EEWWWW BODY ODOR!!!

No matter how much we deodorize and spill buckets of cologne or perfume on, at one point in the day we will start to get a little funky. This is because, whether we like it or not, we will seat even if we are just sitting down. Our bodies may become over heated and begin to perspirate to cool our bodies down. Unfortunately, perspiration, or sweat, doesn't smell like roses and some people's body odor is stronger than others.

Perspiration is a cooling mechanism in your body. Your body releases water onto your skin which evaporates and helps to cool you. Most people think that sweat in itself actually stinks, but, it doesn't. When the water is released onto your skin it begins to stink because of the bacteria on your skin which starts to release smelly natural chemicals. This is a problem, especially for teenagers. During puberty hormones are fluctuating and changing. During this stage of life sweat glands become ore active and different odors may appear stronger around the armpits, feet and genital areas. It is critical that you bathe daily and you use deodorant or antiperspirant. using perfume and cologne is great to smell fresh but it will not last the entire day and isn't strong enough to mask odors. When bathing you should use mild soap or body wash and warm water so you can wash away the bacteria that contribute to the smells. If you find that you sweat a lot, clothes made from cotton will help absorb sweat more effectively. Adults and teens should follow these tips in order to clean the right way and stay smelling good.

Not everyone needs to wear deodorants, or over use deodorant. If you hardly sweat and you shower daily and use clean clothes then you don't need deodorant or antiperspirant unless you find that your body is giving off a bad odor. Deodorant and antiperspirant sommercials try to convince people into thinking that they need it when in fact some do not. Everyone's body chemistry is different which is why some people smell stronger than others.

Also remember that what comes out of your body reflects what you put in. A plant based diet is an internal deoderizer. So it would be good to have a salad or two once in a while! (Ex. parsley, oregano, sage, cilantro, celery, rosemary, etc.)
(http://www.coolnurse.com/body_odor.htm) (http://www.naturalnews.com/004417.html)

ADHD -- The Facts

What exactly is ADHD? Most of us have heard the term before and may have even joked about it; refering to someone as having ADD or ADHD because they can't stay still. However this disorder is no laughing matter.

ADHD stands for Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This condition makes it difficult for people to control their attention and behavior. The disorder is usually noticeable aroung the age of seven. It is characterized by levels of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. The syptoms can occur during random moments such as being in a classroom and can affect the relationship between the person and their friends and family. Some of the most common behaviors of people with ADHD are:

Difficulty focusing in a variety of situations

Problems getting organized

Not listening when spoken to

Having trouble sitting still or waiting in line

Constantly interrupting others

Other behaviors associated with ADHD are chronic lateness and forgetfulness, anxiety, difficulty organizing, difficulty controlling anger, impulsiveness, and substance abuse. People with ADHD are very easily distracted. They usually cannot focus or concentrate for a long period of time and may become restless or impulsive. They also tend to occasionally daydream and are most times lethargic when completing tasks.

There are different medications that help control patients ADHD symptoms. If you feel you may have ADHD it would be best to consult a doctor and do more research on this disorder. Someone who doesn't pay attention or daydreams may not have ADHD so, it would be a good idea not to assume and let a trained professional conclude the diagnosis.
(http://depts.washington.edu/hhpccweb/article-detail.php?ArticleID=354&ClinicID=1)

FOR MORE INFORMATION CLICK THE LINK BELOW:
(http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/adhd/complete-publication.shtml)

CONDOMS!!! CONDOMS!! READ ALL ABOUT IT!

Every year more than 1 million Americans are infected with HIV, most times it is sexually transmitted. It is estimated that 12 million other STD's are also transmitted yearly. In order the control the infection rate it is critical that sexually active people be responsible and use protection and get tested regularly. Using a condom during a sexually act is crucial, whether it is oral vaginal or anal. Recent studies found that latex condoms are highly effective in protecting against HIV infections when used properly during intercourse.

