Sunday, 20 November 2011

Healthy Snacks for Children


When it comes to the health of children, it is vital for them to eat properly. Children are more vulnerable than adults to sicknesses, but eating healthy helps their immune system fight off harmful germs.
When children come home from school, they often don’t wait until dinner to indulge in eating. A healthy, light snack is perfect for situations such as this. Here’s a list of healthy snacks to feed children:
  • Veggie Platter- An inexpensive yet favorite dish for many youngsters. Simply cut up celery, carrots, brocolli, and any other preferred vegetables. Including a vegetable dip such as ranch or bleu cheese completes the dish.
Children Snack
  • Fruit Dish- Fruit is a great after school hours snack. Almost all children love a variety of fruit. Cut up a mixture of fruit such as cantaloupe, watermelon, apples, bananas, grapes.. etc. into a bowl and chill in the fridge. It’s as simple as that and ready to go!
  • Crackers and Cheese
  • Yogurt – Instead of ice cream, a low-fat yogurt is a good snack choice.
  • Applesauce – While applesauce is not a very filling food, it is something good to have on the side.
  • Granola Bars
  • Healthy Trail Mix
Last but not least don’t forget to include a healthy beverage. My suggestions include water (of course), low-fat milk and 100% fruit juice.
All of the above options are tremendously better than providing cookies, ice cream, and soda.

Don’t Let Your Salad Turn Unhealthy

For those trying to eat healthy, salads are often the perfect option. A nice mix of greens, some carrots, onions, and tomatoes along with a light dressing usually make for a quite healthy dish. But, do realize there are many popular salad toppings that can turn a healthy dish into an unhealthy one?
Healthy Salad
The first, and one of the most important tips is to be wary of which salad dressing you use. Processed salad dressings from the grocery store usually contain high amounts of sugar, preservatives, hydrogenated oils (trans fats), and artificial flavoring. A simple fix for this problem is to create your own dressing. Combining olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic or a combination between balsamic vinegar and dijon mustard can often make a tasty, healthy dressing. If your not into the homemade dressing options, there are some healthier dressings on the market. Just be aware of the ingredients.
Meat is a very popular salad topping but it can be a salad killer. Not all meat is bad, but it certainly depends on what type of meat and how it is cooked. Bacon bits are a big no-no. They contain lots of bad fats and sodium along with harmful preservatives. Salami and ham are some of the most processed meats which also means they contain many preservatives. Bacon, salami and ham should all be avoided as they will add a good amount of saturated fat to your salad.
There are great meat alternatives to the ones already listed. Chicken and turkey are both lower fat meats which can make for a perfect salad topping. Be sure to stay away from fried (or breaded meats) because these add many empty calories. Instead, bake or grill the meat to gain the healthiest advantage.
Cheese is a very popular salad topper. Cheese, when used in moderation, is perfectly fine because it adds calcium and protein. Too much cheese can lead to many extra calories. Feta cheese or parmesan cheese are better options than processed options like American cheese.
Romain lettuce, green leaf lettuce and spinach are three great lettuce options that contain more nutrients than the standard iceberg lettuce. Darker greens will add nutrients along with more flavor.
A few more quick tips include avoiding croutons as they only add extra carbs and avoid adding candied nuts as well. A few substitutes include dried cranberries, fresh veggies and raw nuts. These can add a little crunch and flavor to complete a perfect healthy salad.
Remember to keep all healthy toppings in moderation for the greatest benefit.

Healthiest Ways to Cook Meat

Meat is an excellent source of protein which our body needs for growth and development. Meat also provides essential amino acids and vitamins for maintaining good health. Although meat provides plenty of benefits, it also contains saturated fats which increase total cholesterol. Thankfully there are healthy ways of cooking meat to help reduce the amount of “bad cholesterol.”
In order to reduce cholesterol in your favorite foods it is important to remember a few simple guidelines. When cooking meats such as hamburgers or pork chops, it is important to broil them instead of pan frying them. Broiling also works great for poultry and fish. A rack can be used when broiling to catch the excess fat and grease from the meat.
Grilling offers many advantages to cooking meat as well. Grilling doesn’t sear fats into the food it cooks, instead the fat drips off the bottom. Grilling meats and vegetables will preserve their intended flavor without sacrificing nutrients.
Healthy Steak
Avoid breading meat as this adds many extra calories to your meal. Use fresh herbs and lemon juice to marinate and add flavor instead of salt and butter.
Of course the serving size of the meat is also critical. It’s not healthy or necessary to eat an excessively large steak or too much chicken. Keeping everything in moderation is just as important as cooking it properly.

