3 Reasons Why You Wouldn’t Want to Receive Healthcare in Medieval Europe

Healthcare plays an increasingly important role in our lives. Most people across the globe have interacted in some way with some form of healthcare system. Trips to the hospital, navigating insurance, and visits to your local doctor, medicine man, apothecary or what have you. Sometimes it works out pretty well and things sail smoothly; successful operations, helpful brokers, or your local witch-doctor gives you the right poultice for your sprained ankle. Other times, not so much. Accidental amputations due to hospital mix-ups, insurers try to weasel out of paying claims, or your GP misdiagnoses your cancer. We all have bad days. But with the rising cost of health care eating away more and more of your paycheck, and the financial world crashing down, it seems like every day is becoming a struggle, especially for those with serious medical problems. But, regardless of the situation you find yourself, now is the time to take a load off, lighten up and remember; at least you’re not stuck in Medieval Europe or a bad Michael Crichton story.

Medical Theory
While many historians would argue that the ‘Dark Ages’ were nowhere near as ‘dark’ as they may seem, Europe was not a paragon of technological and scientific advancement. While the Middle East enjoyed a Golden Age, Europe had built off an ancient Greek and Roman theory of medicine, called Humorism. The theory was that our bodies were comprised of a balance of four different humors; black bile, yellow bile, phlegm and blood. The idea being that each humor is linked to: a season of the year, an element (think of the Planeteers’ power minus the chump with Heart), a human organ and temperament, and also possesses its own qualities by being a combination of either warm or cold and moist or dry.
These four humors were created within the body and illness struck when the humors were out of balance. The procession of treatment usually started at checking dietary intake, then moving on to the use of drugs. If all that failed, then in order to right the balance, the doctor would often employ treatments to induce bleeding, vomiting, and evacuating your bowels in a most urgent manner. This is due to the time honored belief that expunging bodily fluids in horrible ways is, in fact, humorous. For others. Especially if your face looked like the ones below.

The four Temperaments and their humors (Clockwise from top right): choleric (yellow bile); melancholic (black bile); sanguine (blood); phlegmatic (phlegm).

So this is what our medical systems and theory was based on, pretty much right up until the 19th century, when we finally decided that medical science based on incorrect concepts of anatomy were just not doing us much good. Not, of course, that we didn’t know any better. In fact, this is in spite of the fact that humorism was disproved on at least three occasions between the 9th century and 13th century by Arabian scholars, who found that both treatments and illnesses (i.e. parasites like scabies) defied the theory. One of these individuals went so far as to discovered pulmonary and coronary circulation out of protest.
So why is this so bad? Surgery for bodily trauma was actually not too shabby, all things considered, as there is evidence people of the time had survived through both head trauma surgeries and operations to remove cataracts. Not half bad for the Middle Ages. However, from poorly informed theory comes poor practice, just look at US foreign policy. The problem with humorism as a disease theory is that you diagnose and treat symptoms according to their supposed humoral properties. Unfortunately, many things that diversely affect human health are not endemic to the human body and therefore can’t be remedied by balancing bodily processes and fluids. Without a doubt, there were medicines at the time that were indeed beneficial for some ailments, more than likely found through trial and error than scholarly study. But without the appropriate framework of medical theory to understand them, you’re never going to be able to understand the effect of parasites, fungi, bacteria and viruses. Your 100% organic, holistic potion may help with that overabundance of black bile, but the deadly nightshade, a hallucinogenic poison, in there may cause side effects ranging from bad dreams to death.

Sub-par diet
Now, while it’s awesome to think that your doctor will automatically look at your diet to see if there’s any quick and easy fix to why you feel under the weather, let’s be honest about the situation we’re supposing here. While village life was probably not as bad as could be imagined, the constant availability of nutritious food was an issue during the times. Most people were agrarians and survived by growing staple cereal crops within the village for both food and trade, but these were also supplemented with other crops grown by individuals for sustenance. In larger villages the inhabitants would rear pigs if they could afford it but were not allowed to hunt animals from forests, as they were reserved for royalty to hunt in. Although, some historians contend that pig rearing was done as much for sale as it was for eating the little porkers. It is quite apparent that there was a large schism between the diets of nobles and clergymen, which had an overabundant level of protein, and peasants who subsisted mostly on cereals.
It’s not all bread and bacon though, as there were some major health problems that stemmed from food intake at the time. Judging from forensic data obtained from skeletons alongside historical documentation of the time, some of the main problems of times were nutritional issues. While there is evidence of multiple famines and starvation, some of the most continual issues were iron deficiency, rickets and scurvy. The lack of readily available trace minerals resulted in numerous long lasting implications for the population, especially for children. Iron deficiency was also a widespread issue for menstruating women and women giving birth as they tended to lose a lot of iron through blood discharge. Considering around 20% of pre-menopausal women today suffer from iron deficiencies, which develop over time, it was probably enormously widespread during the Middle Ages. Odds are, you had one of these three problems, if not more than one, and they all make life pretty miserable. Iron deficiency can make you feel fatigued, weak and irritable, and if you upgrade to anemia you get bonus symptoms ranging from constipation, depression, breathlessness, muscle twitches, tingling and or burning sensations. If that doesn’t make you want to go eat a loaf of fortified bread I don’t know what will.
Rickets is equally as awesome as it usually strikes children, leaving them with reduced bone density. This can lead to general bone tenderness and pain, increased likelihood you’ll break bones, constantly, skeletal deformities of the legs, pelvis and spine and muscle weakness.
What Rickets does to your skeleton, scurvy is to your flesh. But worse, so much worse. The lack of vitamin C causes you to bleed from every mucous membrane you have. Care to venture a guess about what your mucous membranes are? Pretty much any cavity on your body that is exposed to both the external environment and internal organs. So yeah, you’re going to be spending a lot of time bleeding from your nostrils, lips, ears, genitals and anus. On top of that, your gums will go spongy leading to loss of teeth, your healed scars will open up and start bleeding again, any healed bone fractures would separate, and you will lose your nails and enjoy constant diarrhea. Don’t forget to hop back on the vitamin C bandwagon after this wild ride, because failure to do so invariably results in death.
Let’s not forget tuberculosis, which spreads like wildfire through the ranks of the malnourished masses. Interestingly enough, it’s thought that tuberculosis may have been one source of vampirism in folklore. The fact that you get red, swollen eyes that can be sensitive to bright light, pallid skin color, low body heat and coughing blood just screamed ‘blood sucker’ to the people of yore. Tell every vampire infatuated goth you know to go get TB today!
Oh, and before I forget, your plates were going to give you lead poisoning. Any food you didn’t get locally would have also probably been contaminated during transport.

Leprosy
This only recently understood disease still carries with it a certain stigma. We know now that it is nowhere near as contagious as we once thought. In fact, due to genetics, approximately 5 percent of the human population is susceptible to the bacterium that causes it. Unfortunately, due to the fact that we were treating things due to their humors, any illness, infection or parasite that presented itself in a remotely similar way, i.e. you had something on your skin. Pretty much everything from fungal infections and parasites to non-microorganism causes like psoriasis or eczema were classified as ‘leprosy’ as late as the 17th century. Even things that modernity has rendered quite mundane such as ringworm, which isn’t really a worm but the fungus that causes athletes foot, would have been lumped under ‘leprosy’.
Now, granted, you don’t want any of these things even now, as some of them are just plain old untreatable and really, really grotesquely disfiguring in some of the more serious cases. While, unfortunately, being incredibly ugly does still carry some social stigmas, I guarantee you it’s nothing compared to the scorn and hardships poured upon the sorry suckers who suffered these diseases during the Middle Ages. Not only were they looked upon with disgust and often ostracized and forced to live in leper colonies. While the colonies, or hospitals as they were also know, were often run along the same lines that monasteries of the time were, it was mostly to keep them quarantined and away from the general populace. In the 13th century a Benedictine monk estimated there were up to 19,000 leper hospitals across Europe. That’s a lot of people with skin problems.
Apparently, being ugly and an outcast was not enough, and as religion was very strong at the time, lepers were thought to be living through purgatory on earth. Purgatory being a state of purification of the soul for sins not bad enough to get you sent to hell, but bad enough to keep you out of heaven. At first, lepers were seen as a sort of holy half-dead, to steal a turn of phrase from The Chronicles of Riddick (good movie if you enjoy Vin Diesel and ridiculousness, as I do), which meant that they were declared dead by civil leaders, their property would be taken away and their spouse was expected to serve them until death, as per your sacramental wedding vows. They were however, sometimes looked after by the church as they were in a special religious group of their own.
This of course devolved into open hatred of ‘lepers’ as the ‘disease’ grew more prevalent and maybe due in large part to increased rhetoric from the church linking uncleanliness to sin. The obvious link was made between leprosy, uncleanliness and sin, and for eons afterwards the lepers were seen as having this unclean disease bestowed upon them by God for their wicked ways. Oddly enough the same language of uncleanliness and sin was also used in relation to homosexuals, witches and Jews. Of course, if you were rich and had leprosy you were considered a hero and a martyr if you succumbed to the disease. If you were poor? No, God just hated you, and everyone else simply followed suit.