A study of discordent couples (couples where one person is infected and the other isn't) in Europe (123 couples) reported consistent condom use, and none of the uninfected partners were infected, thus proving the effectiveness of condoms. In comparison, among 122 couples who inconsistently used condoms, 12 of the uninfected partners became infected. It is important to use condoms correctly to ensure its efficiency. Therefore, oil-based lubricants, such as petroleum jelly, cold cream, hand lotion, or baby oil, can weaken the condom.(http://www.thebody.com/content/art17057.html)

Condoms can be found at your local pharmacys or clinics. When buying condoms at a young age it can be difficult and embarrassing; for this reason you should visit your doctor or school nurse who will provide you with free condoms. For adults, condoms can be bought in places like Wal-Mart, Rite Aid, Duane Reade, and Costco. Some trustworthy name brand condoms are, Trojan, Durex, Lifestyle and Wet.

This link is for teens who do not want to get condoms from their school or doctors:
http://www.door.org/

Children and Asthma

WHAT IS ASTHMA?

Asthma is a disease that causes the airways of the lungs to be very sensitive to things they are allergic to or irritants. The symptoms start when allergens and/or irritants cause the lining of the airways to swell and narrow. This is what causes the weezing in many asthmatics. the muscles in the airway contract and narrow even more. Then, when mucus begins to clog the airways; this is called an asthma attack. In order to prevent your asthma syptoms, it is a good idea to keep track of what you are allergic to and try to avoid those things as much as possible. Also, speak with your doctor about any medicine or treatments that will help control your asthma. (http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/asthma/basics/014.html)

DOES YOUR CHILD HAVE ASTHMA?

Well have you ever heard your child coughing constantly? Weezing or having trouble breathing? If you have then chances are your child is an asthmatic. These syptoms tend to worsen whenever your child excercises or becomes sick. The best thing to do is to visit your doctor immediately to find the cause of these symptoms in your child; your doctor will try to find other reasons for the symptoms before diagnosing Asthma.

To help your child avoid an Asthma attack you should keep him or her away from triggers, also known as allergens, and irritants. Some examples of triggers and irritants are, air pollution, dust, mold, pollen, and Tobacco smoke etc. Since children are usually very active parents need to try alternatives in order to decrease the rate of Asthma attacks their children experience. For instance you can use the air conditioner instead of open windows and frequently change the filter on your heating and cooling system, in order to control the amount of pollen and mold your child is exposed to.

HOW SERIOUS IS MY CHILDS ASTHMA?

It is sometimes hard to tell considering the fact that many children are either born with Asthma or develop it later on in life. However, when you discover that your child does have Asthma then, you should have your child use a peak flow meter. A peak flow meter will help you measure the amount of air that flows out of your childs lungs. Asthmatics have a lower air flow in and out of their lungs than that of other people. This measuring scale will help you see the problems in your childs air flow before any symptoms of Asthma occur. This peak flow meter is also helpful when your doctor concludes the seriousness of the Asthma attack.

(http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/asthma/kids/219.html)

For more information click the link below: (http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/asthma.html)

Smoke it up!...Face the consequences!

Marijuana is one of the most infamously used drugs in the United States, despite the fact that use of it is illegal in this country. It is basicaly an herb grown in very tropical places in the world. It is a dry shredded green and/or brown mix of flowers, stems, seeds and leaves of the hemp plant cannabis sativa. It is usually smoke like a cigarette or in a pipe or bong. People who smoke marijuana may also buy and empty a cigar of all its Tobacco and replace it with marijuana and many times in combination with another drug such as angel dust; this is called a blunt.

There are also many different street names for marijuana. Some of the most popular are weed, pot, herb, grass, widow, ganja, bud, Mary-J and hash. The active chemical in marijuana is THC. the "high" that people experience when smoking marijuana is caused by this chemical. The THC binds to the nerve cells, which has protein receptors, in the brain. (http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/marijuana.html)

There are many young people in the U.S. that use marijuana or have used marijuana. Research shows that in 2004 14.6 million Americans age 12 and older used marijuana atleast once in the month before being surveyed and 6,000 people a day tried marijuana for the first time. Scientists have learned many things about THC and its effects. When smoking marijauna, THC is distributed through the lungs and enters the bloodstream quickly which then is sent throughout the body to different organs including the brain. The short term effects of marijuana is problems with memory and learning, difficulty in thinking and problem solving, loss of coordination and increased heart rate. A study also found that 450 people who smoke marijuana frequently but don't smoke tobacco, are absent from work more often and have more health problems than non-smokers. Marijuana abuse has the potential to promote cancer of the lungs and other parts of the respiratory tract because it contains irritants and carcinogens. Marijuana contains about 50%-70% more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than tobacco smoke.

