“Summer has arrived and while the sun is shining bright it’s a golden time to highlight July as UV Safety Awareness Month! We all love to take in those warm summer rays, but everyone must remember to protect their skin and eyes from the damaging effects of the sun. The sun emits radiation known as UV-A and UV-B rays.”.

Veterans Administration (VA.gov)

“That’s right, kids get arthritis. It is a common misconception that only “old” people are afflicted with arthritis. Nearly 300,000 children in America have been diagnosed with juvenile arthritis. The Arthritis National Research Foundation funds arthritis research to find a cure for arthritis, and this includes trying to find a cure for the hundreds of thousands of children suffering each year with this debilitating disease. ”

Arthritis National Research Foundation ANRF The Arthritis National Research Foundation

For the continuation of the 4th of July Celebration, for those off in this celebraton  ENJOY celebrating this day safely!

“Every year there are over 16,000 fires caused by fireworks in the weeks leading up to and right after the Forth of July holiday. There are also thousands of people burned including some of who use the use of eyes, hands, or limbs.  Sparklers alone account for 1/4 of the emergency room firework injuries. ”

National Fire Protection Association

“This week is Fireworks Safety Week. Whether you are staying at home or going to a big celebration, leave the fireworks to the professionals to ensure a fun and safe Fourth of July for the whole family! Fireworks injure thousands of people every year, and some injuries result in death. Be safe and smart this summer and don’t play with fireworks.

Home fireworks, like sparklers, bottle rockets, and firecrackers were responsible for 2,100 hospital visits, and fireworks in general were responsible for 7,300 hospital visits in the year 2019. Burns are the most common injuries, with burns to the fingers, hands, arms and legs, but eye injuries also occur.”

NBC5W-Dallas Fort Worth

“If your community is reopening, know which precautions to take in public settings.

1. Continue to social distance by staying 6 feet away from others, especially if you are at high risk for serious illness from COVID-19 (over age 65 or any age with underlying medical conditions).
2. Continue to wear cloth face coverings in public. Face coverings are most essential when social distancing is difficult.
3. Follow guidelines for your area when it comes to how large gatherings can be. Avoid crowds and mass gatherings.
4. Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily.
5. Stay home if you are sick.”

American Red Cross

“Trimethylaminuria is a rare disorder in which the body’s metabolic processes fail to alter the chemical trimethylamine. Trimethylamine is notable for its unpleasant smell. It is the chemical that gives rotten fish a bad smell. When the normal metabolic process fails, trimethylamine accumulates in the body, and its odor is detected in the person’s sweat, urine and breath. The consequences of emitting a foul odor can be socially and psychologically damaging among adolescents and adults.”.

National Organization for Rare Disorders  NORD

What is this disease actually?

Trimethylaminuria causes the body to produce a fishy odor that is released in the sweat, urine, breath, and reproductive fluids. People with trimethylaminuria are unable to break down trimethylamine. Trimethylamine comes from specific chemicals (choline, carnitine, TMAO) found in certain foods. The excess trimethylamine builds up and is the source of the odor. There are no other physical symptoms from trimethylaminuria, but people with this condition may experience serious psychological and social distress. Trimethylaminuria is due to a FMO3 gene that is not working correctly. It is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern. It is diagnosed based on the symptoms, clinical exam, urine analysis, and can be confirmed by genetic testing. Treatment for trimethylaminuria mainly includes diet modification, acidic soaps and lotions, and vitamin B12 supplements. Other treatment options include antibiotics, activated charcoal, and probiotics.

Trimethylaminuria does not cause any other physical symptoms. However, the odor can interfere with many aspects of daily life, leading to social and psychological problems.

Trimethylaminuria is caused by the FMO3 gene not working correctly. DNA changes known as pathogenic variants are responsible for making genes work incorrectly or sometimes, not at all.

What is the cause of  this disease?

Trimethylaminuria is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern. Some conditions are inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern. All individuals inherit two copies of each gene. Autosomal means the gene is found on one of the numbered chromosomes found in both sexes. Recessive means that both copies of the responsible gene must be altered to have the condition.

People with autosomal recessive conditions inherit one alteration from each of their parents. The parents, who each have one gene alteration, are known as carriers.  Carriers of an autosomal recessive condition typically do not have any signs or symptoms (they are unaffected). In some cases, carriers of trimethylaminuria may have mild or occasional symptoms. When two carriers of an autosomal recessive condition have children, there is a 25% (1 in 4) chance to have a child with the condition.

How is this even diagnosed?

Trimethylaminuria is diagnosed based on the symptoms, a clinical exam, and a test to measure the level of trimethylamine in the urine. Genetic testing can also help confirm the diagnosis.

How is it treated?

Treatment for trimethylaminuria is focused on removing and preventing the bad odor. Options for treatment include diet modification, vitamin B12 (riboflavin) supplements, antibiotic treatment, and probiotics. Other supplements such as activated charcoal can help remove extra trimethylamine from the body. In addition, some people with trimethylaminuria may benefit from behavioral counseling.

Keep in mind the consultants that get involved in the treatment are: Nutritionalist, Medical Geneticist,  Pharmacist, and Psychologist and or Psychiatrist.

The exact number of people with trimethylaminuria is unknown. It has been estimated that about 0.5 -1% of people in the British population are carriers for trimethylaminuria. A carrier has one copy of a gene variant for trimethylaminuria.

Helen’s ideals found their purest, most lasting expression in her work for the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB). Helen joined AFB in 1924 and worked for the organization for over 40 years.

The foundation provided her with a global platform to advocate for the needs of people with vision loss and she wasted no opportunity. As a result of her travels across the United States, state commissions for the blind were created, rehabilitation centers were built, and education was made accessible to those with vision loss.

Helen Keller was as interested in the welfare of blind persons in other countries as she was for those in her own country; conditions in poor and war-ravaged nations were of particular concern.

Helen’s ability to empathize with the individual citizen in need as well as her ability to work with world leaders to shape global policy on vision loss made her a supremely effective ambassador for disabled persons worldwide. Her active participation in this area began as early as 1915, when the Permanent Blind War Relief Fund, later called the American Braille Press, was founded. She was a member of its first board of directors.

In 1946, when the American Braille Press became the American Foundation for Overseas Blind (now Helen Keller International), Helen was appointed counselor on international relations. It was then that she began her globe-circling tours on behalf of those with vision loss.

American Foundation for the Blind-AFB