Normal body temperature varies with age, activity and time of the day and the average normal body temperature is 37 degrees C. Body temperature varies less in adults, but a woman’s menstrual cycle can elevate body temperature by 1 degree C or more. In children between 6 months to 2 years, the average variation is about 1 degree C and the difference is about 2 degrees C when they become six years old.
A rectal temperature up to 38 degrees C may be entirely normal and above 38 degrees C should be considered a fever. Fever is not a disease and it is an important part of the body’s defence against infection. Fever signals us the fight which is going on in the body against the bacteria or virus or other micro-organisms for your survival. Optimum temperature for bacteria and viruses are 37 degrees C and increasing the temperature few degrees activate the body’s immune system to make more white blood cells and antibodies to fight against.
Brain damage is possible if the fever is above 42 degrees C and untreated fever caused by infection in children go seldom above 40.5 degrees C.
The other causes of fever are including cancers, autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis or toxins.
In cases where the body cannot stop the rise of temperature such as a child in a hot car or too much of exercise with less fluid intake can cause heatstroke which is very dangerous.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Sinus infections are also called sinusitis. It is an infection and inflammation of the sinuses and nasal passages. The sinuses are covered with a mucus layer and cells which contain little hairs on their surfaces. These hairs help to prevent the entry of bacteria, viruses, allergens and pollutants from the environment.
If the normal defence system fails the hairs may allow bacteria or viruses present in the nasal passage to enter inside the sinuses. Once entered the micro organism stick to the lining cells and cause an infection. This is the sinus infection.
The symptoms of sinus infection are headache or pressure in the eyes, nose, cheek or on one side of the head. The other common symptoms include: cough, fever, bad breath and nasal congestion with thick nasal secretions. There is acute and chronic sinus infection and the common one is the long term, chronic infection.
Acute sinus infection normally lasts less than eight weeks and does not occur more than three times in a year. Each episode can last less than ten days.
Chronic sinus infection lasts longer than eight weeks and occurs more than four times in a year. Here each episode lasts more than 20 days
What is the purpose of having sinuses in out body apart from preventing the entry of bacteria, viruses and other pollutants? There are four hollow air-filled-cavities in the human skull and these cavities are called sinuses. They are frontal (in the forehead), maxillary (behind the cheek bones), ethmoid (between the eyes) and sphenoid (behind the eyes) sinuses. They help to insulate the skull, reduce its weight and allow the voice to resonate within it.
To be continued...
Monday, January 25, 2010
What is the relationship between immune system and food?
Your genetic make up influences your immune system and so do the environmental factors. From the scientific studies it is increasingly clear that you can manipulate your immune system by what you eat. Foods, containing vitamins, minerals and other unique compounds, can stimulate immune functioning, increase your resistance to various bacterial and viral infections, as well as cancerous growths which flourish or die according to the strength and operation of immune mechanisms.
How food can influence your immune system?
What you eat can strongly influence the performance of white blood cells, the frontline soldiers against infection and cancer. The B-cells produce critical antibodies which rush to destroy bacteria, virus and tumor cells. Many research documents of various foods and food components help to control the amount of white blood cells and their strength.
The quality of food must be good to prevent infections. Raw or lightly cooked eggs, shellfish or soft cheese may contain bacteria. Therefore, we must be always careful with all the food because the danger of infection may be everywhere.
Is vegetarian immune system better than others?
Fruits and vegetables have always a good influence on immune system because there are numerous substances, including vitamin C and beta-carotene and vegetarians have more strong immune defences. Vegetarians have more beta-carotene in blood than meat eaters and it has a documented influence on immune system.
Eat enough spinach, carrots and other fruits and vegetables rich in beta-carotene. Pulses, beans, nuts and seeds are also very important.
What is the role of our normal yoghurt here?
Eat some yoghurt every day and you do something good for your body and it is a known fighter against disease. Approximately eating 200 gram yoghurt daily can prevent cold and diarrhea in adults and elders. Yoghurt in animals and human beings stimulates the activity of natural killer cells which destroy tumor cells. The heated and frozen yoghurts, in which the bacterial culture is often killed, could strengthen our immune system.
