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March 26, 2013

Cold Sore Symptoms and Help

Polling Pebbles :  Cold sore on  lower lip
Cold Sore on lower lip  - Rolling Pebbles Files©

Cold sores aren’t a problem for everyone but for those who suffer, outbreaks can be painful, uncomfortable, and embarrassing. In fact, up to 90 per cent of adults carry  herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), but only 20 to 40 per cent will ever experience a cold sore outbreak. When most people hear herpes they think of the sexually transmitted infection that causes sores in the nether regions (genital herpes) and they’d be right. Most cases of genital herpes are caused by herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV2) while most cold sores are cause by HSV1 but both viruses can (although much less common) cause sores in the opposite region if the active virus comes in contact with that region (you possibly can imagine how). Most cold sore sufferers aren’t exactly sure when they first encountered the virus, but once contracted the virus never leaves the body.
Not everyone’s cold sore is triggered by the same thing. But there are several common factors that may cause your outbreaks. Knowing general cold sore triggers can help you identify personal triggers and take the necessary steps to manage them.
First, boost your immune system by getting plenty of rest and exercise and eating a balanced diet. Avoiding the stress in your life is also important. Keep your lips moisturized – drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and use sunblock on your lips all year round to protect your lips from sun and from winter cold.
Treat your cold sore early for best results. The best time to start treatment is when that tingling sensation first happens, before any visible sign of a cold sore appears. When it comes to treating a cold sore, you’ll hear advice on everything from home remedies to lip balm cures.
Learn the cold sore facts so you can face every cold sore with confidence. Ice, vinegar, tea bags, camphor, menthol or phenol may provide temporary relief, but they won’t make your cold sore disappear faster. Look for products that contain the medicinal ingredient, docosanol, which is clinically proven to shorten the duration of a cold sore.It is marketed by Healthcare Brands under the name Erazaban in Europe and Abreva in U.S.A. and Canada.

Remember to avoid transmitting the virus to others through skin contact (kissing is the first thing coming to mind). Cold sores are most contagious when someone has an open blister present on their lips until the point where the blister has completely healed.  At the same time, note that certain people can spread the virus through their saliva even if there is no open blister present.Also, wash your hands frequently if you’ve touched your lips or brushed your teeth to avoid spread of the virus.

March 25, 2013

Lawmaker Seeks To Ban Drivers From Wearing Head Mounted Displays Like Google Glass

Lawmaker seeks to ban Google Glass use while drivingA lawmaker in West Virginia is seeking to ban the use of Google Glass, and other Google Glass-esque products, while driving. Gary G. Howell, a republican in the West Virginia Legislature, believes that Google Glass poses the same dangers, if not worse, as texting and driving. He does have a valid point, because how safe can it be to watch a YouTube video while heading to the grocery store?

If the legislation passes, using Google Glass while driving would incur a hefty fine. For the first offense, you will be charged $100. Every offense following will incur an accumulative $100 charge (i.e 2nd offense = $200, 3rd offense = $300, and so on). Driving while wearing Google Glass wouldn’t be worth the risk, especially since buying the device itself will cost you a fortune.
It should be noted that Howell doesn’t hate the idea of Google Glass, and in fact sees it as the future. However, he believes that using Google Glass will pose a great danger to drivers, especially the younger, teen drivers. He stated, “We heard of many crashes caused by texting and driving, most involving our youngest drivers. I see the Google Glass as an extension.”
Howell also says that even if his proposal isn’t turned into a law, he believes that similar bills will be filed by other legislatures. Many debates have already surfaced over the proposed bill. Many cars already have heads-up display (HUD) systems that can be just as distracting as Google Glass. And Google Glass is much more safer than looking down at your phone while texting. Your eyes (at least one) will still be on the road, and your hands will still be on the wheel.
It all depends on what happens when the device actually comes out, and if people are responsible enough to use it. We shouldn’t really have to worry about too many teens buying Google Glass when it comes out and using it while they’re driving, because its doubtful that many of them can afford its high price-tag.

Update
LA ,Calif, December 4/2013 We learned that the first ever citation was issued for using Google Glass.
A woman has pleaded not guilty to what is believed to be the first traffic citation alleging a motorist was using Google’s computer-in-an-eyeglass.
The device known as Google Glass, not yet widely available to the public, features a thumbnail-size transparent display above the right eye.
Cecilia Abadie was pulled over on suspicion of speeding in October. The officer saw she had Google Glass and tacked on a citation usually given to drivers who may be distracted by a video screen.


