Lifestyle and Health Tips

Did you know that, throughout the world, there are more than two thousand different types of mosquitoes? In fact, there are over two hundred mosquito types in the United States alone!Many people make the mistake of thinking that a mosquito is a mosquito is a mosquito. However, this is not true, and various types of mosquitoes carry various levels of disease threat. In fact, different mosquito bites cause different levels of symptoms and side effects.
Consider this a primer of sorts to guide you on the types of mosquitoes you are most likely to find and how they will affect you and your family. While it would take a whole book to describe each of the more than two hundred species found in the United States, we will cover the most prolific types here.
The Aedes

This genus of mosquito tends to favor the tropical regions, including parts of the western United States. However, the seventy types of Aedes Mosquitoes that can be found in the United States include species that are extremely tolerant to cold, living for years in a dormant form. This fact coupled with the knowledge that the mosquitoes of this type spread quickly in large human populations mean that the little insect can be found as far north as Alaska.
Considered one of the more menacing genuses of mosquito, Aedes carries the worst of human diseases, including Malaria and Yellow Fever. Since these mosquitoes do carry many human diseases, they are considered to be one of the biggest problem types.
The Anopheles

A small, spotted type of mosquitoes, the one hundred types found in this genus are found in every state within the United States with one exception, Hawaii.These mosquitoes do not carry as many harmful types of disease and only a very few are known to transmit Malaria.
However, this is one of the types of Mosquito that are known to carry and transmit canine heartworms, a fatal parasite most prolific in the southeastern United States.
The Culex

There are twenty-nine types of Mosquito from this genus that occur in the United States. Because they can breed in any amount of stagnant water, including a rainwater filled plant pot, the mosquitoes continue to breed and grow within all states.
Culex Mosquitoes carry and transmit most mosquito born human and animal diseases, including West Nile Virus, Malaria, Yellow Fever, and equine Encephalitis.In addition, the mosquito can transmit canine heartworm disease.
While there are many, many more types of mosquitoes that affect people throughout the world, these will be the types that you are most likely to see in the United States. The next step in understanding the mosquito and its effects on you is to understand the mosquito bite.
The Mosquito Bite
The best way to prevent a mosquito bite is by repelling or killing off nearby populations. Without spraying harmful chemicals, there are some family-friendly options available for moms that want to keep their family bite-free. These include natural repellents like planting marigolds, rosemary or lemon grass. You could also purchase a more sophisticated contraption like the Mosquito Magnet that will mimic human breath to attract and then capture the little pests.
In the event that you did get bitten by a mosquito, keep in mind that it is not the actual bite that causes the problem. Instead, the toxins in the bug’s saliva cause reactions that lead to redness, swelling, and itching. In some cases, the bite can cause an allergic reaction with bigger repercussions.
Immediately after a mosquito bite, you may not even notice that you have been bitten, but you might feel a minor irritation. Within an hour or so, a mosquito bite will appear as minor swelling in a slightly ragged round pattern. The skin will appear pale and then will redden overtime. The skin will feel soft and itchiness will begin.

As time passes, the bite will redden and become itchier. The redness may radiate out from the bite during this phase. The bite usually takes several hours to a day to reach its peak of itchiness and redness. As long as the bite does not cause any complications, it will slowly shrink in size and disappear over three to five days.
It is important to remember that a mosquito bite is quite different for a child. Since their small body has not had time to build up any time of resistance to the toxins in mosquito saliva, a bite on a child is more intense in itchiness and inflammation. In addition, small children may have more sensitive skin than adults, leading to a more obvious bite mark. It is important to remember that a child’s bite can become infected if it is scratched or irritated too much.

Above all else, it is important to remember that a mosquito bite can look very different from one person to another. This depends upon the person’s skin sensitivity, skin tone, and resistance to mosquito saliva. All mosquito bites should be treated to lessen itch and avoid complications.
Mosquitoes can be found everywhere in the United States. While some areas are more prone to higher populations, everyone should take steps to avoid being bit. While the bites are treatable, the best choice is to find a way to prevent them. By limiting you and your family’s exposure to mosquitoes, you can avoid the pain, the itch and the aggravation of a bite.
Leslie Douglas is a freelance writer who is passionate about nature and the outdoors. She is an advocate for using safe and natural products for herself and her family.

