In 1944, an Austrian pediatrician, Hans Asperger, wrote about some characteristics he was seeing in some people, such as clumsiness, repetitive routines or rituals, different speech patterns (monotone, overly formal), inappropriate social behavior, and difficulties with non-verbal communication. Over the years, not much notice was taken until the 1980s when a doctor in the United Kingdom, Lorna Wing, noticed children with similar characteristics and she named what she saw as Aspergers syndrome. Since then,  the disorder was studied more, and in 1994, Asperger syndrome was labeled as an autism spectrum disorder. With that, it was officially recognized in the “bible” of the American Psychiatric Association, the DSM (Diagnostic and... [Read more]

Yes, there is thimerosol in the H1N1 injectable vaccine. Yes, you are being encouraged to have the H1N1 vaccine to prevent the spread of influenza. Yes, there is a very tiny amount of mercury in thimerosol. NO, this does not cause autism. Several years ago, some doctors made a claim that the vaccines given to children caused autism. As some parents of children with autism wanted to be able to identify a specific cause for their children’s disability, they latched on to the theory that there was a connection between the vaccines and autism. The problem is, the very doctor who made this claim first has come out to say that he was wrong. That his research was wrong. Sadly, this is still a strong belief in some sectors and many people avoid... [Read more]

Did you know that pneumonia is still a major cause of death among seniors? Did you know that pneumonia can strike down people of any age? Did you know that today is World Pneumonia Day? There is more than one type of pneumonia – it can be caused by viruses or bacteria, the most common causes, but also by other means. For example, someone who develops aspiration pneumonia got it by getting  vomit, food or drink into their lungs instead of their stomach. It’s not always obvious if you have pneumonia. You may just not be feeling well. But signs and symptoms of pneumonia include: cough yellow-green phlegm (mucous) shortness of breath feeling very tired and unwell chest pain fever Can you prevent pneumonia? The best way to prevent... [Read more]

Do you know what COPD stands for? Do you know what it is? COPD stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It’s a respiratory disease that could be virtually eliminated from the world if we would stop smoking altogether. Imagine that. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis fall under the COPD umbrella. According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, COPD is now the 4th leading cause of death in the United States and also causes long-term disability. The number of people who have COPD is on the rise — more than 12 million are currently diagnosed with it. And it is estimated that another 12 million may have COPD but not realize it. The typical person with COPD is over 45 years old and who either smokes or has smoked.... [Read more]

Not too long ago, many of us didn’t know anyone who had diabetes. Now, it’s almost impossible not to know someone who has it. Diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes, has exploded and continues to do so in the western world. A disease once rarely seen in children, type 2 diabetes is now affecting them in large numbers, grossly affecting their health as adults. According to the American Diabetes Association: 24 million children and adults in the United States live with diabetes 57 million Americans are at risk for type 2 diabetes 1 out of every 3 children born today will face a future with diabetes if current trends continue [Read more] [Read more]