Vanilla Extract Alcohol Content

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Glycolic Acid and The Treatment of Acne

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Weight Loss With the Master Cleanse Lemonade Diet

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What Is the Right Diet, Anyway?

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28 Dead this Month from “Malaria” in Mali?

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World Hepatitis Day

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“Unusual Cluster” of Deadly Meningitis in New Zealand

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Cerebrospinal Meningitis Outbreak in Ghana Leaves 5 Dead

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Salmonella from Ground Turkey Leads to Widespread Recall in US

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I've moved- Check out my new site

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Hey everyone! Sorry I've been a little MIA. We've had a lot going on here. We had 2 funerals, my husband quit his job and got a new one, for awhile we were talking about moving and of course there's all the business that is involved with mothering three small children. The good news is that I'm back in the game and I have a new website. So if you want to follow my cooking and mothering adventures, follow me at secretsofmom.com. Tell me what you think. Thanks for reading.

Weight Management Diet Selection

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It is important that we know which foods as well as how much we need to take in order to maintain our health and fitness. Along with the selection of proper diet, physical and exercise routines must also be performed for enhanced weight management.

Diet is a commonly heard and used word in today’s world. A person on diet is usually conscious of what and how much he or she eats. Dieting is done for various reasons but the most common motive for dieting is for health purposes like weight management.

By reading books and surfing online, you can actually learn about many types and kinds of diets available. At times it may even be hard to choose which diet is right for you. When your body has special medical conditions, you just don’t choose whatever diet you find attractive. It is important that you consult with doctors, nutritionists and dietitians on which diet is appropriate for you to ensure your health and safety.

Every individual has a unique body and it follows that each of us will have a distinct nutritional need. This is why it is important to consult with the experts on what diet to take. The expert will help identify a diet that can help you to have a balanced nutrition. The proper amount of calories and nutrition that you require will be determined as well as the appropriate amounts of foods that you will need to take. The expert can help you identify what foods you really need to eat, if you need to avoid some foods that you used to eat as they can cause you your nutritional problems.

Diet for weight management is very crucial because each pound that you gain or lose may have a tremendous effect on the over-all state of your body. The diet you choose must be flexible in such a way that it will not prohibit you to eat all the major groups of foods. It is important that the body receives nourishment from all the go, grow and glow foods. The diet should contain fruits and veggies, protein, whole grains, nuts, etc.

Your diet must also consist of foods that are easily available in your local market or store, otherwise you cannot follow it. Enjoyment is another consideration in diet selection. Some people will start a diet but would not be able to continue it because the foods included in their diet are not the foods they actually like to consume. If the diet you chose is restrictive and you are limited to eating just a few types of foods, you will more likely become bored and may not stick to the diet.

Proper fitness involves not just choosing the foods that will give us proper nutrition. Along with eating the right foods, you also need to perform physical activities that will promote good health. For example you are on a weight loss program, you need to eat the right amount of foods plus perform regular exercises for a much better result. Aside from helping you to burn calories, there are also other health benefits from exercise. It can help boost or enhance your mood. It can strengthen your cardiovascular organs and even decrease high blood pressure. You should not depend on dieting alone but you also need to have a proper exercise routine to tone your body.

Weight Watchers Recipes

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Are you trying to lose weight, or have you already reached your goal and want to maintain it? Well, here are a few delicious weight watchers recipes to help you stay on track.

Eating healthy foods is an important and essential part of life. After all, food is the source of the nutrients and calories that we require in order to survive, while also providing us the energy we require for our daily activities. All of us know that besides exercising, making better food choices is vital for sustaining any weight loss program we may be on. So, here are some weight watchers recipes that are healthy as well as delicious, which will also take care of that waistline:

Spicy Yogurt Chicken

2 lbs chicken breasts, skinless and boneless, cut into 8 pieces

1 cup yogurt, low-fat

3/4 tsp coriander powder

3/4 tsp cumin powder

1 tbsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cinnamon

3/4 tsp black pepper

2 tbsp juice and zest of lemon

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp salt

Fresh cilantro, chopped

Except for the chicken, put all the ingredients in a large bowl, and whisk them together. Then, add the chicken, stirring it in until coated well. Marinate it for about 20 minutes at room temperature. Next, pan fry or grill, without adding any additional fat, for about 10-12 minutes. Should be served with a salad and a green vegetable dish.

Pork Chops Rubbed with Spice

4 5-oz pieces of boneless lean pork loin

1 tsp cumin, ground

2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground

1/4 tsp pepper, freshly ground

1/4 tsp salt

1 spray of cooking spray

Combine the pepper, salt, cinnamon, cumin, and chili powder in a small bowl.

Butterfly the pork chops by putting them flat on a cutting board and slicing them into halves, stopping just as you reach half an inch from the edge, hence keeping both the halves joined. Pry the chops open, flattening them on the work surface. Then, rub the mixture of spice on both sides of each chop. Next, put them on a plate, and after covering, refrigerate for about an hour or even overnight.

Use the cooking spray to coat a grill pan or grill rack, and then set the heat on medium if you are using the pan, or heat the grill.

Grill the chops for about 3 minutes, then turn them over and continue cooking for 4 more minutes, until the grill marks appear and the chops become firm. Place them on a cutting board or serving plate, and let them stand for about 5 minutes before serving.

Green Egg Salad

6 eggs, whole and hard-boiled

2 medium sized scallions, chopped finely

1 tsp green chili peppers, canned – drained and chopped

1 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced

1/2 sweet red pepper, chopped finely

1/4 cup mayonnaise, fat-free

1 tbsp salsa

1/4 tsp cumin, ground

1/8 tsp black pepper

11/4 tsp salt

Peel the eggs, and then placing them in a bowl, mash them with a fork. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix them in well. The egg salad can be served on top of mixed greens or in a cored bell pepper, or in a bowl by itself.

