Stay Safe and Healthy During Winter Weather

Tennesseans Urged to Take Precautions with Driving, Home Heating


NASHVILLE – The entire state of Tennessee is under a winter storm watch with a mix of freezing rain, snow and sleet predicted for much of the state in the coming days. The Department of Health is reminding Tennesseans to take precautions to stay safe during wintry weather, particularly if they venture out on the roads.

“Cold weather combined with wintry precipitation can lead to injury, and driving on slick roads can be particularly dangerous,” said Health Commissioner Susan R. Cooper, MSN, RN. “We remind all Tennesseans to use common sense and take precautions if they have to go out on icy or snowy roads, and to prepare now for the event that they may be stuck at home for a few days.”

The mixed precipitation expected from this winter storm can create treacherous conditions for driving. Tennesseans are urged to avoid driving on slick roads if at all possible. If you must drive, use extreme caution and try to use streets that have been treated with salt or brine to remove ice. Make sure you have plenty of fuel in your vehicle, and that tires are properly inflated. Drivers should also be prepared with emergency supplies in their vehicles, including blankets, water, windshield scraper and first aid kit. The Department of Transportation has more tips for safe winter driving online at www.tdot.state.tn.us/mediaroom/snowbuster.htm.

Walking on ice is also extremely dangerous. Many cold weather injuries result from falls on ice-covered sidewalks, steps, driveways and porches. Keep your steps and walkways as free of ice as possible by using rock salt or another chemical deicing compound. Sand may also be used on walkways to reduce the risk of slipping.

Safety measures should also be taken when heating your home. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for all space heaters, and be sure smoke detectors are present and working. If using a fireplace, make sure the flue is open and ventilating properly. Teach children to stay away from fireplaces, space heaters and any other open heat sources such as wall heating units, and keep any cords out of the way to prevent tripping.

The State of Tennessee has many resources available to help keep you safe and healthy during winter weather. Get more information at www.tn.gov. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also offers tips on winter health and safety at
www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/pdf/cold_guide.pdf.

Shine Boost: 9 Tips for Lustrous Locks

Lather With Care
Scrubbing hair too vigorously while shampooing can damage cuticles and make hair shafts snag against each other.

Go Sulfate Free
Sulfates, such as Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or Sodium Laureth Sulfate, can strip hair of its glossiness. Look for lines like Kronos, which are free of dulling sulfates.

Condition Daily
If your hair is dry, it's much more likely to be damaged during styling, which robs your hair of gloss. Keep it conditioned to avoid shine loss.

Cool Down
Do a cold rinse at the end of your shower. This will help seal the cuticle so it lies flat and stays shiny. It also helps prevent frizz.

Ditch the Towel
A rough towel can cause an amazing amount of damage on wet hair. When drying your hair, opt for an old t-shirt and dry in a straight motion from roots to tips. This will smooth the cuticle and keep hair shiny.

Avoid Hair "Chapping"
Have you ever noticed that your lips tend to get chapped if you lick them too frequently? That's because the air actually sucks the moisture out of lips as they dry, leaving them dehydrated. The same principle applies to your hair. The more frequently you wet your hair, the less shine you're likely to have.

Don't Brush Wet
Brushing your hair when it's wet can stretch the strands and break them. Either let your hair dry first, or apply a product like Liquid Theory Conditioning Detangler and gently comb hair with a wide tooth comb.

Always Use Protection
Nothing robs hair of its gloss like heat styling. High temperatures damage the natural lipids that help keep hair flexible and shiny. Never apply heat to unprotected hair. Get yourself a good leave-in, heat protectant styling spray. These products coat hair to lock in moisture and shield against heat, helping to reduce damage. Try Kronos Liquid Theory Conditioning Detangler. Not only does it protect hair from getting deep-fried, it also leaves it ultra-glossy, silky-soft and frizz-free.

Don't Pony Up
Wearing your hair in a ponytail is a hassle-free style, but pulling your hair back in a tight knot bends it, breaks it and chokes the shine right out of it.

