Maybe you take some echinacea when you feel a cold coming on or sip a little chamomile tea to soothe an upset tummy. Smart moves. But which natural health boosters should you take regularly—and when?
The answers are extra important during tough financial times, when more and more Americans are buying vitamins and supplements as they struggle to afford traditional health care. (more…)
Even as the H1N1 swine flu vaccine is distributed coast to coast, many people say they have safety concerns that may stop them from getting vaccinated.
Although experts say those fears are unwarranted, a recent Associated Press-GfK poll found only about half of Americans said they are planning to get the vaccine. Most of those are older people — so far among the least vulnerable to the virus.
Almost three-quarters of respondents said they were concerned about the vaccine’s safety (although many of these said they still were going to get the shot).
And a University of Michigan poll found that only 40 percent of parents wanted to get their children inoculated. (more…)
People suffering from the flu may be at higher risk for having a heart attack, especially those with heart disease and diabetes, British researchers report.
Because both seasonal and the pandemic H1N1 swine flu are circulating this fall and winter, people at risk for heart attacks are urged to get a seasonal flu shot and an H1N1 flu shot, which may reduce the chance of getting the flu and thereby lower the risk for a heart attack, experts say.
“Influenza is most concerning because of its secondary complications,” said Dr. Marc Siegel, an associate professor of medicine at New York University School of Medicine in New York City.
“Most of the time with influenza, death or hospitalization isn’t because of the influenza, it’s because influenza puts you in a weakened state — it’s a stress on the system,” he said. “So, it is not surprising that you would have the increased risk of a myocardial infarction during or right after an influenza infection.”
In addition, the flu virus may have a negative effect directly on the heart, Siegel said. “Flu stresses and strains the system,” he added.
To determine the risk of heart attack among those with flu, a research team led by Andrew C. Hayward, a senior lecturer in infectious disease epidemiology at the UCL Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology in London, looked at 39 studies conducted between 1932 and 2008. (more…)
Showering may be bad for your health, say US scientists, who have shown that dirty shower heads can deliver a face full of harmful bacteria. Tests revealed nearly a third of devices harbour significant levels of a bug that causes lung disease. Levels of Mycobacterium avium were 100 times higher than those found in typical household water supplies. M. avium forms a biofilm that clings to the inside of the shower head, reports the National Academy of Science.
In the Proceedings journal, the study authors say their findings might explain why there have been more cases of these lung infections in recent years, linked with people tending to take more showers and fewer baths. Water spurting from shower heads can distribute bacteria-filled droplets that suspend themselves in the air and can easily be inhaled into the deepest parts of the lungs, say the scientists from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Potential threat
Lead researcher Professor Norman Pace, said: “If you are getting a face full of water when you first turn your shower on, that means you are probably getting a particularly high load of Mycobacterium avium, which may not be too healthy.”
Today’s skin moisturizers are worlds better than the one you started using in your 20s. Here’s how to find your perfect product for gorgeous grown-up skin.
What’s Going On In Your 30s
Luckily, your skin is in good shape, so you don’t have to waste a second worrying about deep wrinkles. However, you might notice fine lines and age spots, says Anne Chapas, MD, a 35-year-old dermatologist in New York City.
Also, “women in their 30s may have redness from sun damage or flushed skin caused by rosacea,” a skin condition that often appears for the first time in your 30s, she notes. Another occasional issue? Under-eye circles. (Blame genetics or the stress and sleepless nights this decade often brings.) (more…)