March 22, 2013

Meditation and Brain power

There is a surge in interest in mind calming exercises not only among celebrities and super models.Meditating every day for 5 minutes in the morning and at night eases stress, strengthening our focus and improves our health.
A study, published 2011 in the journal Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, suggests that meditating for just 30 minutes a day for eight weeks can increase the density of gray matter in brain regions associated with memory, stress, and empathy.Other researches point out that meditation helps you out to handle multitasking better.It also makes genes that produce inflammation-triggered proteins less active.Remember the rescent theories that the inflammation is the biggest culprit causing latter atherosclerosis for instance.Check out the book " The end of illness " by David Agus on the subject.Back to the meditation - regular meditators who are 40 to 50 years old have areas in their cerebral cortex that is as thick as the one of 20-30 years olds,defying the long held belief that age inevitably thins the cortex.Meditation does not have to be static - check out the " walking meditation " as well.

March 20, 2013

Lululemon supplier says see-through yoga pants made to specs as retailer’s stock falls (There's no such thing as bad publicity)

The Taiwanese supplier behind the see-through yoga pants recalled by Lululemon Athletica Inc said on Tuesday it followed design specifications and the Canadian retailer had merely misjudged customer tastes.Lululemon said late Monday it had recalled batches of its stretchy black signature yoga pants because of an unacceptable “level of sheerness” created during the manufacturing process.By now you may have heard that Lululemon's latest batch of popular black yoga pants are too racy for the average yogi -- but fans of the form-fitting favourites have taken to social media to suggest creative solutions.Some people even commented that "The material may not have changed, but something did - the clientele. Sorry ladies, some of you just stretch the material too much"

March 12, 2013

New index aims to predict lifespan and cut medical costs

Want to know how long you’ll live? San Francisco researchers developed a new 12-item “mortality index,” which aims to predict how long people older than 50 will live, to help curb costly medical procedures and limit health screenings. The index is based on data of more than 20,000 adults over the age of 50 from 1998 until 2008, from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a nationally-representative sample of independently living U.S. adults. Intended for use by doctors, the test estimates which older adults are not expected to live 10 years or more. This could help doctors treating patients less likely to live avoid prescribing harsh medical treatments and cancer screenings. Women less likely to live, for example, may not need cervical cancer screenings, because the cancer would take time to develop and not end up being the cause of death.Described as a “simple checklist,” each item on the index is assigned a point value, with 26 being the overall highest score, or most likely to die. That person would be a man, at least 85-years-old, a smoker, and have a BMI more than 25, among other things. You can check the index here in pdf format: The index


March 08, 2013

Fearless female travellers

On March 8th is the celebration of International Women's Day! Here are 10 adventurous and thrill-seeking women who made a difference in the world of travel.The list starts with Amelia Earhart followed with 9 more brave and adventurous women.
Fearless female travellers

March 06, 2013

New hope for Alzheimer's patients


The first U.S. experiments with "brain pacemakers" for Alzheimer's are getting under way. Scientists are looking beyond drugs to implants in the hunt for much-needed new treatments.
The research is in its infancy. Only a few dozen people with early-stage Alzheimer's will be implanted in a handful of hospitals (as of Mid January 2013). No one knows if it might work, and if it does, how long the effects might last.More than 5 million Americans have Alzheimer's or similar dementias, and that number is expected to rise rapidly as the baby boomers age. Today's drugs only temporarily help some symptoms. Attempts to attack Alzheimer's presumed cause, a brain-clogging gunk, so far haven't panned out.The new approach is called deep brain stimulation, or DBS. While it won't attack Alzheimer's root cause either, "maybe we can make the brain work better," said Dr. Douglas Scharre - Ohio State neurologist.Similar experiments are reported at the University of British Columbia and John Hopkins University.The procedure requires implanting electrodes in the brain and send puses from battery-powered generator near the collarbone , sending the tiny shocks up patients neck and into their brain.


See  another related article about the effect of Cycling therapy for Parkinson's.








March 04, 2013

Cycling Therapy for Parkinson's

In a study conducted at the Cleveland Clinic, a series of scans on the brains of 26 Parkinson’s patients who used exercise bikes three times a week for two months were taken.
Some patients  pedalled at their own pace, while others undertook ‘forced-rate’ cycling, in which they were made to pedal faster by motors fitted to their bikes.
The scans revealed pedalling, particularly vigorous pedalling, boosted connections between brain regions linked to movement.The results show that forced-rate bicycle exercise is an effective, low-cost therapy for Parkinson’s disease.The scientists are now studying how patients fare with exercise bikes in their homes. They also want to see whether other forms of exercise such as swimming and rowing have similar benefits.
The charity Parkinson’s UK welcomed the research, saying the balance and co-ordination can be badly damaged as the disease progresses.
However, it also cautioned that not all patients will be capable of exercising intensely.

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