Vaccine Protect from Influenza (Flu)

Infants and children aged <5 years, but especially younger than 2 years old, are at increased risk for severe complications from influenza.

School-age children had a substantial illness burden caused by influenza that vaccine was safe and effective for children aged 6 months through 18 years, and that evidence suggested that vaccinating school-age children would provide benefits to both the vaccinated children and their unvaccinated household and community contacts.

The implementation of an annual recommendation for all school-age children would pose major challenges to parents, medical providers and health care systems. Alternative vaccination venues were needed, and of these school-located vaccination programs might offer the most promise as an alternative vaccination site for school-age children.

CONCLUSIONS Expansion of recommendations to include all school-age children will require additional development of an infrastructure to support implementation and methods to adequately evaluate impact.

An intranasal vaccine that includes four weakened strains of influenza could do a better job in protecting children from the flu than current vaccines, Saint Louis University research shows.

Vaccine Protect from Influenza of Children.

Before each influenza season, scientists predict which strains of flu will be circulating and make a trivalent vaccine that includes three strains of influenza -- two of influenza A and one of influenza B.

The ability to add another strain of influenza B without compromising the vaccine's ability to protect against the other three strains will allow scientists make a better vaccine, said Robert Belshe, M.D., professor of infectious diseases at Saint Louis University School of Medicine and the corresponding author of the research article.

"The vaccine improves our ability to protect against flu and doesn't reduce the body's immune response to the other strains," said Belshe, who also directs Saint Louis University's Center for Vaccine Development.

"It should bring us better protection because there's less guess work than in the standard trivalent vaccine."

Children are more susceptible than adults to influenza from one of the B strains, which change less often than A strain viruses. Some winters, influenza B viruses -- Victoria or Yamagata -- cause most of the flu in children and significant infection in adults, Belshe said.

Preventing flu in children is key to protecting the entire population. "We think the most important way for flu to spread is through school-aged children," Belshe said.

In the 1980s, influenza B split into the two circulating lineages of virus, which have evolved into viruses that are quite different. Some years both B viruses and the B strain that doesn't match the vaccine circulate, which means the vaccine doesn't protect people from getting the flu?

"There are these two very different strains of influenza B that don't cross protect. Vaccinating against one strain of influenza B does little to protect against the other," Belshe said.

"It has not been possible to predict which strain has circulated. In the last 10 years, we predicted right five times. So you can flip a coin and do as well."

Previously, manufacturers had not had the capacity to produce a vaccine that protects against four strains of flu, but that is no longer the case, Belshe said.

The researchers tested versions of the FluMist vaccine, which is sprayed in the nose and contains live flu viruses that have been attenuated or weakened so they don't cause infection. The intranasal vaccine is made by MedImmune.

The nasal spray vaccine was tested in about 2,300 children between 2 and 19 years of age. The children were randomized to receive one of three vaccines: a vaccine containing four strains of influenza -- two of influenza A and two of influenza B, or one of two vaccines that contained both influenza A strains and one of each of the influenza B strains. Researchers looked at the safety and antibody response to both influenza A and B viruses in children of different age groups who were vaccinated.

Those children who receive vaccine containing four strains of flu had as robust of an immune response as those who received the vaccine that contained three strains. In addition, Belshe noted no clinically significant difference the safety of the vaccines, which were well tolerated.

"We saw stuffy noses, which we know is associated with FluMist, and an occasional low grade fever, which is similar to other childhood vaccines," Belshe said.

Findings were published electronically ahead of print in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. Belshe has been a member of a speaker's bureau and received research grants and consulting fees from MedImmune, which sponsored the study.

What is the best way to prevent influenza?

What does this year’s vaccine protect me from?

The best way to prevent influenza is with annual vaccination.

The 2011-2012 flu vaccine protects against an influenza A H3N2 virus, an influenza B virus and the 2009 H1N1 virus. Seasonal flu vaccines have a very good safety track record. Cover your nose and mouth with your sleeve or a tissue when you cough or sneeze—     throw the tissue away after you use it. Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. If you are not near water, use an alcohol-based hand cleaner.

