rate as low as their fellow Japanese living in Japan, while those who’d adopted the Western go-ahead lifestyle increased their heart attack incidence by three to five times. These differences could not be accounted for by any of the usual risk factors. Those with social networks and social support were protect against heart disease — regardless of whether they smoked or suffer from high blood pressure.
In search of the x-factorSyme was intrigued enough by these results to travel to Japan in search of the missing x-factor of impregnable health. He interviewed scores of the Japanese to find out the single factor that most distinguished the social fabric of America from that of Japan.
What most marked their culture from that of America, his interviewees repeated in interview after interview, was that Americans were lonely. Anyone could see that. Americans even walked on the street alone.
The Japanese, particularly in southern Japan, maintained tight-knit social groups that were mutually supportive, as was the work environment. Joining a business is not unlike marrying into a family; it is, in most instances, a relationship for life.
In southern Japan, the Japanese even create ‘moai’, a kind of life-long social and financial safety net made up by the contributions of your friends and loved ones.
The heart attack rates of the Californian Japanese-Americans had nothing to do with moving from Japan, but everything to do with losing the close social ties that proved to be Japan’s secret weapon in staying healthy.
In the 1960s, Len Syme, the first sociologist to land a job in the U. S. Department of Health, suspected that social factors had a bearing on certain diseases believed only to have dietary or environmental causes, such as heart disease, cancer or arthritis.
In one of his early attempts to tease out why rates of cardiovascular disease varied in numerous U. S. states, Syme found that the ‘culturally mobile’, as he began to call them — those who’d moved geographically from one societal culture to something quite different, particularly those who’d moved from farms to white collar city jobs – went on to get heart disease. This connection prevailed even when he’d eliminated other factors, such as smoking, blood pressure and all the other supposed major risk factors of cardiovascular disease. Social mobility – moving outside society as you knew it – made you ill.
At the School of Public Health at Berkeley, Syme teamed up with Reuell Stallones, another of Berkeley’s professors, to test his migration hypothesis with the perfect population: the Japanese who’d migrated to Hawaii and California.
The Japanese paradoxAs a race, the Japanese fascinate any student of epidemiology because they are such an apparent paradox: they have the lowest heart disease in the world, despite the fact that smoking — one of the biggest risk factors of heart disease — is virtually universal.
Japan’s longevity statistics confound all our expectations about what is required to live a long and healthy life. In fact, Japan produces the world’s largest number of centenarians: almost 18,000 people live to 100 — many of them smokers.
Epidemiologists find transplanted societies particularly instructive, as they afford an opportunity to examine just how a particular community fares when confronted with profound social, cultural or dietary upheaval.
Syme and Stallones examined heart disease risk, plus dietary factors and any social change in a pool of 12,000 men, divided up among those who lived in Japan and two groups that had emigrated to Hawaii or northern California.
Stallones was interested in whether the Japanese had low rates of heart disease because of their low-fat diet, and whether heart disease went up when the Japanese, who maintain an excellent low-fat diet in their home country adopt a typical burger-and-fries American diet, but Syme was interested in the social factor: whether moving countries and cultures was so destabilizing that it caused heart disease.
The results confounded both their expectations. The Japanese men migrating to California had five times the heart disease of those in Japan, while the heart-disease levels in Hawaii were midway between the two, so simply migrating somewhere else didn’t automatically cause disease.
Nevertheless, the results appeared to be completely independent of any of the usual supposed risk factors of heart disease, like smoking, high blood pressure, diet or cholesterol count; in fact, the Japanese population studied contained the highest number of smokers, but the lowest levels of heart disease.
Amazingly enough, their results also appeared independent of any dietary changes. Whatever the Japanese ate — whether tofu or a Big Mac — had no bearing whatever on their propensity to heart disease.
Although changes in the dietary habits made no difference in terms of heart disease, the kind of society the transplants created for themselves did. Those Japanese men who’d adopted American cultural ways suffered the increase in heart disease, while those who’d retained their traditional culture had the lowest levels of heart disease — comparable to Japanese men back home.
The most traditional group of the Japanese Americans had a heart attack rate as low as their fellow Japanese living in Japan, while those who’d adopted the Western go-ahead lifestyle increased their heart attack incidence by three to five times. These differences could not be accounted for by any of the usual risk factors. Those with social networks and social support were protect against heart disease — regardless of whether they smoked or suffer from high blood pressure.
In search of the x-factorSyme was intrigued enough by these results to travel to Japan in search of the missing x-factor of impregnable health. He interviewed scores of the Japanese to find out the single factor that most distinguished the social fabric of America from that of Japan.
What most marked their culture from that of America, his interviewees repeated in interview after interview, was that Americans were lonely. Anyone could see that. Americans even walked on the street alone. The Japanese, particularly in southern Japan, maintained tight-knit social groups that were mutually supportive, as was the work environment. Joining a business is not unlike marrying into a family; it is, in most instances, a relationship for life.
In southern Japan, the Japanese even create ‘moai’, a kind of life-long social and financial safety net made up by the contributions of your friends and loved ones.
The heart attack rates of the Californian Japanese-Americans had nothing to do with moving from Japan, but everything to do with losing the close social ties that proved to be Japan’s secret weapon in staying healthy.
Friday, May 08, 2009
Responding to Swine Flu
By Valencia Porter, M.D., M.P.H.
The outbreak of swine flu in Mexico and the United States, with confirmed cases now in 19 other countries, has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), and a public health emergency by the U.S. government. While it’s easy to stay glued in front of the TV or Internet, keeping track of every aspect of the unfolding events, getting caught up in fear and hysteria clearly isn’t a healthy response. In the face of a legitimate public health concern, here are a few practical guidelines to help you stay calm and protect yourself and your community.
Get the FACTS
The swine flu is an influenza virus that spreads in the same way as other respiratory viruses such as the common cold – through the transmission of infected respiratory particles. Swine flu is spread from one person to another through coughing or sneezing. It is not transmitted by eating pork or pork products.
Usually swine flu only affects pigs; however, when people are in close contact with pigs (such as those working in the swine industry) disease may be spread to humans.
The symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of regular seasonal influenza and can easily be remembered by the mnemonic FACTS: Fever, Aches, Cough and Chills, Tired, Sudden Onset. Some people with swine flu also report runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Protect Yourself with Good Hygiene WHO issued the pandemic warning not to create panic, but to make people aware of measures they can take to prevent the spread of the swine flu virus. The more people practice these types of preventive measures, the less impact there will be.
The following good hygiene practices will help reduce transmission of the swine flu virus as well as other airborne illnesses:
Wash your hands with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
When you do cough or sneeze, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue and throw it away in the trash after you use it. If a tissue is not available, sneeze or cough into the crook of your elbow, not into your hand.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth as germs are spread this way.
Try to avoid close contact with sick people. If close contact cannot be avoided, transmission can be minimized by using a disposable medical facemask or an N95 respirator.
Some viruses can survive on non-porous surfaces for up to 2 hours, so wipe down high traffic surfaces such as doorknobs, keyboards, and phones. Use soap and water, anti-viral wipes, or a mild bleach solution.
At this point the WHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have recommended that people avoid non-essential travel to Mexico; however, no other travel advisories have been issued as of this writing.
Enhance your Immunity
Use natural techniques to boost your immune system. This will increase your overall health and well-being, and will help you to fight the disease if you are exposed to it.
Don’t foster feelings of fear and worry by ingesting too much news from the TV and Internet. Fear causes a state of stress in your body that weakens the immune system. Give yourself a break from the media barrage and instead check in periodically to trusted websites such as the CDC, which offers up-to-date information without the sensationalism.
