Stress management: Doing meditation

Introduction

Meditation means different things to different people, and there are many ways to do it. This topic focuses on a kind of meditation called mindful meditation. This practice may help you relax and relieve stress.

Key points

• The goal of mindful meditation is to focus your attention on the things that are happening right now in the present moment. The idea is to note what you experience without trying to change it.
• Meditation can help you relax, because you are not worrying about what happened before or what may occur in the future.
• You don't need any special tools or equipment to practice this meditation. You just sit in a comfortable position in a chair or on the floor. Or you can lie down, if that is more comfortable for you.
• If your mind wanders, don't worry or judge yourself. When you become aware that your thoughts are wandering, simply focus again on the present moment. One way to do this is by paying attention to your body. For example, is your breathing fast or slow, deep or shallow?
• Meditation may bring up certain feelings or emotions. If this happens, don't try to rid your mind of these feelings. Just focus on what you feel at the present moment. Don't get lost in the thoughts that those feelings might trigger.

What are the signs and symptoms of H1N1 (swine) flu in people?

The symptoms of H1N1 (swine) flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with H1N1 (swine) flu. In the past, severe illness (pneumonia and respiratory failure) and deaths have been reported with H1N1 (swine) flu infection in people. Like seasonal flu, H1N1 (swine) flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions.

In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish or gray skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Not waking up or not interacting
• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

Calcium-channel blockers decrease clopidogrel-mediated platelet inhibition

Abstract

Background: The extent of clopidogrel-mediated platelet inhibition varies considerably from one individual to the next. Numerous studies have shown that low responders suffer significantly more adverse events after coronary stenting than patients who respond well to antithrombotic treatment with clopidogrel. Dihydropyridine calcium-channel blockers (CCBs) inhibit the cytochrome P450 3A4 enzyme, which metabolizes clopidogrel to its active form. We therefore sought to investigate the influence of CCBs on clopidogrel-mediated platelet inhibition.

Methods: ADP-inducible platelet reactivity was assessed by light transmission aggregometry (LTA) and the VerifyNow P2Y12 assay in 162 patients after percutaneous intervention with stent implantation. Results in the fourth quartiles of both assays were considered as high-on treatment residual ADP-inducible platelet reactivity.

Results: Patients with concomitant CCB therapy showed a significantly higher on-treatment platelet reactivity than patients without CCB medication (p = 0.001 for both assays). Further, high on-treatment residual ADP-inducible platelet reactivity was significantly more common among patients currently taking CCBs (p = 0.001 for LTA and p = 0.004 for the VerifyNow P2Y12 assay). A multivariate regression analysis confirmed CCB treatment as an independent predictor of reduced clopidogrel-mediated platelet inhibition (p = 0.006 for LTA and p = 0.004 for the VerifyNow P2Y12 assay).

Conclusion: CCBs decrease clopidogrel-mediated platelet inhibition in patients undergoing angioplasty and stenting for cardiovascular disease.

Coconut Water can prevent H1N1...pls take coconut water daily

attention please.....


Former associate professor of ecology at Universiti Malaya has
> authored several books on complementary therapy called, 'Ecological
> Healing System'.
>
> Dr Palaniappan said his 33 years of research had shown that high
> acidity in the body resulted in loss of immunity, thus making people
> more susceptible to viral diseases like Influenza A (H1N1).
>
> Hence, to prevent acidity, it was essential to consume alkaline food
> and drinks that could neutralise excess acid in the body..
>
> Dr Palaniappan recommends coconut water, which is alkaline, and
> therefore could be used as a herbal medicine for the prevention of H1N1.
>
> For example, he said, those who felt feverish and developed a burning
> sensation while attending to a call of nature because of extreme
> acidity, could neutralise it by drinking coconut water, twice a day, for
> three
> days.
>
> He also recommended orange, lemon and pomelo which, despite containing
> citric acid, were very rich in potassium and therefore, would not
> disturb the body's immunity.
>
> According to Dr Palaniappan, excessive physical activity like running
> a marathon should be avoided as it produced acid due to excessive
> metabolic activity.
>
> Similarly, he said, keeping late nights without adequate sleep and
> working without proper rest could also increase the body's acidity which
> in turn, lowered immunity and made the body vulnerable to viral attacks.
>
> Dr Palaniappan's blog: http://ecohealingsystem.blogspot.com/ discusses
> the therapy in more detail.

Burn More Fat - Secrets of Exercise Physiology

We all want to burn more fat for weight loss, body shaping, health and wellbeing or for sporting purposes. Trim that butt, waste that cellulite, smooth those love handles, bust that belly; it’s all part of the trim and slim exercise and diet activity many of us indulge in.

In this article you will see exactly how fat burning works and how to get the best out of your exercise program. Also, I'll outline two weights circuit programs I developed to help you burn fat and lose weight -- one for beginners and one for fitter trainers.

The Basics of Fat Burning

Energy in, energy out. The body normally burns a mix of carbohydrate, as glucose, and fat for fuel. How much of either depends on your physical activity and if, or what you have eaten recently. When you use more energy than you take in from food and drink, the body burns stored fat and carbohydrates, and then even protein, to fuel your everyday activities even if you are not exercising

That’s what happens when people starve of course; the body starts to eat itself. Depending on your family history -- your genetics -- and the way you eat and exercise to create this energy deficit, your body may decide to get conservative and drop your metabolic rate to try to hold onto body weight. Some of us seem to have inherited this tendency more than others, the origins of which may be in the early periods of human evolution where 'feast or famine' was more or less the norm.

Glucose, fat and protein. Even so, starvation always works eventually and the body starts to break down its own tissue for fuel. Stored carbohydrate called glycogen is quickly used up, then goes the fat stored under the skin and around the internal organs. Protein in muscle is then broken down to create glucose to keep the brain working and you conscious.

Fat and glucose are the body’s two main energy sources. Fat you know well, glucose comes mainly from carbohydrate foods like rice and bread and potatoes and protein is supplied mainly by meat and beans and dairy products. The amino acid building blocks of protein foods can be converted to glucose in emergencies. Your body always burns a mix of fat and glucose except at very high intensities, and the ratio of the fat and glucose in 'the burn' varies with intensity and time of exercise.

Fat burning zone. You may have noticed that some bikes and treadmills at the gym have a setting that says “fat burning zone”, which implies a setting for intensity or speed. The reason for this is that the body burns a greater percentage of fat at a slow pace (or after about 90 minutes of exercise). The fat burning zone, a low intensity speed zone is mainly a gimmick, and here is the reason.

Even though you burn more fat going slowly, you still burn a percentage of fat at much faster speeds or intensity. It all boils down to how much energy you expend in totality. For example, if you compare exercising at a slow rate that burns 60 percent fat and 40 percent glucose and a higher intensity or duration that burns only 30 percent fat and 70 percent glucose, you may still burn more fat at the higher intensity.

A typical example. Exercise (1) is the slower 60/40 mix and exercise (2) is the faster, 30/70 mix of fat and glucose fuel.

1. Walking on a treadmill for 30 minutes -- 180 calories used -- 108 calories of fat burned
2. Running on a treadmill for 30 minutes -- 400 calories used -- 120 calories of fat burned

You can see from this example that the bottom line really is how much energy you expend -- and that is the ultimate fat burning measure. The theoretical fat burning zone is mostly a convenient myth.

Weight Training Does it Better -- Or Does It?

