Blood Pressure

Blood Pressure is the force of blood flow on the arteries and veins that carry blood through your body.  High blood pressure ( hypertension) occurs when the force is too strong.  Blood pressure is measured by an upper number and a lower number.  You may see "mm Hg" written after the numbers.  It means "millimeters of mercury".  The top number of your blood pressure is the systolic pressure.  This measure is the pressure in your blood vessels with each beat.  The lower number is the diastolic pressure.  This measure is the pressure in your blood vessels when your heart is resting between beats.  High blood pressure makes your body work harder to get the blood it needs.  This can lead to serious health problems such as heart disease, stroke, heart failure, and or kidney failure.  Because high blood pressure often doesn't create symptoms that you can feel, it's important to check your blood pressure at every doctor's visit to make sure your blood pressure is at goal.  Some causes of high blood pressure are being overweight, drinking too much alcohol, family history of high blood pressure, eating too much salt (sodium), and age.

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD)

The genetic blood disorder affects 1 in 500 Africans Americans.  Once you get too much iron in your blood it has to deposit somewhere, then it deposits in your tissue.  For many who live with SCD, blood transfusions are oftentimes part of their care, that having too many can lead to a buildup of iron in the body.  The biggest thing about iron is that it can deposit into the heart and you can get irregular heart rhythms, heart failure, and you can die-that's why iron overload is a big deal.  The doctors should make sure that all of their patients  know their iron levels.  If you have to get a blood transfusion, ask for a serum ferritin test, and get tested each time you get blood transfusions.  People everywhere that have 10 or more transfusions can lead to iron overload and that iron levels over 1000mcg/L are cause for concern.  Please talk to your doctor about serum ferritin screenings.

DaTscan/Parkinson

The US Food and Drug Administration, on January 17, approved the use of DaTscan, a novel imaging technique that can be used to help diagnose Parkinson's disease in its early stages.  The technique, which combines the injection of an iodine-based radioactive chemical with an imaging process (known as "SPECT")  that detects and measures the presence of dopamine, has been used successfully in Europe for more than a decade.  A machine similar to but smaller than an MRI machine, called a "single photon emission computed tomography machine," or Spect scanner, measures the amount and location of the drug in the brain.  These scans are used to help a doctor confirm a diagnosis.  A DaTscan can be used to help rule out other diseases that may have clinical symptoms similar to those seen in Parkinson's, such as essential tremor that do not show the deficiency in dopamine that marks Parkinson's disease.  Among some individuals, there have been reports of headache, nausea, vertigo, dry mouth, and mild to moderate dizziness.  There have also been cases of hypersensitivity reaction and pain at the site of the injection.  No other major side effects have been reported.

Corn

Sweet corn is high in fiber, niacin, and foliate.  Sweet corn with yellow kernels has small amounts of vitamins A.  Corn cooks quickly.  Corn goes well with most dishes.  Frozen or canned corn is an economical, healthy replacement for fresh corn.  As soon as corn is picked, the sugar in the kernels begins to turn into starch.  Starch hardens the kernels of the corn.  To slow down this process, fresh corn should be kept cool.  Fresh corn is often found on top of ice in the store or at Farmer's market.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Americans eat about 25 pounds of corn each year, most of which is frozen or canned.  Frozen and canned corn have about the same nutrient value as fresh corn.  There are hundreds of varieties of sweet corn.  Most varieties have yellow kernels.  Corn is also available white or bi-color (white and yellow kernels).  Florida produces the most fresh market sweet corn.  Most of the corn in Florida is a "super sweet" variety.  Super sweet varieties have more than twice the sugar content of regular corn.  Some super sweet varieties also change sugar into starch more slowly after the corn is picked.  This allows corn to be shipped to distant markets, retaining flavor in the corn.  Super sweets may be yellow, white or bi-color.  Corn is high in fiber.  Fiber is found only in plant foods and can keep you healthy in several ways.  Two types of fiber are found in foods.  These include insoluble and soluble fiber.  Both are important for your health because they have different functions in the body.  Insoluble fiber helps with digestion, and soluble fiber has protective benefits which helps to lower blood cholesterol levels and regulate blood-sugar levels.

Egg Safety

Safe storage and handling is necessary for all egg products to prevent bacterial contamination.  Salmonella bacteria multiply quickly at room temperature.  So make sure the eggs you buy are well refrigerated at the store.  Then put them in your refrigerator as soon as you get home.  Refrigerate raw shell eggs in their cartons on the middle or lower inside shelf, not on the door, and away from any meat that might drip juices or any raw produce that might contact eggshells.  Cover or wrap well any egg mixtures or leftover cooked egg dishes.  For all perishable foods, including eggs and dishes containing eggs, allow no more than 2 hours at room temperature for preparation and serving, 30 minutes to 1 hour when its 85F or hotter without refrigeration.  Raw eggs maintain their freshness for 4 - 5 weeks after purchase if kept refrigerated continuously.  Many cooking methods can be used to cook eggs safely including poaching, hard cooking, scrambling, frying, and baking.  However eggs must be cooked thoroughly until yolks are firm.  Scrambled eggs should not be runny.  Casseroles and other dishes containing eggs should be cooked to a safe minimum internal temperature of 160 F.  Use a food thermometer to be sure.

Soap Uses

There are 8 other things that you can use soap for, they are as follows:

1.  Pincushion:  Stick needles and pins in a wrapped bar of soap.  The soap's oils make the pointy ends glide through fabric sew easily.
2.  Deodorant substitute:   Swab under your arms with a dry bar of soap to fight that not so fresh feeling.
3.  Car freshener:  Tuck a cake of scented soap in your car door compartment for a subtle aroma that's superior to any cardboard pine tree.
4.  Insect repellent:  Put a few unwrapped bars of Rosemary, Lemongrass, or Citronella soap on a picnic table and unwanted flying guests will bug off.
5.  Mirror Marker:  Keep your love notes clean, scribble on a mirror with a bar of soap.  It is cheaper than lipstick and wipes off more easily.
6. Stain remover:  Pretreat grass and dirt stains with a few gentle swipes of a dry bar of soap.
7.  Itch reliever:  Can't stop scratching that mosquito bite? Rub it with a bar of Oatmeal or Aloe infused soap to quell the urge.
8.  Hem guide:  When you're fresh out of tailor's chalk, use a bar of soap to mark a new hem on your fashion masterpiece.

Cancer

There are many kinds of Cancer.  It can be found in different parts of your body.  There are treatments such as radiation, Chemotherapy, and pills.  Some of the Cancer can be removable through surgery.  There are different stages of Cancer with stage 4 being the worst.  Some of the treatments can cause your cancer to go into remission or be completely gone, it depends on how far along your cancer has gone.  It is best to get a cancer screening done before it is too late.  It is up to you to check out whats happening with your body.