Practice deep abdominal breathing, which brings your physiology back to a state of peace and enhances your immune system. Other practices such as meditation, yoga, tai chi, and qi gong can also bring you to a state of relaxation.
Continue to nourish yourself with plenty of fluids, nutritious foods, and adequate rest. Vitamins and minerals play key roles in the functioning of the immune system, so make sure to eat a balanced diet.
Certain herbs may also help boost the immune system and may have anti-viral properties. The Ayurvedic rejuvenating herbs, including amalaki, ashwagandha, and guduchi, have traditionally been used to support immune function
Other immune-enhancing herbs that may be helpful include astragalus, pau d’arco, and echinacea. Before you take any supplements, consult with your doctor.
Seek Medical Care Prevention is our major line of defense, but sometimes we still come down with illness. If you do have flu symptoms, stay home from work or school and limit your contact with others. Contact your health care provider as soon as possible as there are anti-viral medications that can make the illness milder and help you feel better faster when taken within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms.
Homeopathic remedies such as Oscillococcinum may also help to alleviate the symptoms. Rest and drink plenty of fluids. Go to urgent care or the emergency room if you have unusual symptoms such as high fever, difficulty breathing, worsening cough, or persistent vomiting and diarrhea.
(Valencia Porter, M.D, MPH. is board certified in Preventive Medicine, Chopra Center.)
The outbreak of swine flu in Mexico and the United States, with confirmed cases now in 19 other countries, has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), and a public health emergency by the U.S. government. While it’s easy to stay glued in front of the TV or Internet, keeping track of every aspect of the unfolding events, getting caught up in fear and hysteria clearly isn’t a healthy response. In the face of a legitimate public health concern, here are a few practical guidelines to help you stay calm and protect yourself and your community.
Get the FACTS
The swine flu is an influenza virus that spreads in the same way as other respiratory viruses such as the common cold – through the transmission of infected respiratory particles. Swine flu is spread from one person to another through coughing or sneezing. It is not transmitted by eating pork or pork products.
Usually swine flu only affects pigs; however, when people are in close contact with pigs (such as those working in the swine industry) disease may be spread to humans.
The symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of regular seasonal influenza and can easily be remembered by the mnemonic FACTS: Fever, Aches, Cough and Chills, Tired, Sudden Onset. Some people with swine flu also report runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Protect Yourself with Good Hygiene WHO issued the pandemic warning not to create panic, but to make people aware of measures they can take to prevent the spread of the swine flu virus. The more people practice these types of preventive measures, the less impact there will be.
The following good hygiene practices will help reduce transmission of the swine flu virus as well as other airborne illnesses:
Wash your hands with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
When you do cough or sneeze, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue and throw it away in the trash after you use it. If a tissue is not available, sneeze or cough into the crook of your elbow, not into your hand.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth as germs are spread this way.
Try to avoid close contact with sick people. If close contact cannot be avoided, transmission can be minimized by using a disposable medical facemask or an N95 respirator.
Some viruses can survive on non-porous surfaces for up to 2 hours, so wipe down high traffic surfaces such as doorknobs, keyboards, and phones. Use soap and water, anti-viral wipes, or a mild bleach solution.
At this point the WHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have recommended that people avoid non-essential travel to Mexico; however, no other travel advisories have been issued as of this writing.
Enhance your Immunity
Use natural techniques to boost your immune system. This will increase your overall health and well-being, and will help you to fight the disease if you are exposed to it.
Don’t foster feelings of fear and worry by ingesting too much news from the TV and Internet. Fear causes a state of stress in your body that weakens the immune system. Give yourself a break from the media barrage and instead check in periodically to trusted websites such as the CDC, which offers up-to-date information without the sensationalism.
Practice deep abdominal breathing, which brings your physiology back to a state of peace and enhances your immune system. Other practices such as meditation, yoga, tai chi, and qi gong can also bring you to a state of relaxation.
Continue to nourish yourself with plenty of fluids, nutritious foods, and adequate rest. Vitamins and minerals play key roles in the functioning of the immune system, so make sure to eat a balanced diet.
Certain herbs may also help boost the immune system and may have anti-viral properties. The Ayurvedic rejuvenating herbs, including amalaki, ashwagandha, and guduchi, have traditionally been used to support immune function
Other immune-enhancing herbs that may be helpful include astragalus, pau d’arco, and echinacea. Before you take any supplements, consult with your doctor.
Seek Medical Care Prevention is our major line of defense, but sometimes we still come down with illness. If you do have flu symptoms, stay home from work or school and limit your contact with others. Contact your health care provider as soon as possible as there are anti-viral medications that can make the illness milder and help you feel better faster when taken within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms.
Homeopathic remedies such as Oscillococcinum may also help to alleviate the symptoms. Rest and drink plenty of fluids. Go to urgent care or the emergency room if you have unusual symptoms such as high fever, difficulty breathing, worsening cough, or persistent vomiting and diarrhea.
(Valencia Porter, M.D, MPH. is board certified in Preventive Medicine, Chopra Center.)
SWINE FLU - Mayo Clinic expert answers your questions
The recent outbreaks of swine flu have a lot of people worried. Should you be one of them? The following interview with James Steckelberg, an infectious disease specialist at Mayo Clinic, may help answer some of your questions.
A pandemic sounds pretty scary. Should I be worried?
Clearly, this is a new strain of influenza for which little natural immunity probably exists. Past experience has shown potential for new strains of influenza to spread extensively. On the other hand, there have been situations, such as the swine flu scare in 1976, which turned out to be false alarms. I think people should be concerned about the potential and stay informed.
Can I catch swine flu from eating pork?
No. Swine flu is spread like any other respiratory disease, via droplets from sneezes and coughs. You can breathe in these droplets or become infected by touching a contaminated surface and then touching your eyes or mouth.
If I got the flu shot last fall, am I safe from swine flu?
No. After looking at the components of last year's flu vaccine, officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concluded that you can't expect any protection against swine flu from last year's vaccine. It will probably take up to six months to develop a vaccine that will work against the swine flu viruses we're seeing now.
Are there symptoms to watch out for?
Swine flu has the same potential symptoms as seasonal influenza or bird flu — fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. There's really no way to know the specific influenza type except by testing. Your doctor can take a sample from your nose or throat with a cotton swab and send it to your state health department.
Should I receive treatment, just in case?
This variety of swine flu is sensitive to the antiviral drugs oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) but the CDC has recommended that these drugs be used only for people who:
Have confirmed, probable or suspected swine influenza, especially if they are at higher risk of complications
Are household contacts who are at high risk for complications of influenza (such as persons with certain chronic medical conditions, persons 65 or older, children younger than 5 years old, and pregnant women) of a confirmed, probable or suspected case
Are school children at high risk for complications of influenza (children with certain chronic medical conditions) who had close contact (face-to-face) with a confirmed, probable or suspected case
Have recently traveled from or live in an area where cases of swine flu have been confirmed, if they are at high risk of complications
Work in certain health care fields, particularly if they are at high risk of complications
What can I do to protect myself?
Wash your hands with soap and water frequently. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers may also be helpful. Government health officials will make announcements if further measures — such as closing schools or wearing surgical masks — should be taken.
Might this virus resurface in fall?
That has happened in the past. The 1918 influenza epidemic started with cases in the spring, seemingly disappeared over the summer, and then returned with a vengeance in the fall.
Swine flu: How serious is the global threat?
You're not alone in your confusion about the current swine flu outbreak, which seems to have started in Mexico. Since then, the swine flu strain of influenza has also spread to the United States, Canada and other countries. No one knows whether this particular swine flu will become pandemic — that is, whether it will affect large numbers of people in wide geographic regions.
