When I explored Trapit I was fascinated at how easy and intuitive it was; I was feeling like an expert in no time!

Location: Roanoke, VA
Occupation: Professor & Chair, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine; Pediatrician-in-Chief, Carilion Clinic Children’s Hospital
Websites: Alice’s Carilion Clinic Blog, @CloseToHomeMD on Twitter
Favorite Wildlife: Birds

Q: You came from very humble beginnings in Brooklyn, NY, to have an incredibly successful career in medicine. How did you first discover your interest in medicine?

There were a couple of related events. The first was when my father died, when I was nine years old. At some point after he passed away, I remember coming out of my bedroom, and looking at my mom, and she was trying to figure out how to write a check and how to balance a checkbook. And she was crying.

And I sat there, and I said, somewhere inside of me, that this was not going to happen to me. I think that gave me the desire to become self-sufficient, to value my education, and to go forward with the mindset that I was going to rely on myself.

I also remember when I was in highschool, I volunteered at Coney Island hospital. I was volunteering at an ER when they were responding to a cardiac arrest. And the doctors were working on some poor man they had brought in, and they were unsuccessful. Afterwards, they just walked away, with the attitude “you win some, you lose some.” And I wondered if they treated my Dad like that when he was brought in, or if there was someone there who really cared. And that’s what I think really set the stage for the person I was going to become.

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It’s Autism Awareness Month, and here at Trapit we’re passionate about bringing you accurate information about this widespread condition. Scientifically proven to be completely unrelated to vaccines and vaccination (despite scientific frauds who contend otherwise), autism is not a disease but is simply a hereditary condition that requires acceptance. Kids with autism do, in fact, have a wide variety of special needs, but there are a whole slew of resources for coping with autism.

There’s no reason that having an autistic child means you can’t have a happy, healthy family. Many different therapies abound, from psychiatric to animal to robot therapies and more; consult with a doctor to find what’s right for your family. (Resources for adults with autism are also available!) Plug in to the conversation surrounding autism with Trapit’s Autism featured trap, where we’re working to help raise awareness of this affliction, while dispelling the harmful myths and misconceptions that surround it. We know you’re working hard to get it right, and here at Trapit we’re committed to that 100%!

-Ethan

I get very excited about food. I know you guys have some good recipes, and with Trapit’s beautiful interface, I’ve been scouring through these recipes and these pictures, and it’s just unbelievable. It’s like Instagram on steroids.

Location: Orlando, FL
Official Title: International Diabetes Advocate and Celebrity Chef
Websites: The Poor Chef, The Diabetic You, and Diabetic You Supplies
Favorite Featured Trap: Diabetes

Q: You first gained notoriety by starting as an actor, playing the titular role in The Summer of Ben Tyler. Can you tell us what it’s like to get to experience something like that?

It’s an amazing feeling, especially when it comes from just a dream. One day you’re just walking down the streets of Manhattan and you see a movie being shot, and when you ask someone what it takes to get in, they brush you off and tell you, “You need an agent.” You never think you’re going to be side-by-side with James Woods & Elizabeth McGovern (and I actually had a big crush on her from Once Upon a Time in America), and I’m so fortunate to have that happen for me. It’s been such a pleasure to get to achieve that dream.

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As winter tightens its hold across the United States and the rest of the northern hemisphere, two different diseases threaten to infect millions: Norovirus and Influenza. Transmitted via the air, the best way to stop Norovirus, also known as the winter vomiting bug, is simply to wash your hands with soap and water. While it’s very unlikely to cause any lasting damage, it’s absolutely no fun at all, and Trapit’s got you covered as far as the symptoms, how to protect yourself and what to do if you get it.

But the flu has an even stronger preventative measure out there: get your flu shot, which will roughly halve your risk of getting the flu! (And — full disclosure — I got mine!) Don’t fall for common myths about the flu vaccine, and if you’re a parent, don’t let your kid be one of the roughly 100 that die every year from influenza! Be prepared for vaccine shortages in some areas, as far too many people waited to get vaccinated, and if you do have a young child that gets the flu, we’ve got you covered with a how-to guide for taking care of them!

Protect yourself and the ones you love with the best information you can get on both influenza and the norovirus, from all around the world, only in Trapit’s featured health section.

-Ethan

It’s nearing the end of 2012 (and the Mayan Calendar) and it’s been a great year at Trapit. How could it not have been? We launched an iPad app! And while that was certainly a highlight, Trapit’s given us more than that. For your reading pleasure, please enjoy Trapit staff’s top picks of 2012—the discoveries, Traps, and stories that distracted us from the toil of QA presented in no particular order.

NASA’s Perpetual Ocean animations visualize the flow of the ocean.

Laura’s Picks:

Feminism: This was the Trap I was most inclined to lose hours to (thank stars for our iPad app). The feminist blogosphere is full of witty, thoughtful, and feisty ladies and gents. And with politicians providing plenty of grist for the mill this year—there was rarely a dull moment. 

Garlic Scapes: They’re curly, they’re tasty, they popped up in the grocery aisle this spring (and many a garden). Allegiances aside, Trapit’s my go-to source for finding recipes for new/strange/routine ingredients. My Garlic Scapes Trap did not disappoint. 

