What is Necrosis?

This story comes from the Yahoo! Contributor Network, where individuals publish their unique perspectives on some of the world’s most popular websites.Do you have a story to tell? Become a Yahoo! contributor "Good Morning America" reports on 24-year-old Aimee Copeland. The woman from Georgia is battling for her life against invasive bacteria eating away her flesh and causing it to die. She was riding a homemade zip line May 1 and quickly developed symptoms of necrotizing fasciitis, a rare bacterial infection. In general, WebMD says necrosis is the result of cells in a living organism that have suffered irreversible damage. Cells, tissues and organs eventually die if left untreated.

Necrotizing Fasciitis

The bacteria associated with necrotizing fasciitis can destroy skin and fat cells very quickly. The infection spreads so rapidly, 25 percent of those who get the disease die from it, according to WebMD. Bacteria enters a wound and spreads from that point. Worst cases lead to organ failure and eventual death.

The reason the disease is called fasciitis is because it most commonly affects the flat layers of tissue (called fascia) in between muscles. MedicineNet.com reports some forms of Streptococcus bacteria can become necrotizing even though the most common form of the bacteria simply leads to a sore throat.

Gangrene

Gangrene is a form of necrosis in which cells die due to a lack of blood supply. Maladies such as frostbite and diabetes can lead to gangrene. Loss of blood flow combined with infections in diabetic patients can lead to necrosis in limbs such as feet.

Pancreatic Necrosis

Pancreatic necrosis is the result of cells dying in the pancreas due to an abscess. If the tissue becomes infected in the pancreas, the mortality rate increases. Medcape.com states the mortality rate increase to more than 20 percent if pancreatic necrosis is due to a systemwide infection affecting the rest of the body.

Skin Necrosis

Skin necrosis occurs when an infection kills cells along layers of skin. Insect bites and spider bites can be common reasons why skin cells die if left untreated, according to WebMD. Poisonous spiders such as brown recluse and black widow may cause enough damage to leave scar tissue behind after the necrosis stops.

In worst cases, skin necrosis from bites have been documented to spread to 16 inches across. Wounds such as those take weeks to heal.

Mucormycosis

Mucormycosis is a fungal infection that causes cells in the body to die. The Centers for Disease Control states the type of fungus that causes the dead cells is usually found in soil, rotted wood and leaves. When the fungus gets under the skin through an open wound the infection can spread rapidly in people with compromised immune systems.

The New York Times reported as many as eight victims of the Joplin tornado developed the deadly fungal infection. Most of the victims had multiple injuries along with many infections from wounds. The rare form of the infection is usually not seen in so many cases all at once.

William Browning is a research librarian.

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Does Your Child Have Seasonal Allergies or a Cold?

HealthDay – 3 hrs ago SATURDAY, May 12 (HealthDay News) -- It can be difficult during the spring months for parents to determine whether their children have a cold or seasonal allergies, but an expert outlines how to tell the difference.

"Runny, stuffy or itchy noses; sneezing; coughing; fatigue; and headaches can all be symptoms of both allergies and colds, but when parents pay close attention to minor details they will be able to tell the difference," Dr. Michelle Lierl, a pediatric allergist at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, said in a hospital news release.

"Children who have spring or fall allergies have much more itching of their noses; they often have fits of sneezing and usually rub their noses in an upward motion," she explained. "They also complain about an itchy, scratchy throat or itchy eyes, whereas with a cold, they don't."

When people have allergies, their nasal discharge is usually clear and has the consistency of watery mucus, while those with colds typically have yellowish mucus discharge, Lierl said.

She recommended that children with seasonal allergy symptoms be tested for environmental allergens -- such as pollen -- that are present during seasons when they have symptoms, but not tested for food allergies or allergens present during seasons when children don't have symptoms.

If your child has seasonal allergies, Lierl suggested many things you can do to control symptoms:

Keep windows closed during periods of high pollen and fungal spore levels, and change air conditioner filters every month.Change children's clothing when they come inside from outdoors. Wash clothing to rid them of all outdoor allergens.After being outside, children should wash their face, hands and hair, and parents should use a nonprescription saline solution to rinse children's eyes and nose.Limit outdoor activity in the morning, when pollen counts are higher. When traveling, keep vehicle windows closed to keep pollen and other allergens out.Make sure children take their allergy medicine daily during pollen season.

More information

The American Academy of Pediatrics has more about seasonal allergies in children.

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Shape Up, Safely, for Summer

HealthDay – 3 hrs ago SATURDAY, May 12 (HealthDay News) -- Being healthy and losing weight are not only about crash diets, clothing sizes and numbers on the scale, experts say.