The Correct Temperatures for Cooking Meat

Food safety is a very important part of food preparation. It’s extremely important to cook meat to the proper temperature to avoid harmful parasites and bacteria.
Depending on the cut of meat, different temperatures need to be reached to ensure a healthy meal. It’s important to have a good, working meat thermometer to check meat temperatures. When checking the meat temperature, be sure to stick the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. Follow the instructions for your meat thermometer, but usually allow atleast 15 seconds for the temperature to register.
Roast Beef
Here’s the follow temperature table for cooking meat:
Ground Meat & Meat Mixtures:
  • Ground beef, pork, veal, lamb: 160°F
  • Ground turkey, chicken: 165°F
Fresh Pork:
  • Medium: 160°F
  • Well Done: 170°F
Fresh Beef, Veal, Lamb:
  • Medium Rare: 145°F
  • Medium: 160°F
  • Well Done: 170°F
Poultry:
  • Whole Chicken & Turkey: 180°F
  • Roasted Poultry Breasts: 170°F
  • Poultry Thighs, Wings, Legs: 180°F
  • Duck & Goose: 180°F
These figures are from The Nutrition and Food Web Archive.

How Long Are Leftovers Good For?

Leftovers
Depending on the type of leftover, the length of time that they maintain being edible differ. One important aspect for all leftovers is to get the food into refridgeration as soon as possible. It’s recommended that food does not sit out for anymore than two hours before being cooled in the fridge. When food is inbetween a temperature of 40°F and 140°F bacteria multiply rapidly, and the food becomes contaminated.
Proper storing techniques are important for keeping leftovers safe. It’s suggested to not store leftovers in their original cookware to avoid contamination. A good practice is to mark the date of initial storage to keep track of the leftovers age. Some experts suggest that all leftovers be eaten within 2 days. Others say that meat should be eaten within 1 to 3 days, and that vegetables by themselves can last up to 5 days. It’s a debatable topic due to different circumstances almost everytime.
When reheating the food, it is important to heat it to atleast 165°F. If you notice any odors or signs of spoiling, the food should be disposed of right away.

How Healthy is Sushi for you?

Healthy Sushi
The first thing that many people think of when it comes to sushi is that it is a raw food. But in truth, not all foods at the sushi bar are raw. The sushi that is raw needs to be well-controlled in order to prevent bacterial growth. As long as raw sushi is cared for properly, there is nothing to worry about.
Sushi is naturally very lean and healthy due to it’s low-fat content. Sushi is generally made of rice, fish, and vegetables. All ingredients in sushi should be exceptionally fresh for best quality.
Although sush is known as being very healthy, it can often be turned into an unhealthy meal. One such way is due to sushi often being wrapped in a white rice roll. White rice is a starch which the body converts into sugar quickly. This type of sushi preparations adds very little nutrients. In terms of healthiness, it is important to have a greater amount of sushi and a lesser amount of roll.
Overall benefits from sushi:
  • If rolled in Nori (seaweed), it is high in Vitamin A, Vitamin B-complex, Niacin, and Vitamin C.
  • Fish is a great source of protein and minerals.
  • Vegetables provide vitamins and nutrients for a healthy diet.
  • It tastes great!

Healthy Weight Chart

An understanding of your weight relative to your height may be important for some people. Certainly, obesity is becoming more and more prevalent in today’s society. The following two healthy weight chart tables are based on data from Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. The tables are based on ages 25-59 to indicate individuals with the lowest mortality rate.
Healthy Weight Chart for Men
Healthy Weight Chart for Women
Weight is displayed in pounds

Facts about Junk Food


Junk Food
An estimate suggests that Frito Lay sells one billion bags of Cheetos per year

