Treating the Common Cold

By Health.Tips.Net
Treating the Common Cold...

The common cold is a small infection of the nose and throat. The common cold does not generally result in any long term complications. The cold is a small infection in the nose and throat and can be treated relatively easily. Symptoms generally include headache, coughing, sneezing, watery eyes, sore throat and fatigue. Adults and children alike will catch the cold four times a year on average so knowing how to treat it is very important. Treating the Common Cold...



Treatment is very simple but is not a "cure"; the cold will disappear on its own, treatment simply helps make you feel a little less miserable. Colds generally last 7-10 days and during that time there a lot of things you can do to make yourself feel better. Over the counter medications are available for coughs, headaches and nasal congestion. Be wary of any packages that make promises to cure your cold, it is not possible (there are not even any prescriptions that can do that). Getting plenty of fluids and plenty of sleep are the best things to help the cold disappear more quickly and make you a little less miserable. Believe it or not, chicken noodle soup has proven itself in laboratories and really does help relieve symptoms of the cold. Beyond over the counter medications a humidifier will help to soothe coughs and sneezing. Humidifiers add moisture to the air so throat irritation is minimal. Treating the Common Cold...



Prevention of the common cold is easily achieved through cleanliness. Wash your hands, properly dispose of used tissues, keep your house clean, do not share food, cups or utensils with other people and do not spend lots of time with people who are already ill. Getting plenty of rest, exercise and proper nutrition will also help prevent the cold by building up your immune system. Treating the Common Cold...



Proper prevention and taking care of yourself if you do catch the cold can help make it all a little less miserable and help you get back to normal life more quickly. Treating the Common Cold...




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Avian Influenza - Bird Flu

By Health Tips & Technics

FLU: As birds ready for trans-border migration beginning November, chances are that the avian flu virus too flies into new areas. Is this the beginning of pandemic? Nations are in a state of fear as the virus threatens to melt borders and spread the wings of death.

WITH the bird flu outbreak in Asia spreading to Europe, alarm bells have started ringing with the UN also asking for action. Tens of thousands of ducks and chickens have been culled to curtail the disease’s spread. As the human death toll continues to grow, many are concerned that the virus will mutate and trigger a human pandemic.

October to February is also a crucial period for the Indian authorities as this is the season when migratory birds visit the subcontinent. Many have already started arriving. Health has prepared a fact file on the flu’s spread.

What is avian influenza (Bird flu)?

Bird flu is an infection caused by avian (bird) influenza (flu) viruses. Theses flu viruses occur naturally among birds. Wild birds worldwide carry the viruses in their intestines, but usually do not get sick from them. However, bird flu is very contagious among birds and can make some domesticated birds, including chickens, ducks, and turkeys, very sick and kill them.

Bird flu and humans

There are many different subtypes of type A influenza viruses. These subtypes differ because of certain proteins on the surface of the influenza A virus (hemagglutinin{HA} and neuraminidase {NA} proteins). There are 16 different HA subtypes and 9 different NA subtypes of flu A viruses. Many different combinations of HA and NA proteins are possible. Each combination is a different subtype. All known subtypes of flu A viruses can be found in birds. However, when we talk about bird flu viruses, we are referring to influenza A subtypes chiefly found in birds. They do not usually infect humans, even though we know they can. When we talk about human flu viruses we are referring to those subtypes that occur widely in humans. There are only three known A subtypes of human flu viruses (H1N1, H1N2 and H3N2); it is likely that some genetic parts of current human influenza A viruses came from birds originally. Influenza A viruses are constantly changing, and they might adapt over time to infect and spread among humans. Bird flu viruses do not usually infect humans, but several cases of human infection with bird flu viruses have occurred since 1997.

Human Symptoms

Symptoms of bird flu in humans have ranged from typical flu-like symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat and muscle aches) to eye infections, pneumonia, severe respiratory diseases (such as acute respiratory distress), and other severe and life-threatening complications. The symptoms of bird flu may depend on which virus caused the infection
The Spread

Infected Birds shed flu virus in their saliva, nasal secretions, and feces. Susceptible birds become infected when they have contact with contaminated excretions or surfaces that are contaminated with excretions. It is believed that most cases of bird flu infection in humans have resulted from contact with infected poultry or contaminated surfaces. The spread of avian influenza viruses from one ill person to another has been reported very rarely, and transmission has not been observed to continue beyond one person.

