Garlic is powerful stuff, and I don’t just mean the smell. Years of research have indicated that garlic can be beneficial to your health in many ways. Even before the twentieth century, garlic was used as an antibacterial remedy. Famed scientist, Louis Pasteur, known best for his discovery of the antibiotic penicillin, discovered that bacterial cells doused in garlic did not survive. British field doctors also used garlic to treat wounded soldiers during WWII.

Additionally, garlic has been credited with both antiviral and antifungal properties. Garlic was used by Albert Schweitzer – noted physician, musician, philosopher and Nobel Peace Prize winner – to treat cholera and typhus. Informal studies have shown garlic to be an effective antifungal when treating recurring yeast infections and other fungus-related ailments such as candida albicans. Interestingly, while pharmaceutical antibiotics have been known to promote candida growth in the intestines, it appears that fresh garlic does not.

Consumption of garlic also increases levels of HDL (good cholesterol) and reduces blood pressure, making it effective in the fight against heart disease. By improving blood circulation and increasing blood vessel elasticity, garlic can also help those with circulatory problems. This can reduce the risk of stroke, but this blood-thinning quality of garlic also slows down clotting time and increases bleeding in open wounds.

Fresh garlic and garlic powder have also been clinically proven to have anti-inflammatory properties. Reduction of swelling and many of the other medicinal attributes of garlic are most likely related to the sulphur compounds in the plant. Sulphur-containing phytochemicals in garlic, such as allicin, ajoene and diallyl sulphate are what give the plant its healing abilities. They are also responsible for the smell. Therefore, it is probable that some of the odorless garlic supplements available may not be as effective as fresh garlic for medicinal use.

In New Hampshire, we already have had a snowstorm that handed us an inch of snow per hour for at least a quarter of the day. When it’s falling that fast, it is best to stay at home. But what if it keeps falling, the power goes out, and you are stranded? Then, on top of that, what if someone gets badly burned, cut, or injured in another manner? Do you have a well-equipped first aid kit? Band-aids and Neosporin just won’t cut it.  Though it’s a good idea to have health insurance in place for treatment in the long term, it’s always best to be prepared to treat an injury at the scene as best you can to prevent infection along with other possible complications such as shortness of breath or extreme nausea.  Here’s what is recommended by the American Red Cross:

• 2 absorbent compress dressings (5 x 9 inches)
• 25 adhesive bandages (assorted sizes)
• 1 adhesive cloth tape (10 yards x 1 inch)
• 5 antibiotic ointment packets (approximately 1 gram)
• 5 antiseptic wipe packets
• 2 packets of aspirin (81 mg each)
• 1 blanket (space blanket)
• 1 breathing barrier (with one-way valve)
• 1 instant cold compress
• 2 pair of nonlatex gloves (size: large)
• 2 hydrocortisone ointment packets (approximately 1 gram each)
• Scissors
• 1 roller bandage (3 inches wide)
• 1 roller bandage (4 inches wide)
• 5 sterile gauze pads (3 x 3 inches)
• 5 sterile gauze pads (4 x 4 inches)
• Oral thermometer (non-mercury/nonglass)
• 2 triangular bandages
• Tweezers
• First aid instruction booklet

Getting another ice storm like the one that took New England by surprise last year seems unlikely. Realistically, however, we should be ready if such a disaster were to occur again. This winter doesn’t seem any nicer than last; are you prepared?

Ever heard of this stuff? It is called Airborne, and my roommate swears by this “stuff” whenever she thinks that she is about to get sick. Airborne is a drug-free formula that was developed by a second grade teacher at Spreckels Elementary School near Carmel, California. With all of the sick elementary kids around all of the time and her busy lifestyle, she wanted to make something that would support her immune system. After talking to herbalists, specialists, nutrition experts and more, she was able to come up with a formula that eventually would become the leading herbal supplement in retail drugstores, supermarkets and mass merchant retailers nationwide.

The Airborne that my roommate uses comes in a tablet format that you are supposed to dissolve in 4-6 ounces of hot or cold water. I personally think they taste good without the water (I will admit that I have licked the tablet before putting it in a glass) but that the taste is a little weak when it is dissolved–as if it were water with a small squeeze of lime. However, there are different flavors such as Zesty Orange, Lemon-Lime, Pink Grapefruit, and Very Berry.