Muscle burns more fat. Weight training is increasingly recommended as a fat-busting tool because some experts say extra muscle burns more energy than body fat at rest, so if you develop more muscle and have a higher muscle to fat ratio than before, you must burn extra energy and more stored fat as a result. This is true and has been shown in metabolic studies. However, the differences are not that dramatic; perhaps less than a few tens of calories per day for each pound of muscle increased, for most people.

Does that mean you shouldn’t worry about weight training? Certainly not, because weight training has many other benefits for health and performance, not the least of which is extra muscle. It’s just that this advantage has been somewhat overstated and we need to get this fat burning thing right in order to develop the best weight loss and performance programs.

Getting the afterburn. Okay, so extra muscle does not provide that much advantage, but what about the afterburn? The 'afterburn', or the amount of energy you use after you stop exercising, has been promoted as an important slimming idea. If you can get afterburn, which is really another way of saying your metabolism increases for several hours or longer after a particular exercise, then that’s a bonus because you burn fat during the exercise and after you cease as well. Will the fun ever stop!

However, this idea has recently been reconsidered as well. An article in the Journal of Sports Science reported that despite some promising early studies of this effect, the idea has not proven to be as useful as first thought.

Exercise scientists call this afterburn effect EPOC, which stands for Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption. The authors of that study say that the high intensities required -- greater than about 75 percent of maximum heart rate -- are probably beyond what most people wanting to lose weight can cope with in sustained exercise. So the afterburn advantage from lifting weights or running fast is there, but you need to be able to sustain that intensity, which means a lot of hard work. No secrets there, I'm sure.

We also need to consider how fuel is used preferentially according to how your body stores are maintained. After you do a vigorous or long workout, your blood and muscle glucose will be much lower than before you started. Low glucose stores signal the body to burn fat preferentially. So after hard exercise that uses a lot of glucose, the body switches to burning fat. That's why all energy expenditure is important, not just fat burning during exercise.

source:weight training

Keep your Heart Strong by doing Exercise

Any exercise will do as long as that gets its rate up and keeps it there for at least 20 to 30 minutes. That generally means any aerobic activity, whether its running, swimming, cycling, or brisk walking. The best exercise for the heart are those that sustain our heart rate for a long time. Consider doing aerobics workouts several days a week and combining them with strength training, yoga, or Pilates. Your cardiovascular system will reap the rewards, and so will the rest of your body.

The right intensity when it comes to our heart is working out harder isn't necessarily better. You should aim for moderate intensity 50 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate. A more vigorous pace won't do any damage, but you won't be able to keep it up for a long period of time. And sustaining the elevated rate is what benefits you. You're better off doing 30 minutes of moderate exercise than 10 minutes of hard exercise.

How to know if we are in the right intensity? Here's how Think of a scale from 1 to 10 with 1 being the slowest possible exercise pace and 10 the most vigorous. Aim for an intensity of 6 or 7 so your working hard but not exhausting yourself. Or crunch some numbers: To find your target heart rate, subtract your age from 220 and multiply the result by 0.6 (for moderately intense activity). That's what you should shoot for.

Can exercising too hard cause a heart attack? If you're already fit no. But if you've been sedentary, doing too much too fast can put undue strain on our heart, the same way it can in any muscle. If you haven't been exercising at all, clear it with your doctor first. Then gradually increase how much you do.

source:health assistant

Fat Loss 101: How to Lose Fat Fast (with Free Fat Loss Diets)

You can lose fat fast and forever without waking up at 5am to run on an empty stomach, without exercising 6x/week, without feeling hungry all the time or cutting your favorite foods forever and without expensive supplements.

You only need 3 things to lose fat: strength training, healthy nutrition & cardio. This post will give you a simple, efficient fat loss plan so you can get your body fat to dream numbers while still have a life & eat normally.

1. Get Stronger. Strength training increases cardiovascular fitness, strengthens joints & bones, builds muscle, improves flexibility, … And it also helps fat loss.

• Maintain Muscle. More strength is more muscle. Strength training builds muscle and prevents muscle loss so you don’t get skinny + fat.
• Burn Fat. Strength training prevents your metabolic rate from going down when dieting. This means more fat loss.
• Stick to Diet. Exercising positively influences your eating habits. You’ll stick to your diet better if you do strength training, losing more fat.

You’ll get best results doing a free weight routine of compound exercises like Squats & Deadlifts. Check StrongLifts 5×5: it only takes 3×45mins/week.

2. Eat Healthy. Eat whole, unprocessed foods 90% of the time. Whole foods come as close as possible to their natural state: without added sugars, fats, sauces, … Buy raw foods and cook them yourself.

• Protein. Necessary to build & maintain muscle so you don’t get skinny + fat. Protein also satiates and has the highest thermic effect. Eat a whole protein source with each meal: beef, poultry, fish, dairy, whey, etc
• Veggies & Fruits. Fill your stomach, but usually low in calorie. Also high in fiber, water, vitamins & minerals. Eat veggies & fruits with each meal: spinach, broccoli, kale, asparagus, apples, oranges, etc.
• Healthy Fats. Fat doesn’t make you fat, bad nutrition & lack of exercise do. Healthy fats help fat loss: they satiate and slow down digestion. Eat healthy fats with each meal: fish oil, olive oil, mixed nuts.
• Water. Thirst can make you think you’re hungry. Avoid soda, alcohol and fruit juice. Drink 2 cups water with each meal and sip water during your workout. Green tea and water with squeezed lemon are OK too.

3. Eat Carbs Post Workout Only. If you’re like me and 70% of the population, you’re carb intolerant: excess carbs make you fat. Although you need carbs for energy, it’s easy to overdo it. Cut your carb intake.

• Eat Less Starchy Carbs. Eat proteins, veggies, fruits & healthy fats with each meal. Carbs from veggies & fruits are OK, this isn’t a zero carb fat loss diet. Don’t eat starchy carbs except post workout.
• No Workout = No Carbs. If you do strength training 3x per week, you can eat starchy carbs 3x per week post workout. Eat proteins, veggies, fruits & healthy fats with all other meals.
• Eat Whole Carbs Only. Whole carbs promote fat loss and take longer to digest. Avoid white carbs. Eat whole carbs only: brown rice, whole grain pasta, whole grain bread, oats, quinoa, …

4. Eat More. Frequent meals prevent hunger by keeping your blood sugar stable. Frequent smaller meals also decrease your stomach size over time, which means you’ll feel full sooner. Eat every 3 hours.

• Eat Breakfast. Build the habit of eating breakfast and try one of these breakfast recipes. Cook your food for the day while making breakfast.
• Eat Post Workout. The only meal where you can have carbs to replenish energy stores. Whole meal of protein & carbs or post workout shake.
• Eat Every 3 hours. 6 smaller meals per day instead of 3 large ones. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, pre-bed and 2 snacks.

5. Add Cardio. Excess cardio burns muscle instead of fat, causing the skinny + fat look. Never do cardio only. Add cardio to speed up the fat loss you get from strength training & healthy nutrition.

• Moderate Intensity. 60-70% of your max heart rate. Breathing heavier than at rest, not gasping. Your goal is fat loss, not exhaustion.
• 3×45mins. Start with 15mins cardio post strength training 3x per week. Build up to 3×45mins per week by adding 1min each workout.
• Elliptical Trainer. Aka the crosstrainer. There are many cardio machines you can choose from, but this one remains my favorite.

Fat Loss Strategies. Now that you know what to do, you need to make it as easy as possible to apply the above fat loss tips. Follow the next 8 strategies, even if they sound counter-intuitive to you.