And yes, I left out the Black Death and its outbreaks because we’ve already covered how miserable it was, all you need to know is that it happened a lot. As in, more than 100 epidemics up to the 1700s before it seemed to vanish like a fart in the wind in the 19th century. Rehashing it would just be a cheap shot.

How Healthy Is Your Religion? - A Checklist.

Your body is a temple- but what kind of temple may well depend on your religion: is that incense coming out of your mouth or are you just smoking a cigarette? Religion can have a big impact on lifestyle, what with religious traditions, customs, laws, and practices, but do these have a positive or negative effect on your health? At Pacific Prime we think of this kind of thing. Here is a checklist, alphabetized for your convenience, of things to bear in mind when considering whether your religion is beneficial to your overall health.

Afterlife

Why worry too much about the health of your mortal body if there is the prospect of eternal life? Most religions take a stand against this sort of attitude by emphasizing that mortal life is sacred. Something to bear in mind though, eh?

Alcohol, Cigarettes, Caffeine, Drugs

Some religions don’t allow one or all of these substances. Many forms of Islam forbid alcohol, and many Christian groups also avoid drinking, such as Seventh Day Adventists. Mormons, or Latter Day Saints, are supposed to avoid more or less all of these things: many think Joseph Smith meant caffeinated drinks such as Tea and Coffee when he advised against ‘Hot Drinks’: Could this be why Mormons have such a high life expectancy? More on that later.
On the other hand, some religions positively encourage the use of certain substances- Marijuana is an important component of Rastafarianism. Peyote is used in the ceremonies of some Native Americans, as well as having medicinal properties. And don’t forget the altar wine- grape alcohol/blood is an important component of the Catholic mass. With so many people sharing a cup, you have to hope that the alcohol is having a sterilizing effect- though some services don’t give everybody wine. Priests may risk becoming addicted to alcohol because of the amounts of altar wine they are called upon to drink. (All that kneeling can’t be good for the old knees either.)
Is giving up these substances a good or bad thing? We often hear about studies into the health benefits of a glass of red wine a day, or drinking tea, and how these may contain ‘anti-oxidants’. This book - ‘Mon Docteur Le Vin’ - goes a little further, saying that wine is good for more or less everything, including making you stronger, curing diseases, and increasing longevity.

Armageddon

Is your religion looking forward to the imminent end of the world? If so, you should make sure you are not in a cult (don’t drink the fruit punch!) as these groups frequently mistime the end of the world, and can be fatal.

Cannibalism.

If your religion leads you to practice cannibalism, you are at a greatly increased risk of catching certain brain diseases. Some are spread by contact with uncooked brain products - don’t let your children lick the bowl – but, cooked or uncooked, say no to religions that involve the eating of human brains, or you will end up with Creutzfeld Jakob’s Disease or Kuru.

Circumcision

Is it more hygienic for men to be circumcised? Perhaps- certainly when the idea was first introduced it probably had an impact on reducing infections. Does it lead to a reduction in, er, stimulation? Who knows. When it comes to male circumcision, nowadays it is more a question of taste than health. As for female circumcision, that is a definite no-no. Avoid any religion that involves female circumcision as this is a barbaric practice as well as being extremely medically unsound.

Clothing

“What? How can clothing affect your health?” you may ask. Well, some have argued that certain forms of Hijab worn by Muslim women, such as the Burqa, can lead to Vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D can be obtained from certain foods, but normally your body can produce sufficient if you expose some of your skin to sunlight for a little while every day. This can be difficult for Muslim women in some countries. Darker skin and weaker sunlight meands you need more time in the sun; could Muslim dress be a factor in rickets cases among Muslim communities in England?
Other headgear which now has a religious connotation, such as the Turban, may have originally come about to keep cool in hot weather. Today it can entail serious health risks- there is some evidence that in the post 9/11 world a turban can be a magnet for physical violence against the wearer, whatever their religion.

Dietary Rules

Man cannot live on bread alone. But what does your religion allow you to eat? Kosher/Kashrut; Halal – does following religious dietary rules make you any healthier? People have tried to look for medical reasons behind some rules of Kashrut- for example the use of separate utensils for cooking dairy and meat makes sense from a hygiene perspective, as do the requirements if you want to ‘sterilize’ any utensils.
Is it because pigs don’t redigest their food (chew cud) that they are seen as slipshod meat producers, or does the fact that they roll around in mud and poo- making them prone to parasites- and eat more or less anything- suggest that they are not the healthy choice? Shellfish are also notorious for absorbing all kinds of chemicals- e.g. mercury and heavy metals – thought they are not the only ones – and so you should probably avoid them if you are pregnant. However many of the rules are somewhat obscure. It seems the compilers of the rules took a ‘better safe than sorry’ approach.
One major benefit of following such rules is that you will look closely of the ingredients of processed foods, for example those that use pork gelatin or enzymes derived from pigs. It’s always good to know what you are eating. Unfortunately even Halal or Kosher standards will not protect adherents from the dangers of junk food for long, with McDonalds introducing Kosher or Halal meals in different countries.
Are Halal and Kosher slaughtering techniques healthy? If an animal is stressed when it dies it will release toxins, and as such an animal that was unhappy when it died may not be Kosher. Traditional slaughtering methods, namely slitting a conscious animal’s throat with a knife, quick as you like, and draining its blood, are tried and tested and probably do not cause any more suffering to an animal than more convoluted industrial methods- they may even be more humane. Let’s face it, there’s no particularly friendly way to kill things. Kosher and Halal slaughering rules share many similarities- avoid the spinal chord, check the animal didn’t have any health problems or defects before certifying it, and, tellingly, the slaughter should be performed by an adult who is not insane.
In general you are better off eating foods that humans have been eating for a long time, as the body has become more accustomed to eating these and offsetting their risks. As such, perhaps, the older the religious dietary laws you are following the better.

Fasting

Does fasting have health benefits? Some would argue yes- at least for mice. Certainly fasting or a constricted diet of some form features in a great many religions. Just think of Ramadan, Lent, Passover, or even fasting before Mass, or the special diet of the Jewish Sabbath. Fasting can be bad for some groups of people, such as pregnant women or diabetics- who are therefore exempt from fasting during Ramadan. (Just to clarify, you don’t stop eating altogether; you just only eat at certain times and eat less - stopping eating altogether can lead to death). Non-religious fasting is sometimes termed ‘dieting’ or ‘detox’.

Festivals

There’s nothing like a holiday to perk up the spirits- and refresh the body. Try choosing a religion with plenty of days off. A weekly rest day is always good, if you don’t mind following certain rules, for example for a Jewish or Christian Sabbath, but if you want a religion with plenty of festivals, try something polytheistic like Hinduism.

Human Sacrifice

Not so common nowadays, human sacrifice was a showstopping component of ancient religions in several parts of the world, from the temples of Central America to the marshes of Northern Germany to the Colosseum at Rome. While the sacrificee would of course not benefit, the successful harvests that followed were good for the overall health of the population.

In-breeding

Inbreeding is always a risk when a religious population is small, isolated, or opposed to intermarriage with non-adherents. As such, genetic pecularities which may lead to hereditary diseases are more common in certain religious groups, such as the Amish. The Druze in the Middle East also have distinctive genetic features. If you want to avoid this kind of thing, then choose a more missionary or more accessible religion.

Incense

Some recent studies have indicated that over-exposure to burning incense can put you at increased risk of developing certain types of cancer. Make sure that if your religion involves lots of incense it also involves good ventilation.

Insurance

“Jesus is my health insurance” is, one would hope, not too common a sentiment, although with health insurance costs in the US nowadays, you never know. If you are Amish you are unlikely to have private medical insurance. The Amish also don’t usually take part in schemes like Medicare or Medicaid, instead relying on community support and the church in order to pay for expensive medical treatment. Hospitals in Mexico are therefore often preferred, but there are some US hospitals with special arrangements for the Amish.

Life Expectancy

Most religions are spread over such a wide area and range of people that it is hard to tell what effect they have on life expectancy. Not so with the Mormons, who have longest life expectancy of any religious group in the US- in fact, a higher life expectancy than Japan. So there’s your answer right there. Become a Mormon.

Medical Care

Does your religion allow blood transfusions? Jehovah’s Witnesses are opposed to most, if not all, forms of blood transfusion. This can be a problem if you lose a lot of blood suddenly.
The Amish avoid excessive use of modern technology, but they are not against seeking modern healthcare if necessary- and a higher than usual frequency of some genetic diseases can make it necessary. They often do choose to receive vaccinations, but on the other hand there have been cases of Rubella, and other diseases that are easily vaccinated against, breaking out in Amish communities.
The rules of Kosher do not prohibit Jews from using insulin made out of pork- though of course nowadays you can get synthesised human insulin.

Meditation

The regular practice of meditation is widely believed to have health benefits, and this has occasioned scientific studies on Buddhist monks. Certainly, meditation is a good way to relax the body, lower the heart rate, and help the brain to chillax, and that can’t be bad for you. Of course, much greater claims have been made for meditation’s health benefits- mind over matter. Whether this is more than an elaborate placebo effect is a topic of hot debate.

