Derived from the Spanish word "huracan" -- which was most likely inspired by Hunraken, the name for the ancient Mayan storm god or Hurakan, the Quiche god of thunder (or any number of other Caribbean terms for evil spirits or big winds) -- the word "hurricane" was first used to describe any localized tropical cyclone in the West Indies.

Today, a hurricane is defined as a tropical cyclone with sustained winds that have reached speeds of 74 mph or higher. These storms reach the status of "hurricane" only after strengthening over a period of days or even weeks.

This process begins in the warm, moist air over the waters of the region known as the tropics, which includes the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, the eastern North Pacific Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the International Dateline and north of the equator. Tropical depressions, tropical storms, hurricanes, and typhoons are all tropical cyclones, and all may develop in this region.

Before it can become a hurricane, a tropical cyclone -- which is a low pressure system with a defined wind circulation that develops over the tropics -- it must pass through four distinct stages: tropical disturbance, tropical depression, tropical storm and finally, hurricane. 

Stage 1: Tropical disturbance
A tropical disturbance is a discrete system of clouds, showers, and thunderstorms that originates in the tropics and remains intact for 24 hours or more.

Tropical waves are a type of tropical disturbance that develops about every four to five days, and some of these waves eventually strengthen to become tropical storms and hurricanes. Sometimes called easterly waves, they are
areas of low pressure that move generally from east to west, embedded in the tropical easterly winds.

Stage 2: Tropical depression
When a tropical disturbance develops a closed circulation (e.g., counter-clockwise winds blowing around a center of low pressure in the Northern Hemisphere), it is designated as a tropical depression. Tropical depressions contain maximum sustained one-minute winds of 38 mph (33 knots) or less, at an elevation of 10 meters. 

Stage 3: Tropical storm
A tropical cyclone is given a name by the National Hurricane Center once it reaches tropical storm status. Tropical storms have maximum sustained one-minute winds of 39-73 mph (34-63 knots), at an elevation of 10 meters.

Stage 4: Hurricane
Hurricanes have sustained one-minute winds of at least 74 mph (64 knots), at an elevation of 10 meters.
Winds in most hurricanes can become much stronger.

Hurricanes are categorized on a scale of 1 to 5 based on their wind speed, a scale known as the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale, named after its originators, Herbert Saffir and Dr. Robert Simpson. 
 
While this satellite photo of a hurricane features a tightly formed and easily visible eye at its center, not all hurricanes appear this way. See more photos of hurricanes.  In developing tropical cyclones, strong thunderstorms occur. Air pressure drops at the surface of these storms. This low pressure attracts warm moist air from the ocean's surface. The Coriolis force causes the resulting low-level winds to spiral in a counterclockwise direction around the center of the low in the Northern Hemisphere. (Winds swirl clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.)

Typically, an "eye" forms when the tropical cyclone reaches hurricane strength, but an eye is not necessary for a tropical cyclone to become a hurricane.

Another way to think of a hurricane is as a large heat engine. The fuel is moisture from warm ocean water. The moisture is converted to heat in the thunderstorms that form. Spiral rain bands that surround the tropical cyclone's core help feed the circulation more heat energy.

As air nears the center, it rises rapidly and condenses into clouds and rain. The condensation releases tremendous amounts of heat into the atmosphere. The result is lower surface pressure and strengthening winds.

In this way, the tropical cyclone's engine refuels itself, concentrating its power in a donut-shaped area, called the eye wall, surrounding the center. The eye wall typically contains the strongest surface winds.

Sinking air at the center clears the tropical cyclone of clouds and forms the "eye." Falling surface pressure can occur only if air mass is removed from the circulation center. This is accomplished by wind flowing away from the circulation in the upper atmosphere.

Ayurveda gives ginger the status of a virtual medicine chest. That’s because this wonder spice has time-tested, digestion-friendly properties, in addition to its numerous other health benefits. In India, ginger is liberally used in daily life. Ginger-infused chai is a household favorite, and it’s grandma’s antidote
of choice for battling cold and flu.

On millions of dining tables in India, you’ll see matchsticks of fresh ginger that have turned a soft pink from being soaked in lemon juice and salt: a zingy accompaniment to any cooked meal.

Let’s give this knobbly root a closer look.

10 Terrific Benefits of Ginger
1. Haven’t been feeling hungry? Eat fresh ginger just before lunch to stoke a dull appetite and fire up
the digestive juices.

2. Ginger improves the absorption and assimilation of essential nutrients in the body.

3. Ginger clears the ‘microcirculatory channels’ of the body, including the pesky sinuses that tend to flare up from time to time.