Incorporating fitness into your life can boost your confidence and make you feel better inside and out, said the experts, from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

"Start by throwing away all clothing catalogs with skinny models in skimpy bikinis on the front," Beth Kitchin, assistant professor of nutrition sciences, said in a university news release. "Then buy a bathing suit that flatters your shape. Going to extremes for weight loss leads to yo-yo dieting and makes you feel bad about yourself."

"The goal is to be a healthy size for you, so focus your attitude and energy on becoming the best version of yourself and enjoy the journey to health," added Lauren Whitt, wellness coordinator at the university.

The UAB experts said it's important to shape up for summer safely, and offered the following tips on how to reach your weight-loss goals:

Be realistic. Consult your doctor about how much weight you need to lose to be healthy, and then set up a timeline to meet that goal. You can safely lose up to 2 pounds per week, they said. Don't overdo it. Make just one lifestyle change each day, such as cutting out a soda or eating breakfast. "Taking small steps toward your goal will make it more attainable," Whitt said. "An early-morning meal with protein should keep you satisfied until lunchtime and help you resist high-fat, sugary mid-morning snacks." Move more. It's important to increase your activity level, the experts noted. Start slow and be consistent. List exercise as an event on your work calendar so you have a reminder. Personalize your workout. Although most people should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise each week, the workout you choose should suit your personality, the experts advised. "If you are a social person, try going to a group class like Zumba or step aerobics," Whitt said. "Conversely, if you are more into a solo workout, go with walking, running or even swimming. If you burn at least 250 calories through exercise and cut out at least 250 calories from food -- one 20-ounce bottle of soda -- you easily can lose at least 1 pound a week." Don't skip meals. A better way to reduce calories is to keep a record of your food intake for a few days. "You'll find out where extra calories are coming from," Kitchin said. Make wise food choices. Half of your meals should be fruits and vegetables, a quarter should be grains and the last quarter should be lean proteins such as poultry and fish. It's also important to choose low-fat and high-fiber recipes; limit your portions; skip sugary drinks; and opt for foods that are baked, braised, broiled, grilled, poached, roasted or steamed over those that are fried, buttered, creamed or breaded.

The experts said women should have no more than one alcoholic drink and men should have no more than two drinks per day.

"Alcohol tends to increase your appetite and provides calories without nutrients," Whitt said. "If you skip it altogether, you can reach your goals more easily."

An occasional treat doesn't mean you can't meet your weight-loss goals, the experts added. Getting in shape does not require perfection; just get back on track the next morning.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides more information on how to become more physically active.

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FDA delays rules meant to ease sunscreen confusion

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FDA reviews first rapid, take-home test for HIV

The Food and Drug Administration is considering approval of the first over-the-counter HIV test that would allow consumers to quickly test themselves for the virus at home, without medical supervision.

FDA reviewers said Friday the OraQuick In-Home HIV test could play a significant role in slowing the spread of HIV, according to briefing documents posted online. But they also raised concerns about the accuracy of the test, a mouth swab that returns results in about 20 minutes.

The review comes one day after an FDA advisory panel endorsed the HIV pill Truvada for preventive use. If FDA follows the group's advice, the daily medication would become the first drug approved to prevent healthy people from becoming infected with the virus that causes AIDS.

Public health experts estimate one-fifth, or about 240,000 people, of the 1.2 million HIV carriers in the U.S. are not aware they are infected. Testing is one of the chief means of slowing new infections, which have held steady at about 50,000 per year for two decades.

In a trial conducted by the company OraSure Technologies Inc., the test correctly detected HIV in those carrying the virus 93 percent of the time. That rate is below the FDA-recommended 95 percent threshold for accuracy.

The FDA estimates the test would miss about 3,800 HIV-positive people per year, if approved for U.S. consumers.

The test was more accurate at correctly clearing patients who do not have the disease. In company studies, OraQuick correctly identified HIV-negative users 99 percent of the time.

In their briefing documents, FDA scientists noted both the benefits and risks of expanding HIV testing with the take-home diagnostic kit.

"There is considerable personal and public health value in informing infected, but otherwise untested, persons of their true positive HIV status," the reviewers state. "However, this benefit is offset in some measure by HIV-positive individuals who receive an incorrect message that they are not infected."

The lukewarm endorsement apparently spooked investors. OraSure's stock tumbled $1.32, or 11.8 percent, to close at $9.85 in trading Friday.

On Tuesday, the FDA will ask a panel of outside experts whether the test should be approved for over-the-counter sales in U.S. The agency is not required to follow the group's advice, though it usually does.

Based in Bethlehem, Pa., OraSure has marketed a version of OraQuick to doctors, nurses and other health care practitioners since 2004. The test sells for $17.50, though OraSure declined to discuss how it would price the consumer version. When used by professionals, the test is shown to accurately identify both carriers and non-carriers 99 percent of the time.

