Being a woman who believes in proactive health and women's health and nutrition, let me share about a cool tool I have found that will really help you! I believe in getting to know your body and to empower yourself with your breast heath, so once again I have asked my team of trusty women to assist me in a trail, in the hope to reduce one of the many women's health problems, breast cancer.
The cool tool we have found is a self breast exam pad that makes life a lot easier for women! It is a simple, effective and efficient way to do breast examination, making it a non event. We found it works by placing it on our breast and allowing our fingers to glide across our breast doing small circular movements. It seemed to reduce friction and increased the sensitivity of the pads of our fingers. My breast examination aid seemed to magnify everything I felt and my trusty helpers all said the same thing - its amazing! A lump in breast tissue would be found a whole lot easier by using this self exam pad, compared to just using my finger pads alone!
Whilst my twelve year old niece tells me it's like a whoopee cushion, she has been known to explain to women how to use this cool tool, appreciating its greater purpose. My team of ladies helping to trial this self breast examination pad, all found it to be easy to use, making self exam less daunting and confusing. Can we recommend this cool tool for women? We all said yes! Check out this great breast checking device, so that you too, can be a proactive woman with proactive health, with a simplified to-do list!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Children As Young As Eight Using Sunbeds
Children as young as eight are using sunbeds in Britain, the consumer watchdog Which? has revealed today.
Its survey of over 1,000 eight to 15-year-olds found that three per cent had used a sunbed - equivalent to around 170,000 children in Britain.
Further interviews with 47 16- to 17-year-olds found that 13 per cent had used a sunbed.
Young people using sunbeds increase their risk of a life-threatening form of skin cancer.
A recent report from the International Agency for Research into Cancer found that people who use sunbeds before the age of 35 increase their risk of malignant melanoma by over seven times.
The Sunbed Association (TSA) instructs its members to ban under 16s and to advise people with type one skin to avoid sunbeds, but its membership covers only a quarter of the UK's 6,000 salons, and other salons are not regulated at all.
The World Health Organisation advises that under 18s, fair-skinned people and people with a lot of freckles or moles should never use sunbeds.
Despite these guidelines Which? found that many staff are failing to warn potential sunbed users about the associated health risks.
The watchdog sent undercover researchers to ten salons. All ten said someone with very pale skin could use a sunbed and just three gave a verbal warning about the risks.
A government review is currently underway on possible regulation of the sunbed industry and a proposed public health bill in Scotland includes measures to improve staff training.
Which? editor Neil Fowler described the number of children using sunbeds as "shocking".
"Without regulation, the industry needs to be responsible about protecting those most at risk, but staff at the salons we visited failed to give adequate health warnings," he added.
"We're pleased to see that the government is looking at this issue. And in the meantime if you can't live without a tan, consider faking it with a bottle rather than putting your health at risk."
Commenting on the research, Rebecca Russell, Cancer Research UK's SunSmart campaign manager, said it is "extremely shocking" to learn that eight-year-olds are using sunbeds.
"This example of poor industry practice is exactly why Cancer Research UK is calling on the government to introduce legislation to regulate the industry," she added.
"Tighter control of the industry will help to ensure that children are protected from putting themselves at an increased risk of skin cancer and that adults who choose to use sunbeds themselves are made fully aware of the risks."
Its survey of over 1,000 eight to 15-year-olds found that three per cent had used a sunbed - equivalent to around 170,000 children in Britain.
Further interviews with 47 16- to 17-year-olds found that 13 per cent had used a sunbed.
Young people using sunbeds increase their risk of a life-threatening form of skin cancer.
A recent report from the International Agency for Research into Cancer found that people who use sunbeds before the age of 35 increase their risk of malignant melanoma by over seven times.
The Sunbed Association (TSA) instructs its members to ban under 16s and to advise people with type one skin to avoid sunbeds, but its membership covers only a quarter of the UK's 6,000 salons, and other salons are not regulated at all.
The World Health Organisation advises that under 18s, fair-skinned people and people with a lot of freckles or moles should never use sunbeds.
Despite these guidelines Which? found that many staff are failing to warn potential sunbed users about the associated health risks.
The watchdog sent undercover researchers to ten salons. All ten said someone with very pale skin could use a sunbed and just three gave a verbal warning about the risks.
A government review is currently underway on possible regulation of the sunbed industry and a proposed public health bill in Scotland includes measures to improve staff training.
Which? editor Neil Fowler described the number of children using sunbeds as "shocking".
"Without regulation, the industry needs to be responsible about protecting those most at risk, but staff at the salons we visited failed to give adequate health warnings," he added.
"We're pleased to see that the government is looking at this issue. And in the meantime if you can't live without a tan, consider faking it with a bottle rather than putting your health at risk."
Commenting on the research, Rebecca Russell, Cancer Research UK's SunSmart campaign manager, said it is "extremely shocking" to learn that eight-year-olds are using sunbeds.
"This example of poor industry practice is exactly why Cancer Research UK is calling on the government to introduce legislation to regulate the industry," she added.
"Tighter control of the industry will help to ensure that children are protected from putting themselves at an increased risk of skin cancer and that adults who choose to use sunbeds themselves are made fully aware of the risks."
New Ways to Get Rid of Snoring & Sleep Apnea
New ways to get rid of snoring & sleep apnea.
Loud snoring can cause your significant other to sleep in a separate bedroom or worse.
And, it may be a symptom of sleep apnea or the things that cause the loud snoring may get worse & also lead to sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is dangerous. The lack of oxygen can damage your brain; & it tends to produce high blood pressure & make heart disease more likely. Plus the lack of sleep it causes can make you feel bad, tired, & spacey. Worse, you may get sleepy enough to be in an accident that injures you or someone else.
Here are some ways to combat these things.
1. In the last few days I discovered a new way to treat sleep apnea. It also has worked well for loud snoring according to the website of the company who makes it.
The old one that is most used is called positive airway pressure. It works reliably; but it depends on reliable electric power; & it almost literally ties you to the air pump with a hose as you sleep. So it's very inconvenient to use. So much so that many people cannot make themselves do it. And, it's not exactly something you can take with you easily while traveling.
The new method I saw is called the Pillar Procedure. And, the company that makes it is Restore Medical.
Once you have it done, there's nothing to take with you or be tied to. It's more like having a small cavity filled; and quite a bit faster it sounds like from my reading of the information on their website.
It's apparently much less invasive & has easier recovery time than the operation that cuts out & removes the tissues that tend to block breathing or vibrate to cause snoring. The Pillar procedure works by inserting a couple of strips in the tissue that do these two jobs.
Breathing improvement exercises & neck strengthening exercises & losing significant amounts of excess bodyfat though improved eating & exercise probably will get the job done also. And, they have other powerful benefits. But, they take weeks or months to work. For your health's sake you should also do those things.
However, this Pillar Procedure sounds like it might be a great first step as it apparently will solve most of the problem quickly.
I have not had this procedure done nor talked with anyone who has. And, there might be people who didn't get results as good as the people quoted on their website.
However, I did notice that several doctors in our area have already begun offering it. And, one set of doctors advertised their practice by saying they do this Pillar procedure.
If it interests you, see what you think. If I had sleep apnea or loud snoring problems, I'd talk to the doctors locally who have been doing it before I made up my mind.