Swine flu is one of the many type A influenza viruses. It's unusual for humans to catch swine flu, but occasional cases occur, usually in people who have contact with infected pigs. Like other flu viruses, the swine flu virus changes its DNA as it spreads, giving rise to a number of subtypes.
Health officials around the world are concerned about the current swine flu outbreak because:
· It's caused by a new strain of swine flu virus, which means humans haven't had a chance to develop antibodies that could be used to make a vaccine. The new strain is a variant of a recognized swine flu virus — swine influenza virus H1N1. The new form contains DNA sequences from human and avian influenza viruses, as well as from other strains of swine influenza.
· It's spreading rapidly in the hardest-hit areas of Mexico.
· The infection progresses rapidly. In those most severely affected in the Mexican outbreak, potentially fatal respiratory problems developed after less than a week of coughing, aches and fever.
· In Mexico, the death rate is unusually high among those who develop respiratory distress.
In the United States, the same new strain of H1N1 swine influenza has infected some recent visitors to Mexico and their household contacts. So far, the infection has resulted in relatively mild respiratory illnesses in this group.
Why is there such a big difference in severity? One possibility is that the virus mutated to a less dangerous form around the time it showed up in the United States. Another, more sobering possibility is that the severe illness linked to swine flu in Mexico is the result of viral mutations that haven't yet appeared in other countries — but possibly will in time.
Efforts to understand and contain swine flu are under way on a global scale. Until more definitive information is available, the best response for those outside the most affected areas is to:
· Keep tabs on respiratory symptoms. If you or someone in your family develops symptoms suggesting a cold or the flu, be alert for persistent or worsening symptoms, particularly a high fever.
· Stay home if you're sick. If you do have swine flu, you can give it to others starting about 24 hours before you develop symptoms and ending about seven days later.
· Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently. Flu viruses can survive for two hours or longer on surfaces, such as doorknobs and countertops.
· Take extra precautionary measures if you travel to or live in an affected area.
· If you have a chronic condition, such as asthma or heart disease, it's a good idea to wear a breathing mask when you're out in public in affected areas.
· Be prepared. Ask your health care provider or county health department about infection-control plans in case of a serious swine flu outbreak. The antiviral drugs oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) reduce the severity of symptoms.
How long can they live outside the body?
The length of time that cold or flu germs can survive outside the body on an environmental surface, such as a doorknob, varies greatly. But the suspected range is from a few seconds to 48 hours — depending on the specific virus and the type of surface.
Flu viruses tend to live longer on surfaces than cold viruses do. Also, it's generally believed that cold and flu viruses live longer on nonporous surfaces — such as plastic, metal or wood — than they do on porous surfaces — such as fabrics, skin or paper.
Although cold and flu viruses primarily spread from person-to-person contact, you can also become infected from contact with contaminated surfaces. The best way to avoid becoming infected with a cold or flu is to wash your hands frequently with soap and water or with an alcohol-based sanitizer.
A pandemic sounds pretty scary. Should I be worried?
Clearly, this is a new strain of influenza for which little natural immunity probably exists. Past experience has shown potential for new strains of influenza to spread extensively. On the other hand, there have been situations, such as the swine flu scare in 1976, which turned out to be false alarms. I think people should be concerned about the potential and stay informed.
Can I catch swine flu from eating pork?
No. Swine flu is spread like any other respiratory disease, via droplets from sneezes and coughs. You can breathe in these droplets or become infected by touching a contaminated surface and then touching your eyes or mouth.
If I got the flu shot last fall, am I safe from swine flu?
No. After looking at the components of last year's flu vaccine, officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concluded that you can't expect any protection against swine flu from last year's vaccine. It will probably take up to six months to develop a vaccine that will work against the swine flu viruses we're seeing now.
Are there symptoms to watch out for?
Swine flu has the same potential symptoms as seasonal influenza or bird flu — fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. There's really no way to know the specific influenza type except by testing. Your doctor can take a sample from your nose or throat with a cotton swab and send it to your state health department.
Should I receive treatment, just in case?
This variety of swine flu is sensitive to the antiviral drugs oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) but the CDC has recommended that these drugs be used only for people who:
Have confirmed, probable or suspected swine influenza, especially if they are at higher risk of complications
Are household contacts who are at high risk for complications of influenza (such as persons with certain chronic medical conditions, persons 65 or older, children younger than 5 years old, and pregnant women) of a confirmed, probable or suspected case
Are school children at high risk for complications of influenza (children with certain chronic medical conditions) who had close contact (face-to-face) with a confirmed, probable or suspected case
Have recently traveled from or live in an area where cases of swine flu have been confirmed, if they are at high risk of complications
Work in certain health care fields, particularly if they are at high risk of complications
What can I do to protect myself?
Wash your hands with soap and water frequently. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers may also be helpful. Government health officials will make announcements if further measures — such as closing schools or wearing surgical masks — should be taken.
Might this virus resurface in fall?
That has happened in the past. The 1918 influenza epidemic started with cases in the spring, seemingly disappeared over the summer, and then returned with a vengeance in the fall.
Swine flu: How serious is the global threat?
You're not alone in your confusion about the current swine flu outbreak, which seems to have started in Mexico. Since then, the swine flu strain of influenza has also spread to the United States, Canada and other countries. No one knows whether this particular swine flu will become pandemic — that is, whether it will affect large numbers of people in wide geographic regions.
Swine flu is one of the many type A influenza viruses. It's unusual for humans to catch swine flu, but occasional cases occur, usually in people who have contact with infected pigs. Like other flu viruses, the swine flu virus changes its DNA as it spreads, giving rise to a number of subtypes.
Health officials around the world are concerned about the current swine flu outbreak because:
· It's caused by a new strain of swine flu virus, which means humans haven't had a chance to develop antibodies that could be used to make a vaccine. The new strain is a variant of a recognized swine flu virus — swine influenza virus H1N1. The new form contains DNA sequences from human and avian influenza viruses, as well as from other strains of swine influenza.
· It's spreading rapidly in the hardest-hit areas of Mexico.
· The infection progresses rapidly. In those most severely affected in the Mexican outbreak, potentially fatal respiratory problems developed after less than a week of coughing, aches and fever.
· In Mexico, the death rate is unusually high among those who develop respiratory distress.
In the United States, the same new strain of H1N1 swine influenza has infected some recent visitors to Mexico and their household contacts. So far, the infection has resulted in relatively mild respiratory illnesses in this group.
Why is there such a big difference in severity? One possibility is that the virus mutated to a less dangerous form around the time it showed up in the United States. Another, more sobering possibility is that the severe illness linked to swine flu in Mexico is the result of viral mutations that haven't yet appeared in other countries — but possibly will in time.
Efforts to understand and contain swine flu are under way on a global scale. Until more definitive information is available, the best response for those outside the most affected areas is to:
· Keep tabs on respiratory symptoms. If you or someone in your family develops symptoms suggesting a cold or the flu, be alert for persistent or worsening symptoms, particularly a high fever.
· Stay home if you're sick. If you do have swine flu, you can give it to others starting about 24 hours before you develop symptoms and ending about seven days later.
· Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently. Flu viruses can survive for two hours or longer on surfaces, such as doorknobs and countertops.
· Take extra precautionary measures if you travel to or live in an affected area.
· If you have a chronic condition, such as asthma or heart disease, it's a good idea to wear a breathing mask when you're out in public in affected areas.
· Be prepared. Ask your health care provider or county health department about infection-control plans in case of a serious swine flu outbreak. The antiviral drugs oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) reduce the severity of symptoms.
