Patricia Holden MD|

If you’ve read my previous post about some of the disease outbreaks that hit the world hard, then you should know how horrible diseases can be when they spread. It’s not only the death toll that is fearful about it but also the chaos that accompanies such outbreaks. People trying to isolate themselves so they don’t get infected, people begging to be cured, the disease-free trying to push away the infected…things like that.

A good example (where the newer generation can relate) of a scenario would be what occurred in World of Warcraft. You can read about it here. to summarize, people (players) avoided each other to avoid the effects of the “plague”. It became so popular that it attracted attention from the media. Medical researches even went so far as to claim that massively multiplayer roleplaying games could serve as a good platform for studying disease outbreaks. My husband would be so proud.

So exactly what do we do in case such things occur? SARS was one of the latest that hit the world and I believe you guys already know how that went. Anyway, like any illnesses, there are ways to avoid contracting them. Here are some good tips on how to do so.

Keep yourself clean - Take a bath often, wash your hands before eating and after using the toilet. Stuff like what our mothers once told us to do. Those practices were instilled in us for a reason. That is, to prevent us from getting sick. The healthier our body would be, the better it can protect from disease causing microorganisms.

Get immunization - I remember getting vaccinations since I can…uhh, remember things. Immunization is a good way of preventing certain diseases from entering your body. Just remember to keep them up. Just because you got a shot doesn’t mean it will last forever.

Watch what you eat - I’m not talking about diet, although I would also recommend that. What I really meant was to make sure that the food that you eat are well-prepared and in good condition. When I say well-prepared, I meant that it was cooked in a clean environment and cooked well enough to kill any bacteria that may have been present when it was still raw.

Don’t share personal items - Things like your toothbrush and comb should be used by yourself only. Especially your toothbrush, since it goes in your mouth and would be the easiest place for bacteria to enter. With that in mind, don’t share your glass and eating utensils unless you are absolutely sure that the other person is healthy. Better yet, don’t risk it.

Keep your pets healthy - It’s not only from people that you can get infected. Pet’s can be carriers too. With that said, it’s important to keep your pets healthy and have them vaccinated. Make sure to keep their environment clean as well so they don’t get sick.

Avoid traveling to high-risk places - Don’t travel to places where there’s an outbreak. It think that’s obvious enough. Before going anywhere, try to gather information about possible illnesses you may contract from the area as well as other potential dangers. This goes both ways as well. If you are sick or contracted a disease, avoid traveling to keep it from spreading to other people you meet.

Stay at home - If you already show signs of infection, then by all means stay at home! Try to keep your family members from leaving as well if possible as they may already be infected. Get a doctor immediately and admit yourself to the hospital when needed. We can do our part in preventing diseases from spreading by doing this. Well, unless you turn into a zombie.

Jellyfish stings are painful. Especially during the first five minutes after the sting. Do jellyfish stings hurt right away? As far as I know, yes. As soon as the stings of jellyfish (nematocysts) on the tentacles activate and inject venom, you should feel it right away. I did mention about it in a previous article but just a reminder, when you get stung, immediately try to get out of the water or seek help from nearby swimmers. The sting could lead to anaphylaxis and the victim has a high chance of drowning. Being stung by a box jellyfish type is a different matter entirely as their venom can be fatal to humans. For now, let’s focus on what materials we could use in first aid for jellyfish stings.

Vinegar - Probably the most recommended material to use when treating jellyfish stings. Vinegar deactivates the nematocysts (jellyfish sting cells). Afterwards, pluck the tentacles with forceps or scrape them off with the edge of a flat object like an ID card.

Saltwater - Well, it’s still being debated whether salt water or fresh water is better used for rinsing the stung part. Salt water was used when I got stung before so I’ll go with that. It is after all the most accessible material (you are near the sea or ocean, after all).

Urine - Urine is considered as a common folk remedy when treating jellyfish stings. And like most common folk remedies…they don’t work. There have been reports of jellyfish stings reactivating after being peed on so that means more pain. I wouldn’t try it if I were you.

We eat food daily…but did you know that some of what you are eating are actually aphrodisiacs? Like in my previous post, some foods and herbs act as aphrodisiacs. However, there is still no scientific proof that they indeed work as such and may be only in the mind of those who eat them. Here are some more that you may not know about.

Balut - Popular in the Philippines and Vietnam, balut is fertilized duck (or chicken) egg with an almost developed embryo that is boiled and eaten. They are common everyday foods in the Philippines and Vietnam. Balut became popular after it was featured in different television shows like Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern, Fear Factor, and Amazing Race. It is believed in the country to be an aphrodisiac.

Mamey Sapote Melon - Mamoy Sapote is a tree native to South America and Mexico. The fruit can be eaten by hand or turned into milkshakes or ice cream. The skin is rough like sand paper but the melon itself is creamy and sweet and is a popular delicacy. To tell when it is ripe, just peel a part of its skin and see if it’s already pink. It is also believed to be an aphrodisiac in the countries it is popular in.

Carrots - Yes, you read right. Carrots are also believed to be aphrodisiacs in some countries like in the Middle East. Although there are no known nutrients in carrots that aid in sexual stimulation, it does have beta-carotene and have high amounts of vitamins. Maybe it is because of its shape that some people use it to aid in increasing sexual desire. What do I mean? Use your imagination.

Avocado - Avocado is a tasty fruit that’s pretty common in South America, Mexico, and Central America. The requirement for the tree itself to grow is a climate with no frost and low winds. The soil it requires can only be found in countries like the United States, Philippines, Malaysia, Mexico, Central America, Peru, Chile, Indonesia, and Vietnam. The name refers to the fruit itself and originated from the Aztec word “Ahuacuatl” meaning “testicle”, referring to its shape. I don’t think I need to explain why people think of it as an aphrodisiac then.

Asafoetida - Also known as Devil’s Drug and can be found in India. The herb has a very strong garlic flavor when raw but develops a smooth flavor when used in cooked dishes. It is commonly used as a digestive aid but is also used as a sexual stimulant in Ayurvedic medicine. It has a very strong odor and must be kept in air-tight containers.

Aphrodisiacs are believed to increase sexual desire although there have been no medical evidence of any substance producing the effect. I bet with just the title, chocolate immediately came to mind. Yes, chocolate is one of these. There are also some others that seem to produce the effect. Based on different reports and findings, it may simply because of the people’s belief that they are indeed effective. Here are 5 of the said foods and herbs.

Chocolate - Well since it’s the most popular one, I’d feel dirty not to include it in the list. Chocolates have usually been used when courting and are some of the most popular gifts all over the world. The phenethylamine in chocolates could act as sexual stimulants and the pleasure from eating them could stimulate the hypothalamus (read: the one that is responsible for your emotions - it’s not really the heart that makes you feel such).

Oysters - Like mentioned earlier, there are actually no indication of oysters having a substance that improves sexual desire. Although it is possible that it may be the pleasure from eating them that stimulates the hypothalamus to produce a pleasurable sensation, it is also possible that it may be because of its shape. Just look at the picture.

Ginseng - Well, particularly red ginseng. It is basically Panax ginseng (Asian) that is harvested after 6 years then heated, either by sun-drying or steaming. It is then included as an ingredient in herbal drinks. Red ginseng is a known medicine in treating erectile dysfunction and is widely believed as an aphrodisiac.