Free Health Articles

Free Health Articles

  • Oct 23

    It is imperative to see this, rationally. Simply the information, no deliberate scare tactics~No need to scare the public, the facts speak for themselves}. Solely the data!

    MRSA Staph is a Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus bacteria. The microbe causes major skin breakdowns with multiple ailments. There are other designations in the scientific literature for this bacteria based on where the bacteria is acquired by patients. The two primary source types  are community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA), and hospital-acquired MRSA or epidemic MRSA (EMRSA).

     

    WHAT ARE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS 

    MRSA Staph presents as a small, red and tender area of skin that is similar to a bug bite or pimple. When the bacterial infection disperses, the skin swells and festers. This further becomes a carbuncle which is larger than an abscess with openings in the skin, or boil (pus-filled area around a hair follicle).

    This progression is serious and life-threatening. A practitioner assessment is critical. Additional signs that an infection is developing include the following:

    • Fever
    • Yellow/white or greenish drainage that may have a foul odor
    • Tender red/dark pink area on the surface of the skin that is growing in size

    The following symptoms may indicate the infection has spread:

    • Shortness of breath (concern for pneumonia)
    • Shaking chills (infection of the blood or heart valves)
    • Severe headache that is different from your normal headache patterns
    • Extreme weakness and low blood pressure
    • Joint pains accompanying any of the above symptoms

    As many as 1.2 million U.S. hospital patients are infected with Staph MRSA each year, nearly 10 times as many as previously estimated. According to APIC officials, 1,237 hospitals and nursing homes responded to the survey, or about 21% of U.S. inpatient health care facilities (Stobbe, AP/Houston Chronicle, 6/07). William Jarvis, former acting director of the hospital infections program at CDC — found that 34 of 1,000 patients had active MRSA infections, and 12 of 1,000 patients were colonized with MRSA, which amounts to an MRSA incidence rate of 46 per 1,000 patients. (Chicago Tribune, 6/07). More info available at   

    Go to this ARTICLE for more information on STAPH MRSA 

    • the current status of the condition-the facts
    • Signs and characteristics of MRSA STAPH
    • Food Therapy to eradicate MRSA – STAPH
    • Chinese herbs for MRSA that 99.99% of Americans are not aware of
    • Recipes for STAPH MRSA
    • Current News, Videos and Research on STAPH MRSA

    Post to Twitter Tweet This Post

  • Sep 24

    Article Provided by Vancouver Spa Spruce Body Lab

    With Father’s Day just passed, I started to reflect on how the perception of men experiencing spa treatments has changed.

    Oddly enough, my introduction to skin care and massage therapy was through a man- my Dad!  I think he may have been an original metro-sexual.  Now, even that term seems tired and silly, as culturally we’ve come to embrace that health and wellness are not reserved for the realm of one gender, but for both men and women.

    Vancouver is one of Canada’s most progressive and modern cities and as such, there’s an increasing demographic of men taking part in spa treatments and skin care.

    This is in part due to marketers realizing that men want to take care if themselves and they want products and treatments that are aimed specifically at them. As a result there is now a huge variety of skin care products targeting men which have popped up in the last few years.

    Following suit, spas are now tailoring their decor and even the activities they offer to men. One Vancouver spa touts a lounge where men can play x-box while they get their pedicure done. Here at Spruce Body Lab, our focus has always been on creating a gender neutral environment where both men and women can feel comfortable.

    Some of the ways we approach this is with our decor, which is modern and minimalist. We also choose skin care products that don’t lend themselves to one specific gender. When we choose to carry a product line, the smell, look and feel of the product needs to be something that both a man and a woman would feel comforatable to have in their medicine cabinet. With our client base at a very nice balance of 50/50 men and women, we must be doing something right!

    As far as treatments for men go, we offer Vancouver massage therapy which is easily a favorite of our male clientele.  Waxing for the back and shoulders, as well as chest and stomach, has become very popular in the last few years. And skin care treatments amongst our male clientele has steadily increased as well.

    One of the favorites when it comes to skincare treatments is a customized spruce facial. Each treatment is tailored to each person’s specific skin condition and concerns.  For men, we carry the Dermalogica Shave line of products which offers a skin care regime that makes shaving a breeze instead of a burden.

    Whenever I’ve treated anyone, male or female who has never experienced a skin treatment- the end result is always the same- “Why haven’t I done this sooner?” I think that fear of the unknown or misconceptions about what it means to get a skin care treatment is what holds most people back. Once they’ve had the experience, it opens up a whole new world of self care.

    The last frontier in popularity of treatments for men is the body treatment. A body treatment is something that even women have a hard time getting their heads around.  Body treatments are a combination of the relaxation of body massage, with the skin smoothing and nourishing benefits of a skin treatment.  Put in such simple terms- I don’t think it will be long before these treatments are a man-favorite too!

    It’s nice to see that men like my Dad are no longer an anomaly and that the spa industry has responded in kind.

    Post to Twitter Tweet This Post