How long can they live outside the body?
The length of time that cold or flu germs can survive outside the body on an environmental surface, such as a doorknob, varies greatly. But the suspected range is from a few seconds to 48 hours — depending on the specific virus and the type of surface.
Flu viruses tend to live longer on surfaces than cold viruses do. Also, it's generally believed that cold and flu viruses live longer on nonporous surfaces — such as plastic, metal or wood — than they do on porous surfaces — such as fabrics, skin or paper.
Although cold and flu viruses primarily spread from person-to-person contact, you can also become infected from contact with contaminated surfaces. The best way to avoid becoming infected with a cold or flu is to wash your hands frequently with soap and water or with an alcohol-based sanitizer.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Five Lessons About How To Treat People
1. First Important Lesson - "Know The Cleaning Lady"
During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?"
Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade.
"Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say "hello."
I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.
2. Second Important Lesson - "Pickup In The Rain"
One night, at 11:30 p.m., an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car.
A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960s. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab.
She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home.
A special note was attached. It read: "Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away. God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others."
Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole.
3. Third Important Lesson - "Remember Those Who Serve"
In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10 year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him. "How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked. "50¢," replied the waitress.
The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.
"Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired. By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient. "35¢!" she brusquely replied.
The little boy again counted his coins. "I'll have the plain ice cream," he said. The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left.
When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies. You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.
4. Fourth Important Lesson - "The Obstacles In Our Path"
In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.
Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand - "Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition."
5. Fifth Important Lesson - "Giving When It Counts"
Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year-old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes, I'll do it if it will save her."
As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away?".
Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.
-- Author Unknown
During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?"
Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade.
"Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say "hello."
I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.
2. Second Important Lesson - "Pickup In The Rain"
One night, at 11:30 p.m., an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car.
A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960s. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab.
She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home.
A special note was attached. It read: "Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away. God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others."
Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole.
3. Third Important Lesson - "Remember Those Who Serve"
In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10 year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him. "How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked. "50¢," replied the waitress.
The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.
"Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired. By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient. "35¢!" she brusquely replied.
The little boy again counted his coins. "I'll have the plain ice cream," he said. The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left.
When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies. You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.
4. Fourth Important Lesson - "The Obstacles In Our Path"
In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.
Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand - "Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition."
5. Fifth Important Lesson - "Giving When It Counts"
Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year-old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes, I'll do it if it will save her."
As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away?".
Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.
-- Author Unknown
Cholesterol-Lowering Snacks
I can't stop snacking between meals, but I want to try to eat things that will help me lower my cholesterol (instead of raising it!). What would you recommend?
What Medical Researchers say......
The good news — or the bad news, depending on what you're snacking on — is that "bad" low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is sensitive to diet, though less sensitive than triglycerides and good high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Fortunately, the same foods that can help lower LDL may also improve HDL and triglycerides. So instead of snacking on chips and doughnuts, consider these healthier options:
Nuts and seeds.
Sunflower seeds, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, pine nuts, flaxseeds, and almonds are particularly high in plant sterols, which can help reduce LDL. But it's easy to overdo it on nuts and seeds (and they are calorie dense), so we suggest limiting your total intake to about one ounce, or 1/4 cup, a day if you are also trying to lose weight.
Apples.
Research shows that eating two apples a day can slow down the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and help prevent plaque buildup. The protective antioxidants are in the apples' skin, so don't peel them.
Oat bran.
An important source of water-soluble fiber, oats have long been recognized as a potential cholesterol-lowering dietary component. The soluble fiber in oat bran binds with bile acids in the intestine to block the absorption of cholesterol by the body. According to a study conducted at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging in Boston, antioxidant compounds found in oat bran called avenanthramides can also prevent white blood cells from sticking to the artery walls, which is an important step in preventing plaque formation. So why not have a bowl of unsweetened oat cereal as a midmorning or mid-afternoon snack? Not only is it filling, it's good for your heart.
Grapefruit.
Studies show that the phytochemicals called liminoids in pink and red grapefruit make them powerful LDL busters. But this snack is not for everyone. Because grapefruit can interfere with the breakdown of certain medications, including statins and calcium channel blockers, don't eat a lot of grapefruit or drink the juice as a snack if you're on these medications.
(C)
Saturday, February 07, 2009
MEMO FROM GOD
To: YOU
Date: TODAY
From: THE BOSS
Subject: YOURSELF
Reference: LIFE
I am God.
Today I will be handling all of your problems. Please remember that I do not need your help.
If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do not attempt to resolve it. Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. All situations will be resolved... but in My time, not yours.
Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it by worrying about it. Instead, focus on all the wonderful things that are present in your life now
If you find yourself stuck in traffic; Don't despair. There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege.
Should you have a bad day at work; Think of the man who has been out of work for years.
Should you despair over a relationship gone bad; Think of the person who has never known what it's like to love and be loved in return.
Should you grieve the passing of another weekend; Think of the woman in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week to feed her children.
Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance; Think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk.
Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror; Think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine.
Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what is life all about, asking what is my purpose? Be thankful. There are those who didn't live long enough to get the opportunity.
Should you find yourself the victim of other people's bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities; Remember, things could be worse. You could be one of them!
Should you decide to send this to a friend; Thank you... you may have touched their life in ways you will never know!
Date: TODAY
From: THE BOSS
Subject: YOURSELF
Reference: LIFE
I am God.
Today I will be handling all of your problems. Please remember that I do not need your help.
If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do not attempt to resolve it. Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. All situations will be resolved... but in My time, not yours.
Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it by worrying about it. Instead, focus on all the wonderful things that are present in your life now
If you find yourself stuck in traffic; Don't despair. There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege.
Should you have a bad day at work; Think of the man who has been out of work for years.
Should you despair over a relationship gone bad; Think of the person who has never known what it's like to love and be loved in return.
Should you grieve the passing of another weekend; Think of the woman in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week to feed her children.
Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance; Think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk.
Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror; Think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine.
Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what is life all about, asking what is my purpose? Be thankful. There are those who didn't live long enough to get the opportunity.
Should you find yourself the victim of other people's bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities; Remember, things could be worse. You could be one of them!
Should you decide to send this to a friend; Thank you... you may have touched their life in ways you will never know!
From The Desk of GOD
Effective Immediately:
Please be aware that there are changes you need to make in your life. These changes need to be completed in order that I may fulfill my promises to you to grant you peace, joy and happiness in this life. I apologize for any inconvenience, but after all that I am doing, this seems very little to ask of you. I know, I already gave you the 10 Commandments. Keep them. But follow these guidelines as well...
1. QUIT WORRYING
Life has dealt you a blow and all you do is sit and worry. Have you forgotten that I am here to take all your burdens and carry them for you? Or do you just enjoy fretting over every little thing that comes your way?
2. PUT IT ON THE LIST
Something needs done or taken care of. Put it on the list. No, not YOUR list. Put it on MY to-do-list. Let ME be the one to take care of the problem. I can't help you until you turn it over to me. And, although my to-do-list is long, I am, after all, God. I can take care of anything you put into my hands. In fact, if the truth were ever really known, I take care of a lot of things for you that you never even realize.
3. TRUST ME
Once you've given your burdens to me, quit trying to take them back. Trust in me. Have the faith that I will take care of all your needs, your problems and your trials. Problems with the kids? Put them on my list. Problem with finances? Put it on my list. Problems with your emotional roller coaster? For my sake, put it on my list. I want to help you. All you have to do is ask.