What Sounds Make You Happy?

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I like thinking about the little things in life that give us boosts of joy. Along those lines, let's think about the sounds in our days. Which ones make you smile? Here's my list...

Here are some of the sounds that make me insanely happy:

*My sons' laughter

*Crickets chirping

*Rain on the roof

*Thunder and lightening (isn't it cozy and romantic!)

*A crackling fireplace

*Jazz

*Coffee brewing in my coffee maker

*The pop of a wine cork makes when you pull it out of the bottle

*Garlic and onions sizzling in a pan of olive oil

*My feet against the pavement during a peaceful jog

*Birds chirping

How about you? What sounds do you love?

More reading:

*How old are you? How old do you feel?

*How tall are you? Here's what researchers say about height and happiness...

*Do you ever go through crazy nesting phases? I am in one right now!

How to Prevent Typhoid Fever when You're Traveling

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Typhoid Fever is a dangerous illness that can cause severe sickness and even death if left untreated. Typhoid is caused by a bacteria and is transmitted by eating or drinking something that has come in contact with an infected person. This article will tell you how to prevent typhoid when you're traveling.

Steps

Prevention

1. Get vaccinated at least 1-2 weeks before you are going to travel. There are two vaccines available in the U.S. Talk to your doctor about which one is right for you.
   • Get a booster if it has been several years since you have been inoculated. Know that the existing vaccines against typhoid are not 100 percent effective. Other precautions listed below should also be taken as well.
2. Drink bottled water (preferably carbonated) or have water boil until there are big bubbles in the pot for at least a minute.
3. Avoid ice unless you know for sure that it is made from bottled or boiled water. You should also stay away from popsicles and slushie type drinks. They could have been made with contaminated water.
4. Eat thoroughly cooked foods. If possible, they should still have steam coming off of them.
5. Avoid uncooked vegetables and fruits that cannot be peeled. These foods can be very hard to decontaminate.
   • Always peel raw fruits and vegetables yourself. Wash your hands vigorously with soap and bottled water first. Do not eat the peels.
6. Stay away from food and drinks from street vendors. Conditions are not usually very sanitary on the street.
7. Wash your hands frequently with bottled water or a hand sanitizer if clean water isn't available, especially before and after meals.

Symptoms of Typhoid

1. Be aware of the symptoms of typhoid fever. Prevention is the best defense, but sometimes you can get sick despite your best efforts to avert it.
   • The most common symptoms of typhoid fever are a sustained high fever between 102∞ to 104∞F (38∞ to 40∞C), fatigue, stomach pain, and lack of appetite. Sometimes a pink-colored rash can appear.
2. Seek immediate medical attention if you suspect typhoid fever. If you are overseas, call the U.S. consulate to find recommended doctors in the area.

How to Recognize and Prevent Typhoid Fever

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Typhoid fever is a life-threatening bacterial disease spread from human to human by infected individuals. The disease is spread throughout the world in developing and non-industrialized nations wherever sanitary conditions are less than ideal and clean, treated water is in short supply.

Steps

Recognize the Symptoms of Typhoid Fever

1. The primary indication of typhoid infection is persistent, high fever in the range of 103° to 104° F (39° to 40° C). Additional symptoms and indicators include headache, malaise, stomach pain, loss of appetite, enlargement of the spleen, a rash of flat, rose-colored spots, a well as an abnormally slow heartbeat - usually less than 60 beats per minute. Other mild and non-typical infections may occur.
2. The only way to be certain if the illness is typhoid fever is by clinical analysis of stool or blood.
3. See a physician immediately for treatment if you think you have contracted this disease.

Preventing Typhoid Fever

1. Eat only safely prepared foods while traveling to areas where typhoid fever occurs. Take the following precautions to ensure you are not ingesting foods that may be infected:
   • Eat food that has been well cooked and is served steaming hot.
   • Avoid raw vegetables and fruits that cannot be peeled. Vegetables like lettuce are easily contaminated and are very hard to wash well.
   • Peel and clean raw fruits and vegetables yourself.
   • Avoid foods and beverages from street vendors. It is difficult for food to be kept clean on the street
2. Make sure to drink water from clean, untainted sources.
   • If you drink water, buy it bottled or bring it to a rolling boil for one minute before drinking it. Bottled, carbonated water is safer than uncarbonated water.
   • Even ice can be contaminated, so either do without it, or make sure the water used to make the ice was wither from a bottle or boiled.
3. Get vaccinated for typhoid fever if you are traveling to or through any part of the world where exposure to the disease is possible.
4. The vaccine is NOT 100 percent effective, so utilize both preventative measures of vaccination and safe food and water preparation to prevent typhoid fever.
5. Two forms of the vaccine are available in the United States. Both are equally effective at preventing typhoid fever, but the duration of effectiveness differs significantly.
   • The longest-lasting vaccine is taken orally in capsular form - one capsule every other day for eight days and a total of four capsules. This form of vaccination provides protection for five years.
     • This treatment regimen must be completed one week prior to travel.
   • The alternative, and shorter-duration vaccine, is given intramuscularly (a shot) and provides protection for two years.
     • This treatment regimen must be administered two weeks prior to travel.

Tips

1. Don't wait until the last minute to get vaccinated, as it can take up to two weeks for the vaccine to be effective.
2. Find out as soon as possible if the area you are located or plan to travel to puts you at risk to typhoid fever.

