Fact and Opinion

Losing One's Taste

2008-10-22T05:39:00.000-07:00

Fallacy: We lose our sense of taste whenever we catch a cold.

Fact: The most frequent complaint from people suffering from a cold is that they have lost their sense of taste. This, of course, is incorrect. Laboratory tests of such people have shown that their taste buds are functioning normally. What then must then be the underlying cause for their complaints?
Taste and smell are two senses closely, related. Many times we often label as taste what really is smell. This is not surprising , though. When food is in the mouth, its odors pass through the nasopharynx, the link between the nasal and oral cavities, to the receptors of smell.
Most people are not aware that the olfactory system is thousands of times more sensitive to odor than the taste system is to flavors. So, when the nasal passages are blocked by a cold, it may seem as if the ability to taste has been lost. Actually, what is missing is the smell of the food that is being eaten

Mouthwash

2008-10-22T05:23:00.001-07:00

Fallacy: Mouthwash can cure bad breath.

Fact: Mouthwash does not remove the causes of bad breath. It can only mask the odor.
There are many possible sources of bad breath, it may be caused by decaying teeth, trapped particles of stale food, infections of the nasal cavity or lungs, uncontrolled diabetes, or eating foods rich in garlic and onions.
To avoid bad breath, it is important that an individual maintain proper oral hygiene. Regularly brushing and flossing after meals, eating the right kind of food, and regular visits to the dentists are effective measures

Sore Eyes

2008-10-22T04:25:00.000-07:00

Fallacy: Sore eyes can be treated with mother's milk.

Fact: Despite the many innovations in science, some people still cling to old beliefs and practices. They can't easily accept that most of those beliefs were just mostly based on coincidence, usually brought about by the ignorance and gullibility of old folk. One such practice is the use of mother's milk instead of a doctor's-prescribe medicine to treat sore eyes. The milk is obtained from a lactating mother, into a dropper, then apply regularly on eyes. However, ophthalmologists (physician that specialize in the diseases of the eye) say that each regimen just pose more harm than cure.
Sore eyes or red eyes or in the medical term, conjunctivitis, in the inflammation of conjunctiva due to infection, allergy, mechanical irritation. Conjunctiva is the mucous membrane that lines the inner surface of the eyelids and forepart of the eyeballs.
Milk is a fluid secreted by the mammary glands of females for the nourishment of their young. Mother's milk is prescribed for babies up to 2 years because it contains essential nutrients and antibodies. However., there is no scientific evidence that mother's milk has components potent enough to kill conjunctivitis-causing microorganisms. Usually a physician will prescribe chloramphenicol or any anti infective eye drops as medication for sore eyes.
So next time you catch the red eyes don't go looking for a lactating mother. It is more advisable to get the res out by visiting an ophthalmologists

Dairy Diet and Lactose Intolerance

2008-05-19T13:56:00.000-07:00

FALLACY: Lactose-intolerant individuals should limit their dairy consumption FACT: Recent information says that this not necessarily true. Many people who think they are lactose intolerant really aren't. In fact, doctors even suggest adding dairy products to their diet to overcome the symptoms. Most symptoms occur when large quantities of lactose (such as that found in a double-decker ice cream, for example) are consumed by people who wouldn't otherwise consume dairy products. The symptoms occur because most of these individuals lack sufficient quantities of the lactose-metabolizing enzyme called lactase.

The hope lies in the bacteria naturally found within the intestines, which can also help the break down of milk sugars. Those bacteria can be conditioned to actively you only need to get sufficient dairy products in you diet.
However, lactose intolerance should not be confused with gastrointestinal milk allergy. The latter results from a sensitivity to milk, and usually to the milk protein betalactoglobulin. The disease shows up during early infancy.

Snoring

2008-05-08T20:16:00.000-07:00

FALLACY: There is nothing wrong with snoring.

FACT: Loud snoring associated with gasping, choking, pauses in breathing and sudden awakening are symptoms of sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea syndromes are group of serious sleep disorders marked by repeated stops in breathing while a person is sleeping. These stops are long enough to dramatically decrease the amount of oxygen and increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the blood. There are two types of sleep apnea: obstructive and central. The former occur when the throat or the upper airway is blocked while the latter occur as a result of a dysfunction in the brain part that controls breathing.
In some cases, a prolonged imbalance of oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the blood results in a decreased sensitivity of the brain. In this case, the obstructive sleep apnea is coupled with central sleep apnea. Persons who have observed the symptoms mentioned above must not take them for granted. In the long run, sleep apnea can cause disruptions in a person's daytime functions and a increase in complications. Headache, excessive daytime sleepiness, slowed mental activity, heart failure and pulmonary insufficiency are some of the major complications.

Is Cough is Desease?

2008-05-08T18:32:00.000-07:00

FALLACY: Cough is a disease.

FACT: Cough is the sound produced by the sudden explosion of air through the mouth. The sudden expulsion of air forces out whatever it is that causes irrtitation. Cough is not a disease. It is a symptom of various kinds of disease that affect the breathing apparatus. The sensation that there is something in the throat that has to be removed is called dry cough. Wet cough, on the other hand, involves phlegm. Expectorants can help liquefy mucus while honey can soothe irritated throat. We cough for a good purpose, which is why it must not be stopped. To prevent spread of infection, however, the mouth must be covered with a handkerchief or towel when coughing with your mouth closed cause irritation.

Colds

2008-04-04T01:11:00.001-07:00

FALLACY: Rainy and cold weather cause colds.

FACT: The cold is the most common human ailment and children ages on to five are most susceptible. Colds are spread by respiratory droplets or by contaminated hands or objects. Although the incidence of colds is higher during the rainy or cold season, exposure to chilling or dampness is considered to be of little significance. Any one of up 200 viruses( such as the rhinoviruses, coronaviruses, or respiratory syncytial virus) can cause colds, to which it seems no one is immune. Infection with a viral strain confers only temporary immunity to that strain.

Strenuous Activities

2008-04-03T23:04:00.000-07:00

FALLACY: Strenuous activities after meals can cause appendicitis.

FACTS: Strenuous activity after eating has nothing to do with appendicitis. Appendicitis is the inflammation of the appendix caused by a luminal obstruction secondary to lymphoid hyperplasia or the enlargement of the lymph glands that is caused by systemic illness such as viral infections or baterial enterocolitis, parasites, and tumors.
Possibly confusing it is, actually, a painful inflammation such that its rupture causes the spread of toxic substances into the bloodstream. In some cases, maltreatment can even lead to death.
Symptomsof appendicitis are abdominal pain, vomiting, the loss of appetite and sometimes fever. Any person at any age 9 even children ) could have appendicitis. The common cause among children is fecalith, a concretion or solidification formed from intermingled or mixed fecl material or feces absorbed by the appendix.
The only treatment for a patient with appendicitis is operation known appendectomy. It is alsobest that the inflammation be dtected at its earlist stages to avoid complications.