2. I get several different online health letters.
The one recently by a Dr Blaylock had two things in it about sleep apnea.
The good news is that each of them can be sharply improved by things that also have a proven track record of reducing high blood pressure & improving health in other ways.
Here's the first one:
He points out that in some people sleep apnea is caused at least in part by fluid build up in their lungs caused by congestive heart failure.
(If this is bad, see your doctor, as you may need a diuretic to reduce the fluid level.)
The good news is that taking 100 mg of CoQ10 twice a day seems to improve heart failure--dramatically well in some people. And, taking that amount tends to lower high blood pressure about 10 points. It also increases your energy level & improves heart health in other ways.
So, if you don't already do that, consider it because your sleep apnea may improve a bit & if you also have high blood pressure, you'll likely see both numbers improve..
(Since I added 100 mg of CoQ10 twice a day my blood pressure went down exactly 10 points in both numbers.)
Here's the second one:
Dr Blaylock also points out that regardless of the cause, sleep apnea also increases your inflammation & its marker, C-reactive protein, in your blood
High C-reactive protein on a blood test is a proven predictor of heart disease or worse heart disease.
The good news is that making sure to eat several servings of vegetables each day other than french fries or baked potatoes -- as well as eating one to three servings of fresh fruit each day & getting at least some moderate exercise each day, like walking for 20 minutes, all lower C-Reactive protein.
And, the potassium & fiber vegetables & fruits contain have been shown to reduce blood pressure in people who start eating them who weren't before.
Eating cooked beans or lentils -- & eating nuts if you aren't allergic to them -- also seem to reduce C-Reactive protein levels.
Even better, eating more vegetables & getting regular exercise will make you less fat. And the less fat you are, the less likely you are to have snoring & sleep apnea.
(Eating nuts that are raw or dry roasted instead of salted & fried in transfats is also important. The dry roasted or raw unsalted ones tend to lower high blood pressure & improve health. Extra salt & transfats tend to do the reverse.)
His newsletter also had several foods that promote health. It turns out strawberries also work great to reduce C-Reactive protein.
Strawberries are high in vitamin C & are very high in their antioxidant level overall. So much so, it's also thought they help prevent cancer.
They also are high in potassium that tends to lower blood pressure.
So, if you aren't allergic to strawberries & can enjoy them without adding whipped cream, they are almost perfect for cutting C-Reactive protein.
These are some of the several things that stop loud snoring & sleep apnea & prevent them from harming your health.
I've made a study of ways I can protect my health & now subscribe to both alternative & medical sources of health information & useful health news. I've raised my HDL cholesterol to 95 & cut my LDLs from 130 to 84 without drugs. And, I've lost 30 pounds & kept it off. I do both cardio exercise & strength training regularly each week. I also am avidly interested in health-enhancing foods.
Loud snoring can cause your significant other to sleep in a separate bedroom or worse.
And, it may be a symptom of sleep apnea or the things that cause the loud snoring may get worse & also lead to sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is dangerous. The lack of oxygen can damage your brain; & it tends to produce high blood pressure & make heart disease more likely. Plus the lack of sleep it causes can make you feel bad, tired, & spacey. Worse, you may get sleepy enough to be in an accident that injures you or someone else.
Here are some ways to combat these things.
1. In the last few days I discovered a new way to treat sleep apnea. It also has worked well for loud snoring according to the website of the company who makes it.
The old one that is most used is called positive airway pressure. It works reliably; but it depends on reliable electric power; & it almost literally ties you to the air pump with a hose as you sleep. So it's very inconvenient to use. So much so that many people cannot make themselves do it. And, it's not exactly something you can take with you easily while traveling.
The new method I saw is called the Pillar Procedure. And, the company that makes it is Restore Medical.
Once you have it done, there's nothing to take with you or be tied to. It's more like having a small cavity filled; and quite a bit faster it sounds like from my reading of the information on their website.
It's apparently much less invasive & has easier recovery time than the operation that cuts out & removes the tissues that tend to block breathing or vibrate to cause snoring. The Pillar procedure works by inserting a couple of strips in the tissue that do these two jobs.
Breathing improvement exercises & neck strengthening exercises & losing significant amounts of excess bodyfat though improved eating & exercise probably will get the job done also. And, they have other powerful benefits. But, they take weeks or months to work. For your health's sake you should also do those things.
However, this Pillar Procedure sounds like it might be a great first step as it apparently will solve most of the problem quickly.
I have not had this procedure done nor talked with anyone who has. And, there might be people who didn't get results as good as the people quoted on their website.
However, I did notice that several doctors in our area have already begun offering it. And, one set of doctors advertised their practice by saying they do this Pillar procedure.
If it interests you, see what you think. If I had sleep apnea or loud snoring problems, I'd talk to the doctors locally who have been doing it before I made up my mind.
2. I get several different online health letters.
The one recently by a Dr Blaylock had two things in it about sleep apnea.
The good news is that each of them can be sharply improved by things that also have a proven track record of reducing high blood pressure & improving health in other ways.
Here's the first one:
He points out that in some people sleep apnea is caused at least in part by fluid build up in their lungs caused by congestive heart failure.
(If this is bad, see your doctor, as you may need a diuretic to reduce the fluid level.)
The good news is that taking 100 mg of CoQ10 twice a day seems to improve heart failure--dramatically well in some people. And, taking that amount tends to lower high blood pressure about 10 points. It also increases your energy level & improves heart health in other ways.
So, if you don't already do that, consider it because your sleep apnea may improve a bit & if you also have high blood pressure, you'll likely see both numbers improve..
(Since I added 100 mg of CoQ10 twice a day my blood pressure went down exactly 10 points in both numbers.)
Here's the second one:
Dr Blaylock also points out that regardless of the cause, sleep apnea also increases your inflammation & its marker, C-reactive protein, in your blood
High C-reactive protein on a blood test is a proven predictor of heart disease or worse heart disease.
The good news is that making sure to eat several servings of vegetables each day other than french fries or baked potatoes -- as well as eating one to three servings of fresh fruit each day & getting at least some moderate exercise each day, like walking for 20 minutes, all lower C-Reactive protein.
And, the potassium & fiber vegetables & fruits contain have been shown to reduce blood pressure in people who start eating them who weren't before.
Eating cooked beans or lentils -- & eating nuts if you aren't allergic to them -- also seem to reduce C-Reactive protein levels.
Even better, eating more vegetables & getting regular exercise will make you less fat. And the less fat you are, the less likely you are to have snoring & sleep apnea.
(Eating nuts that are raw or dry roasted instead of salted & fried in transfats is also important. The dry roasted or raw unsalted ones tend to lower high blood pressure & improve health. Extra salt & transfats tend to do the reverse.)
His newsletter also had several foods that promote health. It turns out strawberries also work great to reduce C-Reactive protein.
Strawberries are high in vitamin C & are very high in their antioxidant level overall. So much so, it's also thought they help prevent cancer.
They also are high in potassium that tends to lower blood pressure.
So, if you aren't allergic to strawberries & can enjoy them without adding whipped cream, they are almost perfect for cutting C-Reactive protein.
These are some of the several things that stop loud snoring & sleep apnea & prevent them from harming your health.
