The Magic of Ginger
6th December 2010
Ginger is commonly used in cooking as well as for medicinal purposes. Ginger, also known by its Latin name Zingiber officinale,
is often used in Asian cultures as a way to treat nausea or
stomachaches usually associated with post surgical symptoms, pregnancy,
chemotherapy aftereffects, or motion sickness. This reason may be why it
is served with sushi—although it is called Gari instead of ginger when
used in this manner—besides its original intention as a palate
cleanser.” Many dietary supplements contain ginger for its
anti-nausea and vomit relief. Ginger has also been used for
treating osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis as well as muscle and
other joint pains. Ginger comes in many forms: tablets, capsules,
liquid, extract, tea, dried roots, or fresh root, Whatever foods you enjoy ginger in, just remember that beyond
tantalizing your taste buds, you just may be saving your body from some
serious and not so serious harm.
Beware of the lie (read below)
Jab 'cuts chance of flu in babies'
Tuesday, October 5 02:57 am
Babies whose mothers have the flu vaccine in pregnancy are less likely to catch the virus themselves, experts said. Jab 'cuts chance of flu in babies'
A flu jab offers protection to youngsters in
the first six months of life and makes them less likely to need hospital
treatment for respiratory illnesses, according to US research which adds weight to existing studies.It comes after the UK Government urged all pregnant women to get their flu vaccine this winter. The
jab protects against the dominant swine flu virus, which is still
circulating, and is being made available through GP surgeries. Women who
had the swine flu vaccine last year will not need this year's flu jab. Research
shows pregnant women are at higher risk of serious complications from
swine flu compared with the general public, and have a higher rate of
hospital admissions. Young children are also vulnerable but are
not included in the Government's current vaccination programme unless
they have a pre-existing health condition.
Experts say a
"substantial proportion" of children will have already immunity to swine
flu either from being vaccinated last year or after exposure to the
virus. The authors of the latest study, published in the journal
Archives of Paediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, said: "Influenza
virus infection in infants is generally more frequent among those aged
six to 12 months than in the first six months of life, potentially owing
to the protection conferred by maternal influenza antibodies acquired
transplacentally or through breastfeeding. However, during severe
influenza seasons, morbidity and mortality rates among infants younger
than six months have been reported to exceed those of older infants."
The
study was carried out by Angelia Eick, at the Armed Forces Health
Surveillance Centre in Maryland. The team examined a group of 1,169
women from Navajo and White Mountain Apache Indian reservations, where children have a higher rate of severe respiratory infection than in the general population.
The
UK Government's flu vaccination programme for this winter covers
pregnant women, all over-65s and younger people (including children from
six months of age) with long-term conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, asthma, multiple sclerosis, or serious kidney and liver disease.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is continuing to deceive the world by stating sweeping assumptions about the Ukraine pandemic. Despite huge differences in transmission and deaths rates, the agency stated Tuesday that it was valid to assume that most of the cases of influenza reportedly combing through the Ukraine were caused by the pandemic A(H1N1) virus.
There is very little left to be respected of the WHO. After months of using junk science and contradictions to conceal actual swine flu cases, they are now launching phase two of their deceptive operation: Convince the world that a more lethal strain of flu is still the same H1N1 virus. Infectious disease expert Dr. Donald Lau explained that the chances of the Ukrainian pandemic being the same H1N1 virus that has infected the world are very low. “The statistical probability of this being the same H1N1 virus are infinitesimally small.” Dr. Lau stated that the high viral transmission rates are extremely unusual for H1N1 and there is almost certainly some type of new virus, or a lethal recombination that has occurred. Dr. Lau speculated that the Ukraine government or the WHO may be withholding and/or suppressing information for some unknown reason. “There must have been some misrepresentation of actual deaths versus infection rates.” Dr. Lau has estimated the probable fatality rate of this new virus to be close to 0.5 percent which is astronomically higher than the H1N1 virus in any part of the world. Ukrainian authorities on Sunday launched an urgent appeal for help from world powers after it imposed drastic measures to tackle a sudden surge of flu-like illness in the country. Almost 500,000 cases of influenza and acute respiratory illness have been reported, according to approximate but official Ukrainian figures cited by the WHO. “Given the potential significance of this outbreak as an early warning signal, WHO commends the government of Ukraine for its transparent reporting and open sharing of samples,” the UN health agency said in a statement.
