howtolowerhighbloodpressure.org

Onions have similar characteristics and are often used in combination with garlic. To preserve the beneficial effects of garlic it should not be boiled. The fresh juice is the most effective preparation. For nervous spasms, cramps and seizures, crush one clove of garlic in a glass of hot milk. For high blood pressure, take one clove of garlic each morning. Prepare oil of garlic by placing eight ounces of peeled minced garlic in a wide-mouthed jar with enough olive oil to cover. Close tightly and shake a few times each day; allow to stand in a warm place for three days.
- The Way of Herbs by Michael Tierra

Garlic has achieved a legendary reputation as an antihypertensive medication. It’s been used in China for centuries for that purpose, and the Japanese government officially recognizes garlic as a blood-pressure depressor. American scientists first tried garlic against high blood pressure in 1921. Garlic consistently lowers blood pressure in laboratory animals.
- The Food Pharmacy: Dramatic New Evidence That Food Is Your Best Medicine by Jean Carper

Eat more garlic. It is another legendary folk remedy for high blood pressure, and it is effective, according to recent studies. Long used in China and widely used today in Germany as a blood pressure medication, garlic can have a striking impact. In a recent double blind German test of Kwai, an over-the-counter garlic preparation, doses comparable to a couple of daily garlic cloves pushed diastolic blood pressure down in patients with mild high blood pressure.
- Food Your Miracle Medicine by Jean Carper

I heard a lot about garlic being a good remedy for colds, but I was hesitant to try it because I also heard it lowers high blood pressure. Since my blood pressure is normal, I thought the garlic might cause it to drop. Fortunately, I read where a medical doctor said that garlic normalizes high or low blood pressure, but does not disturb normal blood pressure. With this assurance, I tried Kyolic garlic tablets the next time I felt I was starting to come down with a cold. Within a few days, I felt fine.
- Secrets of the Chinese Herbalists by Richard Lucas

The confidence the Egyptians had in garlic is demonstrated by the fact that they reportedly used it to strengthen the workers who built the pyramids. Pliny recommended garlic for 61 maladies in his Historia Naturalis; Hippocrates recommended it as a laxative, diuretic, and cure for tumors of the uterus. Garlic has been used to treat high blood pressure for centuries in China and Japan. In first-century India, garlic and onion were thought to prevent heart disease and rheumatism. Garlic even had a reputation as an aphrodisiac in Shakespearean England.

via Garlic is natural medicine for treating high blood pressure by Mike Adams the Health Ranger.

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Flu refers to illnesses caused by a number of different influenza viruses. Flu can cause a range of symptoms and effects, from mild to lethal.

Two strains of flu, seasonal flu and the H1N1 (Swine) flu, are currently circulating in the United States. A third, highly lethal H5N1 (Bird) flu is being closely tracked overseas.

Most healthy people recover from the flu without problems, but certain people are at high risk for serious complications.

Extensive efforts are underway to track and monitor the spread of all flu viruses. In the U.S., epidemiologists at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are working with states to collect, compile and analyze reports of flu outbreaks. More on the current situation.

Flu symptoms may include fever, coughing, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headaches, body aches, chills and fatigue. In H1N1 (Swine) flu infection, vomiting and diarrhea may also occur.

Annual outbreaks of the seasonal flu usually occur during the late fall through early spring. Most people have natural immunity, and a seasonal flu vaccine is available. In a typical year, approximately 5 to 20 percent of the population gets the seasonal flu and approximately 36,000 flu-related deaths are reported.

This year, the H1N1 (Swine) flu virus may cause a more dangerous flu season with a lot more people getting sick, being hospitalized and dying than during a regular flu season. H1N1 (Swine Flu) is a new virus first seen in the United States. It is contagious and spreads from person to person. Like seasonal flu, illness in people with H1N1 can vary from mild to severe.

A flu pandemic occurs when a new influenza A virus emerges for which there is little or no immunity in the human population; the virus causes serious illness and spreads easily from person-to-person worldwide. On June 11, 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that a global pandemic of H1N1 (Swine) flu is underway.

H5N1 (Bird) flu is an influenza A virus subtype that is highly contagious among birds. Rare human infections with the H5N1 (Bird) flu virus have occurred. The majority of confirmed cases have occurred in Asia, Africa, the Pacific, Europe and the Near East. Currently, the United States has no confirmed human H5N1 (Bird) flu infections, but H5N1 (Bird) flu remains a serious concern with the potential to cause a deadly pandemic.