I've made a study of ways I can protect my health & now subscribe to both alternative & medical sources of health information & useful health news. I've raised my HDL cholesterol to 95 & cut my LDLs from 130 to 84 without drugs. And, I've lost 30 pounds & kept it off. I do both cardio exercise & strength training regularly each week. I also am avidly interested in health-enhancing foods.
Get Rid of Unhealthy Eating Habits By Derek Ang
You are what you choose to be. The choice will give the ability to overcome bad habits. You always have a choice. You eat poorly, feel horrible as a result of unfortunate choices, or you can choose the best food, reaching your full potential for health.
Step 1: discovered your bad habits
To overcome bad habits, you first become aware of them. Take a pen and a piece of paper and make a list of all the things that you know that are not good, even if you love to eat. For example, that you do not do enough exercise, smoking and so on.a
Step 2: What you win?
What is the motivation to do something that is not good? Why do it? In other words, what is the reward for something that is not good? There is always a reward. But is really worth it?
Step 3: What you lose?
Think of the disadvantages. What if you lose if you quit that habit? This step should be easy. Excessive consumption of chocolate is a bad habit because and it affects blood sugar and mood triggers oscillations. Lack of exercise is a bad habit that will make you feel heavy.
Step 4: Win or lose - This is the question
Now, as you can see from both perspectives - you have to win and you have to lose - tolerating a bad habit is not an involuntary act. You know you make a choice whenever you meet this action. Therefore, whenever you feel tempted to let the will of a bad habit, remember that you have a choice.
Step 5: Replace bad habits with better habits
Some say they feel the need of small pleasures, and thus will only came from an unhealthy food. Maybe you feel tired and sit watching television, staying there all night.
Instead eating a bar of chocolate when you feel moody, eat an apple or call a friend, write a letter or take a warm bath if you feel tense. Rather than watch on TV as you've finished work and came home, go for a walk. Important is to feel good about the choice made.
Step 6: It only depends on you
What will you choose? To continue to feel disappointed or to feel good? Take Your choices depend on intuition.
Derek is the founder of Lookhealthy, Inc. Lookhealthy is a health blog for health resources, health tools and discussion. Provides consumers with reliable health information and timely health news.
Step 1: discovered your bad habits
To overcome bad habits, you first become aware of them. Take a pen and a piece of paper and make a list of all the things that you know that are not good, even if you love to eat. For example, that you do not do enough exercise, smoking and so on.a
Step 2: What you win?
What is the motivation to do something that is not good? Why do it? In other words, what is the reward for something that is not good? There is always a reward. But is really worth it?
Step 3: What you lose?
Think of the disadvantages. What if you lose if you quit that habit? This step should be easy. Excessive consumption of chocolate is a bad habit because and it affects blood sugar and mood triggers oscillations. Lack of exercise is a bad habit that will make you feel heavy.
Step 4: Win or lose - This is the question
Now, as you can see from both perspectives - you have to win and you have to lose - tolerating a bad habit is not an involuntary act. You know you make a choice whenever you meet this action. Therefore, whenever you feel tempted to let the will of a bad habit, remember that you have a choice.
Step 5: Replace bad habits with better habits
Some say they feel the need of small pleasures, and thus will only came from an unhealthy food. Maybe you feel tired and sit watching television, staying there all night.
Instead eating a bar of chocolate when you feel moody, eat an apple or call a friend, write a letter or take a warm bath if you feel tense. Rather than watch on TV as you've finished work and came home, go for a walk. Important is to feel good about the choice made.
Step 6: It only depends on you
What will you choose? To continue to feel disappointed or to feel good? Take Your choices depend on intuition.
Derek is the founder of Lookhealthy, Inc. Lookhealthy is a health blog for health resources, health tools and discussion. Provides consumers with reliable health information and timely health news.
Health Benefits of Coffee Justify Daily Java, So For Goodness Sake, Switch the Coffee Pot On!
Health benefits of coffee to justify my cup! Nothing beats the aroma of the flavored coffee bean going through our house. My coffee mate puts our coffee pot on at 6am and not soon after, I am enjoying my first coffee and watching the morning news and reports on tv. I love my coffee and was determined to find a good reason to justify Java and learn about the health benefits of coffee.
Once my first cup is finished, I confess to getting a second not long afterwards. However, a girl has to have some vices, and coffee is mine, although I do not drink it often during the day. I could easily cave in to temptation, but the caffeine in coffee has been known to keep me awake at night. I sometimes have an organic decaf coffee or flavored decaf coffee. Sometimes I have mixed several brands together and come up with my own Suzie Special!
So what are some health benefits of coffee? Coffee is a source of antioxidants which help your body fight your free radicals - the bad guys. Decaf coffee has the same antioxidants as regular coffee, but minus the caffeine. Moderation is the key. Daily coffee can help to lower the risk of diabetes, reduce the risk of colon cancer and Parkinsons disease, and helps long duration of physical activity. Coffee can help you stay awake, alert, improve cognitive function, help elevate moods and may stop your
headache.
As far as I know, coffee does not cause breast cancer. Women who suffer with tender breasts, discomfort and water retention might like to consider reducing their caffeine, but it is a personal choice with personal experimentation to find the right level of coffee and caffeine for yourself.
Forget coffee prices and enjoy a Java. Learn how to make coffee taste great like the ones you get in Cafes, and experiment with different types of coffee brands and flavors until you find a some you really like. Then brew up in your latest hot coffee mod con and savor the wonderful aroma.
Some things in life are simple, inexpensive and good for you. Wonderful health kitchen oils such as flaxseed oil or coconut oil, and a glass or two of red wine are a couple of life's pleasures and your daily coffee is another! So sit back,
Once my first cup is finished, I confess to getting a second not long afterwards. However, a girl has to have some vices, and coffee is mine, although I do not drink it often during the day. I could easily cave in to temptation, but the caffeine in coffee has been known to keep me awake at night. I sometimes have an organic decaf coffee or flavored decaf coffee. Sometimes I have mixed several brands together and come up with my own Suzie Special!
So what are some health benefits of coffee? Coffee is a source of antioxidants which help your body fight your free radicals - the bad guys. Decaf coffee has the same antioxidants as regular coffee, but minus the caffeine. Moderation is the key. Daily coffee can help to lower the risk of diabetes, reduce the risk of colon cancer and Parkinsons disease, and helps long duration of physical activity. Coffee can help you stay awake, alert, improve cognitive function, help elevate moods and may stop your
headache.
As far as I know, coffee does not cause breast cancer. Women who suffer with tender breasts, discomfort and water retention might like to consider reducing their caffeine, but it is a personal choice with personal experimentation to find the right level of coffee and caffeine for yourself.
Forget coffee prices and enjoy a Java. Learn how to make coffee taste great like the ones you get in Cafes, and experiment with different types of coffee brands and flavors until you find a some you really like. Then brew up in your latest hot coffee mod con and savor the wonderful aroma.
Some things in life are simple, inexpensive and good for you. Wonderful health kitchen oils such as flaxseed oil or coconut oil, and a glass or two of red wine are a couple of life's pleasures and your daily coffee is another! So sit back,
Is Usenet a Good Source of Health Information?
Usenet newsgroups include a huge number of choices that have to do specifically with science. The service has always been like this, since its first days in 1981. Among the topics discussed quite actively on the Usenet system is the topic of health. You'll find plenty of newsgroups dedicated to various ailments and, among those newsgroups specifically targeted at current events, you'll find a lot of information about health issues that are in the news.