Warnings

1. Vaccination is only 50 to 80 percent effective at preventing typhoid fever, so make certain to take as many preventative measures as possible, and do not rely solely on vaccination.
2. It is not recommended to vaccinate children under six years of age.
3. Pregnant women should not receive vaccination.

How to Recognize and Prevent Yellow Fever

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Yellow fever is caused by a virus that is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. This disease only occurs south of the Sahara Desert in Africa as well as the tropical regions of South America.Although the yellow fever is is treatable, there is no cure for it at this time. The good news is that it is entirely preventable through vaccination. This article will therefore focus on identifying symptoms and the prevention of this potentially deadly disease.

Steps

Know the Symptoms

1. You must be south of the equator to contract Yellow Fever.
2. Following being bitten by an infected mosquito, initial symptoms of a person infected present themselves three to six days later. They will be typically flu-like and include the following:
   • Fever and chills, severe headache, back pain, general muscle aches, nausea, fatigue, and weakness. This phase may be followed by a short period of symptom remission.
   • This is not enough information to make a decent diagnosis of yellow fever because the symptoms are too vague.
3. Pay very close attention to the following after a remission, as you may need to move very quickly to get the infected person to a hospital for supportive care for symptoms such as follows:
   • High fever, headache, back pain, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and fatigue.
   • Hepatic coagulopathy, which means bleeding of the liver, produces hemorrhagic (which means, literally, to bleed profusely) symptoms, including hematemesis (black vomit), epistaxis (nose bleed), gum bleeding, and petechial and purpuric hemorrhages (bruising).
   • Deepening jaundice (yellowing of the skin) frequently occurs in severe cases.
4. Final stages of the disease may include the following symptoms:
   • Hypotension (low blood pressure), shock, metabolic acidosis (accumulation of acids in bodily fluids), acute tubular necrosis (damage or death to cells of the urinary tract), myocardial dysfunction (dysfunction of the heart muscle), and cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat).

Yellow Fever Prevention

1. There is no cure, per se, for yellow fever once a person has contracted it. Viruses do not respond to antibiotics, which are only effective against bacterial infections. If the person concerned has not been vaccinated or presents secondary symptoms as described above, treat them as though you were treating a person with a life-and-death syndrome of influenza. Hydration and providing the person with basic nutrients are best in the case of any major viral illness, with hydration being the top priority.
2. The best cure is prevention, and this article is largely intended to provide useful ways of preventing this disease rather than identifying the symptoms once a person has become infected.
3. There is an extremely effective vaccination Against Yellow Fever. Although most occurrences of this viral disease are generally spread throughout the continents of South America and sub-Saharan Africa, measures below should be taken to ensure that any person traveling to these areas be immunized via vaccination from this preventable, potentially lethal disease prior to traveling.
4. Many countries require poof of vaccination in order to enter the country. The required documentation, provided at the time of vaccination, is called the International Certificate for Vaccination and Prophylaxis against Yellow Fever. See the table below to find out if you are traveling to a country that requires vaccination prior to entry.
   • Access to the the countries listed in the table below will likely be denied to travelers without this certificate.
5. Yellow fever vaccination must be given at a certified center in possession of an official “Uniform Stamp” which can be used to validate the ICVP. State health departments are responsible for designating non-federal yellow fever vaccination centers and issuing Uniform Stamps to health-care providers.
   • Information about the location and hours of yellow fever vaccination centers may be obtained by contacting local or state health departments or visiting CDC’s Travelers’ Health website at http://www2.ncid.cdc.gov/travel/yellowfever/

How to Treat a Cold Sore or Fever Blisters

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Herpes Simplex also known as cold sores or fever blisters, are painful lesions which usually form on the lips, chin, cheeks, or nostrils. The blisters typically turn into yellow-crusted sores and then disappear within a couple of weeks. Unfortunately, people who get cold sores, which are caused by the herpes simplex virus (usually type 1), generally get outbreaks over and over again, and they are highly contagious. While there is no cure or vaccine at this time, there are things you can do to ease the pain of cold sores, speed up their healing, and stop their spread.They hurt really bad if you dont take care of them.But you need to get the right rub for them to heal.