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Sometimes it happens that we keep on gaining weight though we are eating healthy (at least according to our thoughts).
This is certainly a disturbing thought. It is frustrating when we feel that all our strict diet and work out is good for nothing.
In fact, we have some hidden fat traps in our everyday diet which do not let us shed extra pounds.
In this article, I am going to tell you about such hidden fat rich food items that don’t help you lose weight, but act otherwise. I hope this article will help you in losing fastes than ever before.

• Dried Fruit is on top of this list. Sometimes, they have oil added into the dried fruit in order to preserve it for longer time period. Also, you can eat more dried prunes and apricots than fresh ones. This is where it gets disastrous. Do not eat dried fruit more than you can eat fresh fruit.  Dried fruit is concentrated and full of calories, so beware!

• Coffee might be your favorite beverage in strict diet days, but its time to change your concepts as well as your habits. This adorable drink releases adrenaline and your body begins expecting food. Now, when you won’t eat anything, the blood sugar level will drop and you will feel starved. To avoid this situation, do not have coffee at anytime except with your breakfast snack.

• Nuts are much oved by majority of the people but most of these nuts have high count of calories and fats. Do not go for nuts which have more fats than others and choose almonds and Brazil nuts. Do not take these nuts in high amount.

• Yogurt is another much loved food item that is usually used in diet. It is important to note whether the one you are using is made up of full fat milk. If it is so, stop using it immediately as it has full fats of milk and is highly fattening. Go for fat and sugar free bio yogurt with not more than 3 percent fats. Also, it should contain the pro biotic gut friendly bacteria for better digestion.

• Salads are undoubtedly a great option for on-diet (but busy) persons. Kindly, do not go for any pre-prepared salad that comes your way. You must avoid salads with fat filled dressings and starchy ingredients. Select those with juicy vegetables (lettuce, tomato, cucumber) and low fat and high protein toppings (fish, chicken).

In a desperate attempt to shrink their bodies, most people are taking a variety of diet pills each day totally ignorant of the harmful side effects they may bring along. Generally, all over-the-counter drugs are concoctions of the same basic ingredients that have either appetite suppressing abilities or metabolism boosting qualities.

How safe these pills actually are is evident from the small study that was conducted by the University of California. The study, which was reported in the American Journal of Medicine, was administered on ten healthy adults who were asked to take Xenadrine EFX, Advantra Z, and a placebo on three different occasions. The short-term cardiovascular responses for each participant were then measured to see the effects of these drugs. It was observed that Xenadrine increased the blood pressure by 9 to 10 points on an average as compared to placebo while Advantra had no such impact on blood pressure. After consuming both these products, elevated heart rates were observed after about six hours from the time they were consumed.

Despite such harmful side effects, it’s scary to know that most of these over-the-counter drugs are marketed as “safe” herbal pills. These pills can even create life-threatening situations in case of individuals who already have certain health problems such as high blood pressure and poor cardiovascular fitness. Certain diet pills tend to exacerbate these conditions and impair a person’s health forever.

Some doctors also recommend these pills to their patients who are morbidly fat and are facing serious health implications due to excess weight. There are patients who take anti-depressants, appetite suppressants, and anti-seizure pills together and yet manage to lead a healthy life. Many doctors however regard this as an untested practice and refrain from endorsing such products.

In fact, some medications are deemed unfit for human beings. For instance, Clenbuterol that is actually suitable for horses has been used by several people as a kind of diet medication. So, this brings us to an important question – which diet pills are safe for human consumption? The truth is that many diet pills are not actually meant for diets and are nothing but some kind of anti-depressant or appetite suppressant medications.

ADD and ADHD drugs or Adderall and Ritalin pills are not weight reduction drugs and should be avoided since they can trigger psychotic episodes and chemical independence. Heart palpitations, fast heart beat, nausea, impotence, depression, dizziness, and jitters are some of the major side effects that you may experience after consuming these drugs. The biggest threat however would be addiction to these drugs in the long run.

The key to good health lies in a proper diet and not in diet pills. While only a small percentage of obesity can be attributed to genetic factors, excess weight is often a result of poor diet, lack of exercise, and unhealthy lifestyle. Fast food is a major contributing factor to fat gain, as we tend to consume high proportions of sodium and fat than we actually need. It is believed that people who eat fast food three or more times a week are at a high risk of getting heart diseases, diabetes, and becoming obese.

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