Miracles

Some religions have more miracles than others. Catholicism is well known for them. There are many reports of miracles curing terminal or incurable diseases after prayers for intercession by a saint or a respected Christian who has passed away- in fact, miracles are an important factor in becoming a saint, and John Paul II canonized a record number of saints (in the hundreds). That’s a lot of miracles. It may depend somewhat on the definition of a miracle, but the promise of something is a big draw.
It is estimated that 200 million people have visited Lourdes since 1858, during which time 67 miracle healings have been officially recognised by the Catholic Church, as well as around 7,000 other inexplicable happenings. Some American Pentecostal movements may claim a higher success rate for ‘faith healings’, but without such strict standards of certification.

Reincarnation

You may come back as another animal, or even a person. This is the message of religions that believe in re-incarnation. So you don’t need to worry about your health too much, right? Wrong! You usually have to live a good life so as not to be reincarnated as some sort of slug, which means you shouldn’t just fling your body around willy-nilly. Also bear in mind that if you are a Buddhist in China you may need permission to reincarnate.
A religion that is overly into reincarnation may have adverse effects on the health of some adherents, especially in Hinduism, where it arguably helps to perpetuate the caste system. You may only be a lowly labourer in this life but if you live a good life you may be lucky and come back as… a priest.
However, Hindu scholars argue that the caste system is an anachronistic social practice, not an integral part of the Hindu religion- and in fact, it is also a feature among other religious groups in India and nearby regions, not just Hindus.

Sex

Not allowed to use barrier contraception? This puts you at a vastly greater risk of contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. Not being allowed to use contraception at all also greatly increases the risk of the other major sexually transmitted disease- ‘life’. Not naming any names *cough Catholicism *cough. The health benefits of sex should not be underestimated - perhaps choose a religion accordingly.

Spiritual Wellbeing

For many, this is in fact the most important factor when choosing a religion. It is hard to say which religion offers the most spiritual wellbeing, as a prerequisite of its being effective is that usually you have to believe in the religion- as such it is usually difficult to try more than one religion in a life-time. In other words, consider which religion will be best for your spiritual as well as physical health.

Sport

Regular exercise is important for your health. Is your religion associated with any sports? If not, you might want to consider Taoism or Buddhism – think tai-chi in the park, or kung fu at your local Shaolin monastery. Also, Hinduism: Yoga anybody?
Shinto might be one to avoid; while there are plenty of sports in Japan that do benefit the health, Sumo wrestling is not one of them. It can often lead to health issues such as Diabetes or Arthritis, and the life expectancy of a Sumo wrestler is less than 60.

Thetan related issues

As a Scientologist, you may encounter the worrying revelation that your body is covered with alien souls known as body thetans which are leeching off your energy and suppressing your potential. These little buggers can only be dissuaded by following a strict regimen of, well, scientology. This can be expensive, but if you are lucky enough to reach the third ‘operating thetan’ level then you may well have the opportunity to telepathically communicate with them and tell them to go away. However, exorcism of imaginary demons or space creatures is often cheaper and easier in other religions.

Vegetarianism

Hindus don’t eat beef. In fact, they sometimes don’t eat meat at all. The health benefits/disadvantages of a vegetarian diet are very debatable, and, Hindus would probably say, irrelevant, compared to the sanctity of life. Vegetarianism is not for everybody - I guess I’ll just have to hope I don’t get reincarnated as a tasty animal.

This checklist is not exhaustive, but hopefully it will give you some points to bear in mind when weighing up how healthy is your religion. See you next time!

The Top 10 Scariest Illnesses and Diseases of all time

Happy New Year to all our readers, we hope that you had a good one.

Now with that out of the way its time to start the year off right and discuss the incredibly morbid topic of which illnesses have managed to kill the most people throughout human history. Every other day it seems like we are being told about some new disease that is going ravage humanity and destroy society as we know it. What you probably don’t know is that this is an ongoing plot throughout human history, and every couple of hundred years a new disease has come out of left field in an attempt to remove us from the planet. With that in mind, in no particular order here are the 10 scariest illnesses and diseases in human history:

10. Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, BSE – Mad Cow Disease

BSE is a disease that primarily occurs in cattle that basically melts the animal’s brain and spinal cord. The origin of this disease is, at present, unknown; but it was discovered that the BSE epidemic through much of the European cattle population was caused primarily by feeding the remains of dead cows to living cows in the form of meat and bone meal (MBM). This BSE infection then spread to humans who ate the infected beef and caused something that science has termed New Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (or NVCJD).

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease basically causes an infected individuals brain to become porous (great big holes develop), and the individual begins to exhibit signs of dementia, memory loss, speech problems, loss of balance, loss of motor control, seizures, and finally death. While NVCDJ is not Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, it does exhibit the same symptoms in both bovines and humans, which lead to the name ‘Mad Cow Disease’.

Where NVCDJ was found to be present in humans there was a 100% mortality rate, and currently 171 people around the world have died from the disease. Another variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is quite common in the native population of Papua New Guinea, primarily in societies that are prone to cannibalism. This proves that Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is easily spread by eating infected animals/people, and that you should always be careful of what you eat.

The thing that is so disturbing about NVCJD is that there is the possibility that it still exists in the worlds cattle population as the condition has an incubation period of 4 – 5 years, and that infected cattle will usually be slaughtered for consumption prior to displaying any symptoms. In this vein, while the disposal of 4.4 million cows during the height of the infection was a confidence inspiring move, it makes us wonder if the next burger we eat could ultimately lead us to developing BSE.

Now all the vegetarians reading this are saying to themselves ‘you know, there is a reason I don’t eat meat’ and you would be quite right, if it weren’t for the fact that beef is so incredibly tasty.

9. Necrotizing Fasciitis - Flesh eating bacteria

Despite not being the biggest killer out there Necrotizing Fasciitis is just scary. Imagine this, you’re in an accident and you cut your hand. Now the cut may be severe and require the help of a medical professional, or you may not even notice it, what has happened though is that you are now infected with a bacterium that causes Necrotizing Fasciitis. Depending on how deep the cut is you may not know that this has even happened, until you start vomiting and the cut starts to weep puss. Your skin might start to change color, and blisters form around the outside of the cut, while inside your tissues are slowly dying as toxins are released by this, now, thriving bacterial colony. Eventually this colony will grow up your arm and reach your torso where, if you havn’t received medical help, you have a 30% chance of surviving.

If you are grimacing at that idea, don’t worry, we are too. The worst thing about Necrotizing Fasciitis is its ability to spread extremely fast, so fast in fact that even if you do receive medical attention in time, your chances of survival are still extremely low. And if you do survive the infection you will more likely than not be permanently scarred for the rest of your life.

The most common form of treatment for Necrotizing Fasciitis is the use of next generation antibiotics or, if the infection occurs on your limbs, amputation of the affected body part. The biggest risk of death from Necrotizing Fasciitis actually occurs when the bacterial toxins are released into your blood, resulting in sepsis and ultimately death. At present Necrotizing Fasciitis has a 25% mortality rate for individuals who seek medical attention in a timely manner. Basically, its one of those things you hope the doctor never says.

8. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus – MRSA

MRSA (pronounced Mursa), is the acronym for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, which is probably why this scourge of the hospital was abbreviated. Back in the 1800’s people were legitimately scared of going to the hospital. It wasn’t because of all the funky smells or sick people however, but rather because they didn’t want to catch any nasty illnesses. MRSA is the modern day equivalent of Typhoid and Cholera (two diseases that, due to their penchant for infection spread rapidly in medical facilities) for the hospital community.

MRSA is a mutation of the common Staphylococcus aureus bacterium, except that this mutation is resistant to most modern day antibiotics including Penicillin, Methicillin and cephalosporins, meaning that once you have it, its probably not going away. Discovered in 1961 in the United Kingdom MRSA has become a huge problem for hospital staff around the world. It has become such a big problem in-fact that a 2007 study by the United States Center for Disease Control (CDC) suggests that MRSA infections are responsible for more deaths in the USA every year than AIDS, quite a staggering statistic. At present there are no definitive numbers on how many people have died from MRSA infections since it was discovered, but latest figure place the death rates in the USA at around 278,000 in 2005.

Staphylococcus aureus most commonly infects an individuals nose, and you could actually have a Staphylococcus aureus (we’re going to abbreviate this to SA now) colony in your nose and never know it. One of the only ways to tell if a person has a SA infection is to swab the inside of their nose and run tests on the gold that is found. However if you do present with a fully developed MRSA infection, expect rashes and puss filled boils which can spread rapidly and cause flesh eating pneumonia, which sounds to us like an awesome way to spend a couple of weeks.

