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Is it a cause of depression or not?  The bus hostage- taking happened yesterday (Aug 23,2010) in Manila, was a worldwide scene.   The hostage- taking took more than ten hours, which killed 8 foreign Chinese nationals, and in the end the hostage-taker himself was killed.  It could have been the saddest situation specially for a number of people who were involved in the scene, which includes family and friends of the hostages  and the suspect.  Also imagine how much fear felt by all the Philippine National Police who participated at that time.  Anyone may think, what had caused such an evil act?

Most people in this present system of things experience depression, in fact it is now in its highest peak as this system gets near to end.  The Bible foretold, “Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time”, Revelation 12:12.

Depression is an emotional and mental illness that may lead to any evil act such as suicide and murder.  Some sufferers state, “their life is suddenly darkened by a cloud of sadness for no apparent reasons”, “having terrible pain without knowing where the pain is located, or “feeling of fear, mental confusion, anguish, and deep sorrow”.     No doubt the hostage-taking was a cause of too much depression.

Can depression be treated?  A number of treatments for depression are available depending on the severity and kind of depression.  Let us consider the kinds of depression:

• Major Depression –  severe enough to last six months or longer if untreated and possible impact on most aspect of the sufferers life.
• Bipolar Disorder or Manic Depression – symptoms shows an emotional extremes that staggers between longevity of intense hyperactivity or manias and overwhelming lows.
• Dysthymia – it is not severe like major depression but patient has difficult to function normally.
• Postpartum Depression –  a weakening emotional situation affecting mothers after giving birth.
• Seasonal Disorder – it occurs usually during autumn and winter and clears up during spring and summer.

Most can be readily treated by family doctors, but some still needs specialized treatment.  Doctors may prescribe antidepressant medications.  Some sufferers had taken good results with herbal medications, dietary adjustments and exercise programs.

Weight loss is every pregnant woman’s dream after giving child birth.  A fulfilled mother looking at her new born baby, but maybe annoyed looking at herself in the mirror checking how much weight loss to work out on.

That’s reality, I felt the same after I gave birth to my son last year in October, I even tried to turn discouraging comments that would still take me a year to lose weight into a challenge.  But I can confidently say  one can start to drop weight after a month of giving birth.  Here are five simple steps that can help:

• Breast feeding is not just best for baby but also helps mother to lose weight.
• Rubber girdles help in little sweating but do not wear it overnight as usually advised, it will literally burn your skin and leave ugly scars on tummies.
• For normal delivery mothers can start exercising as early as they have gained their energy, a few counts but frequent sit up and average stretching can do much.
• Of course nothing can beat proper eating diet, just a healthy non fatty soup and watery  vegetables for dinner without rice or bread will be good both for dieting mother and healthy baby.
• Determination with self discipline is the right attitude one must have to achieve successful weight loss.

Heart Disease, how much did it affect my life?  It is almost 10pm last night and my ten month old son Justin Rex is so hard to bring in to sleep, he was still in hype to play.  Many thoughts came out my mind as I was trying to pacify him.  That baby normally changes sleeping habit , his heart may be pumping hard,  his heart condition will not be normal anymore, he can be treated as a normal child, let him cry like a normal baby does.  Matters that were discussed when he was just a new born diagnosed of a congenital heart disease related to “pulmonary valve stenosis”.   My baby had “valvuloplasty”, an operation that used a catheter, when he was just 10days old.  Thankfully, the operation was successful.

The first question came out my mind was how did my baby acquire a heart disease?  My baby’s doctor explained that no cause yet can be identified for most congenital heart disease and still investigation and research continues.  Genetic plays a larger role as hereditary factor affecting other family member the possibility to acquire a heart disease. Though preventions for the mother during pregnancy may be considered, as follows:

• Avoid alcohol and unprescribed drugs during pregnancy.
• Immunization to rubella is necessary.
• Control blood sugar level for pregnant women who have diabetes during pregnancy.
• Pre natal check up is necessary as most congenital defects can be discovered through ultrasound.

