Tuesday, September 29, 2009

More Filipinos buying generic drugs – DOH Visit your Generic Drugstore today

MANILA, Philippines - Six out of 10 Filipinos are opting for generic medicines over more expensive branded counterparts paving the way for healthy competition in the local pharmaceutical industry, according to Health secretary Francisco Duque III. Duque said more Filipinos are buying generic-branded medicines that are up to 80 percent cheaper.
Generic drugs are always less expensive, it cost about thirty percent to eighty percent less than the brand name drug. Generic drugs mean more cost-savings to the consumers. Its use can save patients and even insurance companies thousands of dollars without compromising the quality of health care. According to the U.S. Congressional Budget Office, generic drugs save consumers an estimated $8 to $10 billion a year at retail pharmacies. Even more billions are saved when hospitals use generics.
“It’s amazing that many of our countrymen do not know that what they are really using are generic drugs. For example, the generic medicine paracetamol can be bought as Biogesic, Tempra, Calpol or as generic—only the brands and price differ but they have the same quality,” said Duque.

“If more doctors prescribe generic medicines and more people use them, these will further drive down medicine prices and make medicine more accessible especially for the poor,” Duque added.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

How to solve 9 sleep problems

Most of us have experienced those maddening midnight moments when, no matter how tired we are, we either can't fall asleep, can't stay asleep or our sleep is of such poor quality it feels as if we were awake. For anyone who has tossed and turned at night, here's some expert advice for solving nine sleep problems.

Good sleep habits don't solve sleep problems, but they do create a foundation for improved sleep, experts say.

The night waker
Her challenge: After a stressful breakup two years ago, Meredith Crowell, 40, a single real estate property manager and yoga instructor from Boulder, Colorado, would wake up in the middle of the night filled with sadness and anxiety. But even after she felt better emotionally, the sleep troubles continued. Although she typically falls asleep easily around 10:30 p.m., she is wide awake three or four hours later. She falls back into a fitful sleep, then gets up around 6 a.m. to begin her day. "I never wake feeling well rested, because it feels like I don't get more than about four hours of truly deep sleep," she says. To no avail, Meredith has tried myriad remedies -- warm baths, hot milk, a glass of wine before bed, no food before bed, relaxation techniques, and prescription and homeopathic medicines. She took a prescription medication, but that didn't give her more than four hours of sleep. She even tried taking the medication when she woke in the middle of the night, but that left her too groggy in the morning.

Expert advice: "The good news is that Meredith's insomnia seems to have a clear precipitant -- the breakup," says sleep-medicine specialist David Neubauer, M.D., a sleep-medicine specialist and an associate director of the Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center, in Baltimore, Maryland. Neubauer calls her situation "conditioned arousal," which, he says, is common. "Her sleep problems may have been initially caused by an external trigger, but over time the sleep problems become self-propagating. Eventually she became conditioned to become anxious about her sleep." Some things that might help:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy is often used in cases like this, and the experts agree that it could help Meredith. "CBT aims to stop the behaviors that are perpetuating the insomnia," says Susie Esthera, M.D., a specialist in sleep-disorder medicine at Charlotte Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Associates, in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the president-elect of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Typically, a therapist will work with a patient for four to eight weeks -- in sessions that last from 30 minutes to two hours -- to assess, diagnose, and treat the underlying problem, such as relationship worries. The therapist will teach the patient things like progressive-relaxation techniques and point out actions that are getting in the way of deep sleep, such as rehashing conversations that occurred earlier in the day. (To find a therapist, go to the website of the National Association of Cognitive Behavioral Therapists)

• Acupuncture. "Acupuncture may help reduce her anxiety and induce deeper sleep," says Rubin Naiman, Ph.D., the director of sleep programs at the Miraval Resort, in Tucson.
• Avoiding wine. "There is a notion that alcohol will help you sleep," says Neubauer. "And while it often does help you fall asleep quicker, your sleep will be more disrupted."

• Accepting some awakenings. The experts stress that nighttime awakenings are perfectly normal -- much more normal, in fact, than the elusive solid eight hours people think they should be getting. Most people will roll over and go back to sleep, but those with insomnia become conditioned to feel anxious when they awake during the night. "You need to accept that you will arouse some, so reassure yourself in the middle of the night that nothing catastrophic will happen if you are awake for a while," says Esther. To that end, she suggests keeping the glaring electric clock off the bedside table. "Clock watching will only increase your anxiety about being awake," Esther says.

