Rogue Dentist May Have Exposed 7,000 Patients to HIV, Hepatitis

Rogue Dentist May Have Exposed 7,000 Patients to HIV, Hepatitis - The Tulsa Health Department is warning 7,000 patients of a local dentist's office that they could have contracted HIV, hepatitis B or hepatitis C from poor sterilization practices.

Dr. Wayne Harrington, an oral surgeon with a practice in Tulsa, Okla., is being investigated by the state dental board, the state bureau of narcotics and the federal Drug Enforcement Agency because one of his patients recently tested positive for hepatitis C and HIV without known risk factors other than receiving dental treatment.

Upon hearing of the infected patient, the Oklahoma Board of Dentistry conducted a surprise inspection of Harrington's practice on March 18, allegedly finding numerous problems, including regular use of a rusty set of instruments on patients with known infections, and the practice of pouring bleach on wounds until they "turned white."

Calls to Harrington's office were directed to an operator, who told ABC News the clinic no longer took voicemails. The operator said patients were being referred to another clinic, but did not disclose the clinic's name.

Susan Rogers, executive director of Oklahoma's Board of Dentistry, called the incident a "perfect storm." On top of his many violations in sanitary practice, the dentist was a Medicaid provider, which means he had a high proportion of patients with HIV or hepatitis, she said.

Harrington and his staff told investigators that he treated a "high population of known infectious disease carrier patients," according to a complaint filed by the Oklahoma Board of Dentistry.

He allegedly allowed unlicensed dental assistants to administer medication, according to the complaint. These assistants were left to decide which medications to administer, and how much was appropriate.

Drug cabinets were unlocked and unsupervised during the day, and Harrington did not keep an inventory log of drugs, some of which were controlled substances. One drug vial expired in 1993.

"During the inspections, Dr. Harrington referred to his staff regarding all sterilization and drug procedures in his office," the complaint read. "He advised, 'They take care of that. I don't.'"

Harrington allegedly re-used needles, contaminating drugs with potentially harmful bacteria and trace amounts of other drugs, according to the complaint. Although patient-specific drug records indicated that they were using morphine in 2012, no morphine had been ordered since 2009.

The instruments for infected patients was given an extra dip in bleach in addition to normal cleaning methods, but they had red-brown rust spots, indicating that they were "porous and cannot be properly sterilized," according to the complaint.

The Tulsa Health Department said Harrington's patients will receive letters by mail notifying them of the risk and steps to obtain free-of-charge testing.

While 7,000 patients may have been exposed, Joseph Perz, an epidemiologist with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said it's "extremely rare" to see dental transmission of HIV and hepatitis B or C. In July 2012, 8,000 Coloradans were notified that their dentist had reused needles, potentially exposing them to the blood-borne viruses. But not a single case was identified, according to the CDC.

Dental transmission is not impossible, however. Perz cited a dental fair three years ago in which hepatitis B was transmitted between patients.

In July 2012, more than 1,800 veterans who received dental care at a St. Louis VA Medical Center were warned that improper cleaning of dental tools may have exposed them to HIV and hepatitis.

The Tulsa Health Department has set up a hotline at (918) 595-4500 for people with questions. ( ABC News )

Blog : Luxurious | Rogue Dentist May Have Exposed 7,000 Patients to HIV, Hepatitis

READ MORE - Rogue Dentist May Have Exposed 7,000 Patients to HIV, Hepatitis

H1N1 Swine Flu May Have Killed 15 Times More Than First Said

H1N1 Swine Flu May Have Killed 15 Times More Than First Said - The swine flu virus, H1N1, may have killed 15 times the number of people counted by the World Health Organization, according to a new study. And unlike the seasonal flu, the H1N1 pandemic struck down mostly young people, many living in Africa and Southeast Asia.

Beginning in 2009, the virus swept the globe, and the WHO counted 18,500 swine flu deaths that had been confirmed by laboratory tests. But according to new estimates from researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the virus probably killed between 105,700 and 400,000 people around the world in its first year alone, and an additional 46,000 to 179,000 people likely died of cardiovascular complications from the virus.

H1N1 Swine Flu May Have Killed 15 Times More Than First Said (ABC News)

That's a pretty wide gap in death rates, but it's not unusual. The numbers of flu deaths confirmed by lab tests usually understate how many people actually died from the virus, simply because most doctors around the world don't have the time or the resources to test their patients for the virus and report cases to health authorities.

"This is a problem year in and year out, from London to Nairobi," said Dr. William Schaffner, chair of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. "It's so difficult to test everyone with influenza."

The problem is greater in countries with few medical resources.

"In some countries, data on influenza are quite sparse or nonexistent," said Dr. Fatimah Dawood, the study's lead author. And she said even if a patient is tested, sometimes the virus might not even be detectable.

The study, published today in the medical journal The Lancet, is the first attempt to provide a global estimate of how many deaths actually occurred during the first year of the swine flu pandemic.

Researchers were more surprised by who the virus targeted. According to the CDC analysis, 80 percent of deaths from the swine flu pandemic were of people under age 65, not the older, frail adults who are typically the victims of seasonal flu. Geographically, 59 percent of the deaths were in Africa and Southeast Asia.

"The number of potential years of life that were lost was far higher than what we would anticipate during a seasonal flu epidemic," Dawood said.

Though the virus was deadly, the swine flu pandemic is still considered to have been a fairly mild one. The CDC calculates that up to 575,000 people may have died from H1N1 in 2009. The WHO estimates that the seasonal flu kills up to 500,000 people each year. Both pale in comparison to the flu pandemic of 1918, which killed an estimated 50 million people worldwide.

"It just drives home how serious the disease can be -- that even the mildest pandemic we have an historic record of may have killed more than half a million people," said John Barry, author of "The Great Influenza."

Taking the flu seriously also involves taking annual vaccinations seriously. The CDC recommends that everyone over age 6 months get a flu shot each year.

"This should remind us in the fall that this is the time to get vaccinated," Schaffner said. "It's the best preventive measure we have available."

Blog : Luxurious | H1N1 Swine Flu May Have Killed 15 Times More Than First Said

READ MORE - H1N1 Swine Flu May Have Killed 15 Times More Than First Said

Dental x-rays 'double brain tumour risk'

Dental x-rays 'double brain tumour risk' - Having more than one dental x-ray a year can double or even triple the chance of developing a common type of brain tumour, according to an American study.

Researchers found people who recalled having frequent dental x-rays were more likely than those who did not, to have a form of non-spreading cancer called meningioma.

These tumours grow in the lining inside the skull. Most are slow growing but they can cause problems if they start to press on the brain, and they can be lethal.

Academics at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, and the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Mass., looked at two types of head x-ray, called "bitewing" and Panorex.

In the study of almost 3,000 adults, about half diagnosed with the disease and half not, they found frequent doses of x-ray radiation were linked with more cases of the cancer.

Specifically, people who remembered having Panorex examinations once a year or more were 2.7 to 3.0 times more likely, depending on age, to have developed meningioma than those who did not.

Those who remembered having bitewing x-rays on at least a yearly basis, were at a 40 to 90 per cent raised risk.

Study author Dr Elizabeth Claus, said she hoped the research would serve "to increase awareness regarding the optimal use of dental x-rays".

