With flu season fast approaching and many physicians and pharmacies offering the shot, many people are probably wondering whether they would be better off with or without the flu shot this year.

If you have serious medical conditions for which you are taking a prescribed medication, you should consult with your physician. Otherwise, here are 5 groups that can definitely benefit from taking the flu shot as early as possible this year and every year.

School Age Children–Children under 6 months should receive a shot, but otherwise students from preschool right through college can benefit. Large groups make it very easy for germs to spread rapidly from contact with frequently used surfaces as well as through inhalation or ingestion of germs that are sent airborne with sneezing and coughing.

Because students are constantly in such close proximity to each other, it is pretty near impossible not to avoid contagions. The extra boost that the flu shot offers your immune system can help you avoid or lessen the severity of its grip on you.

Parents of Small Children–Because babies and toddlers are always cuddling or being cuddled by their parents, germs can very easily be passed back and for the between parent and child. Parents who received the vaccine are providing more protection for the children particularly if the baby is too young to receive the shot.

School Personnel–If you interact with large numbers of children in any capacity at a school, you are at greater risk than the average adult. Most public elementary schools have enrollments from 500 to 1,000 students.

Even if every child only sneezed once and forgot to cover it with a hand or tissue, the number of germs in the air would be phenomenal. So in reality it’s a wonder any one stays well with the actual number of germs that are floating in the air, and waiting on door handles, pencils, book bags and other commonly used items.

Assisted Living and Nursing Home Residents–In many cases many residents have immune systems that is not as able to fight off germs as it once was. This can be do to a natural decline in immunity, or they may also be taking medications that suppress the body’s ability to respond effectively to viruses that can be so debilitating.

Residents who are memory impaired may no longer be able to practice proper hygiene and may involuntarily put everyone else in the facility at higher risk.

Health Care Professionals–Any person who comes in frequent contact with those who are ill should take advantage of the protection the flu shot can offer. Not can it offer protection to you, but it can make you less of a threat to those that you go home to each night.

In addition to the flu shot, you can experience an extra level of protection from airborne viruses with a medical grade air purifier. PurerAir.com offers such an air purifier. See it now at http://purerair.com/healthmate_hm400.html
Debbie Davis, President, PurerAir.com

If you are considering a hair transplant or are in the process of waiting for one, then it is important to be proactive about finding information on the surgery. Your clinic will encourage you to get involved as possible, learning about your options and the aftercare you need to follow. After care is extremely important after any surgery and a hair transplant is no different. Here in this article we look at the first seventy two hours after surgery and the care needed.

Around eight hours after your surgery the anaesthetic will begin to wear off, this is when the most amount of pain is going to be felt by the patient. Often the pain from the donor area is going to be the sorest as the wound is actually much larger. In many clinics after the surgery you will be sent home with some pain killers to keep the pain to a minimum. Obviously some discomfort will be experienced, if you want to know to what extent this is, it is worth contacting people who have had a transplant themselves.

Within twenty four hours the pain should have subsided, if this is not the case then it is recommended that you contact your clinic. Pain may suggest that the scalp may have become infected; if this is the case then medical professionals will need to see you fairly quickly. The scalp will also become rather crusty in the first two days, but this is perfectly normal and to be expected. If the bleeding continues however for longer than a day then the clinic will be able to offer you a compression bandage. Although bandages may be needed the best option is to keep the head exposed to air, where the grafts can heal.

Most clinics will provide patients with an antibiotic solution or cream to put into the scalp for the next three days, but the washing of the scalp cannot be done until after the third day. Crusting is expected to have occurred at this point. Swelling may occur one to four days after the operation and can last for up to a week, sleeping in a sitting position is recommended and cold compresses are recommended.

Generally clinics will suggest on the forth day that you wash your hair gently, it is advised that that the washing is done in a sink and not a shower as it is less severe. Soak your head slightly before the shampooing to allow for the crusting to dissolve slightly. After you have washed allow your hair to dry naturally, as hot air will encourage infection. Contact your hair transplant clinic if you have any worries or concerns.

Dom Donaldson is a beauty therapist.
Find out more about a Hair Transplant at http://www.hshairclinic.co.uk/

It is amazing to consider what was used for the first contact lens materials. The first ones to be made and fitted successfully was in 1888, after Adolf Egen Fick, a German physiologist, created lenses made from a heavy glass. They were quite thick and could not be worn for more than a few hours. He tested them on rabbits in the beginning and then himself. After testing them on a group of volunteers, he fitted the first ones that were worn to correct eyesight.

