Beef consumption lowers sperm count

Reuters reported that according to a recent study, U.S. women who eat a lot of beef while pregnant give birth to sons who grow up to have low sperm counts.

The team at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York led by Shanna Swan, believe pesticides, hormones or contaminants in cattle feed may be to blame. Chemicals can build up in the fat of animals that eat contaminated feed or grass, and cattle are routinely given hormones to boost their growth. Read article..MSNBC/Reuters

Motion Sickness can spoil a holiday

A friend of mine loves to travel but so far has avoided being on a cruise simply because she is afraid of motion sickness. What is motion sickness and why is she afraid of it and what are the symptioms?

If you've ever been sick to your stomach on a rocking boat or a bumpy airplane ride, you know the discomfort of motion sickness. Although it doesn't cause long-term problems, motion sickness can make life miserable, especially for people who travel a lot.

Common symptoms of motion sickness are a general sense of not feeling well, nausea, vomiting, headache, and sweating.

Prescription and nonprescription medication prevent or reduce symptoms of nausea and vomiting. Most medications work best if you take them before you travel. They work in different ways such as minimizing the effect of motion, while others reduce nausea and vomiting.

Many people try other methods of preventing motion sickness, such as taking powdered ginger capsules or wearing acupressure wristbands. It is safe to try these methods, and they might offer some relief; however, there is little evidence that they prevent motion sickness.

Source: http://health.yahoo.com/

The effects of smoking Shisha

What is Shisha? Shisha refers to the flavoured tobacco used in the smoking process using a hookah, also commonly known as ‘hubble bubble’ and ‘narghile’. It is believed to have originated in Turkey over 500 years ago while others claim it came from Syria and India.

The tobacco is soaked in fruits shavings such as apples, grapes and strawberries. A hookah consists of a base, pipe, bowl and hose or a mouthpiece. Tobacco is placed in the bowl, which is at the top of the pipe structure. An aluminium foil covers the bowl and small charcoal pieces are then placed on the foil, which is punctured using a pin to gently heat the tobacco. When smoked using the hose, smooth, sweet-smelling vapour is filtered through the base containing water. It also comes in floral flavours such as coconut, vanilla and rose.

Is Shisha harmful? While many may argue that Shisha smoking is not harmful, medical experts say otherwise as tobacco product in any form contains nicotine and nicotine is addictive. Tobacco products are dangerous as it contains chemicals which are toxic and carcinogenic.

The common belief is that smoke is filtered by the water when in actual fact, nicotine is not water-soluble. The water filter is a gimmick hence the smoke is inhaled by a smoker.

Reuters reported last week that the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced that a single session of smoking Shisha yields a nicotine intake equivalent to more than one pack of cigarettes.

It is also reported that Shisha smoke retained all the carcinogens of cigarette smoke while adding more carbon monoxide and a separate set of carcinogens from the use of burning coals to keep the nicotine flowing, coupled with the risk of infection with tuberculosis or hepatitis from shared mouthpieces.

Source: The Star

What can you do if you’re stung by an insect?

WITH over 150,000 species of insects found Malaysia, it is not unusual to encounter some that sting. Nearly everyone has been stung by an insect at one time or another. It is an unpleasant experience though oftentimes, the injury is only temporary pain or an itch. An encounter with insects like the bee, wasp or hornet, can be terrifying. Automatically, our reflex action is to dart, swat or shoo it away. More...NST

Second-hand Smoke

We are all aware that cigarette-smoke is bad for health but how many of us are also aware that second-hand smoke is also harmful to health?

In fact,

Secondhand Smoke Causes Heart Disease
Secondhand Smoke Causes Lung Cancer
Secondhand Smoke Causes Sudden Infant Death Syndrome


Source: CDC, US - Second-hand Smoke

Asbestos risk

"Asbestos" is the name of a group of similar minerals with separable, long, and thin fibers. Asbestos has long been suspected as a health threat to humans, because the fibers can be inhaled and are difficult to remove from the lungs. Although the use of asbestos and asbestos products has dramatically decreased, they are still found in many residential and commercial settings and continue to pose a health risk to workers and others.

Find out more about asbestos, the risk factors and other related aspects from the CDC site.