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Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts

Saturday, February 1

Agric-Kulture (Series 4)

--- THE AVIAN INFLUENZA SEASON (BIRD FLU) ---

According to news reports from Aljazeera.com, China is on a high alert over new bird flu cases due to fears of deadly H7N9 bird flu virus (which has killed 22 and merely affected 110 humans so far this year). The question I'll like to address is can we have such cases in Nigeria and what can we do to prevent causalities?

This map shows, as at April 2006, the extent to which the bird flu virus has spread to wild and domestic birds (as well as humans)

Brief Intro to the Virus -

Friday, July 20

Innovative thoughts can occur in ANYone...even YOU!

Without talking about YOU for a second, let's talk about someone who took that brave step. Meet the 15 year old [yea! you read right] who is changing how we test for Cancer.

I've always thought (and still do) that we are missing the simplest things because we are thinking too hard or too far out. Sometimes I think the cure for AIDS [if the US government doesn't already have it and being selfish with it...to make pharmaceutical companies keep selling... - #sigh# another topic for another day people] is right under our noses but we are all just looking for complicated/ complex solutions to these problems.

Thank goodness for 15-year-old, Jack Andraka, a high school freshman, who came up with a simple and inexpensive test to diagnose pancreatic cancer. Here's his story:


Jack Andraka is a 15-year-old student from Maryland, who took first place in this year's Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF), with his mind-blowing discovery of a paper sensor that detects pancreatic cancer 168 times faster than current tests. His discovery is also 90% accurate, 400 times more sensitive, and 26,000 times LESS expensive than today's methods. Summary: It's much more better.

"I became interested in early detection [because a friend's brother was killed by the disease], did a ton of research, and came up with this idea," Andraka said. 
Jack Andraka's dip-stick sensor can test blood or urine for a certain protein called mesothelin, which indicates the presence of the specific cancer. According to Andraka, it can detect cancer even before it becomes invasive.

He plans to use his $75,000 winnings to invest in his college education, with plans to become a pathologist. However, in the meantime, Jack plans to start clinical trials with the sensor, meet with Quest Diagnostics, and get his product on the market within 10 years. [hmmm... what was I doing in high school/ college?!...one word = alcohol x_x ]

What are you gonna do now?



Sunday, July 15

Staying healthy during the climate change

No one is (totally) stupid. You know the obvious when it comes to staying healthy and well (so I'm pretty much wasting my time here). However, how come you still end up at the doctors?! Or with a huge sickness-blister around your lip?! Or sneezing and sniffling real bad after being (let's say) caught in the consistent rain-pours, in a not so thick outfit that has a lot of skin out...?!

It's okay. We all fall prey to ailments, however, a few of them can be easily avoided if we paid closer attention. Health is Wealth people...Word!

Here's what to do to make sure you still ON TOP of the weather/ climate change as much as possible:

- Avoiding malaria: Mosquitoes breed around stagnant water. If you live or work around a swampy area or an area with little puddles of water here and there, you are an easy access for mosquitoes to visit. It's almost inevitable that you can avoid them, however, in your home make sure you use an insecticide to disinfect your rooms, daily. Preferably as you step out to work, spray an effective amount to get rid of any mosquito currently inhabiting your home while repelling any who plans to come visit. [ How cool is that?!]

- Avoiding a cold/flu: If the weather isn't too hot and sunny, it's raining heavily. And because of this, our windows are up and our air conditioning on, while we drive around. Even at our offices, they have the air conditioning on full blast, while you shiver away. Stay warm and never leave your house without a sweater or cardigan in hand. An umbrella is also very important for the rainy days, but I'll like to hit more on having a SWEATER or CARDIGAN in hand. Thick scarves are good too. Plus, on those rainy day, try to stay away from very cold beverages at all times. Mix it up: have a hot/warm cup of cocoa, drink lukewarm water, etc.

- Avoiding terrible allergies: You know what you are allergic to, then have your aid available at all times. That's it! Have it constantly around. Your supplements, your inhaler and refills, pocket tissue, vitamins... the whole works. Another reason having such on you is important is so that if there is a crisis and people are unable to communicate with you, seeing what you have on you would give them an idea of a possible problem you may be going through (making professional aid more effective and immediate).


- Avoiding catching something contagious: You can be as careful as possible, always prepared to keep warm, having a mosquito repellent in your top drawer, etc; however you can still be very prone to a (contagious) ailment not by your own demise. Best advise: have your hands far away from your face as possible. Here's what I mean...

Your hand goes everywhere: inside your nose (eww! i know), your eye(s), your mouth, on an open sore, etc. They also go here: opening doors, touching railings, touching tables, touching people (helping someone up, high fives, getting someone to move away when they don't hear you say it, hand shakes - hmm, now I get why Ose bobo made it an ish to only give fist-pounds to guys. He did tell me he knows how guys can be very dirty :-p ), etc. All these external places carry germs. What you need to go is watch your hands very frequently (note that there's also a technique to effective hand wash). Every time you think you would need to touch an eye or have your hand in your mouth, wash your hands...trust me, your hands are not THAT clean. It also helps to have hand sanitizers handy, however realize it only kills the germs, not get it off your hands (washing does that).


Thinking of something else I didn't mention, feel free to add it below.

Oh, P/S: If you've already caught something...ermm, you would know because you won't feel like your usual self (duh!). As I was saying, if you feel different from usual and not in a good way, you should seek medical attention immediately. Early symptoms are always easy to treat (could take less than a week to get rid of) and less expensive ;) .


Take care of yourself everyone. Be safe.