Consumption of junk food provides little or no nutrition due to unhealthy ingredients. Junk food is often considered unhealthy especially when eaten regularly. Credit for the phrase ‘junk food’ is given to Michael Jacobson who coined it in 1972 to describe food that provides no nutritional value. Junk food is usually food that can be obtained conveniently in ready-to-eat form such as a bag of chips or food from a ‘fast food’ restaurant.
Facts about Junk Food:
  • Paul Johnson and Paul Kenny of Scripps Research Center performed a study which concluded that junk food has similar addictive qualities as that of heroin.
  • The glue on envelopes and postage stamps, corn dextrin, is also commonly used to as a thickener in junk food.
  • There is an increase in obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, certain cancers, tooth decay, and other diseases by consuming junk food.
  • Pregnant or breast feeding mothers who eat junk food are more likely to raise children who will have a higher risk obesity, diabetes, raised cholesterol, and high blood fat.
  • Hostess produces 500 million Twinkies per year.
  • The creamy center of a Twinkie isn’t really cream at all but rather its made of mostly Crisco.
  • More than two billion dollars is generated through sales of candy for Halloween.
So the next time you are considering a snack for yourself or for your children, consider something a little (alot) more healthy.

The human body loses an average of 2.3 liters of water everyday

Here are 5 reasons why:

1.) Evaporation from the lungs - 350ml
This is because the air that enters it becomes moisturized before it is expelled. Can increase especially in cold weather.

2.) Diffusion through the skin - 350ml
Independent of sweating. Both reasons 1 and 2 are what we call insensible water loss because we are not consciously aware of it.

3.) Sweating - 100ml
May increase depending on the level of physical activity and the temperature of the environment.

4.) Feces - 100ml
Can increase in cases of severe diarrhea.

5.) Urine - 1.4 liters
The amount is highly variable depending on the person's hydration status.  It can be as low as 500ml/day in a dehydrated individual or as high as 20 liters in a person drinking large amounts of water

One side of the nose is bigger than the other

I noticed that some people have irregular sides of the nose (or maybe mine also haha). After I took up respiratory system, I learned from my readings that the nasal septum rarely lies in the middle, increasing the size of one half of the nasal cavity and decreasing the other.

What is a nasal septum?
- it is made up of the vomer, septal cartilage, and the vertical plate of ethmoid
- it divides the nasal cavity into right and left

L-Carnitine is not a fat burner

L-Carnitine is not a fat burner

Fat is also an important source of energy. Since fat can't freely cross the mitochondria (a structure in a cell where fat can be converted into energy), it needs a carrier/medium for transport.

This is the function of Carnitine, by binding with fat and transporting it across the mitochondrial membrane.

How to effectively eliminate "excess" fat?
1. Diet (Low/No fat & Low carbohydrate)
- lowers down fat buildup in the body at the same time, shifts the body's major source of energy (from carbohydrate to fat)
2. Exercise

Drinking seawater can cause severe dehydration

Drinking seawater can cause severe dehydration


Normally the kidneys excrete a minimum volume of 600 milliosmoles of solutes in 1 liter of urine everyday. Drinking 1 liter of seawater increases the body's NaCl concentration to 1200mOsm.

That means, to be able to excrete the minimum vol. of solutes plus the large amounts of NaCl from the seawater, 2 liters of urine volume must be taken out. This amount already contributes to dehydration which is very common in shipwreck survivors and can be very fatal to the health.

31 Tips on how to defend your research paper

31 Tips on how to defend your research paper

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Here is a checklist of common questions and reminders in defending your research paper.
Adopted from Cebu Doctors' University College of Medicine.


1. What are your Inclusion and Exclusion criteria?

2. Include only what's in your objective

3. Explain how you selected your samples/respondents

4. What is your sampling method?

5. Calculation for sample size determination

6. If there are disproportions in your demographic data, why? 
     - For example, why are there more females or males in your study? etc.

7. Limitations encountered in your study

8. What are the Dependent and Independent variables. Their categories? roles?

9. Are there any factors affecting your results?

10. Be familiar with the pages of your research paper
     - especially the Results page

11. What is the role of the Demographic Profile in your study? Their importance?

12. What will you do with the information/results you've gathered?

13. What is the main reason why you conduct this study?

14. Why did you choose these respondents?

15. What are your recommendations for future researchers?

16. Make sure you are able to correlate your results with your objectives and Review of Related Literature

17. Know the terms used in your study and make sure you can define them

18. How did you come to your conclusion?

19. How were you able to track/find your respondents? Any adjustments?

20. If you are doing correlation, why do you want to correlate?

21. If you are utilizing a research questionnaire, how did you score them?

22. When did you conduct your study? Duration?

23. Do you think your study is credible with your presented results? Explain

24. How did you measure your variables?

25. What are your Categorical and Numerical Data?

26. Why did you choose "place" as your locale?

27. What did you do to minimize or combat the limitations in your study?

28. What are the objectives of your study?

29. Did you have a Pre-testing? Who are the subjects? What was the result? What were the changes?

30. What scaling did you use for your study?

31. What was your analysis with your variables?

Note: Most of the panelists' questions are taken from your paper, so be sure you are familiar with every page.