Steps

1. Make sure you have a cold sore - A cold sore is the same as a fever blister, but it is not the same as a canker sore. Canker sores are mouth ulcers that occur inside the mouth. While cold sores may on occasion develop inside the mouth, they are usually smaller than canker sores, and they start as blisters. Canker sores are not contagious, and they are not caused by a virus, so treatment differs from that for cold sores. Check with your doctor, who can determine which problem you have either by looking at it or performing a test.
2. Recognize the signs of an impending outbreak. Before you can actually see a cold sore, you will probably be able to feel a slight tingling or burning somewhere around your mouth where the cold sore will erupt. You may also be able to feel a small bump or hardness in the skin at this point. The earlier you can detect an outbreak, the quicker you can take action to hasten your recovery.
3. Quarantine your sore at the first sign of an outbreak. The herpes simplex virus is highly contagious, so avoid kissing or other mouth-to-body activities at any time during an outbreak. Also avoid sharing utensils, cups, or straws with other people, and wash dishes and utensils thoroughly with disinfectant soap. Wash your hands frequently, and try to avoid touching the sore. If you touch the cold sore, you can then spread it to other people or to other places on your own body, such as the eyes and genitals. Gently washing the blisters with soap and water may also help to prevent the spread of the outbreak.
4. Take an antiviral medication. A few prescription antiviral medications, such as Penciclovir, Acyclovir, and Famciclovir, have been approved for treatment of herpes outbreaks. These medications do not cure herpes, and they have not been shown to be effective in preventing outbreaks, but they can speed up healing and reduce the severity of an outbreak. They are generally most effective if you start taking them as soon as you notice the first signs of an impending outbreak. If you have very frequent outbreaks, your doctor may prescribe these medications to be taken daily, even in the absence of symptoms, to suppress future outbreaks. Suppression therapy may be effective for some people, but clinical studies have not shown widespread success.
5. Treat the fever. As the name fever blisters suggests, cold sores are sometimes accompanied by a fever, particularly in younger children. If fever is present, use fever-reducing medications such as acetaminophen, and monitor the fever carefully.
6. Ease the pain. Over-the-counter cold sore creams may help to ease the pain of cold sores, as may painkillers such as aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen. It's important to note, since cold sores often affect young children, that aspirin should generally not be given to young children because of the risk of Reye's syndrome, a rare, but potentially fatal disorder.
   • Icing the sore can be an effective temporary pain reliever. Use an ice pack, rather than touching ice directly to the sore, and keep moving the ice around. Do not ice for more than 10-15 minutes at a time. Applying heat to the sore may also provide relief.
7. Be patient.If left untreated, a cold sore can last from eight to 10 days and until then, there's not much you can do. Avoid squeezing or picking at a sore, as this will only slow healing.
8. Seek medical advice if you have a compromised immune system or if you experience a particularly severe outbreak, a fever that won't go down, an outbreak lasting more than 2 weeks, or irritation of the eyes. Some outbreaks can be serious. People with already-weakened immune systems are at particular risk of long-term complications or even death from a herpes outbreak. Herpes infections in the eyes are one of the leading causes of blindness in many countries, so be very careful not to spread the infection to your eyes, and if you have any irritation in the eyes, see your doctor at once.

Tips

• Herpes simplex outbreaks, and hence cold sore outbreaks, are believed to be triggered by certain things in certain people. It has been determined that wearing sunscreen on the lips and other vulnerable areas may help prevent outbreaks in people whose outbreaks are triggered by sun exposure.
• It is also believed that stress may cause outbreaks in some people, and so practicing relaxation techniques to reduce stress levels may ward off outbreaks for these people.
• A weakened immune system probably allows outbreaks in general, so it's a good idea to try to stay as healthy as possible by eating right, exercising, and avoiding allergens, drugs, and excessive alcohol consumption.
• Some research has connected herpes outbreaks with the amino acid arginine, which is found in foods such as chocolate, cola, peas, cereals, peanuts, gelatin, cashews and beer. The evidence isn't conclusive at this point, but if you have frequent outbreaks, you may want to try limiting your consumption of these foods and eliminating consumption during outbreaks.
• Some women experience cold sore outbreaks during or just before menstruation.
• It is possible that the amino acid L-Lysine (an essential amino acid for healthy tissue in the mouth) may help prevent outbreaks. If you experience frequent outbreaks you may want to try taking a lysine supplement daily. While the scientific tests are still inconclusive, it does seem to work for some people. Look for the label L-Lysine on the shelves, and it's usually available in a 1000mg tablet. Often such supplements also contain zinc, also thought to assist.
• A mud-mask product is excellent for an oozing cold sore. Apply it to the sore at night to help dry it up. If the sore is on your lips, you can hide the mud during the day by using a lip liner brush (which you discard or disinfect after the outbreak) and mixing a bit of lipstick with the mud. It will cover your sore and keep it from oozing during the day, often one of the most unpleasant aspects of having a cold sore.
• If the sore erupts on your lips, apply lib balm several times a day. If applied from the start of the outbreak this can stop the blister from forming into a scab and therefore reduce the length of the outbreak. Be careful - if you press too hard on the sore you can break it and cause it to scab. To prevent the virus from spreading, it's important that you use your fingertip or a cotton swab to apply the lip balm, and don't let your finger or the cotton swab touch the lip balm after it touched your sore. Wash your hands immediately after applying the lip balm.
• A cheap solution to easing the pain is the use of oral anesthetics like Chloraseptic. It can be applied several times a day with the use of a Q-tip.
• Some people apply gel antiperspirant or cologne to the cold sore at night to dry it out. The antiperspirant/alcohol component may help dry out the sore.
• Some find that the prescription medicine Valtrex is the best way to get rid of a cold sore; see a doctor if you would like to pursue this treatment direction.
• As soon as you feel the burning, tingling sensation that tells you of an impending outbreak, dip a Q-tip in rubbing alcohol or tea tree oil and apply it until the tingling spot feels "hot". Doing this 2-3 times per day or more may subdue or even prevent the breakout. (If the sore is directly on the lips, be very cautious not to get the alcohol in your mouth--it tastes awful.) In addition, do everything you can to avoid irritating or touching the spot to prevent worsening the breakout, slowing the healing process, or spreading the virus.
• To temporarily hide a cold sore, apply a layer of liquid bandage to cover the entire sore and allow to dry completely. Apply another layer and allow to dry again. What this does is cover the sore and provide a smooth surface for the application of lip color or lipstick, and also protects the sore from further infection. When completely dry, use a lip brush (this can be sterilized by soaking in boiling water and bleach) and apply a dark enough shade of lipstick that will cover the cold sore, and sterilize the brush again after use.
  • Just ensure the cold sore is completely covered with the liquid bandage before applying lip-color because if not, the lip-color/lipstick could irritate/worsen the sore.
  • Make sure to use a dark enough shade of lipstick to hide the sore.
  • To remove, wash off carefully and make sure to dry the cold sore as much as possible with alcohol.
  • Do not use this or any method that "seals" the cold sore too often, as it will interfere with the healing and drying process.
• Hormonal changes can sometimes prompt an outbreak. Don't be surprised if certain forms of birth control (i.e. morning after pill) cause an outbreak.
• You may also have success with topical ointments, such as Abreva and Denavir. Both are designed to treat the viral infection topically and promote speedy healing. Abreva is non-prescription and is available over-the-counter.

