Simple Steps to Avoid Listeria

Listeriosis, an infection obtained from eating foods tainted by a bacterium called listeria monocytogenes, is dubbed as the leading cause of food-borne outbreak in the US for almost a decade now. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recent statistics on listeriosis case, 13 people have already been killed and more than 73 were still infected.

The bacterium listeria monocytogenes is found in both soil and water. The disease causing bacterium travels through the soil and manure, which causes contamination on root crops vegetables. The recent listeria outbreak in the US has been traced that the contaminated cantaloupes produced by Jensen Farms in Colorado were blamed for the deaths of 13 people and illnesses of 73 other people. So the department of health strictly warned the consumers to be cautious when buying melons and verify them if they comes from Jensen Farms. But aside from root crops and vegetables, animals can also carry the bacterium. Hence; there is a big possibility that the meat and dairy products from these animals could also be tainted.

Exposure to listeriosis can be prevented if everyone will only take some precautions such as:

Avoid eating raw or partially cooked food from animal sources.

Wash the root crops, vegetables, and fruits thoroughly before storing, cooking or eating.

Avoid unpasteurized milk or those foods made from raw milk.

Use separate knives, utensils, and cutting boards for meat and vegetables.

Consume first perishable and ready-to-eat foods.

Ensure proper storage of food in the refrigerator; uncooked meat should be separated from vegetables and cooked foods.

Always wash hands before and after handling raw or uncooked foods.

By keeping these simple tips in your mind, your chances of acquiring listeria is definitely reduced.

The Benefits of Drinking Water on Empty Stomach

This worth-sharing, healthy article that was shared by my friend Margie was the first thing that caught my attention while I was checking my facebook account this morning. The post is all about the numerous benefits of filling your empty stomach with water.

Image Source: docakilah.wordpress.com

DRINK WATER ON EMPTY STOMACH

It is popular in Japan today to drink water immediately after waking up every morning. Furthermore, scientific tests have proven its value. We publish below a description of use of water for our readers. For old and serious diseases as well as modern illnesses the water treatment had been found successful by a Japanese medical society as a 100% cure for the following diseases:

Headache, body ache, heart system, arthritis, fast heart beat, epilepsy, excess fatness, bronchitis asthma, TB, meningitis, kidney and urine diseases, vomiting, gastritis, diarrhea, piles, diabetes, constipation, all eye diseases, womb, cancer and menstrual disorders, ear nose and throat diseases.

METHOD OF TREATMENT

1. As you wake up in the morning before brushing teeth, drink 4 x 160ml glasses of water

2. Brush and clean the mouth but do not eat or drink anything for 45 minute

3.. After 45 minutes you may eat and drink as normal.

4. After 15 minutes of breakfast, lunch and dinner do not eat or drink anything for 2 hours

5. Those who are old or sick and are unable to drink 4 glasses of water at the beginning may commence by taking little water and gradually increase it to 4 glasses per day.

6. The above method of treatment will cure diseases of the sick and others can enjoy a healthy life.

The following list gives the number of days of treatment required to cure/control/reduce main diseases:

1. High Blood Pressure (30 days)

2. Gastric (10 days)

3. Diabetes (30 days)

4. Constipation (10 days)

5. Cancer (180 days)

6. TB (90 days)

7. Arthritis patients should follow the above treatment only for 3 days in the 1st week, and from 2nd week onwards – daily..

This treatment method has no side effects, however at the commencement of treatment you may have to urinate a few times.

It is better if we continue this and make this procedure as a routine work in our life. Drink Water and Stay healthy and Active.

This makes sense .. The Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals ..not cold water. Maybe it is time we adopt their drinking habit while eating!!! Nothing to lose, everything to gain...

For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you.

It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion.

Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine.

Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.

A serious note about heart attacks:

· Women should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting,

· Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line.

· You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack.

· Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms.

· 60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up.

· Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know, the better chance we could survive...

A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to everyone they know, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life.

Please be a true friend and send this article to all your friends you care about.

Today is National Family Meal Day

Most of the families nowadays rarely have dinner together. Busy work schedules seem to be the primary reasons. That's why the National Center on Addiction and Substance abuse designated September 26, 2011 as the National Family Meal Day with its theme A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children. The said organization believed that by having meals with the family together, parents-children relationship will be strengthened. And this   saves them from addiction or substance abuse.

So go home early and spend your dinner with your family today!

4 Ways to Combat Obesity

It has been a habit by many of us to eat too much.  Even if our stomach is already shouting that it is already full, we just don’t mind it because our mouth is still craving for more. And because of our overeating habit, we become unaware that we are already gaining extra weight.

A person carrying extra pounds, which are not essential to his or her body, is what we call obese or is suffering from obesity. Obesity is now becoming a major health problem in many countries and Philippines is no exemption. With obesity, so many life-threatening diseases may arise. So before the bad things happen to us, it is good if as early as now we start combating obesity. How we can do it? Continue reading below.