Treatment

Studies done in laboratories suggest that the prescription medicines approved for human flu viruses should work in preventing bird flu infection in humans.

However, flu viruses can become resistant to these drugs, so these medications may not always work. Additional studies are needed to prove the effectiveness of these medicines. People should avoid contact with infected birds or contaminated surfaces, and should be careful when handling and cooking poultry.

Avian influenza A (H5N1) virus

Influenza A (H5N1) virus also called H5N1 virus is an influenza A virus subtype that occurs mainly in birds. Outbreaks of influenza H5N1 occurred among poultry in eight countries in Asia during late 2003 and early 2004. It is believed that these outbreaks are ongoing. Most recently, influenza H5N1 has been reported among poultry in Turkey and Romania. Human infections of influenza A (H5N1) have been reported in Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. In Hong Kong the virus caused severe respiratory illness in 18 people, 6 of whom died. Since that time, there have been other cases of H5N1 infection among humans. Recent human cases of H5N1 infection that have occurred in Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam have coincided with large H5N1 outbreaks in poultry. The World Health Organization (WHO) also has reported human cases in Indonesia. Most of these cases have occurred from contact with infected poultry or contaminated surfaces; however, it is though that a few cases of human-to-human spread of H5N1 have occurred.

So far, spread of H5N1 virus from person to person has been rare and has not continued beyond one person. However, because all influenza viruses have the ability to change, scientists are concerned that the H5N1 virus one day could be able to infect humans and spread easily from one person to another. Because these viruses do not commonly infect humans, there is little or no immune protection against them in the human population.

If the H5N1 virus were able to infect people and spread easily from person to person, an influenza pandemic (worldwide outbreak of disease) could begin. No one can predict when a pandemic might occur.

However, experts from around the world are watching the H5N1 situation in Asia very closely and are preparing for the possibility that the virus may begin to spread more easily and widely from person to person.

H5N1 virus treatment

The H5N1 virus currently infecting birds in Asia that has caused human illness and death is resistant to amantadine and rimantadine, two antiviral medications commonly used for influenza. Two other antiviral medications, oseltamavir and zanamavir, would probably work to treat flu caused by the H5N1 virus, but additional studies still need to be done to prove their effectiveness.

Courtesy: CDC
The New Indian Express, Health Supplement, 8th November 2005

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New Inventions to Keep Your Child Healthy During Flu/Cold Season

By Lara Endreszl (HealthNews.com)

It’s that time again, school days are here and that means the cold and flu season will be following soon after. We already know how to take care of our school-aged children with oscillococcinum, the natural remedy against the flu as well as precautions against the H1N1 virus, but as a prevention tactics maybe we should be looking in the local patent office. Many people all across the country have been inventing products to make lives easier and even though not all of them actually get made or never make it out of our heads, there are a lot of inventions that serve to help the community. A few of these have made it into the childhood flu arena and could be just the thing to keep your child safe from the invisible monsters that lurk everywhere—germs.

Since hand-washing is the number one rule in keeping germs from attacking your immune system, you may notice that more and more grocery stores, shopping centers, hospitals, and schools have adopted anti-bacterial wipes and/or hand sanitizer dispensers around for patients, customers, and visitors to use for their protection and the protection of the workers in each environment.

However, for children—especially infants—a lot of people do not realize that other people’s hands are carriers and can be very dangerous to a baby’s health. As it may not be customary to ask friends, relatives, or acquaintances to wash their hands before holding your newborn, maybe it should be. The minds behind My Tiny Hands came up with a sign for your stroller, car seat, high chair, crib, or baby carrier asking people to wash their hands. Their website shows an adorable little baby sitting in a stroller with a neon pink stop-sign-esque laminate hanging from the top that says, “Please wash your hands before touching mine.”

Also available in Spanish language, the signs are a great way to ask without having the awkwardness of confronting a coughing co-worker or sniffling neighbor during a visit. My Tiny Hands shows testimonials on their website from professionals like Dr. David Geller at Children’s Hospital of Boston, who says that this request should be necessary instead of being seen as offensive, “Since people who don't know they're sick can also spread germs, it's completely appropriate—and not rude—to make everyone wash their hands before touching [your] baby.”

