LA fit and ready after Saturday's final training session

“We wouldn’t have beat anybody last week,” Arena said on Saturday afternoon after LA’s final training session before the Cup. “But we weren’t playing last week. This week, everything turned up and everyone looks good.”

That “everyone” includes star midfielder David Beckham, who had missed the previous two days of training with a cold and is still nursing both a slight hamstring injury and a sore back. Beckham took part in training on Saturday, and said he doesn’t expect any problems on Sunday.

“No, my body feels great,” Beckham said when asked specifically about the hamstring injury. “It shouldn’t be a problem. Obviously I’ve had issues with my back all season, but I was able to train today and come through it with no problems.”

Also coming through training with no problems was Landon Donovan, who’s been fighting off a number of injuries all season, most notably a quad strain that’s hampered him since August. Donovan also practiced and said he’s feeling fit and ready for the Cup.

The two weeks of rest came on the heels of three big playoff games in the span of nine days, a stretch that taxed a Galaxy side that’s been playing two games a week seemingly all season. Between the regular season, the CONCACAF Champions League, the US Open Cup and the World Football Challenge, LA are approaching 50 games across all competitions.

Add in international duty for a number of players, and it’s taken a physical and mental toll. That’s why the two weeks off were welcomed by everyone in the Galaxy camp, even those who weren’t nursing injuries.

That said, in Beckham’s words, “It seems to have gone so slow.” Both Arena and defender Todd Dunivant echoed that sentiment.

“It was kind of a lull,” Dunivant explained. “You can’t stay at such a high level physically and mentally for that long a time, so we kind of had a drop off for that following week and this week, and then after a day off we came back and we’re sharp. Everyone is firing on all cylinders and training was really good.”

It’s what Arena wanted to see and what he expected to see from a group that’s remained largely intact in the two years since their loss in the 2009 MLS Cup to Real Salt Lake.

“I think we have a better lesson from the 2009 final than from the rest of this year,” Arena said. “One thing we learned from 2009 is you may never have a chance again, so when you have that moment, you have to take it and produce.”

'Knockout of the Year' Mila Kunis Has Unusual Remedy for Cold

Mila Kunis apparently has one unusual concoction when it comes to curing sore throat. In GQ's Men of the Year issue, writer Michael Idov shared the story when he had to interview the "Black Swan" beauty, who is dubbed Knockout of the Year by the magazine, while having cold.

In the feature article about Kunis, Idov recalled that the 28-year-old beauty offered him her own remedy for cold when they chatted in her apartment. "Kunis starts making us hot tea when she gets a better idea," he recalled. " 'Let's get some Cabernet going,' she says. 'It'll make you feel better and it will make you drunk.' " She then handed off the $50 Grgich Hills Cabernet Franc bottle to him.

The writer further detailed that after declaring it "perfect for boiling", the "Friends with Benefits" star poured it into a saucepan and added "an avalanche of green-tea powder ('It's vitamins!'), two gelcaps of fish oil ('What's the difference? It's all going to end up liquefied and syrupy'), apple-cider vinegar (' 'Cause that's just always good for you'), and Ayurvedic chai."

When the writer told her to also drink the potion, Kunis agreed as saying, "Yeah, I'll get wasted with you on this wine. F**k it. It's good for you!" She then decided to add some alcohol into the mix. "I have vodka and I have tequila," she told Idov. "What do you think kills germs better?" After settling on half a bottle of Ketel One, she exclaimed, "Healthy! This will kill everything."

During the interview, Kunis talked about not taking acting too seriously. "I love what I do," she said, "but my theory is that it's people who doubt what they do and want to prove it to you, they're like 'It's art. I create art. It's art, art, art.' I'm like, Holy s**t, are you fucking kidding me? I run around and pretend I'm someone else for twelve hours; I record 'Family Guy' [she voices Meg]. Then I get to go home and watch 'Jersey Shore'."