Top 8 Hair Healthy Foods

Ok, so, you've filled your shower with an assortment of shampoos and conditioners in the pursuit of perfect hair. But you may be surprised to learn that what you put into your body is just as important as what you put on your hair.

Your hair is a reflection of your overall health. If you eat a healthy diet, it shows. So if its silky, shiny locks you crave, maybe it's time to step out of the shower and into the grocery store.

Here's your shopping list for amazingly healthy hair:

Hair Healthy Food # 1: Water
We don't always think of water as a food, but staying well-hydrated is the most essential component of any healthy lifestyle. Water not only hydrates your body - the moisture also makes hair supple and helps keep your hair silky and shiny.

Hair Healthy Food # 2: Eggs
The key here is high-quality protein. Almost 90% of our hair is made of protein, so it is the basic building block of healthy hair, helping to keep the hair shaft strong, reduce damage and prevent dullness and color loss. Eggs also contain biotin and vitamin B-12, which are important beauty nutrients.

Hair Healthy Food # 3: Salmon
Like eggs, salmon is an excellent source of protein, but it also contains essential omega-3 fatty acids, which condition hair from the inside out. Salmon also delivers iron, which is necessary to help carry oxygen to the hair. Without enough iron, hair gets starved for oxygen.

Hair Healthy Food # 4: Leafy Greens
With all the spinach he ate, Popeye probably had a head of thick, lustrous hair under that old sailor's cap. That's because it contains vitamins A and C, which support production of the body's natural hair conditioner, sebum. Other good sources include broccoli, carrots, oranges, kale and cauliflower.

Hair Healthy Food # 5: Legumes
Legumes is just a fancy word for beans, which are one of the most well- balanced, nutrient-rich foods you can eat. Almost any old beans will do - kidney beans, lentils, black beans, garbanzos. They provide all sorts of things that are good for your hair, from protein to promote hair growth, to iron, zinc and biotin for strong hair.

Hair Healthy Food # 6: Nuts
You've probably heard that eating nuts can help to keep your skin smooth and soft. Well, your hair is made of the same basic building blocks as your skin, so what's good for your skin tends to be good for your hair. For example, cashews, pecans and almonds all provide a mega-dose of zinc to help prevent hair shedding, while Brazil nuts are an excellent source of selenium and walnuts deliver omega-3 fatty acid, both of which support scalp health.

Hair Healthy Food # 7: Whole Grains
If you're beginning to see more products labeled "whole grain" on your grocery store shelves, there's good reason. Whole grain foods are higher in things that support hair health like zinc, iron, and B vitamins. Whole grains also are high in fiber, which helps to flush toxins from the body. Go for granolas, cereals and whole wheat bread.

Hair Healthy Food # 8: Dairy Products
When you were a kid, your mom told you to drink your milk so you could grow up big and strong, right? Well, milk and other dairy products don't only promote strong teeth and bones - the calcium and protein in foods like milk, cheese and yogurt also is important for hair growth.

A Measurable Difference

Before being brought to market, Kronos underwent an extensive, independent 4-week clinical study. The product was shown to boost hair volume and density by an unprecedented 96%, increase hydration by 91%, improve luster and bounce by 96%, reduce damage by 92% and improve strength by 96%. The same test showed almost complete color retention after 4 weeks - imagine having salon-perfect color even after a month of washings!

To help introduce the line to new customers, Kronos is offering a 30 day trial* of their 4-piece starter kit, which includes Phyx Overnight Repair, which provides intensive renewal and repair for damaged hair while you sleep, plus Liquid Theory Detangler, which instantly conditions, detangles and smoothes hair for weightless body, bounce and shine, as well as their Shampoo and Conditioner combo for daily care.

If your hair is starting to give away your age, or worse, add years to your appearance, a 30 day trial* of the new Kronos products may be just what you need.

Is Your Hair Making You Look Old?

We all know that wrinkles can add years to your appearance, but what about your hair?