4. Feeling airsick or nauseous? Chew on ginger, preferably tossed in a little honey.

5. Can’t stop the toot-a-thon? Gas—oops—guess what?! Ginger helps reduce flatulence!

6. Tummy moaning and groaning under cramps? Munch on ginger.

7. Reeling under joint pain? Ginger, with its anti-inflammatory properties—can bring relief. Float some ginger essential oil in your bath to help aching muscles and joints.

8. Just had surgery? Chewing ginger post-operation can help overcome nausea.

9. Stir up some ginger tea to get rid of throat and nose congestion. And when there’s a nip in the air, the
warming benefits of this tasty tea are even greater!

10. Bedroom blues? Try adding a gingery punch to a bowl of soup. (Psst...the Ayurvedic texts credit
ginger with aphrodisiac properties)


3 Ways to Use Ginger 1. Ginger & Herb Rice

Cook basmati rice. When you take the lid off the pan, quickly stir in finely chopped garlic, ginger, green chilies and fresh cilantro leaves—the burst of flavor and fragrance will drive your senses crazy with desire!

2. Ginger In Your Juice

‘Grate’ idea: grate some ginger root and put it in your juicer, along with carrots and apples and a little lemon juice. Totally yummy and, of course, so good for you!

3. Gingery Dessert

Even a smidgen of grated ginger on your vanilla panna cotta or strawberry sorbet can wake up the flavor!

 
 
All grains start life as whole grains. In their natural state growing in the fields, whole grains are the entire seed of a plant. This seed (which industry calls a "kernel") is made up of three key edible parts – the bran, the germ, and the endosperm – protected by an inedible husk that protects the kernel from assaults by sunlight, pests, water, and disease.

The Bran
The bran is the multi-layered outer skin of the edible kernel. It contains important antioxidants, B vitamins and fiber.

The Germ
The germ is the embryo which has the potential to sprout into a new plant. It contains many B vitamins, some protein, minerals, and healthy fats.

The Endosperm
The endosperm is the germ’s food supply, which provides essential energy to the young plant so it can send roots down for water and nutrients, and send sprouts up for sunlight’s photosynthesizing power. The endosperm is by far the largest portion of the kernel. It contains starchy carbohydrates, proteins and small amounts of vitamins and minerals.

Whole Grains are Healthier
Whole grains contain all three parts of the kernel. Refining normally removes the bran and the germ, leaving only the endosperm. Without the bran and germ, about 25% of a grain’s protein is lost, along with at least seventeen key nutrients. Processors add back some vitamins and minerals to enrich refined grains, so refined products still contribute valuable nutrients. But whole grains are healthier, providing more protein, more fiber and many important vitamins and minerals.
 
Whole grains may be eaten whole, cracked, split or ground. They can be milled into flour or used to make breads, cereals and other processed foods. If a food label states that the package contains whole grain, the "whole  grain" part of the food inside the package is required to have the same proportions of bran, germ, and endosperm as the harvested kernel does before it is processed.

Finding Whole Grains
Whole grains currently make up far less than half of all grains on supermarket shelves (though growing every day!). At a time when health professionals urge consumers to eat at least half of their grains as whole grains, our Whole Grain Product Finder can make finding whole grains a snap.

Multiple sclerosis or MS is a disease that affects the brain and spinal cord, resulting in loss of muscle control, vision, balance, and sensation (such as numbness). With MS, the nerves of the brain and spinal cord are damaged by one's own immune system. Thus, the condition is called an autoimmune disease.

Autoimmune diseases are those whereby the body's immune system, which normally targets and destroys substances foreign to the body such as bacteria, mistakenly attacks normal tissues. In MS, the immune system attacks the brain and spinal cord, the two components of the central nervous system. Other autoimmune diseases include lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

The central nervous system is made up of nerves that act as the body's messenger system. Each nerve is covered by a fatty substance called myelin, which insulates the nerves and helps in the transmission of nerve impulses, or
messages, between the brain and other parts of the body. These messages control muscle movements, such as walking and talking.

MS gets its name from the buildup of scar tissue (sclerosis) in the brain and/or spinal cord. The scar tissue or plaques form when the protective and insulating myelin covering the nerves is destroyed, a process called
demyelination. Without the myelin, electrical signals transmitted throughout the brain and spinal cord are disrupted or halted. The brain then becomes unable to send and to receive messages. It is this breakdown of communication that causes the symptoms of MS.

Although the nerves can regain myelin, this process is not fast enough to outpace the deterioration that occurs in MS. The types of symptoms, severity of symptoms, and the course of MS vary widely, partly due to the location of the scar tissue and the extent of demyelination.

