What are Symptoms and Prevention of Dengue Fever

Dengue fever is a disease caused by a family of viruses that are transmitted by mosquitoes. It is an acute illness of sudden onset that usually follows a benign course with headache, fever, exhaustion, severe joint and muscle pain, swollen glands, and rash. A more serious but less common form of the disease, dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), may cause severe and fatal internal bleeding. Dengue fever and DHF are caused by any of four different viruses, and are transmitted from one person to another by the female mosquito of two species of the Aedes aegypti.

Signs and Symptoms of Dengue Fever
The incubation period (time between infection and onset of symptoms) of dengue fever is five to eight days. The fever typically runs its course in six to seven days, but convalescence is usually slow. Dengue Fever starts with chills, headache, pain upon moving the eyes, and low backache. Painful aching in the legs and joints occurs during the first hours of illness. The temperature rises quickly as high as 104° F (40° C), with relative low heart rate and low blood pressure. The eyes become reddened. A flushing or pale pink rash comes over the face and then disappears. The glands (lymph nodes) in the neck and groin are often swollen. Fever and other signs of dengue last for two to four days, followed by rapid drop in temperature with profuse sweating. This precedes a period with normal temperature and a sense of well-being that lasts about a day. A second rapid rise in temperature follows. A characteristic rash appears along with the fever and spreads from the extremities to cover the entire body except the face. The palms and soles may be bright red and swollen.

Preventive Measures
The transmission of the virus to mosquitoes must be interrupted to prevent the illness. The prevention of dengue requires control or eradication of the mosquitoes carrying the virus that causes dengue. In nations plagued by dengue fever, people are urged to empty stagnant water from old tires, trash cans, and flower pots. Wear long pants and long sleeves. The most effective preventive measure is the use of mosquito repellent. The Aedes aegypti mosquito is a daytime biter with peak periods of biting around sunrise and sunset. It may bite at any time of the day and is often hidden inside homes or other dwellings, especially in urban areas. Remember better safe than sorry. As yet no successful vaccine for dengue fever has been developed.

Benefits of Exercise

The benefits of exercise are far-reaching. Clinical and epidemiological studies have demonstrated that regular aerobic exercise reduces the risk of death due to heart disease and stroke, aids in reducing weight, helps prevent diabetes mellitus, strengthens bones, and enhances immune function. The psychological benefits are also broad, and most studies suggest a positive relationship between physical fitness and mental achievement. The relationship between regular aerobic exercise and cardiovascular health and longevity is well established. Regular exercise leads to a reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease, in which fatty deposits (plaque) form in blood vessels supplying the muscular wall of the heart, compromising oxygen delivery to the heart muscle. In addition, with regular exercise the efficiency of the heart during exercise is increased. Many people exercise to lose weight. A calorie is a unit that measures the energy content of foods and the energy expenditure by the body. When the daily calorie intake from food is the same as calories expended from exercise, weight remains the same. The number of calories burned during exercise varies greatly with the type of physical activity, but the key to successful weight reduction is to exercise regularly, without increasing food intake proportionally. For example, walking one hour per day may utilize only 300 calories of energy per day, a small fraction of an individual's daily caloric intake. But over a period of time, if food consumption is simultaneously reduced or remains the same, significant weight loss will result. One sound approach to reducing calories is to eat healthier foods that contain more fiber and less fat, and therefore fewer calories. This type of diet has also been proven healthier for the heart and blood vessels. One area of controversy has been how much exercise is enough to improve general health, reduce the risk of heart disease, and increase longevity. Meaningful studies on this topic are very difficult to perform because they require large populations of subjects and many years of data collection, and because poor health sometimes results in limitations to physical activity. Despite these difficulties, it is clear that regular exercise, along with a generally healthy lifestyle, is beneficial. People who have sedentary lifestyles make up half the population of industrialized societies and this group has the most to gain by exercising. One recent U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) panel suggested that as little as 30 minutes every day of purposeful, moderately strenuous physical activity—for example, rapid walking or lawn mowing is sufficient to lower the risk of heart disease. There is no conclusive evidence to prove that an especially rigorous exercise routine, such as running many miles per day, as opposed to walking or jogging daily, will add years to a person's life.

Rub Me, Please! (The Reflexology)

The best way to relax is to just do nothing and depend on someone else to pass on the relaxation vibe to you. Reflexology, in alternative medicine, a healing system in which specific points on the feet or hands, known as reflex points, are manipulated to bring about changes in other parts of the body. These reflex points are believed to correspond to every major organ, gland, and area of the body. Reflexology was first introduced to the United States in the early 1900s as Zone Therapy. It is based on the principle of ancient Asian medicine in which a life force circulates throughout the body, connecting one part to another; when this energy is blocked, disease develops. By stimulating reflex points on the feet or hands, reflexology is thought to restore the energy flow and the bodies own natural ability to heal itself. Reflexology is viewed primarily as a general healing therapy that helps the body regain its natural balance, harmony, and health. It stimulates circulation in the blood and lymph systems and is considered especially useful for migraine, sinus trouble, and constipation. During a reflexology session, the therapist uses fingers, thumbs, and palms to stroke or lightly press the reflex points on each foot. Where energy blocks—commonly felt as tiny crystalline deposits—are found, the reflexologist applies deep pressure for seconds or minutes until these deposits are broken down. Reflexology sessions generally last about 50 minutes. The benefits of reflexology are said to include an overall feeling of well-being, released tension, increased energy, and pain relief. Often one or two reflexology sessions are enough to produce results. Persistent conditions may require weekly treatment at first. Reflexologists recommend regular maintenance sessions to strengthen and balance the energy flow. Reflexology is widely practiced in Europe and North America, often by massage therapists. It can also be practiced on oneself training is given at reflexology centers, and various instructional books with maps of the reflex points have been published for the lay person.