Dr Paul Pharoah, a reader in cancer epidemiology at Cambridge University, said: "The authors report that dental x-rays are associated with a small relative increase in risk of disease of approximately 50 percent or 1.5-fold. This finding is statistically significant.

"However, as the disease is rare, the increase in absolute risk is tiny - the lifetime risk increasing from 15 in every 10,000 people to 22 in 10,000."

He added: "People who have had dental x-rays do not need to worry about the health risks of those x-rays. Nevertheless, dental x-rays should only be used when there is a clear clinical need in order to prevent unnecessary exposure to ionising radiation." ( telegraph.co.uk )

READ MORE - Dental x-rays 'double brain tumour risk'

The dark secrets of the organic-food movement

Is Whole Foods Wholesome? - The dark secrets of the organic-food movement - It's hard to find fault with Whole Foods, the haute-crunchy supermarket chain that has made a fortune by transforming grocery shopping into a bright and shiny, progressive experience. Indeed, the road to wild profits and cultural cachet has been surprisingly smooth for the supermarket chain. It gets mostly sympathetic coverage in the local and national media and red-carpet treatment from the communities it enters. But does Whole Foods have an Achilles' heel? And more important, does the organic movement itself, whose coattails Whole Foods has ridden to such success, have dark secrets of its own?

Granted, there's plenty that's praiseworthy about Whole Foods. John Mackey, the company's chairman, likes to say, "There's no inherent reason why business cannot be ethical, socially responsible, and profitable." And under the umbrella creed of "sustainability," Whole Foods pays its workers a solid living wage—its lowest earners average $13.15 an hour—with excellent benefits and health care. No executive makes more than 14 times the employee average. (Mackey's salary last year was $342,000.) In January, Whole Foods announced that it had committed to buy a year's supply of power from a wind-power utility in Wyoming.

A scene from Whole Foods grocery

But even if Whole Foods has a happy staff and nice windmills, is it really as virtuous as it appears to be? Take the produce section, usually located in the geographic center of the shopping floor and the spiritual heart of a Whole Foods outlet. (Every media profile of the company invariably contains a paragraph of fawning produce porn, near-sonnets about "gleaming melons" and "glistening kumquats.") In the produce section of Whole Foods' flagship New York City store at the Time Warner Center, shoppers browse under a big banner that lists "Reasons To Buy Organic." On the banner, the first heading is "Save Energy." The accompanying text explains how organic farmers, who use natural fertilizers like manure and compost, avoid the energy waste involved in the manufacture of synthetic fertilizers. It's a technical point that probably barely registers with most shoppers but contributes to a vague sense of virtue.

Fair enough. But here's another technical point that Whole Foods fails to mention and that highlights what has gone wrong with the organic-food movement in the last couple of decades. Let's say you live in New York City and want to buy a pound of tomatoes in season. Say you can choose between conventionally grown New Jersey tomatoes or organic ones grown in Chile. Of course, the New Jersey tomatoes will be cheaper. They will also almost certainly be fresher, having traveled a fraction of the distance. But which is the more eco-conscious choice? In terms of energy savings, there's no contest: Just think of the fossil fuels expended getting those organic tomatoes from Chile. Which brings us to the question: Setting aside freshness, price, and energy conservation, should a New Yorker just instinctively choose organic, even if the produce comes from Chile? A tough decision, but you can make a self-interested case for the social and economic benefit of going Jersey, especially if you prefer passing fields of tomatoes to fields of condominiums when you tour the Garden State.

Another heading on the Whole Foods banner says "Help the Small Farmer." "Buying organic," it states, "supports the small, family farmers that make up a large percentage of organic food producers." This is semantic sleight of hand. As one small family farmer in Connecticut told me recently, "Almost all the organic food in this country comes out of California. And five or six big California farms dominate the whole industry." There's a widespread misperception in this country—one that organic growers, no matter how giant, happily encourage—that "organic" means "small family farmer." That hasn't been the case for years, certainly not since 1990, when the Department of Agriculture drew up its official guidelines for organic food. Whole Foods knows this well, and so the line about the "small family farmers that make up a large percentage of organic food producers" is sneaky. There are a lot of small, family-run organic farmers, but their share of the organic crop in this country, and of the produce sold at Whole Foods, is minuscule.

A nearby banner at the Time Warner Center Whole Foods proclaims "Our Commitment to the Local Farmer," but this also doesn't hold up to scrutiny. More likely, the burgeoning local-food movement is making Whole Foods uneasy. After all, a multinational chain can't promote a "buy local" philosophy without being self-defeating. When I visited the Time Warner Whole Foods last fall—high season for native fruits and vegetables on the East Coast—only a token amount of local produce was on display. What Whole Foods does do for local farmers is hang glossy pinups throughout the store, what they call "grower profiles," which depict tousled, friendly looking organic farmers standing in front of their crops. This winter, when I dropped by the store, the only local produce for sale was a shelf of upstate apples, but the grower profiles were still up. There was a picture of a sandy-haired organic leek farmer named Dave, from Whately, Mass., above a shelf of conventionally grown yellow onions from Oregon. Another profile showed a guy named Ray Rex munching on an ear of sweet corn he grew on his generations-old, picturesque organic acres. The photograph was pinned above a display of conventionally grown white onions from Mexico.

These profiles may be heartwarming, but they also artfully mislead customers about what they're paying premium prices for. If Whole Foods marketing didn't revolve so much around explicit (as well as subtly suggestive) appeals to food ethics, it'd be easier to forgive some exaggerations and distortions.

Of course, above and beyond social and environmental ethics, and even taste, people buy organic food because they believe that it's better for them. All things being equal, food grown without pesticides is healthier for you. But American populism chafes against the notion of good health for those who can afford it. Charges of elitism—media wags, in otherwise flattering profiles, have called Whole Foods "Whole Paycheck" and "wholesome, healthy for the wholesome, wealthy"—are the only criticism of Whole Foods that seems to have stuck. Which brings us to the newest kid in the organic-food sandbox: Wal-Mart, the world's biggest grocery retailer, has just begun a major program to expand into organic foods. If buying food grown without chemical pesticides and synthetic fertilizers has been elevated to a status-conscious lifestyle choice, it could also be transformed into a bare-bones commodity purchase.

When the Department of Agriculture established the guidelines for organic food in 1990, it blew a huge opportunity. The USDA—under heavy agribusiness lobbying—adopted an abstract set of restrictions for organic agriculture and left "local" out of the formula. What passes for organic farming today has strayed far from what the shaggy utopians who got the movement going back in the '60s and '70s had in mind. But if these pioneers dreamed of revolutionizing the nation's food supply, they surely didn't intend for organic to become a luxury item, a high-end lifestyle choice.

