Archive for the ‘Health’ Category

While the U.S. is in the midst of a full-blown obesity epidemic, some child welfare experts are wondering if parents of obese children should be considered guilty of child abuse. In a sense you can’t win with the government as you may now be in trouble for feeding your child! I get the point but damn! Smell the bull shit brewing in the next paragraph….

Recently, a couple in Marietta, Ga., was arrested and charged with felony child abuse after police found their two daughters (ages 4 and 5) living in horrible conditions and grossly overweight. Do you think parents of obese children are guilty of abuse?

According to The New York Post, “The man who survived 21 police gunshots in last week’s deadly Harlem cop shootout hobbled on bandaged feet into court yesterday — and learned that he had been charged with gun possession, but not the more serious charge of attempted murder of a police officer.

Angel Alvarez, 23, remains held without bail as prosecutors and cops continue investigating the Aug. 8 shooting at a Lenox Avenue block party crowded with 200 people.
“He didn’t shoot the cop,” his lawyer, Matthew Galluzzo, said in court, insisting that witnesses would back Alvarez’s claim of innocence.
Some of the 21 bullets that struck Alvarez came from the gun of his rival at the party — Luis Soto, who was shot dead by police, the lawyer said.
If Alvarez had indeed grabbed for Soto’s .38-caliber revolver, it was “a justifiable self-defense,” the lawyer told a Manhattan Criminal Court judge in asking for his client’s release.

“The only reason this gun may have ended up in Mr. Alvarez’s possession is because he wrestled it away from Mr. Soto himself,” he said.
In fact, Alvarez is the victim, the lawyer added outside court.

“I think the shooting itself was wrongful. They shot him way too many times,” Galluzzo said.
“The man has holes all over him.”
In asking that no bail be set, prosecutor Jon Veiga noted that Alvarez was a violent predicate felon whom cops once overheard telling a fellow inmate, “I want to get those armor-piercing bullets that go through vests.”

A search warrant at Alvarez’s home turned up 30 Ziploc baggies containing white residue and a shoebox holding $87,000 cash. Soto had 25 small bags of marijuana in his Bronx apartment, police said.

Alvarez had originally been charged by cops with trying to kill two officers who suffered minor gunshot wounds. One of those cops was saved by his vest from a bullet to the chest — a bullet prosecutors now say was fired by a fellow officer.

Even without the attempted-murder charge, Alvarez faces a mandatory minimum of seven years and as much as 15 years’ prison if convicted on the weapons rap. He returns to court Aug. 19.

The evidence linking Alvarez to the gun — a Charter Arms five-shot revolver that originated in Georgia — is strong, the prosecutor noted.

Alvarez’s DNA was on the grip and cylinder release — along with Soto’s DNA, the prosecutor said. Blood on the gun also matched Alvarez, he said.

The crazy thing was on this night I was in Harlem and attended an event verses going up town! I’m so happy God gave me better judgment! My heart goes out to all the victims and their families!

Nadja Benaissa, a singer who transformed herself from a teenage crack addict to become the star of one of Germany’s most popular girl bands broke down in court as she admitted to having unprotected sex despite knowing that she was HIV-positive. I some how find it funny she doesn’t think it was done intentionally.

Nadja Benaissa, who rose to fame with the pop group No Angels, was charged last year with one count of grievous bodily harm for allegedly infecting her partner with HIV in 2004. She faces two further charges of attempted bodily harm for having unprotected sex with two other men who did not catch the HIV virus.

Ms Benaissa, who is of Moroccan and Roma descent with German citizenship, is accused of having had sex with three men between 2000 and 2004 without informing them of her condition. The trial is taking place in a juvenile court because the first alleged offences took place when she was 17.

The case has received widespread press interest in Germany and has caused concern among Aids campaigners who have criticised the way the 28-year-old singer has been treated by both the police and media.
Ms Benaissa, whose band has sold more than 5 million records, was arrested in Frankfurt last year just hours before she was due to perform a concert at a nightclub. She was led away in front of her fans and incarcerated for 10 days prompting criticism from HIV campaign groups who said the singer had been subjected to a public “witch hunt”. Under German law, failing to disclose being HIV-positive before having unprotected sex is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The tariff can be extended to life if the person goes on to die of Aids.

