Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Protect Your Baby From CMV

CMV is the most common congenital (present at birth) infection in the U.S. Each year about 5,500 (1 in 750) children in this country are born with or develop permanent problems that can result in disabilities from congenital CMV infection.

Everyone Needs Fat, Right?

As with carbohydrates in recent years, fats have been wrongly accused of being “bad.” Too much fat can be a bad thing, but fat is an essential nutrient and some are definitely better than others. Certain kinds of fat are actually good for us and are an important part of a healthy diet. READ MORE

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Vacationing With Diabetes

Getting out of the routine is part of the fun of traveling. But if you have diabetes, there’s one routine you need to take with you: your care routine.READ MORE

Cancer and Men

More men in the United States die from lung cancer than any other kind of cancer, and cigarette smoking causes most cases. Smoking also causes cancers of the esophagus, larynx (voice box), mouth, throat, kidney, bladder, pancreas, stomach, and acute myeloid leukemia. Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work increase their lung cancer risk by 20%–30%. Concentrations of many cancer-causing and toxic chemicals are higher in secondhand smoke than in the smoke inhaled by smokers. READ MORE

Necrotizing Fasciitis (Flesh-Eating Infection)

Necrotizing fasciitis is a serious bacterial infection that spreads rapidly and destroys the body’s soft tissue. Commonly called a “flesh-eating infection” by the media, this very rare disease can be caused by more than one type of bacteria. These include group A Streptococcus (group A strep), Klebsiella, Clostridium, E. coli,Staphylococcus aureus, and Aeromonas hydrophila, among others. Group A strep is considered the most common cause of necrotizing fasciitis.  READ MORE

Exercise-Induced Asthma

Up to 80% of kids with asthma have symptoms when they exercise. It makes sense that cigarette smoke and pollen could trigger asthma symptoms, but why exercise? READ MORE

Are You Teaching Tolerance?

America is the great “melting pot,” a rich blend of cultural traditions from all over the world. Many American families can trace their histories to immigrant ancestors who traveled great distances, enduring risk and hardship, to make a home where they would be guaranteed basic freedoms. And for many American families these freedoms came with a struggle. Their parents and grandparents were denied the basic rights we value.