It's likely that neither Wal-Mart nor Whole Foods will do much to encourage local agriculture or small farming, but in an odd twist, Wal-Mart, with its simple "More for Less" credo, might do far more to democratize the nation's food supply than Whole Foods. The organic-food movement is in danger of exacerbating the growing gap between rich and poor in this country by contributing to a two-tiered national food supply, with healthy food for the rich. Could Wal-Mart's populist strategy prove to be more "sustainable"than Whole Foods? Stranger things have happened. ( slate.com )

READ MORE - The dark secrets of the organic-food movement

Winter Health Tips

Winter Health Tips - During the winter months, parents and pediatricians often focus on colds and the flu when offering health tips to keep kids healthy, such as:

• getting a yearly flu shot
• teaching good hand washing techniques
• avoiding infections by not taking your newborn or younger infant out and around a lot of other people until he is older
• encouraging kids to avoid people who are obviously sick with a cold or the flu
• teaching your kids 'cough etiquette,' which the American Academy of Pediatrics describes as teaching children to turn their heads and cough or sneeze into a disposable tissue or the inside of their elbow if they don't have a tissue, instead of simply coughing or sneezing onto their hands, which will then spread their germs onto everything they touch
• taking a reusable water bottle to school, like a Sigg or CamelBak, instead of using the school water fountain, which may become contaminated with germs, especially during cold and flu season

Winter Health Tips

Unfortunately, washing your hands and getting a flu shot won't help you avoid other health problems that can be triggered by winter weather, such as:

asthma - changes in the weather and cold weather often trigger asthma attacks, which makes it important to have refills of your asthma relief medicines (Albuterol, Proventil, Ventolin, Xopenex, etc.) ready during the winter and an asthma management plan in case your child starts coughing or having other symptoms of an asthma attack. If your child's asthma always gets worse during the winter, it might be a good time to start an asthma preventative medicine (Flovent, Qvar, Symbicort, Advair, etc.) too.

chronic coughing - although many kids have a cough during cold and flu season when they get sick, if your child typically develops a chronic cough that lasts most of the winter, then ask your pediatrician if he might have asthma.

dry skin - a lack of humidity from cold, dry air outside and then warm, dry air inside often leads kids to have itchy, dry skin during the winter. This can especially be a problem on a child's hands, which is made worse by frequent hand washing, and around his mouth (perioral dermatitis). Using a mild soap or soap substitute when your child bathes and then quickly applying a moisturizer within a few minutes can help to avoid and treat dry skin. You may have to reapply the moisturizer several times during the day though.

eczema - kids with eczema often have red, itchy skin year round, but it can be worse in the winter. Talk to your pediatrician if your usual eczema regimen isn't working during the winter for advice on treating hard to control eczema, especially if using a topical steroid and moisturizers isn't working to control your child's symptoms.

nosebleeds - when caused by dry air, nosebleeds can be prevented by moisturizing your child's nose with saline or a nasal gel each day. Keep in mind that kids can also get nosebleeds when they have colds, sinus infections, or allergies.

Winter Health Myths

Winter health myths are common and although some are silly, some can actually be harmful, such as these:

• You can get the flu from a flu shot. - The flu shot is made from a killed virus, so can't cause the flu. Even the nasal spray flu vaccine, although it is made from a live, attenuated virus, doesn't cause the flu.
• Extra vitamins and minerals will keep your kids from getting sick in the winter. - Although some parents load their kids up with extra orange juice and vitamin C and other vitamins that claim to boost their immunity, they likely won't keep your kids from catching colds and the flu during the winter.
• Kids can catch a cold from playing out in the cold weather, especially if you don't wear a jacket or your child's hair is wet. - Colds and the flu are caused by viruses, not by being outside in the cold. Of course, if your child is playing outside with someone who is sick with a cold, then may very well get sick too. Being underdressed in cold weather still isn't a good idea, though.
• You can't get a sunburn during the winter. - Although the sun's rays might not be as strong in the winter as they are in the summer, they can still cause sunburn, especially when they reflect off snow, so be sure to use sunscreen year-round.
• Kids can play outside as long as they want when it's cold. - Kids are at risk for frostbite and hypothermia, so have them come inside to warm up at regular intervals, especially if they start to feel cold or tired.
• Your kids can stop their allergy medicines during the winter. - Not all kids have seasonal allergies that are only triggered during the spring or fall. Some kids have year-round allergies, even during the winter. These children, who may be allergic to dust mites, mold, or pet dander, etc., would likely do well to continue taking their allergy medicines during the winter.
• Kids need an antibiotic every time they have a runny nose, especially once the discharge is green or yellow. - This is perhaps one of the more dangerous winter health myths, as it can lead to the overuse of antibiotics, which aren't needed for most runny noses, as they are often caused by colds and other viruses.

What You Need To Know

Other health tips to keep your kids healthy this winter:

• Keep in mind that while many parents use a cool mist humidifier during the winter to help kids with nosebleeds and dry skin, those higher humidity levels can also increase the levels of dust mites and mold in your home, which can trigger allergies in susceptible people.
• Dress kids appropriately for the cold weather, typically adding one extra layer to whatever an adult would wear to be comfortable. Kids should wear several layers of loose-fitting, light, tightly woven clothing under a heavy jacket to keep them warm, plus mittens or gloves, a hat, scarf, and waterproof boots, especially if they are going to play in the snow.
• Install a carbon monoxide detector in your home if you use a fireplace or other non-electric heating source.
• Try to keep your kids physically active during the winter. Although it is often too cold for outdoor sports, unless you live in an area where you can play ice hockey or regularly go snowboarding, many kids stay active in the winter by taking up an indoor sport, such as basketball, indoor soccer, indoor flag football, or volleyball, etc.( about.com )
  

READ MORE - Winter Health Tips

What You Need to Know

What You Need to Know - Nothing raises as many eyebrows as the subject of sex during pregnancy. Despite the old saying that medical and religious miracles aside, every pregnancy started with a sex act.

One thing that I would note is that sex and sexuality are very different, and that even if you are not having sexual intercourse, your sexuality can still be expressed.

Your sexual practices during pregnancy will depend on several factors:

• Your previous beliefs about sex
• Your Partner's previous beliefs
• Physical aspects of your pregnancy
• Emotional aspects of your pregnancy

There are many reasons why sex during pregnancy can be more enjoyable, even if your are doing it less. There is an increase in vaginal lubrication, engorgement of the genital area helps some people become orgasmic for the first time or multi-orgasmic, the lack of birth control, or if you have been trying for awhile, a return to sex as pleasure as opposed to procreational, and other reasons.

On the other hand there are reasons why sex might not be as pleasurable: fear of hurting the baby, nausea, fatigue, awkwardness, etc.

Although these can be valid reasons, doing research and talking to your partner and practitioner can often help you clarify what is really inappropriate during pregnancy, particularly for you.

Change is rampant during pregnancy both in your body and your beliefs. While women may feel large and uncomfortable, men generally find the pregnant body very erotic and desirable. Talk about your differences and attitudes towards your body and sexuality.

Make sure that you discuss the feelings that you have about sex and sexuality. These discussions can lead to a more fulfilling sex life. If either of you do not feel like having sex, this can be particularly important. Explain to your partner what is going on and what they can do to help you be sexual. For example: more cuddling, relaxing baths, romantic dinners, massages, mutual masturbation, whatever you and your partner agree upon is exactly what you need.

The hormonal fluctuations of pregnancy also play a part in your reactions to making love, as do the trimesters. Many women are too fatigued and nauseated to be very interested during the first trimester, while the second trimester brings a new sense of delight as her abdomen grows, and again later in the third trimester the desire may wane as well.