While it's not clear why the test was less accurate in consumer trials, CEO Doug Michels said company researchers anticipated that its "performance in the hands of a consumer would be different from that observed in hands of a professional."

OraSure tried the new version of the test in a study of 5,800 people of various sexual orientation, race and income levels. The trial identified about 100 HIV carriers who were previously undiagnosed.

The FDA has already approved HIV test kits that people take home. However, those kits, which require a blood sample, must be sent to a laboratory for development. But OraSure argues that a test that can be done at home will appeal to a much broader group of people.

According to the company's study, 41 percent of people who discovered they were HIV-positive using OraQuick had never been tested previously. In its own briefing documents, the company estimates that 9,000 new HIV carriers would be identified for every 1 million people who use the test.

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Time cover masks problem: Too few kids breast-fed

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Preventable diseases still ravage children: study

"Newly-born babies are seen inside the nursery room of a hospital in 2010. Preventable diseases like pneumonia, diarrhoea and malaria claimed the lives of nearly five million children younger than five in 2010, a paper in The Lancet medical journal said Friday. (AFP Photo/Ted Aljibe)" title

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Tips For Stomach Fat Loss

May 12, 2012 by admin

Fat especially belly fat must be burned up, otherwise it’s going to settle around ones midsection. By decreasing the amount of “bad” foods and increasing the presence of natural foods in one’s diet, as well as regularly exercising, one can accomplish the goal given enough patience and determination.

1. Adding more fiber to the diet is another great way to lose stomach fat fast. However, be sure to increase the intake of fiber rich foods slowly, as your digestive system can take time to adapt to a high fiber diet. Foods that are known to be good sources of fiber are, whole grains, whole wheat foods, brown rice, oatmeal, oat bran, quinoa and fruits and vegetables.

2. Some carbohydrates are good for you and will not interfere with weight loss. These include vegetables, fruit, rice and oats. Foods containing refined flour, like bread, pasta and cake, should be avoided. The body has difficulty processing large amounts of carbohydrates, which slows the metabolism. Excess carbohydrates are converted to sugar, which, if not burned off through exercise, contributes largely to stomach fat.

3. Eating mostly vegetables is the most effective way to control your caloric intake, and the good news is that they are less expensive than some of the gimmicks I have seen in the marketplace. Vegetables, raw fruits and whole grains are naturally high in fiber and very low in fat. Weight watchers will need to understand that you are not to add any fat, such as butter or margarine nor any salt that will cause you to retain water. Now I can hear those of you grumbling about how you hate to eat bland vegetables.

4. Try to eat something every 3 hours. I know you’re busy and you think you don’t have time to eat so often. But you do and you must. Now that doesn’t mean that you’ll eat a big meal every 3 hours. Having a piece of fruit with some almonds between breakfast and lunch counts as a meal.

5. Opting for low-fat or low-calorie foods is an important part of any weight loss diet. If one’s intake of fat and calories is more than one can burn in a workout, one will not lose weight. One strategy is to eat six small meals throughout the day, rather than three large ones. This will keep one’s metabolism going and reduce one’s cravings for fatty or high-calorie foods.

6. Reduce processed foods. Cut down or cut out all together any processed foods. Anything that comes in a bag, box or can including frozen meals. Substitute them with whole natural unprocessed foods.

7. Along with the above mentioned tips for losing stomach fat, be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day, limit the consumption of soda and soft drinks, get enough rest or sleep and reduce the level of stress with appropriate stress management techniques. Also be sure to limit the consumption of alcohol in order to lose stomach fat fast and maintain a healthy weight.

Weight Loss

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Top 10 Weight Loss Tips

May 12, 2012 by admin

In is a characteristic of man to be competitive, wanting to be better than the other in every way. Men and women have both been aware of their appearance from the very start and wish to capture the awe of others and grab their attention. Since the very beginning, from our primitive ancestors to modern day humans all have wanted others to notice their physical appearance.

Usually people are attracted to those who have exceptional good-looking bodies. Therefore, both men and women strive to have those bodies to be noticed. However, in today’s world where there is increased obesity it is not an easy task to have such a body. In this article we will see some the best ways in order to effectively lose weight.

Sometimes people try so hard to lose weight that they try so many different ways to successfully lose weight, however, even if they do manage to burn fat, after a while they gain back all the weight they had initially lost, because these weight loss methods are usually quite ineffective.

The methods below will guide you to lose weight and if followed properly will help you keep your fat loss level down

1.

Don’t completely give up your favorite foods – It’s okay to have that pizza (or any other food for that matter) you love eating every now and then. There’s nothing wrong with it, however, make sure you burn those extra calories that you’ve consumed.

