Hugh Laurie

Save the Children is an organization that works to improve the health of children all over the world, including North America. In April of this year Save the Children Artist Ambassadors Gwyneth Paltrow and Hugh Laurie helped establish World Pneumonia Day, which took place on November 2, 2009. The goal of the day was to mobilize efforts to fight pneumonia, a neglected disease, that kills more than two million children under the age of 5 each year worldwide.

“I work on a TV show that features the unusual, the bizarre, the unique. But the cases on House are brightly-colored minnows compared to the leviathan of pneumonia,” said actor and Save the Children Artist Ambassador Hugh Laurie. “It’s so big, you couldn’t make a TV show about it. But you could change it. So could I. We can and must change it.” (Source)

Gwyneth Paltrow

“We have what it takes to prevent and cure childhood pneumonia. Yet the disease tragically claims more than two million babies and toddlers every year,” said actress and Save the Children Artist Ambassador Gwyneth Paltrow. “We can stand on the sides and continue to watch this tragedy unfold or we can step in and change the ending. World Pneumonia Day gives everyone the chance to
act.” (Source)

Why are children susceptible to developing pneumonia? All around the world, millions of children are malnourished and don’t have access to basic health care: two things that can decrease the incidence of pneumonia significantly.

U.N. agencies say pneumonia is responsible for one in four child deaths, more than HIV/AIDS, malaria and measles combined. Every 15 seconds a child dies of pneumonia. More than 98 percent of these deaths occur in 68 developing countries. (Source)

The people who run the Save the Children  organization developed a game to help people learn what they do and don’t know about pneumonia. How much do you know?

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Images: ZumaPress.com and Save the Children

Post from: Blisstree

Pneumonia Kills Children Too

Over the years, not much notice was taken until the 1980s when a doctor in the United Kingdom, Lorna Wing, noticed children with similar characteristics and she named what she saw as Aspergers syndrome. Since then,  the disorder was studied more, and in 1994, Asperger syndrome was labeled as an autism spectrum disorder. With that, it was officially recognized in the “bible” of the American Psychiatric Association, the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual).

Asperger syndrome is not the same as autism, although it is in the same family. The NINDS has a good description of what Aspergers is. Having a separate diagnosis is important to many people because it helps give the disorder an identity, rather than lumping it in with something else: autism. That being said, there is now a movement among some psychiatrists to take Aspergers out of the DSM-V (fifth edition) and put it under autism spectrum disorders.

For parents who fight for rights for their children with Aspergers, this is like lumping all of cancer under one category, said Margot Nelles, who founded the Aspergers Society of Ontario, Canada, in this CBC article, Psychiatrists debate Asperger’s label.

What do you think? Should the doctors leave it as is or are they right to want to put the disorders together?

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Image: iStock.com

Post from: Blisstree

Remove Aspergers as a Diagnosis?

Several years ago, some doctors made a claim that the vaccines given to children caused autism. As some parents of children with autism wanted to be able to identify a specific cause for their children’s disability, they latched on to the theory that there was a connection between the vaccines and autism. The problem is, the very doctor who made this claim first has come out to say that he was wrong. That his research was wrong. Sadly, this is still a strong belief in some sectors and many people avoid vaccines for fear of exposing their children and themselves to the imagined risk.

In the most recent issue of the Journal of Pediatrics, scientists reported the results of yet another study showing that vaccines with thimerosol do not raise levels of mercury in children. In fact, they found that premature babies, those who are smallest and most vulnerable, showed very minimal levels of mercury after receiving childhood vaccines.

What is particularly interesting is the finding that children appear to have mercury in their body *before* having vaccinations:

The purpose of the study was to find out how much mercury from a vaccine containing thimerosal stays in a child’s body,” said Dr. [Michael E.] Pichichero [Director of the Rochester General Research Institute, Rochester General Hospital, Rochester, NY]. “What we found was that blood mercury levels before vaccination were often detectable, even at a level similar to many children after the vaccination. By just breathing the air, mothers were passing to their unborn infants some slight amounts of mercury. The mothers did not eat fish that contains mercury, so in the United States and other countries where fish is consumed by pregnant women the levels of mercury would be presumably even higher. After the babies were given vaccines containing thimerosol, their blood levels of mercury did rise to very low levels and then fell rapidly to baseline levels by day ten after the vaccination following the vaccination.”