There are some very good newsgroups for basic health information. If you have a health issue, chances are that there are plenty of other Usenet users who share it. When you live with such a condition, it's natural to want as much information as possible. A condition such as high blood pressure, diabetes or arthritis is a natural topic for these groups. These conditions are serious, but a lot of their treatment involves maintaining certain lifestyle choices that lead to a higher quality of life. Many people on newsgroups share this information quite freely and you may find something on these groups that can help you out coping with your condition.
One of the advantages of a Usenet newsgroup is that, more often than not, you'll find that the posters use better sources for their information. Online, there are vast marketing campaigns for plenty of alternative products, quite a few people who like to pretend they know things they don't and precious few instances where forums and social networking sites manage to filter information for quality. Usenet is all about the users and, according to studies, Usenet users have a very low tolerance for bad information and tend to point it out rather quickly.
Make sure, however, that you do check the sources of the information that people provide. Oftentimes, they'll provide a link in the article on the newsgroup. You can check out their sources and see if they seem legitimate to you. One of the coolest things about the Usenet service is that these links will be very unlikely to lead you to a camouflaged sales site and that people will actually encourage you to check them out, and to engage them with questions if you have them.
Usenet provides a nice safe harbor from the endless marketing and bad information found on the Internet. It's very hard to "spam" the Usenet system, so you can be reasonably certainty that anyone who replies to your question was simply under the impression that they could help you out. This sense of community and, to an extent, accountability, makes this an excellent system.
There are some very good newsgroups for basic health information. If you have a health issue, chances are that there are plenty of other Usenet users who share it. When you live with such a condition, it's natural to want as much information as possible. A condition such as high blood pressure, diabetes or arthritis is a natural topic for these groups. These conditions are serious, but a lot of their treatment involves maintaining certain lifestyle choices that lead to a higher quality of life. Many people on newsgroups share this information quite freely and you may find something on these groups that can help you out coping with your condition.
One of the advantages of a Usenet newsgroup is that, more often than not, you'll find that the posters use better sources for their information. Online, there are vast marketing campaigns for plenty of alternative products, quite a few people who like to pretend they know things they don't and precious few instances where forums and social networking sites manage to filter information for quality. Usenet is all about the users and, according to studies, Usenet users have a very low tolerance for bad information and tend to point it out rather quickly.
Make sure, however, that you do check the sources of the information that people provide. Oftentimes, they'll provide a link in the article on the newsgroup. You can check out their sources and see if they seem legitimate to you. One of the coolest things about the Usenet service is that these links will be very unlikely to lead you to a camouflaged sales site and that people will actually encourage you to check them out, and to engage them with questions if you have them.
Usenet provides a nice safe harbor from the endless marketing and bad information found on the Internet. It's very hard to "spam" the Usenet system, so you can be reasonably certainty that anyone who replies to your question was simply under the impression that they could help you out. This sense of community and, to an extent, accountability, makes this an excellent system.
Health News: Core TechnicalStrength of New System
Please observe hand-out A. To view handout A see link at end of article
This article is about a discussion of the new sophisticated health care system suggested in article 2.
I am going to intentionally jump right into the middle of how the profile pattern such a system would be applied, so don't be concerned if you are unable to fit all the pieces of the system together immediately.
Hopefully this block diagram in handout A will help bring the 100 test profile pattern of health information more into perspective to give you a better idea as to the extreme breadth and depth of the information gathering capacity of this system. I might add here that the same laboratory (100 test) profile is used thorough-out the system--at both the national research center and the state diagnostic centers.
The top block diagram represents the 100 separate tests at five graduations each--approximately 100 dots across with five lines of dots representing the 5 possible test levels for each test.
Below this block, on the left side of page, you see the two block diagrams that represent the individual's health as well as environment. We know that any blood test taken reflects directly on our health and indirectly on our environment. This is represented on the far left with the dotted lines and arrows, showing that the blood tests reflect on both.
The vertical line extending from the bottom of the large 100-test block represents connection of the output of the 100 test profile pattern to both the research center (lower right) and the state diagnostic center.
In addition to the profile pattern test result information, the new medical research information system also needs to know just what the individual's actual physical environment and present health conditions are. In other words, just what is it physically that those 100 blood tests are actually representing, what are they testing? We will be discussing environmental issues shortly and we will come back and explain the environmental report data. As for the health data output, shown here, that will be information provided by the physician as the result of a physical examination, including patient and family health histories.
All of the data fed into the State Diagnostic Center
and the National Research Center are provided by the physician's office--including the results of the blood tests, the environmental report, and the patient's physical examination report.
Please note that this information, being all from one individual, is referred to as case #1 where it enters the National Research Center on the lower right hand section of the chart. The same information is fed into the state diagnostic center, but for now we will skip over that, and concentrate on the Research Center. Please note that on the bottom of the Research Center block diagram, there is also a line that represents a reflection of tens of millions of other cases of input. All of the above input information would be repeated tens of millions of times from tens of millions of individuals (The motivation needed for use of the system by individuals and patients is fully discussed in the book. There would be very strong motivation even in the early stages of the system).
Now, if you would, please refer to the far lower left-hand corner of the handout for a minute, in order to better understand why (and how) the 100 individual tests provide far more information than the 100 individual bits of data. Let's take a look at a situation that most of us are very familiar with. Among other considerations, common tests by our doctor during an office visit are body temperature and two blood pressure measurements. I have these three tests shown, drawn in at one of ten possible levels.
As an example let's say your body temperature was very high, at 106. Now that in itself would of course be very significant, but it would obviously not provide the doctor with enough information for an accurate diagnosis. Say we now bring the blood pressure tests into the picture, the doctor would also of course need to know what those specific test level results were. Now there are three test result levels involved and if the results of any one of the three vary significantly it could obviously affect the diagnosis--of what our physical condition is. Most of us realize how important these test level results are. So, the diagnosis is, in effect, limited to the relationship of the individual test results to each other, which will be referred to for simplification as the "combination of the test results". We can see that each combination of test the level results would represent a certain health related condition, -- especially with the use of more tests.
Also, to illustrate the rapid buildup of test result data, it's difficult to believe, that mathematically we actually have 1000 possible combinations involved in this limited three test example. These are combinations that could be read by a computer for possible meaningful results. All 1000 combinations would not likely provide meaningful information and of course could be eliminated where it was shown that those particular combinations were of little or no value. However, one could expect a large percentage to be of significance, especially so if the computer were used to also correlate all of the possible results directly to human health conditions.
This article is about a discussion of the new sophisticated health care system suggested in article 2.
I am going to intentionally jump right into the middle of how the profile pattern such a system would be applied, so don't be concerned if you are unable to fit all the pieces of the system together immediately.
Hopefully this block diagram in handout A will help bring the 100 test profile pattern of health information more into perspective to give you a better idea as to the extreme breadth and depth of the information gathering capacity of this system. I might add here that the same laboratory (100 test) profile is used thorough-out the system--at both the national research center and the state diagnostic centers.
The top block diagram represents the 100 separate tests at five graduations each--approximately 100 dots across with five lines of dots representing the 5 possible test levels for each test.