• Buy Healthy Foods Only. Enough for your whole week so you can stick to your fat loss plan. Don’t buy junk food – avoid temptations.
• Prepare Food in Advance. Cook your food for the day on waking up or when you get back from work. This takes about 1 hour.
• Make Double Portions. Speeds up preparation. Prepare 12oz chicken and eat half at lunch and half at dinner.
• Eat The Same Every Day. Removing choice kills cravings and makes you see food for what it is: fuel for your body. Switch it up every 3 weeks.
• Eat at Fixed Times. Don’t wait until you’re hungry or feel like eating. Eat every 3 hours. Build consistency.
• Take Food with You. Take food to work, to school, to the movies, etc. This ensures you’re eating foods that will make you lose fat.
• Eat Before Going Out. Avoid ending up eating junk food because you’re hungry. Eat before you leave home and take food with you.
• Eat Junk Food 10% of The Time. You can eat 4 junk meals/week if you eat 6x/day. This actually helps fat loss. Eat out so you can’t overdo it.
• Track Progress for Motivation. Pictures, body fat, measurements and strength gains. Aim for 2-3% fat loss/month (use a fat caliper).

Example Fat Loss Diets. To lose fat: proteins, veggies, fruits and healthy fats with each meal. Carbs post workout only. Example fat loss diet:

• Breakfast: eggs with tomato & bell peppers, orange, green tea
• Snack: cottage cheese with apple
• Lunch: chicken, bok choy, tomato, chicory, olive oil
• Snack: mixed nuts
• Post workout: ground round, brown rice, mixed veggies, banana
• Dinner: chicken, spinach, baby carrots, pear
• Pre-bed snack: cottage cheese, berries, ground flax seeds, fish oil

Remember to get variation using your 4 junk meals per week. You’ll get bored of eating the same every day after about 3 weeks. Make slight changes, keep the structure. 2nd example fat loss diet, using morning workouts.

• Breakfast: eggs with spinach, orange, green tea
• Post Workout: ground round, whole grain pasta, tomato sauce, banana
• Lunch: turkey breast, broccoli, apple, olive oil
• Snack: cottage cheese with mixed berries
• Dinner: turkey breast, spinach, baby carrots, pear
• Pre-bed snack: cottage cheese, chocolate whey, flax seeds, fish oil

Don’t waste your time counting calories: you won’t get fat eating unprocessed foods. Just eat your stomach full and prepare your own food so you have total control over the ingredients. Aim for 2-3% fat loss per month.

source:Strong Life

Your Eyes Beauty Depends On Tea

For women who suffer every morning from puffy eyes or have to cover the bags under their eyes, apart from purchasing expensive cosmetic creams to reduce the symptoms perhaps it is wise to try out one of the oldest natural remedies: a couple of tea bags. If you consider it, it is at least worth the try, as your eyes are, apart from the windows or your soul, also the focal point of your face. Thus, you should take good care of them and devote the necessary time to reveal their own special beauty. Having tired, baggy eyes can add years to your age, while sparkling ones can brighten your face and give you a more youthful appearance. Remember that it is vital to care for the delicate area around them and tea or tea bags can help you reveal the best set of eyes.

Just like when you are feeling tired you reach your kitchen's cabinet to grab some of your favorite tea brand and relax, the same should your reaction be in case you wake up in the morning and witness the symptom of puffy eyes in your bathroom's mirror. Chances are that if your body is tired your eyes will show it. Swollen, red or puffy eyes are indicators of fatigue and it is important to be aware of the fact that the black tea bags you place into your favorite mug can also offer your eyes immediate relief.

The restorative effect of black tea is so apparent that it will surprise you how quickly this simple process can reduce your problem and its occurrence. From the night before, you should boil water and put two tea bags in it like you would if you were going to make tea. After brewing for 5 minutes, take the tea bags out and ring out the liquid. Next, place both tea bags into your kitchen's freezer. You need to have them cool, but not frozen. Keep them in the freezer for 10-15 minutes and then take them out, lay down, relax and put the tea bags over the puffy ears over your eyes. Leave them there for approximately another 10-15 minutes, turning them over half way through. Afterwards, remove the tea bags and dispose of them. Then rinse your face with cool water to remove any tea stains. Make sure you rinse off any residue carefully with a cold damp tissue or face cloth.

In addition, warm tea bags might be more relaxing on a cold winter day, and it has been found to reduce under eye puffiness just as well as the cold tea bags. If you do drink tea often you can begin saving the two wet tea bags from your tea pot while they are still warm -careful, not hot! Then you should again select a comfortable spot in your home, be it the bed, the couch or the floor. Place a towel where your head will be resting to prevent leaking and staining. Lie down, place one black tea bag over each eye after closing your eyes first and relax for just five minutes. Deep breathing will increase your oxygen intake while you rest and promote increased energy levels.

You'll be amazed at how much wider open your eyes will feel and how quickly soreness will be reduced. This simple, old-fashioned home remedy is a true gift. There is always the option of buying special eyes tea bags from your local pharmacy or beauty store, but any black tea bag works just as well and is certainly more economical.

source: For Healthy Women

10 Essential Health Tips (The Basics to Practice Every Day)

1. Move More
Make it a daily challenge to find ways to move your body. Climb stairs if given a choice between that and escalators or elevators. Walk your dog; chase your kids; toss balls with friends, mow the lawn. Anything that moves your limbs is not only a fitness tool, it's a stress buster. Think 'move' in small increments of time. It doesn't have to be an hour in the gym or a 45-minute aerobic dance class or tai chi or kickboxing. But that's great when you're up to it. Meanwhile, move more. Thought for the day: Cha, Cha, Cha…. Then do it!

2. Cut Fat
Avoid the obvious such as fried foods, burgers and other fatty meats (i.e. pork, bacon, ham, salami, ribs and sausage). Dairy products such as cheese, cottage cheese, milk and cream should be eaten in low fat versions. Nuts and sandwich meats, mayonnaise, margarine, butter and sauces should be eaten in limited amounts. Most are available in lower fat versions such as substitute butter, fat free cheeses and mayonnaise. Thought for the day: Lean, mean, fat-burning machine…. Then be one!

3. Quit Smoking
The jury is definitely in on this verdict. Ever since 1960 when the Surgeon General announced that smoking was harmful to your health, Americans have been reducing their use of tobacco products that kill. Just recently, we've seen a surge in smoking in adolescents and teens. Could it be the Hollywood influence? It seems the stars in every movie of late smoke cigarettes. Beware. Warn your children of the false romance or 'tough guy' stance of Hollywood smokers. Thought for the day: Give up just one cigarette…. the next one.

4. Reduce Stress
Easier said than done, stress busters come in many forms. Some techniques recommended by experts are to think positive thoughts. Spend 30 minutes a day doing something you like. (i.e.,Soak in a hot tub; walk on the beach or in a park; read a good book; visit a friend; play with your dog; listen to soothing music; watch a funny movie. Get a massage, a facial or a haircut. Meditate. Count to ten before losing your temper or getting aggravated. Avoid difficult people when possible. Thought for the day: When seeing red, think pink clouds….then float on them.

5. Protect Yourself from Pollution
If you can't live in a smog-free environment, at least avoid smoke-filled rooms, high traffic areas, breathing in highway fumes and exercising near busy thoroughfares. Exercise outside when the smog rating is low. Exercise indoors in air conditioning when air quality is good. Plant lots of shrubbery in your yard. It's a good pollution and dirt from the street deterrent. Thought for the day: 'Smoke gets in your eyes'…and your mouth, and your nose and your lungs as do pollutants….hum the tune daily.

6. Wear Your Seat Belt
Statistics show that seat belts add to longevity and help alleviate potential injuries in car crashes. Thought for the day: Buckle down and buckle up.

