Acupuncture is one of the many alternative treatments to treat various diseases. But remember, there is something you need to watch out for when having acupuncture.

Beware of any equipments that are used if you do not want to become infected. Use disposable needles, experts warned that the use of contaminated needles can lead to bacterial infections, hepatitis B and C, might even get HIV.

In an editorial published in the British Medical Journal, microbiologists from the University of Hong Kong said the number of reporting infections associated with acupuncture in the world is like the tip of an iceberg, and requires infection control measures.

“To prevent infections that are transmitted through acupuncture, then the infection control measures must be implemented such as the use of disposable needles, skin disinfectants and procedures using septic technique,” said research leader Patrick Woo, a professor of microbiology at the University of Hong Kong, as quoted from Reuters, Saturday (20/3/2010).

Woo also added that the strict regulations and accreditation for places that provide acupuncture services are also absolutely necessary.

Woo and his colleagues reveal acupuncture needles can be risky as you enter a few inches beneath the skin and warn a new syndrome which is acupuncture mycobacteriosis.

The syndrome is caused by microbacteries which quickly grew around the acupuncture needle insertion point as a result of contamination of cotton swabs, towels or other hot equipment.

“For the ones with long incubation period, it can cause abscesses and big pimples,” says Woo.

Acupuncture is an alternative treatment based on the theory of soft needle insert at certain points of the body to help increase the flow of ‘Qi’ or energy.

Globally so far have reported more than 50 cases due to acupuncture mycobacteriosis. In some cases, the bacteria that are transmitted from the patient’s skin flora or the environment is not given due to skin disinfectant prior to acupuncture.

Most patients recover from these bacterial infections, but 5-10 percent of reported infections end up with serious problems such as joint damage, multi-organ failure, other diseases and paralysis. There was also a 5 outbreaks of hepatitis B virus infection associated with acupuncture.

Therefore the public should choose the right place to get acupuncture. We must see the cleanliness and sterilization of all equipment used. It is important that acupuncture treatment does not cause new problems in our life.

Vitamin D or vitamin that can be obtained from food or produced by human skin who is exposed by sunlight, play an important role in improving the body’s immune system.

The presence of vitamin D is very crucial for the body. Therefore, the weapon T cells of the body, the cells that attack and destroy bacteria and viruses that lodged in the body. Scientists at the University of Copenhagen have found that vitamin D was very important to activate the human immune system. Without vitamin D intake is sufficient, killer cells of the immune system (T cells) will not be able to react and fight serious infections in the body.

Well, that T cells can detect and kill foreign pathogens such as bacteria and viruses, the cells must be triggered first and then transformed from inactive cells and become dangerous killer cells are ready to find and destroy all the attackers.

The researchers found that T cells depend on vitamin D in the activation process. Thus, the body will be vulnerable if the deficiency of vitamin D in the blood. Researchers from the Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, Professor Carsten Geisler said, when dealing with T cells of foreign pathogens, these cells will be held device or antenna signal, known as the vitamin D receptor, which will search for vitamin D.

“This indicates the T cells must have a vitamin D or the activation of the cells will stop. If the T cells are unable to find enough vitamin D in the blood, they will not even begin to mobilize, “said Professor Carsten, as quoted reuters.com.

The results of these discoveries made scientists believe that providing much needed information on the immune system will help regulate the immune response.

This is important because not only to fight the disease, but also in relation to the body’s immune and organ transplant rejection. After an organ transplant, T cells can attack the donor organ as “foreign attackers”. In autoimmune diseases such as arthritis or Crohn’s disease, the fragments of T-cells (cells to attack foreign body) leads to the body to attack itself.

For the research team, identified the role of vitamin D in the activation of T cells has become a major breakthrough. Scientists have long known that vitamin D is important for the absorption of calcium and vitamin has also been involved in diseases such as cancer and multiple sclerosis. But what was revealed is how the true role of vitamin D is essential to activate the human immune system.

Carsten further said, the findings could help overcome the illness and even disease outbreak. The study will also be very useful in developing a new vaccine, which works exactly as the basic formation of the human immune system. And responding well suppress the body’s natural defenses in critical situations (as in the case of organ transplants and autoimmune diseases). Benefits of vitamin D is also recognized by other researchers Chris Griffiths from Queen Mary. Chris said, vitamin D helps increase the body’s immune system’s ability to fight infection.

“We found that a single dose of vitamin D that is large enough to improve one’s immunity against the bacteria.”

