FitSugar

John Travolta's Son Dies From Possible Complications of Kawasaki Disease

FitSugar — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 10:00:00 PST

Sad news came over the weekend when John Travolta and Kelly Preston's son, Jett Travolta, passed away while on vacation in the Bahamas. At only 16 years old, Jett reportedly was found in a bathtub on Friday, Jan. 2., after suffering from a seizure and hitting his head.

At age two, Jett was diagnosed with Kawasaki disease, a condition that involves swelling of the arteries, which can cause serious complications involving heart and blood vessels that supply oxygen to the heart. Kawasaki disease can cause aneurysms, which can cause fatal heart attacks. It's not clear though whether Jett's death was a result of Kawasaki disease.

To hear more about Jett's condition

read more. Jett had also been suffering from seizures his entire life, on an average of one every four days. Travolta's lawyers said, "each seizure was like a death," since Jett would convulse and lose consciousness. To prevent these episodes, Jett had been taking Depakote, a strong antiseizure medication. The stories stating that John refused to give his son the medicine because of his Scientology views are not true. The drug helped tremendously in the beginning, reducing the frequency of Jett's seizures to one every three weeks, but eventually, the drug lost its effectiveness, and Jett's seizures returned to a frequency of once a week. After consulting with neurosurgeons, Travolta and Preston decided to stop using Depakote, although there's no evidence that discontinuation of the drug caused Jett's seizure. An autopsy is scheduled for today with the hope that details on the cause of Jett's death will be revealed. Our hearts and sympathies go out to John and Kelly's family and friends during this tragic and difficult time. Source

Epilepsy Myth

FitSugar — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 02:00:00 PDT

I just read this and knew I had to share it: it is a myth that a person having a seizure can swallow their tongue, therefore you should never put anything in their mouth. If you put an object in someone's mouth who is having a seizure, they could bite it and the piece of stick or pencil could get lodged in their throat and block their ability to breath. Which is ultimately more dangerous than a seizure.

A recent survey conducted at University College London found that many myths surrounding epilepsy were prevalent in about 30 - 35 % of the population questioned, about 4,600 people.

Seizures are caused by sudden bursts of electrical activity in the brain, which interrupts normal communication between the brain and the body and epilepsy is diagnosed in people who have regularly recurring seizures. Experts recommend that if someone has a seizure, objects around them should be removed and their head needs to be cushioned if they are on the floor. Apart from that the seizure should be allowed to run its course. An ambulance should be called in the case of: first seizures, those lasting over five minutes, if the person is hurt or has several seizures.

I think it is important to shed light on old myths and share the facts - you never know when you might need them.

Sex and the City Perfume Fakes Flood the Market

Miriam Lacey — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:06:59 PST

Sex and the City isn't just popular with video bootleggers: according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's list of top seizures, it's also the most popular counterfeit perfume, WWD reports. Out of 138 commercial perfume shipments Customs intercepted for counterfeit scents, 52 contained fake SATC fragrances. And in total, the agency seized more than a million bogus bottles of the stuff last year.

Fake perfumes aren't just a problem for the company that makes them legally, either. "In addition to the economic harm," Customs said in its statement, "counterfeit perfumes are also often contaminated with unknown chemicals that can cause serious injury." There's no regulation on this stuff, and tests have found some truly heinous ingredients, from urine to known carcinogens. So when it comes to perfume, you're almost always better off biting the bullet and paying full price at the department store. Carrie wouldn't tolerate a knockoff, and neither should you.

Is Pregnancy a Disability?

BabyCenter — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:16:40 PST

We're excited to share this post from our partners at BabyCenter! Every week, we will be bringing you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the experts at BabyCenter, including this post from Stacie Lewis about considering pregnancy a disability.

Shortness of breath. Inability to lift heavy objects. Need for specific seating. Exhaustion. Months of nausea followed by months, possibly a year, off work. Are these the markers of a disability?

Sorry, ladies. You aren’t disabled. You are pregnant.