Warnings

• This article is a general guide only and is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice. Herpes simplex 1 can be a very serious condition, and it's important to consult with your doctor about treatment options.
• Herpes simplex type 1 causes most cases of cold sores, but herpes simplex type 2 (genital herpes) can also cause them on occasion.
• An outbreak may remain contagious even after all the sores are healed. after 1 week Herpes can be transmitted without any signs of an outbreak being present.
• Using alcohol or nail polish remover (which is highly recommended on home remedy sites) on a sore that has already broken the surface, or even on one that hasn't, can cause (sometimes really unsightly) scars on or around your mouth because they are quite harsh substances.
• An internet search for cold sores or fever blisters will turn up a multitude of home remedies, from vitamin supplements to poison ivy! As with any condition, naturopathic remedies may indeed be effective for some people, but they can also occasionally be dangerous. Use your common sense, and consult your doctor when in doubt.

How to Cure a Fever at Home

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A fever is an important part of the body's natural defense against infection. Although a fever is not an illness, if it exceeds temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius or 104 degrees Fahrenheit, it can become very dangerous. However, for most fevers, there is little option but to ride it out at home. Here are some of the best ways to do that.

Steps

Common Methods For Treating a Fever

1. Remove any excess clothes or blankets. The environment should be comfortably cool.
2. Dress in comfy clothes. This is no time to be a fashion diva. Drag out your rattiest, most comfortable nightgown or pajamas and robe. Put on some socks.
3. Put an ice pack or damp rag on your forehead. This will cool your body down temporarily and reduce the fever faster. You could also soak a washcloth in a bowl of cool water, then place it on your forehead. This will help your body to lower it's temperature, thus reducing the fever faster.
4. Get someone to massage your head, neck and back. If you can get them to do your arms, legs, hands and fingers, it will feel really good and help reduce some of the aches related to the fever. If you don't have someone to rub you, then just use an electric massager.
5. Apply a damp cloth to legs, feet and neck. Only apply until the cloth is warm because excess application only makes the situation worse by cause shivering which increases core body temperature.
6. Take a cold shower. You may think a hot shower makes you feel better, but it actually makes your body temperature higher. A cold shower for 15 minutes can reduce your fever.
7. Stay in an air conditioned room. You want to have a constant cold room temperature because this also helps lower your body temperature.
8. Let the fever run its course. As long as the fever does not exceed 102 degrees, it actually helps your body to fight infections and eliminate toxins.

Remedies From the Refrigerator

1. Drink plenty of liquids. Make sure to get lots of water in your system. If you feel good enough, try some Ginger Ale. This really feels cool and soothing on your throat. If you're over 21, enjoy a hot toddy made by adding honey, lemon, and whiskey to hot water (but don't take the whiskey if you are taking some Tylenol later. They should not mix).
2. Eat cold foods. Get a bowl of ice cream or a Popsicle. This will take your temperature down. Don't worry about your diet; calories consumed while you are sick don't count. Your body is burning a ton of calories having a fever.
   • If you are having the reverse issue and experiencing the chills, you may want hot chocolate.
3. Add blackberry vinegar to water. This is a great fever elixir, but it takes several days to prepare. Pour cider vinegar over a pound or two of blackberries, then cover the container and store it in a cool, dark place for three days. Strain for a day, since it takes time for all the liquid to drain from the berries, and collect the liquid in another container. Add 2 cups sugar to each 2 1/2 cups of juice. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes while you skim the scum off the top. Cool and store in an airtight jar in a cool place. Mix 1 teaspoonful with water to quench the thirst caused by a fever.
4. Drink fruit juice. Any fruit juice, including lemonade, will replace the fluids lost through sweating.
5. Lettuce. Pour a pint of boiling water over an entire head of lettuce and let it steep for 15 minutes. Strain and sweeten the liquid to your preferred taste. In addition to keeping you hydrated, this lettuce infusion may also help you sleep better.

Remedies From the Cupboard

1. Soak garlic in hot water. Sip the contents slowly. This can reduce the chance of another fever and alleviate the symptoms of the current fever.
2. Take angelica root. If boiled and infused in water, this will help bring down a fever.
3. Take Motrin (Ibuprofen), Tylenol (Acetominophen), Alleve (Naproxen) or Biogesic (Paracetamol). These are fever reducers which really help There is a kind for kids and adults. Follow the directions on the package on dosage information.
4. Add cream of tartar to liquid. Make a tea of 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, 2 1/2 cups warm water, and 1/2 teaspoon honey. Drink this for 4 to 6 ounces at a time.
5. Eat fresh pineapple. Pineapple is not only an anti-inflammatory agent that can fight fever, but the juice also prevents dehydration.
6. Mix raisins in water. Put 3/4 cup chopped raisins in 7 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the water has been reduced by one-third. Drink a little of this several times a day to keep yourself hydrated during a fever.
7. Mix basil in tea. Mix 1 teaspoon basil with 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Put the mixture into a cup of water and add 1 teaspoon honey. Drink this two to three times a day.
8. Enjoy oregano tea. Steep 1 teaspoon each of oregano and marjoram in a pint of boiling water for 30 minutes. You can drink this warm a couple of times each day.