That was the darkest time I’ve ever experienced in my life, mixed emotions crawled my whole body, my mind just can’t rest of thoughts if I should just let my baby’s life go or do the best I can to save his life.   My husband and I can’t even seriously talk about it as we were not emotionally and financially ready.  I just kept on praying wholeheartedly and I felt the great power that led me and my husband to act on the right thing to do.

Osteoporosis means “porous bone””, often no symptoms of bone loss until the bones become so weak that sudden strain, bump or fall causes a fracture.  Osteoporosis is a bone condition distinguished by low bone density and weakening of bone strength.  It can be diagnosed by means of a low radiation scan, which measures bone mineral density.   Most associate osteoporosis to elderly, however, some cases showed as early as 19 years old suffer from osteoporosis.

Heredity is the significant risk factor in acquiring osteoporosis, if a parent has an history of this disease the children has double the risk to occur on them.  Another is malnutrition of a fetus, which results in lower bone density in childhood.  Also, certain medical conditions, such as Cushing’s disease, diabetes, and hyperthyroidism can contribute to osteoporosis.   The reason why four times more women suffer from osteoporosis than men is due to menopause in women results in reduction of estrogen that protect bone mass.  And, a diet low in calcium and vitamin D is an adding factor to bone failure.  Lastly, lifestyle of limited physical activity, such as smoking, is an additional risk factor of osteoporosis.

Prevention of Osteoporosis is put down in childhood and adolescence foundation.  That is when 90 percent of a person’s total bone mass is reached.  Calcium plays an important role in having a strong skeletal structure, because it is stored  mainly in the bones.  Sources of calcium are milk and dairy products such as yogurt and cheese; canned sardines and salmon (eaten with the bones); almonds; oatmeal; sesame seeds; tofu; and dark green leafy vegetables.  Vitamin D however is required for the calcium to be absorbed by the body.  Vitamin D is produced in the skin through sunlight exposure.  At least ten minutes sunbathing contributes to preventing the development of osteoporosis as it provides around 600 units of Vitamin D.   It can also be found in foods such as egg yolks, saltwater fish and liver.  Exercise is usually not being stressed out as one way prevention.  Exercise during childhood and adolescence helps to increase bone mass, and in old age helps to prevent loss of bone mass.  Exercises in which muscles work against gravity or other forces without overstressing the bones and joints such as weight-bearing and resistance exercises are highly recommended.  Walking, climbing stairs and light dancing are simple but effective weight-bearing exercises.

True changing lifestyle is difficult but what benefits come to those who make the effort to do so is that they may avoid being one of the many millions worldwide who suffer from osteoporosis.

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, it results from excessive alcohol intake or exposure to toxins.  Scientist though identified five types of Hepatitis, the three most common types, which are Hepatitis A, B and C.

One of the common type Hepatitis B kills at least 600,000 people a year, similar to malaria.  Nearly a third of the world’s population have been infected with Hepatitis B, most recovers within months, but about 350 million became chronic.  For the rest of the lives of those chronics, with symptoms or not, may have the potential to infect others.  Right medical care can HBV chronic patients to fight off serious liver damage, but most are innocent that they have been infected, as only a specific blood test can detect HBV.  Even a regular liver function test can’t detect HBV easily.  At times obvious symptoms do not appear until long period after infection, either cirrhosis or cancer of the liver may have developed.  Sadly, this disease takes 1 in 4 lives of HBV carriers.  This makes the Hepatitis B truly a silent killer.

What is Hepatitis B then?

Hepatitis B is present in the blood, semen, and vaginal fluids of infected people.  The virus proliferates when these liquids enters a body of someone not immune.  So the virus can be transmitted through several ways:

• Child birth from infected mother.
• Medical, dental, tattooing, or body-piercing instruments that have not been carefully sterilized.
• Shared hypodermic needles, razors, nail files or clippers, toothbrushes, or anything else that can transfer even a small amount of blood through any broken skin.
• Sexual activity

Yes!  HBV is 100 times more infectious than HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.   Unlike most common belief about Hepatitis, HBV is not spread by insects, or by coughing, holding hands, hugging, kissing on the cheek, breast feeding, or sharing food, drink, chopsticks, or other utensils.  Untreated chronic HBV can lead to liver failure and death.  Vaccination can prevent Hepatitis B.