Dressed in a purple blouse with her hair in a ponytail, Ms Benaissa appeared in a court in Darmstadt, near Frankfurt, yesterday for the start of a five-day trial which could see her jailed for up to 10 years if convicted.
She broke down as her lawyer, Oliver Wallasch, read out a statement in which she admitted to having unprotected sex despite knowing she was infected. “I am sorry from the bottom of my heart,” the statement read. “No way did I want my partner to be infected.”

In the courtroom yesterday the singer came face to face with her primary accuser, a 34-year-old man who is HIV-positive. His identity has been kept secret for the trial. “We had sex between five and seven times, about three of those were unprotected,” the man told the court. It was only when an aunt informed him that Ms Benaissa was HIV-positive that he went to see a doctor. “[After] a few hours he called me and said I should go to see him,” he said. “It was then I knew I was positive.”

In her opening statement, Ms Benaissa gave an insight into her troubled life as a teenager which led to her becoming HIV-positive.

“When I was 12 years old I had problems and fell in with the wrong circle of friends,” she said. “I fell off the rails and took drugs – alcohol and grass. When I was 14 I became addicted to crack without knowing what it was. I ended up on the streets.”
The court heard how Ms Benaissa became pregnant two years later. Following a routine blood test, she discovered that she was HIV-positive but said she did not know who had infected her.
She told the court that she kept her condition secret because she was initially scared of her daughter being stigmatised, and later because she feared it could affect the band’s success.

“I’d been told the likelihood of infecting someone or that I would develop the illness [Aids] was more or less zero,” she added. “For that reason, I kept the news, even from my close group of friends, [as] I didn’t want my daughter to be stigmatised. I told the band members because I trusted them but I never made it public because I feared that it would mean the end of the band.”
No Angels were formed in 2000 after Ms Benaissa and her three bandmates won a reality talent contest called Popstars. The band went on to become Germany’s best selling all-girl group before breaking up in 2005. They reformed three years later to become Germany’s entry for Eurovision and have remained a band since.

Over the coming five days the court is expected to hear from the two other men with whom Ms Benaissa is accused of having unprotected sex, as well as from her bandmates. The defence is expected to bring in medical experts who will question whether the court can prove the 34-year-old man was infected by the singer or someone else.

Damn I think she was misinformed about infecting others and people lets all get tested and make the world better and aware. Why take someone else’s life because you didn’t take care of yours?

Lunch Time…….. Lets eat! Let’s combine my two favorite’s Scallops and Pasta.The recipe is easy fun Light fresh. The bold zestful flavors are a treat for the palate.

*You Need*
* 3/4 cup butter
* 3 tablespoons minced garlic
* 2 pounds large sea scallops
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon pepper
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in garlic and cook for a few seconds until you smell the aroma. Add scallops and cook for several minutes on one side, then turn over, and continue cooking until firm and opaque.
2. Remove scallops to a platter, then whisk salt, pepper and lemon juice into butter. Pour sauce over scallops to serve. Garnish with parsley. You can also add white wine and capers along with asparagus broccoli shrimp add your spin to the dish Enjoy!

According to WCVB Boston…… People are looking for a high and this smokes just like marijuana. It doesn’t show up on drug tests and it’s legal in Massachusetts. Wow way to go idiots!

The incense called K2 can be dangerous, even deadly. The federal government agrees, but doesn’t regulate it.