"Hmmm...sex during pregnancy...during the first trimester, honestly, I think the sex was more..intimate...the sensations seemed heightened, despite the initial ‘Ohmigosh, are we going to hurt the baby?' Now in the second trimester, it's becoming a little more awkward, especially now that I'm showing. We've had to ...ummm...well...adjust a little bit, position-wise...but the intimacy hasn't changed," says Dee.

Okay, so we know that there are wide variances in who is doing it and when, the big question (No pun intended.) is how?

Creativity should be your keyword during pregnancy. Or more bluntly put, whatever works! There are many sex positions that are more comfortable as you expand. These include:

• Woman on top
• Spooning (Man behind woman, rear entry)
• Hands and Knees
• Side lying, knee pulled up

What are men saying about sex during pregnancy? Most are pleasantly surprised.

Rich says "I haven't noticed a real change in the sex...it was always awesome! The only real difference now is in the position! We've had to accommodate for a growing belly, and as a result we've had to explore a little...but it's been fun exploring."

When not to have sex and/or orgasms during pregnancy:

• Your practitioner has advised against it
• You have a history of premature birth or labor
• Placenta previa (Where part of the placenta is covering the cervix)
• Your water has broken
• Your are currently experiencing bleeding
• You or your partner has an active sexually transmitted disease

"Intercourse was banned after the positive pregnancy test, orgasm was banned at week 15, and ever since week 15 I have been very horny and unable to do anything about it until after the baby is born, which is making me nervous," explains Alison. "The lack of sex really created a distance between me and my husband, and I am afraid we won't get the magic back when there's a newborn baby in the house."

Postpartum sex is a whole other article. However, I will leave you with one thought:

"To me sex was a lot less enjoyable while we were pregnant," remarks Tami. "But, the first time after the babies were born were always awesome! " ( about.com )

READ MORE - What You Need to Know

Coffee Cuts Depression Risk In Women

Coffee Cuts Depression Risk In Women - Coffee may provide more than a momentary pick-me-up, says new research suggesting daily java consumption is tied to a lower risk of depression in women.

Researchers from Harvard University found that women who consumed two to three cups of caffeinated joe per day had a 15 percent lower risk of depression than non-coffee drinkers, while those who drank four-plus cups daily had a 20 percent lower risk. In general, women are more likely than men to be diagnosed with depression.

"Our results support a possible protective effect of caffeine, mainly from coffee consumption, on risk of depression," the researchers wrote Monday in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The researchers followed more than 50,000 participants in the Nurses Health Study -- one of the largest women's health studies in the U.S -- for 10 years.

But the study's authors cautioned that their results must be replicated before it's possible to draw any firm conclusions about caffeine and depression risk -- particularly in terms of any causal mechanisms that might be at play.

"Caffeine is known to affect the brain," study co-author Dr. Albert Ascherio, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, offered as one possible explanation. "It modulates the release of mood transmitters." He pointed out that previous studies have shown a link between coffee and decreased suicide risk, though as the National Institute of Health points out, caffeine may cause or worsen anxiety issues.

Dr. John Greden, executive director of the University of Michigan's Comprehensive Depression Center, agreed that the Harvard study -- as well as others that have come before it -- suggest interesting possibilities in terms of a link.

"Clinical depression is found in one out of every six people, roughly, and caffeine is one of the most widely used stimulants in the world," he said. "If you put those two together, it has always been a logical question to ask, 'Is there a connection?'"

But Greden cautioned that the current study has its limitations, too, particularly in terms of the participant pool.

"The women they studied had an average age of above 60, and most depressions start young," he said. "So in a strange way, this is probably a very protected group, given the fact that none had depression at the start of the study."

The results of the new study center on the potential impact of caffeine from coffee -- not caffeine in general -- namely because among the participants, the amount of caffeine consumed from other sources was too small for any stable results.

Ascherio said this should be just one of many additional considerations in future research that looks at possible caffeine and depression links.

In the meantime, he said the study should not prompt non-coffee drinkers to take up the habit. It could, however, offer current coffee drinkers some reassurance.

"I'm not saying we're on the path to discovering a new way to prevent depression," he said. "But I think you can be reassured that if you are drinking coffee, it is coming out as a positive thing." ( .huffingtonpost.com )

READ MORE - Coffee Cuts Depression Risk In Women

Ayurveda and Homeopathy

Ayurveda and Homeopathy - There are many forms of alternative medicine, but in this article I will be dealing with just two: Ayurvedic medicine and Homeopathic medicine.

Ayurveda is India’s traditional, natural system of medicine that has been practiced for more than 5,000 years. Ayurveda is a Sanskrit word that when literally translated means “science of life” or “practices of longevity.” It was the system of medicine developed by the seers (rishis) and natural scientists through centuries of observations, experiments, discussions and meditations. For several thousand years their teachings were passed on orally from teacher to student. However, in about the fifth to sixth century BC, elaborately detailed texts were written in Sanskrit, the ancient Indian language. There are over 500 remedies and 700 vegetable medicines.

Ayurveda emphasizes the prevention of disease, rejuvenation of our body systems and extension of life span. The profound premise of Ayurveda is that not only can we prevent heart disease and make our headaches go away, but we can also better understand ourselves and the world around us, live a long healthy life in balance and harmony, achieve our fullest potential and express our true inner nature on a daily basis.

In Ayurvedic philosophy, five elements combine in pairs to form three dynamic forces or interactions called doshas. The Ayurvedic practitioner may prescribe mineral or herbal remedies (usually prescribed in liquid form, dried herbs, powder or even tablets) to correct imbalances in the doshas. The ingredients are pre-prepared, but the blends are prescribed individually. Every ingredient is classified by the effect it has on increasing or lowering the levels of the doshas. One usually adds eight cups of water to the herbs and boils the mixture until the water is reduced down to one cup. The remedy is then taken two or three times per day.

Many Ayurvedic practitioners will also advise you on lifestyle, food and exercise. Yoga is emphasized strongly, as well as sweat treatments and oil massages. Sweat treatments are recommended in steam baths to further cleanse the pores of the skin, and massaging herbal oils into the skin help eliminate undesirable toxins.

Homeopathy is a form of alternative medicine, first proposed by German physician, Samuel Hahnemann, in 1796. Since then, homeopathy has been widely used throughout the world for over two centuries.

Homeopathic healing is based on treating a person with nontoxic highly diluted substances normally in tablet form, which is expected to trigger the body’s natural system of healing. Based on their experience of symptoms, a homeopath will match the most appropriate medicine to the patient. It works on the principle of “like cures like” — that is, a substance that would cause symptoms in a healthy person is used to cure those same symptoms in illness. For example, one remedy, which might be used in a person suffering from insomnia is a remedy made from coffee.

Homeopathy treats the person rather than the named “disease.” So, potentially, it can help patients with a wide range of conditions, both acute and chronic. Illnesses commonly seen by homeopaths in clinic include recurrent infections (such as colds, tonsillitis and cystitis), skin conditions, chronic fatigue, migraine and stress related symptoms such as anxiety and insomnia.

The lack of convincing scientific evidence supporting homeopathy’s efficacy, and its use of remedies lacking active ingredients have caused homeopathy to be described as pseudoscience in some circles.