4. LEAVE IT ALONE
Don't wake up one morning and say, "Well, I'm feeling much stronger now, I think I can handle it from here." Why do you think you are feeling stronger now? It's simple. You gave me your burdens and I'm taking care of them. I also renew your strength and cover you in my peace. Don't you know that if I give you these problems back, you will be right back where you started? Leave them with me and forget about them. Just let me do my job.
5. TALK TO ME
I want you to forget a lot of things. Forget what was making you crazy. Forget the worry and the fretting because you know I'm in control. But there's one thing I pray you never forget. Please don't forget to talk to me - OFTEN! I love you. I want to hear your voice. I want you to include me in on the things going on in your life. I want to hear you talk about your friends and family. Prayer is simply you having a conversation with me. I want to be your dearest friend.
6. HAVE FAITH
I see a lot of things from up here that you can't see from where you are. Have faith in me that I know what I'm doing. Trust me, you wouldn't want the view from my eyes. I will continue to care for you, watch over you, and meet your needs. You only have to trust me. Although I have a much bigger task than you, it seems as if you have so much trouble just doing your simple part. How hard can trust be?
7. SHARE
You were taught to share when you were only two years old. When did you forget? That rule still applies. Share with those who are less fortunate than you. Share your joy with those who need encouragement. Share your laughter with those who haven't heard any in such a long time. Share your tears with those who have forgotten how to cry. Share your faith with those who have none.
8. BE PATIENT
I managed to fix it so in just one lifetime you could have so many diverse experiences. You grow from a child to an adult, have children, change jobs many times, learn many trades, travel to so many places, meet thousands of people, and experience so much. How can you be so impatient then when it takes me a little longer than you expect to handle something on my to-do-list? Trust in my timing, for my timing is perfect. Just because I created the entire universe in only six days, everyone thinks I should always rush, rush, rush.
9. BE KIND
Be kind to others, for I love them just as much as I love you. They may not dress like you, or talk like you, or live the same way you do, but I still love you all. Please try to get along, for my sake. I created each of you different in some way. It would be too boring if you were all identical. Please know I love each of your differences.
10. LOVE YOURSELF
As much as I love you, how can you not love yourself? You were created by me for one reason only - to be loved, and to love in return. I am a God of Love. Love me. Love your neighbors. But also love yourself. It makes my heart ache when I see you so angry with yourself when things go wrong. You are very precious to me. Don't ever forget that!
With all my heart, I love you, GOD.
-- Author Unknown
Please be aware that there are changes you need to make in your life. These changes need to be completed in order that I may fulfill my promises to you to grant you peace, joy and happiness in this life. I apologize for any inconvenience, but after all that I am doing, this seems very little to ask of you. I know, I already gave you the 10 Commandments. Keep them. But follow these guidelines as well...
1. QUIT WORRYING
Life has dealt you a blow and all you do is sit and worry. Have you forgotten that I am here to take all your burdens and carry them for you? Or do you just enjoy fretting over every little thing that comes your way?
2. PUT IT ON THE LIST
Something needs done or taken care of. Put it on the list. No, not YOUR list. Put it on MY to-do-list. Let ME be the one to take care of the problem. I can't help you until you turn it over to me. And, although my to-do-list is long, I am, after all, God. I can take care of anything you put into my hands. In fact, if the truth were ever really known, I take care of a lot of things for you that you never even realize.
3. TRUST ME
Once you've given your burdens to me, quit trying to take them back. Trust in me. Have the faith that I will take care of all your needs, your problems and your trials. Problems with the kids? Put them on my list. Problem with finances? Put it on my list. Problems with your emotional roller coaster? For my sake, put it on my list. I want to help you. All you have to do is ask.
4. LEAVE IT ALONE
Don't wake up one morning and say, "Well, I'm feeling much stronger now, I think I can handle it from here." Why do you think you are feeling stronger now? It's simple. You gave me your burdens and I'm taking care of them. I also renew your strength and cover you in my peace. Don't you know that if I give you these problems back, you will be right back where you started? Leave them with me and forget about them. Just let me do my job.
5. TALK TO ME
I want you to forget a lot of things. Forget what was making you crazy. Forget the worry and the fretting because you know I'm in control. But there's one thing I pray you never forget. Please don't forget to talk to me - OFTEN! I love you. I want to hear your voice. I want you to include me in on the things going on in your life. I want to hear you talk about your friends and family. Prayer is simply you having a conversation with me. I want to be your dearest friend.
6. HAVE FAITH
I see a lot of things from up here that you can't see from where you are. Have faith in me that I know what I'm doing. Trust me, you wouldn't want the view from my eyes. I will continue to care for you, watch over you, and meet your needs. You only have to trust me. Although I have a much bigger task than you, it seems as if you have so much trouble just doing your simple part. How hard can trust be?
7. SHARE
You were taught to share when you were only two years old. When did you forget? That rule still applies. Share with those who are less fortunate than you. Share your joy with those who need encouragement. Share your laughter with those who haven't heard any in such a long time. Share your tears with those who have forgotten how to cry. Share your faith with those who have none.
8. BE PATIENT
I managed to fix it so in just one lifetime you could have so many diverse experiences. You grow from a child to an adult, have children, change jobs many times, learn many trades, travel to so many places, meet thousands of people, and experience so much. How can you be so impatient then when it takes me a little longer than you expect to handle something on my to-do-list? Trust in my timing, for my timing is perfect. Just because I created the entire universe in only six days, everyone thinks I should always rush, rush, rush.
9. BE KIND
Be kind to others, for I love them just as much as I love you. They may not dress like you, or talk like you, or live the same way you do, but I still love you all. Please try to get along, for my sake. I created each of you different in some way. It would be too boring if you were all identical. Please know I love each of your differences.
10. LOVE YOURSELF
As much as I love you, how can you not love yourself? You were created by me for one reason only - to be loved, and to love in return. I am a God of Love. Love me. Love your neighbors. But also love yourself. It makes my heart ache when I see you so angry with yourself when things go wrong. You are very precious to me. Don't ever forget that!
With all my heart, I love you, GOD.
-- Author Unknown
Friday, February 06, 2009
OUR NEW WEBSITE
Dear Friends,
We are happy to inform you about our new Website launched to day.
Please visit our website and we are eager to know about your comments and feedback.
www.welhealth.in
Thank you,
WELHEALTH TEAM
We are happy to inform you about our new Website launched to day.
Please visit our website and we are eager to know about your comments and feedback.
www.welhealth.in
Thank you,
WELHEALTH TEAM
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
When Job Loss Leads to Depression
Learn strategies to cope with being unemployed, plus steps to avoid or treat depression.
Losing your job can be a traumatic and unsettling event, especially in tough economic times when the prospect of finding new work seems slim. With unemployment rates rising and stories about layoffs, downsizing, and cutbacks in the news every day, the stress from losing a job may build to the point where your mental health suffers and you experience depression.
A job loss means a major change in your daily routine, losing contact with people from work, and perhaps a change in how you see yourself. For some people, losing a job may be as devastating as losing a loved one or going through a divorce, and you might even experience the same type of feelings, including anger, denial, and depression. Depression can be the result of many contributing factors that can sometimes be difficult to distinguish, but if you are unemployed and living with financial insecurity, your situation may be serious enough to bring about depression.
Research has shown that job loss may be related to depression not only because of the financial burden it brings, but also because it affects your social status, self-esteem, mental and physical activity, and the ability to use your skills.
Some Ideas for Coping With Job Loss and Avoiding Depression
Be realistic.
Come to terms with why you lost your job. If you need to improve your skills to find a better job, now's the perfect time to get that training.
Manage your money.
If you have the right to certain benefits, claim them as soon as you can to avoid getting behind financially. Make a plan for you and your family to reduce daily expenses.