7. Floss Your Teeth
Recent studies make a direct connection between longevity and teeth flossing. Nobody knows exactly why. Perhaps it's because people who floss tend to be more health conscious than people who don't? Thought for the day: Floss and be your body's boss.

8. Avoid Excessive Drinking
While recent studies show a glass of wine or one drink a day (two for men) can help protect against heart disease, more than that can cause other health problems such as liver and kidney disease and cancer. Thought for the day: A jug of wine should last a long time.

9. Keep a Positive Mental Outlook
There's a definitive connection between living well and healthfully and having a cheerful outlook on life. Thought for the day: You can't be unhappy when you're smiling or singing.

10. Choose Your Parents Well
The link between genetics and health is a powerful one. But just because one or both of your parents died young in ill health doesn't mean you cannot counteract the genetic pool handed you. Thought for the day: Follow these basic tips for healthy living and you can better control your own destiny.


source:http://www.health-fitness-tips.com

President Obama opens viral front in health war

Facing an onslaught of opposition to health reform, the White House on Monday opened a “Reality Check” website with a viral tool aimed at online combat on everything from “rationing” to euthanasia.

The site incorporates lessons learned from the Obama campaign’s “Learn the Truth About Barack Obama” site, which covered everything from the birth certificate to William Ayers to “a recent e-mail smear falsely claims Michelle ordered room service, but she never even stayed at the hotel.”

Aides to President Barack Obama say the key is to respond to viral rumors with an aggressive, equally viral response.

“We're offering the site and tools to empower individuals across the country to take this content into their own hands and share it among their networks,” a senior administration official said. “That's the sort of bottom-up process that got us to the White House, and it's what's going to deliver meaningful change to the health insurance system.”

Kevin Smith, communications director for House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), said in response: “While Democrats are playing defense, Republicans are educating the American people about the cost and consequences of the Democrats’ government takeover of health care and promoting our better solutions to lower health care costs, increase access, and preserve the doctor-patient relationship.”

The new offensive came as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer charged in an opinion article in USA Today that disruptions at congressional town halls have been “simply un-American. Drowning out the facts is how we failed at this task for decades.”

At the same time, the Democratic National Committee is urging supporters to visit the local offices of their senators and House members. DNC interns called lawmakers’ offices to find out their hours of operation. Organizing for America, the Obama grass-roots network now operated by the DNC, offers custom-tailored e-mails telling supporters where and when they can show up.

The new White House site has built-in tools allowing users to e-mail every page and video to their friends and families and is linked to social networks with preloaded messages to encourage folks to share the content. The videos feature administration officials putting a face on reform by tackling issues in a casual, straightforward way.

There's also an FAQ that, when e-mailed, includes a long message full of the facts about reform — in a similar format to some chain e-mails that offer what the White House considers a long list of falsehoods. The 2,000-word FAQ covers everything from “rationing” to “a lot of seniors seem to be concerned about a provision in the House bill that would provide counseling for end of life care. They think it sounds like the government will come along every five years and require you to talk about how you want to end your life."

The site will be promoted heavily on the White House’s rapidly growing social networks and with an e-mail to the WhiteHouse.gov list.

Linda Douglass, communications director of the White House Office of Health Reform, said Sunday on CNN’s “Reliable Sources”: “One of the things we learned during the campaign was that if you give people all the facts, … people really paid attention. They understand what the truth is when they see it.”

Macon Phillips, White House director of new media, offers a tour of his team’s handiwork, in a pre-dawn blog post: “The first set of videos addresses a wide scope of topics and debunks some of those common myths:

— CEA Chair Christina Romer details how health insurance reform will impact small businesses.

— Domestic Policy Council Director Melody Barnes tackles a nasty rumor about euthanasia and clearly describes how reform helps families.

— Matt Flavin, the White House's director of veterans and wounded warrior policy, clears the air about veterans' benefits.

— Kavita Patel, M.D., a doctor serving in the White House's Office of Public Engagement, explains that health care rationing is happening right now and how reform gives control back to patients and doctors.

— Robert Kocher, M.D., a doctor serving on the National Economic Council, debunks the myth that health insurance reform will be financed by cutting Medicare benefits.

— In a video first released last week, Linda Douglass from the White House Health Reform Office addresses fears about the end of our private insurance system and reiterates that if you like your current plan, you can keep it.”

source:http://www.politico.com

What You Can Do To Prevent Getting Swine Influenza or H1N1 Flu

On June 10, 2009 the World Health Organization finally raised the level of concern about the H1N1 Flu to a level 6. H1N1 Flu has become the first 21st century flu pandemic. WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan was quoted as saying "With today's announcement, WHO moves from an emergency to a longer-term response. Based on past experience, this pandemic will be with us for some months, if not years, to come."

Now that the H!N1 flu has become an official global epidemic and claimed many lives, many people are likely to become anxious that they might catch the H1N1 flu otherwise known as the Swine Flu.

The CDC reminds us that the "WHO's decision to raise the pandemic alert level to Phase 6 is a reflection of the spread of the virus, not the severity of illness caused by the virus."

There are several very simple things one can do to prevent or minimize your chances of getting the swine flu and the regular flu.

These include finding out more about the illness from reliable sources, learning how serious swine flu is, learn what can be done prevent it, discovering what symptoms to watch for and when to seek additional treatment.

Also included is some interesting information about the history of Swine Influenza and Swine Flu as a Zoonosis or an infectious disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans.

Image Source: CDC. Swine Influenza in Pigs and People. Brochure.

source:http://www.squidoo.com/preventing-swine-flu

what's in this articles?

id you give your friends valentines and little heart-shaped candies on Valentine's Day? Do you ever cross your heart when making a promise that you really, really mean? Or turn on the radio to hear a guy singing about his broken heart?

We see and hear about hearts everywhere. A long time ago, people even thought that their emotions came from their hearts, maybe because the heart beats faster when a person is scared or excited. Now we know that emotions come from the brain, and in this case, the brain tells the heart to speed up. So what's the heart up to, then? How does it keep busy? What does it look like? Let's find out.

Working That Muscle

Your heart is really a muscle. It's located a little to the left of the middle of your chest, and it's about the size of your fist. There are lots of muscles all over your body — in your arms, in your legs, in your back, even in your behind.

But the heart muscle is special because of what it does. The heart sends blood around your body. The blood provides your body with the oxygen and nutrients it needs. It also carries away waste.

Your heart is sort of like a pump, or two pumps in one. The right side of your heart receives blood from the body and pumps it to the lungs. The left side of the heart does the exact opposite: It receives blood from the lungs and pumps it out to the body.

We Got the Beat

How does the heart beat? Before each beat, your heart fills with blood. Then its muscle contracts to squirt the blood along. When the heart contracts, it squeezes — try squeezing your hand into a fist. That's sort of like what your heart does so it can squirt out the blood. Your heart does this all day and all night, all the time. The heart is one hard worker!

original post: https://secure02.kidshealth.org

Apple-Spinach Salad

ngredients

4 cups baby spinach leaves
2 apples, sliced
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup toasted PLANTERS Pecans, chopped
1/4 cup KRAFT Light House Italian Dressing

Steps

1. TOSS spinach with apples, celery and pecans in large bowl.
2. ADD dressing; mix lightly

Op-Ed: Health in All Policies

At the heart of current health care reform discussions - which focus on expanding access to care and establishing mechanisms to finance broader coverage as well as reduce rapidly escalating costs - must be the promotion of good health and the prevention of disease.