Nevertheless in 2000, the House of Lords’ Select Committee on Science & Technology in the UK cited homeopathy as one of the five Group One therapies, having “an individual diagnostic approach” along with osteopathy, chiropractic, herbal medicine and acupuncture.

The regulation and prevalence of homeopathy is highly variable from country to country. There are no specific legal regulations concerning its use in some countries, while in others, licenses or degrees in conventional medicine from accredited universities are required. ( arabnews.com )

READ MORE - Ayurveda and Homeopathy

Is it really a wonder drug?

is it really a wonder drug? - Last week, researchers claimed everyone over 45 should take an aspirin a day to prevent against cancer and heart disease. Victoria Lambert investigates medicine's apparent new cure-all.

Should aspirin be added to the water supply? This was the vision which sprang to mind last week when academics advised that the benefits of taking a small daily dose of aspirin far outweigh any side-effects for most healthy people aged 45 and over.

The pronouncement by a panel of experts speaking at the Royal Society of Medicine, comes a month after research from Oxford University, published in The Lancet, showed that taking 75mg of aspirin - a quarter of the standard over-the-counter pill - daily for five years reduces the risk of getting bowel cancer by a quarter, and deaths from the disease by a third. Research is expected to be published shortly showing similar effects for other cancers.

Aspirin: is it a 'put it in the water' moment?

This simple painkiller has many well established benefits. It thins the blood, which is why it is routinely prescribed for people who already have heart disease or who have had a stroke. It is also often prescribed for people who may be at high risk of these illnesses – because of high blood pressure or diabetes, for example. And it’s used widely for blood-clotting disorders and to help prevent recurrent miscarriage, migraines, cataracts, gum disease and pre-eclampsia (a serious complication of pregnancy).

But should low-dose aspirin now be taken daily by healthy people who want to stay that way? Is this a watershed in the history of public health medicine – a 'put it in the water’ moment?

No is the simple answer, since it cannot be taken by certain people (including most children under 16). But Professor Gordon McVie, senior consultant at the European Institute of Oncology, Milan, is evangelical about the benefits of aspirin. 'For me this is clear cut,’ he says. 'Aspirin is cheap and effective, and there is huge potential to cut the cases of illness particularly colon cancer.’

In agreement is Peter Elwood, Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Wales in Cardiff, who led the first randomised trial into the benefits of aspirin for heart disease patients in 1984 (and who has himself taken aspirin daily for the past ten years). 'Breakthrough is an overused word but in this case it is justified,’ he says.’ There is disagreement around the peripheral issues – how much to give, should there be an age range – but overall it seems clear to me that the latest work proves taking aspirin every day will increase your chance of survival against important diseases.’

The study which seems to have tipped the scales is principally the work of Oxford neurologist Professor Peter Rothwell (who has also started taking low-dose aspirin daily). He believes that aspirin’s effect on bowel cancer is unlikely to be an isolated phenomenon, given the similarities in how cancers of different types develop. Last week he also advised that with the risk of cancer rising between 40 and 55, 45 would be an optimal age to start taking it.

Scientists have a theory as to why aspirin might be beneficial for human physiology. Professor McVie explains: 'It seems that around the time we developed an increased morbidity from heart diseases and stroke, natural salicylates (a plant hormone similar to the active ingredient in aspirin) disappeared from our diet. Most plants used to be stuffed with these but when we started growing foods using pesticides and fertilisers we also took out the salicylates – so perhaps it’s a question of putting them back into food and restoring the balance in our bodies.’

But despite the excitement, not every doctor is reaching for the prescribing pad just yet.

For one thing, aspirin’s usefulness in warding off heart attacks and strokes in healthy people is in doubt. The latest research, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in March and involving almost 30,000 men and women, found it had no significant effect on heart attacks and strokes in low-risk populations.

And last year, the influential Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin (DTB), warned aspirin should not be used to prevent future heart attacks and strokes in people with no obvious sign of cardiovascular disease, as the risks outweigh any potential benefits.

The biggest drawback of taking aspirin is that it can irritate the lining of the stomach. Although for most people this side effect is mild, it can occasionally cause ulcers and in a small number of cases, serious bleeding, particularly in elderly people.

But what of the recent study on bowel cancer, the third most common cancer in Britain and which kills 600,000 people worldwide annually? Some doctors point out that while the study shows thousands of lives might indeed be saved by aspirin, the reduction in absolute risk of bowel cancer is about 1.5% (from 4% to 2.5%) .

Dr Ike Iheanacho, the DTB’s editor, says that the reduction in risk is a 'sizeable benefit’ from society’s point of view.

'But one problem with this kind of data is that it’s often reported as if the benefit to the individual is huge,’ he says.

'In effect, around 60 people would have to take the aspirin continuously for around 5 years to prevent one death from bowel cancer during a 20-year period,’ he says. 'While that remains a considerable benefit, it could clearly put a very different perspective on things for an individual deciding whether to take aspirin for this purpose.

'And this particular research didn’t report adverse events related to aspirin. Let’s not forget that the drug can cause major internal bleeding and this can kill. If you’re going to advise people to take aspirin, you have to factor in potential harms to give them a balanced view of the potential effects of treatment.’

The blanket prescribing of any drug is also at odds with the 'stratified’ response that most oncologists predict will be the future of cancer treatment – in other words, medical interventions will be tailored to our genetic makeup and our individual risk.

One way forward might be to give aspirin only to those at high risk of bowel cancer, an idea Professor McVie has said he supports; he believes that in a few years a blood test to detect those at higher risk will become available.

Overall, with medical opinion divided, the feeling is that the public will need to make up their own minds about whether to take low dose aspirin. Professor Peter Whorwell, a gastro-enterologist at Manchester University, advises that anyone considering taking it on a daily basis should discuss with their GP whether they also need to take drugs to protect the stomach.

Back to Professor McVie who with a family history of heart disease, confirms that he too has been taking aspirin daily for more than 20 years. 'I saw some data long before it was verified and published, and I was convinced,’ he says. 'After this month’s data, I’m pretty chuffed with myself now.’ ( telegraph.co.uk )


Who shouldn’t take aspirin?

• Aspirin should not be given to anyone under 16 unless under specialist advice. It can cause Reye’s syndrome, a potentially fatal disease, in this age group
• Aspirin should be avoided if you have a stomach (peptic) ulcer, haemophilia or other bleeding disorder, or an allergy to aspirin or to other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID). These include ibuprofen and diclofenac
• Low-dose aspirin should only be taken with caution by certain groups, including those with asthma, allergies, liver, kidney or digestive problems.
• Pregnant and breastfeeding women should only take aspirin on the advice of a GP.
• Aspirin can interact with certain other medicines. Ask your doctor or pharmacist or read the patient information leaflet

READ MORE - Is it really a wonder drug?

Sweet! Chocolate may lower stroke risk

Sweet! Chocolate may lower stroke risk. Study adds to evidence that chocolate has many health benefits. Yet another health benefit has been linked to eating chocolate: It may decrease your risk of stroke, a new study suggests.

The analysis, which will be presented in April at the American Academy of Neurology's 62nd Annual Meeting, reviewed the results of three previous studies. One study with more than 44,000 participants found that those who ate a weekly serving of chocolate were 22 percent less likely to suffer a stroke than those who ate no chocolate.