Dead Sea is the saltiest, the lowest, the deadest, and for some  the most healthful sea.  In Bible times it was called the Salt Sea, today it is commonly called the Dead Sea.

Medieval travelers created home tales of a sterile  form of water with no birds, no fish, and no vegetation.  It was even thought that the smelly vapors from the lake were deadly.  This, of course, propagated the idea of a stinking sea that was dead.  It is true that because of its high saltiness, only simple organisms, such as some resilient forms of bacteria, can survive in its waters and any unfortunate fish that are swept into the sea with incoming water quickly expire.

The sea is unable to support life, but the same cannot be said of the surrounding region.  Though much of the area is barren, there are pockets of land that stand out as lush oases with waterfalls and tropical plants.  The region is also known as prosperous wildlife habitat.  There are 24 species of mammals living near the sea, including the sand cat, the Arabian wolf, and the oft-sighted ibex.    Since the Dead Sea is located on a major migration route, over 90 bird species have been identified here, such as the black stork and the white stork, the griffon vulture and the Egyptian vulture.

The salt water is said to have a cleansing effect on the body.  The therapeutic benefits of the whole region are also highly extolled.  The low altitude creates a naturally oxygen-enriched atmosphere.  The high concentration of bromide in the air is said to have a relaxing effect, and the mineral-rich black mud and hot sulfur springs along the shores are both used to treat a number of skin ailments and arthritic disorders.  Furthermore,  balsam, a tree that used to grow in the area has always been valued and used for cosmetic and medicinal purposes.

One of the strangest phenomena of the Dead Sea is its discharge of bitumen, which has occasionally been seen floating to the surface in lumps.   Bitumen described as the first petroleum product ever used by the human race and over the centuries it has been used in various ways as waterproofing for boats in construction, and even as an insect repellent.

The Dead Sea is truly a sea of superlatives.  It is no exaggeration to describe the sea as the saltiest, the lowest, the deadest, and perhaps the most healthful sea.  And one of the most interesting seas on our planet!

This sentence was generated on a review site I just joined in, a requirement to make sure the blog site is truly yours.  It is a security measures that I believe in to be necessary and useful to avoid spams and dishonesty.  I just hope this would be the start to success of a new endeavor I have entered after leaving the corporate world.

However, I honestly don’t know how this one work out.  I am not that techie person but I am most willing to learn the fastest I can to master the blogging world as I was encouraged that there is money from it.  And I would like to consider this a great opportunity that came along to my family’s life as I would say that we are in the brink of budget.

Forgive me for my bluntness but I think that is one best character of a true and honest blogger.  Someone who is candid, true, willing to help others and not just keep such opportunity to themselves.

I have learned one rule of the review site is to have at least ten articles with minimum 200 words, so I guess I am stuck now in making this article until it reaches 200 minimum words.  And that just end to this point.

Thank you.

Are only light- skinned people should fear sun exposure?  Not at all,  though darker-skinned people have greater protection against sunburn, they can still develop skin cancer, worst their skin cancer may not be undetected easily until it reaches the dangerous stage.  Sun exposure may lead to several dangers like melanoma, eye damage and immune system damage.

Skin Cancer. One third of all cancers diagnosed worldwide are skin cancers.  About 130,000 new cases of melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, are reported each year.  Between two and three million new cases of other skin cancers, like basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas occur.  An estimate of about 66,000 people die each year from skin cancer.  Sunburn is the most common effect of overexposure to the sun.  When sunburn occurs, UV radiation kills most of the cells in the outer layer of the skin and damages deeper layers.  Cancer can result when damage occurs to the DNA of genes that control the growth and division of skin cells.