Good health is essential to the economic prosperity and wellbeing of the American people. Individually, we are less productive when we become ill; collectively, our nation is less secure when burdened with the high cost of disease. Today, with 45 percent of Americans suffering from a chronic condition and a national fiscal crisis, both our nation’s health and economic security are in peril.

Deteriorating health is a major driver of this crisis. One in five Americans smoke and 66 percent of adults are obese or overweight, fueling a chronic disease epidemic and skyrocketing health care costs. As childhood obesity rates dramatically rise, American children may, for the first time ever, live shorter lives and be less healthy than their parents.

Just as Americans are ailing, so too is our health care system. The U.S. health care system suffers from considerable fragmentation, inefficiencies and inequities. The United States spends nearly twice as much on health care, per person, as any other nation, and the health sector constitutes one sixth of our economy. Yet this significant investment delivers shockingly poor results. America ranks 49th on life expectancy worldwide, 37th on overall health status and performs the worst among industrialized countries at avoiding premature deaths through timely and effective medical care.

Our nation’s poor rankings are due to several deficiencies in the U.S. health system: many Americans lack quality, affordable coverage, significant health disparities are not being adequately addressed and disease prevention and health promotion are not priorities. Without meaningful health insurance reform, the number of uninsured Americans could swell from over 47 million today to over 65 million by 2019. And while preventable conditions account for 70 percent of our nation’s health care costs, only 2-3 percent of the health care budget is spent on prevention. The bottom line: we spend far too much on health care to receive so little health in return.

The state of our nation’s health is further jeopardized by the economic downturn.20During previous recessions, Americans’ health has often been among the first casualties. But while there are no bailouts for poor health, there is reason to think that fixing our health care system could help the economy rebound. Many American businesses report struggling because they pay more for their employees’ health care than for the products they manufacture or sell, while nearly two-thirds of personal bankruptcies in 2007 were due in part to medical debt.

Our country urgently needs – and Americans categorically deserve – a better health system. As we consider how best to achieve this goal, it’s important to recognize that America’s health crisis has neither a single cause nor a silver bullet solution. Patchwork reform would yield only marginal success.

In the past, many policymakers and stakeholders have focused too narrowly on the financing and distribution of medical services. Today’s le aders must not repeat this mistake. Instead, a comprehensive, integrated strategy is needed that fosters health in all policies.

For medical care alone does not determine our health status. Decades of scientific research shows that our health habits – the choices we make regarding tobacco, alcohol, food and exercise – and the communities we call home – with their transportation systems, workplaces, schools and environments – all impact our health. That’s why health promotion and disease prevention must be cornerstones of health reform. A broad range of policy changes, such as regulating tobacco products, nutrition policy changes including implementing healthier school lunch programs, encouraging fruit and vegetable consumption, labeling food content in supermarkets and restaurants, funding bicycle paths and pedestrian-friendly sidewalks, expanding parkland development and improving air and water quality – when taken together – can dramatically improve the health of Americans.

“Health in all Policies”should be the clarion call for a health system re-engineered for the 21st century. Such an approach requires the mobilization and coordination of over 40 federal agencies whose policies influence health, including the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services, Agriculture, Housing and Urban Development, Homeland Security, Transportation, Education, Interior and State, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency. Because coordinating this effort requires leadership from the very top, a Presidential Call to Action for a Healthier U.S. is needed to set a bold framework for improving health in the United States.

To facilitate this nationwide effort, government initiatives are needed that foster collaboration and innovation. Establishing a Federal Interagency Council charged with developing and implementing a national strategy to advance health would help synergize the work of the federal agencies. In parallel, a new Office of Health Innovation could serve as an incubator for ideas, designing novel, cross-cutting programs. Creating a Healthy U.S. Clearinghouse online could provide one-stop shopping for health resources and best practices, bridging today s 15-year science-to-service gap by making lifesaving information available to the public and health care providers instantaneously. Additionally, supporting community-based prevention programs through a Prevention and Wellness Trust could speed the transformation to a healthier America.

The federal government should also lead by incorporating health promotion and disease prevention into federal health insurance plans, which cover nearly one third of Americans. Medicare, Medicaid, the Military and Veterans health systems and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program should incorporate quality-enhancing and cost-saving reforms that provide strong incentives for health care providers to implement clinical and community-based preventive services, chronic disease management programs and cutting-edge information technology. Serving as laboratories of innovation, federal health programs should be supporting the evaluation of new ideas and implementation of best practices to help re-engineer the U.S. health system.

But federal government improvements alone are not sufficient. The key to progress is a partnership between government and the American people. Any national strategy to transform the health system must include strong public-private partnerships that unite families, businesses, health care providers and a broad spectrum of organizations across our country.

As Robert F. Kennedy once said, “Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events.” Together, perhaps, we will find a way to bend history toward a healthier future for us all.

*Rear Admiral Susan Blumenthal, MD (ret.), former U.S. Assistant Surgeon General, is Director of the Health and Medicine Program at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress (CSPC). Denis Cortese, MD, is President and CEO of Mayo Clinic. The authors are Co-Chairs of the Commission on U.S. Federal Leadership in Health and Medicine: Charting Future Directions, a CSPC initiative. To read the Commission's first report, visit http://www.thepresidency.org/pubs/New_Horizons.pdf

credit: http://www.thehealthcareblog.com/the_health_care_blog

5 Surprising Symptoms of Infidelity

Everybody thinks they can spot a cheater a mile away. Adulterers, after all, have the same characteristics, right? Wandering eyes, secret cell phones, last name Sheen. If only it were that easy.

Unfortunately, we live in a society where people fall out of their fidelity flight patterns and take off on their own different courses all the time, even though we desperately want to believe that our partners won't be unfaithful. That's why it's important to know some of the traits and sneaky signals that are common in people who tend to be unfaithful in the relationships.

Now, I'm not suggesting you automatically end your relationship if your partner falls into one of these categories, but I do think that these are some signs you should be aware of - so you can be on the lookout for warnings of wandering.

Cheating Sign #1: He Doesn't Pay His Bills On Time

Some research shows that unreliability and carelessness is part of a personality trait called "low consciousness," which is a marker for infidelity. Makes sense. A guy who's careless about his own responsibilities is going to be just as careless about his relationships.

Cheating Sign #2: He's A Do-Gooder

What? Your guy contributes to the local orchestra fund, the church, and the alumni association, plus he volunteers to build houses for the homeless. How could a guy like that give into the temptation of midnight motel rooms?

A study just published in the November issue of the Journal of Applied Psychology found that when there's a blurry line between right and wrong (as there often is with matters of infidelity), the people who become the worst cheaters are actually the ones who think of themselves as having the highest moral standards.

Why? The speculation is that these people can justify their wrongdoings with explanations that they weren't doing anything wrong at all. Simply put, not following the Monogamy Rules (a faithfully popular Men's Health story) makes it hard for the Do-Gooder to live in his skin.

Cheating Sign #3: He's Rolling In The Dough

A study in the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy found that those people who earned more money were more likely to cheat than those who earned less. It's not because they have more income to open new credit cards, carry more cash, or spend more coin on mistress gifts. Some researchers theorize that those with lower salaries - and thus those who are more dependent on others in a relationship - are less likely to risk ruining the relationship.

Cheating Sign #4: He's A Yeller

While yelling and anger may not seem to be all that connected to cheating, a recent Australian study found that unfaithful partners show many of the same personality characteristics as abusive ones. Those who are more likely to be abusive (verbally or physically) are simply more likely to be unfaithful. What's already bad has the potential of getting even worse.

