If you are considering a body piercing, it's not always fun and games, as many people might say. Body piercing may be a trendy and popular past time, but it also comes with risks. To avoid having your body piercing experience become a nightmare there are a few things you need to know.

However, let's first start with a word of caution in regards to your health, both short-term and long-term. You should know that medical studies have been conducted which have concluded that body piercing can lead to heart disease later on in life, as well as heart infection. Also, if you have existing medical conditions, such as diabetes, skin disorders or an immune system deficiency, you need to check with your doctor to make sure getting a body piercing is safe.

If you are pregnant, you will have to wait until you give birth to have a piercing done. Getting a body piercing while pregnant means running the risk of acquiring a disease or infection; you don't want to pass anything along to your child that may affect him/her. Such infections can occur when you have a piercing done in the mouth or nose area of your face. The reason for this is that millions of bacteria already live there, and by piercing these areas, you are essentially providing them with an open wound in which to thrive.

Lastly, it is also important that you understand that if you decide on a tongue piercing it can damage your teeth over time. The metal barbell stud that rests in the middle of your tongue over time will rub and collide with your teeth, weakening enamel and causing chips or cracking. Also, piercing your tongue, cheek or lip often leads to gum disease and other periodontal problems later in life.

If you've reached this point and have still not been deterred on your quest to acquire a body piercing, then you should at least know how to prepare for it and how to choose the right parlor in which to have it done.

Before you even walk into a parlor for the piercing make sure your immunizations are up to date to better lower your chances of an infection. Once this is done, then you can begin deciding on the right body piercing parlor.

For anyone who is under the age of 18, credible body piercing parlors require a parent's consent. If you know of a parlor that does not enforce this rule it is a good idea you not go there yourself. Establishments such as these are often unsanitary and may employee people unqualified to handle body piercing.

In addition to finding a parlor that is in compliance with the law, you should have your piercing done in a parlor where the floors are linoleum, and the furniture in the waiting room is not made of cloth material. This is important because parlors with carpet and cloth furniture carry hidden bacteria that can lead to an infection. Linoleum makes it harder for bacteria to live, as well as makes it easier for shop employees to sanitize.

Lastly, you should also make sure you get to watch the person performing the piercing remove the needle he/she will be using from the sanitized package in which it comes. There is absolutely nothing wrong with asking. Any credible establishment should actually do this without you even having to ask.

Body piercing is not a bad thing, and is not as risky as it probably seems now that you've read this; however, it is very important that you understand the risks involved when getting a piercing. If you want a body piercing, then you should get it, but for your own well being make sure and visit a few shops and ask questions. If you don't feel comfortable in a certain shop then go to another one. Remember, ultimately it is your body.

By Joe Goertz









 

care-healthinfo.blogspot.com

Risks of Body Piercing - Resiko dari Body Piercing

What is Parkinson's disease?

Parkinson's disease is a movement disorder that is chronic and progressive, meaning that symptoms continue and worsen over time. As many as one million Americans suffer from Parkinson's disease, which is more than the combined number of people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and Lou Gehrig's disease. Incidence of Parkinson's increases with age, but an estimated 4 percent of people with PD are diagnosed before the age of 50. The cause is unknown, and although there is presently no cure, there are many treatment options such as medication and surgery to manage the symptoms.
Parkinson's disease occurs when a group of cells in an area of the brain called the substantia nigra begin to malfunction and die. These cells in the substantia nigra produce a chemical called dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, or chemical messenger, that sends information to the parts of the brain that control movement and coordination. When a person has Parkinson's disease, their dopamine-producing cells begin to die and the amount of dopamine produced in the brain decreases. Messages from the brain telling the body how and when to move are therefore delivered more slowly, leaving a person incapable of initiating and controlling movements in a normal way.
Parkinson's disease can also cause several different symptoms. The specific group of symptoms that an individual experiences varies from person to person. Some of the most common symptoms of Parkinson's disease are:
• tremor of the hands, arms, legs, jaw and face
• rigidity or stiffness of the limbs and trunk
• bradykinesia or slowness of movement
• postural instability or impaired balance and coordination

