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THE WEST NILE VIRUS
The United States Center for Disease Control estimates that there will be 1000 human infections of the West Nile virus this year resulting in approximately 100 human deaths. Serious complications of the West Nile Virus can include encephalitis (swelling of the brain) and meningitis.
Every state east of the Rocky Mountains and several Canadian Provinces have reported the discovery of the West Nile Virus in mosquitoes and birds. Although human infection is considered to be extremely rare, those with weakened immune systems and over the age of 50 face the highest risk of becoming infected by the virus.
The symptoms of infection include: Fever, Headaches, Body Aches, Skin Rash and Swollen Lymph Glands. Severe infection is indicated by Stiff Neck, Stupor, Disorientation, Tremors, Convulsions and Muscle Weakness.
The presence of the virus can be determined with a simple blood test.
Prevention of infection is achieved by simple means. Wear an insect repellent that contains DEET, take action to remove any standing or stagnant water from your outdoor recreation area, and wear clothes with long sleeves and pant legs treated with DEET or Permethrin. It is also recommended that you stay indoors during the times when mosquitoes are most active; dawn, dusk and early evening.
So fix the holes in your screens and wear insect repellant when mosquitoes are present.
Although there were no reports of human infection by the West Nile Virus in Canada at the date of publication, the virus has appeared in animals and birds. Crows are particularly prone to the West Nile Virus and if you find a dead crow please report it to the local health authorities for testing.
The ingestion of ibuprofen, the pharmaceutical found in common painkillers such as AdvilTM and MotrinTM, appears to counter the health benefits of taking aspirin.
It was also noted that acetaminophen, a pharmaceutical found in TylenolTM, had no impact on aspirin's ability to keep blood platelets from clumping (the primary benefit of aspirin that is believed to prevent heart attacks).
If you are taking ibuprofen regularly as a pain killer or anti-inflammatory, the effectiveness of taking aspirin as a pro-active preventative heart medication may be hindered.
The New England Journal of Medicine reported on the study fairly recently, so if you are combining these two over the counter medications, we suggest you discuss possible alternatives with your physician.
Editor's Note: Also of interest is a different study on a small group of patients that found that if you take aspirin at night, rather than in the morning or during the day, it was more effective as a preventative medication.
Eating several small meals a day as opposed to eating two or three large meals can play a pivotal role in your body's Cholesterol levels.
What you eat affects your cholesterol, but how often you eat might play a role too, according to the July issue of Mayo Clinic Women's Healthsource.
A study recently published in the British Medical Journal found that people who ate five or six times a day had five percent lower total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (the "bad" kind) than people who ate once or twice a day. Even more striking, the frequent eaters ate more fat and calories than the group who ate one or two meals.
The results are biologically plausible. Animals who eat large, infrequent meals show an increase in cholesterol production. It could be that frequent "snackers" are reaping the benefits of metabolism.
Source: Mayo Clinic Woman's Healthsource
Now let's make all of those snacks healthy ones!