Studying Tips For Medical Students - The Study Room [ FENG SHUI ]

Studying Tips For Medical Students - The Study Room [ FENG SHUI ]


TIP # 1: Room should be kept neat and clean and should be clutter free. Look ways to keep the study desk itself as bare as you can, because that will help with focus.

TIP # 2: Use a chair that's comfortable and should have a high back. Place the chair where there are no shelves present.

TIP # 3: Desk should be positioned in such a way that the window is on the left of the person sitting at the desk.

TIP # 4: The door should be visible to the person sitting at the desk.

TIP # 5: Buy shelves and folders to keep your desk organized.

TIP # 6: Place a picture that is symbolic of water behind the chair or a picture that associates you with positive emotions concerning study to help the flow of creative energy.

TIP # 7: Place a bamboo or cactus in this room because they symbolize good fortune.

TIP # 8: Place sharp leaved plants in this room, as they will ward off harmful influences. Placing a wind chime or a plant can prevent threat that can enter through the window.

TIP # 9: Place things that make you feel good about yourself around your desk (i.e. ribbons or certificates you have been given). This way you can look around you when you are feeling down about the paper you are writing or the exam you are studying for and know that you are a good medical student.

TIP # 10: Make a list of things you want to accomplish while you are in medical school, or just a list of future plans. Keep them in view while you are at your desk. This way you will know that you always have something to work forward too.

TIP # 11: Make a definite line between your studying area and your personal area. You can use a mat to make this difference. People will feel the need to stop before the mat, before they "enter" your study area.




TIP # 12: Before going to sleep, clean up your study area, turn off your computer and prepare your school books for the next day. When you wake up the next morning, you will have less to do and ready to start your day.

Erythema Multiforme - just the facts

Erythema Multiforme - just the facts


ETIOLOGY
- Herpes Simplex Virus Infection (Labialis and Genitalis)
- most common ; 60%

PATHOGENESIS
- "unclear"
- probably - Host-specific cell-mediated immune responses to an antigenic stimulus
- result: Keratinocyte damage

CLINICAL MANIFESTATION
- Classic lesion: Doughnut-shaped, target-like (iris or bull's eye) Papules
- with Erythematous outer border ;  Inner pale ring ; dusky purple to necrotic center
- most commonly on the extensor upper extremities 
- lesions are relatively sparse on the face, trunk, and legs
- oral lesions may occur with a predilection for the vermilion border of the lips and the buccal mucosa



DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
  • Bullous pemphigoid
  • Pemphigus
  • Linear IgA dermatosis
  • Graft versus Host Disease
  • Bullous drug eruption
  • Urticaria
  • Viral Infection (Herpes Simplex)
  • Reiter disease
  • Behcet disease
  • Allergic vasculitis
  • Erythema annulare centrifugum
  • Kawasaki disease
  • Periarteritis Nodosa
Involvement of oral mucosa:
  • Bullous pemphigoid
  • Pemphigus vulgaris
  • Vesiculobullous or erosive lichen planus
  • Behçet syndrome
  • Recurrent aphthous stomatitis
  • Primary herpetic gingivostomatitis


MICROSCOPIC CHARACTERISTIC (Organ Affected)
1. Early Lesions
  • slight intercellular edema
  • rare dyskeratotic keratinocytes
  • basal vacuolation in the epidermis
  • perivascular lymphohistiocytic infiltrate with edema in the upper dermis
2. Mature Lesions
  • early lesions +
  • lymphocytic exocytosis
  • intense, perivascular, and interstitial mononuclear infiltrate in the upper third of the dermis
3. Severe Cases
  • entire epidermis becomes necrotic

MANAGEMENT
1. Supportive
  • Topical emollients
  • Systemic Anti-Histamines
  • NSAIDs
2. Prophylactic
  • Oral ACYCLOVIR for 6 months (to control recurrent episodes of HSV-associated EM)
Reference: Nelson Textbook Of Pediatrics 18th Edition