Cheating Sign #5: He's A Mirror Hog

Some research has shown that the single biggest trait of cheaters is-surprise, surprise-narcissism. These self-loving folks are so wrapped up in their own self-importance that they don't even consider the effect that cheating has on the other person. So what if I stray and have the occasional one-nightstand? I deserve to be happy. Have you seen these guns, baby!

And, yes, this works both ways, as Men's Health explained in "6 Signs She's Ready to Stray." Perhaps all of this might leave the guys wishing they had read "The 50 Things She Wishes You Knew About Her."

Know other symptoms and signs of infidelity? Please add your thoughts to this important discussion.

credit: http://health.yahoo.com

Pelosi’s Secret Weapon in Health Care Debate: Chocolate

The House speaker, Nancy Pelosi of California, unveiled her party’s battle plan on Friday for selling major health care legislation during the August recess.

Ms. Pelosi, speaking to reporters, acknowledged that Democrats face a steep challenge in explaining the complex legislation to the American public. But she said she was confident that once people understand the plan, they will support it.

“When you talk with the general public, it is about what it means for them,” Ms. Pelosi said.

And she said she expected Republicans and private special interests, particularly the health insurance industry, to make a full assault on the Democratic legislation.

“This is going to be carpet bombing,” she said. “Carpet bombing, slash and burn, shock and awe – anything you want to say to describe what the insurance companies will do to hold on to their special advantage, which exploits the patients and holds the American consumer at the mercy of the insurance company.”

Ms. Pelosi acknowledged that Democrats were still wrestling with the best ways to pay for the nearly $1 trillion, 10-year cost of the health care legislation, which aims to provide insurance to nearly all Americans.

So far, House Democrats have proposed an income surtax on the highest-earners to cover a big chunk of the price-tag. But the Senate has expressed little interest in such a broad-based tax, and Ms. Pelosi expressed some frustration that the Senate Finance Committee had not come forward with its plans.

“Frankly, I hoped we’d have seen more from the Senate Finance Committee,” shes aid. “So we could have a little better idea of where we might find common ground with the Senate as we go forward on the pay-fors.”

7 Causes Of High Cholesterol

Do you have high cholesterol?

You're not alone—so do about 100 million other Americans. High cholesterol comes from a variety of sources, including your family history and what you eat. Here is a visual journey through the most common causes.

credit: http://slideshows.health.com

Guard Against Swine Flu at Summer Camp

SATURDAY, July 18 (HealthDay News) -- As children head off to summer camp, many parents are concerned about the risk for swine flu.

To protect kids from the H1N1 virus when they're at camp, Dr. Jeffrey Boscamp, a pediatric infectious diseases expert at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey, recommends the following:

• Confirm that the camp is doing regular screenings, promoting proper hygiene and updating parents on any reported cases of swine flu.
• Find out if any H1N1 cases have been reported at the camp and if it has quarantined areas for infected children.
• Consider leaving siblings behind when visiting a child at camp. The H1N1 virus is particularly contagious among children.
• Check your temperature the night before and the morning of your visit. Bring some extra alcohol-based hand sanitizer with you.

More information

The American Academy of Pediatrics has more about swine flu.

credit: http://health.yahoo.com/news/healthday/guardagainstswinefluatsummercamp.html

Are Eggs Healthy for Weight Loss?

A new study in the online journal entitled Risk Analysis reports that eating one egg a day accounts for less than 1 percent of the risk of heart disease, the leading killer of American men and women. This, in my opinion, helps deflate the myth that all eggs are always bad for you and can never be included in a heart-healthy meal plan.

The researchers cited lifestyle factors, such as a poor diet, smoking, obesity, and a sedentary lifestyle as chief contributors (30 to 40 percent) of someone's heart disease risk, with men having higher risks than women. Risk factors that could be potentially treated, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, accounted for a whopping 60 to 70 percent of the risk. In this light, a single egg doesn't seem so big a threat.

Eggs have gotten a lot of bad press of late. There seems to be a constant drumbeat, perhaps in the media, about eggs being off-limits if you want to keep your heart healthy. (Just today, I was seeing a patient of mine with young children and, coincidentally, one of his daughters asked me, "Are eggs bad for you?")

Instead of worrying about an egg a day, I think we should turn our attention to the potential risks of stress (especially chronic stress), physical inactivity, and poor overall diet choices (like diets high in junk foods and low in fruits and vegetables).

This research, which was (full disclosure) funded by the Egg Nutrition Center, serves to further substantiate the premise that healthy adults really can eat (whole) eggs without upping their heart disease risk significantly. And what's more, the authors noted that their analysis did not adjust for all the health-promoting benefits of eggs, which might decrease some heart disease risk.

What is it about eggs that could actually help your heart?

• Eggs are high in choline, an organic, water-soluble nutrient that's usually grouped in with the B vitamins. They are also high in betaine, a nutrient related to choline. Together these 2 are associated with lower levels of homocysteine (an amino acid that studies has shown to be related to a higher risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease). It's good to keep homocysteine levels under control because high homocysteine levels usually suggest chronic inflammation, a process that has been linked with heart disease, as well as to Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Treatment of a high homocysteine level usually involves supplementation of the B vitamin folic acid—but don't take more than 1,000 micrograms—1 gram—a day, or it can mask a vitamin B12 deficiency.
• Eggs are a great source of high-quality (or high biological value, HBV) protein; in fact, they are considered to be the best overall source of protein.
• Eggs provide 13 essential vitamins/minerals, including riboflavin, an important B vitamin needed to help your body get energy from food. Eggs also contain vitamin D, a fat-soluble vitamin lacking in the diet of many Americans. People who are overweight and/or have diabetes are at a higher risk for vitamin D deficiency.
• Eggs also help you feel full, since your body produces a hormone called PYY when you eat high-protein foods. PYY tells your brain you're no longer hungry, so if you're trying to lose some pounds, opting for a high-protein snack like a boiled egg can really help you feel full (and it's only 75 calories). I personally like the organic eggs high in omega 3 fatty acids (the healthy fats), from chickens raised without hormones or chemicals. These eggs are higher in omega 3s because of the healthier feed given to the chickens. The high-omega-3 eggs add another possible benefit to a balanced diet.

However, if, for whatever reason, you want to keep the fat and cholesterol content in your diet low, eat the egg whites and skip the yolk, since all the protein (and virtually none of the fat) is in the whites. There are even cartons of pure egg whites in the grocery store that make it easy. Or you could separate the eggs at home by discarding the yolks, or at least a few of them. This study, however, seems to be suggesting that even the egg yolk isn't anywhere near the health risk people have perceived it to be for all these years. They're also a very affordable source of protein, a big plus in today's economy!

Bottom line: If you really like whole eggs, and your doctor or dietitian thinks they're fine for you, then go ahead and enjoy them, yolks and all!

credit: http://health.yahoo.com

Can Twitter and Facebook Help Fight Breast Cancer?

Twitter and other social media sites are often perceived as the ultimate navel-gazing tools. Seemingly a narcissist’s dream, many think that Facebook status updates and the 140-character Twitter messages (known as “tweets”) are really just boring play-by-plays of daily life—I had granola for breakfast! I’m stuck in traffic!

But Laurie Brosius, 31, isn’t buying it. Brosius, a business analyst in Dallas, used Twitter to raise $6,000 for a walk for breast cancer research in 2008. “Fifty percent of that came from online strangers,” she says. She was able to reach those people in part because her Twitter followers re-tweeted her messages.

In 2004, Brosius started blogging about her upcoming wedding. But after she married, she felt a key person was missing from the happy picture—her husband’s mother, who had died of breast cancer at age 48 when her husband was 20 years old. “I felt like I missed out on having her in my life,” says Brosius. “I felt cheated.”