Below this block, on the left side of page, you see the two block diagrams that represent the individual's health as well as environment. We know that any blood test taken reflects directly on our health and indirectly on our environment. This is represented on the far left with the dotted lines and arrows, showing that the blood tests reflect on both.
The vertical line extending from the bottom of the large 100-test block represents connection of the output of the 100 test profile pattern to both the research center (lower right) and the state diagnostic center.
In addition to the profile pattern test result information, the new medical research information system also needs to know just what the individual's actual physical environment and present health conditions are. In other words, just what is it physically that those 100 blood tests are actually representing, what are they testing? We will be discussing environmental issues shortly and we will come back and explain the environmental report data. As for the health data output, shown here, that will be information provided by the physician as the result of a physical examination, including patient and family health histories.
All of the data fed into the State Diagnostic Center
and the National Research Center are provided by the physician's office--including the results of the blood tests, the environmental report, and the patient's physical examination report.
Please note that this information, being all from one individual, is referred to as case #1 where it enters the National Research Center on the lower right hand section of the chart. The same information is fed into the state diagnostic center, but for now we will skip over that, and concentrate on the Research Center. Please note that on the bottom of the Research Center block diagram, there is also a line that represents a reflection of tens of millions of other cases of input. All of the above input information would be repeated tens of millions of times from tens of millions of individuals (The motivation needed for use of the system by individuals and patients is fully discussed in the book. There would be very strong motivation even in the early stages of the system).
Now, if you would, please refer to the far lower left-hand corner of the handout for a minute, in order to better understand why (and how) the 100 individual tests provide far more information than the 100 individual bits of data. Let's take a look at a situation that most of us are very familiar with. Among other considerations, common tests by our doctor during an office visit are body temperature and two blood pressure measurements. I have these three tests shown, drawn in at one of ten possible levels.
As an example let's say your body temperature was very high, at 106. Now that in itself would of course be very significant, but it would obviously not provide the doctor with enough information for an accurate diagnosis. Say we now bring the blood pressure tests into the picture, the doctor would also of course need to know what those specific test level results were. Now there are three test result levels involved and if the results of any one of the three vary significantly it could obviously affect the diagnosis--of what our physical condition is. Most of us realize how important these test level results are. So, the diagnosis is, in effect, limited to the relationship of the individual test results to each other, which will be referred to for simplification as the "combination of the test results". We can see that each combination of test the level results would represent a certain health related condition, -- especially with the use of more tests.
Also, to illustrate the rapid buildup of test result data, it's difficult to believe, that mathematically we actually have 1000 possible combinations involved in this limited three test example. These are combinations that could be read by a computer for possible meaningful results. All 1000 combinations would not likely provide meaningful information and of course could be eliminated where it was shown that those particular combinations were of little or no value. However, one could expect a large percentage to be of significance, especially so if the computer were used to also correlate all of the possible results directly to human health conditions.
History, Facts and Wrinkles - Health Information
Are you having a tough time dealing with your age? Or, perhaps you are more worried on the not-so-pleasing wrinkles on your face?
How do wrinkles form?
Over the years of frowning, laughing, and smiling form creases in the face due to the contractions occurring on the delicate facial muscles. At first, these creases are invisible and light. However, with the many years of these facial activities, they form as permanent entity into your face as they become deeply etched into your face making you look older.
How Botox came to the rescue?
Anti-wrinkle creams, eye creams, and other over-the-counter beauty products purportedly claiming to erase those lines from your face proliferate in the market. However, the result may take time to manifest, and even does not give result at all. When it does give results after long time of using those products, the result will convey but within a very little time. Aside from this, it is usually required to do in a nightly (in some cases, night and day) routine of applying those creams for you to achieve desirable results. Otherwise, there could be no results at all.
Another way to get rid of wrinkles is through facial surgeries. This kind will provide visible and effective results but they can be expensive where not everybody can afford.
When botox came to invade the market, it gave many women a vast hope for them. In 1960's Botulinum toxins were discovered and were known to treat neurological disorder. Botox came to as an answer to facial wrinkles when in 1989 FDA approved it for such specific kind of treatment.
Accordingly, Botox was first recommended to treat several other disorders but not concentrated on wrinkles. Eye muscle disorders, such as blepharospasm, crossed eyes, strabismus, and uncontrollable blinking are what Botox was first known to concentrate on the treatment.
When in 2000, it was again discovered to treat cervical dystonia, a disorder related to severe neck and/or shoulder contractions it was observed that the treatment causes the frown lines to soften. It was then, the start of utilizing Botox to eliminate those unwanted facial and eye wrinkles.
So, what is Botox?
It is the substance generated from a neurotoxin called, Botulinum toxin, and used clinically in small quantities in treating several neurological disorders such as facial spasms and strabismus. These disorders are more known as an abnormal contraction of muscles found on eyes, neck, face and shoulder areas.
Botox Injection
Using it as an injection, Botox smoothes frown lines, or wrinkles, by cosmetic surgeons. Typically, the lines are eliminated and this result last for 3 to 6 months. After which, the patient can have another Botox injection for a continual effect.
How Botox Works To Make You Looking Years Younger?
Botox is injected into affected areas of your face. This causes for a temporary paralysis of your facial muscles, which will then prompt the creases to disappear. Those overactive muscles present in your face will be smoothed down through Botox's main ingredient of natural purified protein. Consequently, the disappearance of deep and persistent lines in your face that developed over the years will make you looking younger and fresher.
This treatment has become so popular ever since it became part of the cosmetic world because of its apparent benefits. In the year 2002, FDA approval included it to treat additional disorders and sickness such as migraine headache, hyperhidrosis and even juvenile cerebral palsy.
Additionally, statistics showed that there have been 2, 272, 080 Botox injections that were performed in the year of 2003. This alone showed Botox is a reliable treatment and aside from this there have still no known reports to cause negative side effects to individuals who have underwent the injection.
How do wrinkles form?
Over the years of frowning, laughing, and smiling form creases in the face due to the contractions occurring on the delicate facial muscles. At first, these creases are invisible and light. However, with the many years of these facial activities, they form as permanent entity into your face as they become deeply etched into your face making you look older.
How Botox came to the rescue?
Anti-wrinkle creams, eye creams, and other over-the-counter beauty products purportedly claiming to erase those lines from your face proliferate in the market. However, the result may take time to manifest, and even does not give result at all. When it does give results after long time of using those products, the result will convey but within a very little time. Aside from this, it is usually required to do in a nightly (in some cases, night and day) routine of applying those creams for you to achieve desirable results. Otherwise, there could be no results at all.
Another way to get rid of wrinkles is through facial surgeries. This kind will provide visible and effective results but they can be expensive where not everybody can afford.
When botox came to invade the market, it gave many women a vast hope for them. In 1960's Botulinum toxins were discovered and were known to treat neurological disorder. Botox came to as an answer to facial wrinkles when in 1989 FDA approved it for such specific kind of treatment.
Accordingly, Botox was first recommended to treat several other disorders but not concentrated on wrinkles. Eye muscle disorders, such as blepharospasm, crossed eyes, strabismus, and uncontrollable blinking are what Botox was first known to concentrate on the treatment.