Read more…

Parkinson's Disease - Penyakit Parkinson

Mother's Milk Best for the Baby

Breastfeeding is the natural continuation of pregnancy. Human babies are meant to receive their mothers’ milk immediately after they are born, and for about the first six months of life, mothers’ milk is all that babies need to promote normal, healthy growth and development. Breastmilk contains scores, even hundreds of factors that protect the newborn from illness and provide exactly the balance of proteins, healthy fats and sugars, and everything else the baby needs to continue the growth that began in the womb and produced the amazing little human being that he is at birth. A healthy newborn does not need anything other than his mother’s milk; in fact, anything else given to the baby will change the perfect balance in his gut (intestinal tract) and will interfere with nature’s provision of a perfect system to protect him from all of the bacteria and viruses that are present around him once he leaves the safety of the womb and comes into the world. Because of this, no formula, water or anything else should be given to the baby unless there is a medical reason for it. (AAP Policy Statement on Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk. http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;115/2/496). Supplements of water or formula given to the breastfeeding baby also “interfere with the mother to infant biology of breastfeeding,” (A Woman’s Guide to Breastfeeding, American Academy of Pediatrics, 2002, p. 11), and will result in the mother having a lower milk supply and the baby receiving less benefit from her milk.
Although formula companies want us to believe that their products come close to breastmilk, and they spend millions of dollars advertising the “new” components that they discover and add to an increasing number of formulas available, the truth is that breastmilk can never be duplicated. Breastmilk is a living, changing fluid. Each mother’s milk contains antibodies to exactly the germs that she and her baby are exposed to in their own environment. As the baby grows, there are also changes that take place in the make-up of the milk that make it perfectly suited to the changing needs of the newborn, infant and toddler. Dr. Jack Newman, a leading expert in the breastfeeding field, states: “The differences between cow’s milk and formula are much smaller than the differences between formula and breastmilk.” (Newman, Jack, MD. The Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers, Prima Publishing Roseville, CA: 2000, p. 13.) He goes on to say: “All pregnant women and their families need to know the risks of formula feeding. It does matter. All should be encouraged to breastfeed, and all should get the best support available start breastfeeding once the baby arrives.” (Ibid.)
Why, if it is the natural way to feed a baby, does it seem so hard to breastfeed ? Why do so many mothers try and fail? Why do so many pediatricians advise moms to stop breastfeeding and switch to formula at the first sign of trouble?
The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly recommends breastfeeding without giving the baby any other foods for the first six months, and that breastfeeding continue with the gradual addition of other foods in the second half of baby’s first year. They recommend “that breastfeeding continue for at least 12 months, and thereafter for as long as mutually desired.” (American Academy of Pediatrics Work Group on Breastfeeding, Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk, Pediatrics Vol 100 No. 6, December, 1997, p.1037)
In spite of this strong position on the importance of breastfeeding, many nurses, doctors and other health care providers do not have the specific training needed to adequately help mothers and babies who are experiencing breastfeeding difficulty. Often breastfeeding failure happens because hospital procedures in the hours and days after the baby’s birth prevent the normal progression of lactogenesis (the process by which the mother’s milk supply is established) or a misunderstanding of the newborn’s feeding patterns leads to the early use of bottles and pacifiers in the absence of a medical need for such intervention. This causes subtle changes in the way the baby sucks, and makes some babies begin to refuse the breast and to prefer the very rapid flow of milk from the bottle. Even if a baby has had some bottles and has begun to show a preference for the bottle rather than the breast, it is not too late! Most young babies can learn to breastfeed effectively, and most mothers can establish a good milk supply with the right kind of help and support.
Board Certified Lactation Consultants have special training in helping overcome some of these breastfeeding problems. The earlier a mother gets help, the easier it should be to establish breastfeeding even if a mom and baby have a rough start and encounter problems in the beginning. Other good sources of help are La Leche League, a volunteer organization with chapters in most places in the USA and Canada, as well as in many other countries. In the USA, most local WIC offices have resources to help mothers who want to breastfeed their babies. Go to http://www.ilca.org/falc.html for a list of Certified Lactation Consultants in your area.
While it is ideal for mother and baby to be together so that baby can feed frequently during the day and night, many moms today face the reality of returning to the workplace within weeks of the baby’s birth. It is entirely possible to provide your milk to your baby even if you must be separated for many hours of the day. Do not let the necessity of working outside your home rob you and your baby of this priceless gift.
Look for the information about pumping if you must be away from your baby and still want to provide him/her with your milk.

