Babies cry for a reason. They may be hungry, wet, colicky, in need of burping, or sick. Picking them up and carrying them for a while, or rocking them, putting them in a stroller, or even taking them for a ride, often helps, after all those reasons have been properly addressed. But no matter what, remember never, never shake a baby, and always support and protect their delicate neck.

If you are taking care of an irritable baby, whose usual demands you have met, and the baby still cries, and you are terribly exhausted and frustrated, and your patience is down to zero, leave the baby in the crib for a few minutes, or ask for help from a relative or a friend.

A moment of anger causing an unintended injury to the baby may result in a lifetime of guilt, regrets and pain.

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Any legislative plan to force physicians to use only generic drugs is not only unconstitutional but downright dangerous for the patients, and the citizenry and country as a whole. The proposal aims to take away from the physician the right to choose drugs they want to prescribe and instead, give this right to pharmacists, a situation that will be most conducive to kickbacks. There are generic drugs that are very good, but for the unproven ones, the questions of quality, potency, and safety are quite real. There are some proprietary specialized drugs that have generic substitutes that are inferior or "pirated," from another country, crude with impurities, and less effective. What is at stake in this issue are human lives. The lawmakers should protect the health and welfare of the people and not consider laws that are unconstitutional, illegal, immoral, and ones that deny the citizens their rights, and expose them to harm in the process, all in the name of saving some money. Hopefully, our legislators will be wise enough not to even think of laws that would prevent physicians from doing their best for the patients, and adversely affect healthcare in our country. Encourage everyone to use good and proven generics, but let's not deprive anyone their freedom of choice. And let's leave the medical decisions to physicians.

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Influenza, which afflicts about 40 million of Americans each year, is a viral infection in the nose, throat and lungs, sending 150,000 people to the hospital each year and its complications killing about 25,000 of them. The flu shot is well known and effective, but a lesser painful way to get the vaccine is by nasal spray. However, it is not for everyone. Those who should not get the spray are: children younger than 5 years of age, adults 50 and over, pregnant women, those with allergy to eggs or had allergic reaction to flu vaccine in the past, people with Guillain-Barre syndrome, people with weakened immune system, and patients with long term health problems. Before considering the nasal spray flu vaccine, confer with your physician.

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Flu can be fatal. The best is to avoid it, by getting the flu vaccine. It is not 100 percent guaranteed to prevent the flu, but when it occurs after getting the vaccine, the flu is usually a lot milder. It takes about 2 to 4 weeks for the vaccine to take effect. There are antiviral medications that can also prevent the flu. To prevent the getting or spreading of the flu, wash hands frequently, keep distance from people with the flu, cover mouth and nose when coughing, avoid secondhand smoke, quit if you are a smoker, drinking at least 8 glasses of filtered water daily, and, of course, live a healthy lifestyle, which will strengthen the immune system.

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A condom is used to prevent sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and as a means of contraception. The public in general has the impression that condoms are fully protective. Studies of various brands of condoms in different countries revealed that about 2 to 3 percent of condoms have holes in them, right out of the factory. Rough handling by the user can also cause minute tears. This obviously means the user is not totally safe and has at least 2 to 3 percent risk of getting STD from an infected partner, and/or women with condom-wearing partner has a 2 to 3 percent risk of getting pregnant. As for STDs, when one gets HIV, it is not 2 to 3 percent but 100 percent devastating.

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The Philippines is afflicted with the cancer of pervasive graft and corruption among countless officials in the nation, from President Arroyo all the way down, and has earned the shameful distinction of being the most corrupt in Asia. A Dollar Moral Crusade Against Graft and Corruption in the Philippines was launched overseas by the Filipino United Network (FUN) last year, to rid the government of grafters and encourage accountability, honesty, and transparency in governance. This global movement, which has the support of Governor Ed Panlilio of Pampanga, is in most Filipino-American newspapers in the United States and some in the Philippines. Enough is enough. Let's stop the rape of the Philippines. It's time for every decent Filipino, most especially the youth of the land, to stand up and be counted, and come to the aid of our country. Let's drive Arroyo and her cronies out of the government now to rid our nation of this cancer. After all, the health of our nation is at stake, and its survival, is in our hands.