Switch hands

According to the recent study from Southern University of that was featured on CNN.com, people who snacked using their no dominant hands reduced about 30% of their total intake, compared with those using their dominant hands. One of the reasons being linked into technique this is that you are disrupted. So the tendency is to finish your eating immediately.

Use smaller plates and utensils

Switching to smaller plates and utensils will make you become more aware of your food serving. Even if you are still hungry, you will be reminded of your extra weight so the tendency is to let yourself be satisfied with just one small serving.

Avoid eating-while-watching TV

If it has been your habit to eat while in front of the television, start avoiding it now. Television is one of the many factors that distract one’s eating behavior. So the more you concentrate on watching your favorite TV shows, the more you forget the feeling of fullness. So what happen is you keep on eating until the serving is gone or until the show is over. And this lead to additional body weight.

Keep active

Sedentary lifestyle has long been associated to obesity. People who are physically inactive have greater chances of becoming obese compared to active ones because they fail to burn the calories they consumed. These unused calories will favorably affect body fat distribution at the same time contribute to the high prevalence of obesity.

Watch out Your Diet

Becoming about the caloric content of the foods you consume is another effective way to prevent obesity. According to the book Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It, the inclusion of too many refined carbohydrates in today’s meals or foods is among the primary reasons why obesity is becoming an epidemic. In this book written by Taubes, he said that if we will limit our carbohydrate intake leads the body to store excess energy in fat cells that then results to obesity.

Bronchopneumonia: The Disease that Caused the Death of Rock Legend Freddie Mercury

Today is supposedly Freddie Mercury’s 65^th birthday. So as a tribute, Google Doodle honored him by providing an animated video that appears over the Google logo featuring one of Queen’s greatest hits “Don’t Stop Me Now.”

Freddie Mercury, the lead vocalist of rock band Queen, is just one of the few rock legends that I love. His ostentatious stage character and powerful vocals over a four-octave range made him famous around the globe. He was also a popular songwriter who composed some of Queen’s hit songs like Bohemian Rhapsody, Killer Queen, Somebody to Love, Don’t Stop Me Now, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, and We Are the Champion. In addition to his work, Mercury also led a solo career and occasionally served as a producer and guest musicians to other artists.

Despite his successful career in music industry, Freddie Mercury left his avid fans so soon. He died on November 24, 1991 at the age of 45 due to bronchopneumonia. According to medical doctors who are primarily authorized to use the littmann stethoscope, such disease that caused Freddie Mercury’s early death was induced by HIV/AIDS.

The Disease that Causes Freddie Mercury’s Death

Bronchopneumonia is an acute inflammation of the lungs caused by bacteria and considered as one of the most common death causing diseases brought by infection. The bacteria that primarily affect the bronchi (air passages of the lungs) and alveoli (air sacs) are usually acquired in the community. The most common bacteria that cause pneumonia are called streptococcus pneumoniae. But there are also other types of bacteria that could induce the said disease and this includes mycoplasma pneumoniae, haemophilus influenza, moraxella catarrhalis, and chlamydia pneumoniae.

The photos below compare the appearance of a healthy person's lungs and the lungs of a person with bronchopneumonia.

each healthy lung, which is 10-14 inches long, appears pink and sponge-like. the whole lungs have 2 large air passages called bronchi that lead to the right and left lung, 22 smaller tubes to reach the 100,000 very smallest tubes, and 1,000,00o alveoli or air sacs that looks like a cluster of grapes.

this is a closer view of lung that is infected by streptococcus pneumoniae, which invade the spaces between cells and between alveoli or air sacs through connecting pores.

How does Bronchopneumonia occur?

diagram source: wikipedia.org

Bacteria causing bronchopneumonia are usually transmitted through airborne droplets. When the bacteria from airborne droplets are inhaled by a person, they will reside in the upper respiratory tract such as nose, mouth, and sinuses. From that location, it is very easy for the bacteria to reach the alveoli and damage the spaces between air sacs through connecting pores as well as the spaces between cells. The invasion of bacteria causing bronchopneumonia induces the immune system to send neutrophils (a defensive white blood cell) to the lungs, which engulf and kill the offending organisms. Aside from that, cytokines are also released and this leads to general activation of the immune system. The neutrophils, bacteria, and fluid from surrounding blood vessels fill the alveoli and hinder oxygenation. And this abnormal transport of oxygen will result to death.

Risk Factors and Prevention

People who are at risk for this type of bacterial pneumonia are usually adults; those who are smoking; people with immunologic deficiency syndrome (which is the case of Mercury); and individuals who have long-term health conditions like heart failure, liver failure, diabetes, or lung disease.

In terms of preventative measure, this disease can now be avoided through vaccines like Pneumovax and Pnu-immune. These vaccines, which are intended for adults, help prevent infections caused by streptococcus pneumoniae. Meanwhile for children, a vaccine called Prevnar is also given for the prevention of pneumococcal disease.