Risk

January 14, 2008 | Leave a Comment

It may sound exciting when you get to travel to foreign countries especially the more exotic ones. However, when you do so, you have to take precautions not only on travel logistics but also your health as well. In certain parts of the world, particularly the tropic and sub-tropic areas, you are more vulnerable to diseases due to their poor sanitory and hygiene conditions. Toxins can easily enter your body, causing havoc to your gut, as well as other parts of your body. You can end up with symptoms such as diarrhea, vomitting and fever. In some cases, fatal consequences can result. My mother-in-law passed away due to contracting one that attacked her gut and all, even months after she came back from having stayed in a povery-stricken place in India. Sadly, she never recovered.

Poor sanity and hygiene conditions spring from poverty. With poverty, comes little to no water treatment facilities for clean water. Poverty means there are no waste management services to avoid contact with human and animal waste. It also means inadequate health care facilities and health education programs.

Hence, when you travel to these poverty stricken areas where tropical diseases are prevalent, you are at risk of becoming ill yourself. It is easy to get infected with a disease from infected insects, bugs and animals. Consuming contaminated food and water sources is another source of contention. Not to overlook, there is also the risk of contracting an infection upon direct contact with the any native people who harbor the bacteria, viruses and parasites.

This means that a simple handshake or hug from a native may put you at risk if you are not careful. People from these poverty-stricken areas have not always had access to immunizations from the simplest of diseases like diphtheria, polio or tetanus. In addition, they are constantly exposed to viruses, parasites and bacteria that could be contracted from insect bites or even contaminated water, so they could be harboring disease.

The climate also plays a big part in the spread of the disease. Excessive rainy seasons can bring more mosquitoes and other insects that find the wet conditions conducive to breeding. This means that these disease-harboring insects could exponentially multiply and potentially infect more people and even animals.

Natural disasters like tsunamis and earthquakes could interrupt water and waste management services to those foreign locations that actually have decent sanitation requirement. With these disasters, brings the potential for contaminated water and food and thus disease.

Naturally, if you have a strong immune system to begin with, you have less to worry. If you have a pre-existing condition like AIDS, cancer, diabetes, renal problems and more, these can all lower your resistance to disease as well as recovery time.

In conclusion, when you travel to areas endemic of disease, you should take the proper precautions against contamination of food and water as well as against insect bites. The responsibility lies with you in staying healthy.
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Jun

27

Toxins

June 27, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Meat has been linked with an increased risk of developing cancer. It is most probable that meat contains a high level of toxins. Red meat is especially notorious for being listed among the offenders. While no one is sure why the meat is linked to cancer, there are a few theories. It may be that red meat is so often grilled or broiled such that it is blackened on the outside. Charcoal is suspected to be a carcinogen. When you eat the blackened surface of your hamburger or steak, you are actually eating charcoal.

It is also said that the animals themselves are the cause of the problem. Nowadays, many cows are occasionally fed hormones which stimulate tissue growth. Some researchers say that it is possible that the hormones continue to work after the cow is dead. Instead of stimulating healthy muscle growth though, they start to affect healthy cells negatively. Chickens and pigs are also fed supplements to enhance growth. Can you imagine that when you consume these meats, you are also ingesting the hormones that are used to make the animals fat?

Of course, the only way round this if you can’t give up your meats or can’t find organic meats, is to detoxify. Detoxification is a prevention strategy. A regular program for help in removing toxins can go a long way to ensure that you do not hoard harmful substances in your body.
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Tags: toxins