Another reason to stay home if you're sick

Why do we do this? Why do we insist on coming to work when we're coughing, achy, got a runny nose and wondering when

the fever is going to kick in? New research confirms what you probably know is the right thing but refuse to do: Just

stay in bed.

Those who do drag themselves in sick probably think their bosses will notice their dedication and consider them hard

workers. But new research from Queens University in Kingston, Ontario, shows that our bosses shouldn't be too

impressed. The study was supported by Afexa Life Sciences, the makers of a cold and flu treatment.

The researchers looked at the results of more than 80 studies, representing the work of more than 300 researchers at

more than 100 universities and institutions.

The results? Stay home. Yes, 83 percent of Americans say they will show up to work even if they have flu-like

symptoms. But the researchers say the loss in productivity from a worker who shows up sick -- the working wounded, as

it were -- is twice the productivity loss that they experience when a worker stays home. After all, those who come in

sick don't get as much done as they think they will, and quite often infect their colleagues.

The researchers also found that:

1. One-third of Canadians report a sore throat, cold or flu in any given month. Symptoms are more common in women

than in men.

2. Women are more likely to go see a doctor than men are.

3. One-fifth of people ignore their symptoms altogether

4. Cold remedies and prescription antibiotics don't do much good. The researchers found that, for the most part,

these remedies neither "ameliorate symptoms nor change the course of illness."

And while the study found that co-workers do frequently pass their illnesses along to each other, school-aged kids

are much more active in spreading disease. The Queens researchers say school-aged children "have been shown to

introduce rhinovirus [the primary cause of the common cold] infections into their families three times more often

than working adults."

SDI, a research agency that tracks colds and flu in North America found an annual spike in colds and flu within the

first two weeks of students' return to school each fall.

Virus takes memories from cellist but leaves music

Herpesviral encephalitis is caused by the same virus that causes cold sores. It is a rare infection and occurs when this virus travels along nerves to the brain. In the case of PM, the virus wiped out large sections of his medial temporal lobes which have been linked to memories of events and facts. PM was left with no memory of personal or professional events he had done and the only people he recognized were his brother and a care worker.

Doctors began testing PM’s abilities after they discovered that he was able to identify musical scales and recall music that was played for him.

Neurologist Carsten Finke from Charite University Hospital in Berlin decided to take these tests further. Working with a team of professional musicians, Finke designed a series of tests that were designed to look at just how PM’s musical memory worked.

One test, PM was presented with a piece of music that was composed before he was struck with illness. He was then played a similar piece composed after his illness. When he was asked which piece he knew better, 93 percent of the time he chose the older piece.

In addition to amnesia, PM has had difficulty learning new things. For example, he is unable to remember the layout of his home or which medications he is supposed to take on a daily basis. However, in another test the doctors conducted, PM was able to identify pieces of music that were played to him earlier in the day 77 percent of the time.

Doctors are hoping this case will help to better understand how memories are stored in the brain. In the case of PM, they are also hoping to use music to help in his rehabilitation. They plan to try using musical notes and connect them to different people and tasks.

Going to work sick is bad for business

Your throat is scratchy. You nose is dripping and your head is gently throbbing. You don’t feel ill enough to justify taking a sick day, but you’re far from your regular, healthy, productive self.

Welcome to world of the working wounded, the army of hacking, sneezing, watery-eyed employees who refuse to suffer their cold and flu symptoms lying down – or, at least, safely away from the workplace. While many feel pressured to soldier on with their jobs, there’s a growing consensus that ill employees could be doing more harm than good by reporting for duty.

A recent study from Queen’s University found it costs employers twice as much in productivity losses for employees who come to work while sick than for those who stay at home. Yet the same study showed that 83 per cent of U.S. adult survey participants continued to attend work or school while experiencing flu-like symptoms. The research, funded by a grant from Afexa Life Sciences Inc., the maker of cold remedy COLD-FX, also found one in three Canadian adults have a sore throat, cold or flu in any given month, and one in five ignore their symptoms of illness.

