HEALTH AND WELLNESS

                                             Some molds save lives; others kill. Some add to the flavor of cheeses and wines; others make food poisonous. Some grow on logs; others infest bathrooms and books. In fact, molds are everywhere –spores might even be passing through your nostrils as you read this sentence. If you doubt that mold is all around us, just leave a slice of bread lying around, even in the refrigerator. Before long it will develop a fuzzy coat –mold! Molds belong to the fungi kingdom, which boasts over 100,000 species, including mildews, mushrooms, plant rusts, and yeasts. Only about 100 funguses are known to cause disease in humans and animals. Many others play a vital role in the food chain –decomposing dead organic matter and thereby recycling essential elements in the form that plants can use. Still others work in symbiotic relationships with plants, helping them to absorb nutrients from the soil. And some are parasites. Mold begins life as

                                             MILLIONS of people seem to think that if they can’t join a spa and spend a lot of time working out, they might as well forget about health benefits from exercise. Yet, that isn’t true. Dr. Russell Pate of the University of South Carolina says: “I think we have to officially sanction the idea that a nice, comfortable walk around the block after dinner is a very desirable thing to do.” But will a walk really do you that much good? Does walking have health benefits that are truly significant?                                                          WALKING IS GOOD MEDICINE GREEK PHYSICIAN HIPPOCRATES viewed walking as “man’s best medicine.” In fact, there is an adage that says, “I have two doctors, my left leg and my right.” Is walking really that beautiful? Well, some studies suggest that people who walk consistently may develop fewer illnesses than people who are sedentary. The studies show that walking reduces the

When I get dressed, my wife checks that the colors I choose match, says Michael. At breakfast she selects a piece of fruit for me because I can’t see if the fruit is ripe. At work I can’t always see where to click on the computer screen, since items are often distinguished by color. When I’m driving, red and green traffic lights appear the same to me, so I observe whether the illuminated light is on top or on the bottom. Horizontal lights, however, can present a problem.                                                     HOW DO WE SEE COLORS Light from object passes through the CORNEA and the LENS and is focused on the RETINA. THE RETINA contains CONE CELLS and ROD CELLS. Together they give the full range of vision. THE CONE CELLS are sensitive to RED, GREEN, OR BLUE light. The OPTIC NERVE carries visual impulses to the brain. The image is inverted but corrected later by the brain.                                                   TEST FOR COLOR-VISION DEFICIENCY

                            Mary, a vivacious office worker, peers at the document she holds. Parts of the page suddenly appear blank. Then, flashing pinpoints of light dance before her eyes, escalating into a surreal display of zigzag lines and bizarre geometric patterns. Within minutes, Mary can hardly see. Realizing what is happening, she quickly swallows a small capsule that is designed for just this sort of emergency. Mary suffers from migraine, a condition that differs from simple headache in several ways. For example, unlike random headaches, migraines follow a recurring pattern. Also, the condition is severe enough to make the sufferer abandon normal activities. The symptoms of migraine? The pain throbs and may affect only one side of the head. The sufferer may also become nauseating and unable to bear light. The attack can last anywhere from several hours to several days. Although most people have occasional tension headaches, only 1 person in 10 su