Find a Flu Shot Site Near You!

H1N1 (Swine) Flu Virus: Facts for Parents (& Expecting)

• Vaccinating children is a priority. Flu is more dangerous than the common cold for children. More…
• Plan ahead for this school year. More…
• Talk to children about H1N1 (swine) flu. More…
• Do not stop breastfeeding if you are sick. Your breast milk is good for the baby. More…
• The symptoms for all flu, including H1N1 (swine) flu, are similar. However, be on the lookout for signs of serious illness. More…
• Don’t wait; call your doctor immediately if your child gets sick with flu-like symptoms. More…
• Relieve the symptoms of H1N1 flu with certain over-the-counter medications. More…
• Treat and prevent H1N1 with antiviral drugs. More…
• Emergency medical care may become necessary. Know the signs. More…
• Clinicians should consider these facts before prescribing antivirals. More…

Vaccinating Children

All people from 6 months through 24 years of age are a priority group for the H1N1 flu vaccine. Getting your child vaccinated as soon as possible is the best method for protecting him or her from the flu. Use our Flu Shot Locator to get vaccinated where you live.

• There are separate vaccines for seasonal flu and H1N1.
• You should have your children get both vaccinations as soon as possible.
• Flu vaccine will be available in different settings, such as vaccination clinics organized by local health departments, healthcare provider offices, schools, and other private settings, such as pharmacies and workplaces.

For more information on priority vaccinations see CDC Advisors Make Recommendations for Use of Vaccine Against Novel H1N1.  

Prepare for the Flu During the 2009-2010 School Year

Before you are faced with a sudden school dismissal or a sick child, find out what your employer’s procedures are for working from home while you care for children out of school, or sick family or household members.

• If working from home is not possible, plan ahead for child care at home if your child gets sick or their school is dismissed.
• Identify a separate room in the house for the care of sick children or other household members.
• Update emergency contact lists.
• Have workbooks, learning videos, and other materials available at home that support classroom exercises.
• Collect games, books, DVDs and other items to keep your family entertained if anyone must stay home for an extended period of time.
• If school is dismissed, monitor the school’s Web site, local news, and other sources for information about returning to school.

Talking To Children About H1N1

Educate yourself first.  Know the basic facts about H1N1—the symptoms, how it spreads, and how you can help protect yourself and your child from getting sick. Consider following some of these helpful tips:

• Share information about H1N1 in a calm, reassuring manner. Be careful not to worry children. 
• Limit their exposure to media and adult conversations about H1N1.
• If your children are watching television, try to watch with them or make sure you are available to answer questions about H1N1.
• Use their questions as an opportunity to talk about what they can do to avoid getting H1N1 flu.
• Keep activities as consistent and normal as possible even if your normal routine changes (due to daycare or school closures).
• Be a good example. Show children that you wash your hands frequently with soap and water.  When you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth or use a tissue then throw the tissue away.

See Talking With Children About Flu for more tips. View the Sesame Street public service announcements  about flu featuring Elmo.

Guidance on Breastfeeding

Mothers who are breastfeeding should continue to nurse their babies while being treated for the flu. Breast milk passes on antibodies from the mother to a baby. Antibodies help fight off infection.

• If possible, only adults who are not sick should care for infants, including providing feedings.
• If you are too sick to breastfeed, pump and have someone give your milk to your baby.
• Your doctor might ask you to wear a facemask to keep from spreading this new virus to your baby (see Interim Recommendations for Facemask and Respirator Use to Reduce Novel Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Transmission).
• Be careful not to cough or sneeze in the baby’s face; wash your hands often with soap and water.

