Home

Health Update

For your daily dose of health news and information

Archive for August, 2008

Protecting ourselves against cancer-causing chemicals

August 31st, 2008

Von

by Ching M. Alano

With the toxins in the food we eat, the water we drink, and the very air we breathe, it comes like a breath of fresh air that the Philippines, in an earthshaking move, is addressing the serious health and environmental threats from the country’s stockpiles of obsolete industrial chemicals found mainly in old electrical transformers.

In cooperation with the United Nations, representatives of the government, industry, and public interest non-government organizations (NGOs) recently launched a novel initiative that involves the setting up of a non-combustion facility for destroying persistent organic pollutants (POPs), known as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). (more…)

Posted in Uncategorized

Tags: Breath Of Fresh Air, Cancer Causing Chemicals, Chemicals Management, Combustion Facility, Dr Mohamed, E Mail, Earth Day Celebration, Electrical Transformers, Environmental Management Bureau, Executing Agency, Global Environmental Facility, Implementing Agency, Industrial Chemicals, Manila Electric Company, National Oil Company, National Transmission, Persistent Organic Pollutants, Polychlorinated Biphenyls Pcbs, Stockholm Convention, United Nations Industrial

No Comments »

Solving sleep problems

August 29th, 2008

Von

Life in urban Philippines becomes busier and more hectic each day. Work pressure, the overwhelming distractions brought about by television and the Internet, and the proliferation of late-night hangouts sometimes cause Filipinos to have poor sleeping habits.

This hectic lifestyle results in extremely shortened or altered sleeping hours. As a result, people find it difficult to sleep during the day, resulting in an uncomfortable sleep cycle.

Sleeping problems also pose significant health problems including fatigue, depression, and even paranoia. Additionally, lack of good sleep can pose significant danger to people who drive and operate heavy machinery because they are highly susceptible to accidentally falling asleep. (more…)

Posted in Sleep

Tags: Addiction And Dependence, Chamomile, Conscious World, Filipinos, Good Sleep, Healthy Sleep, Heavy Machinery, Hectic Lifestyle, Natural Dietary Supplement, Natural Sedatives, Prescription Drugs, Relaxation Techniques, Significant Health, Sleep Problems, Sleepasil, Sleeping Habits, Sleeping Pills, Sleeping Problems, Valerian, Wild Jujube

No Comments »

Prevention is still the best treatment for liver cirrhosis

August 28th, 2008

Von

The liver is essential in keeping the body functioning properly. It removes poisons, germs and bacteria from the blood, produces immune agents to control infection, makes proteins that regulate blood clotting and produces bile to help absorb fats and fat-soluble vitamins. You cannot live without a functioning liver.

It is one of the organs in the body that is capable of regenerating itself, recovering to almost its original size in as early as two weeks after liver surgery. Because of its important role metabolizing toxic substances in the body, the liver is prone to a lot of damage from environmental and infectious causes. And one of the most dreaded complications of prolonged and sustained liver injuries is liver cirrhosis. (more…)

Posted in Liver cirrhosis

Tags: Asia Brewery, Chinese General Hospital, Chinese General Hospital And Medical Center, Fat Soluble Vitamins, Fatty Liver, Gastrointestinal Bleeding, Germs And Bacteria, Hepatitis B And C, Liver Cancer, Liver cirrhosis, Liver Injury, Liver Surgery, Liver Tissue, Organs In The Body, Primary Biliary Cirrhosis, Santo Tomas Hospital, Scar Tissue, Swelling Of The Abdomen, University Of Santo Tomas, University Of Santo Tomas Hospital

No Comments »

Keeping your cholesterol in check

August 27th, 2008

Von

If you are among those who think that natural calamities are the major causes of death in the country, you are grossly mistaken. According to recent studies conducted by the Department of Health, the country’s mortality ratio is, in large part, caused by diseases.

The number one cause of death n the country today is still hearth disease, which is no surprise, as our delicious but no doubt killer diet is very high in cholesterol.

To remain healthy, productive and, well, alive we need to keep our diet – relative with our cholesterol – in check.

It used to be that for a person in need of lowering levels of cholesterol in his body, the only recourse was that of taking prescription drugs.

Now, there’s a natural and safer way to keep your cholesterol within sound levels. Policosanol Prime, a dietary supplement formulated from a natural waxy substance inherent in sugarcane, is now available to help lower cholesterol levels and thus prevent heart attacks. (more…)

Posted in Uncategorized

Tags: Abnormal Blood Flow, Bad Cholesterol, Balanced Diet, Cholesterol Drugs, Cholesterol Levels, Cholesterol Lowering Drugs, College Of Pharmacy, Diet Exercise, Efficacy Rate, Heart Attacks, Low Density Lipoprotein, Lower Cholesterol, Mortality Ratio, Natural Aids, Natural Calamities, Number One Cause Of Death, Policosanol, Prescription Drugs, Prevention Is Better Than Cure, Waxy Substance

No Comments »

Preventing sun-damaged skin

August 27th, 2008

Von

by MA. LORNA F. FREZ, MD

THE NEED for sun protection cannot be overemphasized. Sunburn and tanning are common trade-offs for a fun time at the beach or pool. Aside from these immediate effects, end-results of several years of unprotected sun-exposure include skin aging manifesting as wrinkles, blotchy pigmentation and skin sagging. Add to this list the increased risk for developing skin cancer.

The sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays are responsible for these changes. The UV rays are divided into UVC, UVB and UVA rays. (more…)

Posted in Mens health, News, Skin, Womens health