2. Keep a diary – This will help you plan, keep track of how you’re doing and help you gain perspective.

3. Drink lots of water – When you drink lots of water it helps you lose weight quickly, because when you drink less of water your body stores up extra water, however, when you drink lots of water the stored water is automatically comes out as the body is well hydrated.

4.

Reward yourself – When you reach a goal you had set up for yourself treat yourself to something nice. It helps you stay motivated.

5. Rest well – It is important that your body gets rest in order to exercise, lose fat and actually build muscle. At least 8 hours of sleep is recommended.

6. Plan your diet – It takes a combination of exercise and diet to lose weight quickly and successfully. Your diet plan must be carefully planned and worked out in order for you burn fat effectively.

7. Join a weight loss support group – This could be a very wise decision as there are many online support groups that you could choose. It helps you stay on track as people in the support group encourage each other.

8. Take one step at a time – No can lose weight overnight. I wish we could but we just can’t. It takes a lot of hard work, patience and determination. So don’t give up!

9. Try to think of weight loss positively – Try to think of the wonderful feeling you get after working out and of the goals you want to reach. Do exercises that you enjoy.

10. Don’t starve your self – Many people use this method to try to lose weight in order to lose weight; however, it leads to losing muscle and causes a fall in metabolism. So be sure not to do this.

Weight Loss

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Skintervention: The Personalized Solution for Healthier, Younger, and Flawless-Looking Skin

When the rich and famous need to look red-carpet-ready, they call Scott-Vincent Borba, celebrity esthetician and skin-care pioneer. Why? Because Borba knows beauty, and his revolutionary approach can transform your skin whether you're battling wrinkles and brown spots, cellulite and menopausal breakouts, or clogged pores and blackheads. Skintervention shows you how to dig deeper (literally)

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Quick Slimming Weight Loss Tips

May 12, 2012 by admin

Losing weight can be surprisingly easy if you do the right things! There are literally millions of men and women use every day for the best way to lose weight and I do not wonder why.When you are fit and healthy it is so much more fun.

I wanted to share with you 3 weight loss tips that you can use to sculpt your way to a dream body!

1. Six pack abs are in the kitchen

Many people trying to get in shape feel you need to do tons of cardio training and get to sit-ups to a flat stomach. They are wrong, the most important part of losing weight is your daily diet.

The best way to start is by all the rapid absorption of carbohydrates you daily meal plans. This means you say goodbye to things like muffins, sweets, white bread, white rice and pasta, etc. etc. instead of eating the whole grains, and meat, fish, chicken and vegetables, of course, have to do.

I know it’s not easy to do a big change just like that.

For this reason, you should at least at the beginning, you can be a “cheat days”, for example, once a week. During one day you can eat all you want and it will not hurt your weight loss process. Although after a while when you see the development start of the new healthy body, you will probably do not want that “day light” no longer!

2. The exercise to Sculpt Your Body

Although the eat what you, the most important issue for you to lose weight and get the attractive body, does not mean you can see physically completely.

Do you know what is the biggest mistake among people who strongly believe that the perception of the best method of weight loss? They go so overboard with them. You walk five miles a day and then go to the gym to train for several hours, and they do this every day.

If your body is not used to hard stress, working too much is just simply make every effort to get the body fit to kill! What you want is a moderate amount of body weight exercises you can do at home, or some strength exercises in the gym.

It’s always good to change the amount of training.

For example, you could do this week to four training sessions, then the next week is only 2 times and so on. Thus your body will keep growing and developing BIG means.

3. Drinking water

This is perhaps the oldest trick in the book of weight loss tips. However, there is a reason why it is the oldest, IT WORKS! I do not know what to drink in general, maybe some juice, soft drinks or milk. Whatever it is, you should drink most of your day to change water and it can get a lot for your efforts, the job you’ve always wanted to do.

As the last words I must say that I have many people who are struggling to lose weight and to me that it is very difficult to know that the best way to lose weight to find something that actually works. Therefore, I absolutely recommend this Weight Loss Program.

It is written by a man who knows everything about losing weight and fitness. He has helped thousands to get attractive body and I hope that you do not your chance to miss is at issue. I know many people who are so far only obesity, but are in good shape. I also know that if it could work for them so I know you can do the same!

 

Weight Loss

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Upper Lower Lash Mascara Applicator Guide Eyelash Comb

Details and Features:Eyelash Mascara Guide is a new makeup tool for upper and lower lash mascara which is not dirty your eyPopular Lash Mascara Guide is a necessary for every lady. Small item put in bagBrush your lashes with the Eyelash Comb to tidy up the lashesThis is a light, continuous and useful grooming aid. Effectively help you to perfect your eye make upSize: 11 x 4.5 x 0.5cm

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