Zika: Profile of a mysterious virus

A baby infected with Zika virus

The world’s latest health scare is Zika: a tropical, mosquito-borne virus that holds little danger for most people, but could completely derail the lives of some.

Most often, the virus which is sweeping Latin America causes only mild symptoms – with many people never even realising they have it.

But health officials suspect it may be behind a surge in cases of microcephaly, a condition which causes babies to develop abnormally small brains and skulls — leading to permanent disability or death.

The outbreak has seen some countries urging couples not to get pregnant, while the US Centers for Disease Control has warned pregnant women to avoid travelling to 22 affected nations.

On Tuesday, US health authorities confirmed the virus had been transmitted by sexual contact – by someone infected in Venezuela who came home to a partner in Texas.

Here’s what we know about the virus.

What is Zika?

The virus gets its name comes from a forest in Uganda where it was first discovered in infected rhesus monkeys in 1947. Within years, the virus had spread to humans in Uganda and Tanzania, according to the World Health Organisation.

Like dengue fever and chikungunya, two similar diseases, Zika is transmitted by mosquito species found in tropical and sub-tropical regions: Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, or tiger mosquitoes.

How do I know if I have it?

In 70 to 80 per cent of cases, the disease goes unnoticed. The symptoms resemble those of a mild case of the flu – headache, muscle and joint pain, and mild fever – plus a rash.

Symptoms last about two to seven days.

Why are experts worried?

The virus is suspected of causing two serious complications, though it has not been scientifically linked to either: microcephaly in babies, and Guillain-Barre syndrome.

A surge in microcephaly and other brain deformities in newborns has been reported in areas hit by the current Zika outbreak, particularly in Brazil.

Microcephaly cases in the South American country surged from 163 live births on average per year, to more than 4,000 in the current outbreak. Forty-nine babies have died.

Many foetuses die in the womb.

Guillain-Barre is a disorder in which the immune system attacks the nervous system, causing muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis.

Most patients recover, but the syndrome can sometimes be deadly. Cases believed to be linked to Zika have been reported in Brazil and French Polynesia.

What to do?

There is no vaccine for Zika, and no treatment – patients can take pain-killers and other medication to relieve the symptoms.

The virus is transmitted mainly through mosquito bites, so killing mosquitoes and avoiding contact with them is key. Health officials recommend covering up, using insect repellant and keeping windows closed or screened.

Authorities have responded to the outbreak by fumigating and getting rid of standing water where mosquitoes breed.

And officials in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador and Jamaica have advised couples not to fall pregnant at this time.

Brazil has announced a crackdown on mosquito breeding grounds ahead of the Olympics, which will bring hundreds of thousands of travellers from around the world to Rio de Janeiro in August.

Where is Zika now?

The virus was first reported in Africa, Asia and the Pacific before leaping to the Americas last year.

The Aedes aegypti mosquito’s habitat, mainly in tropical zones, stretches as far as the southern United States and into southern Europe.

On Monday, the WHO said Zika constitutes a “public health emergency of international concern”.

It is now present in some 20 Latin American and Caribbean countries. Brazil has been the hardest hit, with almost 1.5 million infections.

Travellers have brought it back to the US states of Florida, Hawaii, New York, and Texas.

In Hawaii, a woman who had contracted Zika in Brazil gave birth to a baby with microcephaly.

Cape Verde, Indonesia, Thailand and islands in the French Caribbean have also reported Zika infections.

AFP

Read More

School girl hopes to be first Muslim ballerina in a hijab

Stephanie Kurlow in action

A girl who hopes to be the world’s first Muslim ballerina has a message of hope, saying, ‘ I can inspire so many other people to believe in themselves and pursue their dreams.’
Stephanie Kurlow, age 14, had been dancing since she was a toddler – but stopped when her family converted to Islam in 2010.
The Sydney schoolgirl believed that there was no chance she could ever succeed as a ballerina – because she wore the hijab.
She is now trying to raise money via crowdfunding site LaunchGood – to prove everyone wrong.

Stephanie Kurlow in action

She says, ‘’I plan on bringing the world together by becoming the very first Muslim Ballerina so that I can inspire so many other people to believe in themselves and pursue their dreams.

