Caffeine

Caffeine is alkaloid drug known as central nervous system and stimulant metabolic, also it can be used medically as a cardiac stimulant or as a diuretic. In the medical terms we called as trimethylxanthine. As a mild stimulant, the caffeine also mildly addictive, usually it will just make us feel better, but however it can actually make us feel worse when we don’t get it than we would have normally.

Caffeine occurs naturally in over 60 different types of plants. But the most commonly used caffeine containing plants are coffee, tea leaves, cocoa beans, yerba mate, guarana and kola nuts. When we found in tea caffeine also called theine, mateine when found in mate, guaranine when found in guaran and of course caffeine when found in coffee; all of these names are synonyms for the same chemical compound.

In the coffee world there are two important coffee plants: Robusta/Coffea Canephora and Arabica/Coffea Arabica. Robusta coffee has historically been less expensive to grow and contains the highest caffeine content. Roasting masters of old have developed closely guarded blends of Arabica over hundreds of years. Coffee connoisseurs consider Arabica the better bean for a superior coffee. Espresso blends primarily use Arabica. However some roast masters will blend in some Robusta as a crema enhancer. Espresso is also pressured brewed with just a small amount of water per shot. Drip coffee uses the less expensive Robusta coffee, which accounts for part of its higher caffeine content. It is also exposed to a large amount of water dripping through a screen or filter. In general, the more water used for brewing, the more caffeine the drink will contain.

Some studies seem to say that caffeine acts like drugs such as amphetamines, cocaine or nicotine. These studies suggest that caffeine affects the part of the brain that triggering functional activity in the shell of the nucleus accumbens. It can be used to promote wakefulness and increase mental activity. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system first at the higher levels, resulting increase alertness and wakefulness, faster and clearer flow of thought, increase focus and better general body coordination, and letter at the spinal cord level at high doses. Once inside the body it has a complex chemistry and acts through several mechanism as described below.

Caffeine is one of the fastest acting drugs known to man. When we drink it, almost every cell in the body, including the brain, absorbs it within minutes. There, caffeine works it is magic as an adenosine-receptor blocker. Adenosine is a chemical which modulates sleep and by blocking this effect, caffeine inhibits sleep and therefore improves alertness. But adenosine also has other effects - it also can slow the heart rate. Thus caffeine can increase the heart rate, which may not be good for some people. In fact, for patients with a disorder called “paroxysmal atrial tachycardia”, adenosine is used by emergency room doctors to slow the heart rate down.

As we know caffeine have a good side like it can increase alertness and short-term memory, and even alters your mood. The caffeine in a cup of coffee stimulates the central system as it simultaneously lowers the blood sugar and increases the brain's demand for sugar: The result is a temporary lift. Primary among caffeine's benefits is its effect on free fatty acid metabolism. When frees fatty acids are used for fuel they spare glycogen, glucose and amino acids which would otherwise be metabolized at a faster rate. This is also why coffee is popular among students. The brain functions exclusively on glucose, and higher blood sugar levels facilitate thinking. The most popular effect of caffeine is not physical, but mental.

But unfortunately the bad side of caffeine is more unequal with the good side. Caffeine consumption may lead to insomnia. Drinking coffee with meals in known to inhibited the absorption of iron and calcium from food. Dehydration is a major drawback of caffeine consumption, and results from the drugs ability to increase urine production. Caffeine also has a diuretic effect and just one cup before exercise will trigger unwanted fluid loss. Within half an hour of drinking one or two cups, the flow of the blood to the brain is reduced by 10% to 20%. Combine that with the low blood sugar, in those who haven't eaten for a while, and you can start having pulpitations, feelings of anxiety or blurred vision. Withdrawal symptoms can occur after regular consumption of just one-to-two cups a day. Caffeinism, as it is sometimes called, shows up as migraine headaches and sickness. Consuming caffeine all day long - this suggests that you probably have a serious sleep disorder (insufficient hours of sleep, obstructive sleep apnea, narcolepsy, etc). If you have insomnia, do not consume caffeine - it will make insomnia worse. In fact, stopping caffeine can relieve insomnia in some people. Some of the most common symptoms of excessive caffeine intake are chronic insomnia, persistent anxiety, depressions, restlessness, heart palpitations, upset stomach, headaches when caffeine is not present.