When in 2000, it was again discovered to treat cervical dystonia, a disorder related to severe neck and/or shoulder contractions it was observed that the treatment causes the frown lines to soften. It was then, the start of utilizing Botox to eliminate those unwanted facial and eye wrinkles.
So, what is Botox?
It is the substance generated from a neurotoxin called, Botulinum toxin, and used clinically in small quantities in treating several neurological disorders such as facial spasms and strabismus. These disorders are more known as an abnormal contraction of muscles found on eyes, neck, face and shoulder areas.
Botox Injection
Using it as an injection, Botox smoothes frown lines, or wrinkles, by cosmetic surgeons. Typically, the lines are eliminated and this result last for 3 to 6 months. After which, the patient can have another Botox injection for a continual effect.
How Botox Works To Make You Looking Years Younger?
Botox is injected into affected areas of your face. This causes for a temporary paralysis of your facial muscles, which will then prompt the creases to disappear. Those overactive muscles present in your face will be smoothed down through Botox's main ingredient of natural purified protein. Consequently, the disappearance of deep and persistent lines in your face that developed over the years will make you looking younger and fresher.
This treatment has become so popular ever since it became part of the cosmetic world because of its apparent benefits. In the year 2002, FDA approval included it to treat additional disorders and sickness such as migraine headache, hyperhidrosis and even juvenile cerebral palsy.
Additionally, statistics showed that there have been 2, 272, 080 Botox injections that were performed in the year of 2003. This alone showed Botox is a reliable treatment and aside from this there have still no known reports to cause negative side effects to individuals who have underwent the injection.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Reconciling Your Past In Texas - Or What You Should Know About Your Medical History
Your family’s medical history can provide insight into the diseases and conditions that are common to you and your relatives. Use this history for clues about your risk for certain diseases and conditions. Family gatherings in Dallas, Houston or anywhere else in Texas can be fun and memorable. They are also an ideal time to catch up on family news and information, including your family's health history. By mapping your family medical history, you can help identify some health risks you may face in the years ahead and plan for measures to minimize or eliminate those risks.
What is a family medical history?
A family medical history or medical family tree is a record of illnesses traced among family members. It looks like the family tree you might have drawn in school, with, of course, the addition of health information. This tree shows the relationships between each family member. And, depending on how much information you're able to get for each relative, your medical family tree may end up being very detailed, while including health issues each family member faced.
What are the advantages of family medical history?
By compiling a family medical history, you can help your doctor spot patterns of specific conditions and diseases among family members. Your doctor and other healthcare professionals can use your family's medical history — sometimes called a pedigree — for a number of things, including:
* Diagnosing a medical condition
* Determining whether you may benefit from preventive measures to lower your risk of a specific disease
* Deciding what medical tests to run
* Identifying other members of your family who are at risk of developing certain diseases
* Calculating your risk of certain diseases
* Calculating your risk of passing certain conditions on to your children
What can't your family medical history tell you?
A family medical history doesn't necessarily help everyone looking for answers about hereditary health concerns. For instance:
* If you’re adopted, family medical histories only work for blood relatives. And if you are adopted and don't know your biological parents, your family's medical history won't tell you about your risk of inherited diseases.
* Don’t use it to predict your future. Whether you'll actually end up with an inherited condition depends on your health habits, especially diet and exercise. Knowing now that you're at risk of certain diseases can motivate you to change any unhealthy behaviors.
It provides limited insight into small families. If you have few siblings and cousins, it could be more difficult to identify family health patterns.
Someday it may be possible, and affordable, to use genetic testing to predict all of the diseases you’re at risk for. Until then, your family's medical history is probably the best way to look into your possible future.
Gathering information about your family's medical history.
Interview your relatives in person or on the phone. Or see if they are willing to take a few minutes at your next family reunion to answer your questions. Talking with your relatives can also help you renew or build relationships, as well as gain valuable medical knowledge.
Devise a questionnaire for your family. This should include questions about medical conditions your relatives have and their health habits, such as smoking, diet and exercise. Also include:
* Can you provide significant dates, including birth dates and other approximate dates when diseases/conditions were diagnosed?
* What major diseases has the family experienced? Examples: heart disease, stroke, cancer, depression, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, obesity, blindness and deafness. At what age were these diseases or conditions diagnosed? Was treatment successful?
* Any relatives have a tendency for other conditions: allergies, asthma, migraines or frequent colds?
* Have infertility, miscarriages, stillbirths or infant deaths taken place in the family? If so, what was the cause?
* Any history of birth defects, learning disabilities or mental retardation?
* What is the family's dominant racial and ethnic background? Some diseases are more common among members of certain races and ethnicities.
* Is there any other information that may be relevant to the family medical history?
There are other sources of information you could include, such as death certificates, which are available through your state health department, and family records, which might include letters, census records or obituaries.
Try to gather as much information on as many generations of relatives as you can, including your parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers, half brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, children and grandchildren. If you're married and have children, include your spouse's family history as well.
Make sure the information is as accurate as possible. If you don’t have information regarding what caused a family member's death, don't guess. Incorrect information will give you incorrect results. Do your best to collect solid information about your closest relatives, which would be your immediate family.
What can I do if a relative doesn't want to share their medical information?
You might come across some relatives who prefer to keep their health information private. There may also be relatives who do not want to talk about an uncle's alcoholism, a niece's treatment for mental illness, a nephew's dyslexia or a grandmother's Alzheimer's disease. Use tact and compassion to overcome this hurdle.
In addition, consider these strategies to get family members to open up and share personal information:
* Emphasize that your purpose is to create a record that will help you determine whether you and your relatives have a family history of certain diseases or health conditions. Make the completed medical history available to other family members so that they can also share the information with their doctors.
* Ask a question several different ways. Some people may be more willing to share health information in a face-to-face meeting. Others may prefer answering your questions by mail or e-mail.
* Word each question carefully. Don't start with personal questions. Begin your interview by asking general questions about the whole family and then let your relative volunteer his or her personal health information.
* Be a good listener. As your relatives talk about their health problems, let them speak without interruption. Listen without judgment or comment.
* Respect privacy. As you collect information about your relatives, respect their right to confidentiality. Some people may not want to share any health information with you. Or they may not want this information revealed to anyone other than you and your doctor.
Now share your family medical history with your doctor.
Take your completed medical history to your next doctor's appointment. Your doctor can help you analyze disease patterns and can talk with you about your risk of developing certain diseases. If you're considering genetic testing, your doctor can discuss this with you and determine whether genetic testing is right for you.
You’re a young, healthy Texan and you certainly want to continue to stay healthy now and as you get older. So a comprehensive medical history might just help you pinpoint and avoid problems in the future. The right individual health insurance plan might also help you with your long-term fitness and health goals. As part of your healthcare strategy, why not take a look at the revolutionary comprehensive individual health insurance solutions created by Precedent specifically for young, healthy individuals?
What is a family medical history?
A family medical history or medical family tree is a record of illnesses traced among family members. It looks like the family tree you might have drawn in school, with, of course, the addition of health information. This tree shows the relationships between each family member. And, depending on how much information you're able to get for each relative, your medical family tree may end up being very detailed, while including health issues each family member faced.
What are the advantages of family medical history?
