Vaginal Infections, Symptoms And Treatment

Vaginal discharge, itching, and burning are common symptoms of the various forms of vaginitis. Although the symptoms of these infections can be very similar, there are some differences to look for in the color and smell of the discharge.

 Some vaginal discharge is quite common and normal for women of childbearing age. Normally, cervical glands produce a clear mucous secretion that drains downward, mixing with bacteria, discarded vaginal cells, and Bartholin's gland secretions near the opening of the vagina. These substances may (depending on how much mucus there is) turn the mucus a whitish color, and the discharge turns yellowish when exposed to air. There are times during the menstrual cycle when the cervical glands produce more mucus than others, depending on the amount of estrogen produced. This is normal.

Sexual excitement and emotional stress have both been associated with an increase in normal physiologic vaginal discharge. This discharge is frequently clear, and watery in consistency.

If your vaginal discharge is abnormal in color such as green, has a foul smell, changes consistency, or is significantly increased or decreased in amount, you may be developing a form of vaginitis.

• Bacterial vaginosis (BV) causes an abnormal vaginal discharge with an unpleasant odor. Some women report a strong fishy smell, especially after intercourse. The discharge is usually white or gray, and it can be thin. You may also have burning during urination or itching around the outside of the vagina, or both. Some women with bacterial vaginosis may have no symptoms.

• Yeast infections or candidiasis may cause a thick, whitish-gray "cottage cheese" type of vaginal discharge with accompanying itching. The itching may be intense. Painful urination and intercourse are also common. A vaginal discharge may not be present. Men with genital candidiasis may have an itchy rash on the penis. Most male partners of women with yeast infection do not experience any symptoms.

• Pain itself is not a frequent symptom of vaginal infections (except for the itching) and should prompt you to see your health care practitioner.
• If you have a condition called vulvodynia, you may have burning, stinging, irritation, or rawness of your genitalia. Vulvodynia is defined by symptoms, and there is frequently no infection or skin disease of the vulva or vagina. You may have intermittent pain, off and on. This is an unusual condition that requires further management with your health care practitioner.

What Causes a Vaginal Infection?

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common cause of vaginitis. Bacterial vaginosis is caused by a change or imbalance in the types of the bacteria normally found in the vagina and causes an overgrowth of organisms such as Gardnerella vaginalis.

• Risk factors include pregnancy, intrauterine device (IUD) use, and frequent douching. It is associated with sexual activity, and possibly a new sexual partner or multiple.

• You do not get bacterial vaginosis from toilet seats, bedding, or swimming pools.
• In the United States, as many as 25% of pregnant women have bacterial vaginosis. This varies by race and ethnicity from 6% in Asians and 9% in whites to 16% in Hispanics and 23% in African Americans.

Vaginal yeast infections are caused by a fungus, mainly by Candida albicans. This is also called candidiasis, genital candidiasis, or vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC). Yeast infection can spread to other parts of the body including skin, mucous membranes, heart valves, esophagus, and other areas. In rare circumstances, it can cause life-threatening systemic infections mostly in people with weakened immune defenses (such as women who are pregnant and people who are HIV positive, have diabetes, or are taking steroids).

 Birth control pills: Changes in the vaginal environment occur with increased hormonal levels from estrogen-containing birth control pills. This change creates an environment for the fungus to grow and cause symptoms.

• Hormonal changes such as ovulation, menopause, or pregnancy
• Steroid use
• Wearing underwear that is tight or non-cotton: This can increase temperature, moisture, and local irritation.
• Weakened immune system: HIV/AIDS, for example.

How To Prevent Vaginal Infection?