A Finish study found that the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis increases in people drinking several cups or more of coffee daily. Unfiltered coffee can raise blood cholesterol. Coffee does not make a drunk person sober up, it just makes them wide awake. Excess caffeine can increase the risk of osteoporosis and fractures. Caffeine may increase the symptoms of fibrocystic breast lumps in some women. For some, a cup of coffee in the morning replaces a healthy breakfast as it tends to curb the appetite. Increased caffeine consumption has been associated with elevated cholesterol, fibrocystic breast disease, rapid heart beat, and some cancers. You can also theoretically "overdose" on caffeine by drink that much coffee. An obvious drawback to any drug is the withdrawal symptoms that accompany its abuse. For caffeine, this includes primarily headache, and nausea and vomiting are more severe side effects of withdrawal.

Caffeine should be avoided by those with any of the following clinical conditions such are irritable bowel syndrome, iron deficiency, chronic fatigue, cardiac arrhythmia, kidney stones, osteoporosis, ulcers, PMS. Many people who are used to having caffeine experience side effects like headaches and drowsiness when they suddenly stop taking it. Here are some tips to cut back slowly, mix your regular coffee with half decaffeinated coffee, try caffeine-free herbal teas or apple cider for a hot drink, choose a latte or café-au-lait over brewed coffee, brew tea for less time, try caffeine-free versions of your favorite carbonated beverages. Also you can use a substitution like soy coffe, is a coffee made using soy beans and coffee beans. Soy coffee is ideal for people who would like a healthier alternative to regular coffee. Soy coffee often has less caffeine than regular coffee.

Stop the caffeine - if you don’t feel better, tell your doctor !

Avian Influenza III

During the winter months avian influenza Technorati Profilehas resurfaced and caused human deaths in Asia like Indonesia and China. As reported by Indonesia mass media that they announced that 115 person death infected by the disease until today. According to WHO the virus has killed 208 people worldwide since it began ravaging asian poultry stocks in late 2003.

As we know that this disease can occur to human by closed contact with sick birds, rather than eating properly cooked eggs or poultry. Scientists say it is impossible to predict what the H5N1 virus will do, but more bird flu outbreaks often occur when temperatures drop as winter sets in. Like the others experts say the change is almost inevitable given the history of other viruses that have "jumped" to people. Viruses, after all, are opportunists -- always swapping genes or mutating as they seek to infect new species. Since viruses can only reproduce inside cells, infection is a matter of ultimate evolutionary consequence for them.

A distinctly new strain like H5N1 can be deadly for two reasons that influenza is highly contagious disease, and people have no immunity to strains they have never been exposed to. No vaccine has found until this time to cure the victim has exposed by this virus type.

The Basic Fact of Avian Influenza

Could there ever be a Bird Flu Pandemic? This is a crucial question being asked by Scientists around the Globe. Regarding a bird flu pandemic. No-one is really sure if a pandemic will happen but there are relevant facts that “seem” to indicate a bird flu fandemic is ‘possible’. To date, very few viruses like the bird flu have crossed from one species to another and infected humans on a pandemic scale. Regarding those viruses that have crossed from one species to another, H5N1 strain of bird flu has created the largest number of ’severe cases’. Across Europe, the outbreak of this strain of bird flu has been held responsible for the death of 50% of those infected. Horrifyingly, the majority of the reported cases have been children and the elderly. To date, this deadly strain of bird flu has not spread from person-to-person in any great numbers, but all flu viruses can mutate! If this happened and the deadly form of bird flu, H5N1 , was readily passed from human-to-human we would see a declaration of a pandemic! This is a fear long-held by scientists, that a flu virus as deadly as the bird flu, strain H5N1, could readily pass from human to human. It would be globally devastating…

Recent History - Bird Flu.
During 1918 and 1919 around 50 million people from around the world died during a pandemic, which was named Spanish Flu. Because victims drowned in their own ‘fluids’, doctors mistakenly diagnosed a respiratory illness. Now we know it was a form of bird flu, which had mutated to humans. It was a variant strain of H1N1. Today we are faced with a more aggressive strain of bird flu known as H5N1, which if it mutates to humans, has the potential to kill hundreds of millions of people worldwide. To date there is no known vaccine. No known cure! Scientists say that, if left uncontrolled, bird flu, strain H5N1, could wipe out more than half the worlds population!! This current form of bird flu could mutate at any time. We have no remedy. It could become the most deadly viruses known to mankind.