Earlier this year, the temporary staffing company Accountemps released the results of a survey of more than 430 Canadian workers, which revealed people are far more likely to be worried about catching a bug from their ill co-workers than to be impressed by their dedication. Fifty-seven per cent said they feared being exposed to their sick colleagues, and 29 per cent said they were concerned about their ill co-workers’ well-being, compared with 11 per cent who said they would be impressed with them for working while unwell.

But when ill themselves, 51 per cent said they would go to work anyway, compared with 31 per cent who said they would stay at home and take a sick day.

“I think a lot of people feel pressure [to work while sick] because they obviously feel a sense of obligation to their employer,” says Anaar Dewjee, branch manager of Accountemps in Toronto. Some also tend to feel guilty about leaving their co-workers to pick up the slack, or believe that if they show up, they’ll make a better impression on their bosses.

Workers, however, often aren’t as effective on the job when they’re unwell, Ms. Dewjee says. They also risk infecting others, and they may prolong their recovery if they don’t rest up. “It can actually be counter-productive.”

The trouble is, it’s not always clear from one’s symptoms whether an illness warrants time off, and how many sick days one should take.

Many flu-like symptoms, such as coughing, headaches, fever, nasal congestion and muscle aches, can be due to Influenza A, Influenza B, or any number of respiratory viruses, which behave differently, says Doug Sider, acting director for infectious-disease prevention and control at Public Health Ontario.

Further complicating matters, he adds, the severity of one’s symptoms does not necessarily indicate the level of risk for spreading the illness. “If you’ve got mild symptoms, does that mean you’re less infectious? Or if you’ve got more significant symptoms, that you’re more infectious? We’re not always certain about that.”

Ideally, Dr. Sider says people should stay home for at least two to three days when they start feeling ill, as that’s when they’re most infectious. He acknowledges, though, that staying home isn’t always feasible. “There’s a whole series of workplace disincentives for people to do the right thing, in terms of basically isolating themselves when they’re ill,” he says.

Some workplaces, for instance, require employees to obtain a doctor’s note, even though a crowded waiting room while they’re at their most contagious is the last place people should be, Dr. Sider says.

If you absolutely must go to work, he advises practising good respiratory etiquette: frequent hand-washing, coughing into a tissue or sleeve and using alcohol-based hand rubs.

In general, after the first 48 hours, people’s immune systems kick in but they could continue to spread illness for four to five days, says Bhagirath Singh, director of the centre for human immunology the University of Western Ontario. Regardless, they may not feel topnotch for a while.

Typically, a common cold can last around seven days, while the effects of some flu viruses can last several weeks, Dr. Singh says. “Obviously you will still be feeling miserable and terrible, but you won’t be contagious.” Cold comfort.

10 home remedies that work

We spend billions every year on over-the-counter health remedies for everything from canker sores to aching muscles, but in some cases there’s no need to shell out a lot of money to find relief. All you need to do is check your cupboards for some surprising home remedies.

The 10 we picked are cheap, easy to find, and there’s actual scientific proof that they work.

Because certain home remedies can interact with prescription medications, check with your doctor before trying something new.

1. Honey. Just one spoonful can help quiet a nighttime cough better than over-the-counter cough syrups or suppressants.

That’s what a Pennsylvania study of more than 100 children found. Study author Ian Paul, M.D., says honey can also help reduce coughs in older adults suffering from a cold.

Honey coats and soothes an irritated throat to help calm repeated coughing. “It is generally safe and can be used repeatedly as needed,” Paul says. He recommends two teaspoons per dose.

2. Liquid dish soap. If you come into contact with poison ivy or poison oak, washing the affected area with liquid dish soap within two hours of contact may prevent you from getting an itching red rash. Arkansas dermatologist Adam Stibich wanted to see if liquid dish-washing soap, which is formulated to remove oil, would be a cost-effective way to get rid of the plant oil on poison ivy leaves that causes a rash when it gets on your skin.