Stephanie Kurlow in action

‘I want to encourage everyone to join together no matter what faith, race or colour. To bring harmony and a world of acceptance for future generations. YOU can help me achieve this dream.’
‘In this day and age there is a lack of facilitation for youth who are disengaged or of a different religion or race.

Read More

Ladies, This Is Why You Should NEVER Use A Vaginal Tightening Stick

There is now a new craze for the usage of vagina tightening sticks, or wands for ladies out there who feel their down below is not as tight as it should be.

These are sticks of made of ground up plants, herbs, and other mysterious substances, that those worried about their tightness are encouraged to insert inside their vaginas for two minutes and they are being sold online.

The sellers promise that the stick will tighten and ‘clean’ the vagina, with one company suggesting the resulting tightness will ‘make you feel wanted again.’

Right. So this is for our partners. So he’ll want us again – now that our vaginas aren’t giant caves of despair.

It’s also claimed that the sticks will eliminate vaginal discharge.

And this is where we remind everyone, once again, that the vagina is a self-cleaning, self-regulating, generally wonderful thing.

It’s not supposed to be a pencil-narrow suction cup, and it’s most definitely NOT supposed to be discharge-free (discharge is all part of our lovely cleaning process. Accept it. Love it).

We won’t even get into the very damaging idea that women need to ‘tighten ourselves’ to make themselves desirable to men, because frankly, we could argue on about that for hours.

So let’s just focus on all the potential negative effects these sticks could have on your vagina, remembering that these products have not been properly tested or regulated by any health-themed governing body.

Dr Jen Gunter explains that the chemicals in these sticks work to temporarily dry out the vagina – a very bad thing.

She writes: ‘The lack of wetness and pain from the resulting abrasions may also cause the pelvic floor to spasm during sex (not in a good way) and this will tighten the vaginal opening (which can make insertion painful).

‘Practices that dry the vagina are known to increase the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. never mind make sex painful for the woman.

‘If the Japanese vaginal stick can only be inserted for 2 minutes then it is almost certainly a direct caustic effect from chemicals.

‘But if it does have some effect on the vagina it’s like over washing your hands until they are dried and cracked and bleeding, but achieved in 2 minutes. In the vagina.’

Ouch.

And, as Dr Jen reminds us, vaginas are SUPPOSED to be relaxed and wet during sex. That’s what makes sex pleasurable.

So, to recap. Please, please do not use herbal sticks to ‘tighten’ your vagina. Don’t put any herbs up there, in fact.

If you’re genuinely feeling concerned about tightness, we’d recommend trying kegels.

Your vagina is amazing and can pretty much left alone to do its business. Love it and leave it be.


culled from UK Metro

Read More

If Your Child Ever Sits in This Position, Stop Them Immediately

Paying attention to how your child or grandchild sits is more important than you may think. It turns out the popular "W" sitting position can be detrimental to a child's development later on in life. Why, you ask?

If Your Child Ever Sits in This Position, Stop Them Immediately

Well, according to the Pediatric Therapy Center, children who continue sitting in this position after their 2^nd birthday may not properly develop the core strength and balance they need for certain motor skills, like jumping and running. It may also leave muscles tight in the legs, hips, and ankles, as well as possibly leading to a hip dislocation.
Yikes.
Not only that, but extensive use of this sitting position could leave your child "pigeon-toed," meaning they walk with their toes turned in. 
To prevent these negative effects from happening, it's important to be vigilant with your child about sitting in safe positions such as cross-legged, side-sitting, or even long-sitting, which puts a child's legs out in front of them.

This is NICE..

For more information, check out the Pediatric Therapy Center's website.

Read More

Facebook Photos Reveal the Dangers of Letting People Kiss Your Baby

Claire Henderson, a new mom from Doncaster, England, posted the above shocking photos to Facebook on September 16. With them, she explained how a person with no visible signs of cold sores gave them to her baby Brooke by getting close to her. In babies, that virus can be fatal.