Protection / Sensible Safe-Guards
As with all infectious illnesses, bird flu in particular, basic precations are the first and most important ‘line of defence’. Avoid large crowds. Avoid all places where many people congregate and move on. Avoid public meetings. This is, of course, impossible in the main because of the very nature of todays is world, airports, train stations, bus stations, surgeries, and schools. Offices with air conditioning, the list is endless.. So that brings us neatly to the next level of precaution against contracting the bird flu. The next, and most sensible precaution, is to wear face masks. These are an imperative if one needs to be in a public area for whatever reason. The W.H.O. made these following suggestions for the wearing of face masks to prevent being infected by H5N1 or Bird Flu.

• When one comes into direct contact with infected animals or people, the wearing of a P3, or highest category filter, face mask is essential!
• 2. If, on examination, there is no apparent infection the wearing of a P2 face mask is recommended.
• Unfortunatley the wearing of medical masks offer only minimal protection agaist the bird flu so, therefore, are not recommended.
• When one is wearing a mask as protection against bird flu, one must make sure the mask fits prefectly.
• One must also be aware that the bird flu is a biologically active virus and can enter the body via contact of any sort with the skin or eyes etc so other means of protection must be employed to totally protect one against the invasion of the bird flu infection.

The Future - Bird Flu
Around the Globe, Countries, Institutions and Scientists of every ‘ill’, are hunting down a vaccine to prevent - then cure - the bird flu. In the US, the NAIAD issued a very encouraging report on March 29th 2006 regarding a possible treatment for bird flu. Clinical trials showed that high doses of an experimental H5N1 avian influenza vaccine can induce immune responses in healthy adults. Approximately half of those volunteers who received an initial and a booster dose of the highest dosage of the vaccine tested in the trial developed levels of infection-fighting antibodies that current tests predict would neutralize the bird flu virus. This is a major step and all the study cases and notes are readily available should the need arise to fight a Global Pandemic of Bird Flu. To reach this ‘place’, countries around the Globe have contributed a variety of crucial resources and co-operated in a manner not known before. ‘Red-Tape’ has been cut to expedite the final solution for bird flu and, as a side effect, new channels have been found that will vastly speed up the exchange of information needed for a variety of Emergency Situations. With this level of co-operation we can breathe slightly more easily today but we must never relax! The next Pandemic is just around the corner.

Source: David Hill

How To Clean Your Ear

Kebersihan telinga perlu dijaga sehingga berfungsi dengan baik. Namun membersihkan telinga terkadang dapat menimbulkan masalah apabila dilakukan tidak sebagaimana mestinya.

Ear Anatomy
Telinga terdiri dari bagian luar (outer ear), bagian tengah (middle ear) dan bagian dalam (inner ear). Ktiga bagian ini saling bekerjasama menagkap gelombang suara dan meneruskannya ke otak sehingg kita dapat mendengar. Awalnya, gelombang suara diterima oleh bagian luar telinga yang terdiri dari daun telinga (ear leap) dan liang telinga (ear canal). Suara akan dikumpulkan oleh daun telinga kemudian akan disalurkan ke liang telinga dan menggeterkan gendang telinga (ear drum). Getaran tersebut diteruskan ke tulang-tulang pendengaran, lalu diteruskan ke rumah siput (cohlea) dan akhirnya mencapai otak sehingga kita dapat mendengar.

Membersihkan Telinga
Bentuk telinga dirancang untuk mengantisipasi masuknya kotoran. Di 1/3 bagian luar liang telinga terdapat rambut halus yang berfungsi menghalau kotoran keluar. Di sini juga diproduksi getah telingan yang disebut serumen (cerumen) yang liat atau lembek yang berguna untuk menangkap kotoran untuk kemudian dikeluarkan. Biasanya serumen hanya menutupi 1/3 bagian luar telinga saja. Membersihkan telinga harus dilakukan dengan hati-hati jika tidak akan mengakibatkan terjadinya benturan pada liang telinga, karena telinga kita bentuknya tidak lurus tetapi melengkung seperti huruf "S". Hal ini akan mengakibatkan pembengkakan, perdarahan pada liang telinga atau gendang telinga. Bahkan dapat terjadi infeksi pada liang telinga (otitis externa) dan telinga bagian tengah (otitis media). Kalau liang telinga terlalu sering dirangsang bisa meyebabkan iritasi pada liang telinga yang justru kurang baik pada kesehatan telinga. Mungkin anda pernah mengalami batuk-batuk saat membersihkan telinga. Hal ini disebabkan adanya refleks nervous vagus yang terdapat di dinding telinga. Batuk-batuk adalah refleks yang ringan. Refleks yang berat dan berbahaya adalah kolaps (syncope).