Create a daily routine.
Make a schedule of what you hope to accomplish each day, so that you maintain a regular routine. Include time for your job search, as well as exercise and leisure. Plan for the next day before you go to bed at night.
Get emotional support.
Family, friends, and support groups can help you deal with the job loss. Speaking to people — networking — may help you find a new job.
Learn how to manage stress.
Read a book or take a workshop. Meditate, visualize, and be patient by taking one step at a time.
Set everyday goals for yourself.
Just going to the library or having lunch with a friend can help you build your confidence, maintain relationships, and stay healthy.
Don't isolate yourself.
Make sure to stay busy outside of your home to avoid added emotional stress.
Maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Limit your smoking and your alcohol and caffeine intake. A regular schedule, eating well, and exercise will keep you fit for the next job.
Getting Professional Help for Depression.
If the above strategies don't help and your problems feel overwhelming, speak to your doctor about depression treatment.
Keep in mind - This is not the end of the world - when one door closes another one opens up.
Losing your job can be a traumatic and unsettling event, especially in tough economic times when the prospect of finding new work seems slim. With unemployment rates rising and stories about layoffs, downsizing, and cutbacks in the news every day, the stress from losing a job may build to the point where your mental health suffers and you experience depression.
A job loss means a major change in your daily routine, losing contact with people from work, and perhaps a change in how you see yourself. For some people, losing a job may be as devastating as losing a loved one or going through a divorce, and you might even experience the same type of feelings, including anger, denial, and depression. Depression can be the result of many contributing factors that can sometimes be difficult to distinguish, but if you are unemployed and living with financial insecurity, your situation may be serious enough to bring about depression.
Research has shown that job loss may be related to depression not only because of the financial burden it brings, but also because it affects your social status, self-esteem, mental and physical activity, and the ability to use your skills.
Some Ideas for Coping With Job Loss and Avoiding Depression
Be realistic.
Come to terms with why you lost your job. If you need to improve your skills to find a better job, now's the perfect time to get that training.
Manage your money.
If you have the right to certain benefits, claim them as soon as you can to avoid getting behind financially. Make a plan for you and your family to reduce daily expenses.
Create a daily routine.
Make a schedule of what you hope to accomplish each day, so that you maintain a regular routine. Include time for your job search, as well as exercise and leisure. Plan for the next day before you go to bed at night.
Get emotional support.
Family, friends, and support groups can help you deal with the job loss. Speaking to people — networking — may help you find a new job.
Learn how to manage stress.
Read a book or take a workshop. Meditate, visualize, and be patient by taking one step at a time.
Set everyday goals for yourself.
Just going to the library or having lunch with a friend can help you build your confidence, maintain relationships, and stay healthy.
Don't isolate yourself.
Make sure to stay busy outside of your home to avoid added emotional stress.
Maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Limit your smoking and your alcohol and caffeine intake. A regular schedule, eating well, and exercise will keep you fit for the next job.
Getting Professional Help for Depression.
If the above strategies don't help and your problems feel overwhelming, speak to your doctor about depression treatment.
Keep in mind - This is not the end of the world - when one door closes another one opens up.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Pomegranate for Health
From ancient times, the pomegranate fruit has been regarded as a symbol of medicine, healing, and longevity. The peels were boiled in water to yield an elixir that could cure mouth sores and ease upset stomach or diarrhea. The juice, as well as the whole arils (the juice-encapsulated seeds) were employed as a practical cure-all.
Modern science has gone a long way to re-affirming the health benefits of pomegranate fruit. In one of our own studies published 1999, we demonstrated that pomegranate juice, specifically fermented pomegranate juice (which is more biologically active than fresh juice), had the power to absorb free radicals and to prevent oxidation. This is extremely important in maintaining health and preventing disease. Pomegranate is now generally credited with providing one of the most potent mixtures of antioxidant compounds of any easily obtainable fruit.
One class of antioxidants found in the pomegranate is the broad range of estrogens. These compounds can stimulate the human estrogen receptors that are involved with maintaining health of the bones, blood vessels and nervous tissue, and relieving symptoms of menopause. The estrogenic compounds are found throughout the pomegranate, including the juice, peel, seeds, and even in the leaves and flowers. In fact, there are probably more reported estrogenic compounds in pomegranate than in any other plant. The use of pomegranates for treating menopausal symptoms and deficits remains an active and vital area of investigation.
The antioxidant action of the juice, as well as its ability to interrupt inflammation, has led to its modern use in the treatment and prevention of many diseases. Most notable are the cardiovascular maladies like stroke and heart attack, often the result of clogging of the arteries due to excessive fat deposits. In an elegant series of experiments by Dr. Michael Aviram and his colleagues, regular pomegranate juice consumption has been shown to interrupt the process of atherosclerosis and to result in an increased intra-luminal diameter of the carotid artery by more than 30 percent.
Other clinical research in recent years has focused on the use of pomegranate juice for preventing the progress of prostate cancer. Daily consumption has resulted in objective changes--in the case of prostate cancer, reduction of the biochemical "marker" known as "prostate specific antigen," or "PSA." Such studies have helped to underscore the importance of our own initial forays into the effects of pomegranate fermented juice extracts in human prostate cancer cells. The data from human cell studies, animal studies, and now human clinical studies have tremendously substantiated the protective powers of pomegranate juice against prostate cancer and provoked an international flurry of research in this direction, which has extended also to cancers of the breast and ovary.
Pomegranate juice and pomegranate seed oil are also active against human breast cancer cells. Pomegranate seed oil, specifically, was shown to promote the self-destruction of human breast cancer cells in culture. Other researchers have now demonstrated similar results using pomegranate extracts for cancer prevention, such as the prevention of colon cancer in rats. All told, the cancer-busting properties of pomegranates are becoming a subject of both study and respect.
Pomegranate juice and other pomegranate materials, such as seed oil and peel extracts, are now widely credited with possessing anti-inflammatory capabilities. Thus, pomegranates may also have a role not only in the treatment of classic inflammatory diseases such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome and arthritis, but also in the treatment of so-called "chronic inflammation" or the "metabolic syndrome." According to our current understanding, chronic inflammation is co-existent with a state of high "insulin resistance" which can lead to a host of modern medical problems such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer and obesity. Regular consumption of pomegranate juice or extracts may very well serve as a hedge against all of these conditions.
Modern science has gone a long way to re-affirming the health benefits of pomegranate fruit. In one of our own studies published 1999, we demonstrated that pomegranate juice, specifically fermented pomegranate juice (which is more biologically active than fresh juice), had the power to absorb free radicals and to prevent oxidation. This is extremely important in maintaining health and preventing disease. Pomegranate is now generally credited with providing one of the most potent mixtures of antioxidant compounds of any easily obtainable fruit.
One class of antioxidants found in the pomegranate is the broad range of estrogens. These compounds can stimulate the human estrogen receptors that are involved with maintaining health of the bones, blood vessels and nervous tissue, and relieving symptoms of menopause. The estrogenic compounds are found throughout the pomegranate, including the juice, peel, seeds, and even in the leaves and flowers. In fact, there are probably more reported estrogenic compounds in pomegranate than in any other plant. The use of pomegranates for treating menopausal symptoms and deficits remains an active and vital area of investigation.
The antioxidant action of the juice, as well as its ability to interrupt inflammation, has led to its modern use in the treatment and prevention of many diseases. Most notable are the cardiovascular maladies like stroke and heart attack, often the result of clogging of the arteries due to excessive fat deposits. In an elegant series of experiments by Dr. Michael Aviram and his colleagues, regular pomegranate juice consumption has been shown to interrupt the process of atherosclerosis and to result in an increased intra-luminal diameter of the carotid artery by more than 30 percent.
