Mystery of the Swollen Lymph Nodes

This week, I am doing a blog on lymph nodes. The reason why I did not go to class last week was because the left side of my throat and two of my lymph nodes were swollen. I went to the doctor and he gave me some antibiotics. So for this week my question is What is a lymph node? What causes your lymph node to become swollen? What are some of the symptoms?

My doctor said that my lymph nodes were swollen because I had an infection that was probably caused by a cut that got infected. The reason why my throat and lymph nodes on only the left side of my body were swollen is because the cut was on the left side of my body. Very interesting. . .

According to eMedicineHealth, “Lymph glands (also called nodes) are a part of your lymphatic system, which is one of your body's barriers to infection and plays a role in the immune responses. When lymph glands become swollen, it may signal an infection.”
In your body, there are several groups of lymph glands. The common ones that tend to become enlarged or swollen are in your neck, under your chin, in the armpits, and in the groin.

What are lymph nodes?

“Lymph nodes are small clusters of cells, surrounded by a capsule.” (eMedicineHealth) The lymph nodes contain cells called lymphocytes and macrophages. Lymphocytes produce antibodies. Antibodies are protein particles that bind foreign substances and infectious particles. The Macrophages digest the debris. So, theses cells basically clean your body.

The lymph glands are where foreign substances and infections interact with cells from your immune system.

What causes your lymph nodes to become swollen?
Here are some causes for an enlarged or swollen lymph node:

During an infection, a foreign substance causes an increased number of lymphocytes.

Your immune system reacts to a generalized infection in the body. This includes viral infections that can occur with the common cold as well as more serious infections.

Having lymphoma or leukemia causing an uncontrolled malignant multiplication of lymphocytes

Symptoms:
Typical symptoms are an upper respiratory infection (runny nose, sore throat, fever). Exactly what I had. You may feel slightly tender nodes under the skin around your ears, under your chin, under the arm, and one the upper part of your neck.

You may experience a skin infection, redness, or a sore throat, and a feel a gland in the vicinity tracking toward the heart.

Lymph nodes deep inside the body may also swell. This is different from those just under the skin. Swelling of the lymph nodes in the body may cause the blockage in the flow of the lymph node and cause swelling of a limb or a chronic cough.

Sunscreen

My grandma always tells me to put on sunscreen to avoid damaging my skin. Without thinking, I always listen to her. But exactly how does sunscreen protect us from the sun and the harmful UV rays?

According to Scientific American.com, here on earth, we are exposed to UVB and UVA photons. UVB rays have shorter wavelengths so they don’t penetrate deep into you skin. They cause sunburn and skin cancer.

Huh? A Photon?

Before we move on, I would like to ask, “What is a Photon?”
According to Wikipedia, a Photon is. . . “an electromagnetic phenomena. It mediates electromagnetic interactions and makes up all forms of light”


UVA rays have longer wavelengths and penetrate into the deeper layers of your skin. UVA exposure can cause premature aging of the skin and immunological problems.

Scientific American compares sunscreen as acting like a “very thin bulletproof vest” that stops the UV photons before reaching and damaging the skin.
Sunscreen contains organic and inorganic ingredients. The organic molecules such as octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC) or oxybenzone (Everyday Mysteries) absorb the UV rays and dispels it as heat. The inorganic pigments such as zinc oxide or titanium oxide absorb, scatter and reflect the UV rays.
To be effective, a sunscreen product must have adequate amounts of these protective agents. The sunscreen must also be able to be spread evenly over the skin.

SPF?