Herbal therapists face regulation crackdown
The government has announced plans to force all providers of unlicensed herbal medicines to register with a regulator. It comes after several public consultations on how best to police the industry. The Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC), will ensure practitioners are properly trained and operating a safe business. But some have said the proposals do not go far enough. From 2011 EU legislation will permit only statutorily registered professionals to prescribe manufactured herbal remedies. It is estimated that Britons spend about £1.6 billion a year on alternative remedies. The CNHC was launched in 2009. Its main purpose was to hold a voluntary register of complementary therapists such as massage therapists, nutritional therapists and reflexologists.
Those providing unlicensed herbal medicines - thought to be around 8,000 practitioners - are not currently covered by the council. In future, to be accepted on the register those providing unlicensed herbal medicines will have to show they have the right training and experience, abide by a code of conduct and ensure they have insurance in place. Clinics are not judged on whether the therapies they provide are effective. Health Secretary Andy Burnham said: "Emerging evidence clearly demonstrates that the public needs better protection, but in a way that is measured and does not place unreasonable extra burdens on practitioners." He added that he was in discussion with health ministers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to come to a joint agreement on legislation for regulation. Proposals for those providing acupuncture are still being considered, he said, Maggie Dunn, head of the CNHC estimated the proposals would mean many thousands of practitioners being forced to sign up and meet their standards.
Flu jab could be replaced by skin patch
As the pandemic virus has rapidly become the dominant influenza strain worldwide, it can be assumed that most cases of influenza in The conventional flu jab could be replaced by a skin patch applied by patients which would deliver the vaccine through hundreds of microscopic needles that penetrate the outer layer of the skin before dissolving. The scientists behind the development of the patch believe it could significantly increase influenza vaccination in developing countries, as it can be administered by someone with no medical training, according to a study published in the journal Nature Medicine. The patch is placed on the skin and left for 5-15 minutes, meaning the cost of mass vaccination could be vastly reduced via self-medication. The patches would also eliminate dangers posed by dirty needles, particularly in countries where conditions such as HIV and hepatitis are endemic. Scientists in the US designed a 100-needle patch that was first tested for its ability to penetrate pig skin, which is about the same thickness as human skin. The microscopic needles are made of biodegradable plastic that painlessly inoculate patients then dissolve harmlessly without trace.
The patch could greatly enhance flu vaccination programmes in the developing world, where re-use of hypodermic needles leads to the spread of infections such as HIV and hepatitis B, the study proposed. The patches do not need to be stored in refrigerators and would remove the risk of resource-strapped health services re-using dirty needles, as well as the problem of their safe disposal. "We envision people getting the patch in the mail or at a pharmacy and then self-administering it at home," said Dr Sean Sullivan, from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, which carried out the study. "Because the microneedles on the patch dissolve away into the skin, there would be no dangerous sharp needles left over." Flu vaccination is recommended every winter for older people and those vulnerable to complications from an influenza infection, costing the NHS a considerable amount of money. Although the study focused on flu, the scientists believe the technique could also be extended for use with other vaccines.
Professor Mark Prausnitz, who led the study, said: "The dissolving microneedle patch could open up many new doors for immunisation programmes by eliminating the need for trained personnel to carry out the vaccination. This approach could make a significant impact because it could enable self-administration as well as simplify vaccination programmes in schools and assisted living facilities." Tests on mice found those vaccinated with the microneedles fought off influenza infections better than those rodents that received traditional hypodermic needle jabs. Prof Prausnitz, said: "We have shown that a dissolving microneedle patch can vaccinate against influenza at least as well, and probably better than, a traditional hypodermic needle."
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