Another new product cropping up for children is called a “Sniffle Buddy.” As a young snot-nosed kid myself, I often remember wiping my nose across my sleeve or on the inside of my jacket or sweatshirt and I can never remember ever having tissues handy. A Sniffle Buddy is an elasticized band that goes around a child’s wrist made of washable organic cotton and recycled materials. The purpose is to keep little noses soft and sleeves free of gunk, as well as germs. Each band wraps comfortably around the wrist with Velcro that parents can easily slip on and off and throw right into the washing machine. If you are an active parent always on the go, work outside without a pocketful of tissues, or just love the idea Sniffle Buddies are also made for adults.

With airplane travel being a haven for airborne illness and the spread of germs through fabrics, if you happen to be traveling (with or without kids) over the flu/holiday season you may also want to look into purchasing an anti-bacterial cover for your airplane seat. Called a “Sure Fit Transit Cover,” this soft stretchy suede fabric slips easily over your seat making it a healthier way to fly.

Next time your family comes down with a case of the sniffles think about ways you can prevent those nasty viruses by stocking up on anti-bacterial items, remembering to always wash up, or simply by strapping on a little buddy to keep your children out of germs’ way.

10 Shocking Truths about Allergies

By Jenny Stamos Kovacs

Protect yourself and your family with these little-known allergy facts
Allergies may seem straightforward: You're exposed to allergens like dust, mold or animal dander, you get watery eyes, you sneeze and you feel miserable. But you may be surprised to learn why some people suffer more than others. Here, 10 shocking facts about what may really be making you feel bad.

1. If you're the oldest in your family, you may be more prone to allergies.
Researchers in the UK recruited more than 1,200 children, testing them for signs of allergies at birth, age 4 and age 10. They found markers of allergies in firstborns, but not in later-born children, likely because firstborns experience different conditions in the womb, researchers say.

2. It may not be your pet that's causing your allergies.
"It could be something else entirely," says Jeff May, an indoor air quality expert and coauthor of Jeff May's Healthy Home Tips. "Dust mites from your animal's bed (or yours), or mold underneath antiques in small spaces" are possible culprits, he says. Even homes without pets can have an pet allergen problem. In fact, a study from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences reports that more than 99 percent of homes in the U.S. have detectable cat or dog allergens even though less than half of those homes have a dog or cat living there. Allergens can hitch a ride on other people's clothes and they've been discovered in schools, hospitals, shopping malls, cinemas-and even in the offices of allergists.

3. Timing your meds right can make all the difference.
"Your body follows what's called a circadian rhythm-it acts differently at different times of the day," says Richard Martin, MD, head of the pulmonary division at National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver, CO. This natural rhythm influences when allergies worsen, and therefore determines when it's best to take medication to achieve its maximum effect. For example, if you have 24-hour meds, you should take them at night. "Allergy symptoms peak in the morning hours, so this ensures they'll be moving through your bloodstream when needed most," he says.

4. Obese children and adolescents have a higher risk of allergies.
Especially food allergies, a study in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology notes. Researchers analyzed data from over 4,000 subjects ages 2 to 19, and discovered that obese participants were about 26 percent more likely to have allergies than children of normal weight. The rate of food allergies was especially troublesome-59 percent higher for children who were obese.

5. Your sneezes around your daughter's new kitten may be more than just a cold.
"You can grow up with pets and still develop allergies to them as an adult," says Morris Nejat, MD, of the New York Allergy and Sinus Centers. "Having a pet gives you an immunity that can be lost when you leave that environment-to move away and start your own life, for example. If you then bring an animal into your own home, you may have lost your immunity and developed an allergy to your new pet."

6. Plants aren't as healthy as you think.
Unfortunately, "plants do not purify the air," May says. "Put a thin layer of gravel on top of each plant's soil-this helps keep debris in the plant, protecting you from mold allergens," recommends James M. Seltzer, MD, chairman of the Indoor Environment Committee of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. "Even silk plants can cause mold," Dr. Seltzer says.