• The doctor may start your child on antiviral drugs even after 48 hours when symptoms began, especially if the child has been hospitalized or is at high risk for flu-related complications.
• Children younger than 5 years old and children with chronic medical conditions, such as asthma and diabetes, may be at higher risk for complications from flu. Check with your doctor about any special treatment requirements for them. 
• Some over-the-counter medicines are approved for children to use to relieve flu symptoms.
• If your child has a fever, use fever-reducing medicines that your doctor recommends based on your child’s age.
• A fever is a temperature taken with a thermometer that is equal to or greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 degrees Celsius). If you are not able to measure a temperature, the child might have a fever if he or she feels warm, has a flushed appearance, or is sweating or shivering.
• Keep your sick child home until at least 24 hours after the child no longer has a fever or signs of a fever (100°F or 37.8°C) (without the use of a fever-reducing medicine, such as Tylenol®). Read detailed information about how long to stay away from others.
• Make sure your child gets plenty of rest and drinks clear fluids (such as water, broth, sports drinks, electrolyte beverages for infants, Pedialyte®) to keep from being dehydrated.
• Keep your sick child in a separate room in the house as much as possible to limit contact with household members who are not sick.
• Consider having just one person be the main caregiver for the sick child.
• You can consider sending your child back to school after at least 24 hours has passed since his or her temperature returned to normal WITHOUT the use of medications.

Over-the-Counter Medication Guidance

Your child or teen will probably feel miserable with body aches, sore throat, and other symptoms of the flu. Taking certain over-the-counter medicines can help relieve their flu symptoms. A doctor will decide if antiviral medications are necessary. Call the doctor’s office if your child experiences any side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, rash, or unusual behavior.  See Medications to Help Lessen Symptoms of the Flu for more details.

Symptoms of H1N1 (Swine) Flu

It is important to watch for any signs that your child doesn’t feel well and to pay attention to any unusual behavior. Although the symptoms for all flu are similar, infants could have a fever or be lethargic, but may not have a cough or other respiratory symptoms.

• fast breathing or trouble breathing
• bluish or gray skin color
• not drinking enough fluids
• severe or persistent vomiting
• not urinating or no tears when crying
• not waking up or not interacting
• being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
• flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

People with Health Conditions

• People with certain health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, cancer, HIV/AIDS, and heart or kidney disease may face special medical challenges during flu season. More…
• Additional Guidelines for people with asthma More…
• Additional Guidelines for people with diabetes More…
• Additional Guidelines for people with cancer More…
• Additional Guidelines for people with HIV/AIDS More…
• Additional Guidelines for people with heart disease More…

All Health Conditions and the Flu

• If you have one of these health conditions — asthma, diabetes, cancer, HIV/AIDS, and heart or kidney disease — and you develop flu-like symptoms, contact your health care provider or seek medical care.
• Serious complications from the flu include pneumonia, ear and sinus infections, dehydration, or even death.
• If you have a chronic medical condition, during a flu outbreak you should:

If you have a chronic medical condition, do the following to prevent from getting sick:   

If you do get the flu:   

More Information about the Flu for People with Certain Medical Conditions [PDF]

 Listen to the Podcast “High Risk Groups Should Prioritize to Immunize” from CDC

Information on Vaccination

Asthma and the Flu

• Adults with asthma should get vaccinated: Respiratory infections like influenza are more serious in patients with asthma, and such infections can often lead to pneumonia and acute respiratory disease.
• Children with asthma aged 6 months to 8 years who never have had a seasonal flu shot will need two doses the first time. Children who have had a seasonal flu shot in the past only need one shot. Persons with asthma should not use the inhaled “FluMist®” vaccine.
• Children with asthma older than 6 months should get the 2009 H1N1 flu shot as soon as possible. The 2009 H1N1 flu shot is not the same as the shot for seasonal flu.

 Listen to the Podcast “Your Child with Asthma Needs a Flu Shot!” from CDC

Asthma Information for Patients and Parents of Patients

Information on Vaccination

Diabetes and the Flu

• People with diabetes who come down with the flu could become very sick and are at risk for complications. Being sick by itself can raise your blood glucose. Moreover, illness can prevent you from eating properly, which further affects blood glucose.
• People with diabetes should get vaccinated for flu.

More information: If You Have Diabetes, A Flu Shot Can Save Your Life [PDF]

• People with diabetes who contract the flu should follow the following guidelines:

• People with diabetes who contract the flu should call their health care provider or go to an emergency room if they experience any of the following:

• More information: “Taking Charge of Your Diabetes” from CDC [PDF]

Cancer and the Flu

• Ask your health care providers if they have a flu outbreak plan. People with cancer and their caretakers should determine how they will access ongoing medical care such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy during a flu outbreak.

HIV/AIDS and the Flu

• People with HIV/AIDS are considered at increased risk from serious influenza-related complications. Studies have shown an increased risk for heart and lung-related hospitalizations in people infected with HIV during influenza season.
• Once the H1N1 (Swine) flu vaccine becomes available, CDC will make recommendations for people with HIV/AIDS.