• The best ways to prevent bacterial vaginosis are not known. However, enough is known to show that bacterial vaginosis is associated with having a new sex partner or having multiple sex partners. It is seldom found in women who have never had intercourse. Basic prevention would include using condoms, limiting the number of sex partners, abstaining from douching, and using all the medicine prescribed for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis, even if the symptoms go away.
• In most cases, vaginal yeast infections can be easily prevented.
• Keep your vaginal area dry, especially after a shower.
• Wipe from front to rear after using the toilet.
• Switch to looser-fitting cotton underwear.
• Change wet bathing suits after a swim.
• Avoid tight-fitting jeans or pantyhose.
• If pregnant, report the onset of new symptoms to a physician immediately.
•  

You Can Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Ovens and grills help us stay fed. Heaters keep us warm. Cars take us where we want to go. And whenever we turn on devices that run on natural gas, charcoal, gasoline, wood, or other fuels, we have to use them the right way.

Carbon monoxide, produced any time a fossil fuel burns, is a gas you can’t see or smell.

Ovens, heaters and other devices put out little of it when they’re working properly. But if they’re out of order, or if people use them in the wrong places, the fumes can build up. This can be life-threatening.

There are things you can do to stay safe. And battery-operated detectors that are easy to find at stores can warn us of trouble.

How to Avoid Danger

Someone who is asleep can die from carbon monoxide poisoning without ever waking up. That’s all the more reason to make sure your home is safe.

When you buy appliances that burn fuel, look for the seal of a testing agency such as UL. In your home, any equipment should be installed with vents running outdoors.

Here are more tips:

• Maintenance: Have a qualified technician inspect your heating system, water heater and any other fuel-burning appliances every year. If you have a fireplace, the chimney needs a going-over.
• Emergency generators: Don’t use them in your garage or basement. Put them outside the house at least 20 feet from windows or doors.
• Charcoal grills and portable camp stoves: Use them only outdoors.

Space heaters: Use them only when someone is awake to keep an eye on them; make sure there is some airflow in and out of the room. Don’t try to use a gas oven for heat.

Signs That Equipment Is Out of Order

By keeping your eyes open, you may spot evidence that appliances are out of whack or something else is wrong. A few danger signals:

• Soot falling from fireplaces or appliances.
• Rust or water streaks on vents.
• Loose or disconnected vent pipes.
• Moisture inside windows.
• Cracked or crumbling masonry on a chimney.

If you see any of these, have a trained technician check them out and fix whatever needs it.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors

These detectors are available at hardware stores and other retailers, and your home should have one or more.

Buy alarms that are certified by a testing laboratory. Follow the instructions about installation. Here are a few other guidelines:

• Detectors should go on each level of the home and outside each sleeping area.
• Test the alarms once a month. Some alarms also give off audible signals on their own if the battery runs low or they break down.
• If you have multiple alarms, connect them all together. That way, if one of them detects trouble, they all go off.
• Before there’s any trouble, ask your fire department for the number to call if the alarm goes off.
• If you have a boat or motor home, detectors are also available for there.

4 Amazing Benefits Of Spring Onions You Don't Know

Spring onions not only taste great but are also extremely healthy for the body. it is most preferred Chinese ingredient which is loaded with essential nutrients.

 

Highlights

• Spring onions are quite beneficial for overall health
• They are loaded with essential nutrients
• They taste a little milder than the regular onions

Spring onions not only taste great but are also extremely healthy for the body. Commonly known as scallion or green onion, this is the most preferred Chinese ingredient which is loaded with essential nutrients. Both the green leafy part and the white bulb of the spring onion are edible. It tastes a little milder than the regular onion and can be cooked or eaten raw as well. Most Chinese appetizers have spring onions as one of their key ingredients. Apart from this, it is one of the healthiest options to go for. Here's a list of 5 amazing benefits of spring onions that help in keeping many diseases at bay. Read on to know more.

 Reduces The Risk Of Cancer

 Green onion is an excellent source of Sulphur which is quite beneficial for the overall health. It has compounds like allyl sulphide and flavonoids that prevent cancer and fight against the enzymes that produce cancer cells. Step up to avoid cancer and start eating healthy by including more of green onions in your daily diet.

Lowers Blood Sugar Level

Sulphur present in the spring onion plays a major role here as well. Due to the Sulphur compounds, the body's ability to produce insulin tends to increase. This helps to prevent diabetes to a great extent.



