Vitamin Information Center

Avian Influenza
Synonyms
Avian flu; Bird flu; Fowl pest; Fowl plague
Cross-References
 Influenza and Avian Influenza

Ailment
Synonyms
Disease; Illness
Definition
Disease represents impairment of the normal state or
functioning of the body as a whole or of any of its
parts. Some diseases are acute, producing symptoms
that last short period of time, for example, flu, pneumonia.
There are also chronic disorders, such as, arthritis,
hypertension, etc. that last for a long time. Diseases
are usually classified according to cause. External
factors that produce disease are infectious agents,
including bacteria, viruses, fungi, but also disease may
occur as a consequence of different chemical and physical
agents such as drugs, poisons, radiation. Some diseases
are inherited and some of them acquired due to
environmental, infectious and various lifestyle factors.
Also, many diseases are attributed to emotional disturbances.
Most diseases occur as a result of an interaction
between the body and the environment. In ancient
times disease was ascribed to supernatural, spiritual,
and humoral factors.

Everyone gets sick sooner or later. Even though you can’t entirely stop a cold you can prevent it from getting stronger and lasting longer. I would like to share with you today a few things you can do to over come your common colds.

When you get sick it is a virus that has entered your body. You have what I like to call helper cells that multiply to fight the illness that is upon you. The thing is your cells create new cells every time a new virus enters your body. A certain cell is created specifically for the virus that is affecting you at the time. Once your cells have defeated the virus you will never get sick from that same virus again because you have those cells in your body ready to fight before it affects you. There are many different forms of every virus so although it may seem like your getting the flu for the 50th time it’s actually the flu but a different type than the other 50.

Things you can do to over come these colds are simple but very effective. You can get a shot which is pretty much like planting those helper cells in you so they are there to fight instead of waiting till your sick to form and fight. This way is the most effective when it comes to fighting the common colds.

Another way you can prevent the common cold is to make sure you get a lot of vitamins everyday. I know people that have been taking vitamins all there life and they are never sick. Now I’m not saying you won’t get sick, I’m just saying this will help. Vitamins help strengthen your immune system which is like your army for the war against the cold.

A few other things that can be done are what most people do; go get the cold medicine at the local pharmacy or store. The pharmacies are always getting the newest kinds of medicine for all types of aches and pains but sometimes can be very expensive. The other things you can do are eating healthy and take care of your body. Make sure you brush your teeth at least two times a day and take showers everyday. It is also good to have some sort of yearly check ups with your family doctor. If you have been keeping a good hygiene and taking good care of yourself you will be fine.

AMERICANS spend more money on vitamin C, roughly $330 million a year, than on any other purportedly immune-boosting supplement, according to the Nutrition Business Journal. Perhaps because it’s been around so long.

“People take vitamin C during cold and flu season because since the 1950s, that’s pretty much what we’ve all been told to do,” said Daniel Fabricant, vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs for the Natural Products Assn., a Washington, D.C.-based trade association. “It’s just in our subconscious mind-set.”

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CATCHY packaging and celebrity endorsements have done much to make Airborne a hot seller among consumers eager to keep colds and flu at bay. The product, famously created by a schoolteacher who was tired of catching germs from her students, racked up more than $100 million in sales in 2006, after just a few years on the market.

Though individual consumers swear by the product and write to the company with testimonials of their satisfaction, hard evidence of the dissolvable tablets’ efficacy is nonexistent. Continue Reading…

Though many people have not even heard of Lupus, it is common - more common than some well-known diseases such as multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and leukemia. But because not much is known about the disease, treatment of lupus is made more difficult. What is lupus, exactly?

Diagnosis and treatment of lupus is made more complicated by the fact that currently, there is no one single test that can positively identify the disease. In fact, lupus is often mistaken for other diseases with some similar symptoms, such as multiple sclerosis or arthritis. In fact, lupus is an auto-immune disease in which the body essentially “turns” on itself. When this happens the body creates antibodies that attack the body rather than protect it.
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By Michelle Carolla

Americans spend more than $7 billion a year on vitamins. But how do you know if you need vitamins and supplements?

A study in the Journal of American Medical Associations reports insufficient vitamin intake is an apparent cause of chronic disease. The American diet does not normally provide adequate amounts of vitamins.

Mary Ellen Scarborough, a registered dietician, told News 13 what’s important is what you eat. Eating whole, fresh foods and not processed, fatty foods is the best way to ensure you’re getting the proper amount of vitamins. Continue Reading…

Reported by: Kory Raftery