In order to treat a MRSA infection the boils have to be lanced and drained, the patient needs to be isolated and basically you have to be treated with a whole bunch of really sophisticated, really expensive, antibiotics, which may or may not work. On the plus side however, maggot therapy (literally getting maggots to feed on the MRSA colony) has been shown to provide a viable, less expensive treatment option. Awesome, we guess, but only if you’re not opposed to the idea of maggots chowing down on your flesh. But hey, at least it proves that someone in the medical community is thinking outside the box.

7. Mononegavirales Filoviridae – Ebola and the Family

We’ve all seen the awesome Dustin Hoffman film ‘Outbreak’, and when you think about this fun organism, that’s exactly what you should be imagining. In the most layman terms possible, the Ebola family of viruses spreads via bodily fluids (although it has been known to spread through skin or membrane contact), and then hides in its host for between 5 – 10 days. After this an infected person will usually spike an extreme fever, become weak, and complain of abdominal pain. The problem with these initial symptoms is that they can be linked to a whole host of tropical diseases, so until the secondary symptoms appear the treatment given to a patient is usually wrong, one of the main reasons for the virus’ high mortality rate.

The secondary symptoms are just plain freaky. Imagine this, you think you have the flu, and you hope that’s the reason that you’re sick, then all of a sudden the diarrhea starts, and instead of feces, it’s all blood. It’s around this time that the vomiting will start, and again, nothing but the red stuff baby! Oh, and on a side note, you may also begin to bleed from your eyes, ears, nose, etc. as well as suffering from what scientists like to refer to as ‘a million tiny internal cuts’ (the main cause of death, due to hemorrhaging). Nice huh?

The hemorrhagic virus family (which includes the Marhburg Virus, Zaire Ebolavirus, and Hanta Virus), contains some of the scariest illnesses to ever infest the earth. One of the things making this virus family so incredibly unnerving is that fact that most of the diseases in it have stupidly high mortality rates (90% in the case of Zaire Ebolavirus), and extremely short incubation periods. In fact, its only due to the short incubation period that these viruses have been contained, as people are usually too sick to travel. But if Ebola ever got into a major city near you then it’s probably time to have a party and see the world out in style.

Since 1976 more than 1,800 people worldwide have died due to the Ebola virus, and this illness is still hanging around in Uganda, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In fact, in 2007 all three of those countries reported outbreaks with a death toll of 157, not much, but considering the disease, pretty scary.

6. Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax – Malaria

Planning a fun filled holiday in an exotic destination? Don’t forget the bug repellant, and even then you’re running a major risk. Malaria is endemic in over 100 countries around the world and is a huge risk for approximately 40% of the population. This disease may not be as high profile or fear inspiring as, let’s say, hemorrhagic fever or BSE; but according to WHO estimates Malaria causes 300 – 500 million infection cases every year, of which, 1 million result in the death of the patient. Current statistics show that in any calendar year about 10% of the worlds population will suffer from Malaria, meaning that while it doesn’t have the highest death rates, it is probably the most wide spread disease currently in existence.

Malaria is a vector borne disease, meaning that it is not spread directly from person to person. The illness is instead spread through mosquitoes carrying parasites and infected blood, and as such it is extremely hard to stop an outbreak once it begins (think the Black death on a much larger level). If Malaria was any more virulent then the chances are that humanity wouldn’t have made it to the 21st century and that we would have become extinct as soon as the west made it to Africa and Asia.

Despite this, and despite the fact that almost 1 million people die from the disease every year (almost the entire population of Trinidad and Tobago), Malaria is largely forgotten by society as a horrific killer. But just in case, make sure you have your injections before going on holiday.

5. Dengue Fever

Located in the same regions as Malaria, this tropical virus is a relative of West Nile Virus, Viral Encephalitis, and Yellow Fever. However it has one major difference, while most viruses have been eradicated from metropolitan areas, Dengue Fever manages to spread rapidly through urban centers mainly through mosquitoes.

There is vaccine available for Dengue Fever, and the only medical support that patients receive is targeted at managing the diseases symptoms. The symptoms of dengue fever display as high temperature, vomiting and bloody diarrhea, low red blood count, and low plasma count, all of which can contribute to the death of the victim.

Dengue fever first came onto the global scene in the 1780’s and immediately proved what an incredibly serious organism it was, causing three simultaneous epidemics in North America, Africa, and Asia. Since then global outbreaks of the Dengue virus have tended to occur every 5 - 6 years, during which time the virus mutates, creating a whole new level of worry for the medical profession.

4. Influenza A Virus Strain H1N1 – The Spanish Flu

We all know that during a flu season you are probably going to get sick. In fact outside of the actual sickness part, many people love the flu season, as it gives them a fairly valid reason to stay at home and play the newest Xbox game all day long. However, if you came down with the flu from March 1918 until June 1920, you had a good chance of dying. The scariest thing about the Spanish Flu (which actually originated in France, Sierra Leone, and the USA), was that young healthy people were more likely to die from the illness than old unhealthy people.

The H1N1 flu strain actually attacked the body’s immune system, and individuals who had stronger immune systems actually gave the virus more ammunition in its war to control their body. It was this effect that ended up killing approximately 50 – 100 million people world wide (the combined populations of Italy and South Korea), and creating one of the scariest epidemics of the 20th century.

The thing about the Spanish Flu that has scientists and healthcare professionals literally running for the hills is that it hasn’t died out. If you watch TV, or read the news, at all during the winter holiday season then you’ve probably noticed a lot of fuss being made over the flu and the various vaccines that accompany the flu season. The thing about the flu is that it can rapidly mutate and become a whole other level of scary in the space of about six months, and if that happens then it’s Spanish Flu time all over again.

In case you were wondering, Bird Flu or H5N1, is just the latest attempt by the flu virus to permanently remove us from the planet, and despite its lowly 213 death count (don’t forget that there was a global mortality rate of 62%), has proven that it has what it takes to make the Spanish flu look like the common cold.

3. Yersinia Pestis – The Black Death

First exposed to western civilization in the 6th century AD, The Plague of Justinian, as it was first known, managed to kill 40% of all people living in Constantinople (claiming up to 10,000 lives a day), and a full quarter of the total population of the Eastern Mediterranean. The Plague of Justinian, and a later outbreak of the disease in 588 AD, where responsible for 25 million deaths across Europe, and was one of the first major disease epidemics in human history.

The Black Death, or Bubonic Plague, made a triumphant return to Europe in the 14th century, and hung around until the 1700’s growing in strength and virulence every time it made an appearance. After a plague outbreak it was not unusual for up to 50% of the population in major urban areas to have died, leaving large portions of Europe deserted ghost towns. According to modern estimates the Plague claimed approximately 137 million lives (slightly more people that the total current population of Nigeria) in its successful 400 year run, and had firmly instated itself as one of the most vicious diseases to ever manifest itself on earth.

In the late 1700’s European society began to change and because of that hygiene standards started to improve. People stopped hanging out with rats (the source of the disease) and started washing their hands, loosening the disease’s grip on western civilization. However, this fun filled bacteria continued to wreak havoc in Asia well into the 20th century causing mortality rates in excess of 75% whenever it struck.

Bubonic plague is characterized by blackened bumpy nodes appearing in the areas of a sufferers lymph nodes. It was these nodes that gave rise to the name ‘The Black Death’ as anyone exhibiting these blackened spots was almost certain to die. The bacterium that causes the Plague is spread predominately by the bites of infected fleas that have been living on rats carrying the disease. If your concerned about plague in the modern world, just look for large numbers of dead rats and rodents, as that’s a pretty good sign that it is about to strike.

2. Variola major/Variola minor – Small Pox

This lovely relative of chicken pox and the measles is now extinct (we hope) outside of two WHO reference laboratories, meaning that this virus has been relegated to helping scientific research. However small pox (not to be confused with the ‘Great Pox’, Syphilis) was one of the most deadly diseases of all time, and if there ever was another outbreak of this disease the consequences would be disastrous. In fact, Small Pox is single handedly responsible for annihilating entire societies (see ‘Pilgrims and Spaniards go to America’), which makes us wonder if all those blankets that we received for Christmas may have had other agendas.

It is estimated that during the 20th century, until 1979 when it was deemed to be completely irradiated, small pox killed between 300 – 500 million people, or the equivalent of the total current population of the United States or European Union. The Small Pox variation, Variola major, had a mortality rate of 30 – 35% and both strains were responsible for killing up to 400,000 Europeans each year during the 18th century, giving this virus the title of ‘worst disease ever’.

One of the major problems in controlling the spread of Small Pox is the fact that the disease spreads through the air, and not purely on contact with infected pustules, leading to its ability to rapidly move through a population. However, a large scale vaccination effort in the mid 20th century relegated this disease to the path of the Dodo, and outside of the weaponized versions contained in many military arsenals; most ordinary people don’t have much to fear from Small Pox any more. However, while small pox may be the only illness that has ever been removed from nature by humanity, it did cause more deaths during its reign as the King of viruses than anything else experienced before Aids. But the fact that it is now extinct means that we can shrug our shoulders and go ‘meh, who cares’.