Volunteer medical students rubbed poison ivy leaves on their forearms and then washed with dish-washing soap for 25 seconds before rinsing. The soap prevented a reaction in almost half the volunteers and reduced the inflammation in the rest by 56 percent.

In his study, Stibich used Dial dishwashing soap, but any brand will work.

3. Tart cherry juice. Drinking tart cherry juice can help prevent gout attacks, relieve muscle soreness after exercise, and possibly help with arthritis pain because of its natural anti-inflammatory properties.

Gout expert Naomi Schlesinger, says the juice seems to reduce the joint inflammation that gout causes. Schlesinger led a study that found patients who took a tablespoon of tart cherry juice concentrate twice a day for four months cut the frequency of their gout attacks in half.

More than a third remained gout attack-free. Other studies have shown that drinking tart cherry juice daily helps runners reduce muscle soreness and reduces inflammation in overweight patients.

Unlike its sweeter cousins, the Bing and black cherry, the tart cherry is bright red and higher in antioxidants.

4. Baby shampoo. A half-and-half solution of baby shampoo and warm water is a simple, effective way to clean eyelids that are itchy, red or crusty.

Gently cleaning the eyelid with a baby shampoo wash helps get rid of oil and bacteria but won’t sting your eyes.

Try diluting a little baby shampoo with an equal amount of water twice a day, then gently rubbing the mixture with clean fingertips on the closed eyelid and along the eyelashes for one minute. Rinse well with water.

Philip Hagen, medical editor of the Mayo Clinic Book of Home Remedies, cautions that baby shampoo should only be used on the lid, and never on the surface of the eye.

5. Menthol rub. Applying mentholated ointments such as strong-smelling Vicks VapoRub has been shown to be a safe, cost-effective treatment for toenail fungus, often more effective than over-the-counter products.

A small study this year found that applying Vicks to the affected nails once daily helped 15 of 18 adults either cure or partially clear up their fungus.

Sally Stroud, professor of nursing at the Medical University of South Carolina, says Vicks is easy to apply and worth trying “before turning to more costly alternatives.”

Stroud also suggests first wiping the affected nails with a cotton ball soaked in white vinegar, then applying the VapoRub.

6. Witch hazel. Witch hazel is derived from the leaves and twigs of a flowering shrub. For more than a century, the clear, refined extract has been used as an astringent to help tighten the skin and relieve inflammation.

It is the main ingredient in commercial hemorrhoid pads, used to relieve mild itching and irritation, but you can do the same at home with pads you moisten with witch hazel, according to Hagen. For even more relief, use chilled witch hazel.

7. Ginger. Ginger can help reduce nausea and relieve motion sickness.

Some studies have shown that taking one gram of ginger an hour before surgery can reduce nausea and vomiting during the first 24 hours after surgery.

In addition, a large National Cancer Institute-funded study found that people undergoing chemotherapy who take as little as one-quarter of a teaspoon of ginger daily for three days before chemo cut their nausea by 40 percent.

The study found that a small amount of fresh or powdered ginger worked better than a larger dose, and that ginger taken with anti-vomiting drugs worked better to control nausea than drugs alone.

For adults prone to motion sickness, Suzanna Zick of the University of Michigan recommends eating one or two pieces of crystallized ginger, available in most supermarkets, before traveling. She cautions that ginger extract capsules are much stronger and may actually cause stomach upset. “Don’t go above two grams of ginger,” she advises.

8. Water. Daily gargling with plain tap water can help cut the number of colds and respiratory infections you get, as well as relieve symptoms if you’re already sick.

A 2005 study of nearly 400 healthy volunteers ages 18 to 65 in Japan found that those who gargled three times a day with tap water had nearly 40 percent fewer respiratory infections during cold and flu season than did the control group. When the subjects did get sick, gargling reduced bronchial irritation, researchers reported.