According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the condition affects approximately 400,000 Americans and is, with the exception of trauma, the most frequent cause of neurological disability beginning in early to middle
adulthood.

MS is two to three times as common in females as in males and its occurrence
is unusual before adolescence. A person has an increased risk of developing the
disease from the teen years to age 50, with the risk gradually declining
thereafter.
  
What Causes Multiple Sclerosis?
No one is sure what causes the body's immune system to go awry in multiple sclerosis. Some scientists believe that it is a combination of genetics and something in the environment to which the person was exposed to early in
life.

What Are the Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis?
Symptoms of multiple sclerosis vary from person to person and can change over time in the same person. The most common early symptoms include:

• Muscle weakness
• Decreased coordination
• Blurred or hazy vision


• Eye pain


• Double vision

As the disease progresses, symptoms may include muscle stiffness
(spasticity), pain, difficulty controlling urination, or problems with
cognition.

Constipation is one of those topics few like to talk about. If you've suffered from this problem, though, you know it can be both painful and frustrating.

Almost everyone gets constipated at some time during his or her life. It affects approximately 2% of the population in the U.S. Women and the elderly are more commonly affected. Though not usually serious, constipation can be a concern. 
   
Constipation, the most common digestive complaint in the U.S. population, can make life miserable. Not only does constipation make you feel bloated, headachy, and irritable, but relieving constipation -- especially long-term or
chronic constipation -- is time consuming and expensive. Each year in the U.S., chronic constipation leads to around 2.5 million doctor visits -- and medication costs of many hundreds of millions of dollars.
  
What Is Constipation?
Constipation occurs when bowel movements become difficult or less frequent. The normal length of time between bowel movements ranges widely from person to person. Some people have bowel movements three times a day;
others, only one or two times a week. Going longer than three days without a bowel movement is too long. After three days, the stool or feces become harder and more difficult to pass.

You are considered constipated if you have two or more of the following for at least 3 months:
 

 Straining during a bowel movement more than 25% of the time
• Hard stools more than 25% of the time
• Incomplete evacuation more than 25% of the time
• Two or fewer bowel movements in a week

What Causes Constipation?
Constipation is usually caused by a disorder of bowel function rather than a structural problem. Common causes of constipation include:


         Inadequate water intake 

• Inadequate fiber in the diet
• A disruption of regular diet or routine; traveling
• Inadequate activity or exercise or immobility
• Eating large amounts of dairy products
• Stress
• Resisting the urge to have a bowel movement, which is sometimes the result of pain from hemorrhoids
• Overuse of laxatives (stool softeners) which, over time, weaken the bowel muscles
• Hypothyroidism
• Neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis
• Antacid  medicines containing calcium or aluminum
• Medicines (especially strong pain medicines, such as narcotics, antidepressants, or iron pills)
• Depression
• Eating disorders
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Pregnancy
• Colon cancer

In some cases, lack of good nerve and muscle function in the bowel may also be a cause of constipation.

What Are the Symptoms of Constipation?  Symptoms of constipation can include:
         Infrequent bowel movements and/or difficulty having bowel movements

• Swollen abdomen or abdominal pain
• Pain
• Vomiting

How Is Constipation Diagnosed?
Most people do not need extensive testing to diagnose constipation. Only a small number of patients with constipation have a more serious medical problem. If you have constipation for more than two weeks, you
should see a doctor so he or she can determine the source of your problem and treat it. If constipation is caused by colon cancer, early detection and treatment is very important.

Tests your doctor may perform to diagnose the cause of your constipation include:

• Blood tests if a hormonal imbalance is suspected
• Barium studies to look for obstruction of the colon
• Colonoscopy to look for obstruction of the colon

The vast majority of patients with constipation do not have any obvious illness to explain their symptoms and suffer from one of two problems:

 
• Colonic inertia. A condition in which the colon contracts poorly and retains stool
• Obstructed defecation. A condition in which the person excessively strains to expel stool from the rectum

Gallstones are hardened deposits of digestive fluid that can form in your gallbladder. Your gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ on the right side of your abdomen, just beneath your liver. The gallbladder holds a digestive fluid
called bile that's released into your small intestine. 

Gallstones range in size from as small as a grain of sand to as large as a golf ball. Some people develop just one gallstone, while others develop many gallstones at the same time. 

Gallstones are common in the United States. People who experience symptoms from their gallstones usually require gallbladder removal surgery. Gallstones that don't cause any signs and symptoms typically don't need treatment.

Gallstones


Only a quarter of people with gallstones typically require treatment. That's fortunate, because every year nearly 1 million Americans are diagnosed with these little pebbles, which are primarily made of cholesterol and bile salts.
Getting rid of them typically requires removal of the gallbladder, one of the most common U.S. surgeries.