Smoking marijuana is not less harmful than smoking cigarettes. Actually marijuana is more harmful. The best thing to do would be to quit smoking and become healthier. There are different ways to stop smoking marijuana but it is up to the person and how much they truly want to quit.

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)

HPV, which stands for Human Papoloma Virus, is a cervical cancer women contract from sex. It is the second most common cancer in women all over the world. Women over the age of 30 are more likely to form cervical cancer than that of women under 30 because the HPV usually goes away by itself. Smoking also contributes to the development of cervical cancer. (http://www.aafp.org/afp/20000301/1369.html) It is a virus that infects the skin and mucous membranes. There are about 100 types of HPV in which about 30 are spread genitally., some can even cause genital warts. It is estimated that about 80% of women will contract some form of HPV at one point in their life. The immune system is usually strong enough to fight off the virus although sometimes it is not and the condition of the virus may become worse.



After a person contracts HPV if it doesn't go away on its own it may form into cervical cancer. the American cancer society estimates that nearly 11, 150 women in the U.S. will develop cervical cancer and around 3,700 died from it. Thankfully, the United States has the pap test, which checks for signs of HPV. Due to the pap test, there is a lower occurance of cervical cancer in America by 75% over the last 50 years. (http://www.thehpvtest.com/HPV-facts-cervical-cancer-faq.html)



Although there are tests and vaccines to check women for cervical cancer and HPV, unfortunately women are still getting HPV and or Cervical Cancer and are still dying. it is estimated that about 1 in 123 women will develop cervical cancer.



It would be a good idea for young women, who are sexually active, to go to their community clinic and get tested to insure they are healthy.

The Nicotine Addiction

There are very large and different amounts of chemicals that each cagarette stick contains. The most damaging of these chemicals is Tar (carcinogen), Nicotine, and Carbon Monoxide. The public is educated about these harmful chemicals and yet they continue to poison themselves. Cigarettes contain 4000 chemicals of which 400 are toxic substances. There are no excercises or foods that can reverse the affects of smoking. Only quiting will allow you body to heel. Smoking not only causes minor health problems but also major health problems which include lung cancer and other cancers and serios illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and emphysema.

The effect of soming cigarettes is also influenced by how the tabacco was prepared, whether the cigarette has a filter and the number of cigarettes smoked. If no one smoked lung cancer would be a rare diagnosis. Also, the risk of mouth cancer is four times higher than that of a non-smoker. In addition, people who smoke are also at risk of chronic bronchitis, which is when a person coughs with a large amount of mucus, which can also last up to 3 months. Research shows that couples who smoke are more likely to have fertility problems than couples who do not smoke.(http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/health_advice/facts/smokehealth.htm)

Smoking causes more negative affects then that of "relieving stress", as people claim. People who are chain smokers are being hurt more then those who casually smoke. There are many alternatives to cigarettes, although it may be hard for some people to quit. There are also things to help people quit such as, Nicotine gum or patch, chantix (varenicline) tablets and much more. All of these alternatives to quit smoking help people to ignore their calling addiction to nicotine.

CHILD OBESITY

There is a growing alarm in the U.S. Too many children are gaining more and more pounds and facing more health issues. Research is now blaming fast food for the increased weight gain. Studies show that children who eat fast food consume 187 more calories daily than that of children who do not consume fast food as much.



About one-third of U.S. children aged 4 to 19 eat fast food everyday. A study, involving 6,212 children, shows that these children are at risk of obesity with a weight gain rate at 6lbs per year. Children's current levels of fast-food consumption probably are even higher because of an increase in the number of fast-food restaurants and in fast-food marketing since the late 1990s, Dr. David Ludwig said. This epidemic of child obesity is largely due to the fact that the American diet consists of tons of unhealthy foods.

In order to stop this weight gain in the children of our future, parents need to show their children how to eat healthy. This means that junk food is a snack or treat, not an everyday meal. We need to teach children how to eat different kinds of fruits and vegetables and meats and breads in a controlled amount, as to not over do consuption of food. Water and excercise is also needed. Children who live in suburban areas need to get outside to their local park and play with their friends instead of being home all day doing nothing.