The researchers caution, however, that more studies are needed to confirm the link, and other factors besides chocolate consumption could be contributing to the decreased stroke risk. Also, one reviewed study showed no connection between stroke risk and chocolate consumption.

Still, the results add to a growing list of potential advantages to eating chocolate, including a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. But this doesn't mean you should gorge yourself on the candy this Valentine's Day either.

Among the pros and cons of chocolate:

Chocolate can be good for you

Many previous studies have linked eating chocolate with health benefits, including:

• A 2008 study found that people who ate a small amount of dark chocolate a day (about 6.7 grams) had lower levels of a protein that is associated with inflammation in their blood.

• Other recent studies have found that blood platelets clump together more slowly in chocolate eaters. Clumping platelets can lead to the formation of blood clots, which in turn can cause a heart attack. Chocolate consumption may lower blood pressure, help prevent formation of artery plaques and improve blood flow, according to other research.

• Eating chocolate may even help with math, or at least counting. A study reported in 2009 showed that people did a better job of counting backwards in groups of three after they had consumed a hot cocoa drink containing large amounts of a compound found in chocolate. These compounds, called flavonoids, which we'll get to later, may increase blood flow to the brain.

• Chocolate may also have anti-cancer benefits because flavonoids may help reduce the cell damage that can spur tumor growth.

"More and more research is showing that [eating chocolate] is really more beneficial than we ever imagined," said Katherine Tallmadge, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

However, she notes that the advantages you get still appear to be quite small. "It's not anything major, but it's still an advantage, and even slight advantages can make a difference for some people," she said.

Not all chocolate is created equal

Certain forms of chocolate are better for your health than others, and it comes down to one key component of the rich snack: flavonoids.

These compounds, which are found in the seeds of cacao plants (from which chocolate is made), are antioxidants that are thought to help protect cells against damage that might come from environmental toxins, or simply byproducts of vital processes in the body.

Consuming flavonoids has been linked to heart benefits. But since flavonoids are bitter, most commercial chocolate goes through processing steps that remove these compounds. Less processed, or darker chocolates, will tend to have higher levels of flavonoids. Your best choice in terms of healthiness is to go with natural, unsweetened cocoa powder, Tallmadge said.

"You can have mounds of it," because it is low in calories and full of flavonoids, Tallmadge told LiveScience.

Runners-up for health benefits are bittersweet and semisweet chocolate with a high cocoa percentage, she said. Unfortunately for milk-chocolate lovers, this type of chocolate has lower levels of flavonoids.

Chocolate can be bad for you

The underlying health benefits don't give you an excuse to eat chocolate by the pound.

"Because we mainly eat it as a candy with sugar added, it's going to be high in calories and not necessarily good for you in high quantities, because it will take the place of more nutritious foods," Tallmadge said.

For instance, if you gorge on chocolate, you might skimp out on fruits and vegetables, which are also important for heart health and disease prevention.

Tallmadge advises that people who want to eat chocolate limit themselves to one ounce per day. "Any more than that and you're probably going to take in too many calories for weight control," she said.

Other foods and beverages can also provide flavonoids, including citrus fruits, onions, green tea and red wine. ( LiveScience.com )

READ MORE - Sweet! Chocolate may lower stroke risk

A better understanding about Ectopic Pregnancy

A better understanding about Ectopic Pregnancy. The dictionary definition of the word 'Ectopic' is an organ or body part existing in an unusual position or form. In simple terms, an ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy, which is developing in the wrong place. An ectopic pregnancy occurs when the fertilized egg (or ovum) fails to move down the fallopian tube and into the womb (or uterus) in the normal manner. Instead, the egg or ovum implants itself outside of the womb.

Most often, (in 95% of cases), ectopic pregnancies develop in a fallopian tube and rarely, elsewhere in the abdominal cavity or pelvic area. For example, an egg can attach itself on an ovary, on the neck of the womb (cervix) or on another organ within the pelvic or abdominal area (1.5% abdominal, 0.5% ovarian & 0.03% cervical). Ectopic pregnancies do not usually survive and many will result in a spontaneous miscarriage, others will develop until a serious problem becomes apparent, which will require immediate medical attention.

WHAT CAUSES AN ECTOPIC PREGNANCY?

Sometimes the ovum fails to implant itself and it becomes fertilised outside of the reproductive system. More commonly, the fertilised ovum is trapped, in the fallopian tube and the baby continues to grow inside the tube where it can cause the tube to burst or otherwise severely damage it. A burst tube is life threatening and requires urgent medical attention.

In many cases, ectopic pregnancies occur when the expectant mother has damaged fallopian tube(s). Tubes damaged, by infections such as pelvic inflammatory disease or by previous surgery, scar tissue, endometriosis or previous ectopic pregnancies are a high-risk factor, which significantly, increase the likelihood of a pregnancy being ectopic.

Another risk factor associated with ectopic pregnancies is becoming pregnant, whilst using a contraceptive-coil or a progestogen only contraceptive pill. Pregnancies resulting from in vitro fertilisation (i.e. test-tube methods) can be ectopic - even though, the fertilised egg is placed directly into the womb, it may still attach itself elsewhere. In some cases, none of the above risk factors are present in the expectant mother.

WHAT ARE THE WARNING SIGNS OF AN ECTOPIC PREGNANCY?

Pain In the Abdomen - The first sign of an ectopic pregnancy can be a pain on one side of the abdomen. This pain can be constant and severe and its onset, sudden.

Pain in the Shoulder - An alternative warning sign could be a pain in the shoulder, which intensifies when breathing in and out.

Pain Using the Lavatory - If you suspect you are pregnant and experience pain during visits to the bathroom you should report this to your medical practitioner.

Other Warning Signs

• Vaginal bleeding or unusual periods, lighter or heavier than normal, or a strange colour etc

• Sickness

• Diarrhoea

• Pallid complexion (paleness)

• Light-headedness

• Collapse

• Increasing pulse rate

• Falling blood pressure

DIAGNOSING AN ECTOPIC PREGNANCY

Ectopic pregnancies can be hard to detect as in many cases, the symptoms are no different from those of a normal, early pregnancy, i.e. tender breasts, nausea, vomiting, missed periods or frequent urination. If you are a sexually active woman of childbearing age and you experience symptoms of an early pregnancy plus any, of the above warning signs, of an ectopic pregnancy, contact your medical practitioner immediately.

A urine pregnancy test will usually be positive but is not always apparent. However, a specialised hCG blood test will always show a positive result. If a pregnancy is ectopic, the womb will often be smaller than the average womb at that stage of pregnancy and this will be detected during an internal pelvic examination. A doctor can sometimes detect a swelling, during an internal examination, which is evidence of an ectopic pregnancy existing.

An ultrasound scan will differentiate between a possible miscarriage, a normal pregnancy and an ectopic pregnancy.

The majority of women diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy will require surgical intervention and/or medication. In the worst-case scenario, without this intervention, an ectopic pregnancy can be fatal to the mother. Medical and technological advancements mean that ectopic pregnancies are easier to detect than ever before and therefore, they carry less risk than they did in previous years. Technological advancements have significantly improved the treatment of ectopic pregnancies - keyhole surgery is just one example of this.