1. Acquired immune deficiency syndrome – HIV/Aids

HIV/Aids is the pandemic that is currently effecting every man, woman and child on the planet. Originating in Sub-Saharan Africa during the mid 20th century, Aids has spread to every country on earth and current infection estimates state that approximately 33.2 million people worldwide are living with the virus, and that more than 25 million people have died as a result of infection since 1981 (slightly more people than the current population of Malaysia).

Caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Aids is spread via contact with infected bodily fluids (blood to blood, or sexual transmission). The progression from HIV to Aids can take up to 10 years, which is one of the biggest concerns about this disease as individuals infected with the virus may not know that they have it, increasing the risk of the infection spreading. Once the disease has progressed to full-blown Aids, without antiviral therapy, a person’s life expectancy is only about 9 months.

The scariest thing about HIV/Aids, outside of the fact that it is incurable, is that the virus itself doesn’t actually do anything apart from attack and weaken an individual’s immune system. Once your immune system is weakened however, any infection from any malevolent organism (bacterium or virus) can have a deadly effect. On top of this, HIV uses your own immune system to reproduce, staging a type of stealth warfare inside your body to the point where white blood cells start to attack each other. Once this happens and once the virus has developed into Aids, there is not much that can be done.

Out of all the diseases on this list HIV/Aids probably scares more people, only because it is a real, ever present threat. But if you practice safe sex, and stop playing with other peoples blood, you should be marginally safer than the rest of the population.

There you have it, our top 10 diseases and illnesses of all time. Now if you’ll excuse us; we’re going home to hide.

Top 10 Natural Cures & How They Can Help You

When I was growing up there was a rule in the house imposed by my mother, and that rule was ‘if you don’t have a temperature of 105 you are going to school’. It didn’t matter how bad you said you felt, you were given something ‘herbal’ and sent packing. In the adult world I often find myself looking back on those funky tasting pills, and when I get a cold or start feeling run down, wonder exactly what my mother was putting into me. With that in mind here is our guide to those magical natural medicines that mothers all over the world seem to know about, while the rest of us remain blissfully ignorant.

10. Arnica

Used as a natural treatment option for over 500 years, Arnica is an extremely versatile natural remedy. In the same biological family as the common sun flower, this plant has proven incredibly effective in treating, and reliving pain associated with, bruises, arthritis, sore muscles, sprains, and minor cuts and scrapes.

Arnica was a big hit in my house, mom used it for everything. Got a cut? Here’s the Arnica. Sprained your ankle during the game? Here’s the Arnica. Run into a wall? Here’s the Arnica. Running into the wall tended to happen quite a bit in our house, probably more than normal, but the arnica was always at hand, ready to be smothered on the offending painful area.

Arnica is picking up quite a bit of mainstream recognition as a quick natural pain reliever, and as it becomes ever more available, it may be useful for you to have a stock on hand.

9. Aloe/Aloe Vera

You could easily be forgiven for not being persuaded to love the Aloe plant at first glance. Short, spindly and squishy, Aloe has a dark – puke green color. But this is not to say that the plant does not have its uses. The juice/gel from the Aloe leaf is an extremely effective remedy for minor cuts and burns, so effective in fact that many people have taken to growing Aloe and keeping plants around the house. Most commercial burn remedies will contain Aloe Vera, and the gel from the leaves has also proven to be an extremely good moisturizer, leading to many cosmetic products including it in their ingredients.

Aloe is also an extremely powerful laxative, and scraping the juice out of the hard part of the leaf and then ingesting it will help remove any blockages you may be experiencing. However, using the plant in this way can cause extremely painful cramping and is usually only recommended if nothing else has worked.

8. Papaver Rhoeas and Papaver Somniferum – Poppy plant

The poppy has been a key natural medicine since 1200 BC when the Greeks began to grind up the flowers and create very effective pain relieving tablets. Nowadays the poppy has received a lot of bad press as it is the key ingredient in both Opium and Heroin; however the plant still continues to provide a valuable service to the medical world in the form of Morphine.

Traditionally the poppy was used to treat a number of conditions such as coughing, insomnia, sore throats, and hemorrhaging. But today this humble flower is relegated to the position of the world’s ultimate pain management system, and due to the fact that all by-products of this plant are extremely addictive it has been declared illegal, or placed on controlled substances lists all over the world, and its for this reason that the Poppy only makes number 8 on this list.

Needless to say, this was one natural remedy that could not be found in mom’s supply. On an interesting side note however, the USA buys approximately 80% of the annual poppy crop in both India and Turkey and the poppy (in the form of Morphine) appears on the WHO’s list of essential medicines.

7. Echinacea

While my mother may not have stocked up on poppies, she most definitely did have an abundant supply of Echinacea pills and teas. Echinacea, or the Purple Coneflower, only grows natively in North America and has been used by indigenous inhabitants of the continent for hundreds of years, mainly in relation to preventing colds and flu’s.

Echinacea has been the subject of many debates as to the actual benefits of the plant. However, studies conducted in June 2007 state that taking an Echinacea pill can reduce an individual’s risk of developing a cold, and in the event that a cold developed the duration of the illness can be lessened by up to a day and a half.

While the plants properties as an immunostimulator (something that stimulates the immune system) have not convinced science 100%, there are still a large number of supporters out there who claim that Echinacea is the best natural cure available. Dubious test results mean that this plant is relegated to the upper count of the list leaving Echinacea at number 7 on the countdown.

6. Lobelia – AKA: Puke weed

Probably one of the cooler sounding names on this list, the term Puke weed was coined when 19th century physicians used the plant to induce vomiting, purging the patient’s body of toxins and purifying the digestional tract.

The plant was traditionally used by Native Americans to help treat asthma and other respiratory disorders, and in the modern world Lobelia is still considered extremely effective in clearing mucous and other congestants from an individual’s lungs, bronchial tubes, and throat.

Lobelia contains lobeline, a natural substance that acts much in the same way as nicotine (stimulating nerves and the central nervous system). Historically the plant was smoked in the same way as tobacco and due to the smoother respiratory effects was actually touted as an alternative to traditional tobacco products (cigarettes, etc.). However, in 1993 the US FDA prohibited the sale of Lobelia products designed for inhalation as there was no conclusive proof that individuals who smoked the plant would stop smoking cigarettes.

Lobelia can be found in the medical traditions of cultures all over the world, and its inclusion as one of the 50 herbs fundamental in Chinese medicine (Bian Ban Lian) helps it to its position on this list. The lack of any major scientific studies on this plant however, means that it goes no higher than 6.

5. Garlic

France and Italy have loudly, proudly, and extremely pungently, proclaimed the brilliance of this bulbous herb to the world; but they have good reason to do so. Garlic has made an appearance as both a tasty addition to meals, and a vital medicine, in cultures all over the world for over a thousand years. As a member of the onion family (albeit the smelly uncle who lives alone in the corner), Garlic has made a resurgence into mainstream medicine in recent years as science continues to uncover more about this wondrous herb.

Garlic was used by the French gravediggers in the 1700’s (they drank a garlic infused drink to prevent the Plague) and in both World Wars to prevent gangrene. Today garlic is known to have a number of positive health benefits such as decreasing the risk of developing a cardiovascular disease, regulating blood sugar levels, acting as an immunostimulator to help fight illnesses such as the common cold, and there are studies that point to garlic as being a crucial factor in the fight against cancer.

New studies are being preformed on this herb every year, and more and more is becoming known about how garlic acts in helping your body stay healthy. So even though you may think that it is extremely stinky, and may not enjoy the taste that much, as my mother always said ‘eat it, its good for you’.

4. Grapes

For about 6000 years cultures around the Mediterranean have been eating grapes and drinking grape products as a way to stay healthy. From the Ancient Egyptians, to almost every nationality and culture in the modern world, grapes have long been heralded as one of the best ways to stay healthy and fight illnesses. A key example of the health benefits offered by grapes is evident in what modern science refers to as ‘The French Paradox’.

The French paradox is so named due to the fact that the French tend to eat large amounts of high cholesterol and fatty foods (cheese and red meat), however the incidence of heart disease in France is relatively low. Studies have shown that this is due to the high quantities of red wine drunk throughout the country. Red wine (in moderate quantities) has be shown to reduce the chances of an individual developing any form of heart disease, and this is due to a compound found in many types of grape called resveratrol, and for those of you who are too young or who simply don’t enjoy alcohol, purple grape juice is said to have the same effects.

In fact, the antioxidants in grape juice tend to linger in an individuals body longer than the antioxidants contained in wine, so essentially you get more bang for your buck when you drink the juice. However, wine is more likely to increase the amount of good cholesterol in your body than grape juice, so it may be a case of having to drink both!

There is an emerging market in grape-based beauty products as more and more is discovered about the health aspects of this fruit. High Cholesterol, high blood pressure, cancer and pancreatitis are all conditions that are believed to be vulnerable to grapes and their byproducts. So if you haven’t yet, why not go out and by a bottle of red wine today; just remember to drink in moderation.

