Medical Care - Agap Kamay at Sariling Tulong

Medical Care: Agap Kamay at Sariling Tulong

2009-09-22T19:04:00.000-07:00

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H1N1 Information and Guidelines from the United Nations...Continued

How do you know you have Influenza?

Seasonal Influenza:
• Fever
• Headache
• Aching muscles
• Exhaustion and feeling weak
• Loss of appetite
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Dry cough

Pandemic Influenza:
While the first symptoms of pandemic influenza might be similar to seasonal flu symptoms, how the symptoms develop will depend on the nature of the specific virus. It is likely that most people will recover without needing medical attention, but the following symptoms may help you decide if you need to seek medical help:

• Shortness of breath while resting or doing very little work
• Persistent fever for 4 or 5 days
• Painful or difficult breathing
• Coughing up a lot of phlegm or bloody sputum
• Wheezing
• You are feeling better and then you develop a new fever or worsening cough with sputum
• You feel very drowsy and others have difficulty waking you up or note you seem confused or disorientated

Cold or Flu?
Learn the differences between influenza symptoms and those of a common cold.*

Cold:
-Fever... rare
-Headache.... rare
-General aches and pains...slight
-Fatigue, weakness....sometimes
-Extreme Exhaustion....never
-Stuffy Nose....common
-Sneezing....usual
-Sore Throat...common
-Chest Discomfort, cough....mild to moderate hacking cough

Flu:
-Usual; high (100°F to 102°F; occasionally higher, especially in young children); lasts 3-4 days
-Headache.....common
-General aches and pains....usual, often severe
-Fatigue, weakness....usual can last up to 2-3 weeks
-Extreme Exhaustion....usually, especially at the beginning of the illness
-Stuffy Nose.....Sometimes
-Sneezing.....Sometimes
-Sore Throat....Sometimes
-Chest Discomfort.....Common, can become severe*

* National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, September 2005 (http://www.niaid.nih.gov/publications/cold/sick.pdf)

HOW DO YOU REDUCE YOUR RISK OF CONTRACTING INFLUENZA?

Personal Hygiene:

The practice of good personal hygiene is one of the most effective strategies any individual can implement to reduce their risk of being infected by the influenza virus. Important points are:

• Cover the nose and mouth with the sleeve when coughing or sneezing (not with the hand, as that contaminates the hand for touching and spreading organisms further);

• Use a tissue for cleaning/blowing the nose, and dispose of it after use;

• Clean your hands after coughing or sneezing, using a tissue, or touching any surface that may have become contaminated by a prior user. If using a surgical mask, dispose of it carefully after use and wash hands:

° Wash hands with soap and water (preferable) or clean with alcohol-based hand cleaner;

° When you wash your hands, wash for at least 20 seconds, making sure that all surfaces of hands and fingers are cleaned.

• Become “touch aware”, and avoid touching surfaces that are likely to have been touched by others (door handles, stair railings, etc);

Other tips:

• Avoid handshaking, social kissing, and other social rituals that involve touching others.

• Be careful with respiratory secretions when around other people (e.g. coughing and sneezing). If possible, avoid contact with individuals at risk (small children or those with underlying or chronic illnesses) until respiratory symptoms have resolved.

For more information on personal hygiene measures, see:
• www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/habits/index.htm
• www.cdc.gov/cleanhands/

2009-07-14T02:04:00.001-07:00

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H1N1 Information and Guidelines from the United Nations

INTRODUCTION

What is the new influenza A (H1N1) virus that has been causing recent outbreaks globally?
The recent outbreaks of disease in people globally are caused by a new influenza (or “flu”) type A (H1N1) virus. There is a human H5N1 virus circulating and causing seasonal influenza and in the past, very occasionally, H1N1 viruses from swine have infected humans. The specific type of the H1N1 virus causing illness now is new or “novel” and in the current outbreak it is clear that this virus is able to infect humans and be passed from person to person. Although part of the virus may have originated from pigs, there is no evidence that the current spread of infection is coming from that source.

How does the influenza A (H1N1) virus spread?