Eye Damage. Over 15 million people worldwide are blind due to cataracts.  Cataract is form when the proteins in the eye’s lens disintegrated, tousle, and accumulated pigments that cloud the lens.  And cataract is one of the long term effect of sun exposure.

Immune-System Damage. When the skin absorbs too much UV radiation, the activities of certain parts of a person’s immune system is greatly affected which lead the body to reduce the ability to fight against diseases.  Most experience being in the sun reccurs cold sores or unidirectional herpes.  The UVB, reduces the effectiveness of the immune system, in the case of cold sores it can no longer keep the virus herpes simplex under control which results in the re-activation of the infection.

Protect yourself from too much sun exposure!

• Limit sun exposure during midday periods, around 10:00am to 4:00pm.
• Always look for shade areas.
• Be creative in covering your arms and legs with tightly woven, loose-fitting clothes.
• Protect your eyes, ears, face and the back of your neck with dark- colored umbrella or wide-brimmed hat.
• Quality wraparound sunglasses with side panels which provides 100 percent UVA and UVB protection.
• Liberally apply sunscreen lotion with at least 15 Sun Protection Factor (SPF), reapply every two hours or as much as possible.
• Avoid sunlamps, sun beds and other tanning programs.  They uses UV radiation.
• Never fall asleep in the sun.
• If you develop a mole, freckle or a spot.  Consult a Doctor.

Sea Buckthorn is a small shrub, laden with small breadlike berries of a bright-orange hue; the berries coat each branch and twig with an eye-catching layer of color.  Its berries are edible most found in the mountainous regions from northwestern Europe to the Altai Mountains in Central Asia, also in western and northern China and Northern Himalayas.

Its Greek name Hippophae, means “shiny horse”, it is said to give racehorses a shiny coat.

But this wonder tree not only for horses, the sea buckthorn is found both in classic Tibetan medicinal texts and ancient Greek texts.  Now many countries cultivate this important food and medicinal crop.  Recent medical research examines the Sea Buckthorn berries are rich in vitamins C and E, folic acid, carotenoids, fatty acids and flavonoids.  Therefore it claims the benefits in cancer therapy, reducing cardiovascular risk and treating gastrointestinal ulcers, skin disorders and liver ailment.

Among others, the berry makes a refreshing, tangy drink and is used as a tonic for various ailments.  Also the rewarding part of the berry is its small black seed.  The oil in the seed contains most of the nutrients found in the berry.  It helps to boost the immune system and most cosmetics and skin products make use of the oil because of its rejuvenating effects.

Indeed, this tree is not only noted of its beauty but most for human health!

Giving birth is a natural process, but what is there to worry about?  Births normally go well, but in reality not all are.  Therefore, wise prospective parents should take reasonable measures to avoid unnecessary complications.  Parents importantly should know the causes of childbirth problems.  One is lack of care during pregnancy, having no prenatal check up can lead to high pregnancy risk.  The major direct cases of mortality are excessive bleeding, obstructed labor, infection and abnormally high blood pressure.  However, these cases effective treatments are publicly known.  Sadly, the lack of knowledge and laxity in prenatal care by mothers are common.

Admittedly in some lands it is difficult for pregnant women to get adequate care, especially of the third world countries.  Still, if possible, an expectant mother should try to at least some professional prenatal care.  Optimally, the World Health Organization found, “women who visited their doctors only four times during pregnancy, enjoyed results that were comparable to those who had 12 or more visits.”

What Doctors Do?

• First  is to review the medical history of the patient and unborn child, an examination takes place to determine risk and prevent complications that may occur with the mother and developing baby.
• Take blood and urine samples to check for problems like anemia, infection, Rh incompatibility, diabetes, rubella, sexually transmitted diseases and kidney disease that can raise blood pressure.
• May advise vaccinations for influenza, tetanus and Rh incompatibility.
• Recommend mothers to take vitamin supplements especially folic acid.

Thereafter, when the doctors has identify the risk related with individual pregnancies and has suggested necessary precautions, they increase the positive outcome for Healthy Mothers and Babies.