3. Peppermint

In the holistic medicine world peppermint is often referred to as the world’s ‘oldest medicine’. I know mom loves her peppermint tea in the evening, but I never quite understood why. Apparently the stuff is really good for you. Outside of the fact that peppermint smells extremely nice (the plant contains menthol which is used extensively as a taste enhancer), peppermint has been shown to provide an great amount of relief to individuals suffering from irritable bowel syndrome, improve digestion, soothe upset stomachs, and can relieve tension and headaches.

Peppermint has been shown by modern science to be one of the best digestive aids available in the world and individuals who suffer from digestive problems are often told to use peppermint products for short term relief. From flatulence, menstrual cramps, gallstones and viruses, to skin irritation, itching, and colds, peppermint is a key ingredient in healthcare and beauty products used by many people everyday. In fact this herb is so versatile that it has moved away from purely being a food product and can now be found in everything from toothpaste to shaving cream.

So if you are suffering from a digestive condition that you just can’t seem to shake, or if your life has become a little too stressful, peppermint may just be the answer that you are looking for.

2. Willow Bark – aspirin

Before the days of commercially mass produced pain relieving drugs cultures all over the world used the bark from Willow trees as the way to treat and cure a number of ailments. In fact the use of Willow bark to treat conditions such as headaches and inflammation was so prevalent that one of the first mass produced pain relievers in the world was a chemical relative of the tree, and you probably know it as Aspirin.

The historical use of Willow bark as a medicine dates back to the time of Hippocrates (the same person who is responsible for the Hippocratic Oath) in, about, 400BC. Since then not much has changed for this natural cure and it, or medicines based on it, have been in use ever since.

Willow is used to relieve pain and reduce inflammation/swelling associated with an injury, and it did such a good job at this that the French chemist Charles Gehardt developed a synthetic, easily producible, form of the main ingredient in Willow Bark; Scalicin. The primary difference between willow extract medicine and Aspirin is that willow has a higher tendency to irritate an individual’s bowel while the synthetic/diluted products lessen that effect.

Willow bark has proven extremely effective in treating headaches, pain of the lower back, arthritis, menstrual cramps, ful, fever, and tendonitis. In addition to providing relief for these conditions Scalicin has also been proven to prevent heart disease, and doctors recommend that for people who are more likely to develop (or who have already developed) a serious cardiovascular condition, they should take an aspirin a day.

Willow has the historical clout and versatility to make number one on this list, however the serious side effects, such as the irritation of an individual’s bowel and the fact that a significantly high proportion of the population is allergic to Scalicin related products relegates this cure to a close second.

1. Cannabis Sativa/Cannabis Indica

The top natural cure on this list is definitely not one that my mother would approve of, mainly due to the incredible stigma that has blown up in conjunction with it use in the latter half of the 20th century and the early part of the 21st. However, leaving the entire legalization/recreational aspect of the Cannabis plant aside, historically it has been used for approximately 4,800 years as a viable treatment option all over the world.

Ancient civilizations in Asia, Africa, North and South America all used the cannabis plant as a veritable ‘wonder drug’. Cannabis was used to treat gastrointestinal disorders, insomnia, headaches, and as a pain reliever. In the modern world Cannabis is still being used in much the same way, however science has come up with a range of new uses for the plant.

‘Medical Marijuana’ initiatives are in place in countries all over the world, and prescriptions are usually given to individuals and patients who are in a large amount of pain due to conditions such as cancer or glaucoma. In addition to these medical schemes medicines are being developed from cannabis that are totally independent of the plant (non-smokable, and do not cause the ‘high’ that is associated with regular marijuana). Sativex, for instance, is a spary developed using the THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) from the cannabis plant and has been cleared by a number of governments around the world for the treatment of the symptoms and pain associated with Multiple Sclerosis.

In addition to the Sativex, cannabis based medications are already being developed for the treatment of such illnesses as Parkinson’s Disease and Muscular Distrophy, and with more and more research being preformed on the plant and its chemicals, cannabis based treatment options are likely to grow.

The fact that cannabis has been used throughout human history to help treat such a wide range of conditions gives it the staying power to make number one on our list of natural cures, even though my mom will give me a lot of grief when she reads this.

There you have it, the top 10 natural cures and treatments in the world. Some of the ‘cures’ we have listed above are readily available on the open market while it may take some time to find others. If you are thinking about using a natural cure or alternative therapy for your medical condition you should talk to your doctor first and understand the full impact of the treatment.

Top 10 Superfoods to Improve Your Health

There is an old adage that states ‘you are what you eat’, and it remains as true today as it did hundreds of years ago. In a world where obesity is becoming a serious problem and cholesterol related heart disease is the number one killer in the USA, you don’t have to go too far to find the problem. The food that we eat is, generally, extremely unhealthy. There is a rising trend where individuals are preferring to eat trans-fat laden fast food and other extremely unhealthy produce; leading in a rise to dietary related illnesses. With that in mind here is our list of the 10 healthiest foods in the world.

1. Fish

Throughout the centuries mothers have often told their children to eat fish claiming that it would “make them smart”, and for centuries children have refused to eat the smelly thing on their plate or swallow the spoonful of cod liver oil that was thrust in their direction. According to science however, your mother was right. Not 100% right, but correct enough to know that eating fish is extremely good for you.

Salmon, and other cold-water fish like tuna, mackerel and halibut, are all rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids can decrease blood pressure, lower the risk of stroke, reduce the levels of triglyceride, and reduce the accumulation of plaque in arteries; essentially making it the superhero of the food world. In addition to this, Salmon is also a great source of protein and is low in saturated fat and cholesterol.

So as your mom said, “eat it, its good for you”.

2. Whole Grains

We’re talking about three things when we say ‘whole grains’, and those are bran, germ and endosperm; and if that went way over your head stick with us. Whole grains are the cornerstone to any healthy diet. Rich in vitamins B and E, magnesium, zinc and selenium, these foods are known to help steady blood sugar and insulin levels, and may help reduce the risk of heart disease. Basically whole grains help you regulate your circulatory system and keep you a stable, happy and healthy person.

It is important to note however, that not every food labeled “100% wheat,” “seven-grain,” “organic,” “bran” and “multi-grain” will contain whole grains, and you may have to check the box to ensure that all three grain elements are listed on the ingredients of the food product. Foods like oatmeal, barley, whole wheat flour, and brown rice are all whole grain foods.

3. Nuts

No, not those nuts get your mind out of the gutter; we mean Almonds, Walnuts and Peanuts. Nuts are one of the best sources of protein from plants and are also great for your heart. Even though nuts contain a large amount of fat and calories, they can help weight loss. Some nuts contain helpful amounts of selenium, a powerful antioxidant. Nuts also help the body’s intake of key nutrients and help lower the intake of cholesterol, trans fats, sugars, and excessive sodium. A serving of half an ounce of nuts per day is a heart-friendly snack.

This isn’t a recommendation for you to sit down on the couch and go at it with the peanut butter jar but nuts, like almonds and walnuts, are full of fiber, iron, riboflavin, calcium and magnesium. Almonds are high in calcium and one serving of almonds provides half of your daily allowance of vitamin E. The fat in almonds, a monounsaturated fat, may also help reduce the level of blood cholesterol.

4. Legumes

Beans, lentils, and peas all fall under the Legume classification, essentially these are all the vegetables that, when you were a child, you saw and went ‘eeeewww’. However, the legume family can provide a remarkable amount of energy that can last for hours. A single serving of cooked beans (about one-third of a cup) contains little fat, no cholesterol, only 80 calories, and ample complex carbohydrates.

Apart from the quick energy fix that legumes provide they also contain nutrients like fiber, protein, vitamin B6, folate, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, thiamine, calcium, zinc, manganese, iron and copper; the essential minerals and vitamins that you need to survive. Say what you like about the Legume family, those little beans sure do pack a punch.

5. Spinach

Spinach is probably the only food on this list ever to have a successful marketing campaign. We all remember Popeye from our youth, and who could ever forget the image of that jolly sailor popping open a can of spinach and guzzling it down. In reality spinach is one of the single healthiest foods you can include in your diet. Spinach is rich in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. As spinach has nearly zero calories, you can eat as much of it as you like. Spinach is high in vitamins A, C, E, and B6, iron, folate, riboflavin, magnesium, and calcium. Spinach has nearly half of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C.

The plant compounds found in spinach can help the immune system as well. These compounds are also thought to keep skin and hair healthy as well. A Harvard Medical School study showed that eating spinach may also help your memory as you age. So while this extremely green and leafy vegetable may not appeal to many people, you should definitely start eating the Popeye diet.

6. Apples

The humble apple is often forgotten on many lists in favour of alternate citrus fruits. However, the old saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” is not far from the truth. Apples are rich in fiber and vitamin C. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that protects the body’s cells from damage. Vitamin C also helps keep capillaries and blood vessels healthy by forming the connective tissue collagen. Iron and folate are absorbed more quickly into the blood when vitamin C is present. One apple provides 25% of your daily requirement of vitamin C. Apples also contain other antioxidants, like flavonoids and other polyphenols.