This type of sclera lenses were the only known type of contact lens for years until the 1930s when the development of PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) made the manufacture of plastic sclera lenses possible. The first corneal lenses were created in 1949, but they were a type that were used only on the cornea. These contacts could remain in place for up to 16 hours before removing them.

Lens Materials Begin to Improve

When contacts were first used by the majority of people in the 1960s, the PMMA lenses were considered to be the most sophisticated lens material available. There was one disadvantage to these lenses however. Oxygen was not able to be sent through the lenses to the cornea and conjunctiva. This caused a number of effects that were not desirable for the contact wearer.

The 1970s and 1980s saw many improvements to the contact lens materials including the development of lenses that allowed air to pass through. The contact lens materials were called “rigid gas permeable” or “RGP”. An important step in lens materials was the first soft lenses and the approval of “Softlens” in the U.S. in 1971 by the Food and Drug Administration.

Credit for the development of soft contact lenses is given to Otto Wichterle and Drahoslav Lim, Czech chemists whose work “Hydrophilic Gels for Biological Use” was published in 1959 in the journal “Nature”. This work was responsible for the manufacture and marketing of the first hydro gel lenses in the 1960s.

These contact lenses became a very popular lens due to their comfort level. The material used for the Soflens was a polymacon. Over the next 25 years there were many improvements to the soft lenses, mainly the variance of materials used to allow the maximum oxygen permeability.

The first silicone hydro gels were introduced in 1999. The lens materials captured the benefits of using silicone. The comfort of silicone hydro gels made this type of contact lens quite popular. Thanks to this new material, there are types that may be worn continuously – even up to 30 nights. This contact lens, called continuous wear (CW) is generally a disposable type that can be thrown away after their specific wearing time is over.

Hydro gels were added to increase the comfort levels of this type of lens material. The common complaint of dryness while wearing contacts was compensated for by adding the hydro gels. Other lens materials have internal agents that help the surface of the lens to be hydrophilic or more tolerant of liquids.

From glass to silicone, lens materials have improved over the years. Since contact lens are used for the same purpose as eyeglasses – to correct eyesight – it is imperative that they are made from a material that is comfortable and easy to use. The contact lens today are often tinted slightly to make them easier to see when removing them for cleaning.

There are lens materials used today, such as a UV coating that helps protect the cornea from the sun as well as helping to decrease glare. The benefits of sunglasses without wearing them are just one more exciting step in the evolution of contact lens.

Improved manufacturing was responsible for the development of lens materials that perfected contacts for their use today. Lathe technology as well as the process of spinning silicon in a mold operating at a very high speed are used today for mass producing contact lens. This is referred to a spin-cast lenses. The lathe turned type cuts and polishes contact lens by using a CNC lathe.

Estimates are there are 125 million contact wearers in the world today. From 28 to 38 million are in the U.S. and 13 million wearers are in Japan. The early versions of the glass-blown contacts of 1888 have helped to make the lens materials used today. It is amazing what the world of technology has accomplished in such a short period of time.

If you would like to learn more about lens materials visit http://www.silar.com.

Do you have oily skin? Have you been searching for some great oily skin care treatments specifically to deal with the problem? Let’s consider the nature of oily skin and consider a what can be done to provide good skin care to those who have it.

Your skin produces it’s own natural oils. This occurs in the sebaceous glands and the natural oil produced is called sebum. For some people the production of sebum occurs at a much greater rate than for others. There are many for whom dry skin is a problem.

For sufferers the result is often a film of oil across the surface of your face and sometimes an increase in acne and blackheads.

There are many oily anti aging products on the market. However it’s true to say that many do not work effectively and also it is fair to say that the best products for caring for skin with too much oil are not made for skin with too much oil at all.

There are several problems with mainstream big brand oily skin products. The first is that they can often contain mineral oil. This is a petrochemical product that has been linked to various health problems and skin allergies and irritation. It is used purely because it is extremely cheap.

Mineral oil forms a film across the surface of the skin, clogs the pores and can lead to an increase in acne. Anyone interested in seriously good quality skin care products should always examine the label and reject any products that contain mineral oil, no matter what skin type they have.

Secondly there are many anti aging products that contain alcohol. Alcohol dries your skin. If you have a problem of skin with too much oil you might think it fair to assume that anything that dries your skin must be good. In fact the reverse is true. Drying the skin actually stimulates the skin to produce more oil and can worsen the problem.

Most modern anti aging products are not good for oily skin just as they are not good for other skin types. In fact the best natural oily skin care products are not manufactured for treating oily skin at all. It’s just that they use ingredients which are equally good for all skin types.