Eating red foods for healthy heart

Are you worried about your heart? Don't feel blue. Go red, and eat red foods for your heart.

This novel idea comes from the American Heart Association, which advocated that men and women eat red-colored foods to protect their hearts.

1. Red apples. Apples are rich in quercetins, a substance known to protect against Alzheimer's disease and many cancers. Studies show that people who eat an apple a day have lower chances of getting lung cancer and Alzheimer's disease when compared to non-fruit eaters. Even smokers who often eat apples can somehow minimize the risk of getting cancer. Apple skins contain pectin, which some studies show can lower bad cholesterol by as much as 16%. Apples may also prevent diabetes and childhood asthma. Eating the fiber-rich skin of the apple also has additional health benefits of having better skin, more regular bowel movement and lower risk for colon cancer.

2. Red watermelon. According to the US Department of Agriculture, watermelon may be beneficial for the heart and blood vessels. Researchers report that eating watermelons increases our body's argentine levels, an important amino acid Arginine is a component needed to produce nitric oxide, a substance that relaxes the blood vessels, improves blood flow and may protect us from a heart attack and stroke. 

3. Red grapes. Red grapes contain falconoid which increase good cholesterol levels in the body and prevents blockage of arteries.

4. Red wine. Red wine contains reservation which also increases good cholesterol levels and blocks fat in the body. But be sure to follow the recommended daily intake. Men can have up to 2 glasses per day while women can have 1 glass per day.

5. Tomatoes, Red tomato, catsup or tomato sauce.  Researchers have found that these are also healthy for the heart. Consume 10 spoons per week to avoid heart problems.

A terrific source of vitamin C with a touch of vitamin A, potassium and fiber thrown in for good measure, tomatoes don’t just taste great, they’re also good for you. (Hard to believe that at one time they were thought to be poisonous!) Tomatoes are also rich in lycopene, an antioxidant that fights skin aging and may be beneficial against cancer and heart disease.

6. Cherries: Rich in antioxidants, such as anthocyanin (believed to reduce pain and inflammation), cherries have been purported to fight myriad diseases, including diabetes, cancer, arthritis and gout. Cherries are also a good source of fiber, potassium and vitamin A.

7. Pomegranate: A near-icon of fertility in much of its native range (Iran to the Himalayas), the pomegranate also has come to represent good health. Studies have shown that the fruit may help to reduce the buildup of plaque in arteries and lower blood pressure. Other research hints that pomegranate juice may help manage prostate cancer, diabetes, arthritis and erectile dysfunction. Experts believe that pomegranate’s benefits come from its powerful punch of polyphenols—including anthocyanins (found in blue, purple and deep-red foods) and tannins (also found in wine and tea).

8. Beets: With an earthy flavor that gets super sweet when cooked, beets are very nutritious: 1/2 cup of cooked beets has just 29 calories but boasts 2 grams of fiber and provides 19 percent of the daily value for foliate, a B vitamin needed for the growth of healthy new cells. Plus their beautiful color comes from betanin, a photochemical that’s thought to bolster immunity. Roast them, pickle them or shred them raw and dress them with citrus for a refreshing salad in these 4 quick and easy beet recipes.

9. Chile Peppers: Capsaicin, an antioxidant in chilies, thwarts food spoilage and may protect blood vessels. It also makes peppers hot—in more ways than one (hence the spicy folklore that piquant peppers rev up sexual desires). Studies show that capsaicin increases the body’s metabolic rate and may stimulate brain chemicals that help us feel less hungry. In a 2005 study in the International Journal of Obesity, people ate 16 percent fewer calories at a meal if they sipped tomato juice spiked with hot-pepper extract (versus plain tomato juice) a half hour earlier.

What’s Stroke Causes, signs, Symptoms?

What is a stroke?
Every stroke is unique; A stroke is when a clogged or burst artery interrupts blood flow to the brain. This interruption of blood flow deprives the brain of needed oxygen and causes the affected brain cells to die. When brain cells die, function of the body parts they control is impaired or lost.
Brain cell function requires a constant delivery of oxygen and glucose from the bloodstream. A stroke, or cerebrovascular accident (CVA), occurs when blood supply to part of the brain is disrupted, causing brain cells to die. Blood flow can be compromised by a variety of mechanisms.
A stroke can cause paralysis or muscle weakness, loss of feeling, speech and language problems, memory and reasoning problems, swallowing difficulties, problems of vision and visual perception, coma, and even death.