Enforcing bedtimes improves kids' health
Antidepressants, not sleep drugs, often prescribed for insomnia

The early bird
Her challenge: Brooke Brown, 38, is a married prekindergarten teacher with three children from Wellesley, Massachusetts. Given her round-the-clock proximity to small children (her own are ages 4, 7, and 9), Brooke is understandably exhausted by the end of the day. So much so that she often falls sound asleep as early as 7 p.m. But she is routinely awakened around 2 a.m. -- by a child, her husband snoring, or a need to use the bathroom -- and never manages to fall back asleep. She lies in bed with her brain in high gear, eventually giving up on sleep and getting out of bed at 5 a.m. to get a jump on her day.

Expert advice: "She is spending too much time in bed," says sleep-disorders specialist Susie Esther. Brooke should establish a standard waking time (and stick to it seven days a week), then work backward to figure out what her bedtime should be. So if she wants to get up at 5 a.m., she should plan to be asleep by about 10 p.m. -- not 7 p.m. "She should gradually adjust her bedtime so that she is able to stay awake later, and that will help her body adapt to the new schedule," says Esther. To quell Brooke's middle-of-the-night worrying, Esther suggests that, instead of lying in bed, she get up and do something relaxing, like having a cup of decaffeinated herbal tea. "Staying in bed and trying to sleep will just wake you up more," says Esther. "Sleep isn't something you can 'try' to do."

The chronic insomniac
Her challenge: Kristy Lewis, 29, a married homemaker and photographer from Hampton, Virginia, can't remember a time when she didn't have trouble sleeping. "I thought it was normal to take an hour or longer to fall asleep, but in 2004 my doctor diagnosed me with insomnia," she says. She also wakes several times during the night and remains awake for anywhere from a few minutes to an hour. She also suffers from restless legs syndrome and frequently talks in her sleep. Sleep medications help to some degree but leave her feeling drowsy the next day. She has also tried practicing yoga, doing vigorous exercise earlier in the day, avoiding caffeine, and reading or writing in a journal before bed.

Expert advice: "I would first want to investigate her restless legs problem," says sleep-medicine specialist David Neubauer. Restless legs syndrome, which has recently been taken more seriously by doctors, can sometimes be caused by anemia. If blood tests show that Kristy has anemia, iron supplementation could help. If anemia is not the cause, she could ask her doctor about medications like Mirapex and Requip, which are often prescribed for restless legs syndrome. Otherwise, Kristy might consider:

• Pay even more attention to her evening routine and her sleep environment. "Good sleep habits don't necessarily solve sleep problems, but they do create a foundation for improved sleep," says Neubauer. Good habits include things such as keeping the bedroom cool and dark, using a fan or a white-noise machine to create a blanket of sound, and using the bed exclusively as a place for sleeping -- and not for watching television, for example.
• Making an appointment at a sleep clinic, which can be a smart step for people with a long history of sleep issues. Most often this involves office visits (which will not necessarily be overnight observations), during which the patient will undergo a physical examination and work with a doctor to assess and diagnose the cause of the sleep problems. (For more information or to locate a sleep specialist near you, go to the Web site of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine)

The hormone sufferer
Her challenge: Patty Magovern, 53, a married human-resources director from Wall, New Jersey, never had trouble sleeping -- that is, until menopause hit last year. "My whole life, I would fall asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow and sleep through the night," she says, "but those days are long gone." Now, no matter what time she goes to bed, she has difficulty falling asleep and, like clockwork, awakens at 1 a.m. For the rest of the night, she tosses and turns before finally getting up at 6:30 a.m. Taking over-the-counter or prescription medications helps but leaves her feeling logy in the morning rather than refreshed. She doesn't want to take hormone-replacement therapy to treat her menopause symptoms, including the hot flashes that sometimes disrupt her sleep, because she worries about the risks.

