Avoiding Germs This Winter

It's not just some old wives' tale: the cold weather does make us more prone to colds and flu. Although the cold temperature does not cause these diseases (yes, we know, it's viruses that do), the fact that people tend to congregate indoors more in winter makes it easier for us to catch other people's viruses.

Also, a study published in the Oxford Journal of Family Practice showed that the closing of blood vessels near the surface of the skin, which happens when our bodies get chilled, makes us more vulnerable to viruses by depriving our nasal cavity of protective mucous.

But this does not mean colds and flu are unavoidable during the winter season. There are things you can do to keep healthy.

1. Keep warm.If chilling makes us more vulnerable to the cold and flu viruses, help your body protect you by keeping it warm: Wear a hat. Keep your feet dry. Put on the right coat or jacket as protection from the weather.

2. Strengthen your immune system.Why is it that two individuals could be exposed to exactly the same germs but only one of them gets sick? The answer is immunity. This can be from previous exposure to the germs, or it can be from beefing up the immune system by eating and sleeping right.

So get the sleep that you need. If you can't get all your required eight hours at night, take power naps during lunch breaks and coffee breaks or during your commute. Also, boost the level of vitamin C in your body by eating your fruits and vegetables - the recommended dose is five servings per day. Make sure too that you keep well hydrated. The body needs water to rid itself of wastes, so a well-hydrated body is a healthier body - one that is better able to fight disease.

3. Keep your hands clean.The world is full of germs, and one of the most common ways they enter our body is through our eyes, nose, and mouth. Now in civilized society, it is not common for people to sneeze in others' faces. But if somebody sneezes on his hand then touches your office doorknob or your phone or your keyboard, they are spreading germs to those things. If you touch these things then touch your face, you are delivering germs to your eyes, nose, and mouth, allowing them easy entrance to your body.

To prevent this scenario, it is wise to have disinfectant wipes with you at all times. Use them to wipe anything in your surrounding that you feel may have been contaminated before you touch them yourself. Keep your hands clean, too, by washing them often for at least 20 seconds each time. This is the most effective way of disinfecting your hands, though if you really can't wash, alcohol is an acceptable substitute. Finally, avoid touching your face.

Now what if it's too late and you already have caught the bug? In addition to seeing your doctor, you can also chug up some chicken soup, which, according to recent studies, is really effective in easing cold symptoms. For clogged nose, you can try saline nasal washes; they are a safe and effective way to clear out stuffy mucus. For scratchy throats, try herbal teas with lemon and honey, which has been demonstrated to relieve cough symptoms better than the cough-suppressing drug dextromethorphan.

All these methods have been promoted by grandma for years, and recently, they have also received researchers' thumbs ups. So why not listen to your elders this time and feel better, healthier, and more virtuous too!

Benefits of RIS/PACS & Tele-radiology System to your Medical Facility

With the new developments in the radiology happening every now and then, now it has become easier for radiologists and doctors to improve the patient care. With the help of the latest PACS Tele-radiology software, doctors are able to capture, view, share and record a variety of images of patients including X-ray, ultrasounds, CT scans and many more. Radiology technology utilizes Internet and various other networks to enable physicians and radiologists to send and receive medical digital images and reports between two and more people. Even if your medical facility is small one and you are located in a remote area, still you can benefit from RIS/PACS solutions to access specialist for consultation.

PACS systems in radiology work with RIS ( radiology information system), which is the software solution used to translate digital images and reports into DICOM images and then enable those pictures to be sent over world wide web. A PACS Tele-radiology system is used in conjunction with a PACS web viewer that enables users to store, view and finally distribute your medical images and reports across digital environments. This system has just revolutionized the way of imaging in the medical field. You no longer need film based images now, which used to take lots of time and efforts, plus it was very difficult to maintain the record and storage of such types of pictures. They were not easy to distribute and share.

To ensure that you comply with rules and regulations of several medical regulatory authorities, you require safe and secure storage of medical images and reports. All records must be kept secure for several years, as it helps in referring to these records, if the need arises. By using RIS/PACS solutions, medical organizations are able to store images and reports in a tiny fraction of the space required for hardcopy files. The best thing is that all pictures and records can be backed up to CD, DVD or tape. They can also be backed up on an offsite server for quick access or retrieval of information. With help of these imaging solutions, one can view and improve images for better patient care. For example, you can take picture and zoom in, change the brightness or contrast or do many other things to get the image for clear diagnosis.

Using Tele-radiology means you promise better and enhanced patient care. It improves medical operational efficiency and thereby enhances the client base enabling hospitals or other healthcare service providers to earn high profits. PACS /RIS software connects to your web viewer or workstation and you can set protocols using this software so that only authorized personnel have the ability to distribute medical images. Thus, the advent of these radiology systems is boom to medical imaging.