Tips

• A nice diet when you're suffering from a fever is to drink a soup of your choice.
• Stay in bed and rest. Get a lot of sleep.
• Your body temperature is usually highest in the evening. It could be raised by physical activity, strong emotion, eating, heavy clothing, medications, high room temperature and high humidity. This is especially true in children.
• Heat stroke is a particularly dangerous type of high temperature, because the body is not able to stop the temperature from continuing to rise.
• Many parents fear that fevers will cause brain damage. Brain damage from a fever generally will not occur unless the fever is over 42 degrees Celsius.(107.6 degrees Fahrenheit)
• If you are physically active normally, your fever should not last more than a day. Do not exercise if you are suffering from a fever.

Warnings

• If your fever exceeds 104 degrees, get medical attention immediately.

My Thoughts on Adobe Creative Cloud vs CS 5.5.

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Recently there has been a lot of advertising urging me to "upgrade" from CS 5.5 to the Adobe Creative Cloud.  I am hesitant for a few reasons.  The first is pricing.  Right now introductory pricing is between free (introductory trial) $29.95 and $79.95 per year.  This is noted as "Introductory pricing.  My concern is that instead of buying the software as I have in the past, I am not in a model whereby I will be paying rent every month.  There is no guarantee that pricing will not go up in the future either.  I am concerned about a new model where I pay monthly revenues every month, even if I do not require or use the software.

The next part is fairly obvious.  Storage will cost money.  The $79.95 plan (roughly $950 per year), comes with twenty (20) GB of storage.  I have episodes of Duane's World that are over 100 GB.  How much is this going to cost me?  Maybe I archive it locally?

Some good points should be the performance.  I will definitely be trying some of the more computationally expensive tasks from the free account to test.  Another benefit is that all my files (well 20GB of them) are with me wherever I go.

Adobe has put a lot of thought into this and it will be interesting to see what percentage of CS 5 and 5.5. users actually jump to the cloud or upgrade further.  I'm not a good designer (as is obviously by my blog design) and probably cannot make use of most of the features. This makes me happy to stay on 5.5.

I'd like to hear stories from those on the Creative Cloud.  What kind of experience are you having?

Where Facebook is Heading?

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Recently there has been a lot of hyperbole around Facebook.  The acquisition or Instagram for $1 billion, the rumors of a Facebook phone and now the potential acquisition of Opera.  I predicted the IPO would be a bad investment and the recent news consolidates my feelings about a company that is running amok. Why would Facebook, a company that according to some can't even build a good mobile application, consider buying a browser?  At Technoracle, we are not analysts but once in a while like to express opinions on current trends.

An acquisition of Opera would not be very beneficial for either company, nor would it be of much use in generating revenue for Facebook.  Facebook is a platform and Opera users already use Facebook.  We seriously doubt it would mean every Opera user would instantly become a new Facebook user.  Even if they did, to what end?

We are not alone in these thoughts either.  Trip Chowdry writes

"Buying Opera will likely be another stupid acquisition, the previous one being Instagram," 

Trip Chowdhry is a managing director of equity research at Global Equities Research.  We differ on rationale slightly.  Trip notes that buying Opera would potentially narrow Facebooks's ecosystem, not expand it.    The one item that Facebook needs to desperately expand upon is revenue generation.  Some investors have launched lawsuits alleging alleges that the defendants (Zuckerberg et al) hid the company's weakened growth forecasts from investors prior to the acquisition.  Whether this is true or not, growing revenue is one thing that keeps Wall Street happy.

Rather than go out and acquire technology, Facebook needs to wrangle in revenue producing companies or monetize their current investments. The IPO is done, the war chest is full of money.   Now is the time to build the business model that ensures long term success.  Remember MySpace?  The public is fickle and Facebook is not infallible.  MySpace's fall from grace happened so quickly most bands don't even bother with it anymore.

The acquisition of Instagram is also causing head shaking.  Instagram, as many have noted, is not technically a large amount of work to recreate.  They do have a solid install base which could be a play for users yet I suspect that two developers could re-create the applications in a week.  Filters are not hard to build.  Sharing photographs is a feature already built in to most modern camera equipped phones today.

The current Facebook API's and mobile applications are basically wrappers around the website.  So what is the long term plan here?  Let's try and sum up what we see happening.

Is it possible that Facebook wants to enter the contextual, POS advertising market?  Imagine this scenario.  You are walking down the street and your Facebook phone buzzes.  It alerts you that one of your Facebook friends is 100 meters away.  A backend algorithm has deduced that both of you like Starbucks (tm) and it sets up a DM to your friend suggesting you meet at the starbucks adjacent to your corner for a quick beverage.  It also provides you with a code for a discount on Starbucks which is tracked and revenue shared back to Facebook.

This scenario could offer a white boxed customer loyalty program for many businesses.  Unlike the Groupon model where drastic discounts can cause issues, Facebook could potentially use a 4Square type model to build a new contextual advertising market place.

For this scenario,  you would need the following components:

1. Large social graph
2. A GPS enabled phone or mobile app that can use GPS data
3. Either a proper mobile app or an HTML5, location aware browser that can be used to display the data
4. A deeper understanding of consumer spending habits and impulse purchases
5. A way to share the memories or post photos

Is this where Facebook is heading?

Cheap water heaters: Rheam & Hillside Still Suck

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I get so many hits on this piece I wrote about their failure to honor a simple warranty.

http://technoracle.blogspot.ca/2007/05/buying-hot-water-heater-read-this-first.html

I feel this is once again worth mentioning as people have been constantly reading this and either thanking me for helping them change their minds and buy from a reputable company or to suggest a class action lawsuit based on getting ripped off as I did.   Rheam and Hillcrest Plumbing,  partners in crime.