By compiling a family medical history, you can help your doctor spot patterns of specific conditions and diseases among family members. Your doctor and other healthcare professionals can use your family's medical history — sometimes called a pedigree — for a number of things, including:
* Diagnosing a medical condition
* Determining whether you may benefit from preventive measures to lower your risk of a specific disease
* Deciding what medical tests to run
* Identifying other members of your family who are at risk of developing certain diseases
* Calculating your risk of certain diseases
* Calculating your risk of passing certain conditions on to your children
What can't your family medical history tell you?
A family medical history doesn't necessarily help everyone looking for answers about hereditary health concerns. For instance:
* If you’re adopted, family medical histories only work for blood relatives. And if you are adopted and don't know your biological parents, your family's medical history won't tell you about your risk of inherited diseases.
* Don’t use it to predict your future. Whether you'll actually end up with an inherited condition depends on your health habits, especially diet and exercise. Knowing now that you're at risk of certain diseases can motivate you to change any unhealthy behaviors.
It provides limited insight into small families. If you have few siblings and cousins, it could be more difficult to identify family health patterns.
Someday it may be possible, and affordable, to use genetic testing to predict all of the diseases you’re at risk for. Until then, your family's medical history is probably the best way to look into your possible future.
Gathering information about your family's medical history.
Interview your relatives in person or on the phone. Or see if they are willing to take a few minutes at your next family reunion to answer your questions. Talking with your relatives can also help you renew or build relationships, as well as gain valuable medical knowledge.
Devise a questionnaire for your family. This should include questions about medical conditions your relatives have and their health habits, such as smoking, diet and exercise. Also include:
* Can you provide significant dates, including birth dates and other approximate dates when diseases/conditions were diagnosed?
* What major diseases has the family experienced? Examples: heart disease, stroke, cancer, depression, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, obesity, blindness and deafness. At what age were these diseases or conditions diagnosed? Was treatment successful?
* Any relatives have a tendency for other conditions: allergies, asthma, migraines or frequent colds?
* Have infertility, miscarriages, stillbirths or infant deaths taken place in the family? If so, what was the cause?
* Any history of birth defects, learning disabilities or mental retardation?
* What is the family's dominant racial and ethnic background? Some diseases are more common among members of certain races and ethnicities.
* Is there any other information that may be relevant to the family medical history?
There are other sources of information you could include, such as death certificates, which are available through your state health department, and family records, which might include letters, census records or obituaries.
Try to gather as much information on as many generations of relatives as you can, including your parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers, half brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, children and grandchildren. If you're married and have children, include your spouse's family history as well.
Make sure the information is as accurate as possible. If you don’t have information regarding what caused a family member's death, don't guess. Incorrect information will give you incorrect results. Do your best to collect solid information about your closest relatives, which would be your immediate family.
What can I do if a relative doesn't want to share their medical information?
You might come across some relatives who prefer to keep their health information private. There may also be relatives who do not want to talk about an uncle's alcoholism, a niece's treatment for mental illness, a nephew's dyslexia or a grandmother's Alzheimer's disease. Use tact and compassion to overcome this hurdle.
In addition, consider these strategies to get family members to open up and share personal information:
* Emphasize that your purpose is to create a record that will help you determine whether you and your relatives have a family history of certain diseases or health conditions. Make the completed medical history available to other family members so that they can also share the information with their doctors.
* Ask a question several different ways. Some people may be more willing to share health information in a face-to-face meeting. Others may prefer answering your questions by mail or e-mail.
* Word each question carefully. Don't start with personal questions. Begin your interview by asking general questions about the whole family and then let your relative volunteer his or her personal health information.
* Be a good listener. As your relatives talk about their health problems, let them speak without interruption. Listen without judgment or comment.
* Respect privacy. As you collect information about your relatives, respect their right to confidentiality. Some people may not want to share any health information with you. Or they may not want this information revealed to anyone other than you and your doctor.
Now share your family medical history with your doctor.
Take your completed medical history to your next doctor's appointment. Your doctor can help you analyze disease patterns and can talk with you about your risk of developing certain diseases. If you're considering genetic testing, your doctor can discuss this with you and determine whether genetic testing is right for you.
You’re a young, healthy Texan and you certainly want to continue to stay healthy now and as you get older. So a comprehensive medical history might just help you pinpoint and avoid problems in the future. The right individual health insurance plan might also help you with your long-term fitness and health goals. As part of your healthcare strategy, why not take a look at the revolutionary comprehensive individual health insurance solutions created by Precedent specifically for young, healthy individuals?
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Coding News You Can Use - Documentation Essentials
Documentation holes will cost your practice thousands of dollars in denied claims. Your top priority is getting top-notch clinical documentation for your inpatient coders. The latest coding news is that physician query and communication is now "paramount", and not just important.
To be sure your payments are on track, keep a track of up-to-the-minute coding news and see how your hospital's policies and procedures address the following physician documentation discrepancies and issues:
Documentation mistake 1: If it is clear to the physician, it will be clear to the coders.
Physicians may assume that coders can get what they need by, for example, looking at lab values or other test results. But according to national coding guidelines, coding staff cannot code from lab values, and they cannot diagnose. Coders need the narrative terms required to support key diagnoses.
Under the new MS-DRG system, the reality is that we need a lot more specific and detailed verbiage in the medical record to support correct coding.
Documentation mistake 2: Someone else will fill in the blanks for you.
Don't let physicians pass the buck when it comes to proper documentation in the medical record. Coders can't just pluck support for their codes from anyone's notes in the chart. For example, information regarding malnutrition must come from the physician (or a physician assistant or clinical nurse specialist) - not from a dietitian.
Documentation mistake 3: Physicians drag their feet when coders' queries come their way.
This is a mistake - but not necessarily the physicians'. How physicians respond to queries for more information depends in large part on how knowledgeable they are regarding the coding process - and health information managers are responsible for securing that buy-in.
Don't put your practice at risk by staying behind the updates. Get the recent coding news, or your practice's revenue will suffer.
To be sure your payments are on track, keep a track of up-to-the-minute coding news and see how your hospital's policies and procedures address the following physician documentation discrepancies and issues:
Documentation mistake 1: If it is clear to the physician, it will be clear to the coders.
Physicians may assume that coders can get what they need by, for example, looking at lab values or other test results. But according to national coding guidelines, coding staff cannot code from lab values, and they cannot diagnose. Coders need the narrative terms required to support key diagnoses.
Under the new MS-DRG system, the reality is that we need a lot more specific and detailed verbiage in the medical record to support correct coding.
Documentation mistake 2: Someone else will fill in the blanks for you.
Don't let physicians pass the buck when it comes to proper documentation in the medical record. Coders can't just pluck support for their codes from anyone's notes in the chart. For example, information regarding malnutrition must come from the physician (or a physician assistant or clinical nurse specialist) - not from a dietitian.
Documentation mistake 3: Physicians drag their feet when coders' queries come their way.
This is a mistake - but not necessarily the physicians'. How physicians respond to queries for more information depends in large part on how knowledgeable they are regarding the coding process - and health information managers are responsible for securing that buy-in.
Don't put your practice at risk by staying behind the updates. Get the recent coding news, or your practice's revenue will suffer.
ADHD Information For Parents - Latest News and Experiments
In the great dash to understand more about ADHD disorder, a number of interesting facts have emerged which should help us to understand our approach to ADHD treatment. It should also aid us in treating ADHD information with the suspicion/respect it deserves.
