You know, I've never been all consumed with American Idol like lots of people. But I must admit I'll tune in here and there throughout the competition. It's decent entertainment, and I kind of think Simon Cowell is sexy. Nonetheless! I just tucked my healthy babies into bed and plopped down into mine with the old laptop to write about fitness with the television on here in my room.

American Idol is in the middle of their Idol Gives Back program, and they seem to be making a great case for helping children in the U.S. and abroad. Feeling fortunate that my two angels do not have to deal with any of the horrors some other children are suffering from.....I logged on to AmericanIdol.com and made a donation. Partly because of guilt, but mostly out of hope.

If you're a lucky parent like me or just someone who loves children, maybe you can call or log on and donate too. 1-877-IDOL-AID or AmericanIdol.com

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Thanks to a special protein produced by sea cucumbers, scientists may be on the right path to finding an effective way to combat malaria. Lectin kills off the parasites that are responsible for making the mosquito carrying them so dangerous.

The way it works is that scientists genetically fuse parts of the protein-making gene to the mosquito's. So lectin ends up killing the parasites before they can migrate to the salivary glands of the mosquito which is where the point of contact happens with humans. At this stage, it's mostly impractical because for it to be used as a truly effective method against malaria, researchers would need to introduce the modified species.

But that's never been done before, and the genetically engineered mosquitos are not able to use the sea cucumber's protein to kill 100% of all the parasites. They are on the right track, however, and hopefully it is just a matter of time before they find a way to use this method to fight the disease which is responsible for a million deaths per year.

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In the worldwide quest to begin the eradication of health and disease issues in some of the poorest countries on earth, the Gates Foundation -- headed by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and his wife Melinda -- planted a tall order on scientists this week.

Both leaders of the Gates Foundation urged scientists to try and eradicate malaria from the face of the planet instead of trying to find ways of controlling the spread of the disease. Trying to completely get rid of anything biological on a planetary scale is hard to do, but that is what's being urged. Is it even possible?

Melinda Gates did say that it was "a long-term goal; it won't come soon,", noting that it would take quite a while for complete elimination to occur. But, she added that "to aspire to anything less is just far too timid a goal for the age we're in." Based on the resources the Gates Foundation has, she may be right.

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Last week First lady Laura Bush toured through several different nations in Africa in an attempt to draw more attention to the $2.5 million dollar Global Business Coalition and its programs that are helping to fight HIV and AIDS, along with other ailments like malaria. 50% funded by U.S. corporations like Coca Cola, Johnson & Johnson, and the NBA it's just a small part of what the U.S. is doing to help. Congress has allocated as much as $15 billion dollars for fighting diseases abroad, and may as much as double that in upcoming years.

Education and awareness is key, and Americans seem more than willing to help. Laura Bush was quoted as saying "I think all of the programs we'll see that are supported by U.S. taxpayers are a good example of what Americans are really like."

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Having recently returned from a two-month-long holiday, I have to admit I've got a bit of the post-travel blues. While it's always a bit of a downer to return from travelling, the trip home is much worse if you come back with a travel-related illness. I'm not one to worry too much about things like SARS and Avian Flu -- I'm no expert but I think the danger of either for a healthy adult is very low -- I do think it is important to be aware of the types of bug you can pick up in the location you're visiting.

Both the US and Canadian governments have sites that detail potential risks in most countries as well as vaccinations and tips for staying healthy. Check out this article for a quick break-down of what you might pick up from contamiated water or food, insects or other people. Various forms of hepatitis as well as malaria and yellow fever are a few of the big ones to protect yourself against.

I have a friend who contracted Dengue Fever in Vietnam, and as a result ended up delerious for the last few days of her trip. Eventually some of her skin peeled off and chunks of her hair fell out in response to having such a massively high fever. There was a big scare in the city where I live last week when a young woman came back from a holiday in Thailand, returned to work at a local gastro-pub and then started to show symptoms of Hepatitis A. As a result, the eatery had to shut down for a few days and everyone who had eaten there recently had to line up for a booster shot. So while it may seem like the risk is low, the results of coming down with a nasty illness while travelling make it worth educating yourself and taking preventative measures before you go.

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Well, this news is disappointing. A review of several studies, all done in a natural setting and not in a lab, found that electric hand-held mosquito devices that claim to repel mosquitos using a high-frequency buzz, don't work. The devices were being touted as useful in preventing mosquito-borne illnesses like malaria, but scientists say that just as many of the bugs landed on skin when the devices were used as when they weren't.

It's disappointing because it's one less tool in the fight against malaria in countries that struggle so much with the disease. It's unfortunate, too, that our best methods in our own country still involve chemical-laden pesticides. As a person who lives in an area prone to mosquitos, I cringe every time the mosquito control truck drives by spraying poisonous pesticides all over my yard.

Looking for natural ways to repel mosquitos this summer? Here's an article that lists a few. Beyond Skin So Soft (which I wouldn't recommend) I haven't tried any of them. Have you? Or do you have your own special formula for telling insects to bug off? Share them with us!

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This bit of news is just for fun: our brilliant American scientists are working on mosquitoes with glow-in-the-dark eyes to help us battle disease.

Yes, this is for real!

So the genetically engineered "glowing eyes" serve no purpose other than to help the scientists distinguish different "breeds" of mosquito (apparently creating a stripe on their backs or something wasn't an option) but overall the news is good -- it looks like a new genetically modified mosquito type might not only be resistant to carrying the parasite that causes malaria, but it's also hardier and has a higher survival rate than the "common" mosquito found in parts of Africa where malaria is the most prevalent. The thought seems to be that someday they will attempt disease control by introducing this new mosquito into the wild bug population, with the hope that it replaces the "old" mosquitoes and malaria infections drop.

So I see the thought process here, but something is wrong with this plan... (even if it does make them easier to swat in the dark).

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A new drug is set to bring new hope to families across Africa, hopefully cutting malaria deaths dramatically. Malaria sickens 500 million people each year and takes the lives of 1 million of those, most of them children. But the new drug, developed by drug manufacturer Sanofi-Aventis in conjunction with the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative, eliminates a few of the hurdles of treating this disease.

The drug, known as ASAQ, is not patented, meaning it can be manufactured by anyone. This decision also makes the drug much more affordable. It's been formulated in different doses for children, to make administration more precise and efficient. The drug, in combination with pesticide treated bed nets, is a major weapon in the war on malaria, one of the top killers in Africa.

More new drugs are on their way, and it's a good thing. Though ASAQ is the lowest priced, most available drug to date, and though it will be offered at cost to areas struggling with malaria, as well as humanitarian organizations, it's cost still puts it out of reach for many.

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Global warming is all over the news, and rightly so, seeing as how it affects so many different parts of human life here on Earth. One of the latest issues to start making an appearance is the inevitable spread of bacteria and microbes to new locations. As temperatures change, people around the world are being exposed to diseases and illnesses that they never have been before.

Examples include bacteria-infected oysters off the coast of Alaska, an overgrown tick population carrying encephalitis in Sweden, and mosquitoes bringing malaria to villages that were previously out of reach way up on Mt. Kenya in Africa.

This sounds really scary, and it is, but at least we know what we're dealing with -- not new diseases, just old diseases in new places.

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