A month ago I pulled my car into a disabled space in front of a baby store. My daughter is disabled, and we have a badge. Next to me a man waited in his car, also in a disabled spot. No badge.

I knocked on his window. I tried - and probably did not succeed on any level - to not sound annoyed. “Sorry, but you are parking in a disabled spot.”

“But, my wife . . . ,” he sputtered, “she’s pregnant.” He gestured toward the baby store. “She’s inside, and I’m waiting for her.”

First of all: disabled spaces are not for “waiting” in. They are for ease of loading and unloading people in wheelchairs. They are for people, like my daughter, who suffer from seizures and might need be rushed back to the car and then the hospital, so need to be as close as possible to the car.

Let’s be clear, if his wife can stroll through a megababy store - it is literally the size of Kansas - she can walk the extra 10 feet across the lane to the nonhandicapped parking. She is not disabled.

However, as The Huffington Post reported this week, Jeannette Cox, a law professor at the University of Dayton in Ohio, thinks pregnancy is a disability. According to her research, the Americans With Disabilities Act should be expanded to include pregnant workers.

"The recent expansion of the ADA’s protected class now includes persons with minor temporary physical limitations comparable to pregnancy’s physical effects," said Cox. "This invites reexamination of the assumption pregnant workers may not use the ADA to obtain workplace accommodations."

To some extent, I agree with Cox. There is a culture of discrimination in America about pregnancy. I live in Britain and I am astounded by how little time and leeway American pregnant women are accorded. Policies and legislation that encourage women to work up until the moment of birth (and Cox encourages employers to consider that, with proper accommodation, women would be more able to do this, not less) and to return to work as swiftly as possible or else lose their job, are irresponsible in the extreme. Establishing breast-feeding, recovering from a C-section - these things all take time, and I doubt any health professional thinks only a few months, or as is the case for some women, a few weeks is long enough for mother or baby.

But a disability? Sorry. No.

Disability is a serious, life-altering complication. As such, the classification should be assigned only to those that need that level of protection and assistance. Return to my initial list of conditions: pregnant women do not require oxygen masks, care workers, wheelchairs, tube feeding - the symptoms of pregnancy are not such that a woman’s life is irrevocably and devastatingly changed long-term.

As soon as we start calling pregnancy a disability, disability itself is reduced to the challenge level of pregnancy. Never forget that - though exhausting and nauseating - pregnancy will pass. Feel grateful for that and the glimpse it gives you of a more challenging life.

Do you consider pregnancy a disability?

More great stories from BabyCenter.com:
Mom jeans no more!
Did you get the name you wish?
Getting highlights gives me guilt
How to overcome the baby blues
Katherine Heigl on "failing" as a mom

Source: Flickr User elicash

Link Time - Watch a Preview For the Absolutely Fabulous Christmas Special

BuzzSugar — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:00:57 PST

Edina is back in this preview for the AbFab Christmas Special - Vulture
Find out which young British actor will be playing Q in Skyfall - The Hollywood Reporter
Is Breaking Dawn causing seizures in moviegoers? - Moviefone
See which funny actress is joining Parks and Recreation - Aol TV
4 other directors like Scorsese who should make children's films - NextMovie
Here are Harvey Weinstein's five favorite films - Rotten Tomatoes
Get a look at Maura Tierney on The Office - Zap2It
The most shocking moments from The Walking Dead season 2 - BuddyTV
Watch Angelina Jolie's interview on 60 Minutes - PopSugar

Movie Sneak Peek: The Three Musketeers and Margin Call

BuzzSugar — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:55:26 PDT

Luke Evans, Logan Lerman, and Matthew Macfadyen swing swords in an effort to prevent the seizure of the French throne in this week's The Three Musketeers, while Zachary Quinto and Penn Badgley face more modern day problems in Margin Call, which chronicles a firm's reaction to the first few hours of the 2008 financial crisis. Both films deal with corrupt characters, but if you can't decide whether you'd rather hit Europe or Wall Street at the box office, perhaps these photos from each film can help you choose.
Photo courtesy of Summit Entertainment and Roadside Attractions

Grey's Anatomy Rundown, "Loss, Love and Legacy"

Becky Kirsch — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 10:35:12 PDT

Turns out Meredith Grey isn't the only doctor at Seattle Grace with a hotshot doctor for a mom - Jackson's mother Catherine shows up on this week's episode of Grey's Anatomy to stir the pot and make her son cringe with embarrassment. Catherine brings a heavy dose of some much-needed spunk, and her sassy personality makes for one of the best episodes of the season yet.

