When sharing is not caring: 10 personal items you should never share- not even with your best friend.

1. Bar Soap

Bar soap may look like it cleans itself, but Outside magazine reported on a 2006 study that said germy bar soap is likely to transfer bacteria to the next user and is a source of continuous reinfection in dental clinics. If you think about it, the bottom of bar soap never totally dries between uses,

Health hazards associated with smoking.

Smoking is one of the major of death and illness in the UK. Yearly about 100,000 people die from smoking, with many more deaths caused by smoking-related illnesses. Smoking increases your risk of developing more than 50 serious health conditions. Some may be fatal and others can cause irreversible long-term damage to your health.

The sad thing about it is that the health of people around the smoker is also at risk (passive smoking, or secondhand smoke). We hope this series of articles on smoking would make readers with the habit think twice before pulling out another stick. It would also educate/ remind non-smokers of the health implications of second hand smoking. first let us look at the risks associated with smoking.

Health risks

1.  Smoking causes about 90% of lung cancers:  It also causes cancer in many other parts of the    body, including the mouth lips, throat, voice box (larynx), oesophagus (the tube between your mouth and stomach), bladder, kidney, liver, stomach and pancreas.

2. Smoking damages your heart and your blood circulation, increasing your risk of developing conditions such as:

·         Heart attack

·         stroke

·         peripheral vascular disease (damaged blood vessels)

·         cerebrovascular disease (damaged arteries that supply blood to your brain)

·         Raised blood pressure and heart rate

·         Constriction (tightening) of blood vessels in the skin, resulting in a drop in skin temperature

·         Less oxygen carried by the blood

·         ‘Stickier’ blood, which is more prone to clotting

·         Damage to the lining of the arteries, which is thought to be a contributing factor to atherosclerosis (the build-up of fatty deposits on the artery walls)

·         Reduced blood flow to extremities (fingers and toes)

·         Increased risk of stroke and heart attack due to blockages of the blood supply.

3. Smoking damages your lungs: smokers are at high risk of suffering from the following lungs conditions

·         chronic bronchitis (infection of the main airways in the lungs)

·         emphysema (damage to the small airways in the lungs)

·         pneumonia (inflammation in the lungs) 

      4. Prolongs or worsens symptoms of respiratory conditions: Smoking can worsen or prolong the symptoms of respiratory conditions such as asthma, or respiratory tract infections such as the common cold. 

      5. Effect on fertility: The effects of tobacco smoke on the male body include:

·Lower sperm count

·Higher percentage of deformed sperm

·Genetic damage to sperm

·Impotence, which may be due to the effects of smoking on blood flow and damage to the blood vessels of the penis.

The effects of tobacco smoke on the female body include:

·Reduced fertility

·Menstrual cycle irregularities or absence of menstruation

·Menopause reached one or two years earlier

·Increase risk of cervical cancer

6.  Effects of smoking on the immune system: The effects of tobacco smoke on the immune system include:

• Greater susceptibility to infections such as pneumonia and influenza
• More severe and longer-lasting illnesses
• Lower levels of protective antioxidants (such as vitamin C), in the blood.

7.  Other effects:

• Irritation and inflammation of the stomach and intestines
• Increased risk of painful ulcers along the digestive tract
• Reduced ability to smell and taste
• Premature wrinkling of the skin
• Higher risk of blindness
• Gum disease (periodontitis).
• Tightening of certain muscles
• Reduced bone density.

Secondhand smoke

Secondhand smoke comes from the tip of a lit cigarette and the smoke that the smoker breathes out.
People who breathe in secondhand smoke are at risk of getting the same health conditions as smokers, particularly lung cancer and heart disease. For example, breathing in secondhand smoke increases a non-smoker's risk of developing lung cancer or heart disease by about 25%.
A child who is exposed to smoke (secondhand smoking) is at increased risk of developing respiratory infections, a chronic cough and, if they have asthma
, their symptoms will get worse. They're also at increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and glue ear.

Smoking during pregnancy

If you smoke when you're pregnant, you put your unborn baby's health at risk, as well as your own. Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of complications such as:

• miscarriage 
• premature (early) birth
• a low birth weight baby
• stillbirth 
• Increased risk of cleft palate and cleft lip
• Paternal smoking can also harm the fetus if the non-smoking mother is exposed to second-hand smoke.