Other studies also support gargling, whether with salt water or water with lemon and honey, as a safe, effective way to soothe and cleanse a sore throat.

Hagen says the salt in the water also draws out excess fluid from the throat’s inflamed tissues, “and warm water may help cleanse them a bit better.”

9. Milk of magnesia. Dabbing this milky liquid on canker sores — small ulcers that typically appear inside the mouth — can temporarily soothe their pain. “Milk of magnesia won’t heal the sores, but it does give relief from the symptoms,” Hagen says. Experts at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) suggest first dabbing the sore with a mixture of half water and half hydrogen peroxide, then dabbing on the milk of magnesia.

10. Cranberries. If you’re prone to bladder infections, drinking cranberry juice daily won’t cure them, but it can help prevent them, say the urologic disease experts at NIH.

Just be careful if you are taking blood-thinning medication like warfarin (Coumadin), Plavix or aspirin, warns Hagen: “Possible interactions between cranberry juice and warfarin may lead to bleeding.”

Taking a 500 mg cranberry extract pill twice a day is also effective at preventing urinary tract infections.

A Dutch study published this year compared women who took a daily low dose of an antibiotic to prevent infections and women who took the cranberry pills. The antibiotic was somewhat more effective, but it also caused more antibiotic resistance in the bloodstream.

Cold and Flu Spread During the Winter Season

The Engle Center has seen several cases of pneumonia so far this season, and with many other seasonal illnesses out there, the Engle Center urges students to take precautions against getting sick.

"I've seen about a dozen cases of pneumonia this year and this is only the start [of the winter season]," said Coordinator of Health Services Judy Groop.

Pneumonia symptoms often mimic that of the flu – sore throat, fever and congestion — but those with pneumonia will also experience chest pains, chills, cold sweats, muscle pain, and fatigue.

"Keep your distance from people who have those cold symptoms-- at least five to six feet," said Groop. "And stay outdoors whenever you can. Fresh air always does good and will prevent you from being confined to a small area where sicknesses may thrive."

As the winter season approaches, common illnesses such as the cold and flu will begin to spread around campus. Every year during this time, both students and staff are more susceptible to certain illnesses due to the drastic shift in weather and other factors, such as stress and a lack of sleep.

"When students are tired and stressed they tend to let their guard down because they have other things to think about," said Groop. "Getting some sleep lessens the stress and will make a student more aware."

Typically, the common cold is the most prominent winter sickness. Symptoms include fever, sore throat, and congestion. The flu is also another illness seen in the winter. Symptoms are the same as the common cold, but more severe.

Groop also adds that washing your hands frequently is a must. Students may hear this precaution frequently but often do not understand just how helpful it is in preventing illness.

During the year, the Engle Center averages 6,500 visits.

"That averages out to be two visits per student," said Groop.

As winter approaches, the Engle Center starts to see the number of visits rise to 25-35 students per day.

"As of yesterday [October 1, 2011] we saw 47 students, each of them very sick," she said, but the number of visits usually "depends on what is going around."

"Since we have a lot of pneumonia this year, the average could change."

The Engle Center is a walk-in clinic with no appointments needed unless a student would like to see the nurse practitioner, Sandra Halbruner, who is trained in infectious diseases, internal medications, and travel clinics for students who are studying abroad. A visit with Halbruner costs twenty dollars but all others are free.

The Engle Center offers information sheets about viral illnesses and guidelines on how and why to take certain medications. They also offer various vaccines, cold medications (similar to Dayquil) and over-the-counter drugs such as Tylenol and Advil. Cold medications cost a dollar for four daily doses.

Groop encourages students to take advantage of the services offered at the Engle Center, including flu shots.

"Students think they don't need a flu shot … A flu shot is truly the hidden secret [to prevent the illness]."

She said everyone should get the flu shot annually or at least biannually. Flu shots are available at the Engle Center for $25 during regular business hours.