Although still considered rare, reported cases of Mesothelioma are increasing. With the sheer numbers of exposed workers since the 1940s, it is likely the diagnosed cases of Mesothelioma will continue to rise in number – especially since it now becoming clear that even the families of those who work with asbestos are at risk for the cancer.

Understanding Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a cancer that affects the linings of the lungs. It is often caused by exposure to asbestos, but not all cases are related to that material. Mesothelioma can spread quickly from the lungs or abdomen, where it is also found, into other areas of the body and major organs. It is deadly if not effectively stopped and treated.

Mesothelioma is especially scary because symptoms of the disease may not appear until thirty or more years following exposure to asbestos. Some patients have had symptoms lit dormant for fifty years before appearing. Mesothelioma is difficult to control, and the symptoms may appear to be related to other problems initially prolonging the diagnosis. Common symptoms include shortness of breath and chest pain along with weight loss and bloating.

Preventing Mesothelioma
With symptoms that take decades to develop, prevention of the disease begins with awareness today. Asbestos exposure is the most prevalent cause of the cancer, and the exposure is not limited to the worker. Increased numbers of cases have been reported in individuals who never had direct contact with asbestos. Instead, these Mesothelioma patients were only exposed to asbestos particles and dust on the clothing and hair of family members and friends who worked with the material. (more…)

It’s inevitable. As you age, your metabolism will slow and you’ll slowly start to get your very own “middle age spread.” This is simply common knowledge and many feel that there is simply no stopping the inevitable, so they simply buy a larger size and whine a bit more about that slowing metabolism.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Metabolism is often very misunderstood. It is seen as a magical force that burns calories and helps keep us trim. But every year is slows down just a bit more. But this isn’t magic – metabolism is driven by muscle and every year, your muscle mass is declining too.

Resting Metabolic Rate
Your resting metabolic rate (RMR) is responsible for more than half of the calories burned during the day. This means that while you are lounging on the couch or sleeping your body is hard at work using calories for energy. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn – regardless of activity. Of course if you jog, walk or even scratch your head, you burn extra calories. The intensity of the activity drives the metabolic rate. (more…)

New parents are barraged with information the moment they discover a pregnancy. There are guidelines for what a mother eats, what the baby should ride in, and where the baby should sleep. Parents rely on quality products that follow the recommended guidelines. But when those products fail, the results can be absolutely devastating.

There are a few heavily discussed options for where babies should sleep. Fans of attachment parenting find that co-sleeping is ideal, at least for a while. Other parents keep their babies nearby in a bassinet or crib in the bedroom. In fact, it is now recommended that you keep a baby in the room with his parents, although not in the bed, for the first four months.

At four months, the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome or crib death) decreases substantially, and with the new Back to Sleep campaign, the risk has already been reduced a great deal simply by placing a baby to sleep on his back. But when the baby moves out of his parent’s room, things begin to get a bit more complicated.

Crib Worries
When a baby is moved to his own bedroom at any age, the experience can be a bit rocky for both parents and child. The child can take a while to adapt to the separation and the parents worry about the child they no longer can see and hear every moment of the night. But most sleep well assured that their child is safe in a crib that meets safety guidelines.

But they may not be.

The largest recall of cribs ever has recently been announced. One million cribs manufactured by two of the largest names in baby gear, Simplicity and Graco, have been recalled due to infant deaths. Three babies have died as a result of a defect and many more have been injured or trapped by the crib. (more…)