Other clinical research in recent years has focused on the use of pomegranate juice for preventing the progress of prostate cancer. Daily consumption has resulted in objective changes--in the case of prostate cancer, reduction of the biochemical "marker" known as "prostate specific antigen," or "PSA." Such studies have helped to underscore the importance of our own initial forays into the effects of pomegranate fermented juice extracts in human prostate cancer cells. The data from human cell studies, animal studies, and now human clinical studies have tremendously substantiated the protective powers of pomegranate juice against prostate cancer and provoked an international flurry of research in this direction, which has extended also to cancers of the breast and ovary.
Pomegranate juice and pomegranate seed oil are also active against human breast cancer cells. Pomegranate seed oil, specifically, was shown to promote the self-destruction of human breast cancer cells in culture. Other researchers have now demonstrated similar results using pomegranate extracts for cancer prevention, such as the prevention of colon cancer in rats. All told, the cancer-busting properties of pomegranates are becoming a subject of both study and respect.
Pomegranate juice and other pomegranate materials, such as seed oil and peel extracts, are now widely credited with possessing anti-inflammatory capabilities. Thus, pomegranates may also have a role not only in the treatment of classic inflammatory diseases such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome and arthritis, but also in the treatment of so-called "chronic inflammation" or the "metabolic syndrome." According to our current understanding, chronic inflammation is co-existent with a state of high "insulin resistance" which can lead to a host of modern medical problems such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer and obesity. Regular consumption of pomegranate juice or extracts may very well serve as a hedge against all of these conditions.
Changing Your Lifestyle Can Change Your Genes
(Dr.Dean Ornish )
New research shows that improved diet, meditation and other non-medical interventions can actually "turn off" the disease-promoting process in men with prostate cancer.
Here's some very good news: your genes are not your destiny. Earlier this week, my colleagues and I published the first study showing that improved nutrition, stress management techniques, walking, and psychosocial support actually changed the expression of over 500 genes in men with early-stage prostate cancer. This study was conducted at the non-profit Preventive Medicine Research Institute and the University of California, San Francisco in collaboration with Dr. Peter Carroll, Dr. Mark Magbanua, Dr. Chris Haqq, and others.
In this study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, we studied gene expression in biopsies from 30 men who were diagnosed with low-risk prostate cancer. These men had decided not to undergo conventional treatments such as surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy for reasons unrelated to the study. They had early, small-volume prostate cancer with stable prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels and Gleason scores of six or less, meaning that their tumors were not aggressive.
We biopsied their prostates at the beginning of the study and again three months later, after making comprehensive lifestyle changes. Since these patients did not have conventional treatments during this time, it enabled us to assess the effects of the lifestyle changes on gene expression without confounding interventions such as surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy.
The changes included a plant-based diet (predominant fruits, vegetables, legumes, soy products, and whole grains low in refined carbohydrates), moderate exercise (walking 30 minutes per day), stress management techniques (yoga-based stretching, breathing techniques, meditation, and guided imagery for one hour per day), and participating in a weekly one-hour support group. The diet was supplemented with soy, fish oil (three grams/day), vitamin E (100 units/day), selenium (200 mg/day), and vitamin C (2 grams/day). These lifestyle changes are described more fully in my book, 'The Spectrum'.
After three months, we repeated the biopsy and looked at changes in normal tissue within the prostate. We found that many disease-promoting genes (including those associated with cancer, heart disease, and inflammation) were down-regulated or "turned off," whereas protective, disease-preventing genes were up-regulated or "turned on." For example, a set of cancer-promoting oncogenes called RAS was down-regulated in these men. The Selectin E gene (which promotes inflammation and is elevated in breast cancer) was down-regulated. Another gene that suppresses tumor formation called SFRP was up-regulated, thereby reducing the risk of cancer. These genes are the target of many new drugs that are being developed. Clearly, changing lifestyle is less expensive, and the only side-effects are good ones. Dr. Craig Venter's pioneering research is showing that one way to change your genes is to synthesize new ones. Another may be to change your lifestyle.
The figure here provides a graphic representation of some of these changes in gene expression. Each line represents one of 31 genes that regulate "intracellular protein traffic" which affects how cells communicate with each other. The green color represents genes that are downregulated ("turned off") and the red color represents genes that are upregulated ("turned on"). As you can see, there are a lot more green (turned off) genes on the right side of the figure than on the left side.
For the past 31 years, I have directed a series of research studies showing that changes in lifestyle can make a powerful difference in our health and well-being, and how quickly these changes may occur. We showed that comprehensive lifestyle changes may stop or reverse the progression of coronary heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, hypercholesterolemia, and other chronic conditions.
Two years ago, along with Dr. Carroll (Chair of Urology, UCSF) and others who also collaborated on the new gene expression study, we published fiest randomized controlled trial showing that these lifestyle changes may slow, stop, or even reverse the progression of prostate cancer, which may affect breast cancer as well. When we published our earlier studies, we didn't understand many of the mechanisms by which these changes may have occurred. Now, our new study is beginning to provide some insight into what some of these genetic mechanisms may be.
Because we looked at normal tissue within the prostate (rather than the prostate tumor cells), it is likely that our findings may be generalized beyond men with prostate cancer. Also, people who are otherwise healthy may not need to make such intensive changes and have a spectrum of choices. We are still trying to understand the full significance of these findings--we've raised more questions than we've answered, and we need larger, longer-term studies--but it's already clear that you may be able to alter, at least to some degree, how your genes are expressed simply by changing your diet and lifestyle.
I find this to be a profoundly hopeful message. Often, I hear people say, "Oh, I've got bad genes, there's nothing I can do about it"--displaying what I call genetic nihilism. Our findings (the first to show the effect of lifestyle changes on any kind of cancer genes) can be an antidote to genetic nihilism and, I hope, motivate people to begin making their own changes. In most cases, our genes are only a predisposition; they are not written in stone. And if we have a strong family history for diseases such as prostate cancer, breast cancer, or heart disease-- "bad genes"-- then we may need to make bigger changes in lifestyle in order to help prevent or even reverse chronic diseases. In the centuries-old debate about nature vs. nurture, we are learning that nurture affects nature as much as nature affects nurture. It's not all in our genes.
New research shows that improved diet, meditation and other non-medical interventions can actually "turn off" the disease-promoting process in men with prostate cancer.
Here's some very good news: your genes are not your destiny. Earlier this week, my colleagues and I published the first study showing that improved nutrition, stress management techniques, walking, and psychosocial support actually changed the expression of over 500 genes in men with early-stage prostate cancer. This study was conducted at the non-profit Preventive Medicine Research Institute and the University of California, San Francisco in collaboration with Dr. Peter Carroll, Dr. Mark Magbanua, Dr. Chris Haqq, and others.
In this study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, we studied gene expression in biopsies from 30 men who were diagnosed with low-risk prostate cancer. These men had decided not to undergo conventional treatments such as surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy for reasons unrelated to the study. They had early, small-volume prostate cancer with stable prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels and Gleason scores of six or less, meaning that their tumors were not aggressive.
We biopsied their prostates at the beginning of the study and again three months later, after making comprehensive lifestyle changes. Since these patients did not have conventional treatments during this time, it enabled us to assess the effects of the lifestyle changes on gene expression without confounding interventions such as surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy.