Catherine manages to get to just about everyone throughout the course of the episode: she banters with Mark, badgers Jackson about Lexie, and even pushes April one step closer to losing her virginity. She may be a meddler, but I loved every minute of it. Ready to break down the highlights? Just

Your Bottle Size May Be Helping or Hindering Your Water Consumption

Heather Dale — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 11:18:24 PDT

It doesn't matter if I'm in a power cycling class or walking on a treadmill, the smaller the water bottle, the less water I drink. Similar to tricking your mind to eat less by using smaller plates, I guess the effect is the same with bottle size. Don't be fooled by a small bottle. Here's how to make sure you're drinking enough water while working out.

Drink up before you work out. One to two hours before you hit the gym, you should be drinking 15 to 20 ounces of water (one cup = eight fluid ounces) - roughly an ounce of water for every 10 pounds of body weight. Then 15 minutes before you work out, you should drink between eight and 10 ounces of water . . . I know this seems like a lot, so potty breaks are understandable!
Forget about the size of your bottle. If you love using your small water bottle at the gym, you'll also need to love trips to the water fountain as well. During your workout, you should be drinking another eight ounces every 15 minutes to keep yourself hydrated. Being well hydrated helps to keep you energy levels up, even when lifting weights. If at any point you feel thirsty, you're already dehydrated - so make sure to drink up. And don't forget that water bottles come in all shapes and sizes! Here are some of my snazzy top picks.

Keep reading for another important tip.

The Pros and Cons of Chewing Gum

Heather Dale — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 00:49:33 PDT

In addition to lip chap and my cell phone, gum rounds out my list of essential purse items. But when it comes to chewing gum in general, how much do we really know about these tasty, rubbery pieces we regularly munch on? Are there any benefits to chomping?

Health Benefits

Heartburn relief: In 2005, researchers found that the saliva stimulated by chewing seemed to neutralize the digestive stomach acid that had leaked into the esophagus. It also seemed to help force fluids back into the stomach and therefore provide heartburn relief. Chewing gum - sugarless, of course - for 30 minutes did the trick and can provide relief for up to three hours.
Kills bacteria and freshens breath: Chewing stimulates saliva production, and the more saliva you have in your mouth, the less bacteria you will have. Gum that is said to be sweetened with xylitol is said to increase salivation and prevent bacteria from replicating in the mouth. In terms of what flavor to go with, it's best to stick with cinnamon, as it can actually help to decrease bacteria in your mouth - sugar-free cinnamon, naturally.

Keep reading for more pros and find out if chewing gum poses any health risks!

Texas Wants to Ban Groping as a Prerequisite For Air Travel

Annie Scudder — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 11:03:01 PDT

Ever since full-body scans became the norm at most US airports last Fall, I've opted for the extensive pat down instead. The thought of someone seeing under my clothes doesn't bother me as much as the potential radiation risks amplified by regular exposure to the scanners. And while the pat down is intrusive and slightly embarrassing, especially when they go inside the top of your pants, I guess I feel relieved that I have an option to avoid the scanner.

The Texas House of Representatives doesn't think we should have to pick between two intrusive evils. Last month it approved a bill that would ban any pat down that "touches the anus, sexual organ, buttocks, or breast of another person including through the clothing, or touches the other person in a manner that would be offensive to a reasonable person." There's also a parallel bill that would ban scanners that allow people to be seen naked. The bill has stalled in the state senate after federal officials threatened to shut down any flights out of Texas due to security concerns.

Today the Republican sponsor of the bill David Simpson defended it in the New York Times. Find out what he said when you keep reading.