She wanted to raise money for breast cancer research, so she participated in a three-day walk and fund-raiser, but felt she could do more. She had used Twitter to raise a small sum for that first walk, but for the second walk she relied mainly on tweets to direct people to the donation website.

(Anyone can see breast cancer–related tweets by typing #breastcancer into Twitter’s search field.)

Brosius still blogs and says that breast cancer organizations’ websites are great places to donate. However, Brosius says, they only reach a specific crowd—those already interested in the topic.

“[Social media sites] are reaching people who might not be specifically looking for that kind of information,” she explains. “They’re reaching everyone.”


credit: http://www.health.com/health/condition-article/0,,20294300_1,00.html

Fitness (biology)

Fitness (often denoted w in population genetics models) is a central concept in evolutionary theory. It describes the capability of an individual of certain genotype to reproduce, and usually is equal to the proportion of the individual's genes in all the genes of the next generation. If differences in individual genotypes affect fitness, then the frequencies of the genotypes will change over generations; the genotypes with higher fitness become more common. This process is called natural selection.

An individual's fitness is manifested through its phenotype. As phenotype is affected by both genes and environment, the fitnesses of different individuals with the same genotype are not necessarily equal, but depend on the environment in which the individuals live. However, since the fitness of the genotype is an averaged quantity, it will reflect the reproductive outcomes of all individuals with that genotype.

As fitness measures the quantity of the copies of the genes of an individual in the next generation, it doesn't really matter how the genes arrive in the next generation. That is, for an individual it is equally "beneficial" to reproduce itself, or to help relatives with similar genes to reproduce, as long as similar amount of copies of individual's genes get passed on to the next generation. Selection which promotes this kind of helper behavior is called kin selection.

The concept is particularly difficult to understand and frequently misunderstood; J.B.S. Haldane when discussing it with John Maynard Smith is reported to have described it as "a bugger".

credit: www.wikipedia.org

Divorce takes toll that remarriage can't heal

Divorce causes more than bitterness and broken hearts: The trauma of a split can leave long-lasting effects on mental and physical health that remarriage might not repair, according to new research.

full story

http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/

Diabetes mellitus

Diabetes mellitus (pronounced /ˌdaɪ.əˈbiːtiːz/ or /ˌdaɪ.əˈbiːtɨs/; /mɨˈlaɪtəs/ or /ˈmɛlɨtəs/)—often referred to simply as diabetes—is a disease in which the body does not produce enough, or properly respond to, insulin, a hormone produced in the pancreas. Insulin is needed to turn sugar and other food into energy. In diabetes, the body either doesn't make enough insulin or can't use its own insulin as well as it should, or both. This causes sugar to accumulate in the blood, often leading to various complications. The American Diabetes Association reported in 2009 that there are 23.6 million children and adults in the United States—7.8% of the population, who have diabetes. While an estimated 17.9 million in the US alone have been diagnosed with diabetes, nearly one in four (5.7 million) diabetics are unaware that they have the disease.

Many types of diabetes are recognized: The principal three are:

• Type 1: Results from the body's failure to produce insulin. It is estimated that 5-10% of Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have type 1 diabetes. Presently almost all persons with type 1 diabetes must take insulin injections.
• Type 2: Results from a condition in which the body fails to use insulin properly, combined with relative insulin deficiency. Most Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. Many people destined to develop type 2 diabetes spend many years in a state of Pre-diabetes: Termed "America's largest healthcare epidemic, a condition that occurs when a person's blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. As of 2009 there are 57 million Americans who have pre-diabetes.

• Gestational diabetes: Pregnant women who have never had diabetes before but who have high blood sugar (glucose) levels during pregnancy are said to have gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes affects about 4% of all pregnant women. It may precede development of type 2 (or rarely type 1).

• Many other forms of diabetes mellitus are categorized separately from these. Examples include congenital diabetes due to genetic defects of insulin secretion, cystic fibrosis-related diabetes, steroid diabetes induced by high doses of glucocorticoids, and several forms of monogenic diabetes.

All forms of diabetes have been treatable since insulin became medically available in 1921, but there is no cure for the common types except a pancreas transplant, although gestational diabetes usually resolves after delivery. Diabetes and its treatments can cause many complications. Acute complications including hypoglycemia, diabetic ketoacidosis, or nonketotic hyperosmolar coma may occur if the disease is not adequately controlled. Serious long-term complications include cardiovascular disease, chronic renal failure, retinal damage, which can lead to blindness, several types of nerve damage, and microvascular damage, which may cause erectile dysfunction and poor wound healing. Poor healing of wounds, particularly of the feet, can lead to gangrene, and possibly to amputation. Adequate treatment of diabetes, as well as increased emphasis on blood pressure control and lifestyle factors such as not smoking and maintaining a healthy body weight, may improve the risk profile of most of the chronic complications. In the developed world, diabetes is the most significant cause of adult blindness in the non-elderly and the leading cause of non-traumatic amputation in adults, and diabetic nephropathy is the main illness requiring renal dialysis in the United States.

source: www.wikipedia.org

Health

At the time of the creation of the World Health Organization (WHO), in 1948, Health was defined as being "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity".

This definition invited nations to expand the conceptual framework of their health systems beyond issues related to the physical condition of individuals and their diseases, and it motivated us to focus our attention on what we now call social determinants of health. Consequently, WHO challenged political, academic, community, and professional organisations devoted to improving or preserving health to make the scope of their work explicit, including their rationale for allocating resources. This opened the door for public accountability.

Only a handful of publications have focused specifically on the definition of health and its evolution in the first 6 decades. Some of them highlight its lack of operational value and the problem created by use of the word "complete." Others declare the definition, which has not been modified since 1948, "simply a bad one." . More recently, Smith suggested that it is "a ludicrous definition that would leave most of us unhealthy most of the time."

In 1986, the WHO, in the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, said that health is "a resource for everyday life, not the objective of living. Health is a positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities." Classification systems such as the WHO Family of International Classifications (WHO-FIC), which is composed of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) also define health.

Overall health is achieved through a combination of physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being, which, together is commonly referred to as the Health Triangle.

Read More....

credit :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health

World Breastfeeding Week

Fast Facts

NOWHERE is “immune” to an emergency. They can happen anywhere in the world. Whatever the emergency – from earthquake to conflict, from flood to flu pandemic – the story is the same: breastfeeding saves lives.

In emergencies, infants and young children are especially vulnerable to malnutrition, illness and death.

·Total mortality rates for infants aged under one year in emergencies are much higher than at ordinary times, ranging from 12% to 53%.

·In a large-scale therapeutic feeding programme in Niger in 2005, 95% of the 43,529 malnourished cases admitted for therapeutic care were children less than two years of age.

·During the first three months of conflict in Guinea-Bissau in 1998, the death rate amongst 9 to 20-month-old non-breastfed children was six times higher than amongst breastfed children of the same age-group.

Even in non-emergency situations, optimal infant feeding can mean the difference between life and death:

·Sub-optimal breastfeeding practices are responsible for 1.4 million deaths of children under five in low-income situations worldwide.

·For these children, breastfeeding support tops the table of life-saving interventions: 13% of under–5 deaths could be saved through exclusive and continued breastfeeding until age one.

·One-fifth of neonatal deaths could be prevented by early initiation of exclusive breastfeeding (breastfeeding within the first hour).

Myth vs fact

MYTH: “Malnourished mothers cannot breastfeed.”

FACT: They can. Moderate maternal malnutrition has little or no effect on milk production. In fact, the mother will continue to produce milk, at the expense of her own body stores. Extra food and fluids are needed to replenish the mother’s own reserves, and micronutrient supplementation may be needed.