What causes a stroke?
Blockage of blood vessels in the brain
Clots can travel from the blood vessels of the heart or neck and lodge in the brain.
Small vessels in the brain can become blocked, often due to high blood pressure or damage from diabetes.
Clots can form in the blood vessels of the brain due to arteriosclerosis.
Bleeding into or around the brain
Weak spots on brain arteries (aneurysms) burst, covering the brain with blood.
Blood vessels in the brain break because they have been weakened by damage due to high blood pressure, diabetes, or aging.
A stroke is a potentially fatal medical condition that results when the brain is deprived of a normal blood supply. Some strokes occur when the brain has insufficient blood, while others take place when there's too much blood in the skull. In both cases, however, prompt treatment often leads to reduced brain damage and fewer future complications.
Ischemic Stroke
According to the Mayo Foundation, 80 percent of all strokes are classified as ischemic strokes. This type of stroke is caused by ischemia, a condition in which blood flow to the brain is restricted as a result of blocked or narrowed arteries.
There are two kinds of ischemic stroke. A thrombotic stroke results when a thrombus (blood clot) develops in an artery that provides blood to the brain. Such clots often arise when plaques (fatty deposits) accumulate in arteries, a condition called atherosclerosis.
An embolic stroke occurs when an artery in the brain becomes clogged after a particle or thrombus develops in a blood vessel located in another area of the body, such as the heart, and then travels toward the brain through the bloodstream.
Hemorrhagic Stroke
Hemorrhagic stroke results from a leaking or ruptured blood vessel in the brain. Frequent causes include aneurysms (weakened blood vessels) and high blood pressure.
The two categories of hemorrhagic stroke are intracerebral and subarachnoid. Intracerebral hemorrhage occurs when a blood vessel ruptures in the brain and causes cell damage by leaking blood into nearby tissue. High blood pressure is the most frequent cause.
Ruptured aneurysms are the most common source of subarachnoid hemorrhage, which occurs when an artery on the outer portion of the brain bursts and then leaks blood in the area separating the brain and the skull.
Transient Ischemic Attacks
Also called ministroke or TIA, transient ischemic attacks are very short periods during which victims experience symptoms that resemble those of a normal stroke. The causes are identical to an ischemic stroke, namely decreased blood flow to the brain due to a blockage in a blood vessel that supplies blood to the organ. In contrast, however, TIAs involve a much shorter period of blockage, and they produce no permanent damage.
Symptoms mainly -

Although many victims experience no symptoms beforehand, there are numerous signs that sometimes alert individuals when a stroke may be about to occur. Seek immediate medical attention if the victim develops difficulty seeing, speaking or walking; a headache characterized by acute pain, changed consciousness, stiffness in the neck or vomiting; or numbness or paralysis on only one side.
Stroke Symptoms and Signs
A stroke results from impaired oxygen delivery to brain cells via the bloodstream. According to the U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the five major signs of stroke are the sudden onset of:
1. Numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body. The loss of voluntary movement and/or sensation may be complete or partial. There may also be an associated tingling sensation in the affected area.
2. Confusion, trouble speaking or understanding. Sometimes weakness in the muscles of the face can cause drooling.
3. Trouble seeing in one or both eyes
4. Trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
5. Severe headache with no known cause

Complications
The severity of complications from a stroke depends on the amount of time the brain experienced abnormal blood flow. Common issues after a stroke include cognitive impairment, loss of memory, numbness or pain in areas that the stroke affected, paralysis, problems swallowing or talking and reduced muscle function.
What physical and emotional problems occur after a stroke?
Common warning signs of a stroke include the following:
Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm and/or leg
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech.
Sudden difficulty seeing in one or both eyes.
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or loss of coordination.
Sudden severe headache with no known cause