It is vital to seek the opinion of a medical practitioner if you suspect you are carrying an ectopic pregnancy. ( articlealley.com )

READ MORE - A better understanding about Ectopic Pregnancy

Meet a Teenager Who Looks Like a Grandma

Meet a Teenager Who Looks Like a Grandma. Zara Hartshorn, 13, Has a Condition That Makes Her Appear Much Older. Zara Hartshorn has been robbed of her childhood. Her mom took her out of school because the bullying was so bad. A bus driver laughed in her face recently when she tried to pay the child's fare. Strangers stare and point in the street. Kids call her "grandma," "monkey" and "baggy face."

Thirteen-year-old Zara Hartshorn has a rare genetic condition that makes her look much, much older than her years. She has the face of a grown woman, gaunt and wrinkled. But she's a frightened teen inside. (ABC News)

Zara is 13 but has a rare genetic condition that makes her look much, much older than her years. She has the face of a grown woman, gaunt and wrinkled. But she's a frightened teen inside.

"It feels like people are looking down their noses at me and staring," she said at her home in northern England. "You know when you get that feeling you're being watched? I feel that everywhere I go."

Zara's mother, Tracey Pollard, feels her pain: She, too, was born with lipodystrophy.

Pollard, 41, noticed the tell-tale signs in Zara's face at birth. "I was grieving for a child that's got to go through the same things in life that I've had to go through," she said. "I was angry at myself for actually having Zara."

Lipodystrophy is a genetic disease. It is hereditary. It robs the body of the ability to produce fat cells beneath the skin.

"Fatty tissue doesn't grow right," Dr. Donald Kotler of St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital in New York City said. "Normal fatty tissues shrink, making people look sort of old and wrinkled and abnormal."

Lipodystrophy can also bring on diabetes and, later in life, heart disease, stroke and liver problems.

There is no cure for lipodystrophy. "What you're left trying to do is to manage it," Kotler said. "It's bad enough in an adult, but I would think for a child it would be devastating."

Pollard's first child, Gareth, was born healthy. So Tracey thought her kids would be safe. Two of her younger children showed only very mild symptoms. Then Zara, the youngest, was born.

When asked what she feels when she sees her own face in the mirror, Zara said, "I don't like it. Sometimes I'll sit in my room and start pulling my skin back, stuff like that. Most teenagers worry about getting spots. ... I'm worried about surgery and stuff like that and when's bullying going to stop."

Zara: 'I Want a Face-Lift'

Zara lives at home with her mom, sisters and a brother. There is, of course, the usual rough-and-tumble and sibling bickering one would expect in a large family. But, Zara said, she feels safe and loved. No one makes fun of her, unlike every time she steps outside her front door, where she's scared.

Zara was, she said, a confident little girl. Then at age 5, the bullying started. "The kids started calling me names," she said.

Zara went home in tears. "I asked my mom why I was different," she said.

As she grows older, Zara's anxiety has increased. She lives in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, in a hardscrabble, deprived neighborhood. Life here is tough. For her, it's tougher.

"I want a face-lift," she said.

Her mother had surgery when she was a teenager in an effort to smooth her wrinkled face. But, Pollard said, it didn't help much. "My expectations were too high," she said. "I thought I would look like a normal kid ... but I didn't."

Her appearance has had a huge impact on her life, she said. She has low self-esteem, has never had a career and has suffered a string of abusive relationships.

"I don't want [Zara] ending up like me," she said. "Surrounding herself with seven, eight or however many kids just to feel loved. ... And she doesn't need to go from one man to another looking for something she'll never find."

When she's older, Zara said, she wants to be a beauty therapist. Her mother, a single parent who lives on benefits, is supportive.

"You always have hope and your dreams," Pollard said. "No one can take that away from you no matter how bad they treat you."

For now, Zara's dream, she said, is to walk down the street without people staring at her, to feel young again. ( abcnews.go.com )

READ MORE - Meet a Teenager Who Looks Like a Grandma

Why do you fall asleep after having sex?

Why do you fall asleep after having sex?. Is it normal for a partner to fall asleep just after having sex, and does the fatigue sometimes lasts for more than 24 hours? What can I do to make him more resistant?

Many women still seek the answers to these questions. Is it abnormal to fall asleep after intercourse? Not at all. The tiredness that appears after intercourse is a natural reaction of the human body to the effort it has made.

But most times, if a man does not cuddle up with his woman after he has had sex, and if he does not talk and if he simply lays on his back and goes to sleep, it is natural for a woman to jump to conclusions, thinking her partner is simply not satisfied.

Their beliefs are wrong. Here are some real reasons men fall asleep after intercourse:

Fact #1
Sex during the night, especially when the human body is already tired, becomes the first argument for the state of sleepiness that occurs after having sex. The actual intercourse does not even have to be very 'solicitating'. You should keep in mind that sex, by its nature, is very relaxing.

Fact # 2
Men ejaculate during orgasm, and the hormones that are set free induce the state of lethargy. The sleep sensation manifests more intensely than on a regular basis. Even if the tension of the body is a positive one, it is also a very big, almost exhausting one.

Fact # 3
Plenty of people tend to hold their breath from time to time while they are having sex. Its rhythm becomes abrupt and the pulse intensifies. Therefore, there is a lack of oxygen, which contributes to the need to rest - nothing serious, everything comes back to normality in the postlude.

Fact # 4
The state of sleep should be interpreted in a positive way, because it proves the fact that you have reached an orgasm and that everything has gone alright. In rare cases, men who are exhausted during and after intercourse, on a longer period of time may suffer from medical problems. In this case, leave your inhibitions and self-pride aside and have a complete check-up.

Quick tip # 1
If you are looking for a quick solution, drink coffee before going to bed with your partner. We cannot say that it is a long-term solution, but it is also an effective erotic stimulus. Caffeine can be your main ally in the fight against tiredness; but it can also harm as it can affect the nervous system, making one over excited and under revved.

Quick tip # 2
Really refreshing is a citrus, especially a grapefruit, very cold, right from the fridge. At the opposite pole we find alcohol. Do not use it in large quantities; its effect is exactly the opposite.

On the other hand, women's bodies react different; for them the sensations during an orgasm are a stimulus. They could be more willing to go for a second ‘round’. But still, what can women do to make men more resistant? Don’t worry, as men being men, ‘refill’ themselves! ( indiatimes.com )

READ MORE - Why do you fall asleep after having sex?

The greenest way to make a holiday fire

Hearth Burn. The greenest way to make a holiday fire. The holiday season means one thing to me: Sitting around the fireplace, slowly getting sloshed on eggnog. I keep seeing fake logs for sale, made from "green" materials like recycled cardboard or coffee grounds. Are these synthetic products really any greener than a piece of real wood?

You'll forgive the Lantern for starting this column with a bit of sensible home-heating advice: A Yule log burning in the hearth may be festive, but it's a terribly inefficient source of energy. (All that air getting sucked out through your chimney means your home may actually end up colder than it would be otherwise.) If that's not enough to dissuade you from making a holiday fire, you may as well choose the most responsible source of fuel. Yes, it's true—those eco-friendly fake logs can be better for the environment than real wood. But so were those retro petroleum-and-sawdust Duraflame logs from the 1970s.