Transcendental Meditation ?
Trancendental meditation (TM) has hit the ADHD headlines. Researchers at the George Washington University studied a group of middle school students who were taught how to do TM for just ten minutes twice a day. All the children had greater or lesser ADHD problems and after the experiment was over, there was a 50% reduction in ADHD symptoms and the children were able to concentrate better, had fewer behavioural problems and were much less hyperactive.. More experiments will need to be done before we send our kids to TM lessons but it is a promising development in that it could reduce the number of ADHD children on psychotics/psychostimulants.
College Students Abusing ADHD Drugs
The number of college students using ADHD drugs to power their memories and concentration has never been higher (5%) according to a study which involved three major US universities. These were Duke, Michigan and North Carolina. Of the 3,000 students interviewed, the majority were pleased with the results and not at all worried about drug dependency, insomnia or eating disorders. Yet these are the same side effects that ADHD children have to cope with when prescribed these drugs. The three most popular drugs used by the college students were Ritalin , Concerta and Adderall. The prospect of our youth being permanently on mind altering psychostimulants for all their life is alarming to say the least!
Jamie Oliver's Campaign
In the UK, the debate on obesity and hyperactivity in children has been taken up by the very popular TV chef/guru Jamie Oliver. He likes the idea of Scottish schools providing free balanced meals for kids in the first three years of primary school but is most concerned that the taxes paid by working mothers is not being invested in giving cookery lessons to kids which would instil in them an awareness of food from an early age. He wants a £6 billion investment in school meals and cookery lessons. The British Heart Foundation is concerned about the false claims used by food manufacturers in advertising kids' foods - they never mention facts such as high sugar, salt and fat content, not to mention dangerous food colourings - the latter have been linked to ADHD symptoms.
Media Exposure And ADHD ?
In the USA, the National Institutes of Health and Yale University have collated all the studies done on media exposure and their effects on kids' health. The studies/research covered such areas as, TV, video, PC, the Web. It is bad news and the children who are overexposed to some or all these media are likely to end up with some of the following problems:- obesity, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, smoking, premature sexual activity , hyperactivity and ADHD.
Is it possible that there is a reliable website where you can find some information on ADHD alternative therapy and ADHD natural remedies ? More and more concerned parents are becoming more wary of conventional ADHD medication and the pill-popping culture which as we have seen above can lead to problems continuing into adolescence and beyond. Time to wise up and the link below will get you started on the right track.
Transcendental Meditation ?
Trancendental meditation (TM) has hit the ADHD headlines. Researchers at the George Washington University studied a group of middle school students who were taught how to do TM for just ten minutes twice a day. All the children had greater or lesser ADHD problems and after the experiment was over, there was a 50% reduction in ADHD symptoms and the children were able to concentrate better, had fewer behavioural problems and were much less hyperactive.. More experiments will need to be done before we send our kids to TM lessons but it is a promising development in that it could reduce the number of ADHD children on psychotics/psychostimulants.
College Students Abusing ADHD Drugs
The number of college students using ADHD drugs to power their memories and concentration has never been higher (5%) according to a study which involved three major US universities. These were Duke, Michigan and North Carolina. Of the 3,000 students interviewed, the majority were pleased with the results and not at all worried about drug dependency, insomnia or eating disorders. Yet these are the same side effects that ADHD children have to cope with when prescribed these drugs. The three most popular drugs used by the college students were Ritalin , Concerta and Adderall. The prospect of our youth being permanently on mind altering psychostimulants for all their life is alarming to say the least!
Jamie Oliver's Campaign
In the UK, the debate on obesity and hyperactivity in children has been taken up by the very popular TV chef/guru Jamie Oliver. He likes the idea of Scottish schools providing free balanced meals for kids in the first three years of primary school but is most concerned that the taxes paid by working mothers is not being invested in giving cookery lessons to kids which would instil in them an awareness of food from an early age. He wants a £6 billion investment in school meals and cookery lessons. The British Heart Foundation is concerned about the false claims used by food manufacturers in advertising kids' foods - they never mention facts such as high sugar, salt and fat content, not to mention dangerous food colourings - the latter have been linked to ADHD symptoms.
Media Exposure And ADHD ?
In the USA, the National Institutes of Health and Yale University have collated all the studies done on media exposure and their effects on kids' health. The studies/research covered such areas as, TV, video, PC, the Web. It is bad news and the children who are overexposed to some or all these media are likely to end up with some of the following problems:- obesity, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, smoking, premature sexual activity , hyperactivity and ADHD.
Is it possible that there is a reliable website where you can find some information on ADHD alternative therapy and ADHD natural remedies ? More and more concerned parents are becoming more wary of conventional ADHD medication and the pill-popping culture which as we have seen above can lead to problems continuing into adolescence and beyond. Time to wise up and the link below will get you started on the right track.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Health News - Most Japanese People Live Long
During the past 25 years, residents of Japan still ranks in terms of single life expectancy. A recent report shows, female life expectancy in Japan rose to 86.5 year's and 79.5 years for males. There was an increase of about five months compared to the previous year's data.
Statistics, in 2009, were issued by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare of Japan. However, the life expectancy of Japanese men this year, down from fourth to fifth.
When comparing life expectancy between residents of developed and developing countries or poor, would seem a real difference. Population in developed countries have a longer age than with developing countries.
After Japan, women in Hong Kong ranks second with life expectancy 86.1 years, followed by France and Switzerland, 84.5 years 84.4 years. From the group of men, the top occupied by Qatar that is 81 years, 79.8 years ago Hong Kong, and Switzerland in third place there and Iceland at 79.7 years.
The question is, why are there differences in life between the developed and developing countries? If the view in Japan, one of the reasons why the longevity of its citizens is the rapid advancement of medical treatment, especially for diseases cause death, such as cancer, stroke, and heart. In addition, the Japanese diet is famous and a healthy lifestyle.
Longevity is a good thing, but in a country with little birthrate and declining population, the number of elderly population means an imbalance in the population.
Japan today also face various problems with the aging population such as increasing the number of cases of elderly suicide, violence, alcohol abuse and the elderly because of low incomes and occupational status uncertain.
Statistics, in 2009, were issued by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare of Japan. However, the life expectancy of Japanese men this year, down from fourth to fifth.
When comparing life expectancy between residents of developed and developing countries or poor, would seem a real difference. Population in developed countries have a longer age than with developing countries.
After Japan, women in Hong Kong ranks second with life expectancy 86.1 years, followed by France and Switzerland, 84.5 years 84.4 years. From the group of men, the top occupied by Qatar that is 81 years, 79.8 years ago Hong Kong, and Switzerland in third place there and Iceland at 79.7 years.
The question is, why are there differences in life between the developed and developing countries? If the view in Japan, one of the reasons why the longevity of its citizens is the rapid advancement of medical treatment, especially for diseases cause death, such as cancer, stroke, and heart. In addition, the Japanese diet is famous and a healthy lifestyle.
Longevity is a good thing, but in a country with little birthrate and declining population, the number of elderly population means an imbalance in the population.
Japan today also face various problems with the aging population such as increasing the number of cases of elderly suicide, violence, alcohol abuse and the elderly because of low incomes and occupational status uncertain.
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