Expert advice: There is some evidence that hormonal changes can have an effect on sleep. If hot flashes are a big issue, sleep-medicine specialist David Neubauer, points to recent studies that have shown that sleeping in a cooler-than-normal room can help prevent them. More advice:
• Use caution regarding over-the-counter sleep medications, since they contain some type of antihistamine, which can stay in the body for a long time. "It takes about 18 hours for your body to clear out 50 percent of the active drug. For most of your waking hours, it will still be in your system, making you drowsy," says psychologist Rubin Naiman.

• Patty might also benefit from taking 0.3 milligram of an over-the-counter melatonin supplement about 20 minutes before bedtime since the production of melatonin (a naturally produced hormone that helps regulate circadian rhythms) drops off as we age.
• Go for a checkup. "Around the time a woman reaches menopause, other risk factors may emerge, such as sleep apnea," Neubauer says. Patty should consider that new medications she may be on could also be disrupting her sleep.

The worrier
Her challenge: Alexandra Acker, 29, a single executive director of a nonprofit organization from Washington, D.C., has suffered from sleep issues on and off since high school, but they became worse when she moved to Washington, D.C., and took a new job. "My sleep problems are definitely stress-related," she says. While she has no trouble falling asleep, she wakes up many times throughout the night and can't turn her brain off sufficiently to get back to sleep. She lies in bed thinking about work, making mental to-do lists, and even listening to random songs that play in her head. Making matters worse, there's traffic noise outside the windows of her studio apartment. RealSimple.com: Everyday health dilemmas solved

Expert advice: "She seems to have a predisposition for insomnia, and for people like her, whenever there are additional pressures, like a new job, the insomnia bubbles to the surface," says Gary Richardson, M.D., a senior research scientist and a staff physician at the Sleep Disorders Center at the Henry Ford Hospital, in Detroit, Michigan. Since Alexandra is probably not going to change her job or leave D.C., she needs to find ways to handle her stress better so that it doesn't wake her up at night. "We expect the brain to turn off when we sleep, but it doesn't do that, and there's some evidence that in insomniacs, the areas of the brain that control stress stay active at night," says Richardson. So rather than lying awake listening to song lyrics and making lists in her head, Alexandra might:

• Distract her brain by trying a relaxation technique, like focusing on her breathing.
• Working on keeping her sleep environment quieter, such as using an air conditioner or a fan, as well as blackout shades to block street light.
• Try wearing earplugs.

The night owl
Her challenge: Nicole Williams, 42, a married homemaker and freelance camerawoman from Los Angeles, has always been nocturnal, but the situation has gotten worse since the birth of her child, four years ago. She grows more alert late at night, then stays up until about 3 a.m., watching TV, reading, clearing out e-mail, and organizing things for her family. Her daughter wakes her up at 7:30 a.m., and Nicole says she then feels "dangerously drowsy, irritated, and exhausted all day long." She almost never naps and normally uses the time when her daughter is at school to work or get other things done. Both prescription and over-the-counter sleep medications have worked, but Nicole worries about being groggy in the morning and doesn't want to become reliant on them. She has also tried aromatherapy, warm drinks before bed, and meditation.

Expert advice: To start slowing down and readying herself for an earlier bedtime, psychologist Rubin Naiman suggests blocking blue light. "The blue end of the light spectrum -- emitted by ordinary lightbulbs, televisions, and computer screens -- suppresses melatonin," says Naiman. Nicole might consider buying special lightbulbs as well as blue-blocker filters (available at lowbluelights.com) for her TV and computer screen (if she insists on checking her e-mail) and reducing the amount of light in general. "Being exposed to too much light at night is the environmental equivalent of caffeine," says Naiman. So at least two hours before bed, dim the lights. In addition, Nicole needs to find time earlier in the day for catching up on e-mail and organizing.