Real wood's green credentials are obvious: It's renewable and doesn't require much processing before you stick it in your fireplace. Some commercial producers do use kilns to dry their firewood, rather than letting them air dry, and transporting logs over long distances can be energy-intensive. With a little effort, though, you can probably find a locally sourced option—or source some firewood from your own backyard. Even the wood sold in big-box stores tends to be pretty eco-friendly when it comes to resource use, as it's typically low-quality timber that manufacturers won't otherwise use.

Fake logs are also pretty efficient when it comes to resources. In fact, they were invented in the late 1960s by a cedar-products company looking for ways to use up the detritus from pencil making. A traditional log substitute would be made by mixing some of this sawdust with an equal amount of petroleum wax, another manufacturing byproduct. In other words, it's made entirely of recycled industrial materials. (You can also find 100-percent-sawdust logs, but those are more commonly used in wood stoves rather than fireplaces.) There is a downside: The sawdust and wax must be mixed and then extruded, molded, or compressed to get those clean, pretty tubes—a process that requires additional energy. And thanks to their petroleum content, fake logs produce significantly higher greenhouse gas emissions (PDF) than natural firewood.

In recent years, manufacturers have been fiddling with the basic makeup of wax-fiber logs and trumpeting the green credentials of the resulting products. Two popular offerings, as you note, are logs in which the sawdust has been replaced with coffee grounds and ones in which both the sawdust and the wax have been swapped out for ground-up waxed cardboard boxes. A third option is to replace the petroleum wax with a plant-based binder, as Duraflame has done with all its logs.

The coffee and cardboard logs have an obvious appeal, since they're made from waste products that would otherwise be headed to a landfill. (Waxed cardboard boxes, used to transport fruit and vegetables, generally aren't recyclable.) Logs with natural waxes also make use of low-grade byproducts, such as solid palm stearine (from the refining of palm oil), tall oil (from the processing of soft pine into paper), and fatty tallow (from butchered cows). These ingredients have the benefit of being renewable and not derived from fossil fuels, but they could pose a problem if those crops were not harvested sustainably. For example, palm oil has been linked to deforestation and habitat destruction in Southeast Asia. And some green-minded consumers might not be comfortable with the use of animal products to sustain their holiday fire.

Still, as we've seen, nearly all fireplace fuel options help wring the maximum use out of raw materials. So no matter what you toast your S'mores with, the Lantern thinks you can generally feel OK about it, in an I'm-using-every-part-of-the-buffalo kind of way.

So far we've talked about what goes into a log; now let's consider what comes out of it. You might think that burning natural firewood would produce the cleanest emissions. In fact, the opposite is true. When organic material doesn't burn all the way through, it releases tiny bits of particulate matter—linked to lung and heart disease, not to mention burning eyes and runny noses—and other hazardous substances, such as carbon monoxide, benzene, formaldehyde, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Concerns about emissions from fireplaces are great enough that some communities call for "burn bans" on days when the air quality is particularly low.

Artificial logs emit all the same pollutants as natural firewood, but they do so at significantly lower rates. A 2005 report from the EPA and Environment Canada (PDF) analyzed emissions from several varieties of fake logs, including those made from sawdust and coffee grounds, and compared them with reported figures for firewood. On average, a fire built with fake logs emitted 9 grams of particulate matter per hour, while wood-fueled fires emitted 36 grams. The fakes also released less carbon monoxide: 42 grams per hour, compared with firewood's 214 grams. The fakes also produced much less carbon monoxide, benzene, formaldehyde, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

There were some differences observed among the fakes, though. The coffee logs, for example, produced slightly less particulate matter than the others and had the second-lowest carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emissions. However, the differences between the best- and worst-performing fakes were much smaller than the differences between the most-polluting fakes and firewood.

Franken-logs tend to outperform their natural cousins because they pack in much more energy per unit of weight, on account of their wax content and relative lack of moisture. That means you don't have to burn nearly as much fake wood to get an equivalent amount of heat and light. The fake logs also burn more completely, producing fewer pollutants.

If you already have wood piling up in your backyard, however, the Lantern thinks you should use what you've got rather than buy a fake log that's less polluting. Just make sure that tree came down early in the year. Wood that's properly dried, or "seasoned," burns more cleanly and efficiently. (Getting your fire as hot as possible, as quickly as possible, will also reduce emissions.) The EPA's Burn Wise campaign recommends splitting wood into logs 3 to 5 inches in diameter and then storing them outdoors, covered and off the ground, for at least six months before burning. If you have a lot of wood and use your fireplace often, you might consider investing in a moisture meter. Otherwise, knock two logs against one another—if they're dry enough, they'll make a hollow sound, as opposed to a dull thud. ( slate.com )

READ MORE - The greenest way to make a holiday fire

The Big Four

Walking

Easy, simple and inexpensive, walking is a terrific form of exercise - and one that can be built into your daily life. It is also a good choice if you are new to an exercise progamme and want to build up your fitness before going on to something more strenuous.

But for it to be a useful aerobically, you must do it briskly for quite long stretches - at least 30 minutes at a time - and over both flat and hilly terrain.

When walking, wear a good pair of walking shoes, maintain good posture, keep your head up, shoulders back and chest out, and don't overstride because this can hurt your Achilles tendon.

Target a hill, or climb stairs, during the course of your walk. Pump your arms back and forward in a controlled manner or wear light handweights.

Walk based on time, not mileage, building up to 45 minutes at a brisk pace.

Running

For aerobic effectiveness, running is hard to beat. However, because of the risk of injury and high fitness level required, you must take yourself through a graded programme.

In the first week, start with brisk walking, breaking into a jog every now and then. If you can cope with this, try jogging for the second week. In the third week, gradually build up to shorts sprints between jogs. If you are starting from scratch, aim to jog / run 1.5 miles by the sixth week.

Keep your arms and hands relaxed but not floppy. Hold forearms at right angles to the body. Let your heel strike the ground first, then roll through smoothly to your toes,

Listen to your body: don't run to the point of breathlessness. Also remember high quality running shoes with plenty of support are essential.

Cycling

Riding a bike is an excellent endurance sport and promotes flexibility in the hips and legs. It is a good choice if old leg, foot or hip injuries prevent you from doing high-impact exercises such as running.

Remember to make sure your bike 'fits' you properly. Move the seat so the knee of your extended leg is bent 15 to 20 degrees with the balls of your feet on the pedals.

If you have weak knees, select a gear that allows you to pedal 80 to 90 revolutions per minute. Pedalling slower in a high gear, increases pressure and stress on the joint. Pedalling faster in a lower gear strengthens the heart, reduces the chance of injury and minimises fatigue.

Swimming

Because it is extremely low-impact, this sport is ideal if you are a beginner, have orthopaedic problems or are elderly. If you are quite overweight, swimming could suit you, too, because the water will support you and make movement easier.

The downside is that you need to work harder than you do on land to reach your target heart rate zone (about 60-70 per cent for weight loss, 70-80 pc for aerobic gains).

If you are a beginner, start off using a kickboard to work your legs. Swim for a non-stop 15 minutes to begin with, gradually building up to 30 minutes. (

Resist the temptation to rest for long periods at each end of the pool. The moment you stop, your heart rate drops dramatically and you lose out on the aerobic benefits. ( dailymail.co.uk )

READ MORE - The Big Four