Apples are also high in pectin, which is a type of fiber that lowers glucose and blood cholesterol levels. Pectin is most concentrated in the apple peel, or skin. Apples may help those with blood sugar issues like diabetes, and may also help maintain weight control. Apples are a type of carbohydrate that has a low glycaemic index, or GI. Foods with a low GI are digested slowly. As the food is digested, it is released into the bloodstream as glucose. This causes a gradual rise in the level of blood sugar. Apples are not just a tasty snack but also provide a range of health benefits.

7. Broccoli

Broccoli has the ability to strike fear into the hearts of grown mean at the mere mention of its name, never mind its appearance on the dinner plate. However, this crucifer-cousin spinach, has long been heralded for its health benefits as it contains nutrients like vitamins A, B, C, and K, fiber, calcium, potassium, folate, iron, magnesium, manganese, and phosphorus. Broccoli is also a great source of a range of healthful antioxidants.

Broccoli also contains phytonutrients that help prevent heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Phytonutrients, or phytochemicals, are plant compounds that are thought to slow or even stop the growth of tumors. These phytonutrients also provide a boost to the immune system. So even if you tremble at the thought of this oddly shaped vegetable, give it a chance and you may just live longer.

8. Berries

Berries including pomegranates, blueberries, strawberries, and cranberries are considered
to be highly nutritious. These fruits offer a number of health benefits ranging from
reducing the risk of cancer to inhibiting diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Berries contain vitamins B, C, K, and E, fiber, folic acid, and numerous other
antioxidants.

Blueberries are also among the healthiest of the berry family. They are a low calorie source of vitamin C and fiber. Eating blueberries is thought to help those suffering from diabetes, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease. Blueberries are another excellent source of phytonutrients. Research has shown that eating blueberries fights cancer better than most other fruits. Blueberries are also beneficial to the elderly as they promote memory and slow the aging process. Berries really are a tasty way to improve one’s health.

9. Citrus

Citrus include such fruits as oranges, limes, lemons, and grapefruits. Citrus is the best known source for vitamin C. A single orange has an entire day’s worth of vitamin C. Oranges have been epitomized as the ‘complete package of natural anti-cancer nutrients’. Rich in antioxidants, citrus contains a variety of nutrients known to reduce the risk of cancer as well as heart and eye disease.

10. Tomatoes

Tomatoes are high in vitamins A and C, and the strong antioxidant lycopene. Tomatoes are thought to benefit the heart and lower the risk of cancer. Grape tomatoes in particular are high in vitamins A and C, fiber, and some phytochemicals, which are known to reduce the risk of cancer. Tomatoes contain 40% of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C, and 15% of vitamin A.

The red pigment in the flesh of tomatoes comes from lycopene. Tomatoes provide the single richest source of lycopene. This type of antioxidant can repair damage to DNA that causes wrinkled skin. Recent research also suggests lycopene may lower the risk of prostate, pancreatic, breast, and cervical cancer. Lycopene may also maintain mental and physical functions in older people. An Italian study found that 7 servings of raw tomatoes lower the risk of stomach and rectal colon cancers by 60%. Tomatoes really are an easy way to improve your health.

There you have it, the 10 healthiest foods in the world. It’s not surprising that fruits and vegetables make up a goodly proportion of this list, but it just so happens that they are the healthiest foods available.

5 ways to drink yourself to a healthier lifestyle

With the costs of healthcare rapidly rising everyone is looking to become healthier, mainly so that they can stay away from the doctors office. We have provided some fairly comprehensive advice as to how you can drink yourself to a healthier lifestyle.

1. Drink Beer After Sport

A recent study by Spanish scientists has discovered that it may be better for athletes to have a beer after they play sport than to drink large amounts of water. The study showed that beer, because of its carbonation, was better able to quench thirst than water, and that the carbohydrates found in beer where able to help an individual retain fluids better than any other energy drinks. Even though many previous studies have shown alcoholic beverages to have a diuretic effect, scientists claim that one beer after exercise would not have a high enough alcohol content to create a loss in fluids.

What does this mean? Drinking a beer after working out can help you retain fluids and stay hydrated, keeping your body healthy and happy.

2. Drink More Water

Water makes up approximately 60% of a persons total weight, and is one of the most essential ingredients of your biochemical make up. Over the years there have been many studies on the effect that water has on individuals and how much water a person should drink every day and while there are no hard and fast rules, scientists are fairly certain that everyone in the world should drink approximately 2.2 liters of good old fashioned H₂O everyday.

Why should you drink more water? Outside the fact that water is a major part in your body’s chemistry, it also flushes toxins and unnecessary chemicals from your organs, carries nutrients to cells, and generally makes you feel happier.

3. Find Alternatives to Pure Liquids

Many people find it hard to meet the scientifically prescribed liquid requirements each day. Let’s face it, trying to guzzle down 2.2 liters of water can be tough, and that’s if you remember to do it. There are alternatives out there to help you get the essential liquids that you need that do not involve drinking at all. Food provides almost 20% of a person’s daily total liquid intake, and eating foods that have a high water concentration, such as water melon or cucumbers can be an easy way to avoid having to use the tap.

Failing to absorb more water than you need is one of the major reasons for dehydration, and eating water rich foods can help avoid this as well as provide you with some essential vitamins and minerals. Don’t limit yourself to traditional liquid sources as there are alternatives.

4. Have the occasional glass of red wine

Red wine is a source of a number of beneficial chemicals and minerals that have the potential to prevent a myriad of serious diseases. Science has found that particular compounds in wine known as catechins and resveratrol have anti oxidant and anti cancer properties, and can help you to live longer. A moderate amount of red wine (one to two glasses a day) can help lower a person’s risk of heart disease and decrease the risk of a person developing a peptic ulcer. There can be too much of a good thing, however, and over indulgence of any alcoholic beverage can lead to some dire health consequences, so only imbibe in moderation.

5. Drink more tea

A study by the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition has found that drinking tea is actually better for your body than drinking water. Tea actually re-hydrates your body better than water, and coupled with the fact that tea is thought to prevent a number of serious health conditions, such as cancer, it quickly becomes evident that if you want to drink your way to a healthier lifestyle then tea is the way to go. Drinking 3-4 cups of tea a day can severely reduce the risk of an individual suffering from a heart attack in addition to the fact that tea is able to reduce tooth decay and plaque build up, strengthen bones, and provide large amounts of essential antioxidants. If you want to stay healthy, drink more tea.

10 States Where People Die Young(er)

One of the most surprising things about the USA is the fact that there is a huge disparity in the average life expectancy from state to state. As a country the USA has an average life expectancy of 78.2 years from birth. This ranks the US as the country with the 38^th highest life expectancy in the world, falling just behind Cuba (78.3) and just above Portugal (78.1). This does not mean, however, that every one in the USA will live to an age of 78.2 years, and depending on the state that you live in, you may be living for a much shorter time.

The 10 US states with the lowest life expectancy are:

Rank	State	Life Expectancy
10	Georgia	75.3 years
9	Oklahoma	75.2 years
8	Kentucky	75.2 years
7	Arkansas	75.2 years
6	West Virginia	75.1 years
5	Tennessee	75.1 years
4	South Carolina	74.8 years
3	Alabama	74.4 years

Even though it is not a state Washington DC tops the list with and average life expectancy of 72.6 years fewer than the federal average.

Life expectancy in the USA cannot be solely attributed to income disparity or social gaps, but rather the prevalence of chronic diseases in middle-aged and young adults. Factors such as drug use, infant mortality, income disparity, and violence, which were previously thought to be much more important, have come to play less of a role in determining life expectancies.

Researchers have classified 8 social or ethnic groups in the USA in terms of their life expectancy, and found that Asian Americans are expected to live 6.8 years longer than the national average, or until 85 years of age. This is a 32% longer life span than is associated with Native Americans living in South Dakota, and may say something about the lifestyle choices of the Asian population that lead them to avoid suffering from serious chronic conditions.

The second group with the highest average life expectancies in the USA is made up of an estimated 3.6 million, low income Caucasians, living in the Dakotas, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, and Montana; proving that it is not always a large income that creates a long life. This group, which researchers have dubbed “America 2” are, on average, expected to live for 79 years, still well above the federal average.

Groups 7 and 8, comprising low income rural Southern Blacks and high-risk urban Blacks respectively, are only expected to live until the age of 71. This may be due to a number of factors including the prevalence of unhealthy lifestyles, high HIV/Aids rates, and violence. However, researchers point out that there is still no definitive criteria for determining exactly what will contribute to a longer lifespan, and that their understanding of this topic is still growing.

What they are sure of is, that much of the variation between different states and different ‘groups’ comes down to diet, exercise, and smoking, rather than healthcare, meaning that in order to live longer, you should take care of your self.

8 ways to prevent an early death

In today’s world everyone is trying to lead healthier lifestyles and live longer, but many people aren’t really sure where to start. With that in mind here are 8 easy ways for you to live longer.

1. Don’t oversleep, but make sure you rest up.

This may seem rather confusing, but bear with us. Scientists have found that people who sleep for more that 8 hours a night have a significantly lower life expectancy than the rest of the population, according to a study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry. This does not mean, however, that you are allowed to stay up all night drinking! Scientists also discovered that individuals who got 4 hours or less sleep a night also had reduced life expectancies. The optimal amount of sleep for a normal, healthy adult is between 6 -7 hours a night, and if you can do that consistently then you may live to be a grand old age.