David Rozga’s parents said he was a happy 18-year-old who was getting ready for college. In June, the Iowa teen smoked K2, a synthetic form of marijuana. His friends said he freaked out.
“He smoked it and was having illusions and paranoia. They walked around the park a bit to try to calm him down,” said Mike Rozga, David’s father.
Then David went home and shot himself in the head.
“We have never been as broken as we are right now. We don’t understand why this happened,” said Jan Rozga, David’s mother.
The Rozgas pushed to make K2 illegal in Iowa; it was the ninth state to ban it. K2 is legal and easy to get in Massachusetts.
Team 5 Investigates bought a bag of K2 at a gas station in Worcester for $30. It’s also available in head shops and on the internet.
“It’s all meant to mimic the euphoria of marijuana,” said Drug Enforcement Administration agent Matthew Addington, who said K2 is not tested, or regulated by the federal government.
“It’s extremely dangerous. You have no idea what you’re ingesting. We’re talking about a product that can have a 200 to 800 percent effect on you greater than your classic marijuana,” said Addington.

The American Association of Poison Control Centers reports so far this year there have been 750 K2-related calls, up from just 13 in 2009.
Dr. Christopher Rosenbaum started studying K2 at UMass Medical School after treating a patient in the emergency room.
“People are presenting with agitation, vomiting, and some have even reported seizures that we don’t associate with the effects that marijuana typically produces,” said Rosenbaum.
Some patients are so agitated when they get to the ER that they require several doses of sedatives to calm down.
Researchers created synthetic marijuana to study the effects of pot. But experts told Team 5 Investigates the strength of what’s available on the streets varies widely.
It’s marketed as harmless incense.
“Its a clever marketing ploy. The people who are selling this know exactly what they’re doing,” said Rosenbaum. “They’re marketing it on the package ‘not for human consumption.’ We all know with a wink and a nod that people are using it.”
Rosenbaum is calling on lawmakers to outlaw K2 in Massachusetts. He said the state needs to take action.
“They have a rare opportunity with an emerging drug of abuse to prevent a problem before it starts,” he said.
“If David had known what we know now, he would be here today,” his father Mike said.
David’s mother Jan said she doesn’t want anyone else to endure such a painful loss. “We don’t want this to happen to anyone else. This is tough and it hurts.”

Damn it man whatever happened to classic grown weed? My condolences to David’s parents and family at this time.

Lindsay Lohan has been released from the Lynwood Correctional Facility after serving a little under 2 weeks in jail. A spokesman of the L A county Sheriff’s Dept told photogs that Lindsay was released at about 1:35 am and has been taken to UCLA Medical Center to begin her rehab treatment..

Let’s see how this shit goes…. I never understand some idiots who comes across fame and money. Hopefully she gets her shit together…. but JUDGE NOT YE BE JUDGED!

Another day and another dollar to spend…. Well maybe! It’s lunch time and lets try and save money today by making lunch. Feel free to tweak the recipe to your liking. This recipe is quick, easy and fun! The stand out ingredient is garlic so don’t be shy, everything else is layering flavor. No unnecessary calories season to taste. If you don’t do carbs I suggest omit pasta and do a vegetable seafood medley. Perhaps broccoli/asparagus/spinach/ mushrooms/shrimp/scallops can be an option.

For this recipe you need: Pasta/ clean sliced mushrooms/Garlic powder onion powder/ lemon pepper/ lime juice/ 3 cheese blend parmesan
cheese

Rinse and pat dry mushrooms let it sit for about 5min. In non stick pan cook mushrooms at medium temp. I use I can’t believe it’s not butter, it’s a healthy way to get that butter taste without the calories olive oil can also be used. Cook until brown and put aside.

Cook pasta according to the directions given on box. Rinse and drain. In a wok or non stick pan heat enough butter to saturate the pasta. Once melted turn down add pasta sprinkle garlic powder/salt/onion powder/ lemon pepper. Squirt a small amount lime juice over pasta and stir. The taste of garlic flavor should still stand out. sprinkle parmesan cheese and stir. Add mushrooms, garnish with sliced tomato on top and serve.

I used organic wheat spaghetti pasta but feel free to use your pasta preference. Giorgio Fresh N Clean sliced mushrooms, I can’t believe it’s not butter and supermarket bought 3 blend cheese.

This pasta in this dish is delicious! Play with different variations of the recipe. Try the recipe with diced tomato/ broccoli/ scallops and shrimp. Always add ingredients after pasta is seasoned. Chicken and Skirt steak are also meat options for this recipe. Enjoy!