Anatomy of a Cloud Failure

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Technoracle has published many articles on Cloud Computing, a technology of virtualizing computer functionality.  The virtualization occurs when a network or system's physical topology no longer aligns to it's logical topology.

Today an event happened that once again should serve as a reminder that cloud computing might not always be the best solution.  At around an hour ago Pacific Daytime Time, reports starting surging in that instances of Neo4J on the cloud were failing.  These messages initially were focused on Heroku, a generally very reliable cloud provider.  It became quickly apparent that the outages were hitting Amazon Web Services EC2 instances as well as other cloud providers.  The messages at YCombinator revealed how groups became aware of these outages:

michaelfairley 48 minutes ago | link
This is a more widespread EC2/EBS issue: http://status.aws.amazon.com/reply DigitalSea 41 minutes ago | linkI couldn't see any red circles indicating an issue with EC2/EBS.

reply michaelfairley 37 minutes ago |
linkThe circle is green with a little "note" on it."8:50 PM PDT We are investigating degraded performance for some volumes in a single AZ in the us-east-1 region."reply

DigitalSea 29 minutes ago |
linkWouldn't that only affect a small subset of visitors. For example why would I be seeing any issues if I'd be hitting an Asia-pacific volume instead of a us-east region one? Seems like it goes deeper than that.reply mechanical_fish 4 minutes ago | linkOne problem which we've seen before is: If a large percentage of AWS infrastructure goes down, the customers don't just quietly suffer. Instead they scramble to try and launch infrastructure in other zones or regions, which creates a cascading series of load spikes throughout the AWS system.AWS is a fascinating science experiment. Pity about the websites, though.-----

michaelfairley 12 minutes ago |
linkIt's now yellow with this: "9:27 PM PDT We continue to investigate this issue. We can confirm that there is both impact to volumes and instances in a single AZ in US-EAST-1 Region. We are also experiencing increased error rates and latencies on the EC2 APIs in the US-EAST-1 Region."AWS has been historically bad at reporting the severity of their outages promptly.reply

The conversation can be viewed here - http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4114846

The spread of this from one cloud provider to another in such rapid succession shows the fragility interconnected systems have an how they are susceptible to these types of events.  With time, it is hoped that the lessons learned from these types of events will help us all build better systems. 

At the time of this posting, the event is still unfolding.

Apple Removes Claims of "Macs being immune to viruses"

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I originally bought a Mac computer based on a perception of better performance.   One of the side benefits was that OSX, the operating system behind Apple's computers, allows any virus or malware to be easily identified and removed.  As an old hand with Unix and Linux, I am more than familiar with the commands to identify any processes running on a system.  For the general public however, many simply believed that Apple computers did not get hit with viruses.  As someone who wrote malware as an experiment in high school, I can tell you this is simply not true.   Any system is prone to attack.  The Mac systems have historically been much less of a target though and relatively safe, even in the hands of newbies.  If you're running any *nix based system, grabbing a terminal and typing in "top" gives you the table or processes.  Processes cannot hide from SUDO.




Today Apple admitted this reality.  They quietly switched out a statement that claimed OSX based computers from Apple are immune to viruses with a less-forward statement: 'It's built to be safe' in the aftermath of the Flashback Trojan.    The Flashback Trojan (not related to Adobe Flash) infected hundreds of thousands of Macs earlier this year. 


So what can you do to protect yourself?  One tip is to set up a new user account that is not an administrator level account and use that.  The limited account will not have sufficient privileges to install the malware and you will be summoned to switch to a more privileged user to install any new packages.  UNIX was designed around these principals and it fosters awareness.


If you are not updating your software, you might also be exposing yourself to vectors for attack.  Be careful with this however as Apple also has made some upgrades that will create instability with other software such as it's own Final Cut Pro of which older versions do not run well with 10.7 OSX.


Be aware.  Apple computers are popular, which make them a target.  If you really want to be on the cutting edge, try using a VMWare image of Ubuntu and doing most of your business in that environment.  A VMWare image is sandboxed and cannot affect it's host.

New England Journal of Medicine Reports on New Tick-borne Bacteria

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Ticks are known for carrying Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Babesia, among other diseases. Now, there’s a new bacteria on the list. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and from public health departments in Minnesota and Wisconsin, have identified a new type of Ehrlichia which sickened at least four people in those states.

There are several Ehrlichia species, but the two common which sicken humans (Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Ehrlichia ewingii) are not found in the MidWest. The researchers isolated this new species through molecular, culture, and serologic methods on patient blood samples and harvested ticks.  They have named their discovery ehrlichia species Wisconsin. Patients reported symptoms similar to the previously known Ehrlichia spp.: fever, fatigue, and headache.

This discovery is particularly important since ehrlichiosis had not been previously identified in this part of the United States.  Now that physicians know to test for it, the number of cases identified will likely increase rapidly.  

Ticks typically feed on rodents and deer, so other mammals are likely part of the life cycle of this bacteria. Among the many emerging human disease threats, 75% have a link to animals. As animal populations move due to changes in their environments (be it construction on their habitat, climate changes, or anything else) diseases that have not previously been seen in humans may have the opportunity to make that leap.  Given the relatively mild symptoms of the new Ehrlichia species, it is difficult to know if the organism has simply been present but undiagnosed in humans for decades. Additional studies will help describe its epidemiology and give more context to a very interesting discovery.