MYTH: “Stress prevents mothers from producing milk.”

FACT: Stress does not prevent production of milk, but may temporarily interfere with its flow. Breastfeeding mothers have lower stress hormone levels than non-breastfeeding mothers.

MYTH: “Once a mother stops breastfeeding, she can’t restart.”

FACT: A mother can restart breastfeeding – there is no time limit. In some contexts, grandmothers have breastfed their grandchildren.

MYTH: “HIV positive mothers should never breastfeed.”

FACT: Exclusive breastfeeding for six months is the safest option and gives the best chance of HIV-free child survival, unless total replacement feeding is acceptable, feasible, affordable, sustainable and safe (AFASS) – unlikely in emergencies. After six months, if replacement feeding is still not AFASS, continued breastfeeding with adequate complementary foods is the safest option.

Information sourced from the World Breastfeeding Week Action Folder, available to download in English and Chinese at www.worldbreastfeedingweek.org (look for it on the navigation bar on the left).

Events

·Breastfeeding in Emergencies

What: Interactive talks on breastfeeding and fun activities, centred on “Breastfeeding: A Vital Emergency Response. Are you Ready?”

Organised by Mothers-to-Mothers Peer Support (MMPS) and supported by Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Healthy Campus.

Why: Learn more about how breastfeeding protects baby in vulnerable situations and how to re-establish interrupted breastfeeding as soon as possible. Take part in Q&A and quizzes, and take home thank-you tokens.

Who should attend: Breastfeeding mothers and babies, families, health professionals, relief organisation officers, and any interested party.

When: 9.30am to 1.30pm next Saturday, Aug 1

Where: Dewan Kuliah A, USM, Penang

How: Just turn up. For more information visit pgmmps.wordpress.com, or call Jeya (019 278 2728) / Sabrina (012 415 6446).

·One-Minute Simultaneous Breastfeeding

What: Annual global celebration of mother’s milk.

Why: Break a new world record by joining mums across more than 120 countries in a shared minute of breastfeeding.

Who should participate: Healthy mothers and happy babies

When: 10.30am next Saturday, Aug 1

Where: Throughout Malaysia

How: Get baby to latch on for at least a minute at 10.30am, then register your successful feed by sending an SMS to 016 4211 782 or 019 278 2728. Numbers will be tallied and announced at World Breastfeeding Week celebrations at USM, Penang.

Are you organising a health-related event the general public will benefit from? Email starhealth@thestar.com.my to let us know.

Aloe Vera Benefits, Uses and Information

The aloe plant and its derivative products have played a role in medicine and health care dating as far back as the 4th century B.C. when ancient Greek doctors obtained aloe from the island of Socotra in the Indian Ocean. In the 10th century A.D., aloe was recommended to the British king Alfred the Great by the Patriarch of Jerusalem for its amazing remedial values. Muslims who have made the pilgrimage to Mecca are entitled to hang an Aloe plant over their doors as a talisman against evil.

Aloe is a lily-like, green, and sometimes spiny shrub with very little, if any, stem. It produces approximately 25 fleshy, gray-green leaves in a beautiful rosette display. In Europe, Aloe is used almost exclusively as a digestive aid and laxative. Elsewhere, including the United States, the gel from the inner aloe leaf is a popular ingredient in many skin preparations and cosmetics.

The laxative component of the plant works by preventing the absorption of water from the bowel, thus increasing the volume of its contents and hastening their passage. This component of Aloe also kills some bacteria and is believed to act against a variety of viruses including herpes, chickenpox, and flu.

Aloe Vera has been used to heal both internally and externally. It greatly speeds the healing of many skin injuries, including ulcerations, burns, hives and poison ivy and also acts as a laxative. Aloe latex is a powerful laxative, but because it can cause painful cramping, it is not used frequently for this purpose. Other milder herbal laxatives such as cascara sagrada and senna are usually recommended first.

Aloe use has also been suggested in connection with diabetes, ulcers, and other conditions. However, presently no conclusive clinical studies have supported this assertion.

There are a number of user submitted aloe vera product reviews and ratings available at NutritionalTree.com.

Dosage and Administration

For constipation, a single 50-200 mg capsule of aloe latex can be taken each day for a maximum of ten days.

For minor burns, the stabilized aloe gel is applied topically to the affected area of skin three to five times per day. Treatment of more serious burns should only be done under the supervision of a healthcare professional. For internal use of aloe gel, two tablespoons (30 ml) three times per day is used by some people for inflammatory bowel conditions, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis (see precautions below). For type 2 diabetes, clinical trials have used one tablespoon (15 ml) of aloe juice, twice daily. Using aloe in connection with diabetes should only be done under the supervision and recommendation of a qualified healthcare professional.

Possible Interactions

It is recommended not to combine Aloe with other medications that are used to flush water and potassium from the body, including diuretics such as Lasix and Diuril, steroid drugs such as prednisone, and herbal licorice root.

Since potassium plays an vital role in regulating the heart, depleting it through continued use of laxatives may affect the action of certain heart medications. The effects of drugs such as digitalis and digoxin (Lanoxin) may be increased via long-term supplementation of aloe.

Supporting Literature

Duke J. Ginseng: A Concise Handbook. Algonac, MI: Reference Publications, 1989, 36.
Syed TA, Ahmad SA, Holt AH, et al. Management of psoriasis with Aloe vera extract in a hydrophilic cream: a placebo-controlled double-blind study. Trop Med Int Health 1996;1:506-9.
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source:http://www.nutrasanus.com/aloe-vera.html

Lung cancer risk from radon in homes found

Even low exposure to odorless gas could be dangerous, report suggests

VIENNA - New studies have found direct evidence of a lung cancer risk from the presence of colorless, odorless radon gas in many homes, a United Nations committee said in a report released Tuesday.

Officials on the U.N. Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) said the finding provided the first quantifiable evidence of the risk in homes from radon, long seen as a potential health risk.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and other agencies were revising recommendations on maximum levels of radon in homes and workplaces based on the 20 studies involving tens of thousands of lung cancer patients in North America, Europe and China.

"(Up to now) radon has been a typical health risk no one wants to accept or take note of," Wolfgang Weiss, UNSCEAR's vice chairman, told a news conference.

He said the report was significant because previous estimates of radon risks to the public were extrapolated from studies of uranium miners exposed to high levels of the gas.

"In the meantime we've done 20 studies in homes where concentrations are very low, and there we can see a risk, it is small, but it is certainly there," said Weiss.

"You can avoid smoking by just taking personal decisions," he said, referring to the leading cause of lung cancer.

"(But) radon is everywhere. So (you need to) develop strategies to avoid the influx of radon into houses ... It's very simple to seal basements, for example with plastic foil.

Radon is a hard-to-detect radioactive, noble gas that comes from natural decay of uranium. It can accumulate in buildings, seeping in from the ground through cracks in cellars, and may also be emitted by spring waters and hot springs.

Weiss said UNSCEAR's findings had caused a rethink at the WHO and other health policy agencies. "There will be consequences in regulation through the lowering of recommended levels of radon in workplaces and homes."

Some developed countries like Switzerland and Germany have conducted surveys or drawn up maps identifying radon-prone and low-radon regions, but many others provide no such information.

The report said radon concentrations in indoor air were lowest in the Middle East and highest in some European nations, where uranium is highly present underground.

UNSCEAR was set up in 1955 and reports to the U.N. General Assembly. Its research helped bring about the 1963 treaty that banned atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons, and underpins global standards on radiation protection.

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