Bird Flu–Be Prepared–Not Scared

Seemingly every day we hear about the deadly Bird Flu that will supposedly cause the next world-wide epidemic. This kind of hype causes anxiety and fear among the people about a particular infectious organism (H5N1 virus) and usually precedes the announcement that a new vaccine is being developed to wipe out the organism.

Influenza as a bioweapon does not sound like a particularly grave threat. But flu viruses can be devastating. In 1918 and 1919, the so-called “Spanish flu” killed an estimated 20-40 million people worldwide and, since then, the highly changeable flu virus has resurfaced in a variety of particularly virulent forms.

A Public Health Warning and Political Essay by a Harvard-trained Author of Fifteen Books Including the American bestseller, Emerging Viruses: AIDS & Ebola-Nature, Accident or Intentional?

One of the best ways to control pests in your garden is to encourage their natural enemies. Planting pollen and nectar plants, and providing protection for these beneficial insects, is a basic tenet of organic gardening, and a way to further increase the ecological diversity of your yard. We’ve listed the most common beneficial insects along with tips on attracting them to your yard.

Get your tomato plants off to a healthy start with these smart suggestions. Buy a tomato plant’s stem and the stem will sprout a slew of new roots that help the plant.

These herbs may thrive in cooler temperatures, but some seeds, such as those of parsley, can take up to a month to germinate, especially in cold spring soils. Soaking the seeds overnight and covering newly seeded beds with clear plastic help speed germination of direct-sown seeds.

In this article the most common symptoms of menopause are discussed. In addition, there are natural, even inexpensive, ways to ease these symptoms. Handling menopause gracefully is a lifestyle approach with a set of positive beliefs and a healthy mindset. Buying into the hype is only a way to harm yourself in the long run, and only delays the inevitable. The sooner you learn to accept your body and love yourself, the easier perimenopause and menopause will be.

The Annals of Internal Medicine published an article in January, 2006 reporting three patients who experienced severe liver toxicity following the taking of Ketek (telithromycin). These cases have also been conveyed to FDA MedWatch.

The FDA announced the support of updated labeling for two topical eczema drugs, Elidel Cream and Protopic Ointment. The labeling will be updated with a boxed warning about a potential risk of cancer and a Medication Guide will be circulated to help guarantee that patients using these prescription medicines are aware of this matter.

Magnesium levels were tested in a total of 457 patients suffering either persistent primary depression or constant pain with depression. The magnesium tolerance test is considerably more reliable than serum, red blood cell, whole blood, or white blood cell magnesium levels. Almost all considerably depressed patients are deficient in magnesium. Clinicians should take into account the potential of therapeutic benefit from magnesium replacement therapy in chronic depression. Although magnesium deficiency has been conveyed in depression, this association is not widely recognized