Aids Digestion

Spring onions are always preferred as appetizers. They are rich in fiber and helps in better digestion. You can pair it with other vegetables for dinner or lunch as well but do remember to add it in your daily diet routine, either cooked or raw.

Spring onions have carotenoids which helps to keep the vision healthy and intact. It is also rich in vitamin A which prevents loss of eye-sight. Club these with some carrots and cucumbers as it tastes great when savoured in the form of salads.

Prevents Cold And Flu

Due to its antibacterial and antiviral properties, it is an excellent medicine to fight against viral and flu. It also helps in reducing excess mucus and fights against the winter cold which often ends up making you feel miserable.

Now that we've shared with you a list of amazing benefits of spring onions, start having one from today itself!

It's  easy to plant in your environment

6 Nutrition and Health Benefits of Okra

Okra is a plant known for its edible seed pods. It’s cultivated in warm and tropical climates, such as those in Africa and South Asia.

Sometimes referred to as “lady’s finger,” okra comes in two colors — red and green. Both varieties taste the same, and the red one turns green when cooked.

Biologically classified as a fruit, okra is generally utilized like a vegetable in cooking.

Okra, also known as gumbo or ladies' fingers, is a warm-season vegetable. It is a good source of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber. It contains a sticky juice that people use to thicken sauces.

1. It keeps you feeling full

Okra’s dietary fiber helps you feel full for longer, which will keep you from snacking on those stray potato chips after dinner.

2. It’s great for your digestion

The fiber is the main factor here again. High fiber content is great for the digestive tract and keeps you going more regularly. This not only helps keep your weight down, but makes you healthier over all.

3. It’s a diuretic

That means it helps the body detoxify itself and helps you shed excess water weight. A great weapon in your arsenal for de-bloating!

4. It helps control cholesterol levels

The pectin in okra lowers LDL or bad cholesterol, which improves cardiac function.

5. It’s cancer fighting

Packed with antioxidants, okra can provide much-needed support to cells in fighting off free-radicals that can lead to cancer.

6. It boosts the immune system

The healthy fiber in okra feeds much-needed good bacteria in our intestines, which builds our immunity against viruses and infection.

Raw Garlic And Honey For Weight Loss

Losing weight isn't very easy, but even small healthy habits can go a long way in making your weight loss journey a little bit quick and easy. There are some dietary practices that can help you get results faster like drinking warm water in the morning as well as before meals, or snacking healthy, etc. If you're someone who wants to lose weight, then you would probably be familiar with these little tricks and home remedies for weight loss. However, there's another lesser known home remedy for weight loss, which not many weight watchers are aware of - eating garlic seeped in honey on an empty stomach. A combination of honey and garlic might not seem very appetising, but it is very beneficial, when it comes to weight loss and improving your overall well-being. Consumption of raw garlic first thing in the morning is often recommended for improving digestion and detoxifying the body.

In fact, raw garlic with water is a common home remedy for a number of health problems like hypertension, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels. This is because of the many beneficial minerals and bioactive compounds present in this pale and pungent flavour enhancing vegetable.

If you are someone who is in 'detox mode,' then garlic and honey is going to be a godsend for you. This is because this unusual tonic can help detoxify your body completely. But, perhaps its biggest health benefit is in aiding weight loss by stimulating appetite and boosting digestion. As health experts often say, a good digestive system is key to a quicker weight loss, honey and garlic are the ideal companions for your weight loss journey.

Raw garlic has a better nutritive profile than cooked garlic, making the former a better weight loss agent. Similarly, consuming raw honey early in the morning may help metabolise fat better. Honey is fat-free and cholesterol-free and also helps in curbing hunger pangs. It is also a source of energy, helping you sail through all your morning tasks with ease.