Check her Facebook Post Here

Henderson wrote:

Please share this with every new mum and pregnant woman you know... COLD SORES CAN BE FATAL FOR A BABY. Before 3 months old a baby cannot fight the herpes virus. If a baby contracts this it can cause liver and brain damage and lead to death. I know this sounds like I am scaremongering but if my friend had not told me about this my baby girl could have been very seriously ill. I noticed the signs early and got her to A&E, we have now been in hospital on a drip for 3 days and have got another 2 to go. She was VERY lucky, all her tests came back clear. The moral of the story is DO NOT let anyone kiss your newborn's mouth, even if they don't look like they have a cold sore- 85% of the population carry the virus. And if someone had a cold sore, ask them to stay away until it has gone. Everyone who I have spoken to had not heard of this before and so I felt it was important to share Brooke's story and raise awareness to stop anyone else going through what we have this week.

Please Share with your loved one... Caring is Sharing..

Hit the SHARE button below............

Read More

How to Prevent Unhealthy Snacking from Destroying Your Diet

One of the hardest things in life is sticking to a healthy diet.  Experts recommend you plan your meals in advance, so you aren’t tempted when faced with less-than-healthy alternatives. But, let’s face it—planning every meal can be really hard. And, for a lot of us, snacking is our downfall.
The average American eats almost 25 percent of their daily calories from snacking alone, and snacking is the leading cause of childhood obesity.

So, there are two options available: Stop snacking (hard) or snack healthier (simple).
But, for a many of us, differentiating what’s “healthy” and how much to consume are two different things. After all, many nuts are considered heart healthy. But, if you don’t keep the portions in check it can seriously derail your diet.  It’s easy to consume double or triple the serving size amount without knowing any better.

If you’re struggling to keep you and your family’s snaking under control and healthy, you may be interested in the new online subscription store called NatureBox.com.  They have an innovative new service that focuses exclusively on healthy snacks, delivered right to your front door on a monthly basis.

Here’s how it works:
After you sign up on their website and provide some information about your taste preferences and any special health needs, the company ships you a box every month containing a delicious selection of healthy snack foods. A box includes 12-15 servings across 4 to 5 different NatureBox snacks—enough to last you and your family for a month.

Each box costs just under $20 and shipping is always free.  NatureBox is meant to fit your lifestyle by providing you with snacks you’ll enjoy and look forward to eating. You can easily customize what you want to receive based on the snacks you love most, and a typical box might contain:

• Wild Blueberry Flax granola, Heart Healthy Trail Mix, Dried Apricots, and Tamari Almonds.
• Banana Chips, Raw Fruits and Nuts, Dried Cranberries, and Cherry, Cranberry, Almond & Pecan Granola.
• Tart Cherry Vanilla Granola, Organic Berries, Honey Cinnamon Almonds, and All-Natural Yogurt Pretzels.

Every item from NatureBox is nutritionist-approved and derived from the most wholesome ingredients and seasonal options. They’re also pre-portioned for you, so you can enjoy your snacks guilt-free and without confusion. For those watching their calories and sodium content, nutrition labels are included on the boxes for your convenience.

If you go on vacation or need to skip a month, just let NatureBox know. They can pause your shipment or you can have it sent to a friend or family member instead. Satisfaction is 100 percent guaranteed. If you’re not happy with what you’ve been sent, let them know and you’ll be issued a full refund. You can also cancel the subscription at any time.
NatureBox takes the guesswork out of snacks—what’s healthy, what’s the correct serving size—making it a lot easier to stay healthy and slim!

They also make great gifts for college students going off to school, new parents, or anyone trying to live a health-conscious life. And now, NatureBox is offering HowLifeWorks readers an immediate 25% off their first order.  Just enter the code “livehealthy” when you join.


Click here to sign up for your risk-free subscription.

Read More

How a Free 7-Day Eating Plan Can Help You Manage Your Diabetes

Hearing the words “You have diabetes” can strike fear in anyone’s heart, because diabetes leads to so many other frightening health problems: Blindness, hearing loss, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, kidney disease, and more.