The overstimulated sleeper
Her challenge: Lauren Razzore, 31, a single professor of animation and Web design and freelance designer from Queens, New York, often stays up until midnight or 2 a.m., reading or catching up on work. When she realizes how late it is, she jumps into bed but then is too wound up to fall asleep for another hour or so. This tendency is now exacerbated by an erratic schedule. Lauren usually teaches four classes a week. On two days, it's an early morning class that requires her to rise at 6 a.m. The other days she has afternoon classes, which allows her to sleep as late as she wants. When she does sleep, it's not always very restorative. She has vivid dreams that she is teaching, and sometimes she wakes up talking aloud. "I'm exhausted in the morning because I feel like I've been working all night," she says. RealSimple.com: 10 things you should be doing to boost your immunity
Expert advice: "We can't always design a sleep schedule that fits with our work schedule, and that can especially be a problem for someone with genetic night-owl tendencies," says physician and sleep researcher Gary Richardson. He suggests that Lauren might benefit from careful napping to help balance out her sleep schedule, especially on days when she has to get up to teach an early class. He recommends lying down and relaxing and getting up after one hour, regardless of whether she actually dozes. "Napping can interfere with nighttime rest if you sleep too much," he cautions. And rather than racing to bed in a panic when she realizes how late it is, Lauren needs to set a regular bedtime and develop a relaxing evening ritual, which, ideally, she should begin at least half an hour before getting into bed. This could include things like a warm bath and some reading, with the lights as low as possible.

The downtime seeker
Her challenge: Regina Clark, 39, a married assistant professor of journalism from Somerset, New Jersey, stays up until midnight or later to have downtime, even though she knows it's at the expense of getting a good night's sleep. (She often needs to be up at 5 a.m.) When she does lie down, her mind doesn't stop working, especially now that she is up for tenure at her teaching job and pregnant with twins. When she finally falls asleep, it's a very light sleep. She's awakened easily and often by things like her dog's barking or her husband's snoring. She normally manages to get about five hours of sleep but feels she needs a solid seven or eight hours to be fully functional. "I tend to be foggy or hazy during the day, unable to focus clearly or remember things properly, and I know it's related to not getting enough sleep," Regina says.

Expert advice: Regina should take 30 minutes or so earlier in the day to do the things that are keeping her up (like checking e-mail and writing lists). Also:

• She should ask her husband to have his snoring checked to make sure it's not a symptom of a more serious problem -- and she might try wearing earplugs to block out the noise.
• In addition, she can keep the dog out of the bedroom and maybe have her husband agree to get up with their 2-year-old baby for a few weeks while she focuses on improving her sleep pattern.
• Regina should practice "letting go," says psychologist Rubin Naiman. He encourages her to work on managing stress by exercising more and, if possible, delegating more at work so she doesn't feel so overwhelmed. "We're such an active, 'doing' culture, and then we get into bed and try to 'do' sleep," Naiman says. "You can't just 'go' to sleep, but you can learn to let go of waking."

Her challenge: Elizabeth Marks, 29, a married graduate student from Chicago, struggles with an innate tendency is to stay up till midnight, then hit snooze so many times in the morning. "The clock has been known to give up," she says. Even when she feels exhausted all day, she becomes more alert at night. When she does get into bed, it takes her up to an hour to fall asleep. Elizabeth has tried going to bed earlier so she'll have less trouble getting up in the morning, but then she just lies awake. She doesn't drink caffeine, and she reads when she gets into bed, does yoga three times a week, and uses an aromatherapy-oil diffuser in her bedroom.

Expert advice: While avoiding caffeine in the afternoon and the evening is a wise move, physician and sleep researcher Gary Richardson says that having some first thing in the morning can be helpful for people like Elizabeth, who have trouble waking up.

• Modulating her exposure to light could reset her internal clock gradually, according to Richardson. "Too much light at night will push her clock even later," he says, so the key is to keep the lights dim the closer she gets to bedtime. Elizabeth should also maximize her light exposure first thing in the morning. If she can go outside in bright sunlight for some exercise, that would provide a double whammy of wakefulness.

• Taking a melatonin supplement (0.3 milligram before bed) might help Elizabeth if light manipulation isn't enough, Richardson suggests. It may help pull her internal clock to an earlier hour so she can get the sleep she needs http://edition.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/09/25/nine.sleep.problems/index.html

Friday, September 25, 2009

Helping older people Not fall down

Every year, about a third of Americans 65 and older fall, and about a third of those who lose their footing require medical treatment, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

More than 1.8 million older adults are treated annually in emergency departments for injuries from falls, 433,000 are admitted to hospitals and 16,000 die because of their injuries, the agency reports.

"The good news is that we can reduce the risk of falling. It doesn't have to be an inevitable part of growing old," said Lynn Beattie, vice president of injury prevention at the National Council on Aging.