How To Consume Raw Garlic And Honey For Weight Loss

You can prepare the combination of honey and raw garlic and store it in a jar for daily consumption. All you need is some clean and fresh garlic cloves that are peeled, some raw or organic honey and a glass jar. Toss the peeled garlic cloves in the jar and pour the honey over them, till they're fully covered in it. Shut the lid of the jar tightly and shake it to let the honey coat the garlics completely. Let the concoction sit for some time to allow the garlic nutrients seep out into the honey and vice versa. You can pick out one garlic clove daily, crush it with a spoon or a knife and eat it on an empty stomach to achieve quicker weight loss.

Facing the Threat of Terrorism Today

IN THE late 1980’s, terrorism appeared to be on the decline. However, a new breed of Terrorist has emerged. Today’s terrorist threat comes primarily from extremists who have established their own funding networks—through traffic in drugs, private business, independent wealth, charities, and local financial support. And they continue to be as ruthless as ever.

Recent years saw a proliferation of senseless acts of terrorism. The World Trade Center in New York City was bombed, killing 6 people and injuring some 1,000. A cult released sarin nerve gas in the Tokyo subway system, killing 12 and injuring more than 5,000. A terrorist leveled a federal building in Oklahoma City with a truck bomb, killing 168 and injuring hundreds. As the chart on pages 4 and 5 shows, terrorist acts of various kinds have continued up until now.

In general, terrorists seem to exhibit less restraint than they did in the past. The convicted bomber of the Oklahoma City federal building in 1995 was quoted as saying that in order to get the level of attention he needed, he wanted “a body count.” The ringleader of the group responsible for the 1993 World Trade Center bombing in New York City wanted to knock one building into the other, killing everyone in both.

Also new is the choice of weapons at the disposal of terrorists. Louis R. Mizell, Jr., an expert on terrorism, stated: “We live in an age of unimaginable rage and apocalyptic arsenals: nuclear, chemical, and biological.” Extremists who want to make a greater impression are turning to the more lethal weapons that technology has made available.

Attacking With Zeros and Ones

What has been called cyber terrorism involves the use of modern technology, such as computers. One weapon is the computer virus, which eats data or freezes up systems. There are also “logic bombs” that fool computers into trying to do something they can’t, thereby forcing them to malfunction. As the economy and the security of nations increasingly depend on information networks, many feel that the public is more open to such terrorist attacks. And while most armies have systems to keep their communications up even during a nuclear war, civilian systems—power supplies, transportation, and financial markets—may be more vulnerable to sabotage.

Not long ago, if a terrorist wanted to cause a blackout in, let’s say, Berlin, he might have sought a job as a utility worker so that he could sabotage the electrical system. But now, some say, it might be possible for a trained computer hacker to darken the city from the comfort of his home in a remote village halfway around the world.

Not long ago a hacker from Sweden invaded a computer system in Florida and put an emergency-service system out of commission for an hour, impeding the responses of police, fire, and ambulance services.

“In essence we’ve created a global village without a police department,” observed Frank J. Cilluffo, director of the Information Warfare Task Force of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). And Robert Kupperman, senior adviser to CSIS, stated in 1997 that if terrorists choose to use high-tech methods, “no government agency currently exists to cope with the repercussions of their attack.”

Some analysts believe that computer terrorists have the technological tools available to outwit any protection devices that security forces come up with. “An adversary capable of implanting the right virus or accessing the right terminal can cause massive damage,” said George Tenet, director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.

Terror by Chemicals and Germs

Concern also exists over the use of chemical as well as biological weapons. The world was shocked in early 1995 to hear of the terroristpoison-gas attack in the Tokyo subway system. Responsibility for the incident was laid at the doorstep of an apocalyptic sect.u

“Terrorism has changed,” says Brad Roberts of the Institute for Defense Analyses. “Traditional terrorists wanted political concessions. But now, some groups say their main aim is mass casualties. That makes biological weapons appealing.” Is it difficult to obtain such weapons? The magazine Scientific American says: “One can cultivate trillions of bacteria at relatively little risk to one’s self with gear no more sophisticated than a beer fermenter and a protein-based culture, a gas mask and a plastic overgarment.” Once the germs are prepared, delivering them is relatively easy. Victims would not even know that a weapon had been set off until a day or two later. And by then it could be too late.