Drought Brings Famine and Disease to Horn of Africa

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As the Horn of Africa – including Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, and Djibouti - faces its worst drought in over 50 years, thousands of Somali refugees seek shelter in the capital city of Mogadishu and in refugee camps in northeastern Kenya and southeastern Ethiopia. The Dadaab refugee camps in Kenya have swelled to a population of over 400,000, as Somalis walk for 15 to 20 days prior to arrival in search of food and water. The Dolo Ado camp in Ethiopia continues to see an average of 200-300 Somalis arrive each day.  In just the past 2 months, facing imminent starvation and death, an estimated 220,000 have fled their drought-stricken farms.

The situation in the Horn of Africa continues to worsen with confirmed cases of cholera and dengue in Somalia (including Mogadishu) and measles outbreaks in refugee camps (with the hardest hit being the Dolo Ado camp in Ethiopia). The United Nations (UN) has warned that the situation could become “unbearable,” as the famine is expected to spread throughout southern Somalia in the next 4-6 weeks.
In such an unstable region of the world, delivering aid is challenging, however international organizations are responding. For the first time in five years the UN airlifted emergency aid into Mogadishu, and an additional 800 metric tons of food is on its way to East Africa. Furthermore, the World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a vaccination campaign along the Kenya-Somalia border to protect over 200,000 malnourished children from diseases such as measles and polio. 
Visit the World Food Program’s Website at www.wfp.org to learn more about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa or to make a donation.

Outbreak of Cutaneous Anthrax in Liaoning, China

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As of yesterday, 30 patients, 3 of which have been confirmed,  in Haicheng City and Xiuyan County of Liaoning Province, were admitted to local hospitals with symptoms of cutaneous anthrax. All sick residents became infected after having recently slaughtered anthrax-infected cows. All sick animals were traced back to one village in Haicheng City where there had previously been an anthrax outbreak among animals. In the preliminary investigation, 4 sick animals were found, 2 of which died. Currently, no deaths have occurred and all patients are being treated at their local hospitals.

Anthrax is a common bacterial infection among hoofed-animals, but humans can become infected after close contact with sick animals or upon being exposed through 3 main routes - open wound, inhalation, or consumption of tainted meat. Cutaneous anthrax is relatively mild and individuals infected usually develop a sore or blister. Inhalation anthrax and gastrointestinal anthrax may lead to internal bleeding, shock, and tissue death.
Photo courtesy of: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anthrax_01.jpg

CDC Links Rare Bacterial Infection to Tattoos

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September’s Emerging Infectious Diseases journal reports that two individuals’ tattoos were infected by a bacteria normally seen only in people with poor immune systems. In August 2009, an otherwise healthy adult sought medical care for pustules at the site of his new tattoo. When the infection did not respond well to antibiotics, the case was referred to the local public health department and an investigation by CDC and Washington State public health officials was launched.

Medical tests isolated Mycobacterium haemophilum,which can be difficult to treat, just like its Tuberculosis-causing relative. The lesions did not fully heal until March 2010. M. haemophilum does not normally cause the pustules seen in this case. They may have been due to the mode of infection, via tattooing needle. The authors report a second individual had identical symptoms and had been tattooed at the same shop, but tests failed to identify the organism.

An outbreak of M. haemophilum was earlier reported among 12 Swiss women who had their eyebrows tattooed as permanent makeup.  In addition to lengthy antibiotic treatment, 10 of them needed surgery.

Tattoo regulations vary widely in the United States. The tattoo establishment was operating within state safety and sanitation standards. Investigators believe the use of tap water to dilute the tattoo ink may have contributed to the infections. While this practice is permitted, the authors recommended the tattoo establishment use sterile water in the future. M. haemophilum was not found in samples of tap water or on any surfaces in the business, but previous studies have suggested water can be a vehicle for it. It is important to note that this study does not suggest the tap water was dangerous, simply that at some point the water used to dilute the ink could have picked up M. haemophilum which was then injected into the skin to cause the infection. Since M. haemophilum does not normally cause disease in healthy people, injecting it may be a necessary step in causing illness in people with health immune systems.

Traditionally, health officials have been concerned about the risk of blood-borne diseases during tattooing.  The widespread adoption of single-use needles has helped reduce this risk.  The difference in the story reported here is that M. haemophilum is common in the environment.  These infections were not due to transmission between clients.

For more information on tattoos and health, you can visit the CDC’s webpage on the topic.

The HealthMap Blog is MOVING - Join Us at The Disease Daily!!

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The HealthMap Blog is moving up in the world! HealthMap has always worked to provide you with the infectious disease outbreak news you need to know along with the geographic and timeline context for you to understand it. In January 2009, we started this blog to provide broader information on outbreaks occurring worldwide. Today we are excited to start The Disease Daily and HealthMap Local.
At The Disease Daily, we're expanding the coverage you've come to expect at the HealthMap blog.  We'll still provide you with the context you need to understand current outbreaks: "Does the report of a new tattoo infection mean there's a scary new disease?,” "Why is there an anthrax outbreak in China?," or "What's going on in the Somali refugee camps?"
In the upcoming weeks, we'll be greatly expanding our reporting beyond what you've seen here: more updates, deeper explanations of outbreaks, and even more extensive coverage. We've created a news section called Outbreaks 101 where we plan to breakdown basic but important questions like "How do you eradicate a disease forever?" or "Why do people need to be vaccinated for measles in a 'measles-free' country?" Have a question you want us to answer? E-mail us at DiseaseDaily@gmail.com and we'll put in on the list for future columns.
While you're checking out The Daily Disease on the new website, don't forget to click over to HealthMap Local to see what illnesses have been reported in your area.  With HealthMap Local, you can set your location and see what's happening near you, just like checking your local weather forecast online. 
Thank you to all of our blog followers! Your readership and support inspired The Daily Disease.  We hope you’ll continue to follow us. Please consider “liking” us on Facebook and “following” us on Twitter too!