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Moreso today than ever before in human history, the decision about when and whether to have children — or not — is a choice being made by individuals, with social pressure having less and less impact on the decision. If you choose to go childfree, no one should ever be allowed to criticize your decision. However, for many who do either wait until later in life to have kids or couples who have problems with either male or female infertility, know that there are all sorts of options available, and that the choice is yours as to which one(s) you explore.

Whether you consider in-vitro fertilization (also a great option for women choosing to be single mothers), egg-freezing, or other alternative methods, it’s important to get informed about your options! There are new IVF methods that double the old success rates, but IVF itself may be tied to an increased risk of birth defects. Egg freezing is no longer experimental, but women are still cautioned against waiting too long to have children, if they want them. (Yes, there is such a thing as too long.)

There’s always a slew of new information coming out about fertility, ranging from diet and fertility to ectopic pregnancies and their effects to fertility issues during-and-after breast cancer treatment. Whatever your personal choice is, get all the latest news by following the Fertility trap, only available in Trapit’s featured Health section!

-Ethan

The pathways from your brain to your spinal cord are some of the most sensitive and important in the human body, and as such, evolution has shielded them with protective membranes. Meningitis can occur when those membranes become inflamed, and it can be due to a virus, a bacterium, or — in the rarest of all cases — a fungus. Fungal meningitis is non-contagious, and can only be contracted if it’s injected directly into the body. But recently, the New England Compounding Center (NECC) has been linked with more than 200 cases of fungal meningitis across 15 states, and a recall has been placed on all NECC products. 

With over 14,000 people estimated to have received injections from NECC, according to the Centers for Disease Control, people who’ve received them are advised to be on the lookout for the following symptoms: headache, fever, nausea, neck stiffness, confusion, dizziness, and discomfort from bright lights. Only one or two of these symptoms can by a sign of meningitis, so if you’re experiencing them, don’t delay! Meningitis can cause blood clotting or bleeding in small blood vessels, leading to symptoms of stroke or hemorrhaging. Worst of all, meningitis can often be fatal!

Keep yourself protected and informed, and follow the Meningitis trap today to keep up with all the latest news in the fight against this outbreak. There may have been medical misconduct involved as well, so stay informed! It’s available for adoption now in the Trapit Health featured section, so arm yourself with the best possible weapon in the fight against disease: knowledge!

-Ethan

Every cell in your body, from skin cells to heart muscle cells, from marrow cells to neurons in your brain, all have the same biology behind them. They all contain your DNA, they all suffer damage over time from disease and aging, and — at various points — they’re all in need of repair. All the cell types mentioned above also contain a cell nucleus, which mean they each contain the blueprint for making the entire living organism that is you.

In 1962, John Gurdon proved this was possible not only in theory but in practice, by taking a cell’s nucleus from a frog’s stomach and placing it into a frog egg. That egg developed normally into a whole frog, genetically identical to the frog whose stomach the egg was culled from. And more recently, in 2006, Shinya Yamanaka demonstrated that any cell with a nucleus can — under the right conditions — be coaxed into forming any type of cell in the body.

And that’s why these two scientists — these two stem cell researchers — have been awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize for Medicine. From the cloning of entire organisms to the entire field of pluripotent stem cell research, this research has opened the door for studying and (eventually) combatting hundreds of dastardly diseases, including Alzheimer’s, muscular dystrophy and childhood diabetes. If true regenerative or personalized medicine ever becomes a reality, it will be stem cell research that brings it to fruition. For those of us with dreams of reversing the aging process or using our own bodies to fight these diseases, stem cells hold the key.

Follow the Stem Cell trap today, found only in Trapit’s Science section, and keep informed of all the latest developments in the most promising new field of medicine of the 21st Century!

-Ethan 

(Images via River North Crossfit.)

In this, the age of desk jobs, fast food, and sedentary lifestyles, getting up and moving is one of the most important things we can do for our health. Most of us enjoy physical activity, but the same type of workout or exercise can get monotonous and mentally boring, and our bodies get bored of it as well.

What can we do about it?

Switch it up with Trapit’s workouts trap! With dozens of the best new workouts each day from around the world, from biking to running to body weight exercises to crossfit and more, it will keep you active, stimulated, and always bursting with new workout ideas, whether you’re a top athlete or a total beginner. Even a little exercise goes a long way towards keeping you healthy. Adopt our workouts trap today, and get your body moving in a way you’ve never tried before; your health will thank you for it!

-Ethan 

Imagine: there you are, enjoying your time in Yosemite National Park, taking in the forest, the mountains, and the wildlife, including the ubiquitous and innocuous deer mouse, all the while breathing in the fresh air. Believe it or not, three people have wound up dead from this, no thanks to the deadly rodent-borne disease known as Hantavirus.

Tens of thousands of people are now at risk for this disease, which has no known cure for the infected, although most of the infected survive. The virus is thought to be contracted by breathing in molecules of airborne deer mouse poop, something that’s unavoidable in many natural areas as well as in the mouse-riddled houses of hoarders.

Make sure you keep on top of this story with our Hantavirus trap, only available in Trapit’s Health section. I’ll keep you informed, but it’s up to you to stay safe!

-Ethan