Spread of this new virus is thought to be happening in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing of people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or no

What should I do to keep from getting infected by the influenza A (H1N1) virus?

First and most important: wash your hands. Try to stay in good general health. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food. Try not touch surfaces that may be contaminated with the flu virus and avoid close contact with people who are sick.

What is a ‘pandemic’?

Influenza pandemics happen when a new human flu virus emerges and spreads rapidly across the globe because humans have no previous immunity against this virus.

Are we at risk of a pandemic?

No one can say whether or not the current situation would evolve into a severe pandemic. But whether it turns out to be a catastrophic health event or little more than a bad flu season, it is important to be prepared for the worst.

What can you do?

Prepare yourself and your family immediately for a possible pandemic. This includes gathering and storing emergency supplies and adopting habits that will reduce the chance of you or your family getting infected and spreading it to others (for example, washing hands regularly, covering nose and mouth when you sneeze or cough, and not spitting in public).

What is the UN doing?

UN organizations are working to educate and inform staff about the threat of a pandemic and how best to prepare for it. Departments and offices have prepared business continuity plans and decided which functions are to be considered “critical” during a pandemic. Non-critical functions may be suspended for a period. In the event of a severe pandemic, most staff will be requested to remain at home and follow the UN’s Medical Guidelines. Please also see the UN pandemic influenza website: www.un.org/staff/pandemic.

A continuation of this advisory from the United Nations will be put up on the site.

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An Apple A Day

2009-01-16T02:08:00.000-08:00

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An Apple a Day: New Year, New Healthy You
Tyrone M. Reyes, M.D.
The Philippine Star, Lifestyle Section, 6 January 2009. Republished here with permission of the author.

Make 2009 the year to go from good health to great. It’s easier than you think. “The trick is to make small adjustments and let them add up,” says David Katz, M.D., director of the prevention research center at Yale University. Check out the list of 52 specific, doable mini-changes in this article, then try a new one each week to make 2009 your healthiest year yet.

8 YOU KNOW YOU SHOULD DO BUT DON’T

1. EAT BREAKFAST. Study after study shows that people who eat a morning meal are more energized, focused and weigh less.

2. BONE UP. Try a calcium supplement daily. Some good choices are those combined with vitamin D so you can have an extra dose of this important vitamin.

3. GET YOUR THREE-A-DAY OF WHOLE GRAIN. They can cut your risk of heart disease and diabetes by more than 35 percent. Good sources include oatmeal and brown rice.

4. MILK IT. It’s a great source of calcium as well as vitamin D, which recent studies show may help you live longer. It’s also linked to lower risk of some cancers.

5. HYDRATE. Drink enough to avoid dehydration. Water is just fine.

6. DO A SHOT OF SUNSCREEN. You need a full shot of glass to cover your entire body, and one teaspoon for your face to fully protect against skin cancer, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation.

7. LUNCH ON SALAD. It’s an easy way to get at least two servings of vegetables in one shot, says Molly Morgan, R.D. Be sure to toss in the brightly colored ones, which are highest in disease-fighting antioxidants. Try tomatoes, red and green peppers, and broccoli.

8. FLOSS. Gum disease increases your risk of various conditions, including diabetes and heart disease.

8 YOU CAN NOW COUNT AS HEALTHY

1. NIBBLE BEFORE DINNER. Eating a small amount of healthy fat 20 minutes before you eat – such as peanuts, almonds, walnuts, and others – can trick you into thinking you’re full faster. This works because good fats stimulate the production of a hormone that sends the signal to your brain that you’ve eaten enough.

2. HAVE A PIZZA NIGHT. Pizza is often dismissed as unhealthy, but if you use whole wheat crust and low-fat cheese, and pile on veggies (skip the pepperoni and ground beef), it’s one of the most nutritionally sound meals around.

3. JUICE IT UP. So long to its reputation as a sugar and calorie bomb. New research has found that drinking fruit and vegetable juices can reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease by 76% and help lower cholesterol. Just make sure you go for 100 percent juice (read the labels carefully).