Most women know our skin needs extra TLC as the years go by, but we tend to overlook that other age giveaway, our hair. Just like the delicate skin on our face, our hair can become dry, brittle and lifeless over time, especially if we use harsh products and don't give our hair the attention it deserves.

"A woman in her 40s doesn't have the hair she had at 20," says Philip Kingsley, author of "The Hair Bible."

While time is the primary culprit in robbing hair of its youthful beauty, it has partners in crime - namely all the coloring, straightening, blow drying and other forms of torture we inflict on our locks in the name of beauty. When you add in the damage from the sun's UV rays and pollution, your hair can look aged well beyond its years. And if your hair looks old, you look old.

Turning Back the Clock on Aging Hair

Walk into the cosmetics department of any store and you'll find an array of serums and creams designed to reverse the signs of aging on your skin, but there just aren't any hair care products designed specifically to restore the youthful health of hair.

A new California company called Kronos is looking to change that. They've introduced the first-ever line of anti-aging hair care products that has apparently been clinically proven to revive the youthful qualities of body, bounce, shine, volume and elasticity.

Kronos was recently featured on the Today show and in InStyle magazine. "Phyx was rated the #1 overnight repair treatment by the Good Housekeeping Research Institute!"

Typically, hair care treatments may have ingredients that are good for your hair, but the ingredients are largely ineffective because they can't penetrate to where they are really needed - namely, into the scalp, hair follicle and hair shaft itself. As a result the ingredients simply wash away when you shampoo.

Kronos has taken a scientific approach to solving this problem. They've developed something called t-sfere technology, which for the first time ever, allows combined active ingredients to be encapsulated into a microscopic sphere so small that it can actually penetrate into the hair follicle and hair shaft.

Inside these t-sferes are an array of ingredients that have been shown to improve the volume, shine, hydration, strength and color retention of damaged hair. Every product in the line contains five powerful complexes, including HydraBond Strengthening Complex, K-Boost Volumizing Complex and iShine Luster Complex, along with 26 minerals essential for healthy hair growth.

How to Stop Joint Pain

"Tremendous joint relief and enhanced mobility..."

Suffering with joint pain? Millions of Americans suffer with joint pain for a variety of reasons. Arthritis, sports fatigue, and aging can all cause wear and tear on your joints leading to discomfort, inflammation, and painful joints. Every single movement your body makes puts pressure on your joints. Up, down, side to side your joints are constantly strained.

For some people, just moving around leads to joint pain. Even people with occasional joint pain suffer through activities they once loved. Your joints age over time and like any part of your body, they require regular care and comfort. Many people don't realize how important joint care is, or how to stop joint pain. Some people assume painful joints are just part of life...

However, breakthrough discovery is changing everything. Researchers in Cambridge, MA have discovered a new compound of all-natural ingredients that promises to relieve joint pain, improve mobility, and in some cases protect the actual joints themselves. The new proprietary formula, branded under the trademark Instaflex Joint Support includes ingredients with clinical trials nothing short of amazing.

Statewide weight-loss contest enters fourth year

TUSCALOOSA | West Alabama residents are gearing up to slim down by taking part in Scale Back Alabama, a 10-week weight-loss competition.

The program is in its fourth year. Its goal is to encourage all Alabamians to lose weight and exercise regularly while having fun doing it.

Mike Bishop, local coordinator of the nonprofit group Take Off Pounds Sensibly — which offers free tips, healthy recipes and support for those trying to lose weight and keep it off — said the organization fully supports Scale Back Alabama because it affects so many overweight people.

“It’s a thing to help the people,” Bishop said. “If you go to Walmart and look around, people live a laid-back lifestyle, and it shows.”

Participants can compete individually or in teams of four. They have until Jan. 29 to register and have their starting weights recorded.

Tuscaloosa-area participants can choose one of three places to register: the Tuscaloosa County Health Department, Hillcrest High School and NorthRidge Fitness. The site where participants register is also where they must weigh in each week.

Participants must weigh each week until April 28, when winning teams and individuals will be announced.

There is no charge for registering, but to be eligible for prizes, every team member must lose at least 10 pounds. Qualifying teams will be entered into a random drawing, and the winning team will receive $4,000.