Living with diabetes is more common than most of us know—in fact, more than 25 million Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes.  If you or a loved one suffers from the disease, you know that most complications can be prevented by keeping blood glucose levels in check, being physically active, and eating a clean diet.
It’s a lot of information to digest, and many who are first diagnosed are overwhelmed with the enormity of lifestyle changes. One of the biggest is usually a complete overhaul of their diet.
But, unless you’re nutritionist or dietician, it can be complicated to learn how to track calories, fat, protein, carbohydrates, fiber, and cholesterol. Diabetics need to eat a balanced mix of foods that keep their blood sugar from crashing.
This involves monitoring their glucose levels multiple times a day, usually before and after meals. And, that entails a meal plan that details what foods they will eat throughout each day to keep their levels steady.
There’s also a common misconception that diabetics have to adhere to a strict list of only healthy foods. Not true! Diabetics can eat almost anything in moderation, just like someone who doesn’t have the disease. This is where having a detailed meal plan comes in handy.
Fortunately, there’s a company called QualityHealth.com that offers diabetes sufferers a FREE* Diabetes Meal Plan, where all the challenging work in creating a 7-day meal plan is done for you.
The first in a series, this 7-day plan features meals and snacks for every day of the week. The recipes are tasty and designed to help you meet your diabetes management goals.
You can even share them with family and friends who want to eat healthier.
A new healthy diet, along with medication and a physician-supervised exercise program, should keep you living a normal, healthy life for a long time to come. And, you can still enjoy dessert if you have a sweet tooth, or indulge in a glass of wine if you desire. The simple pleasures in life don’t have to come to a screeching halt with this controllable disease.
If you or someone close to you has been diagnosed with diabetes, a QualityHealth.com free meal plan can be a real lifesaver to get you started on the right path. Each day a person with diabetes is not eating right, they could potentially be doing more damage to their body.
Don’t let another day pass by—click here to see how you can qualify to get this Diabetes Meal Plan FREE.
When signing up you will also be asked several questions about your health history, and the health history of your household. Answering these questions will help QualityHealth customize your online health experience, and also provide you with some additional offers such as the chance to get a free diabetes meter, savings of up to $200 off prescription co-pays, and even a Pharmacy Savings Card that may entitle you to up to 75 percent off at your local pharmacy.

We hope you enjoy this information, and look forward to helping you stay healthy.

Source:http://www.howlifeworks.com/health_beauty/How_a_Free_7Day_Eating_Plan_Can_Help_You_Manage_Your_Diabetes_379

Read More

Health Benefits of Dates

Date is the fruit of the date palm. This sweet fruit is somewhat in the shape of an olive, containing a soft pulp and enclosing a hard kernel.
  It is commonly known in the northern region of nigeria which is called dabino in hausa language.

  In several homes, dates are considered as a regular dry fruit. There are a very rich source of vitamin and minerals an are extremely of great importance to the body. On a frequent basis it is beneficial to try and promote the consumption of dates.
  Health Benefits 
 FATS AND CHOLESTEROL: They do not contain fat in excess amounts and they are free from any cholesterol content.
 You can easily avoid food that makes you obese and start having dates.

Constipation 
 Constipation victims have date in large amount or soaked in water for a perfect result.
    
   Cure for abdominal cancer :
*Dates helps to cure abdominal cancer.

*Dates improve night blindness and eyesite.

*Dates should be consumed in your daily diet as they have no side effect.

  Sexual advantage
    Date are known to increase one's sexual staminal for which there has been used even as aphrodisiacs since ages it is taken with goat milk in which it is soaked overnight.

 Skin Benefits 
Dates are loaded with vitamin B1,B2,and A, phosphurus, magnesium, calcium, iron and protein. These contribute to the overall health, including the health of the skin.

   SUMMARY OF THE BENEFITS OF DATES 
* Prevent Diarrhea
* Weight loss
* Pregnancy deliveries
* Prevent hemorrhoid
* Chronic conditions such as arthritis
* Preventing colon cancer
* Reduces colitis risk
* Iron-deficiency anemia
* Promote heart health
* Reducing heart disease risk
* Relieving Constipation, supporting regular bowel movement.

   Next time you need to sweeten a recipe, make the green flavour in your smoothies, look no further than the humble date. Their lovely flavour and beneficial qualities bring sweetness to any food. Sure, the aren't sugar-free, but they won't hurt you really want to do is reduce artificial and refined sugar from your diet, not the beautiful, natural sugars in whole dates.