Hey today I thought about pizza at my job and I was on the net and on www.slashfood.com they had the coolest ingredient for lunch! Though this not be something to grab at work….. It’s a must try at home look at what Slash Food had listed on their site and visit to see other healthy tips….

Per Slashfood.com “If making a homemade pizza dough, make it a little less wet than usual – meaning add a drop more flour or a but less water. If using store-bought dough, roll the dough out a little thicker than usual. Wither way, roll the dough into an oblong, rather than round, shape, and brush the underside of the dough with live oil. Use a clean, lightly oiled grill to avoid sticking, and gently lie dough on the indirect heat source of the grill – meaning not directly over boiling-hot coals. When underside seems charred, oil the top of the pizza dough and flip. Add a light layer of shredded cheese and other toppings, using a light hand and not overtopping. Remember, any toppings you use need to be precooked since they won’t be spending very long on the grill – it’s best to stick with simple toppings like herbs and thinly sliced tomatoes.”

Looks so good can’t wait to try this another healthy choice of dough is pita bread…. Just food for thought! Enjoy

Here’s what it looks like…..

Yes! Lunch Time so lets say our grace and let’s eat. Up on the menu is Sushi. I LOVE Sushi and it’s a healthy win win! Sushi is satisfying light and filling. Some disagree on the filling part….. My resolution get a salad first. Not a salad person? Then go with soup as a filler. Need both then order both, before ordering sushi.

I usually go to this spot Downtown Annapolis called Tusunami’s they have a delicious avocado salad with miso dressing. Always get the dressing on the side, allowing you to control the amount in your salad.

In my opinion Soy Sauce kills the taste of sushi and is too salty. Salt can cause temporary bloating swelling in the body I prefer eel sauce & creamy spicy sauce. Eel is sweet & creamy spicy like it’s name is creamy and spicy the two sauce fuse well together it doesn’t over power the taste of the sushi. Try it! Enjoy Lunch!

Over the weekend a very special little guy I know is sick and it’s actually very common amongst little children. It’s called HFMH (Hand, foot, and mouth disease). Here are the details about the illness just in case you come across it one day you are aware of the disease.

HFMH is a common viral illness of infants and children. It is characterized by fever, sores in the mouth, and a skin rash. HFMD begins with a mild fever, poor appetite, malaise (feeling vaguely unwell), and often a sore throat. One or 2 days after the fever begins, painful sores develop in the mouth. They begin as small red spots that blister and then often become ulcers. The sores are usually located on the tongue, gums, and inside of the cheeks. The skin rash develops over 1 to 2 days, with flat or raised red spots and sometimes with blisters. The skin rash does not itch and is usually on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. It may also appear on the buttocks or genitalia. A person with HFMD may have only the rash or only the mouth sores.

Illness

• The disease usually begins with a fever, poor appetite, malaise (feeling vaguely unwell), and often with a sore throat.

• One or 2 days after fever onset, painful sores usually develop in the mouth. They begin as small red spots that blister and then often become ulcers. The sores are usually located on the tongue, gums, and inside of the cheeks.

• A non-itchy skin rash develops over 1–2 days. The rash has flat or raised red spots, sometimes with blisters. The rash is usually located on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet; it may also appear on the buttocks and/or genitalia.

• A person with HFMD may have only the rash or only the mouth sores.

Cause

• HFMD is caused by viruses that belong to the enterovirus genus (group). This group of viruses includes polioviruses, coxsackieviruses, echoviruses, and enteroviruses.

• Coxsackievirus A16 is the most common cause of HFMD in the United States, but other coxsackieviruses have been associated with the illness.

• Enteroviruses, including enterovirus 71, have also been associated with HFMD and with outbreaks of the disease.

How It Is Spread

• Infection is spread from person to person by direct contact with infectious virus. Infectious virus is found in the nose and throat secretions, saliva, blister fluid, and stool of infected persons. The virus is most often spread by persons with unwashed, virus-contaminated hands and by contact with virus-contaminated surfaces.