Fifty individual winners will be drawn randomly and receive $100 prizes. The Alabama Department of Public Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama and Barber’s Dairy are donating the prize money.

Working as a team is a better motivational tool than trying to lose weight individually, Bishop said.

“They give you a little more support and pat you on the back,” he said.

Bishop has some experience with weight loss and motivation. He’s lost 150 pounds since retiring.

“I used to be able to tear a buffet up,” he said, chuckling.

According to the Alabama Department of Health, participation in the campaign has risen each year since it started, reaching 40,000 contestants in 2009. During the past four years, contestants have lost a cumulative 500,000 pounds.

“It makes you better, and it’s possible to win some money,” Bishop said. “It’s like going to a casino except you can’t lose anything except excess weight.”

Student Health offers flu clinic

Student Health Services will offer free H1N1 flu vaccinations next week to registered UB students, one of many measures the university is taking to minimize the impact of the virus on the campus community.

The clinic will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 4 in the Social Hall in the Student Union, North Campus. Students must present their UB photo identification to receive a free immunization. The clinic may shut down early if the vaccine supply runs out.

The upcoming event is just one of many precautions UB is taking to prevent the spread of both the H1N1 and seasonal flu among students, staff and faculty. Schools in the Academic Health Center already have partnered with Student Health Services to give students and employees who work with patients the opportunity to receive voluntary immunizations.

“I would urge staff and students to get the H1N1 vaccination,” advises Richard V. Lee, professor of medicine and an expert on infectious disease proliferation and prevention. Lee notes that the H1N1 virus is “still very new to our immune systems.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have identified vaccination as the “first and most important step” in protecting against both the H1N1 and seasonal flu. The vaccines for the seasonal flu and H1N1 flu are different, and are meant to be used alongside one another.

In an effort to educate students, staff and faculty on how to recognize H1N1 and stop its transmission, university officials have discussed the illness with members of the university community, ranging from workers in Campus Dining and Shops to members of the Professional Staff Senate and incoming students.

All individuals can take steps to protect themselves from getting sick. Here are some tips:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash and clean your hands immediately after.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water. Alcohol-based hand cleaners also are effective.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

• Don’t share personal items.

• Practice good health habits: get plenty of sleep, stay active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids and eat nutritious food.

• Avoid contact with people who are sick.

• Use a disinfectant to clean your work space daily. Wipe down shared keyboards and telephones often.

• Sign up for UB’s Emergency Alert system to receive information on campus closures or class cancellations.

For more information on the H1N1 flu vaccine, visit Student Health Services. For more information on H1N1, visit UB’s emergency Web site.

Diet for Cholesterol control

After being informed of having high cholesterol level, of the bad kind, there really is a need for diet, exercise, and weight loss in order to bring the levels down and in control. There is a specific diet which reduces saturated fats and cholesterol through weight control and physical control.

The first step is to limit the amount of total fat that you may take daily to nearly 30% of the total daily calories. 7%, or less, of those daily calories should be coming from saturated fats. Unsaturated fats help lower blood cholesterol if it is used as a substitute to saturated fats. There are two main types of unsaturated fat and consist of olive, canola, fish, safflower, sunflower, corn, and soybean oils.

A person trying dieting to control cholesterol must also make sure to lower the intake of cholesterol by at least 200mg daily. It is important to lose weight and to increase fiber into the diet. The best way to lose weight is to increase physical activity as well.

There are also certain foods which are rich and helpful in lowering cholesterol. You must increase your fiber, so you may look into oatmeal, whole grains, fruits and other types of those food items. Switching to whole grains is a very effective way of lowering cholesterol. Eating legumes, beans, and peas frequently through out the week is also effective. Soy foods such as soymilk, tofu, and soy protein are very good.