Anthrax is said to be a likely choice as a biological weapon. The disease gets its name from the Greek word for coal—a reference to the black scabs that typically form over sores that develop on the skin of those who come in contact with anthrax-infected livestock. Defense planners are more concerned about lung infections caused by breathing in anthrax spores. In humans, anthrax infection has a high mortality rate.

Why is anthrax such an effective biological weapon? The bacterium is easy to cultivate and is highly resistant. It would take several days before the victims would experience the first symptom, a flulike malaise and fatigue. A cough and mild chest discomfort follow. Then come severe respiratory distress, shock and, within hours, death.

Nuclear Weapons in the Hands of Terrorists?

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, some wondered whether a stolen nuclear weapon would turn up on the black market. Many experts, however, doubt that this will ever happen. Robert Kupperman, quoted earlier, notes that there is “no evidence that any terrorist group has sought to acquire nuclear material.”

A more immediate concern is the nuclear bomb’s quiet but deadly cousin—radioactive material. It does not explode. There is no blast or heat damage. Instead, it emits radiation that destroys individual cells. Bone marrow cells are especially vulnerable. Their death sets off a cascade of effects, including hemorrhaging and the collapse of the immune system. Unlike chemical weapons, which degrade once they come in contact with oxygen and moisture, radioactive material can continue to inflict damage for years.

An accident in Goiânia, a city in south-central Brazil, illustrates how deadly radiation can be. In 1987 an unsuspecting man opened a lead canister attached to a piece of abandoned medical equipment. The canister contained cesium-137. Fascinated by the stone’s luminous blue glow, he shared his find with his friends. Within a week the first victims began coming to the local health clinic. Thousands were checked for signs of contamination. About a hundred residents became sick. Fifty required hospitalization, and four died. The thought of what might have happened had the cesium been intentionally dispersed gives antiterrorism experts nightmares.

The Staggering Cost

The tragic loss of human life is the most obvious result of terrorism. But there are broader implications. Terrorism can destroy ordelay the peace process in trouble spots on the planet. It provokes, prolongs, or entrenches conflicts, and it accelerates the cycle of violence.

Terrorism can also have an impact on national economies. Governments have been forced to spend enormous amounts of time and resources to combat it. For example, in the United States alone, antiterrorism spending was budgeted at more than ten billion dollars for the year 2000.

Whether we notice it or not, terrorism affects us all. It influences the way we travel and the choices we make when we travel. It forces countries around the world to spend huge amounts of tax money to protect public figures, vital installations, and citizens.

So the question remains, Is there a lasting solution to the scourge of terrorism? This will be discussed in the next article.

Terrorism in the Name of Ecology

A new type of terror has taken the form of “arsons, bombings and sabotage in the name of saving the environment and its creatures,” reports the Oregonian newspaper. These destructive acts have been called ecoterrorism. At least a hundred major acts of this type have occurred in the western United States since 1980, with damages totaling $42.8 million. Such crimes are typically intended to disrupt logging, the recreational use of wilderness areas, or the use of animals for fur, food, or research.

These acts are considered terrorist acts because they involve violence intended to change the behavior of individuals and institutions or to alter public policies. Ecoterrorists frustrate investigators by hitting remote targets, often at night, and leaving little evidence but charred ruins. Until recently, crimes in the name of environmental protection had limited, local impact and drew little attention. But targets have grown larger in recent years. “The objective of these people is to bring attention to their cause for change,” said special agent James N. Damitio, a veteran U.S. Forest Service investigator. “And if they don’t feel like they’re getting that attention, they try something else.”

 

Terrorism and the Media

“Publicity has been at once a primary goal and a weapon of those who use terror against innocent people to advance political causes or to simply cause chaos,” says Terry Anderson, a journalist who was held in captivity for nearly seven years by terrorists in Lebanon. “The very reporting of a political kidnapping, an assassination or a deadly bombing is a first victory for the terrorist. Without the world’s attention, these acts of viciousness are pointless.”