What is shiitake mushroom?
Shiitake is a big, brown and fleshy mushroom of Asian origin. It contains an antiviral substance called lentinan which exhibits strong immunostimulating activity. It is used in Chinese traditional medicine and it can modify cells to resist the spreading of lung cancer cells. Thus shiitake mushroom may help immune system to fight as well as to prevent cancer.
Is garlic a weapon against microbes?
Garlic is a fighter of bacteria, virus and cancer cells and it stimulates the potencies of T-lymphocytes and macrophages, the main cells in immune functions. Garlic extract helps macrophages to generate more free radicals to kill microbes and tumor cells. It is a cheaper weapon to strengthen our immune system.
Zinc, is it really an immune element?
Your immune system cannot function properly if you fail to eat food rich in zinc. It helps to strengthen the immune sytem, including the production of antibodies, T-cells and other white blood cell activities.
What about drinking, I mean water or soft drinks?
Drinking plenty of fluid can help to prevent infection; it keeps your mouth moist and healthy and flushes out kidneys and bladder which prevents the build-up of waste in our body where the bacteria can grow. Three to four liter of fluid does good to our body but at least 70% must be drinking water.
Fat and immune system, what is the correct way?
Reducing fat in the diet is important not only for weight control but also seems to influence the function of our immune system. Diets that are high in fat seem to depress the immune response and thus increase the risk of infections. Reducing fat content in the diet can decrease the risk of infections. Moreover, it is not the amount of fat but also the origin of fat is important. Food rich in monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fatty acids are fatty fish, nuts soya or linseed oil.
Immune system and alcohol, where are we now?
Drinking little alcohol, especially wine, can boost your resistance to some infections and the reason may be, it can destroy or disable disease-producing organisms. Wine can kill any number of bacteria, including Salmonella, E. coli and Staphylococcus which are the common cause of food poisoning. Wine may be better because of grape skin and fermentation but other alcoholic beverages in small amount can destroy unwanted bacteria. Consuming contaminated food and alcohol at the same time may lessen the chance of becoming sick. For example, eating raw oysters may not be safe even with alcohol and avoidance is the best solution.
What about probiotic supplements?
These may be good. These come under food supplements; so no clinical studies and side effects. Nobody knows how the standardisation is done. We have to wait for further research.
What is the relationship between infections and kisses?
Millions of bacteria are transferred from one mouth to the other and there may be many harmful bacteria causing infections.
Do not kiss a child in the lips because the risk of infection is great.
Friday, January 22, 2010
The process of exposing food to ionizing radiation to destroy bacteria, viruses, other micro organisms or insects is food irradiation and in several countries it is banned.
Sprout inhibition, delay of ripening and increase of juice yield and improvement in rehydration are the unnatural practices done by the industry, this spoils the food quality and the health risks are unforeseeable.
The ionizing radiation damages the DNA, the basic genetic information for life and thus it stops the malignant or pathogen activities of micro organisms. Ionizing radiation causes damage to the reproductive organs of insects. Irradiated plant foods cannot continue their natural ripening.
Only 40 countries are allowing food irradiation.
The critics say that the food is dead after irradiation. If it is possible, such food must be avoided.
Monday, January 18, 2010
E. coli or its various forms present in gut are responsible for most of the bladder infections.
If you live in cold places wear warm underclothes, otherwise the chance of getting it is higher than normal. Women may get bladder infections after sexual intercourse because it makes easier for bacteria in reaching the urethra through the bladder. HYGIENE is written here very big to stress the importance.
Women, who use diaphragm as a primary of contraception, are also susceptible to bladder infection because it may press the bladder and prevent to empty the urine completely. This rest urine is bad for us and good for bacteria to increase the risk of bladder infection.
The compressed bladder of pregnant woman is also susceptible for this infection and it is mostly uncomfortable.
Bladder infections are more common among young women who have just become sexually active and have sexual intercourse often.
Use of spermicides may also increase the risk of bladder infections. Cotton undercloth is useful to prevent bladder infection.
