Cooking a delicious and nutritious meal for oneself, family members, or friends can be enjoyable. However, despite taking measures to ensure the cooked meal is safe for consumption, a simple cooking error can contaminate the food, causing food poisoning, paralysis, and other complications. These mistakes could be as minor as using the wrong spoon or touching a bacteria-filled surface. Therefore, one must be aware of these six food sanitation mistakes and how to fix them. Not cooking foods thoroughly Foods such as chicken, seafood, turkey, and eggs should not be consumed raw. Undercooking these food items can result in germs getting into the system and triggering health complications. Therefore, it is recommended to use a food thermometer to ensure the right temperature is reached before eating any meal. Poor hand sanitation Our hands may come in contact with various surfaces throughout the day that are usually infested with germs. These germs can be transmitted to our palms. Therefore, cooking meals without washing hands can infect the food and pose health risks. It is important to always wash your hands before eating or cooking, and even when changing a diaper. The best way to wash hands is to scrub them thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a condition mostly diagnosed in children, and its symptoms can continue well into adulthood. This disorder can result in hyperactivity, difficulty focusing, behavioral issues like frequent outbursts of anger and frustration, and inattentiveness. While this condition does not have a cure, the symptoms can be managed effectively with proper treatment. Read on to know more about this condition. Symptoms of ADHD The main symptoms of ADHD are impulsive behavior, inattention, and hyperactivity. The signs can appear from a young age and become apparent even before children turn 12 years old. Also, ADHD can manifest in different ways in boys and girls. While it is common for boys to be more hyperactive, girls with this disorder tend to be inattentive. Generally, children with ADHD will either be inattentive or hyperactive or have a combination of these symptoms. Inattention If a child shows some of the following signs for at least 6 months, they might be facing the problem of inattentiveness: Makes careless mistakes while doing homework or fails to pay attention to detail Cannot focus while playing or performing simple tasks May not listen carefully, even when someone is talking to them directly Cannot follow instructions Is unable to organize tasks Avoids any task that requires focus Loses things easily and frequently Can become distracted easily Impulsivity and hyperactivity The following is a list of the symptoms that indicate impulsivity or hyperactivity in children if they manifest for 6 months or longer:

Addictions have become an extremely serious global issue. From different kinds of substances to alcohol and nicotine, people can be addicted to a variety of vices. Being addicted to something is a disorder, which affects the behavior and brain. When the addiction increases, one loses control over his/her urge to use the substance, even if they know how bad it is for them. Understanding it better First, one needs to understand that addiction is a disease. It can start from consumption on an experimental basis, which leads to more intake use until the person cannot control the urge any longer. While some substances may take time to become addictive, a few can be riskier and turn a person into an addict immediately. Like most other diseases, addictions can be treated, but it requires more support from loved ones, and one needs to develop the willpower to quit. Symptoms of addiction Sometimes it can become quite difficult to identify if one is addicted to any substance. Avoiding the consumption of alcohol or any other substance is the best way to save oneself from addiction. However, if a person has started consuming any of these substances, they must look for the following symptoms to recognize if they have become addicted.

Aging is a natural process. All of us grow older with time, which is why it is crucial to lead a healthy lifestyle. This way, old age does not bring too many problems along. From pain in the joints to suffering from forgetfulness, there are a bunch of things that are associated with aging. Types of aging Cellular aging The aging process of cells is dependent on the frequency with which they replicate. A cell can replicate itself around 50 times, and after that, the genetic material cannot be copied properly. This happens because of shortened telomeres. Hormonal aging Hormones play a huge part in the aging process, more so when a person is in their childhood or adolescence. The levels of hormones keep fluctuating as long as we live. Puberty results in the formation of large pores and acne. As we get older, the change in hormones contributes to the formation of dry skin. Metabolic aging Cells are responsible for transforming food into energy throughout the day. The byproducts produced during this process can be quite harmful. The metabolizing process causes damage to the body. Some are of the opinion that the slow-down of the metabolic process through methods like calorie restriction could result in slowing down the process of aging.

An allergy is a hypersensitive reaction of the immune system to a foreign substance. The immune system is responsible for producing substances referred to as antibodies. When an individual suffers from allergies, their immune system generates antibodies that help in identifying the harmful allergens affecting the body. The symptoms of allergies are dependent on the substance one has been affected with. The reactions can be mild, moderate or severe in nature. Hay fever Hay fever, which is also called allergic rhinitis, can result in sneezing, runny nose, itching in the eyes or the nose, and watery or swollen eyes. Food allergy An allergy, which has resulted from consuming a particular food item, can lead to a tingling sensation in the mouth, lips or face swelling up or anaphylaxis, which could pose a threat to one’s life. Insect sting allergy A sting from an insect can cause the affected portion to swell up considerably, cause an itching sensation across the body, and lead to shortness of breath. Medication allergy An allergy, caused by the consumption of some medication, results in an itchy skin, rash, hives, swelling on the face, wheezing, and anaphylaxis. Atopic dermatitis This is a skin condition, which also goes by the name of eczema.

Alzheimer’s results in the unfortunate wasting away of brain cells, causing their premature death; it is a progressive ailment. It is the most common kind of dementia, wherein a person’s social skills, behavior, and thinking capabilities decline, disrupting their ability of independent functioning. The earliest signs of this disorder may be forgetfulness with severe memory loss as the disease progresses. Here are the common symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease: Memory loss Repeating questions and statements Difficulty in finding words to identify objects, participate in conversations, or express thoughts Forgetting events, appointments, and conversations Forgetting family members’ names and common objects Getting lost in known places Misplacing things Thinking and reasoning Losing the ability to make reasonable judgments and decisions Making uncharacteristic or poor choices in social gatherings Difficulty in responding to everyday situations Planning and performance Routine activities, such as cooking or planning becomes difficult Advanced stage patients may not be able to perform basic tasks, such as bathing or dressing Personality and behavioral changes Delusions Depression Loss of inhibitions Apathy Wandering Mood swings Modified sleeping habits Social withdrawal Aggression and irritation Distrust in others Why does Alzheimer’s occur? The patient’s brain changes due to Alzheimer’s disease. The brain becomes smaller as the disease progresses with lesser healthy brain cells.

Anemia refers to the medical condition in which the body does not produce enough red blood cells to transfer oxygen to the tissues in the body. When you suffer from anemia, you feel weak and exhausted all the time. This disease can be temporary in nature or have a long-term effect on a person’s health, in which case they will require continual treatment. Causes Inflammation Several kinds of diseases like kidney diseases, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and chronic inflammatory diseases obstruct the process of producing red blood cells. Iron deficiency anemia This is the most common kind of anemia. As the name suggests, it is a result of a deficiency of iron in the body. The bone marrow requires iron to produce hemoglobin. When there is a shortage of the nutrient, the body fails to generate a sufficient amount of hemoglobin to produce red blood cells. Vitamin-deficiency anemia Apart from iron, the body requires vitamin B-12 and folate to generate red blood cells. When your diet does not have any of these, there is a sharp drop in the red blood cell count. There are also cases of people who consume vitamin B-12 but not absorbing it properly. That gives rise to vitamin-deficiency anemia.