Breast-feeding is the gold standard for your baby!

 

care-healthinfo.blogspot.com

Mother's Milk Best for the Baby

Dangerous Nuclear Radiation Effects - Basic Effects of Nuclear Weapons

Nuclear explosions produce both immediate and delayed destructive effects. Blast, thermal radiation, prompt ionizing radiation are produced and cause significant destruction within seconds or minutes of a nuclear detonation. The delayed effects, such as radioactive fallout and other possible environmental effects, inflict damage over an extended period ranging from hours to years.
Blast Effects

Most damage comes from the explosive blast. The shock wave of air radiates outward, producing sudden changes in air pressure that can crush objects, and high winds that can knock objects down. In general, large buildings are destroyed by the change in air pressure, while people and objects such as trees and utility poles are destroyed by the wind.

The magnitude of the blast effect is related to the height of the burst above ground level. For any given distance from the center of the explosion, there is an optimum burst height that will produce the greatest change in air pressure, called overpressure, and the greater the distance the greater the optimum burst height. As a result, a burst on the surface produces the greatest overpressure at very close ranges, but less overpressure than an air burst at somewhat longer ranges.

When a nuclear weapon is detonated on or near Earth's surface, the blast digs out a large crater. Some of the material that used in be in the crater is deposited on the rim of the crater; the rest is carried up into the air and returns to Earth as radioactive fallout. An explosion that is farther above the Earth's surface than the radius of the fireball does not dig a crater and produces negligible immediate fallout. For the most part, a nuclear blast kills people by indirect means rather than by direct pressure.
Thermal Radiation Effects

Approximately 35 percent of the energy from a nuclear explosion is an intense burst of thermal radiation, i.e., heat. The effects are similar to the effect of a two-second flash from an enormous sunlamp. Since the thermal radiation travels at roughly the speed of light, the flash of light and heat precedes the blast wave by several seconds, just as lightning is seen before thunder is heard.

The visible light will produce "flashblindness" in people who are looking in the direction of the explosion. Flashblindness can last for several minutes, after which recovery is total. If the flash is focused through the lens of the eye, a permanent retinal burn will result. At Hiroshima and Nagasaki, there were many cases of flashblindness, but only one case of retinal burn, among the survivors. On the other hand, anyone flashblinded while driving a car could easiIy cause permanent injury to himself and to others.

Skin burns result from higher intensities of light, and therefore take place closer to the point of explosion. First-degree, second-degree and third-degree burns can occur at distances of five miles away from the blast or more. Third-degree burns over 24 percent of the body, or second-degree burns over 30 percent of the body, will result in serious shock, and will probably prove fatal unless prompt, specialized medical care is available. The entire United States has facilities to treat 1,000 or 2,000 severe burn cases. A single nuclear weapon could produce more than 10,000.

The thermal radiation from a nuclear explosion can directly ignite kindling materials. In general, ignitable materials outside the house, such as leaves or newspapers, are not surrounded by enough combustible material to generate a self-sustaining fire. Fires more likely to spread are those caused by thermal radiation passing through windows to ignite beds and overstuffed furniture inside houses. Another possible source of fires, which might be more damaging in urban areas, is indirect. Blast damage to Stores, water heaters, furnaces, electrical circuits or gas lines would ignite fires where fuel is plentiful.
Direct Nuclear Radiation Effects

Direct radiation occurs at the time of the explosion. It can be very intense, but its range is limited. For large nuclear weapons, the range of intense direct radiation is less than the range of lethal blast and thermal radiation effects. However, in the case of smaller weapons, direct radiation may be the lethal effect with the greatest range. Direct radiation did substantial damage to the residents of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Human response to ionizing radiation is subject to great scientific uncertainty and intense controversy. It seems likely that even small doses of radiation do some harm.
Fallout