Gallstones can get blamed for symptoms caused by other, more elusive culprits, such as irritable bowel syndrome, says Robert Sandler, chief of the division of gastroenterology and hepatology with the University of North
Carolina School of Medicine. An ultrasound test might pick them up while missing the real problem. If you're told you need to have gallstones out but they're not bothering you, get a second opinion, he advises.

Removal may be necessary if the stones instigate inflammation or infection of the gallbladder, pancreas, or liver. This can happen if a stone moving out of the gallbladder gets stuck—blocking the flow of bile—in the ducts between the liver and the small intestine.

The pain of a gallstone lodged in a duct usually comes on quickly—in the right upper abdomen, between the shoulder blades, or under the right shoulder—and means a trip to the ER is needed, as may fever, vomiting, nausea, or pain lasting more than five hours. Gallbladder removal can be performed laparoscopically and more recently has been done without an external incision by going through the mouth or vagina.

Obesity is a risk factor for gallstones, and it's theorized that they develop because of a shortage of fiber and an excess of fat in the western diet. Losing weight—then regaining it—also seems to set the stage for gallstones. In a 2006 study of men, the more frequent the weight cycling and the larger the number of pounds shed and regained, the greater the odds of gallstones. Women, especially those who are pregnant or taking birth control pills, face increases in gallstone likelihood as well.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

People with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, the two most common inflammatory bowel diseases, complain of
abdominal pain and diarrhea and sometimes experience anemia, rectal bleeding, weight loss, or other symptoms. No definitive test exists for either disease, and patients endure two initial misdiagnoses on average, says R. Balfour Sartor, chief medical adviser to the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America. With Crohn's, he says, appendicitis, irritable bowel syndrome, an ulcer, or an infection is often wrongly suspected.

Both disorders may arise from a wayward immune system that leads the body to attack the gastrointestinal tract. Crohn's involves ulcers that may burrow deep into the tissue lining at any portion of the GI tract, leading to infection and thickening of the intestinal wall and blockages that need surgery. Ulcerative colitis, by contrast, afflicts only the colon and rectum, where it also causes ulcers; colitis is characterized by bleeding and pus.

Treating either disease requires beating back—and then continuously holding in check—the inappropriate inflammatory response. Both steps are achieved through some combination of prescription anti-inflammatories, steroids, and immunosuppressants. Crohn's patients may also be given antibiotics or other specialized drugs. Of current hot debate is whether Crohn's sufferers benefit if given highly potent drugs early in the course of treatment as opposed to escalating potency over time from milder initial treatments, as is traditionally done, explains Themos Dassopoulos, director of inflammatory bowel diseases at Washington University in St. Louis.

Surgery "cures" ulcerative colitis by removing the colon but means patients must wear a pouch—internally or externally—for waste. IBD patients should take special care when popping NSAIDs like aspirin, as these painkillers can trigger further gut inflammation in 10 to 20 percent of patients, says Dassopoulos.

What Is a Stye?
A stye is a pimple or abscess that forms in either the upper or lower eyelid. It is an infection caused by blockage of an oil duct and bacteria that normally live on the surface of the eyelid without any problems. Some of these germs get trapped along with dead skin cells along the edge of the eyelid.  Styes are usually superficial and plainly visible. Occasionally, they can reside deeper within the eyelid.

An external stye starts as a pimple next to an eyelash. It turns into a red, painful bump that may last several days before it bursts and then heals. Some external styes are short-lived and heal on their own, while others may require the care of your eye doctor.

An internal stye (on the underside of the lid) also causes a red, painful bump, but its location prevents the familiar whitehead from appearing on the eyelid. The internal stye may disappear completely once the infection is past, or it may leave a small fluid-filled cyst that may have to be opened and drained.

If the clogged gland of a stye never gets better, scar tissue develops around the swollen gland and the pain subsides and a “bump” remains.  That bump is called a chalazion(pronounced cha-LAY-zee-yon). 

Styes and chalazia (plural of chalazion) are usually harmless and rarely affect your eyeball or eyesight, but in rare cases they can lead to severe infections of the face called cellulitis, which can be very serious. They can occur at any age and tend to recur from time to time.
 
What Causes Styes?
Styes are usually caused by a combination of a clogged oil gland and staphylococcal bacteria, which often live right on the skin surface. Our bodies are coated with billions of friendly bacteria that coexist with us. When the conditions are right, the bacteria become overabundant, resulting in the tender pimple.

Chalazia are the result of a chronic stye when the inflammation runs its course but the painless bump remains.