Eating a full serving of fruits and vegetables daily is another great technique to control cholesterol through diet. Eating cooked or raw garlic lowers the production of cholesterol from the liver in the body. Other foods that lower the production of cholesterol are salmon, almonds, and olive oil. Foods which contain vitamins C & E and contain natural antioxidants are important. Fruits such as broccoli, wheat germ, oranges, peanuts, strawberries, walnuts, sunflower seeds, melons, and Brussels sprout.

It has been proven that eating such items have lowered cholesterol over a period of time. The main concept is to be sure to eat plenty of fresh fruits, whole grains, dry beans, and vegetables. A great way to combine it is to make certain juices with combined fruits and vegetables.
Related Posts:

* Cholesterol and Heart Disease
* What is Cholesterol
* HDL or Good Cholesterol Levels
* How metabolism is regulated by a balanced diet
* Diet for People with Acne

What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a substance that is produced from the liver and found in certain foods. It is specifically needed to make vitamin D along with some other important hormones, as well as to build cell walls, and creating a specific type of salt, bile salt, which helps in digesting fat. Our bodies can produce enough to keep us from digesting our food okay, but it is hard to avoid it since many foods readily available today contain it. One thing that psychology and science has taught us is that too much of anything is a bad thing, and that applies with cholesterol as well.

It can be a negative thing if too much is absorbed that it can circulate in the blood stream. If the cholesterol level in the blood gets high, they tend to clog the blood stream which increases risks and sometimes is the reason behind heart disease and strokes. We make too much cholesterol if we eat too much saturated fat, the fats found in animal based foods as well as diary products. Along with the intake, we produce a good sum of cholesterol from our own liver.

There are a total of two different types of cholesterol, and unlike what we may normally think, not all cholesterol is harmful to our bodies. Low-density lipoprotein is the bad type of cholesterol which may clog up blood vessels which in return increases your risk for heart diseases. The second type of cholesterol is high-density lipoprotein which is a good type of cholesterol since it clears the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol out of the blood stream and reduces the overall risk for strokes and heart diseases.

What is Cholesterol Cholesterol is a type of a lipid which is commonly found in many food sources, especially animal sources. Our bodies produce nearly 1,000 milligrams a day, and we consume many milligrams from the foods we eat daily. It had to be combined with specific proteins in order to be transferred throughout the body, which in return starts blocking those blood streams. Nearly a quarter to a third of the amount of cholesterol is high-density, which also carries cholesterol straight back to the liver so that it can be processed again and sent back out.
Related Posts:

* Cholesterol and Heart Disease
* LDL or Bad Cholesterol Level
* HDL or Good Cholesterol Levels
* Diet for Cholesterol Control
* Cholesterol Symptoms Causes Suggestions

Blood Infection..

Blood infection is perhaps one of the most lethal diseases that any one can ever have. We have heard about the cancer, aids and what not. However, the interesting point to notice is that what makes blood infection the most lethal disease. Blood infection is usually referred as septicaemia or Sepsis. This is a very common disease and has spread out throughout the world. Blood infection can happen due to various reasons. However, one thing that you need to remember is that blood infection is very serious and a little delay in treatment or non-availability of proper treatment can lead to death.

Blood infection is the process whereby the bacteria produce a lot of toxins in the blood. This causes sepsis which causes intense damage to the blood cells. This can also have a direct impact on the veins and therefore it will eventually cause the hindrance in small veins. These are the veins which play a key role in circulating the blood throughout the body. Once the sepsis occurs, the patient can suffer heart seizures or attack. This needs to be prevented by taking counter measures and putting him on proper treatment.

There are many factors which can lead to sepsis. These include:

• Bacteria: The biggest ever carrier of sepsis or blood infection is usually the bacteria. Bacteria are a normal thing for our bodies. However not taking proper medication or ignoring the increasing bacteria can lead to a great blood loss and sepsis.

• Fungi: Another factor which plays a key role in starting the sepsis is fungi. Fungi can spread throughout the body by travelling through blood. Therefore, it pollutes the blood as well and causes sepsis.

• Kidney infections: Kidney infections can also lead to the sepsis. Since kidneys have a major role in our body and are directly related to the blood, therefore any impact suffered by kidney as a result of infection will be equally shared by the blood as well.