Natural skin care products do not contain harsh chemical ingredients such as mineral oil and alcohol. The very best natural skin care products contain such ingredients as extracts of seaweed, specialised formulations of Coenzyme Q10 and a particular patented ingredient manufactured from the wool of sheep. These products do not encourage the overproduction of skin oils and work exceptionally well on all skin types.

In fact the company that makes these products does not even manufacture oily skin products because it doesn’t need to. Rather it produces a single range of top quality skin care products that work on all skin types.

So if you have oily skin there is 2 things that you need do. You need to avoid mainstream big brand skin care products that contain, in particular, mineral oil and alcohol. And you need to search for natural anti aging products containing ingredients that are effective for optimum skin care across all skin types.

While there are many types of oily skin care treatments on the market, it may take some time to find one that works best for you. Try to avoid using cleansers that make your skin feel tight and dry. This will start a vicious cycle, leading your skin to pump out more oil as it tries to compensate for the over-drying of the skin. That tight feeling can also mean that the outermost layers of the skin have been shrunk, which impedes oil flow outward from the pores. This restriction can lead to blockage of the pores and eventually breakouts.

Looking for oily skin care treatment? Well then you need to check out http://www.skincareday.com/the-cause-of-oily-skin-and-oily-skin-care-treatment.html – they recommend only the best skin care treament – get honest evaluation report and special offers in Skin Care Day.

With the credit crunch in full effect and the radical increase in price of cigarettes – not to mention the legion of horrific health risks – it’s easy to see why every day, more and more people decide to stop smoking. However, it’s a notoriously difficult task: as well as the physical cravings, there are a wealth of psychological aspects to take into account – not the least of which is that although you may have quit, a lot of your friends might not, meaning you still smell it and see it, which can really compound the difficulty that you will experience.

One of the advantages of the modern era, however – especially with people now knowing just how harmful cigarettes are – is that there is a wide range of methods and products available on the market to help people to make the change and stop smoking. From hypnosis sessions to mobile phone applications, there is probably a method which will fit every one, every schedule and every budget, whether you would prefer personal sessions or to get the help you need on the train to work in the morning.

This flexibility is the true advantage of the modern self help market, particularly when it comes to helping people stop smoking as not every method works for every person. Some people, for example, may struggle with finding a reputable hypnotherapist in their area, but may be tech savvy enough to own an iPhone or iPod Touch which will support the interactive applications available from the iTunes Store. There are also many other options available such as audio CDs or downloads which are compatible with almost any MP3 player, as well as books and support through the NHS, so the old excuse of not being able to stop smoking because ‘it’s too hard’ really doesn’t hold any water anymore.

Of course, none of these methods will help an unresponsive individual to stop smoking. All the help in the world won’t do the job for you if you haven’t already decided that you really want to quit, but it is possible for even the most resolved mindset to crack at times, which is why a support method such as hypnotherapy, whether in personal or downloaded form, is such an effective tool. It will help you to alter your mindset and give the support you need to make the positive change that you want to make as opposed to going it alone and hoping for the best.

Anna Stenning is a health journalist with many years of experience helping people make positive lifestyle changes. Find out more about how to stop smoking at http://www.maxkirsten.com/

Recently, I had the pleasure of eating lunch with my daughter at her school.

Let me be more clear – it was a pleasure to spend that time with my daughter, but it was distressing to witness what dozens of children around us were eating. It honestly made me sad. I just couldn’t believe it, and it left me wondering where on earth to begin helping more families understand basic nutrition.

At our little table alone, one child started with an apple – that was a good thing! Then, a bag of Fritos and some Skittles. Oh, and a can of Diet Dr. Pepper. This is when my heart palpitations began.

Other students, siblings, started with a cheese sandwich on blinding white bread, then they each had a full size Snicker bar, followed by a bag of M & M’s. No beverage and nothing “live” or fresh in that lunch.

Another child had crackers and juice. That’s it. As I looked around the room, I saw that the tables were covered with wrappers of candy bars, chips, snack foods, convenience foods, pop cans, fruit drink boxes, sports drink bottles, and on and on.

The grown-ups weren’t doing much better. I saw a steady stream of teachers visiting the nearby vending machine, purchasing pop and chips, crackers, chocolate bars and other candy. Whether they like it or not, these grown-ups are serving as role models for the students.

The whole scene was rudely awakening, disturbing and it made my stomach turn. How on earth were these kids expected to return to classes in a few minutes and learn or perform with any level of optimal function if this is the fuel they’ve been given. The same can be said regarding the teachers and administrators. How can we expect them to perform at their best, considering the sub-standard fuel their brains are receiving?