• Infected persons are most contagious during the first week of the illness.

• The viruses that cause HFMD can remain in the body for weeks after a patient’s symptoms have gone away. This means that the infected person can still pass the infection to other people even though he/she appears well. Also, some persons who are infected and excreting the virus, including most adults, may have no symptoms.

• HFMD is not transmitted to or from pets or other animals.

Factors That Increase the Chance for Infection or Disease

• Everyone who has not already been infected with an enterovirus that causes HFMD is at risk of infection, but not everyone who is infected with an enterovirus becomes ill with HFMD.

• HFMD occurs mainly in children under 10 years old but can also occur in adults. Children are more likely to be at risk for infection and illness because they are less likely than adults to have antibodies to protect them. Such antibodies develop in the body during a person’s first exposure to the enteroviruses that cause HFMD.

• Infection results in immunity to (protection against) the specific virus that caused HFMD. A second case of HFMD may occur following infection with a different member of the enterovirus group.

Diagnosis

• HFMD is one of many infections that result in mouth sores. However, health care providers can usually tell the difference between HFMD and other causes of mouth sores by considering the patient’s age, the symptoms reported by the patient or parent, and the appearance of the rash and sores.

• Samples from the throat or stool may be sent to a laboratory to test for virus and to find out which enterovirus caused the illness. However, it can take 2–4 weeks to obtain test results, so health care providers usually do not order tests.

Treatment and Medical Management

• There is no specific treatment for HFMD.
• Symptoms can be treated to provide relief from pain from mouth sores and from fever and aches:
  • Pain and fever can be treated with over-the-counter medications (caution: aspirin should not be given to children).
  • Mouthwashes or sprays that numb pain can be used to lessen mouth pain.
• Fluid intake should be enough to prevent dehydration (lack of body fluids). If moderate-to-severe dehydration develops, it can be treated medically by giving fluids through the veins.

Prevention

• A specific preventive for HFMD is not available, but the risk of infection can be lowered by following good hygiene practices.
• Good hygiene practices that can lower the risk of infection include
  • Washing hands frequently and correctly (see Clean Hands Save Lives! ) and especially after changing diapers and after using the toilet
  • Cleaning dirty surfaces and soiled items, including toys, first with soap and water and then disinfecting them by cleansing with a solution of chlorine bleach (made by adding 1 tablespoon of bleach to 4 cups of water)
  • Avoiding close contact (kissing, hugging, sharing eating utensils or cups, etc.) with persons with HFMD

Vaccination Recommendations

• No vaccine is available to protect against the enteroviruses that cause HFMD.

Complications

• Complications from the virus infections that cause HFMD are not common, but if they do occur, medical care should be sought.

• Viral or “aseptic meningitis can rarely occur with HFMD. Viral meningitis causes fever, headache, stiff neck, or back pain. The condition is usually mild and clears without treatment; however, some patients may need to be hospitalized for a short time.

• Other more serious diseases, such as encephalitis (swelling of the brain) or a polio-like paralysis, result even more rarely. Encephalitis can be fatal.
• There have been reports of fingernail and toenail loss occurring mostly in children within 4 weeks of their having hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD). At this time, it is not known whether the reported nail loss is or is not a result of the infection. However, in the reports reviewed, the nail loss has been temporary and nail growth resumed without medical treatment.

Trends and Statistics

• Individual cases and outbreaks of HFMD occur worldwide. In temperate climates, cases occur more often in summer and early autumn.

• Since 1997, outbreaks of HFMD caused by enterovirus 71 have been reported in Asia and Australia.

• HFMD caused by coxsackievirus A16 infection is a mild disease. Nearly all patients recover in 7 to 10 days without medical treatment.

• HFMD caused by enterovirus 71 has shown a higher incidence of neurologic (nervous system) involvement. And fatal cases of encephalitis (swelling of the brain) caused by enterovirus 71 have occurred during outbreaks. However, these serious outcomes are still very rare.