All I knew about SPF before doing this blog is that the higher the SPF the better. I guess I didn’t have the whole story. . .
On sunscreen labels, SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor.
Sunscreen with higher SPF allows fewer photons that produce sunburn to strike your skin.
Scientific American gives an example of “a SPF 10 sunscreen allowing 10 out of every 100 photons to reach the skin and an SPF 20 product as allowing only 5 out of every 100 photons to reach the skin.”
Because SPF only refers to UVB rays and sunburn, there is also a possibility that a sunscreen product can have a high SPF but still allow UVA photons to reach the skin.
To ensure that UVA rays are also being blocked, the U.S. market requires that the product contains significant levels of zinc oxide, ayobenzone or titanium dioxide. So make sure you check that out before you buy sunscreen!



What about tanning beds?
The UV output is different from bed to bed. In general, tanning beds contains less UVB and more UVA than the natural sunlight. This causes less of a burn and more tanning. In the long run, tanning beds can take a toll on your skin and therefore does not make a safe option.

Coffee. . .The More you drink, the better.

As I was drinking my Starbucks coffee, I wondered to myself “Are there any benefits for me by drinking this cup of coffee?” This led me on a web search on google to find some interesting news about this jolting drink.

While searching the web, I came upon a website called WebMD. This site describes coffee like a wonderful new drug stating

“Want a drug that could lower your risk of diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and colon cancer? That could lift your mood and treat headaches? That could lower your risk of cavities?”

My thought. . .I need to drink more coffee.

Harvard researchers did an 18 year study on126,000 people and found that one to three cups of cafeinated coffee daily can reduce the risk of diabetes. They also found that men and women who drink six cups of coffee or more daily reduce their risk by 54% in men and 30% in women compared to non coffee drinkers. This news sounds good to avid coffee drinkers, but as with every new finding more research is needed. So lets not spend all our life savings on Starbucks.

Studies have even found that coffee can help damage caused by smoking and heavy drinking. It has been found that people who smoke and/or drink heavily and regularly drink large amounts of coffee have less heart disease and liver damage than people who do the same but do not regularly drink coffee.

There is also some amazing evidence that coffee can help in managing asthma and control asthma attacks when medication is unavailable. Coffee can also stop a headache (This one is true, I have experienced it myself), boost a person’s mood, and prevent cavaties (I drink a lot of coffee, but I still have to go to the dentist tomorrow to fix a cavity)


The TOP SECRET ingredient . . .
Drum roll please. . . . .
Caffeine

The higher caffeine content in coffee is to thank for some of coffe’s benefits.
"The evidence is very strong that regular coffee consumption reduces risk of Parkinson's disease and for that, it's directly related to caffeine," DePaulis tells WebMD. "In fact, Parkinson's drugs are now being developed that contain a derivative of caffeine based on this evidence."

Caffeine is the one who helps with asthma and headaches. The medicines used to treat asthma and headaches such as Anacin or Excedrin contains up to 120 milligrams of caffeine.

Caffeine can also help in enhancing athletic endurance and performance.
“It's also caffeine -- and not coffee, per se -- that makes java a powerful aid in enhancing athletic endurance and performance, says physiologist and longtime coffee researcher Terry Graham, PhD, of the University of Guelph in Canada. So powerful, in fact, that until recently, caffeine in coffee or other forms was deemed a "controlled" substance by the Olympic Games Committee, meaning that it could be consumed only in small, designated amounts by competing athletes.”

Very interesting. . . .

Other benefits of coffee not having to do with Caffeine, the once controlled substance. . .

Coffee has a lot of antioxidants (like chocolate). One of these antioxidants is a group of compounds called quinines. These bad boys help increase insulin sensitivity which imporves the body’s response to insulin.
Also, a compound called trigonelline that gives coffee its wonderful aroma and bitter taste have antibacterial and anti-adhesive properties. These compounds help prevent dental cavities.

Caution!

Coffee is not for everyone. Its bolt of energy can leave people with increased nervousness, hand trembling, and rapid heartbeat. Coffee may also cause artery clogging and increased cholesterol levels.
On most helthy people, there are no significant adverse side effects.
Caution should be put on pregnant women, hearth patients, and people at risk of osteoporosis. For people under these conditions, coffee should be limited or avoided altogether.