What is in Airborne that makes it such an immune system booster? Well this dietary supplement has so much packed into one tablet that I do not even know where to begin. It is a special blend of zinc, ginger, echinacea and 13 other vitamins, minerals and herbs. Some of the vitamins it contains are vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E. It also contains selenium, manganese, magnesium, riboflavin, amino acids, and more.  It has also been studied by scientific studies and medical journals and has been shown to support the immune system. It is safe and meets the rigorous safety standards of the Dietary Health and Supplement Act (DSHEA) and the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

You can get Airborne at a variety of stores such as Walgreens, Walmart, CVS, BJ’s, Costco, Trader Joe’s, and more. The average price for a pack of 12 tablets is seven dollars. It may be mental, but I do believe that Airborne is a great natural way to help boost your immune system when you are starting to feel sick.

When a new type of medicine first hits the market, it is the only one of its kind available, and consumers in need of it are forced to buy it. As a brand name, it tends to be expensive due to the research and effort that went into making the product. However, many simply can’t afford the steep prices of the brand names.  A CNN article published earlier this year stated that in a survey conducted by Consumer Reports, it was determined that “28 percent of Americans have taken steps such as not filling prescriptions, skipping dosages and cutting pills in half without the approval of their doctor, and even sharing prescriptions with a friend.” These steps are dangerous and can be prevented with a simple question: Is there a generic product that would work just as well?

After a brand name of a medicine comes out, patent laws keep the company financially protected for some time, but generic versions follow shortly and are often much more affordable. Because of the FDA, a generic product will be as strong and as affective as a brand name product as long as the active ingredients and dosage sizes are the same. If the generic product has been approved by the FDA, a consumer should be confident that it is the same quality as a brand name product.

The classic example here is ibuprofen tablets. Advil and Motrin are both very popular brand names for a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, ibuprofen. The only difference between the two products and any other product that is ibuprofen is simply the name, and possibly the dosage size. The actual composition of ibuprofen is always the same if the substance is pure; it’s a fact of chemistry.

It is wise to shop around, when possible. Consumer Reports determined that the same drug can vary up to $100 from store to store! Trying to save money on prescriptions is sometimes necessary, but one should never resort to dangerous options such as skipping prescriptions or sharing prescriptions. The best choice you can make is to ask your doctor if there are cheaper, equally affective options. The answer is often yes.

When you take medication, how can you be assured that it is being released into your system at the necessary location?  Until now, there was less assurance.

However, Philips Healthcare has announced new “intelligent pill technology”.  The iPill has the ability to measure the amount of acid in the digestive tract.  When the pill reaches the location that has the correct acidity level, the medication is released.

Another feature of the iPill noted on Philips’ website is that “the capsule is designed to measure local temperature, and report measurements wirelessly to an external receiver unit.”

To read the full article about this advance in medicine, click here.

It’s about that time again–flu season.

Did you know that every year (on average), 5%-20% of the United State’s population gets the flu while more than 200,000 people are hospitalized, and 36,000 people die from the flu.

What is the flu? The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus. It can cause mild to severe illness, and it can cause death. In order to protect yourself from this serious disease, you need to take certain precautions.

One of the most effective ways to prevent the flu is by getting a flu vaccination. You should get your yearly flu vaccination around September or whenever your hospital first offers it. There are two types of vaccination. One is called the flu shot. This is an inactivated vaccine that is given with a needle. The other is the nasal-spray flu vaccine which is made with live, weakened flu viruses that can be given to people 2-49 years old who are healthy and not pregnant.

You should not be vaccinated if you are allergic to chicken eggs, if you have had reactions to influenza vaccinations before, if you have the Guillain-Barre syndrome, if you are less than six months old, or if you are sick.

Being vaccinated is important because it is fairly easy to catch this disease. It is spread person to person via coughing and sneezing. People can infect others even one day before the symptoms develop and even 5 days after you become sick–so you must be careful. For instance, maintain healthy habits, such as washing your hands frequently.

Some of the symptoms of the flu include: fever, headaches, extreme tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, stuffy nose, muscle aches, or various stomach symptoms. Should you be experiencing any of these symptoms, you should contact your doctor as soon as possible.

In our modern age, it seems there is a pill for everything. Unfortunately, many times these pills have side effects – and we don’t always save all of the fine print we get from the pharmacist.

Is your dry mouth related to the antibiotics, or a new symptom? Can you drink milk with your statin medication? Can you take your anti-inflammatory with your iron supplement?

What about herbal remedies and vitamins? You can purchase these over the counter, but the FDA doesn’t require them to be labeled the same way prescription medications are. It’s also possible that the ginger you are taking for gout will work against the ulcer medication you’re taking for heartburn.

Fortunately, any information you need is a simple mouse-click away. Most major pharmaceutical companies have websites full of information, and even interactive forms for reporting adverse reactions.  Some sites have a good amount of human growth hormone information.

Be an informed consumer, and bookmark this list of links when you need to check out your supplements and medications!