If a parent continues to smoke during their baby’s first year of life, the child has an increased risk of ear infections, respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia and bronchitis, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and meningococcal disease.

What about smokeless tobacco:

Smokeless tobacco is tobacco that is not burned. It includes chewing tobacco, dip, snuff, and betel quid. At least 28 chemicals in these products have been found to cause cancer, including:

• Esophageal cancer
• Mouth cancer
• Pancreatic cancer

Betel quid is a combination of betel leaf, areca nut, and slaked lime. Like other smokeless tobacco products, betel quid and gutka are known to cause:

• Esophageal cancer
• Lip cancer
• Mouth cancer
• Pharynx cancer
• Tongue cancer

Smokeless tobacco also causes

·         Tooth decay in exposed tooth roots.

·         gums to pull away from your teeth( If this happens, the gums will not grow back)

·         leathery white patches and red sores (Those patches and sores can turn into cancer).

source: http://www.nhs.uk 

21 steps to a stronger immune system.

1.      Get enough protein: make sure you eat plenty of protein as it is the most important component of white blood cells. You can get protein from meats, fish, cheese, eggs, and milk. 

10 Health benefits of Walnut.

Walnuts belong to the tree nut family, along with Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, and pistachios. Each has its own unique nutritional profile. Below are some health benefits of adding walnut to your diet.

Health benefits of eating walnut

1. Reduces the Risk Of Cancer

Breast Cancer: diagnosis and treatment.

 

DIAGNOSING BREAST CANCER

Women are usually diagnosed with breast cancer after a routine breast cancer screening, or after detecting certain signs and symptoms and seeing their doctor about them.

Breast Cancer: facts and types.

Breast cancer is a malignant tumor (a collection of cancer cells) arising from the cells of the breast. Breast cancer is the most common invasive cancer in females worldwide. It accounts for 16% of all female cancers and 22.9% of invasive cancers in women. 18.2% of all cancer deaths worldwide, including both males and females, are from breast cancer.

Beast Cancer: When to see the doctor.

 WHEN TO SEE A DOCTOR

If you find a lump or other change in your breast — even if a recent mammogram was normal — make an appointment with your doctor.

 What to expect from your doctor

Breast Cancer: risk factors, symptoms and prevention.

 

A risk factor is a variable associated with an increased risk of disease or infection. Below are a list of breast cancer risk factors.

Amazing benefits of ginger that you may not be aware of.

Below is a list of some of the amazing benefits of ginger that you may not be aware of.

The Benefits of Ginger

1. Maintains Normal Blood Circulation. 

Heart disease 1: Risk factors you need to watchout for.

In the United States, 1 in 4 women dies from heart disease. In fact, coronary heart disease (CHD)—the most common type of heart disease—is the #1 killer of both men and women in the United States. Women tend to have CHD about 10 years later than men. However, CHD remains the #1 killer of women in the United States.

Heart disease 2: Coronary Heart Disease (#1 killer of women in the United States).

·     

          Coronary Heart Disease

CHD is a disease in which plaque (usually made up fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances found in the blood) builds up on the inner walls of your coronary arteries. Over time, this plaque can harden or rupture. Hardened plaque narrows the coronary arteries and reduces the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart. This can cause chest pain or discomfort called angina. 

Urinary Tract Infections: things you never expect would increase your risk of infection.

The urinary tract consists of the kidneys, ureters (which connect the kidneys and the bladder), bladder, and urethra. . The bladder serves as a storage container for urine, which is then emptied by urinating through the urethra, a tube that connects the bladder to the skin. The urethra connects to the end of the penis in a male and connects to an area above the vagina in a female.

15 THINGS THAT WRECKS YOUR TOOTH

        Chewing ice:

It’s natural and sugar free, so you might think ice is harmless. But munching on hard, frozen cubes can chip or even crack your teeth. And if your mindless chomping irritates the soft tissue inside a tooth, regular toothaches may follow. Hot foods and cold foods may trigger quick, sharp jabs of pain or a lingering toothache. Next time you get the urge for ice, chew some sugarless gum instead.