Here is more in depth information on the benefits of coffee.

ABC news on coffee benefits

Super cool link on coffee benefits

Chocolate

Since Valentines Day is around the corner and stores are packed full of Valentines treats, the most popular of all is chocolate. I decided to ask the question, “Is chocolate good for you?”
While walking around Wal-Mart doing some shopping on Saturday night, my boyfriend and I ended up buying three bags of chocolate (Hershey’s, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and dark chocolate kisses). When we went home and unloaded the bags my boyfriend said, “Wow, I can’t believe we bought all that chocolate. I don’t think that’s healthy.” That got me thinking about something that I saw on a T.V. commercial about chocolate being a good source of antioxidants. Now, here I am wondering, “Is chocolate good for you?”

According to an article in the Yale-New Haven Nutrition Advisor, chocolate has some beneficial health effects.

1.Chocolate contains a different type of saturated fat.
Chocolate contains cocoa butter. Cocoa butter is high in saturated fat. Amazingly, only one third of chocolates fat are from stearic acid. Stearic acid does not raise your Low-density Lipoprotein or (LDL cholesterol). LDL cholesterol is your bad cholesterol. Too much LDL cholesterol circulating in your blood can cause build up on the inner walls of your arteries that feed the heart and the brain. With other substances, a hard thick plaque can form causing your arteries to clog. Another benefit of stearic acid is that it is converted in the liver to oleic acid. This is a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat.

One third of the total fat in chocolate comes from oleic acid. According to Yale –New Haven, “In a recent study, volunteers followed a diet with the majority of their fat calories coming from either chocolate or from butter. The volunteers who consumed chocolate fat did not show an increase in their cholesterol levels, but those who ate butterfat developed elevated LDL cholesterol levels.”

2. Antioxidants anyone?
Chocolate contains over 300 naturally occurring chemicals. Chocolate was found to be potent in antioxidants called phenols. These cocoa phenols are found to prevent bad cholesterol from causing that nasty plaque buildup in the arteries. It was also found that more phenols were contained in darker chocolate. Pure and darker chocolates may be healthier for you and provide the most health benefits.

3.Don’t worry about caffeine.
Chocolate contains less caffeine than you may think. An average piece of chocolate contains only 10 mg of caffeine while a one cup of coffee contains 100mg of caffeine. WOW!

4.I got a craving for chocolate!
There are substances found in chocolate that make us crave it! The substance Phenylethylamine is found in chocolate and triggers feelings similar to falling in love. (Maybe that’s why the stores are full of chocolate on Valentines Day?)
A substance called anadamide is also found in chocolate. This substance stimulates brain receptors in a way that is similar to other addictive substances.
Tingling taste buds can also account for chocolate cravings. It is the wonderful sensation of chocolate melting on your tongue. This sensation occurs because the melting point of chocolate is 97 degrees. When the taste buds are excited endorphins are released from the brain.
For the women, there is a link between hormonal fluctuations and chocolate cravings.

5. Awww…The drawbacks of chocolate
Chocolate has been associated with kidney stones, headaches, acne, allergies, dental cavities, and premenstrual syndrome.

Like everything. . .Moderation is the key
The best way to go about eating chocolate is in moderation. Remember to keep a balanced diet.


Since Valentines day is around the corner, maybe a nice bar of chocolate will be a healthy as well as love inducing gift for that special someone.


Here are some links about chocolate:

How is chocolate made?

The history of chocolate

What is Aloe Vera?

Aloe vera gel.



My post is on Aloe vera. When I was little, my grandpa would go to the back of the house, cut off a piece of an aloe plant and put the aloe juice on my cuts. Once, I got bitten by a spider and my grandpa put aloe on it. Another time I got burned and my grandpa put aloe on it too. It amazingly worked and I was up and playing again in seconds. I always wondered why he did that. So my question is what is aloe? What can aloe be used for?