RxList – A large database of prescription medications, it also includes a “pill identifier” button. Click on “Consumer” for information; “Advanced Consumer” will give you the actual chemical structure and other details directed towards professionals.

Vitamin Encyclopedia – This is a commercial site but has loads of information on all things vitamin, including recommended daily allowances, therapeutic doses, and symptoms of overdose. It’s easy to navigate by vitamin or mineral name. The only drawback is each vitamin page contains links to purchase related products at the bottom; be a savvy consumer and do plenty of research before purchasing vitamins and supplements!

Herbal Encyclopedia - Similar to the Vitamin Encyclopedia, and also includes lists of dangerous interactions.

Drugs.com – The most comprehensive and easy to use of all prescription sites. Also contains a drug interaction checker, news, pill identifier, and more.

Hurricane season is in full swing, and over 2 million people in the path of Hurricane Gustav evacuated this week. There are two more storms headed toward the United States, and more evacuations may be in order.

Do you have health problems? Are you prepared for a natural disaster? The Red Cross includes tips on preparing an emergency kit for quick evacuation in case of hurricanes, but if you have an illness, you need to be proactive and prepare extra supplies.

People with chronic medical problems must be ready to care for their special needs. If disaster strikes, medical help could be far away or reserved only for the most critically injured. Here’s how to protect your personal health and safety in the event of a major storm.

Prescriptions: Most insurance companies and pharmacies limit patients to receive only a 30 day supply of medication. If you live in a disaster-prone area, check with your doctor before there is an emergency, and ask him or her for extras.  Perhaps they have some samples you could pack into an emergency kit, or maybe they know of a pharmacy that will provide partial refills.

OTC: Don’t forget to include over the counter medications in your emergency kit. Are you prone to headaches? Does your arthritis flare in damp weather? Throw some ibuprofen in your bag. Allergic to mold? Add some non-drowsy allergy pills. Think about what you keep in your medicine cabinet for everyday comfort, and put a supply in your kit, too.

Information: Write down exactly what medical problems you have and exactly how they are being treated. Include your doctor’s phone number and an emergency contact. Keep this information on your person at all times; it’s critical that emergency responders be able to find it if you are injured and can’t talk.  Don’t forget your insurance and prescription card.

Be prepared and stay safe!

Drugs-about.com is an independent pharmaceutical online resource that provides full prescription information about drugs registered in the USA, Canada, EU, Japan, and other countries to consumers and health-care professionals. They offer quality online services that will answer any of your questions about drugs. Best of all, you can get all the information from the site for free!

On Drugs-about.com, everything is made easier because you can search by medical condition or by drug. Most search engines cover all of the Internet, so many of your results may not answer the question that you have. Searching the Internet, you never know if what you are getting is actually valid. However, on Drugs-about.com, all of the information is updated continuously and supplied by registered administrations, drug manufacturers, and other competent sources.

Everything that you wanted to know about a drug can be found on Drugs-about.com. With over 75,000 approved drugs and health products in their database, you could search for information about almost every drug there is! Want to know about Novo-Cycloprine? How about Promethiazine or Lysinopril? Each drug has its own page, loaded with information such as the forms of the drug, the category, its usages, the companies that make it, where you can purchase it, and more! Although you can’t buy the prescription drugs through this site, they do recommend some of the most favourable sources.

What makes Drugs-about.com different from other Internet health sites? Well, they have full information about drugs and health products for consumers and health professionals. They also have a great and unique database laden with drugs and pharmaceutical ingredients. Of course, they also have an amazing manufacturers’ database, along with a lot of information about drugs in different countries. With all of this available information, who could resist absolutely free access to all of their services?

Can you?

One of the companies that makes a statin says in their television add “sometimes eating right and exercising is not enough to lower your cholesterol” Eating right and proper exercise (including the use of weight sets) will always be the corner stone to stave off many diseases but for many it is not enough. Many ground breaking studies show that these statins do bring very low levels to LDL, the “bad” cholesterol. arterial plaque will slightly diminish and inflammation can drop dramatically.

The lower inflammation levels accomplished by statins may be one of the most important reasons since inflammation in the body is a precursor to cancer, HIV, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s and a host of other diseases where inflammation plays a role.

A 45% lower risk of colon cancer was found in a study presented in June 2004 at the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

LDL levels were reduced by 20 points below the 100mg/d level recommended by the American Heart Association in a Cleveland Clinic Study in 2004.

In June of 2004, the American Diabetes Associate advised that the 16 million diabetics over 40 should consider statins even if they have normal cholesterol.

The various studies in the year have made this a drug of preference for patients. Persuasive evidence is now in after a full year of study in 2004 that statins are safer, more effective, and have more clinical applications than even aspirin.