The immune system is body’s defence against bacteria, viruses and other foreign organisms. It is a very complex system which has to function properly to protect us from the harmful bacteria and other organisms in our environment that may infect body.
If your immunity is reduced for any reason, avoid people who have sore throat, cold, flu, vomiting and diarrhoea and all the possible other infections.
It is important to go outside for physical activity and for fresh air and avoid crowds in public transport and shopping centres. Select your clothes properly if you go out in cold weather or in winter to avoid getting a chill.
It is better to avoid public swimming hall and the chance of getting infected through the water. It is also better to avoid sport performances and other social activities where more people gather together.
If you have pets or work with animals you should be extra careful, wash your hands if you have contact with them and avoid completely animal wastes which can increase the risk of infection.
Avoid all building materials such as bricks, and cement which may contain dust and fungal spores that may cause infection.
If you plan a trip to abroad, contact your doctor for necessary vaccination which is necessary for the visiting country.
The personal hygiene standards must be very high, keep your house and environment very clean and wash your hands when you have been in the toilet and also before preparing or eating food. Take a bath everyday and have your own towels because these are a good source of cross-infection.
When your immunity is low, your mouth is a place of risk for infections; use a soft brush because hard brush might cause the gums to bleed that increase the risk of infection. Consult your dentist for antiseptic mouthwash to be taken after meals which may prevent infection.
The quality of food must be good to prevent infections. Raw or lightly cooked eggs, shellfish or soft cheese may contain bacteria. Therefore, we must be always careful with all the food because the danger of infection may be everywhere.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Traveller’s diarrhoea is the diarrhoea of developed country people getting in developing countries and it is mostly because of bacteria which may come from food or water.
To prevent traveller’s diarrhoea drink only bottled water and other beverages, eat only cooked food, fruits which are peeled and avoid tap water, ice cubes, ice cream, food from street vendors and unpasteurized milk and milk products.
Carbonated water can also be taken to drink or to wash the mouth. Carbonated water is acidic enough to kill the bacteria including those that cause diarrhoea. You must eat and drink normally if you have traveller’s diarrhoea.
If necessary go to a local doctor and get medicine with antibiotic which help immediately. Most of the medicines which they bring with them are useless because they are always without antibiotics.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
I am an analytical chemist who understands a lot about these estimations in food industry or in environment or in the medicine or anywhere. There is nobody to control all these because most of the national nutrition associations work closely with the food industry.
I furnish you some of the values which give you some important information. Potatoes had in 1978, 87 calories/100g, but it was 68 calories in 1990, carrots 1978, 35 calories and in 1990 only 24. Ragi, in 1978, 240 calories and in 1990 only 194 and avocado, 240 in 1978 and in 1990, 205 calories, if we measure now it may be also different.
It can be because of modern analytical methods or the allowed fluctuations in the measurements. With standard deviations and variation coefficients the allowed ranges are measured where 72 is equal to 98 or vice versa.
There are several other factors which influence the calorie valus. How ripe are the vegetables or fruits during harvest. The bananas are not even half ripe when they are harvested in South America. In Europe we add acetylene so that it ripes in the lorry with the necessary temperature. It is different if the lorry has to travel 200 or 800 km.
Think of our raw mangos and the hot stone or calcium carbide.
Moreover carbohydrates mean simple sugar to very complecated starch molecules with numerous sugar molecules. Till date there are no satisfactory methods to estimate all. In food, protein and fat are estimated and from that the carbohydrate values are calculated.
Another big unknown factor is what is happening in our stomach and intestine. Not verything are digested or absorbed to blood. The calories which are coming out must also be measured. This could be never right because the bacteria in our intestine system also consumes or destroys.
Counting calories can make one desperate because what you count is always not correct. I knew many who had permanent stress counting their unending calories and at the end put on more weight before.
Consider the amount and it is easy to calculate and the success is almost pre-planned.
You might also like...
Subscribe
Posts
All Comments
Dr.K.Padmanaban Ph.D
Click the image to see my profile