Aloe vera is a plant decending from the lily plat. An orange-yellow sap can be seen when a leaf of aloe vera is cut from the top. There are more than 200 speices of aloe but the aloe plant found most beneficial is the Aloe Vera Barbadensis. It has many uses for example, for beauty, health, skin care, and medicines.



The Scientific classification of Aloe Vera Plant

Kingdom:Plantae
Division:Magnoliophyta
Class:Lilliopsida
Order:Asparagales
Family:Asphodelaceae
Genus:Aloe
Species:A. vera
Binomial name
Aloe vera


The main uses of the Aloe vera plants are as a food preservative and as medicine.

Aloe vera as a food preservative:

There has been a preservative gel based on Aloe Vera founded by the researchers at the Univeristy of Miguel Hernandez in Alicante, Spain. This Aloe gel is said to prolong the conservation of fresh produce. It is tasteless, colorless, and odorless. This gel is natural, safe, and environmentally friendly. It is a good alternative to sulfur dioxide, which is a synthetic preservative.

Aloe Vera as Medicine:·Aloe vera is used in creams, lotions, gel, liquid, spray and capsule.
·It is helpful in the treatment of acne, scalp care, burns, stings, sprains, sunburns, eczema, sore muscles, arthritis, scrapes, cold sores, scalds, abrasions, psoriasis, bruises etc.
·It provides relief from itching and also helps in healing blisters.
·It is very beneficial for skin disorders.
·The juice from aloe vera plant is used in the treatment of ulcers, heartburn and other digestive disorders.
·The juice of aloe vera acts as an anti-inflammatory agent and reduces the amount of stomach juices.
·It lightens the dark spots on the face and reduces the intensity of pigmentation.
·It is used as a moisturizer and helpful in removing dead cells.
·It is also helpful in the penetration of healthy substances.
·Aloe vera is beneficial in stimulating the production of elastin and collagen which are necessary for preventing the aging of the skin.
·Pain in the joints and muscle pain occurred due to arthritis is reduced by the application of aloe vera sprays or gels.
·The gel of aloe vera provides benefit in reducing triglycerides, total cholesterol and blood fat lipid levels.
·The extract of aloe vera reduces blood sugar levels.
·Aloe vera drink is used as a tonic by some patients.
·It is helpful in healing such as anti-oxidant, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties.
·It is beneficial in reducing obesity and breaks down the fat globules.








The components of Aloe Vera can be divided into the following groups:

1. Vitamins
It is rich in all vitamins including Vitamin D, especially the antioxidant Vitamins A (beta-carotene), C and E and even contains a trace of Vit. B12, one of the very few plant sources of this vitamin. This is important for vegetarians and vegans.

2. Enzymes
Several different types of these biochemical catalysts when taken orally aid digestion by breaking down fat and sugars.
One in particular, Bradykinase, helps to reduce excessive inflammation when applied to the skin topically and therefore reduces pain, whereas others help digest any dead tissues in wounds. Lipases and proteases which break down foods and aid digestion are present.

3. Minerals
Calcium, Sodium Potassium, Manganese, Magnesium, Copper, Zinc, Chromium and the anti-oxidant Selenium. Although minerals and trace elements are only needed in very small quantities, they are essential for the proper functioning of various enzyme systems in different metabolic pathways.

4. Sugars
These are derived from the mucilage layer of the plant which surrounds the inner gel. and are known as mucopolysaccharides, which enhance the immune system and help to detoxify. Aloe Vera contains both mono and polysaccharides, but the most important are the long chain sugars involving glucose and mannose or the gluco-mannans which I have already referred to. These sugars are ingested whole from the gut, not broken down like other sugars, and appear in the bloodstream in exactly the same form. This process is known as pinocytosis. Once in the blood stream they are able to exert their immuno-regulating effect. Some of these polysaccharides are not absorbed but stick to certain cells lining the gut and form a barrier preventing absorption of unwanted material so helping to prevent a "leaking" gut syndrome. In topical preparations the sugars are also the main moisturisers.

