Salmonella is a common bacterium that causes infection in humans, usually through exposure to inadequately processed foods like chicken or eggs, contaminated water, and contact with animals like reptiles and amphibians. The people affected most are usually very young or have underlying immune deficiencies.

Blocked or clogged ears occur when the eustachian tubes inside your ears fill with fluid. Sinus infections, cold and flu viruses and allergies can inflame the linings in your ears, leading to blocked passages. Though not a cure, acupuncture can help relieve ear pressure and congestion.

Anaerobic bacteria are organisms that are capable of surviving and growing in an atmosphere of little or no oxygen. Anaerobic bacteria can be further broken down based on their relationship to oxygen: obligate, aerotolerant or facultative anaerobe.

People who spend excessive amounts of time sitting are more prone to injury and are at risk for circulation and mobility problems. Sitting for prolonged periods, especially without proper posture, fatigues the muscles and compresses the blood vessels responsible for supplying the muscles with blood.

A stress fracture of the foot can slow down even the toughest athlete -- and it's good that is does. The key to healing this type of small bone crack is allowing the injured bone adequate time to rest and heal.

A powdered-sugar doughnut and a chewy, whole-grain baguette are both carbohydrates, but they are broken down differently by the body. Carbohydrates fall into three basic categories: sugars, starches and cellulose. Simple sugars, or monosaccharies -- such as might be found in your doughnut -- are digested very quickly.

When the abdominal organs are disturbed when they're moved during surgery or because of inflammatory disease, they may become stuck to each other by adhesions -- a form of scarring.

Waist-to-chest ratio is an important number used to gauge health and fitness. Specifically, it is a measure of the proportion of the waist circumference to the chest circumference. This ratio is used in conjunction with waist-to-hip ratio and body mass index to determine overall body shape.

The liver is the primary site in the body for detoxification, and to help ensure that the liver is able to function as this cleansing organ, it's vital to support it through diet. The body continually cleanses itself through a two-stage process, with each stage requiring different nutrients.

Food proteins must be broken down into amino acids that your body uses for tissue growth, maintenance and repair. The enzyme called trypsin, present in pancreatic juice, is essential for efficient protein digestion. Disorders of trypsin production can not only hinder digestive processes, they can damage the pancreas.

Creativity can be described loosely as the application of novel solutions and possibilities to some aspect of human endeavor. Creativity is easy to identify but notoriously difficult to measure.

Clavicles -- otherwise known as collarbones -- are thin bones that attach the shoulder blades to the breastbone. A break to a clavicle can occur as a result of a fall, a sports-related mishap or a car accident.