Thoughts were swimming through my head: How did we get so far off track with our nutrition? Where would we even begin to fix this? What information do parents need in order to make better choices and pack healthier lunches? No wonder we have a childhood obesity epidemic! No wonder chronic illness, like cancer, diabetes, arthritis, depression, learning and attention disorders, infertility, anxiety disorders, digestive disorders, chronic fatigue and so on are at epidemic proportions… and still on the rise.

We simply cannot provide toxic and deficient “foods” with any consistency and expect the outcome to be health and optimal function! It goes against basic physiological, neurological and genetic law! The body requires pure and sufficient nutritional choices on a regular basis in order to meet our innate genetic requirements for health and function.

Our purpose when choosing food shouldn’t be just to “fill up”, but rather to “fuel up”. Toxic, nutrient-void, processed foods are usually the cheapest as well. It’s all very backwards! Unfortunately, many families (and schools) feel forced to make nutritional choices based on finances – “How much ‘food’ can I buy for this amount of money?” This can certainly lead to choices being made that come with dangerous consequences over time.

I understand that proper nutrition can be confusing and overwhelming for many families. I don’t believe that it needs to be. We don’t need to be “perfect” in order to experience better health. We simply need to make better choices more often.

Each and every one of those children would have benefited from having just ONE fresh food in their lunch that day. A piece of fruit, a fresh veggie… even just one. That would be a powerful step in the right direction. Also, every single human in that room requires water for optimal health and function. That’s a simple choice we can make to improve our health and the health of our children.

We don’t even need to begin talking about the toxic foods that could be removed! We just need to begin with adding more healthy choices. Simple.

There are so many simple improvements we can make to our nutritional choices – improvements that do not require completely overhauling our diets! We owe it to ourselves, and especially our children, to begin adding healthier options to our lifestyle. Every choice comes with a consequence. Healthier choices now mean better health in the future.

Dr. Colleen Trombley (“Dr Mom Online”) is a leading Health expert. See why so many turn to her for healthy living, nutrition, exercise, weight loss, parenting and life balance tips. Visit http:// HealthySchoolDaysMenu.com for great kids nutrition ideas. Visit http://DrMomOnline.com for more.

Weight gain is inevitable in these times. We have contributing factors that we are willingly accepting that is why we also have ourselves to blame. We have the competitive industry of working, the laziness of some to incorporate exercise regimens and unhealthy eating habits.

Fortunately, there are weight loss industries that could cater to our needs. There are a variety of products to choose from. There are diet patches, books, machines and the ever popular weight loss supplements that take capsule-based forms and meal replacements. But the thing with these products, dieters are more likely to suffer from health hazards due to the elements it contains. There are weight-loss supplements that are laden with life-risking substances that may only do more harm than good.
Of course, we could always turn to the conventional way of dieting that is through exercise regimens and healthy eating plan. These could ensure a healthy route to losing weight.

In terms of meal plans, there is one that was highly recommended by dieticians and nutritionist alike. This diet is constituted by fiber.

Fiber is an indigestible part of the plant that when consumed passes through the digestive tract without absorption. Hence no additional input on those pre-existing layers of fat. Fiber could be divided into two types, the soluble or those that could dissolve in water and insoluble or could be defined as the opposite of the other. Both food types could absorb cholesterol from its path and later eliminates it through bowel. In the case of insoluble ones it goes through digestion unchanged. Experts have long advised for the inclusion of these in everybody’s diet for it is known to aid health and wellness for dieters.

There are many foods that are considered as great source of fiber. We can find in vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, root vegetables including onions, potatoes and sweet potatoes, fruits like bananas and the insides of an apple and pear. There are also the more obvious ones, wheat, rye and oats.

There are other options for fiber and you can choose between Flax and Psyllium. The former has high levels of lignans and omega-3 fatty acids content. Lignans are known to benefit the heart with its anti-cancer abilities. It could also lower the gravity of diabetes with its ability to normalize the levels of blood sugar.

On the other hand we also have Psyllium to opt for. It has the ability to be invisible from the small intestines thereby avoiding absorption. Aside from that it also takes in water and helps eliminate it from the system through bowel movements.

Although previous researches states that Psyllium works better than Flax, the current ones announces that Flax is becoming a better option. This is due to the fact that, as mentioned earlier, Psyllium absorbs water from digestion. Some experts believe that this could ultimately lead to dehydration hence making it a downside for this fiber type. Additionally the anti-oxidant contents of Flax put it ahead because our times are susceptible for free-radicals that needs to be eliminated from our system.

Charles Volcolatte is a health and weight loss researcher for http://www.skinnyasap.com/weightlossprograms/. He writes and researches actively on Weight Loss Programs and shares his knowledge at http://www.skinnyasap.com/weightlossprograms/ where he works as a staff writer.