Syphilis is most often a sexually transmitted disease, although it can be passed on through injecting drugs into a vein, from an infected pregnant woman to the unborn infant (congenital syphilis), or through blood transfusions.  It cannot be passed through casual person to person contact, i.e. touching, sharing toilet facilities or sharing things such as cutlery, etc.

Syphilis can be quite dangerous as it can lie in the body undetected and then resurface many years later affecting organs such as the eyes, brain, heart or nervous system.

Syphilis

Primary syphilis starts with painless sores on the skin which are very contagious.  These sores are known as chancres and can if another person comes into contact with these typically during sexual contact, then they will more than likely contract the syphilis infection.

Typically, between two to ten weeks later, more symptoms will appear and this is known as secondary syphilis.  These symptoms include tiredness, headaches, sore throat and skin rashes.  These symptoms will then disappear but the infection can lie dormant for many years and can then return causing organ damage and even organ failure.

Primary syphilis can be quite mild and therefore the patient may not know they even have the disease before passing it on.  It can be treated with antibiotics.

Abstaining from sex is the only definite way to avoid catching the syphilis infection.  However condoms do offer protection.  Sex toys should never be shared.

Obesity occurs when excess weight causes health problems.  People with obesity usually have a BMI or Body Mass Index greater than 30.  Weight gain is usually caused when energy (calorie) intake is more than calories burnt.  There are many risks for people with obesity as it can contribute to an increase in a variety of diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and some forms of cancer.  Some people are more prone to weight gain than others and this can be down to genes, however, most people find that obesity is a factor of lifestyle and eating behaviors.

Many people eat when they are depressed, lonely, anxious, stressed or just when they are bored.  Obesity is also linked to a lack of physical exercise.  In today’s day there seems to be more and more examples of children showing signs of obesity at an alarmingly young age.  Schools, parents and government organizations seem to be recognizing the need to encourage children to eat more healthily and to support exercise programs.

Obesity

There is a higher amount of processed, cheaper foods available on the market today which are higher in sugar, salt, and fat which contributes to the increase in obesity levels among young people.  Coupled with the trend for video games and increased numbers of TV channels it is no surprise that more and more young people are being diagnosed with obesity every day.

Diet and exercise are the most important factors when preventing obesity.  In order to lose weight people need to reduce daily calories and partake in at least 20 – 30 minutes of exercise daily.  Increased fruit and vegetables can help to feel full and reduce the chance of reaching for sugary foods which contain more fat.

Anemia occurs when a person’s red blood cell count falls under normal numbers. Red blood cells in the body are responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs so when these numbers start to fall, an anemic person may start to feel tired and lethargic due to a lack of oxygen.

There are many causes of anemia and for a doctor or physician to treat it, the cause has to be known. Some of the most common causes of the condition include iron deficiency, blood loss, disease, poor diet and reaction to certain medications or medical procedures.

If someone contracts anemia, they could have it in either mild or severe form, as well as having a temporary or chronic anemic condition. In the very serious cases it can create such oxygen deficiency in the body’s organs that it can lead to heart attacks and death. Symptoms of the condition could initially be unnoticeable but obviously increase as the condition gets worse. Some of these symptoms include dizziness, confusion, fatigue, tiredness, headaches and paleness.

Of all the types of anemia around, the most common are the result of iron deficiency. Therefore, the people most at risk are women that suffer from heavy periods, women that are pregnant and people that suffer from internal bleeding due to a variety of conditions.

Symptoms of Anemia

Anemia can be treated, depending on the initial cause. These treatments could be something as simple as dietary changes and exercise or at the other end of the scale, injections or blood transfusions.