5. Anthraquinones
There are twelve of these Phenolic compounds which are found exclusively in the plant sap. In small quantities, when they do not exert their purgative effect, they aid absorption from the gastro-intestinal tract and have anti-microbial and pain killing effects. In some commercial health drinks, the anthraquinones are removed because of the fear of producing abdominal pain or diarrhoea, but I feel that they are actually beneficial in small amounts. The important ones, Aloin and Emodin, act as painkillers. They also function as anti-bacterials and anti-virals.

6. Lignin
This in itself is an inert substance but when included in topical preparations it endows Aloe Vera with a singular penetrative effect so the other ingredients are absorbed into the skin.

7. Saponins
These soapy substances form about 3% of the Aloe Vera gel and are capable of cleansing, having antiseptic properties. These act powerfully as anti-microbials against bacteria, viruses, fungi and yeasts.

8. Fatty Acids
Cholesterol, Campesterol, b. Sisosterol and Lupeol.
These four plant steroids are important anti-inflammatory agents.

9. Salicylic acid
An aspirin-like compound possessing anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.

10. Amino Acids
The body needs 22 amino acids – the gel provides 20 of these. More importantly, it provides 7 out of the 8 essential amino acids which the body cannot synthesise.

Aloe vera sounds like an amazing plant. Maybe even more amazing than Noni. . .My grandpa trusted this plant so much as to use it to heal my injuries. I plan on growing my own aloe plant when I have my own house and using it with my children.



Here are links to my sources:
Mauritius Aloevera.com
Wikipedia on Aloe vera
Aloe Vera Myth of Medicine

humu­humu­nuku­nuku­āpua'a

My post this week is about the humu­humu­nuku­nuku­āpua'a. I hear about this fish all of the time and never have seen it up close and personal. After all, it is our state fish. . .So, I'm curious about. . .What type of fish is it? What does it eat? Where is it found?

This little fish has such a long name, that I shall refer to it as humuhumu.

The humuhumunukunukuapua’a is a reef, rectangualr, or wedge-tail triggerfish. It is also called a Picasso triggerfish. The Hawaiian name humuhumunukunukuapua’a, means “triggerfish with a snout like a pig”.

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Tetraodontiformes
Family: Balistidae
Genus: Rhinecanthus
Species: R. rectangulus

Binomial name
Rhinecanthus rectangulusBloch & Schneider, 1801

The humuhumu's teeth are set close together inside its relatively small mouth, and it has a small second spine, which it can use to lock its first spine into an upright position. The triggerfish will wedge itself into small crevices and lock their spine to make it almost impossible to get them out. In addition, when fleeing predators, the triggerfish will sometimes make grunting noises, possibly to warn other nearby triggerfish of danger at hand. They hide in crevasses

They feed on alge and also mollusks and crabs.
The humuhumu are found in the salt water coasts of the indo-Pacific ocean. They are found promenently in the coral reefs in the Hawaiian Islands.

In 1990, the humuhumu’s time as the Hawaii state fish finished due to the expiration of a Hawaii state law. Then in 2006, a bill was passed that reinstated the humuhumu as our state fish once again!

Humuhumunukunukuapua’a is such a long name for a fish, but not the longest.
The longest fish name in Hawaiian is that of the butterflyfish (Forcipiger longirostris). Its name is lauwiliwilinukunuku’oi’oi meaning “long-snouted fish shaped like a wiliwili leaf".

Wasmannia auropunctata or Little Fire Ants

On the Big Island there is a new invasive specie. It is the little fire ant and it packs a stinging bite. These little ants are driving workers away from their farms.

So, who are these little fire ants? Where are the from? Why are they so painful?