Are you going to be vaccinated? Are your children?

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Image: StockXchng.com

Post from: Blisstree

H1N1, Vaccines, and Mercury

There is more than one type of pneumonia – it can be caused by viruses or bacteria, the most common causes, but also by other means. For example, someone who develops aspiration pneumonia got it by getting  vomit, food or drink into their lungs instead of their stomach.

It’s not always obvious if you have pneumonia. You may just not be feeling well. But signs and symptoms of pneumonia include:

• cough
• yellow-green phlegm (mucous)
• shortness of breath
• feeling very tired and unwell
• chest pain
• fever

Can you prevent pneumonia? The best way to prevent pneumonia is to avoid getting sick, as much as possible. This means:

• Wash your hands often
• Cover your mouth when you cough
• Don’t smoke
• Eat a healthy diet
• Exercise regularly
• Drink alcohol in moderation
• Get enough sleep

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Image: iStock.com

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Post from: Blisstree

November 2: World Pneumonia Day

COPD stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It’s a respiratory disease that could be virtually eliminated from the world if we would stop smoking altogether. Imagine that. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis fall under the COPD umbrella.

According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute,

COPD is now the 4th leading cause of death in the United States and also causes long-term disability.

The number of people who have COPD is on the rise — more than 12 million are currently diagnosed with it. And it is estimated that another 12 million may have COPD but not realize it.

The typical person with COPD is over 45 years old and who either smokes or has smoked. Other people who have it may have a genetic risk factor or have been exposed to something in the environment.

Symptoms:

• Chronic cough
• Shortness of breath
• Wheezing
• Inability to take a deep breath
• Excess sputum production

If you believe you may have COPD, see your doctor. A test called a spirometry, will tell you what your lung capacity is. It’s a simple test that requires you to breathe into a tube as hard as you can and as long as you can. That’s it.

Treatment

There’s no cure for COPD but there are medications on the market that may help you breathe easier.

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Image: MorgueFile.com

Post from: Blisstree

COPD Awareness Month: November

According to the American Diabetes Association:

• 24 million children and adults in the United States live with diabetes
• 57 million Americans are at risk for type 2 diabetes
• 1 out of every 3 children born today will face a future with diabetes if current trends continue

Unfortunately, not everyone who is diagnosed with diabetes takes it seriously. Diabetes is a disease that is more than just high blood sugar (glucose) levels. It’s a chronic illness that can cause blindness, kidney disease, nerve problems, even sores on the feet that may become bad enough to need amputation.

Diabetes is a very serious illness.

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes used to be called juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes. Both these names didn’t describe the disease properly and now it is called type 1.

This type of diabetes is not caused by bad eating habits or lifestyles. Usually, it shows up only in children but young adults may be diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as well.

People with type 1 diabetes cannot make insulin, which is needed to help break down the sugar in your body. Without the insulin, the blood sugar level rises dangerously and can cause death.

You can’t take insulin by mouth; it must be injected into the body. Someone with type 1 diabetes must take daily injections for the rest of their life.

Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes used to be called adult-onset or non insulin-dependent diabetes. As with type 1 diabetes, neither of these names adequately described the disease, so now it is known as type 2.

It used to be that only adults developed type 2 diabetes. For some, it is inevitable and they develop it because of their body make up. However, a huge number of people with type 2 diabetes developed it because of poor lifestyle choices. These include unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles, and generally not caring for their health.

Usually, type 2 diabetes can be controlled with oral medications (pills) because the body is still making insulin, it just can’t use it properly. However, many people with type 2 diabetes do end up taking insulin eventually.

Gestational Diabetes

Sometimes, pregnant women develop diabetes during their pregnancy. Although this is true diabetes (not enough insulin to care for the blood sugar), it usually goes away after the baby is delivered.

There is some research that shows women who had gestational diabetes may be at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes later on in life.

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Images: MorgueFile.com and iStock.com

Post from: Blisstree

November Is Diabetes Month

October 31 has been designated as an awareness day for IC because so much isn’t known about it. The hope is that this will help women (and men) who may have this problem may recognize themselves and realize that they are not alone.