Read More

Health Benefits of Dates

Date is the fruit of the date palm. This sweet fruit is somewhat in the shape of an olive, containing a soft pulp and enclosing a hard kernel.
 It is commonly known in the northern region of nigeria, which is called dabino in hausa language.

  In several homes dates are considered as a regular dry fruit. There are a very rich source of vitamins and minerals and are extremely of great importance to the body. On a frequent basics, it is beneficial to try and promote the consumption of dates.
                  HEALTH BENEFITS 
 Fats and cholesterol
* They do not contain fat in excess amounts and they are free from any cholesterol content.
* You can easily avoid food that makes you obese and start having dates.

Constipation 
* Constipation victims have date in large amount or soaked in water for a perfect result.
  
Cure for abdominal cancer 
*Dates helps to cure abdominal cancer.
*Dates improve night blindness and eyesight.
*Dates should be consumed in your daily diet as they have no side effects.

Sexual Advantage 
  Date are known to increase ones Sexual stamina for which there has been used even as aphrodisiacs since ages. It is taken with goat milk in which it is soaked overnight.

Skin Benefits 
  Dates are loaded with vitamin B1, B2, and A, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, iron, and protein. These contribute to the overall health, including the health of the skin.

  SUMMARY OF THE BENEFITS OF DATES 
-Prevent diarrhea
-weight loss
-helps in save pregnancy deliveries.
-Prevent hemorrhoid
-chronic conditions such as arthritis
-preventing colon cancer
-reduces colitis risks
- iron-deficiency anemia
-promote heart health
-reducing heart disease risk
-relieving constipation, supporting regular bowel movement.

Next time you need to sweeten a recipe, make the green flavor in your smoothies, look no further than the humble date. Their lovely flavor and beneficial qualities bring sweetness to any food. Sure, there aren't sugar-free, but they won't hurt you. Really want to do is reduce artificial and refined sugar from your diet, not the beautiful, natural sugars in whole dates.

Read More

Health tips:Wonders of moringa

Moringa which is called zogalle in hausa, ewe igbale in Yoruba, idagbo monoye in igbo has many unknown benefits to the human body and can heal more than 300 (three hundred) sicknesses and diseases.
How to identify a Moringa plant. 
A Moringa plant can easily be identified by its leaves, long pods containing its seeds. As shown below

Moringa which is also called miracle tree is estimated that at least 300 diseases can be cured by taking the supplement along with hundreds of other health benefits, 46 different antioxidant, and All 8 essential amino acids.

Some of the sicknesses and diseases cured by Moringa.

* The Moringa leaves can be used to ballance sugar levels, it can be extremely effective against diabetics. 

*Moringa seeds can also be used as a perfect  remedy to high blood pressure. 

*consumption of moringa leaves stimulate metabolism and cell structure of the body. 

*These plant also has several antibacterial properties and hence can be used as a purifier and as a natural detoxifier. 

*Moringa seeds mixed in impure water can help in absorbing all the impurities. 

*Moringa helps in removal and excretion of toxic build up by attracting toxins from the blood. 

*Moringa also cures heart problems. 

*No side effects of moringa leaves have been reported. Hence, it can be safely consumed by children, and adults. Nowadays, it is used in porage, pastas, and breads to increase the nutrient content of meals. 

Here are the benefit of continous intake of moringa Tea

*Promote metabolism with bio-available ingredients. 

*Increases the natural defences of the body. 

*Promotes natural serum cholesterol. 

*Promotes the cell structure of the body. 

*Beautifies the skin. 

*Promotes proper digestion. 

*Promotes the normal functioning of the liver and the kidney. 

*Promotes energy. 

*Promotes healthy circulatory system. 

*Take care of the immune system of the body. 

*Acts as antioxidant. 

*It is an anti-inflammatory. 

*Supports the normal sugar levels of the body. 

*Gives a feeling of general  wellness. 

According to medical proffesionals,it is advisable for a human to consume a minimum of 5-6 seeds a day for a healthy living. 

Read More