Cerumen Impacted
Kalau anda ingin membersihkan telinga maka harus dilakukan dengan hati-hati. Gunakanlah cotton bud kecil dan jangan sampai masuk terlalu dalam ke liang telinga, karena akan mengakibatkan terdorongnya serumen lebih ke dalam. Akibatnya serumen akan menumpuk dan menyumbat telinga yang dikenal dengan impacted cerumen. Hal ini akan mengakibatkan pendengaran menurun karena gelomang suara tidak disalurkan dengan baik. Untuk mengatsinya biasanya dokter atau perawat akan memberikan obat tetes telinga (carbol glicerin 10%) untuk melunakkan serumen tersebut. Serumen yang telah lunak akan disemprot atau ditarik ke luar. Infeksi yang timbul akibat iritasi serumen ini dapat diatasi dengan pemberian antibiotika.

Pada kebanyakan anak-anak jika terjadi impacted serumen maka umumnya mereka mengeluhkan berkurangnya pendengaran, gatal pada liang telinga, telinga berdengung (tinnitus), nyeri/sakit pada telinga (otalgia). Rasa sakit ini muncul dari tekanan serumen terhadap gendang telinga. Jika anak anda mengeluh pusing, sakit pada telinga dan tidak berkurang walaupun serumen telah dibersihkan atau ada riwayat pernah keluar cairan dari liang telinga, segeralah bawa anak untuk berobat. Pada anak-anak usia di bawah satu tahun impacted cerumen biasanya ditemukan saat dilakukan pemeriksaan rutin. Serumen ini harus dibersihkan sehingga dokter dan perawat dapat melihat gendang telinga si anak.

Tips Membersihkan Gendang Telinga yang Baik dan Benar:

• Hendaknya telinga dibersihkan setiap 2 minggu sekali
• Membersihkan telinga menggunakan cotton bud yang kecil dan dimasukkan ke dalam liang telinga hanya 1,5 cm untuk orang dewasa dan 1 cm untuk anak-anak. Kalau lebih dalam maka dapat mengenai gendang telinga
• Jika telinga terasa gatal lebih baik tidak dikorek-korek, melainkan segera berobat ke dokter atau bila perlu minum obat penghilang gatal.
• Untuk mengeringkan air yang masuk ke telinga disarankan dengan menggunakan gulungan tissue lembut dang bersih
• Kebersihan telinga penting untuk dijaga, tetapi caranya haruslah tepat. Jika tidak kan menimbulkan infeksi telinga dan jaringa sekitarnya

Hands Washing

Did you know? We are carrying millions of microbes on our hands. We can pick up germs from objects such as doorknobs and stair railings which touch by other people who are not good hand washers. Most are no harmless, but some can cause illness such cold, flu and diarrhea. We can spread this germ to other people or give them to our selves by touching our eyes, mouths, noses or cuts on our bodies.

So, what should we do to prevent this microbe cause a bad effect to us? Yes we can wash our hands properly using soap and running water, or alcohol-based gel. Please follow the procedure below:

• Wet your hands with clean running water and apply soap. We can use warm water if available.
• Rub hands together to make lather and scrub all surface.
• Continue rubbing your hands for 10-20 seconds.
• Rinse hands well under running water
• Dry your hands using a paper towel or air dryer. If possible you can use your paper towel to turn off the faucet and open the door handle prior to disposing of it.

If soap and water are not available we can use alcohol-based gel to clean our hands. How to use alcohol-based gel to wash our hands?

• Apply product to the palm of one hand
• Rub hands together
• Rub the product allover surfaces of hands and fingers until hands are dry.

Stop!!! Do not forget to wash your hands :

• Before touching your face, mouth, nose and eyes
• Before preparing or eating food
• After going to bathroom
• After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has gone to the bathroom
• Before and after treating someone who is sick
• After blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing
• After handling garbage
• Before and after treating a cut or wound

Avian Influenza II

Avian Influenza is back in the headlines with the recent outbreak in a family group in Karo North Sumatra. As announced by World Health Organization (WHO) on 18 and 23 May 2006, seven people within the same family contacted by H5N1 avian influenza virus and six of them were fatal.