“The little fire ant, a native of South America, has been spreading since it was first discovered in Hawaiian Paradise Park in 1999, state agriculture officials said.
The tiny light-brown ant is no bigger in length than the edge of a penny, but it can pack a painful punch -- fire ant stings cause immediate dime-size red welts on the skin that last at least several days, followed by intense itching.”

About the Little Fire Ant:
Description:
The little fire ant is very small, about 1/16 of an inch long.
Pale orange and slow moving.

Sting:At first, the sting may feel like being poked by a needle. It later becomes very itchy.


Where do you find little fire ants here?

They are often found in potted plants, flowers and ornamental foliage or on the ground. Colonies are small, numerous and not under ground They can be in virtually any protected spot such as under a single leaf.

To date, there are about 40 infestation sites in East Hawai`i.

According to Patrick Conant, entomologist with the State of Hawai`i’s Department of Agriculture, it is believed that the little fire ants have spread in East Hawai`i primarily via potted plants.

"We need to concentrate on controlling little fire ants in nurseries and landscapers so the ant is not spread around inadvertently," Conant said.

Where do little fire ants nest?

According to the University of Florida’s Department of Entomology and Nematology, the little fire ant nests under leaf debris, rotten tree limbs, rocks, and in trees or clumps of grass. Nests are frequently found behind the sheaths of palms. The little fire ant is highly adaptable, nesting in both open and shaded areas, seeming to thrive equally well under moist or dry conditions.

During heavy rains nests may be moved into buildings or trees.

What kind of foods attract little fire ants?

Food in homes, such as butter, peanut butter, and other oily materials are preferred by the ant.



What can be done to control the little fire ant?

Nurseries and landscapers with little fire ants should treat their plants with insecticides before transporting them. Doing this would go along way toward solving the problem of spreading infestation, according to entomologist Patrick Conant.

Meanwhile the Hawai`i Department of Agriculture also requires inspection of potted plants moving off the Big Island.

The Department of Agriculture has used Amdro ant bait to eliminate a few of the smaller infestations of little fire ants (of less than a few acres) on the Big Island. Larger infestations are extremely difficult to eradicate.

Amdro ant bait is readily available at local gardening supply and hardware stores. Be sure to read the label before purchase so you know where it is legal to use and what the hazards of using it are.

Checking for presence of the little fire ant

Please report any possible fire ant infestations by submitting specimens to the Hawai`i Department of Agriculture.

Here’s a homemade method of taking ant specimens. Chopsticks smeared with a thin coat of peanut butter works best. Put the chopstick in shady spots, at the bases of trees and shrubs, and leave it out for about an hour. Put the ant-laden chopstick in a Ziploc bag, label it with your name and phone number, and put in the freezer overnight.

Call Kyle Onuma or Patrick Conant at the Hawai`i Department of Agriculture at 974-4140 to arrange for the specimen delivery.


The little fire ant is blamed for reducing species diversity, reducing overall abundance of flying and tree-dwelling insects, and eliminating arachnid populations. It is also known for its painful stings. On the Galapagos, it eats the hatchlings of tortoises and attacks the eyes and cloacae of the adult tortoises. It is considered to be perhaps the greatest ant species threat in the Pacific.


The taxonomy of the Little Fire Ant:

Kingdom: Animalia Linnaeus, 1758 - animals
Subkingdom: Bilateria (Hatschek, 1888) Cavalier-Smith, 1983 - bilaterians, triploblastic animals
Branch: Protostomia Grobben, 1908 - protostomes
Infrakingdom: Ecdysozoa Aguinaldo et al., 1997 ex Cavalier-Smith, 1998 - ecdysozoans
Phylum: Arthropoda Latreille, 1829 - arthropods
Class: Insecta Linnaeus, 1758 - insects
Order: Hymenoptera Linnaeus, 1758 - ants, bees, wasps
Family: Formicidae
Genus: Wasmannia
Species: auropunctata Species Authority: (Roger, 1863)