The changes included a plant-based diet (predominant fruits, vegetables, legumes, soy products, and whole grains low in refined carbohydrates), moderate exercise (walking 30 minutes per day), stress management techniques (yoga-based stretching, breathing techniques, meditation, and guided imagery for one hour per day), and participating in a weekly one-hour support group. The diet was supplemented with soy, fish oil (three grams/day), vitamin E (100 units/day), selenium (200 mg/day), and vitamin C (2 grams/day). These lifestyle changes are described more fully in my book, 'The Spectrum'.
After three months, we repeated the biopsy and looked at changes in normal tissue within the prostate. We found that many disease-promoting genes (including those associated with cancer, heart disease, and inflammation) were down-regulated or "turned off," whereas protective, disease-preventing genes were up-regulated or "turned on." For example, a set of cancer-promoting oncogenes called RAS was down-regulated in these men. The Selectin E gene (which promotes inflammation and is elevated in breast cancer) was down-regulated. Another gene that suppresses tumor formation called SFRP was up-regulated, thereby reducing the risk of cancer. These genes are the target of many new drugs that are being developed. Clearly, changing lifestyle is less expensive, and the only side-effects are good ones. Dr. Craig Venter's pioneering research is showing that one way to change your genes is to synthesize new ones. Another may be to change your lifestyle.
The figure here provides a graphic representation of some of these changes in gene expression. Each line represents one of 31 genes that regulate "intracellular protein traffic" which affects how cells communicate with each other. The green color represents genes that are downregulated ("turned off") and the red color represents genes that are upregulated ("turned on"). As you can see, there are a lot more green (turned off) genes on the right side of the figure than on the left side.
For the past 31 years, I have directed a series of research studies showing that changes in lifestyle can make a powerful difference in our health and well-being, and how quickly these changes may occur. We showed that comprehensive lifestyle changes may stop or reverse the progression of coronary heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, hypercholesterolemia, and other chronic conditions.
Two years ago, along with Dr. Carroll (Chair of Urology, UCSF) and others who also collaborated on the new gene expression study, we published fiest randomized controlled trial showing that these lifestyle changes may slow, stop, or even reverse the progression of prostate cancer, which may affect breast cancer as well. When we published our earlier studies, we didn't understand many of the mechanisms by which these changes may have occurred. Now, our new study is beginning to provide some insight into what some of these genetic mechanisms may be.
Because we looked at normal tissue within the prostate (rather than the prostate tumor cells), it is likely that our findings may be generalized beyond men with prostate cancer. Also, people who are otherwise healthy may not need to make such intensive changes and have a spectrum of choices. We are still trying to understand the full significance of these findings--we've raised more questions than we've answered, and we need larger, longer-term studies--but it's already clear that you may be able to alter, at least to some degree, how your genes are expressed simply by changing your diet and lifestyle.
I find this to be a profoundly hopeful message. Often, I hear people say, "Oh, I've got bad genes, there's nothing I can do about it"--displaying what I call genetic nihilism. Our findings (the first to show the effect of lifestyle changes on any kind of cancer genes) can be an antidote to genetic nihilism and, I hope, motivate people to begin making their own changes. In most cases, our genes are only a predisposition; they are not written in stone. And if we have a strong family history for diseases such as prostate cancer, breast cancer, or heart disease-- "bad genes"-- then we may need to make bigger changes in lifestyle in order to help prevent or even reverse chronic diseases. In the centuries-old debate about nature vs. nurture, we are learning that nurture affects nature as much as nature affects nurture. It's not all in our genes.
Creating A Peaceful Workplace
Ask yourself the question: "What would make my workplace or home a more peaceful place?"
There are many ways in which you can do this, through your own behaviour and the way in which you organize your workplace or home. By functioning from an inner peaceful state and being a peaceful listener, you are able to create meaningful interactions with whom you work and stay.
As well as creating a peaceful state within, it is important to bring a sense of peace into your surroundings. You can make positive changes in the outer environment, which might promote and reflect inner peace. They are not separate, as the 'outer' reflects the 'inner'. You can choose plants, pictures, colours, sounds and furnishings, which contribute to a sense of calm, peace and well-being. You can also do this by clearing noise and finding ways of creating a sense of openness or space at your workplace or home.
(BK)
There are many ways in which you can do this, through your own behaviour and the way in which you organize your workplace or home. By functioning from an inner peaceful state and being a peaceful listener, you are able to create meaningful interactions with whom you work and stay.
As well as creating a peaceful state within, it is important to bring a sense of peace into your surroundings. You can make positive changes in the outer environment, which might promote and reflect inner peace. They are not separate, as the 'outer' reflects the 'inner'. You can choose plants, pictures, colours, sounds and furnishings, which contribute to a sense of calm, peace and well-being. You can also do this by clearing noise and finding ways of creating a sense of openness or space at your workplace or home.
(BK)
Exercise and Diabetes
Rigorous exercise of short duration can significantly affect the body's ability to process sugars and fight diabetes, a new study suggests.
In research published in the journal BMC Endocrine Disorders, scientists from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland, say they found that brief but intense exercise every day or two may help reduce the risk of diabetes.
James Timmons, a professor in the school of engineering and physical sciences, says he and a team of investigators looked into the effect of "high-intensity training" on the insulin action and blood sugar control in 16 young, healthy male volunteers.
They found that insulin sensitivity improved significantly in the two-week study.
Regular exercise can help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Many people feel they simply don't have the time to follow current exercise guidelines, and that's unfortunate, he says, because his team found that "doing a few intense muscle exercises, each lasting only about 30 seconds, dramatically improves your metabolism just two weeks."
Current recommendations include 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity activity a week.
His team found that "low-volume, high-intensity training ... substantially improved both insulin action and glucose clearance in otherwise sedentary young males."
That shows that "we do not yet fully appreciate the traditional connection between exercise and diabetes," Timmons says.
The test subjects used exercise bikes to perform quick, rigorous sprints for 30 seconds totaling 15 minutes over a two-week period. The participants were either sedentary or recreationally active, but none was in a structured exercise program. "This novel approach may help people to lead a healthier life, improve the future health of the population, and save the health service millions of pounds [or dollars] simply by making it easier for people to find the time to exercise."
The researchers note that their finding is significant because type 2 diabetes is increasing worldwide. The risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease can be reduced, the authors say, but exercise regimens must not be too time-consuming or onerous.
In research published in the journal BMC Endocrine Disorders, scientists from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland, say they found that brief but intense exercise every day or two may help reduce the risk of diabetes.
James Timmons, a professor in the school of engineering and physical sciences, says he and a team of investigators looked into the effect of "high-intensity training" on the insulin action and blood sugar control in 16 young, healthy male volunteers.
They found that insulin sensitivity improved significantly in the two-week study.
Regular exercise can help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Many people feel they simply don't have the time to follow current exercise guidelines, and that's unfortunate, he says, because his team found that "doing a few intense muscle exercises, each lasting only about 30 seconds, dramatically improves your metabolism just two weeks."
Current recommendations include 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity activity a week.
His team found that "low-volume, high-intensity training ... substantially improved both insulin action and glucose clearance in otherwise sedentary young males."
That shows that "we do not yet fully appreciate the traditional connection between exercise and diabetes," Timmons says.
The test subjects used exercise bikes to perform quick, rigorous sprints for 30 seconds totaling 15 minutes over a two-week period. The participants were either sedentary or recreationally active, but none was in a structured exercise program. "This novel approach may help people to lead a healthier life, improve the future health of the population, and save the health service millions of pounds [or dollars] simply by making it easier for people to find the time to exercise."
The researchers note that their finding is significant because type 2 diabetes is increasing worldwide. The risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease can be reduced, the authors say, but exercise regimens must not be too time-consuming or onerous.
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