On 29 May 2006, The Ministryof Health in Indonesia has confirmed additional six cases of human infection with the H5N1 virus -three of these cases were fatal. None of these newly confirmed cases is associated with the family cluster in Karo, North Sumatra. This means the cases are widely dispersed geographically. The newly confirmed cases bring the cumulative total in Indonesia to 48 cases, 36 of them were fatal.

Please note that this outbreak does not represent a change in the virus ability to be easily transmitted from human to human. As in previous family outbreaks it appears either to be a particular genetic susceptibility in the family or a common source of exposure (sharing of infected food) as the cause of the outbreak.

Full genetic sequencing of two viruses isolated from cases in North Sumatra has been completed by WHO and found no evidence of genetic swapping with human or pig influenza viruses and no evidence of significant mutations.The viruses showed no mutations associated with resistance to the neuraminidase inhibitors (ways of antivirus works) including oseltamivir (Tamiflu). Our overall risk at this time for Avian Influenza remains very low and maintaining good personal hygiene, avoiding poultry markets and farming areas, and properly preparing and cooking meals are measures that remain very effective in protecting ourselves and our loved ones.

What is Avian Influenza?

Avian Influenza is Infectious disease caused by the Avian Flu or H5N1 virus. This occurs primarily in birds and rarely in humans.

Initial symptoms of this disease are similar to those of other influenza viruses like fever, cough, sore throat, etc. However it quickly develops respiratory distress, respiratory failure and can lead to death. As of October 2007, total human cases in Indonesia were 111 cases with 89 fatalities reported by WHO.

Like the others, we can take action to prevent this disease occur in human. We can avoid contact with birds, animal markets/farm, bird dropping or secretions, and potentially contaminated surface. Do not keep birds/chickens near your house and observe proper sanitary procedures when dealing with poultry, especially traditional markets where life birds are sold or butchered. Do not use fertilizer containing chicken manure. If you observe sick or dead birds, please avoid any contact and call your local pest control service. Always wear mask and gloves in any high risk situation like handling a dead bird or row poultry meet and wash hands with soap after.

The other way to prevent this disease is to have a good personal hygiene. We should to encourage to washes our hands frequently. Apply food safety hygiene when we cook poultry and egg. Also cover our cough/sneeze and when possible avoid others respiratory symptoms. Please remember, if you are suffering from any fever, immediately consult to your respective medical doctor and do not travel. You can get an annual influenza vaccination shot that will protect you against the typical human influenza.

Avian Influenza I

In The World...

In Birds - H5N1 virus or mostly known as avian influenza virus has killed birds in more than 30 countries in the Middle East, Asia, Europe and Africa. It has spread to 14 new countries int the past month.

In Human - As of April 6, 2006 WHO has confirmed 191 cases with 108 deaths arround the world with mortality rate about 56 %. Recently China, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Indonesia have more preminent cases among other countries. However, for the last few months, new human cases have been found in some new countries such as Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt. Some Asian countries such Thailand and Vietnam has been successfully controlled the AI cases. Scientist fear the virus could mutate and spread easily from person to person, triggering a pandemic that could kill millions people and cripple economies.

In indonesia the highly pathogenic strain of bird flu has affected birds in about two-thirds of Indonesia's provinces. The government has resisted the mass culling of fowl seen int some other nations, citing the expense and the impracticality in a country where they keeping of chickens or ducks in backyards of home is common in cities and on farm. Agencies have concentrated instead on selective culling, and on public education and hygiene measures aimed at prevention.

A sweaping door to door campaign to try to control the disease in the capital Jakarta, the country's biggest city which along with suburbs has about 12 million people, only got under way at the end of February. Stamping out the viruses is a huge, if not impossible, task in Indonesia, a sprawling archipelago of about 17.000 islands and 220 million people. The virus is now considered endemic in the region's poultry.

I'm so Glad ;)

Yes, finally I make It!!!

After blog walking for many times on internet finally I decided to create my "blog" using some e-book article tutorial from the internet. My first "blog"!!! This is just one step to another step that I will makes in the future....

Well, my first article will be post very soon :)

Peace.