4. PUT PASTA ON THE MENU. Choose multigrain varieties, says Jennifer Vimborg, R.D., a Chicago-based nutritionist. “They’re loaded with fiber to help you get the recommended 25 grams per day.”

5. DRINK A FRUITY COCKTAIL. Research shows that alcohol can increase the level of antioxidants in certain fruits, including strawberries.

6. EXPRESS YOURSELF. When people write affectionately about their close friends and family in three 20-minute sessions, their cholesterol levels dropped an average of 11 points.

7. GO SHOPPING. Buying an inexpensive thing that you really like can give your mood a lift, plus you can burn up to 160 extra calories walking around the mall.

8. CLEAN HOUSE. Increasing light physical activity can lower blood glucose levels and may reduce the risk of diabetes, according to research published in the journal Diabetes Care.

6 NON-NEGOTIABLES

1. KNOW YOUR “BIG SEVEN”. Weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, blood pressure, cholesterol, heart rate, and blood sugar. They’re the most crucial indicators of good health and disease risk, says Dr. Katz. If any fall outside the healthy range, work with your doctor to get them under control.

2. TAKE YOUR FAMILY HEALTH HISTORY. Many diseases have a hereditary component, and your doctor may want to watch you more closely for conditions that run in your family.

3. MEASURE YOUR WAIST MONTHLY. In women, if it’s over 35 inches, and in men, over 40 inches, you’re at a higher risk for conditions like heart disease and diabetes, regardless of your weight.

4. SET AN ANNUAL MAMMOGRAM. Along with a yearly clinical breast exam and a periodic breast self-exam, a mammogram starting at age 40, is the best way to catch breast cancer in its early, most treatable stage.

5. ASK FOR AN HPV TEST ALONG WITH YOUR PAP. It screens for the human papillomavirus, which is directly linked to cervical cancer.

6. DO A FULL-BODY MOLE CHECK. Do this on yourself monthly and get one yearly at the dermatologist. If you notice any that are new, changed or bleeding, see a dermatologist ASAP.

12 WEIGHTLESS TRICKS

1. SWITCH ONE SODA. Exchange one soda (diet or regular) that you drink everyday for water. In one study, dieters who replaced almost all sweetened drinks with H2O lost an average of five pounds more than those who didn’t. Even limiting diet drinks can help, says Heather Bauer, R.D., founder of Nu-Trin nutrition counseling center in New York City.

2. EAT AND RUN. Before you reach for that candy bar, think about how far you need to run to burn those calories.

3. CHEW SLOWLY. In a recent study, when the subjects were told to eat quickly, they ate 646 calories in nine minutes, but when they were encouraged to pause between bites and chew each mouthful 15 to 20 times, they took in just 579 calories in 29 minutes.

4. SLEEP. Replacing one hour of “inactive” awake time with sleep can slash your calorie intake by about six percent, due to hormonal changes and simply by giving you fewer chances to eat, say recent research.

5. TURN IN A LITTLE HUNGRY. Nighttime snacks can add up to 300 extra calories daily, says Julie Upton, R.D. On a scale of one to ten, one being faint due to hunger and ten being stuffed, go to bed at about six.

6. BE A FLEXTARIAN. Going meatless for at least two meals a week can help reduce the amount of saturated fat and calories you consume, says Bauer.

7. CHANGE YOUR DRESSING. A salad is certainly virtuous – until you pour on the dressing. In fact, people can often get more fat and calories from dressings than any other food, says Bauer. Try the new salad dressing spritzers, which add flavor for just 10 calories.

8. LEAVE A FEW BITES BEHIND. This equals about 100 calories, which is all you need to cut down from your daily diet to avoid gaining the one to two pounds most adults put on every year, says Jim Hill, Ph.D., co-founder of America on the Move.

9. GO THE EXTRA MILE. This will help you ward off weight gain. That’s just 2,000 steps (or about a walk around the block).