7.Trouble breathing? Don't look to your lungs, look to your gut.
Upsetting the normal balance of microflora in your stomach and intestines can change your entire immune system, researchers at the University of Michigan Medical School report, intensifying your body's response to common allergens like pollen or animal dander. According to scientists, our modern diet and increased use of antibiotics may be at fault. Safeguard your health with a diet low in sugar and high in raw fruits and vegetables, especially following treatment with antibiotics.

8. Allergies can trigger bad breath.
"For some people, a dry mouth, caused by taking antihistamines for allergies or by the postnasal drip that streams down the back of your throat during allergy attacks, can result in bad breath," says Cyril Meyerowitz, DDS, director of the Eastman Institute for Oral Health, part of the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, New York. "Sometimes tiny pieces of food lodge on the tongue or in the crevices of your tonsils and cause a nasty odor."

9. You can't become immune to your allergy meds.
"You may feel that your allergy medication has become ineffective, but there's no scientific basis for medication tolerance," says Linda B. Ford, MD, medical director of the Sarpy/Cass Department of Health and Wellness at the Asthma and Allergy Center in Papillion, Nebraska. "What's more likely is that the disease has become more severe, in which case you should consider other treatment options, like allergen immunotherapy, intranasal steroids, isotonic saline nasal washes and/or other antihistamines."

10. Your allergies may have an upside.
A study from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston reports that people with a history of allergies have nearly a third lower risk of developing a type of brain cancer called glioma than those without the condition. Researchers suspect this may be due to the genetic variations that cause the allergies.

Cold and Flu Treatments Can Be Found In Common Foods

By Melanie Grimes

There is no known cure for the common cold, but your kitchen is stocked with many foods that can help relieve symptoms and speed your recovery. Next time the sniffles and sneezing invade your home, head to the cupboards for help and health.

LEMONADE: 
This is wonderful to soothe sore throats, cleanse the blood, and loosen mucous. Add the juice of half a lemon and one teaspoon of maple syrup to a cup of warm water.

CHICKEN SOUP: 
Use of chicken soup goes back to the twelfth century, to a Jewish physician and philosopher, Maimonides, who recommended chicken soup to treat colds and flu.

MUSTARD: 
Mustard packs reduce fever, eliminate toxins and help heal the mucus membranes in the lungs.

GINGER: 
Ginger tea can help kill germs, as an antiviral and is also very good for an upset stomach. 
Boil two tablespoons of grated fresh ginger in two cups of water for fifteen minutes, remove from the heat and steep for ten minutes. 
Drink as needed. Adding ginger to a bath stimulates the lymph system and speeds lymph drainage. Pulverize a quarter cup of fresh ginger and place in cheesecloth and soak in the tub as water fills.

GARLIC: 
Common household garlic is great as a preventative and as a treatment for colds and flu. 
Raw garlic has anti-fungal, antibacterial, and antiviral properties. 
Researchers in England found that garlic can speed up recovery from the flu and increase resistance.Garlic can cause increased bleeding, so those taking medications for bleeding should take care when adding extra garlic to the diet.

PEPPERMINT: 
Mint tea helps to break a sweat. Make a tea and go quickly to bed where you will sweat out the fever.

CASTOR OIL: 
A Castor oil pack placed on the chest can open the airwaves and bring circulation to the lungs. Massage Castor oil on the chest, cover with muslin or flannel, and place a warm hot water bottle over the chest.

ORANGES/VITAMIN C: 
Research has shown that Vitamin C found in orange juice, taken daily, can shorten the duration of the flu. 
A recent study showed that 1,000 mg of Vit C every six hours can effectively relieve, or even prevent, flu symptoms.

ELDERBERRIES: 
Elderberries have been used in medicine since the Stone Age. Recent research University of Jerusalem confirmed that taking elderberries speeds recovery time from a cold or flu.

HOREHOUND: 
Long used an ingredient of cough syrups, horehound tea can be used to soothe a cough.

HONEY: 
Honey has tremendous healing properties. 
It can be used to relieve coughs and to increase immunity. A simple cough syrup can be made with a spoon of honey and a bit of fresh lemon juice.

CUMIN AND GINGER TEA: 
Add a teaspoon of cumin seeds and a small amount of dry or fresh ginger to one glass of boiling water. Drink as needed.