• Surgical Infection: Many times, a dirty surgical tool which touched an organ of your body, can lead to infection as well. This in turn leads to blood infection. Therefore, care must be taken about the hygiene.
Related Posts:

* White Blood Cell Disorders
* Blood Infection Symptoms Causes Suggestions
* Blood Platelet Disorders/Blood Coagulation Disorders
* Common Blood Disorders
* Blood Disorders and Diseases

Types of Breast Cancer..

There are many types of breast cancer, but two are more common in most women. They generally are named after the parts in the breast in which they start occurring. The first is ductal carcinoma and the second is lobular carcinoma. Those two are the most common types, and they appear in the breast’s milk ducts or the milk-producing glands.

In site breast cancer or a noninvasive breast cancer is a type which the cells have remained within the place of the origin and have no spread around the breast tissue. Ductal carcinoma is a common type of noninvasive breast cancer as it keeps confined within the lining of the milk ducts.

Types of Breast Cancer Invasive breast cancers are ones which spread outside the membranes which line the lobule, or the ducts, and start to invade the surrounding areas. They travel to other parts in the body which are more commonly known as lymph nodes. Invasive ductal carcinoma consists of nearly 70% of breast cancers. The lining of the milk ducts eventually get thin and break; the cancer spreads through the wall and starts to apply itself to the breast tissue.

The cells may keep near the site of origin, but they still spread through out the body by using a woman’s blood stream. Invasive lobular carcinoma is less common but it invades in a similar way as it starts in the milk producing lobules then starts to break into the surrounding tissue, but they can also have the same type of spreading on different parts of a woman’s body. This type of cancer does not necessarily provide lumps, but thickens an area in general. The most aggressive types of breast cancer is inflammatory as it starts form sheets and nests instead of lumps underneath the soft tissues of the breast. It can easily be treated with chemotherapy and with some surgery later on. If caught early it is manageable and the survival rates are increasing.
Types of Breast Cancer
The least common type of cancer is the cancer of the nipple, which is called Paget’s disease. It starts to look like a skin rash or rough skin around the nipple, which some people may consider as eczema, but those are just the minor signs of cancer being under the surface of the skin. The best way to treat this type of cancer is mastectomy, since it is around the nipple and milk ducts.
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* Breast Cancer : Explained in Detail
* Symptoms of Breast Cancer
* Breast Cancer Stages
* Breast Cancer Risk Factors
* Causes of Breast Cancer

Prevention of Implants and Surgical Methods..

With the help of modern science and never ending research being carried out in field of the medical, there are more and more medical solutions being invented. A common practice which has been carried out since a considerable amount of time is implantation. Implantation has been a significant factor of medical studies since a long period of time. This is the process of which a lot of pregnant women face when they already had missed their period. Implantation is the process whereby the embryo attaches itself to the wall inside the uterus. Although, it does not get fully attached to the wall of uterus, in fact it only tries to do so.

At this time the embryo is in shape of a blastocyst, therefore the adhesion forces the embryo to burst and therefore the little blood cells are flown out. This would be very different from the normal blood loss that you have during you periods. The color of this blood would rather be pinkish or pale red. One thing that you need to know is that you should not panic when implantation occurs. Many women take greats tress when they find about implantation. They confuse it with their periods and often take unwanted stress.

Implantation is a very normal thing and can occur with any woman. However, there is no set rule for which women are normally prone to implantation. Preventing implantation is one question that many women usually ask. Some believe that there are herbs which can help to control the implantation while others believe that implantation can be cured if you move around and do regular exercise. None of this is true. Actually, implantation does not have any specific prevention and you do not even need prevention. This is a very normal case which indicates that you are on the road to pregnancy.

Prevention of Implants and Surgical Methods There are some surgical methods which can also cause implantation. The doctors have to be careful while inserting surgical tools through vagina. This can hurt the delicate walls and thus, cause implantation. However, implantation is normal and can happen to any woman so you do not have to be worried about implantation coming to you.