If you or anyone you know experiences any of the above warning signs, call your doctor or go to an emergency room immediately.
Because of the organization of our nervous system, an injury to one side of the brain affects the opposite side of the body. Often the person loses movement and/or feeling in the arm and/or leg opposite the side of the brain affected by the stroke. So, if a person has a stroke on the left side of the brain, he or she may have weakness or paralysis in the right arm and leg. This makes it difficult for the person to perform activities of daily living. It is also common for survivors of stroke to tire easily.
How is a stroke diagnosed?
A stroke is diagnosed by medical professionals. Special tests that allow doctors to look at the person's brain (CT scan, MRI) are often used to determine where the stroke occurred and how severe it is.
A speech-language pathologist (SLP) Works with other rehabilitation and medical professionals and families to provide a comprehensive evaluation and treatment plan for stroke survivors. The team may include:
Doctors
Nurses
Neurophysiologists
Occupational therapists
Physical therapists
Social workers
Employers/teachers

What’s Stroke Causes, signs, Symptoms?

What is a stroke?
Every stroke is unique; A stroke is when a clogged or burst artery interrupts blood flow to the brain. This interruption of blood flow deprives the brain of needed oxygen and causes the affected brain cells to die. When brain cells die, function of the body parts they control is impaired or lost.
Brain cell function requires a constant delivery of oxygen and glucose from the bloodstream. A stroke, or cerebrovascular accident (CVA), occurs when blood supply to part of the brain is disrupted, causing brain cells to die. Blood flow can be compromised by a variety of mechanisms.
A stroke can cause paralysis or muscle weakness, loss of feeling, speech and language problems, memory and reasoning problems, swallowing difficulties, problems of vision and visual perception, coma, and even death.

 

What causes a stroke?
Blockage of blood vessels in the brain
Clots can travel from the blood vessels of the heart or neck and lodge in the brain.
Small vessels in the brain can become blocked, often due to high blood pressure or damage from diabetes.
Clots can form in the blood vessels of the brain due to arteriosclerosis.
Bleeding into or around the brain
Weak spots on brain arteries (aneurysms) burst, covering the brain with blood.
Blood vessels in the brain break because they have been weakened by damage due to high blood pressure, diabetes, or aging.
A stroke is a potentially fatal medical condition that results when the brain is deprived of a normal blood supply. Some strokes occur when the brain has insufficient blood, while others take place when there's too much blood in the skull. In both cases, however, prompt treatment often leads to reduced brain damage and fewer future complications.
Ischemic Stroke
According to the Mayo Foundation, 80 percent of all strokes are classified as ischemic strokes. This type of stroke is caused by ischemia, a condition in which blood flow to the brain is restricted as a result of blocked or narrowed arteries.
There are two kinds of ischemic stroke. A thrombotic stroke results when a thrombus (blood clot) develops in an artery that provides blood to the brain. Such clots often arise when plaques (fatty deposits) accumulate in arteries, a condition called atherosclerosis.
An embolic stroke occurs when an artery in the brain becomes clogged after a particle or thrombus develops in a blood vessel located in another area of the body, such as the heart, and then travels toward the brain through the bloodstream.
Hemorrhagic Stroke
Hemorrhagic stroke results from a leaking or ruptured blood vessel in the brain. Frequent causes include aneurysms (weakened blood vessels) and high blood pressure.
The two categories of hemorrhagic stroke are intracerebral and subarachnoid. Intracerebral hemorrhage occurs when a blood vessel ruptures in the brain and causes cell damage by leaking blood into nearby tissue. High blood pressure is the most frequent cause.
Ruptured aneurysms are the most common source of subarachnoid hemorrhage, which occurs when an artery on the outer portion of the brain bursts and then leaks blood in the area separating the brain and the skull.
Transient Ischemic Attacks
Also called ministroke or TIA, transient ischemic attacks are very short periods during which victims experience symptoms that resemble those of a normal stroke. The causes are identical to an ischemic stroke, namely decreased blood flow to the brain due to a blockage in a blood vessel that supplies blood to the organ. In contrast, however, TIAs involve a much shorter period of blockage, and they produce no permanent damage.
Symptoms mainly -
Although many victims experience no symptoms beforehand, there are numerous signs that sometimes alert individuals when a stroke may be about to occur. Seek immediate medical attention if the victim develops difficulty seeing, speaking or walking; a headache characterized by acute pain, changed consciousness, stiffness in the neck or vomiting; or numbness or paralysis on only one side.
Stroke Symptoms and Signs
A stroke results from impaired oxygen delivery to brain cells via the bloodstream. According to the U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the five major signs of stroke are the sudden onset of:
1. Numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body. The loss of voluntary movement and/or sensation may be complete or partial. There may also be an associated tingling sensation in the affected area.
2. Confusion, trouble speaking or understanding. Sometimes weakness in the muscles of the face can cause drooling.
3. Trouble seeing in one or both eyes
4. Trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
5. Severe headache with no known cause