Symptoms

The symptoms of IC include (from MayoClinic.com):

• A persistent, urgent need to urinate.
• Frequent urination, often of small amounts, throughout the day and night. People with severe interstitial cystitis may urinate as often as 60 times a day.
• Pain in your pelvis (suprapubic) or between the vagina and anus in women or the scrotum and anus in men (perineal).
• Pelvic pain during sexual intercourse. Men may also experience painful ejaculation.
• Chronic pelvic pain.

Diagnosis

Doctors don’t know what causes IC and because of this, it’s quite difficult to diagnose and treat. Diagnosis is done, more or less, through exclusion. Once your doctor has ruled out anything else it could be, the diagnosis of IC may be made.

Treatment is difficult but is done by treating the symptoms.

Medications: Medications to help reduce inflammation and pain may be the first step. Other medications, like certain antidepressants, have been found to be helpful for certain types of chronic pain.

Bladder instillation: This is done by inserting a catheter (long, narrow tube) is inserted through the urethra into the bladder. A medication is then injected into the bladder and retained for about 15 minutes or so. The medication is then drained and the cycle repeated every few weeks if you obtain relief.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS):  Mild electrical impulses have been known to relieve pain in some situations. Some people with IC find relief from their symptoms.

There are some self-help treatments as well. The Interstitial Cystitis Association discusses diet, self-help, and over-the-counter medications.

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Post from: Blisstree

Interstitial Cystitis Awareness Day

Which state would you think is the most tired or the least rested? New York? California? No and no. Would you believe, Utah? Yup, Utah came in first, followed closely behind by Kentucky:

1.    Utah
2.    Kentucky
3.    Illinois
4.    Ohio
5.    Vermont
6.    West Virginia
7.    New Hampshire
8.    Missouri
9.    Wisconsin
10.    Oregon

Ok, so what about the most alert regions?

1. Puerto Rico
2. Guam
3. Hawaii
4. U.S. Virgin Islands
5. Louisiana
6. Florida
7. New Mexico
8. Arizona
9. California
10. South Carolina

To read the report and see where your state comes in, check out the CDC website.

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Image: MorgueFile.com

Post from: Blisstree

10 Sleepiest States in the U.S.

As usual, the opponents to legalizing medicinal marijuana say that there is the potential for abuse, use would set a “bad example” to children, and that the bill wasn’t restrictive enough.

Medicinal marijuana has been found to help some people manage chronic pain, nausea due to illness or treatment, and help with other types of side effects or symptoms. Considering that it is possible to receive morphine, a much more powerful medication that marijuana could ever be, the fear of abuse for what would be a controlled substance, is almost laughable.

On the bright (?) side, according to news reports, U.S. Attorney John Kacavas has indicated that his office would be targeting drug dealers and not those individuals who have small amounts of marijuana intended to help deal with their pain or other effects from illness or treatment.

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Image: Newscom.com

Post from: Blisstree

No Medicinal Pot in New Hampshire

Strokes. People have heard of them. Many think they know what they are. Many don’t know the signs of a stroke. Are you at risk of having a stroke? Would you know if you or someone else was having a stroke?

The World Stroke Organization is encouraging everyone to become more aware of strokes and to help prevent the disability and death that so often occur after a stroke.

The World Stroke Organization (WSO) was created on October 29, 2006, at the Regional World Stroke Congress in Cape Town, South Africa, when the International Stroke Society and the World Stroke Federation merged into a single organization. Since then, to commemorate its conception,the World Stroke Day is held on October 29.

According to their website:

Worldwide, stroke accounts for 5.7 million deaths each year and ranks second to ischemic heart disease as a cause of death; it is also a leading cause of serious disability, sparing no age, sex, ethnic origin, or country.

Strokes, medically called cerebrovascular accidents, or CVAs, can often be prevented. If they aren’t prevented, many are treatable IF the person gets help fast enough. To get help fast enough, the stroke needs to be recognized for what it is.

What can you do?

You can learn about strokes. Some good resources are:

• Know Stroke. Know the Signs. Act in Time. (NINDS)
• Stroke (CDC)
• Stroke (FDA)

You can find out what your risk is with this Ohio State University Medical Center Stroke Risk Assessment.

And, you can download and read this brochure from the WSO:

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Images: World Stroke Organization

Post from: Blisstree

World Stroke Day, Oct. 29, 2009.