More information on HIV/AIDS and the flu

Heart Disease, and the Flu

• Patients with chronic cardiovascular disease and cerebrovascular disease (CVD) are at increased risk of experiencing severe flu.
• People with heart disease who contract the flu should follow the following additional guidelines: 

More information on H1N1 and Heart Disease

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• Pandemic Payoff from 1918: A Weaker H1N1 Flu Today (scientificamerican.com)
• CDC: 76 Children Dead of Swine Flu as Cases Rise (abcnews.go.com)
• Your resource for tracking the swine flu (news.cnet.com)

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Get Vaccinated!

My 16 year old son and I were diagnosed with the flu on Tuesday. My wife was diagnosed on Wednesday. What luck?

Concerning the seasonal flu, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says I am contagious 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5-7 days after becoming sick. Do the math. That is 6-8 days of germ spreading capability walking around. Knowing this, our family physician, Dr. Dabney, “quarantined” us in our home for 5 days or until we were fever-free for at least 24 hours. Our son decided he was well enough to attend school after his 4th day.  His tempreture had returned to normal so we allowed it.  He was experiencing cabin fever.  He also wanted to attend the Friday night football game.

While not the family vacation we envisioned, we did make the best out of a bad situation. We did something we haven’t done in a while.  We watched movies together daily. One day we watched “Valkyrie” with Tom Cruse.  The next day we saw “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” with Brad Pitt. We started watching “The Alamo” with John Wayne but never got past the opening scenes.  You have to really be sick to watch the entire 2 volume set of “The Alamo”.

We read the newspaper from cover to cover every day and seldom touched the computer. There’s something about being sick that makes you want to stay away from banging out keys on the computer. I can’t explain it. I know that our laptop stayed in its place for well over 3 days without being touched. My son’s computer was used once daily for 15 minutes as he downloaded his homework and other assignments from teacher websites. Now that we are all better, the first thing we’re looking for is the computer.

Work. I went to work on Monday and felt utterly miserable so I left at 10 AM and returned home. After being diagnosed an official case of the flu, I called the office and told them “I have the flu and won’t be able to return to work until Monday”. That sounds pretty self-explanatory to me. Unfortunately, they did not understand what I said. I received several phone calls about minor issues that could  wait or someone else could solve. I decided my cell phone had an “off” button and I remembered how to use it. I answered my voice mails once a day to stay current with the office. The most frustrating voice mail I received was a lady calling me to express her concern over my entire family having the flu and ended the conversation by asking me to do something trivial for her immediately. As I’m listening to the voice mail, I’m wondering if the world would stop turning if her insignificant need was put on hold until I could return to work.

To make things worse, I just coordinated a company-wide flu shot clinic at work over the last 2 weeks. Naturally I didn’t get a flu shot. I never take the flu shot. I never get the flu – until now. I’ve read that the flu vaccine is formulated and batched at least 6 months in advance based upon scientific guesses of which flu will prevail the upcoming flu season. I never was big on shots in the arm, butt, or anywhere else. Now, I encourage you to get a flu shot every year. While it may be a shot in the dark, it certainly is better to spend 5 minutes getting a flu shot rather than being quarantined 5 days.  It’s like the lottery. You can’t win unless you play.

I encourage you to get a flu shot every year

When I return to my job, the work will be there. I’ll be behind for a few days. People will laugh at me for not taking the flu shot. I’ll have crow each day for lunch. But when everything is considered, I wouldn’t have changed a thing. Our family grew closer during this sickness. I’m not sure who took care of who but it was certainly a silver lining to having the seasonal flu.  What a great vacation!

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• ‘No Flu Shots for My Kids’ (health.usnews.com)
• To vaccinate or not? Wary of H1N1 choice (cnn.com)

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With each and every year that passes it seems to get harder and harder for parents to protect their children from the evils of the world. It’s hard enough to help keep them young and innocent and away from things such as sex, alcohol, and drugs but even if you are successful in doing that there are still dangers lurking and some have multi-billion-dollar campaigns encouraging them.

