Saturday, 10 August 2013

Amazing Onion.





A friend of mine told me a story about when he was a kid he was in the hospital & nearly dying. His grandmother came to the hospital & told a family member to go buy her a large onion & a new pair of white cotton socks. She sliced the onion open then put a slice on the bottom of each of his feet & put the white cotton socks on him. In the morning when he awoke they removed the socks. The slices of onion were black & his fever was gone. The following story that someone sent to me might have some truth in it & we are going to try it this winter. 
In 1919 when the flu killed 40 million people there was this Doctor that visited the many farmers to see if he could help them combat the flu. Many of the farmers and their family had contracted it and many died. 
The doctor came upon this one farmer and to his surprise, everyone was very healthy. When the doctor asked what the farmer was doing that was different the wife replied that she had placed an unpeeled onion in a dish in the rooms of the home, (probably only two rooms back then). The doctor couldn't believe it and asked if he could have one of the onions and place it under the microscope. She gave him one and when he did this, he did find the flu virus in the onion. It obviously absorbed the bacteria, therefore, keeping the family healthy. 
Now, I heard this story from my hairdresser in AZ. She said that several years ago many of her employees were coming down with the flu and so were many of her customers. The next year she placed several bowls with onions around in her shop. To her surprise, none of her staff got sick. It must work.. (And no, she is not in the onion business.) 
The moral of the story is, buy some onions and place them in bowls around your home. If you work at a desk, place one or two in your office or under your desk or even on top somewhere. Try it and see what happens. We did it last year and we never got the flu. 

For flu cure:
Cut both ends off an onion put one end on a fork and then place the forked end into an empty jar... Placing the jar next to the sick patient at night. It said the onion would be black in the morning from the germs... Sure enough it happened just like that... The onion was a mess and I began to feel better. 
Onions and garlic placed around the room saved many from the black plague years ago. They have powerful antibacterial, antiseptic properties. 
One more thing, never store cut onions and consume the next day.

Thursday, 1 August 2013

What You Need to Know about Hepatitis C


What You Need to Know about Hepatitis C

Living with Hepatitis C: Personal Stories

Wanda:

"I need to stay healthy, because I have two little girls and they keep me busy! I had a biopsy and my doctor says my liver is doing okay. So far, so good..." "... but I worry about my family. Sometimes I let my kids drink from my glass, or I forget to cover my mouth when I cough. Could that give them hepatitis C? And what about my partner? Can you get hepatitis C through sex?"
Hepatitis C is not spread through casual contact like coughing, sharing cups or eating utensils, hugging, or kissing. Hepatitis C is only spread through contact with infected blood. The most common ways that hepatitis C is spread are:
  • sharing needles and other equipment (" works") used to inject drugs or other substances
  • mother to baby during birth
  • accidental needle-stick injuries, mainly to health care workers on the job
  • sex without using a condom (this is a rare way to get hepatitis C, but it does happen)
It may also be possible to spread hepatitis C through:
  • sharing razors, toothbrushes, or nail clippers with a person who has hepatitis C (because these items may have traces of blood on them)
  • tattoos or piercing, especially if it is not done by a professional with sterile equipment
A woman can pass hepatitis C to her baby during birth. About 5 out of 100 babies born to women with hepatitis C will be infected. Talk to your child's doctor about when to test your child for hepatitis C.
Before 1992, people also got hepatitis C through infected blood transfusions and organ transplants. Now, all blood and organ donations are tested for hepatitis C, so it is safe to get blood or organs.
It is possible to spread hepatitis C during sex, but this is rare. On the other hand, HIV and other STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) are easily spread during sex. Always use condoms to protect yourself and your partners.

Keeping your loved ones safe

Hepatitis C is spread through blood. To avoid giving hepatitis C to others:
  • do not share needles, syringes, or other injection equipment (" works")
  • do not share razors, toothbrushes, nail clippers, or other household items that could have blood on them
  • clean up blood spills right away with bleach
  • keep cuts or sores covered with a bandage

Carlos:

"When I found out that I had hepatitis C, I was really angry. I worked so hard to get off drugs and was just starting to get my life together. Then they told me I had this disease. I couldn't believe it. I didn't go back to the doctor for a while - I didn't want to deal with it.
Later I realized it wasn't going to just go away. I want to stay as healthy as I can. Is there is a treatment for hepatitis C?"
You are not alone. Dealing with recovery and hepatitis C can be stressful. It may help to know that there are many other people in the same situation. Ask your doctor, counselor, or case manager about support groups for people in recovery who have hepatitis C.
There is a treatment for hepatitis C, but it does not work for everybody. The treatment is a combination of two medicines: pegylated interferon and ribavirin. Pegylated interferon is injected under the skin (like a shot) once a week. Ribavirin is a pill that you swallow. Treatment usually lasts for 12 months; sometimes it is shorter.
Hepatitis C treatment does not work for everyone:
  • About half of people treated with pegylated interferon and ribavirin have healthier livers and no hepatitis C in their bodies at the end of treatment.
  • Some people's livers get healthier during treatment, but the hepatitis C is not completely removed from their bodies. They may still have liver damage from hepatitis C in the future.

"I'm also in a methadone program. Will I have to stop taking methadone if I want treatment for hepatitis C?"

No. You can be treated for hepatitis C while you are on methadone.

Michael:

"My doctor says I should think about getting pegylated interferon and ribavirin treatment for my hep C. She says it has a good chance of helping my liver.
But I've heard that interferon has side effects that really mess you up. I have HIV, and when I started taking HIV medicines, I felt sick all day long. My doctor changed my HIV treatment, and I feel okay now, but I don't know if I want to deal with side effects like that again.

What are the side effects of hepatitis C treatment? Do most people get them?"

Pegylated interferon and ribavirin are strong drugs. Many people treated with them get side effects like:
  • flu-like symptoms (fever, chills, headache, muscle pain)
  • feeling very tired (fatigue)
  • mood changes (depression, bad temper)
  • temporary hair loss
  • anemia (reduced red blood cells)
Some people have mild or no side effects. Some people have very severe side effects. For many people, the side effects become less severe over time.

"I don't know if I'm ready for all that. Do I have to start treatment for hepatitis C right away?"

This is not an easy question. There are good reasons to delay treatment - and good reasons to start treatment sooner:
Reasons to delay hepatitis C treatment
  • Side effects from interferon and ribavirin could make you sick.
  • Better treatments may be available in the future.
  • Your hepatitis might not get worse— some people never have serious liver problems.
Reasons to start hepatitis C treatment sooner
  • Treatment might not work as well later.
  • Your hepatitis C could get worse very fast.
  • If your liver gets too badly damaged, you might need a liver transplant.
When and how to treat your hepatitis C is a hard decision. Family needs, side effects, work, substance use, health issues, and many other parts of your life will affect your choice. Your doctor or nurse can help you look at all of the factors to decide what is best for you.

Depression is a common side effect

Severe depression can happen to anyone who is taking interferon. It is more likely in people who have a history of depression or other mental illness. If you have a history of any mental illness or substance use/abuse, tell your doctor before you begin treatment with any type of interferon. Your doctor may suggest that you start anti-depressant medicine or see a psychiatrist before you begin your hepatitis C treatment. Your doctor can also refer you to support services like hotlines or counseling so that if you do have mood changes, you can get help right away.

 http://www.health.ny.gov/publications/1801/stories.htm