10. JUMP ROPE. This will up the calorie burn of your walking workout. Start by doing 20 jumps every five to 10 minutes.

11. SIT IN FRONT OF THE TV… on a stability ball. “It gets you to hold in your abdominal muscles, so you’re building strength and helping posture,” says Katie Duggan, M.P.H., manager of the Prevention Research Center at St. Louis University’s School of Public Health.

12. EXERCISE WHILE YOU EMAIL. Sit upright and inhale deeply. As you exhale slowly, draw your lower abdominals in toward your spine. Hold them tight (while you take a few easy breaths) for as long as it takes you to write an email.

3 THAT MAKE LIFE EASIER

1. HAVE IT DELIVERED. Not having time to cook doesn’t have to stand between you and having a healthy meal. You can have good food delivered.

2. GET ORGANIZED. At doctor’s visits, request a copy of all lab works, consultations and the physician’s report, and keep them in a file or binder at home.

3. STRIKE A POSE. Research shows that yoga can make you less stressed and better able to concentrate. One study found that students saw the benefits after just four classes.

AND 5 THAT ARE JUST PLAIN SMART

1. KNOW THIS WORKOUT NUMBER. Monitor your heart rate to make sure you’re getting the most out of your walk or jog.

2. SNEAK IN STRENGTH TRAINING. It’s key to warding off the weight creep as you age.

3. SPORT SOME SHADES. Make sure that they have UVA and UVB protection. Excessive sunlight exposure over time can up your risk of cataracts.

4. TAKE A FISH OIL CAPSULE. It’s a good source of health-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

5. BUY A NEW PILLOW. It’ll make all the difference in how you sleep. A pillow that’s indented in the center or conforms to your head shape is best for reducing neck pain.

HOPE THESE 52 EASY TWEAKS WILL HELP YOU FEEL AND LOOK YOUR BEST IN 2009!
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Submit your thoughts and questions on this article by simply clicking on the word "comments" just below. Ask questions. Click on Magtanong sa Doktor or Magtanong sa Psychologist. Share your thoughts, feelings and experiences. Stay in touch!

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Click to return to website: www.ofwparasapamilya.com

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2008-09-15T19:54:00.000-07:00

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Going abroad brings many changes, amongst which are the food we eat, the seasoning and spices that we use to prepare it, and even how we eat. Remember those sit-down lunches with our office mates in Manila be it in a carinderia or a fancy restaurant, versus the sandwiches or cookies we eat while riding the bus or driving our car in the USA. These changes affect our bodies. Interestingly, the first question submitted on this site was on hemorrhoids due to constipation from a new OFW in Malaysia. Hence, this article:
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Hemorrhoids
By: Priscilla Sanchez, M.D.
Internist, Geriatric Medicine

Hemorrhoids are swollen or enlarged veins in the anal canal. These are very common and can cause pain, itchiness, and even bleeding. Hemorrhoids can be “internal” or external”, and often, both types occur simultaneously. These result from persistently elevated pressure on the blood vessels in the pelvis and rectal vault due to constipation or even diarrhea, both of which may lead to straining in order to push out the feces. They also commonly occur in pregnant women because of the increased pressure exerted by the enlarged uterus on the rectum.

Hemorrhoids are not serious or life-threatening but they can become strangulated or thrombosed, which can result in a very painful condition. It can be diagnosed readily by your attending physician by means of a simple examination. Procedures involving a scope (i.e. proctosigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy) will be recommended only if an examination for rectal bleeding yields negative results for hemorrhoids.

Treatment of haemorrhoids involves modifying the diet to include more fiber in the form of fruit, vegetables, and whole grain breads and cereals. Any increase in fiber intake should be accompanied by an increase in water intake. Fiber supplements in powder or tablet form are also widely available over the counter. More severe cases of haemorrhoids may require procedures such as rubber band ligation or sclerotherapy, and sometimes, surgery is necessary.
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Submit your thoughts and questions on this article by simply clicking on the word "comments" just below. Ask questions; share your thoughts, feelings and experiences. Click on "Magtanong sa Doktor", or "Magtanong sa Psychologist" or join the e-PinoyTalk forums. Stay in touch!

Hindi ka nagiisa... One. Filipino. Never Alone.
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