Complications
The severity of complications from a stroke depends on the amount of time the brain experienced abnormal blood flow. Common issues after a stroke include cognitive impairment, loss of memory, numbness or pain in areas that the stroke affected, paralysis, problems swallowing or talking and reduced muscle function.
What physical and emotional problems occur after a stroke?
Common warning signs of a stroke include the following:
Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm and/or leg
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech.
Sudden difficulty seeing in one or both eyes.
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or loss of coordination.
Sudden severe headache with no known cause

If you or anyone you know experiences any of the above warning signs, call your doctor or go to an emergency room immediately.
Because of the organization of our nervous system, an injury to one side of the brain affects the opposite side of the body. Often the person loses movement and/or feeling in the arm and/or leg opposite the side of the brain affected by the stroke. So, if a person has a stroke on the left side of the brain, he or she may have weakness or paralysis in the right arm and leg. This makes it difficult for the person to perform activities of daily living. It is also common for survivors of stroke to tire easily.
How is a stroke diagnosed?
A stroke is diagnosed by medical professionals. Special tests that allow doctors to look at the person's brain (CT scan, MRI) are often used to determine where the stroke occurred and how severe it is.
A speech-language pathologist (SLP) Works with other rehabilitation and medical professionals and families to provide a comprehensive evaluation and treatment plan for stroke survivors. The team may include:
Doctors
Nurses
Neurophysiologists
Occupational therapists
Physical therapists
Social workers
Employers/teachers

Hair Loss Problem and Natural Treatment

It is general to shower hair each day but sometimes hair loss may be exacerbated by stress, a poor diet or illness. Genealogical hair loss is known as alopecia, which impressed men more often than women.
Many men turn to cures that promise amazing results in preventing hair loss, but usually these are nothing more than expensive scams that can damage health over time. 

There are, however, homeopathic and herbal treatments available that can slow down hair loss and encourage hair to grow naturally.
It could happen to anyone, whether you are a man or woman. The time that you discover that whenever you comb or brush your hair, you notice that you lose more strands than usual. Then you look into the mirror and discover that you have a receding hair line or patches on your scalp that are visible due to your hair thinning out.
There are two things you can do: do nothing and watch your beautiful hair fall out daily until you are bald or start a treatment to help prevent your strands from falling out and grow some new hair.
Fighting hair loss doesn’t have to be stressful. If you don’t care to seek out surgery or plan on wearing any wigs or toupees, there’s always seeking out a hair loss treatment that can help grow back hair naturally. And you don’t even need to have a doctor’s prescription; you can just walk into a pharmacy or even shop online to find a treatment that will work for you.
Common hair loss treatment does exist. If you are experiencing some type of hair loss, then before you find the treatment that will work for you, you need to figure out exactly why the hair loss is occurring. On this note, there are many different reasons as to why you could be losing your hair.
Despite the reasons, we know the feelings that you are feeling and they are not good. When one starts to lose their hair, their self confidence starts to lower. In the paragraphs below, we are going to tell you what could be causing your hair loss.