Until now there has been no significant research on the optimal intake of vitamin D needed by the body in one day. However, experts recommend for men and healthy women aged 14-50 years, it is recommended to take vitamin D as much as 5 micrograms or 200 international units (IU) per day. Once the age of 51, the recommended intake increased to 10 micrograms or 400 IU per day. Furthermore, at the age of 71 increased to 15 micrograms (600 IU).

The problem, perhaps there is still much to trivialize the role of vitamin D is. Sometimes people only consider the intake of fat, protein, and carbohydrates, but not much notice the little things like vitamins, particularly vitamin D. Macro nutrients are needed, but micro-nutrients are also very important in preventing disease, maintaining the immune system, ensure the body’s energy levels, and various roles of vitamins and other antioxidants.

Vitamin D include vitamin fat-soluble, and are required to maintain the body’s general health. But because these vitamins are fat soluble and stored in fat cells of the body, this vitamin can be toxic if consumed in excess amount. Vitamin D can be found in some foods, including milk, cod liver oil, salmon and mackerel, tuna and sardines, cereals fortified with vitamin D, eggs, and margarine.

Another way the easiest to get this vitamin is silent for a moment in the sun in the morning. Besides drinking milk, this is one of the easiest ways to ensure that you get vitamin D intake is sufficient.

Not necessarily every day if you’re busy. But every person is recommended to get exposure to sunlight for 15 minutes, 2-3 times per week. Make sure as many parts of the body exposed to sunlight. This is to enhance the absorption of vitamin D by the skin.

The UK governments have produced this leaflet to give you information about swine flu. It tells you:

1. What swine flu is and how it could spread.
2. What the UK governments have done to prepare for a wider outbreak of flu.
3. What you can do to protect yourself and others against flu.
4. Other actions you can take in case swine flu becomes more widespread.
5. What to do if you think you have flu symptoms.
6. How you can keep up to date with the latest information about swine flu.

Please keep this information safe. You may need to refer back to it if swine flu becomes more widespread.

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Lots of parents still think that vaccines which is given to their children can cause autism. In fact, it’s simply not true. Immunization seems to have become a necessity in today.

The emergence of various diseases force us to maintain the body’s immune from a particular disease, the simplest thing that we can do is taking immunization. But unfortunately, there are some people think that the vaccine which is given can cause children suffer from autism.

A study revealed that one in four parents believe that some vaccines cause autism in healthy children. From a survey of 1552 parents, most of them still follow the advice of doctors to vaccinate children to keep the baby’s health. Because the latest research about it does not find a direct relationship between autism and vaccines.

“Nine out of 10 parents believe that vaccination is the best way to ward off the disease to their children,” said lead researcher Dr. Gary Freed of the University of Michigan.

“Fortunately, their fears of the possibility of children affected by autism no greater than the decision to inject the vaccine, so that their children can be protected from life-threatening disease later on,” he added.

In 2008, children of school age who are not vaccinated suffered outbreaks of measles in California, Illinois, Washington, Arizona, and New York. This was revealed Dr. Melinda Wharton of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Approximately 13 percent of the 140 children who fell ill that year to get treatment in hospital.

“Luckily all the children recovered,” said Wharton said, mentioning that measles can also be deadly.

“If we are not their vaccination, this disease will come back,” he continued.

Meanwhile, fears of vaccine with autism has a connection comes from a speculative study in 1998, which recently the study is finally revoked by the British medical journal.

Withdrawal was taken immediately after a regulation governing board of the British doctors study authors point out that it applies no less honest and ethical.

Meanwhile, a new study based on surveys at the University of Michigan to parents is done about a year ago, long before the revocation of the study in 1998. Many other studies also failed to find a relationship between vaccines and autism.

Advocacy groups such as Autism Speaks, also continued to call for parents to routinely vaccinate their children.

“It’s been proven many people who commit fraud openly. Maybe it will convince many parents that this should not happen again, “Freed said as a written summary of his study in the April edition published for the journal Pediatrics, released Monday (1 / 3).

A statement from the expert group in Philadelphia, United States asserted that the government should support this vaccination program. They believe that vaccines do not cause autism or developmental disabilities in children.

If your child do not get vaccination precisely, you become selfish as to take advantage of the thousands of other children who run it. We feel that attitude is unwise and unacceptable. Mentioned also that for doctors who “totally rejected” the vaccine could see another doctor to get a lesson.