2. Have Sex, and if you’re already doing it, have more.

We all like sex, it is hard wired into our genes, but according to the Journal of the American Medical Association, sex may be more than just a pleasurable reproductive activity. In men, it has been found, that higher rates of ejaculation lead to a lower risk of prostate cancer; and in addition to this, ejaculating causes the body to relax meaning that at the end of the day you will be more rested. Let’s not forget the obvious though, sex makes people happy, and in conjunction with the removal of stress and relaxation factors, this can help lower the risk of a stroke or heart disease, and keep your blood pressure down, leaving you a healthy and balanced person.

3. Get A Vertical Auto Profile Test

Get a what? Yes, that was our initial reaction as well, however a Vertical Auto Profile, or VAP, Test is the most accurate cholesterol test being used in medicine today. It is estimated that approximately 50% of people with heart disease where found to have normal cholesterol levels when using conventional testing methods. Remember that heart disease is the number one cause of death in the USA, and that it is usually caused by high cholesterol, and that 50% becomes pretty scary. What it boils down to is the fact that a VAP has been proven to detect 90% of the people with heart disease that undergo the exam. A VAP is a simple blood test and can let you know, almost immediately, if you need to change your lifestyle. Get a VAP and know whether you’re at risk.

4. Money; get it.

Everyone wants to get rich, but if you want to live longer then having money may actually serve a higher purpose. It’s all about income disparity! A study preformed by the American National Center for Health Statistics essentially tells us that poorer people are more likely to suffer from severe chronic illnesses than their wealthier compatriots. 24% of American who earn under US$ 20,000 a year suffer from a chronic condition, as opposed to the 6% who earn US$ 75,000. There may be a myriad of reasons for this, and researchers often site the fact that richer people can afford better healthcare, however there is no doubt that those in the upper income brackets live much longer than those at the bottom.

5. Stop Smoking

In this day and age it hardly constitutes a revelation when someone tells you that smoking is bad for your health. Emphysema, lung cancer, mouth cancer, constricted blood vessels, rapid aging of the skin, aggressive prostate cancer in men, and impotence (see point 2) won’t do anything for your prospects of a long life. Generally, smokers have a 50% chance of dying younger than non smokers; enough said.

6. Chill Out

Stress can cause the development of heart diseases and lead to severe strokes and as a study by Johns Hopkins University found, individuals with high stress levels where 6 times more likely to have a heart attack before they were 55. Basically what this means is that it is good to kick back and smell the roses every once in a while and let the stress/anger/extreme rage melt away. Go to a masseuse, lay off the caffeine, step out of the board room, and take the time to truly enjoy life. Not only will you live longer, but you will have enjoyed and experienced more at the same time.

7. Relocate…. To Japan.

That may seem like a fairly odd way for you to extend your life, but at 82.6 years, Japan has the highest life expectancy in the world; well above the global average of 67.2. But what is the crucial factor that helps the Japanese live longer? A better diet and lots of green tea, Japan tends to eat more fresh produce than the USA or UK, and Japanese nationals tend to shop at markets everyday; relying less on preservative packed and sugar coated foods than the west has helped Japan crush the competition when it comes to living longer. Maybe this point could have been “eat better food”, but we think that moving to Japan would be a lot cooler.

8. Exercise

This one is a no-brainer, exercising releases endorphins, endorphins make you happy, being happy helps you relax, relaxing helps you live longer; ergo exercise makes you live longer. In addition to the release of endorphins exercise also helps to create muscle, strengthen bones, strengthen your heart, and build up the immune system. People who exercise will always live longer than those who don’t, it’s that simple.

So there you go, these are our tips for living longer, no go out and do it!

Medical tourism becoming a major player in healthcare industry

As the global costs of healthcare continue to rise there has become a unique offering in the Asian medical market as nations like India, Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia are moving to capitalize on their ability to offer high quality medical treatments at lower costs than anywhere else in the world. This new phenomenon of “medical tourism” is becoming increasingly more lucrative for a number of South Asian nations as their operating costs in the healthcare industry tend to be much lower than those associated with the western market; and because the operating costs are lower the cost of treatments is consequently low as well.

Medical tourism comes at a time when the number one reason for individuals in the USA to declare personal bankruptcy is because they are unable to afford their medical bills. The costs of healthcare in the western world have risen to such an extent that it is becoming risky, in the financial sense, for many people to receive the care that they need as by doing so they are potentially lining themselves up for big economic losses. However, with medical tourism comes a plethora of previously unavailable treatment options and the ability to receive quality healthcare at a much lower price than in America or Europe.

The rise of medical tourism as a viable healthcare industry sector around the Asia Pacific region is becoming more evident as innovative healthcare reforms are being instituted by a number of Asian governments. In India the government has established specialist medical tourism service centers to help foreign nationals receive the best treatment possible, Thailand has taken a different route by offering healthcare services in a 5 star resort surrounding complete with tours of Bangkok. Whatever the various governments are doing to entice individuals from overseas into using their medical service, it is working.

In 2005 Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok received approximately 150,000 patients from overseas, while Singapore saw an estimated 374,000 medical visitors for the year. The reason that these countries are so successful is the fact that they are able to offer the same quality of care as can be found in one of the USA’s top hospitals but for a fraction of the price. A typical heart bypass procedure in the USA can cost up to US $130,000 without any complications. This same procedure in Thailand will cost, on average, approximately US$ 11,000 and $ 10,000 in India. Even adding in the costs round trip airfare and the costs of receiving treatment in an Asian medical facility are much lower than that same treatment in an American or European hospital.

Even though the costs associated with a medical tourism destination or hospital may be comparatively lower than many patients are used to they can still be quite expensive. A US$ 10,000 medical bill may be easier to afford than one that costs US$ 100,000, but it is rare for any individual to have that much disposable money ready for just such an event, and in the case of many of the procedures that are gaining popularity in the medical tourism market, they are medically necessary (that is to say that the rather than being cosmetic surgeries, the patient needs the treatment in order to live). The benefits of the medical tourism industry are evident, however it can still be risky to obtain the treatment that is deserved as patients are still liable to significant financial losses as many local insurance plans will not cover treatments overseas.

The only way to protect yourself or your loved ones in a world where medical costs are becoming increasingly more expensive and where local health insurance plans limit a patients ability to choose where they choose treatment is with an international medical insurance policy. By allowing yourself the full range of treatment options associated with an international health insurance plan you are able to choose hospitals and doctors anywhere in the world for your medical care. In a world where the medical tourism industry is exploding and the costs of medical treatment are rising all the time, an international health insurance plan makes sense.

Maternity; The Western and Chinese Traditions.

All over the world, when a woman becomes pregnant, they are customarily expected to act in a certain way and observe local traditions. Customary maternity practices will differ depending on what part of the world you are in, but the most visible differences come from the maternity customs practiced in the West and those that are observed in China. Here are some of the major differences.

Western Maternity Practices

Maternity practices in the west are generally based on large amounts of medical and scientific research as to what is best for mother and child. In terms of these practices, modern western traditions are approximately 200 years old having their roots in the early 1800’s when the modern medical profession began. As such western parents take a rational and logical approach to the whole issue of pregnancy, and tend to follow their doctor’s orders to the letter.

While there are no hard and fast rules pertaining to a western pregnancy it is expected that the mother should eat correctly, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and avoid tobacco and alcohol. A western pregnancy is exemplified by regularly visiting the doctor, receiving comprehensive check ups, and basically ensuring that both mother and child are in good health. Overall western maternity practices make extensive use of all the modern technology available, this included prenatal tests for genetic defects, and ensuring that the child’s development is progressing as expected.

The most common complaint that pregnant women in the west have when pregnant is “morning sickness”(also known as Nausea, Vomiting of Pregnancy or Emesis Gravidarum). Morning sickness is a phenomenon that is experienced by approximately 50 to 95% of all women during their pregnancy and is displayed with symptoms of nausea and vomiting. Although NVP can occur at any point during the day it is most common when a pregnant woman wakes up from a night of sleep, ergo the name, morning sickness.

A developing theory in regards to unborn child development in the west is that by reading aloud to the fetus, and playing classical music (Mozart, Beethoven, and Bach) will have a positive impact on the child’s neural development and essentially make the baby smarter. This has not been conclusively proven by science but is still a popular theory and many expectant mothers in the west will spend their evenings at home reading Shakespeare and Dickens aloud while listening to Mozart.

During western pregnancies it is common for the expectant mother to have a party for the unborn child. These parties are referred to as “baby showers” and typically close friends and relatives will gather to celebrate the new life and give the parents gifts that will be useful when the baby is born. Baby showers have no medical significance, but are considered an important aspect of any western pregnancy, and can be likened to a bridal shower for when a woman gets married.

In terms of the western ideals of keeping both mother and child healthy, these will typically follow the