The Reason Why Some People Are Against The RH Bill



The Reason Why Some People Are Against The RH Bill

A study conducted by a group of medical students shows that there is a correlation between one's level of knowledge about the RH bill and perspective about its passage.
They concluded that well-versed students regarding the RH Bill were more likely to support its passage while those who oppose it were more likely to be less knowledgeable regarding its contents.
Here is a copy of their abstract:

Title: THE LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE AND PERSPECTIVE REGARDING THE MAIN POINTS OF THE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND POPULATION DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2008 AMONG SELECTED UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS OF CEBU DOCTORS’ UNIVERSITY FOR ACADEMIC YEAR 2010-2011

Authors: M K Alviar, M C Dacalos, J J Estalilla, L G Gozo, M J Labella, M S Mabalatan, L G Mercado, G Ocampo, S Pescadero, R V Yap


Objective: To correlate the level of knowledge and the perspective regarding the Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2008 among selected Cebu Doctors’ University undergraduate students for academic year 2010-2011.

Research Design: Descriptive correlational research design.

Research Locale: Cebu Doctors’ University, Mandaue City, Cebu.

Research Respondents: Undergraduate students of Cebu Doctors’ University currently enrolled in the academic year 2010-2011.

Research Instrument: Researcher-made questionnaire and tabulation sheet.

Actual Data Gathering: After approved by the ethics committee, the researchers, with the approval of the Dean of the College of Medicine and the Deans of all the undergraduate colleges of Cebu Doctors’ University, randomly chose respondents, and made them answer the questionnaires. Their corresponding answers were collected and tabulated on a data sheet.

Results: The results revealed 40% of the respondents were below 18, 60% above 18. The study respondents were 67% female 33% male, having religion of 89% Catholic, 5% Protestant, 3%others while 3% did not indicate their religion. Awareness distribution showed that 85% were Aware, 15% were Unaware. Knowledge distribution was 2% Excellent, 26% Very Good, 38% Good, 24% Fair, and 10% Poor. sChi square test of association between knowledge and perspective score was 82.696, p=0.00 < 0.05a showing a significant correlation between the two.

Conclusion: It was determined that among undergraduate Cebu Doctors University Students, there was a correlation between the level of knowledge and perspective regarding the Reproductive Health Bill of 2008. Well-versed students regarding the RH Bill were more likely to support its passage while those who oppose it were more likely to be less knowledgeable regarding its contents.

Classification of Normal and Abnormal Blood Pressure


Classification of Normal and Abnormal Blood Pressure

NORMAL
  • Systolic: <120 mm Hg
  • Diastolic: <80 mm Hg
PREHYPERTENSION
  • Systolic: 120 - 139 mm Hg
  • Diastolic: 80 - 89 mm Hg
HYPERTENSION
     STAGE 1
  • Systolic: 140 - 159 mm Hg
  • Diastolic: 90 - 99 mm Hg
     STAGE 2
  • Systolic: =/> 160 mm Hg
  • Diastolic: =/> 100 mm Hg

*for adults older than 18 years
Source: Joint National Committee VII

Risk Of Developing Otitis Media (Middle Ear Infection) In Children



Risk Of Developing Otitis Media (Middle Ear Infection) In Children

Otitis media is the infection or inflammation of the middle ear. It is commonly caused by a bacterial infection (Streptococcus Pneumoniae 40%, Haemophilus Influenzae 25-30%, Moraxella Catarrhalis 10-15%). Children below 6 years of age have a 60-99% of developing at least one episode of otitis media.
These odds are due to the fact that infants and younger children have less well-developed immunologic defenses and a shorter and more horizontal orientation of the Eustachian tube. It is also common in boys and in homozygotic twins. Socioeconomic status like crowding, suboptimal nutrition, limited hygienic facilities, access to medical care, and resources for medical compliance may contribute to the development of this disease. Otitis media is also high during cold weather months and can be related to tobacco smoke exposure, as well as congenital anomalies like cleft palate, and other craniofacial deformities.

Breast milk feeding and pneumococcal vaccination to a child have shown protective effects and reduction in incidence of otitis media.

Signs and symptoms include (1) Ear pain which can interfere with a child's normal activity and sleep, (2) Irritability, (3) Holding or tugging at the ear, and (4) Fever. Otoscopic findings may reveal an obscured malleusbulging and redness of the tympanic membrane that may resemble a bagel with central depression. Rupture of the membrane is rate but can occur.

Note: If you suspect Otitis media, please consult your doctor right away.

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