SALT: Salt is an excellent gargle and can soothe a sore throat. Use warm water and perhaps add a bit of tumeric for extra anti-inflammatory effect. Another use of salt is in nasal irrigation, which uses warm salt water inhaled through sinues to help decongest the nose. Recent research suggest that nasal irrigation speds recovery from sinus infections.

KIWI: Kiwi can be beneficial in treating upper respiratory tract infections. It’s high in Vitamin C and seems to have a protetice effect on long conditions especially in children.

WATER/HYDROTHERAPY: Bathing increases circulation. A hot bath can help lower a fever. Or try a ginger bath. (See GINGER, above.)

SAGE: Sage mouthwash can used for sore thoats and has been approved in Germany for this use by their medical commission.

CHAMOMILE: Used medicinally for thousands of years, chamomile can be taken as tea or inhalant. Inhaling the steam from chamomile extract was been reported to help relieve cold symptoms.

Note: Seek medical help if symptoms persist or worsen. At signs of sudden weakness, or high fever, seek emergency care.

Probiotics: Can Yoplait Chase the Flu Away?

By Lara Endreszl

During the summer when kids would rather chase the ice cream man down the street than eat the GoGurt (portable squeezable yogurt) that they may be used to in their lunch bags, there may be a new reason to keep yogurt on the menu…even during the summer months. It seems that probiotics—the healthy bacteria found in food and dairy products like yogurt—may be able to prevent the flu.

The journal Pediatrics, published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, just released new information regarding probiotics. Professionally known as T-probiotics, these live cultures are a type of “good” bacteria added to foods that are helpful for keeping the digestive system on track as well as boosting your immune system.

Even though the flu vaccine is still the most recommended form of prevention, natural health remedies are becoming more commonplace due to the easy access to supplements and other organic ingredients as well as a lowered cost than the doctor’s visit and the vaccination. If you think flu prevention is something that should only be talked about during the winter, the seasonal flu is a lot more prevalent than most of us know. Coughing, sore throat, fever, and runny nose are symptoms no one wants to deal with during summer especially during the strong heat and height of vacation season.

Danisco, a Danish supplement company, sponsored the probiotics study in which researchers followed a group of young children—almost 250 patients—between the ages of 3 to 5 years old over a period of six months. When given probiotics to two groups of children two times per day (either Lactobacillus acidophilus or a combination of L acidophilus and Bifidobacterium) during the half a year of research, their symptoms were found to be significantly lower than the third placebo group.

The former head of research and development at Danisco in Wisconsin, Gregory Leyer, the author of the study touts the positive influence of his results, “There was definitely a need to show a prophylactic benefit of probiotic consumption, especially in children…. About 60 to 80 percent of our immune cells are associated with gut [cells]. Hitting the immune system through the gut makes sense,” Leyer continues by saying, “I'm assuming that's how this product works. That kid's immune system is in a better state to fight off infections or reduce the symptoms quicker.”

As a non-drug, natural approach, exchanging antibiotics for probiotics seems like it could be a safer option for parents not wanting to give harsh drugs to their young children. The results speak volumes for the complementary—in addition to Western practices instead of alternative medicine being practiced in place of more popular methods—medicine movement. Both groups of young kids given probiotics (singular and combination) showed reduced fevers by 53 and 72 percent, coughing by over 41 and 62 percent, and the sniffles by 28 and 58 percent and also had to stay home due to flu symptoms fewer days than the placebo group. These children also had a quicker recovery time due to the carefully picked probiotics chosen by researchers aimed at preventing the flu virus.

If you would rather go natural, no matter what supplementation you choose to take (or give to your children) should not be a fleeting, quick-fix maneuver. Supplements help in the long-run and are supposed to be taken daily—or the recommended dosage—whichever works best for you, your doctor, and your body; so please be patient.

When you are looking for a sweet treat to keep the flu away and you want to beat the heat, you can also look into one of the many fro-yo chain stores in your neighborhood with the National Yogurt Association’s stamp of approval for probiotic levels. Another plus to the burgeoning trend of healthier frozen yogurt over the Cold Stone and Baskin Robbins ice cream vendors, is that many of the new ones are self-serve offering a easy way to cut cost and your flu risk while keeping your kids happy and healthy throughout the summer.