• I guess to say encouraging is a bit harsh but I’m talking about the media’s portrayal of thinness as beauty in the world of entertainment. This focus on women being incredibly skinny in order to be rich and famous leaves many women each and every year to developing an eating disorder. Eating disorders come in all shapes and sizes from extremely mild changes in eating habits to extreme tactics to avoid weight gain of any kind. It is important that parents are aware of some of the signs that can be exhibited by those suffering from eating disorders. Below are five signs that your child may have an eating disorder.
• They talk about their weight constantly – if your child starts to obsess about their weight and begins talking about it constantly, this could be a sign that they either have or are beginning to start the habits that can lead to an eating disorder. Sometimes, these feelings of inadequacy about the way one looks are simply symptoms of a certain age and a phase they will go through, but it is important to pick up on these cues and keep an eye on your child so that they don’t become obsessed with their weight.
• They often avoid meal times completely – another sign that an eating disorder may be lurking in your child is if they begin to avoid meals completely. If you are a household that has always encouraged the family to eat together and your child begins to find excuses to miss those meal times, this can be a sign of an eating disorder. 
• Food starts to go missing in the household – because certain eating disorders result in people gorging themselves on large quantities of food, you should pay close attention if you start to notice foods missing from your household. For instance, a brand-new jar of peanut butter is completely emptied the next day. Bags of potato chips and bread suddenly get consumed within a 24 to 48 hour period. Make sure to make note of these incidences and watch your child carefully. 
• Drastic increase in exercise – another common sign of an eating disorder in your child is if they begin obsessing about exercise. Someone who goes from moderate exercise to an almost fanatical level may be suffering from an eating disorder and trying to lose weight through exercise as well. 
• Noticeable weight loss – obviously, any drastic change in weight could be a sure sign that your child has an eating disorder. If your child begins to lose weight to an unhealthy level, it is your duty as a parent to seek medical attention immediately.

The above are just five of the many signs that may exist if your child has an eating disorder. If you notice these or any other unusual patterns in your child’s eating or exercise program, make sure to seek help from a qualified professional so that you know best how to deal with the situation and you don’t confront your child using strong emotion. This can often push them away from you and merely exacerbate the problem.

About The Author

Emile Jarreau, aka, Mr. Fat Loss is fascinated by health, nutrition and weight loss. For more great info about eating disorder for losing weight and keeping it off visit http://www.mrfatloss.com/the-vicious-cycle-that-is-eating-disorders

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• Pregorexia: When Expectant Moms Won’t Eat (abcnews.go.com)
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To prevent your past from defining your future, you need to put it firmly where it belongs – behind you, in the past, a memory with no power to influence your future. Don’t make the mistake of using your past as the reason or excuse for your failure to achieve your goals. The past might have led you to where you are now, but it cannot reach out and hold you back unless you let it.

Family Enjoying a Day Out

There are people who have experienced traumatic events in the past. These events have directly influenced their present circumstances but the extent of the effect the past will have on the future is within each person’s control. A traumatic, tragic or even just mildly unfortunate beginning in life does not automatically mean that is how the rest of your life must be lived.

For example, a person’s history might reveal that he was brought up by alcoholic parents who neglected his education. He will tell you this is the reason he obtained no academic qualifications and currently has a job doing low paid manual work. This is factual information but, if this person goes on to tell you that the events of his past are the reason he will never achieve much in life, he is using the past as an excuse. He is depriving himself of the future he could have if he would let go of the past. From the position of blaming your past for your present condition, it is easy to slip into laziness or even an attitude of cringing self-pity. You will often hear people blaming childhood deprivations for the fact that they have no hope of achieving anything noteworthy in life. These people live in an attitude of helplessness and hopelessness when, in fact, they have as much chance as anybody else of achieving success if they would stop thinking about the past and allowing it to fill them with negativity.

Evidence of the fact that the past need not dictate the future can be found in the life stories of many great achievers. Think of the wealthy businessmen, leading sportsmen, great scientists, movie icons, super models and entrepreneurs in all walks of life. Did they all achieve success, fame and wealth because they came from a privileged background? Did they all have caring parents, a superior education and limitless financial backing? If you study their life stories you will find the answer is no. Many of these successful people started life in an ordinary or even underprivileged style but they were able to achieve success because they freed themselves from the constraints imposed by the past.

It is easy to blame your origins for your failures but it is just as easy to turn your back on your past and create a successful future. You don’t have to change anything apart from your own outlook. By thinking differently, you can steer your future in the direction you want to go. By refusing to think negatively and filling yourself with a positive attitude, you can achieve any goal you set for yourself.

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