Search Results for: tag immune system

A Link Between Obesity and Your Immune System?

Scientists from the School of Dental Medicine at the University of Boston Medical Center are looking at a possible link between obesity and immune system function. Previous research has found that obese people are more likely to suffer from periodontal disease than lean people. This new study looked at why. Researchers worked with laboratory mice — some who were obese and some who were lean and healthy. The mice were infected with a bacterium that causes periodontal disease (porphyromonas gingivalis). The obese mice were more susceptible to gum disease and had a blunted immune system reaction to the infection. Ten … Continue reading →

Hostility Can Harm Your Immune System

Researchers from Duke University have found that hostility and depression can harm a man’s immune system and increase the risk of heart disease. Negative emotional states can also increase a man’s risk of diabetes, chronic inflammation, and high blood pressure. Hostile, angry, and depressed people are more likely to have increased levels of C3 — an immune system protein associated with chronic inflammation. Elevated C3 levels have been connected to heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic diseases. The Duke University study tracked more than three hundred male Vietnam veterans over a decade — these study participants were part of a … Continue reading →

Tip of the Day- Play a game of tag

It’s just a fact of life that most of us need more exercise than we get. Most of us see it as a “have to” rather than a privilege to be able to move our bodies and go about most of the activities that we want to each day. Just for today, enjoy your family, enjoy life, and enjoy your body. Gather the kids around you and play a game of tag. Inside or out, be as creative as you’d like but get up and move. Combining exercise with the things we love most gives us an added benefit. Not … Continue reading →

Social Distancing Helps Prevent Spread of Coronavirus

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Social distancing is a term you have probably heard many times during the coronavirus pandemic. But, what does social distancing mean, and how does it work? The Public Health Department of Santa Clara Valley Health and Hospital System has good information about social distancing. It states: “Social distancing is a term applied to actions that are taken by Public Health officials to stop or slow down the spread of a highly contagious disease.” Social distancing measures are taken to restrict when and where people can gather to stop or slow the spread of infectious diseases. Social distancing measures include limiting … Continue reading →

Things to Know About the Measles Outbreak

If you’ve spent any time at all on Facebook or Twitter lately, you’ve undoubtedly come across a multitude of people talking about measles. Some people are more tactful about sharing their views about vaccinations than others. No matter what your personal viewpoint happens to be, there are some things you should know about the measles outbreak. There is a measles outbreak going on. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that there were at least 102 reported cases of measles in 14 states as of February 1, 2015. CDC Director Tom Frieden warns that the United States could see a … Continue reading →

How to Keep Your Children Healthy This Winter

Sometimes no matter what you do, your kids will get ill, but there are ways to help reduce the chances. Here is what you need to know to help keep your children healthy this winter. Limit The Outings The new norovirus that causes a miserable combination of vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps and exhaustion is especially harsh. Doctors tell us that a person can be contagious before they even show symptoms and for two weeks afterward. Furthermore, the virus can live on common surfaces for a long time, and regular cleaning may not even kill it. Yikes. Because it is so … Continue reading →

Don’t Forget to Laugh

After going through a difficult divorce you probably don’t feel much like laughing. Life is hard, you’re struggling trying to find your way along this new path in your life, the stresses are piling higher and higher, but I’m here to tell you, laugh anyway. Trust me, it makes all the difference in the world. Recent studies have actually shown that laughter creates a physiological response in your body that strengthens your immune system and gives you more energy. Both of those things happen to be extremely important as a single parent. You need the energy to parent your children … Continue reading →

Your Blood Type Might Affect Your Risk for Stroke

A new study finds that your blood type might actually affect your risk of having a stroke. It is not the only risk factor, but is something that people should be aware of. Your blood type is determined by genetics that your parents handed down to you. This means that your risk of stroke is something that can run in your family as well. What is your blood type? You got your blood type from one gene that was passed to you from your mother, and another gene that was passed to you from your father. Your blood type could … Continue reading →

When Sickness Prevents You from Exercising

The past week and a half has been a bit frustrating for me. For the second time in a year, I have costochondritis, which is inflammation in the area surrounding the upper ribs/breastbone. It feels like you are having heart attack symptoms. I am apparently one of those cases with an “unknown” cause, since I haven’t been sick and I haven’t experienced any trauma to my chest. Treatment consists of anti-inflammatory medication and rest….sigh. It’s really frustrating when you have been on a regular schedule with exercise, or if you had fallen off the routine but were finally back on … Continue reading →

National Honey Month

September is National Honey Month. What a sweet time of year! I have to admit I found honey to be an acquired taste. I began taking honey to relive seasonal allergies. It worked like a charm and I have not had to take allergy medicine in years. If you plan on using honey for that purpose you will need to purchase local honey. I find myself telling everyone I know about honey’s health benefits and how it has relived my allergies to the point I am sure some find tiresome. However, honey is quickly gaining popularity as a natural sweetener. … Continue reading →