Fallout radiation is received from particles that are made radioactive by the effects of the explosion, and subsequently distributed at varying distances from the site of the blast. While any nuclear explosion in the atmosphere produces some fallout, the fallout is far greater if the burst is on the surface, or at least low enough for the firebalI to touch the ground. The significant hazards come from particles scooped up from the ground and irradiated by the nuclear explosion. The radioactive particles that rise only a short distance (those in the "stem" of the familiar mushroom cloud) will fall back to earth within a matter of minutes, landing close to the center of the explosion. Such particles are unlikely to cause many deaths, because they will fall in areas where most people have already been killed. However, the radioactivity will complicate efforts at rescue or eventual reconstruction. The radioactive particles that rise higher will be carried some distance by the wind before returning to Earth, and hence the area and intensity of the fallout is strongly influenced by local weather conditions. Much of the material is simply blown downwind in a long plume. Rainfall also can have a significant influence on the ways in which radiation from smaller weapons is deposited, since rain will carry contaminated particles to the ground. The areas receiving such contaminated rainfall would become "hot spots," with greater radiation intensity than their surroundings.

care-healthinfo.blogspot.com

Dangerous Nuclear Radiation Effects - Basic Effects of Nuclear Weapons

Heart rhythm risk seen in women’s alcohol use

More than two drinks a day can increase chance of stroke, researchers say

WASHINGTON - Women who consume more than two alcoholic drinks a day have a higher risk of getting the most common type of heart rhythm disturbance, which can raise the chances of having a stroke, researchers said on Tuesday.
Previous research had shown that men who drink three or more alcoholic beverages daily have an elevated risk for atrial fibrillation, but the risk for women had not been clear.
Researchers in the United States and Switzerland tracked 34,715 middle-aged American women for more than 12 years who did not have atrial fibrillation at the outset of the study.
There was no increased risk for the vast majority who drank either no alcohol or up to two drinks daily. But those who drank more had a 60 percent increased risk for atrial fibrillation.
The condition occurs when the heart's two upper chambers beat quickly and irregularly. Because blood is not pumped completely from the heart's upper chambers, it can pool and clot. If a piece of one of these clots becomes lodged in an artery in the brain, a stroke occurs.
U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, who has a history of heart problems, was treated for atrial fibrillation in October.
"Small to moderate amounts of alcohol -- up to two drinks a day -- do not appear to be associated with an increased risk," said Dr. Christine Albert of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, one of the researchers in the study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
"But if you do drink more than two drinks a day and you're looking for a way to decrease your risk of atrial fibrillation, it may be that reducing alcohol consumption may be helpful."
Only about 4 percent of the women in the study reported drinking that much.

Heart rhythm risk seen in women’s alcohol use

Tips to Cure Depression

Depression is a very real and treatable illness. Depression is just about the loneliest experience in the world. Depressed people, who are often poor communicators place more demands on a marriage with their greater need for caring and support and end up in unhappier marriages. Depression affects teenagers, pensioners and everyone in between; married people, single people, rich and poor. clinical depression affects 15% of the population, and a third of all women. Sometimes people become depressed for what seems like a good reason - maybe they lost their job or a close friend passed away - but with clinical depression there doesn't necessarily have to be a reason for how you feel. Depressive disorders come in different forms, just as is the case with other illnesses such as heart disease. Major depression is manifested by a combination of symptoms (see symptom list) that interfere with the ability to work, study, sleep, eat, and enjoy once pleasurable activities. Such a disabling episode of depression may occur only once but more commonly occurs several times in a lifetime. A less severe type of depression, dysthymia, involves long-term, chronic symptoms that do not disable, but keep one from functioning well or from feeling good.

Depression can coexist with other illnesses. Seasonal affective disorder may point to an atavistic link with behaviour in hibernation. In some families, depressive disorders seem to occur generation after generation; however, they can also occur in people with no family history of these illnesses. Many people with dysthymia also experience major depressive episodes at some time in their lives. Depression has been found to occur at a higher rate among people who have other serious illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, HIV, diabetes, and Parkinson’s. Depression can increase the risks for developing coronary artery disease, HIV, asthma, and some other medical illnesses. Many people just don't realize that depression can cause so many problems or so much pain. Another type of depression is bipolar disorder, also called manic-depressive illness. Not nearly as prevalent as other forms of depressive disorders, bipolar disorder is characterized by cycling mood changes: severe highs (mania) and lows (depression). Furthermore, it can increase the morbidity (illness) and mortality (death) from these conditions. Teens who were confused about their orientation were also more prone to suicide. Among these teens, boys were 3.4 times more likely and girls were 2.5 times more likely than teens to attempt suicide at least once in the past year.