The same foods that are good for your body and your health overall are good for your hair, including foods that are high in protein, low in carbohydrates and have a reduced fat content, says hair expert that’s An expert in female hair loss at New York University Medical Center in New York City. Generally you put on your plate may not put hair on your head, but it can help the hair you do have remain healthier longer.
Another important dietary need are essential fatty acids, found in foods like walnuts, canola oil, fish, Treating Hair Loss Naturally
Experts say vitamins, herbs; even diet can help women cope with hair loss
It's been called the "ultimate bad hair day" -- the moment a woman realizes that her sink contains a lot more than just the few strands she's used to seeing following a shampoo or even a vigorous brushing. The problem is hair loss, and whether the result of the aging process or a true medical or genetic condition, the number of women affected appears to be on the rise.
You may be losing your hair because you are not getting enough nutrients. It is important that you get your fair share of nutrients for a healthy head of hair. Besides, the rest of your body can benefit from this one. So, make sure you have your daily dose of fruits and vegetables and don’t forget about your protein.
In our quest for a natural hair loss treatment, Japanese scientists used logic and stumbled upon something very simple. A natural substance is the potential capability to actual re-grow hair. It makes sense that the substance would be found in a fruit of vegetable since it’s already been proven that fruits and vegetables build very strong fibers in our bodies. A perfect example of this is the use of wine and grapes in France. The polyphonies in wine keep them free of most disease and ailments. Upon testing botanical extracts in Japan, they found that one of the most widely available fruits has an even stronger form of these polyphenols, including one very special polyphenol.
They found that certain apples contain high amounts of polyphenols. One of the apple polyphenols is procyanidin b2. They began isolating and testing the properties of this particular polyphenol b2 from apples to record the benefits and results.
On the initial study they discovered it re-grew hair on mice that had bald spots. Upon this discovery they knew they had something and started human toxicology studies to determine the safety of apple polyphenols. It turns out that there very safe for human consumption, in fact one of the researchers Takahashi, stated that it had "effectiveness in curing androgenetic alopecia."
The natural hair loss treatment of some water soluble and readily absorbed into the body, they are actually beneficial in high dosage. Combined with exercise and a healthy diet, apple polyphenols are very effective since they would be better distributed throughout the body where it’s needed.
There are different treatment methods that you can use when you are experiencing hair loss. However, like we told you in the beginning, you need to know the reason behind it first.
You may be losing hair because of your age. As you age, you may notice more and more hair coming out when you brush your hair. There are treatments that you can purchase from the beauty aisle that could help you with this, whether you are male or female.
A big cause of hair loss would be the stress. If you live a stressful life, then you may experience hair loss. With this, it does not matter what age you are. We have known 22 year olds to lose hair simply because their stress level was too high. Obviously, the treatment method for this would be to lower the stress level.
We know that sometimes, this is not possible, but it is important that you try to lower it. Besides, too much stress is not good for your health.
A number of specific medical treatments that offer great results, depending on the cause of the hair loss, and the extent, experts say there are a variety of natural treatments that can yield important benefits for anyone concerned about the health of their hair. Among the first natural lines of defense: Eating a healthy, nutritious diet.
Herbal and homeopathic treatments can stimulate and encourage hair growth, as well as support good blood circulation, hormonal balance and correct thyroid functioning.
Homeopathic - A homeopath may prescribe Aurum metallicum for an individual who is losing hair and also suffers from headaches and/or boils on the scalp. Phosphoric acid is generally recommended for hair loss following grief and exhaustion. Selenium is said to help an individual with a painful scalp combined with loss of hair. Visit a qualified homeopath to get a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.
Herbal - An herbalist may suggest a daily intake of rosemary tea or nettle tea. Equisetum arvense (field horsetail), Avena sativa (oats) and Echinacea are effective in combating hair loss and nourishing hair follicles. Visit an herbalist first before deciding on these treatments.
Aromatherapy - A scalp massage with essential oils such as fenugreek, ginger, cypress, lavender and rosemary are suggested to help with hair loss. Blend 2 drops of essential oil to 15ml (1 tablespoon) of carrier oil, such as jojoba.
Vitamins and Minerals - Vitamin B complex, Vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, choline and inositol should be taken regularly by men whose hair is receding or falling out.
Cutting down on alcohol and sugar and eliminating nutritionally deficient junk food from the diet can slow down hair loss. Stick to a natural, healthy diet that includes good fats, protein, whole grains and plenty of organically grown fruits and vegetables in order to prevent hair loss or thinning hair.