“We call it a manifesto,” said Dr. Bradley Dyer from All Star Pediatrics in Lionville, Pa., United States.

Dozens of doctors, Dyer said, has been asked to inform the statement and only a handful of parents who have taken their children elsewhere.

“The parents say thank you for saying it. We feel better about it, “he said.

A recent study of this vaccine is based on an online survey to parents who have children aged 17 years or below. The survey uses a sample of randomly selected participants from a nationally representative.

Each family was given internet access facility if they do not have an internet connection. This is to ensure that families from all background can be entered. The result, 25 percent of parents agree with the statement that “some vaccines cause autism in healthy children”.

Approximately 29 percent of mothers agreed with that statement.Meanwhile fathers, approximately 17 percent of nearly 12 percent of parents said they would refuse the vaccine for their children if the family doctor recommended. Approximately 56 percent of participants admitted will reject the relatively new vaccine as preventive vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV) which can cause cervical cancer.

While others will refuse vaccines against meningococcal disease (32%), chickenpox (32%) and measles-mumps-rubella or MMR (18%). Parents who refuse HPV vaccine, which has been recommended to girls since 2006, presents a variety of reasons.

Meanwhile, parents who refuse the MMR vaccine, admitted that they had heard and read that the use of this vaccine will cause a lot of risks that are too large of whom suffer from autism in children.

According to Dr Gary S Marshall from the University of Louisville School of Medicine and author of a pocket book doctor about vaccinations, the result of this discovery will help a lot to help physicians communicate more intensively this issue to parents.

“For the sake of the children, we must think like a scientist,” he said.

“We (the doctors), need to do a better job of presenting more data is valid data for parents to understand if the scientists had reached the conclusion that the vaccine for children does not cause autism,” he stated.

As well as infants and toddlers, adults also need immunization for the body’s endurance. Especially those who have chronic disease risk factors, disease history, and the elderly.

This adult immunization awareness among adults is not as high as the enthusiasm of the parents to provide immunization to their children. They assume the benefits of immunization in children has been believed to help prevent spread of infectious diseases.

Meanwhile, the benefits of immunization in adults is not fully known to health workers, especially by the laity. In fact, the American Society of Internal Medicine annual meeting in 2001 in Atlanta, United States reaffirms that immunization of adults may prevent the death of a hundred times more than the children.

So that in 2010 public health programs, the United States launched 60 percent of influenza vaccination in adults. So reiterated that there are great opportunities to prevent death in adults through immunization.

There are many factors that cause reverberations immunization for adults have not heard widely. In addition to its lack of effectiveness of vaccine-related information, it is also because of the less of guidelines as well as vaccination of health care access is still limited.

Many people think immunization is required only babies and children, while adults do not need to be immunized because their immune system has been formed. In fact, adults need immunizations, especially to avoid dangerous infectious diseases and infectious.

Immunization is not just a big impact for the individual and the community further, but also contributes to social and economic development such as reducing the need for medical expenses from the hospital, reducing permanent disability and reduce the incidence of unusual diseases or outbreaks.

In the world, influenza immunization has long been proclaimed. In Korea for example, provided 10 million units of influenza vaccine each year. In fact, about 90 percent of the medical and health personnel there have been injected with the vaccine. In Australia, this activity has become a government program. Similarly in New Zealand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Singapore.

Groups that require immunization are adults who have high risk factors for a disease and its complications, including people aged over 60 years of suffering from influenza vulnerable, people with chronic diseases such as chronic lung, heart, and kidney failure, also officers frequent regular health contact with high-risk patients.

In addition, the food providers at the edges of the street, young women as well as tourists who are visiting a country are also required to undergo immunization. For an example influenza, which is estimated to cause 20,000 deaths per year, can be prevented by vaccination approximately 9800 deaths per year.

The attention to adult immunization must be improved. This can be done by increasing awareness of health workers, health service capacity, and availability of cheap vaccines and easily accessible. Therefore, necessary government and also the role of insurance in providing funding.

Prof. Dr. Jeffrey Tan, a cancer of the womb Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia who were present expressed, cervical cancer vaccination in the country has become the official government program. Since 2007, vaccination programs have been run for young women who have 12-13 years of age.

Now, he’s bright, its coverage has reached 86 percent. “We expect, these public programs can reduce cervical cancer incidence rate is decreased 16 types of HPV infection in Australia by 56 percent in 2010 and 92 percent in 2050,” said Tan.