Depression may occur only once in a person's life. Social conditions like poverty, homelessness, and community violence can make it more likely for people to become depressed. Two hallmarks of depression — symptoms key to establishing are Loss of interest in normal daily activities. Depressed mood. You feel sad, helpless or hopeless, and may have crying spells. Depression symptoms are characterized not only by negative thoughts, moods, and behaviors, but also by specific changes in bodily functions (for example, irregular eating, sleeping, crying spells, and decreased libido). Sometimes the mood switches are dramatic and rapid, but most often they are gradual. Other symptoms of other psychological problems, such as anxiety, panic attacks, obsessions or phobias, which mask the depression. Women experience depression about twice as often as men.1 Many hormonal factors may contribute to the increased rate of depression in women particularly such factors as menstrual cycle changes, pregnancy, miscarriage, postpartum period, pre-menopause, and menopause. Treatment may also include psychotherapy, which may help you cope with ongoing problems that may trigger or contribute to depression. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, such as fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft), citalopram (Celexa) and escitalopram (Lexapro), as the first-line treatment for depression because they have fewer serious side effects.
By Juliet

care-healthinfo.blogspot.com

Tips to Cure Depression

The Signs and Indicates of Pregnancy

Pregnancy calls for onset of mixed feelings with its each sign of pregnancy Women tend to be extremely elated as well feel tremendous anxiety and depression. If you are expecting or planning for pregnancy, these pregnancy symptoms give hint if you are advancing towards pregnancy. When the pregnancy is not planned, early pregnancy symptoms help women take their decision.

However, amongst all the probable signs of pregnancy, which should herald the rest of the symptoms cannot be predicted as they vary extremely. Not just the sequence of pregnancy symptoms, the intensity of those tends to range from dramatic to subtle from one woman to another. Many of pregnant women have reported to experience more than one signs of pregnancy – many notice a combination of two, three or multiple first pregnancy symptoms. Now get to know what are the possible symptoms through which you can detect a new life is being implanted in your body. It is the first sign of pregnancy that tells a woman to be prepared for pregnancy or how to go ahead with pregnancy. Expecting mothers are advised to keep themselves as healthy as possible as she must be prepared for myriad duties to be taken and to be done in the midnight after childbirth such as change of diapers, feeding at odd hours, insufficient sleeping etc.

What Are The Symptoms Of Pregnancy

Following are some of the usual symptoms pregnant women are likely to experience.

Missed period is considered as one of the surest signals of pregnancy. Women who are planning for pregnancy are found to wait for an overdue period to be confirmed about their pregnancy. However, relying on this single sign of pregnancy is not advised by doctors anymore, as some other factors can effect in a delayed period. Moreover, if you wait for this symptom, you might have to wait a couple of weeks to a month for finding signals of pregnancy. Look for other symptoms of pregnancy that might surface within a few days after conceiving.

Tender Breasts is one of the signs of pregnancy that may occur after a few days within conception takes place. You may notice the breasts to become more sensitive than before and feels sore and tender. They not only seem tenderer, they can be a bit enlarged than earlier. There is one more symptom to be noticeable as the pigmented area surrounding the nipples or areola. The areola tends to darken in the very early trimester of pregnancy.

Vaginal Spotting is an early sign of pregnancy that takes place because of the implantation of the fertilized eggs in the uterus. As the fertilized egg gets adhered to the inner walls of uterus, it results in slight bleeding through vagina. The bleeding usually accompanies a bit cramping in abdomen and appears pinkish in color. This may last for about 2 to 3 days. However, if the bleeding is heavy and cramping seems to intensify, may signal severe pregnancy complications like miscarriages or ectopic pregnancy. Rush to your doctor if you notice such symptom.

You may also be prone to expect morning sickness or increased feeling of nausea, increased body temperature, tremendous fatigue etc. You may witness one of the many signs of pregnancy at a time or a combination of two, three or even more than that.
By Apurva

care-healthinfo.blogspot.com

The Signs and Indicates of Pregnancy