Aside from promoting longer lives and greater independence, the new efforts to prevent falls may help control health care costs as the oldest boomers qualify for Medicare in about a year, she said.

More than $19 billion is spent annually on treating seniors who fall. Without better prevention, that cost is projected to escalate to $43.8 billion a year by 2020, and Medicare will pay for most of it.

At the University of Texas at Arlington, researchers are putting older adults through a battery of tests to determine their risk of falling and to teach them to maintain their balance.

In one exercise, the seniors climb into a booth where the floor rocks, the walls shake and a video screen flashes words and colors to distract them. A harness protects them from slipping.

Patricia Elder, a 63-year-old Grand Prairie resident who worries about tripping because of her poor eyesight, held her ground by shifting her weight when she took the test.

"It reminded me of going through a carnival funhouse as a child," she said. "I guess this old gal still has it in her."

Christopher Ray, an assistant professor of kinesiology, said he hoped the research project will lead to programs and products to help older adults become more sure-footed.

"When seniors regain their strength and balance, they also regain their confidence," he said. "As long as people fear falling, they limit their activities, and that only makes them more vulnerable to accidents."

Dallas-based AT&T Inc. and eight LLC of New York are working on a high-tech monitoring system that will signal caregivers when it detects someone is at risk of falling.

The system will use a shoe insole with built-in sensors that track changes in the wearer's gait, said Bob Miller, executive director of AT&T's communications technology research department.

"If, for example, someone becomes dizzy because of a bad reaction to medication, we should be able to detect the unsteady walk and alert caregivers in time to head off trouble," he said.

Texas Tech University will begin testing the monitoring system at a geriatric care center in Lubbock in about a month, Miller said. He expects the technology to be on the market within two years.

Lower tech

Low-tech approaches are also reducing older adults' risk of tumbling, Beattie said. Many home health care agencies are creating services tailored to fall victims.

Gentiva Health Services, a national home health care company, aggressively markets its "Safe Strides" program.

"Our typical patient has already fallen but doesn't want to move into an assisted-living facility or nursing home," said Keith Gray, rehabilitation director for Gentiva's branch in Bedford, Texas.

A therapist evaluates each patient and designs an in-home exercise program to improve balance, he said. The home is also checked for hazards, and medications are reviewed for possible side effects.

Medicare covers the cost of the four- or five-week program if a doctor orders it, Gray said.

Older adults can significantly lower their risk of falling if they make better use of "old technology" such as walkers and canes, said Candy Wade, who teaches "Matter of Balance" classes to Dallas area seniors.

Seniors sometimes borrow walkers or canes from friends, Wade said, which can be dangerous because a walking aid needs to be fitted to each person.

Tom Polston, who owns Specialty Medical Sales in Lewisville, Texas, said he and his employees routinely measure customers for walkers and canes and give a short course on how to use the aids.

"This isn't a one-size-fits-all business," he said.

The industry that's done the most to prevent falls is the one with the most to gain -- long-term care providers such as nursing homes, assisted-living facilities and senior independent-living communities.

Because it cares for the frailest seniors, a nursing home with 100 beds averages from 100 to 200 falls a year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports. About 1,800 residents die each year from falls.

At Christian Care Centers in Mesquite, Texas, staff members are trained to guard against falls and frequently rely on lifts to help nursing home patients out of chairs and onto their feet.

The community's "Senior Body Balance" class -- with its mix of Pilates, tai chi and yoga exercises -- also helps put residents on surer footing, said Martha Fiddes, assistant vice president of therapy and wellness services.

"I've had fall-prone seniors who haven't had a single accident since taking the course," she said.

Experts see interest in fall-related products and programs headed no way but up.

The people most vulnerable to falling and injuring themselves -- those 85 and older -- also make up the fastest-growing age group in this country, said Beattie of the National Council on Aging.

"Preventing falls has to become a booming enterprise," she said. "Otherwise, we won't have enough surgeons to treat all the hip fractures." The original article can be found here

Medications

To reduce your risks of falls, follow these tips:

  • Review your medication with your doctor every 6 months.
  • Ask your doctor or pharmacist about the side effects of your medication.
  • Tell your doctor if your medication makes you dizzy or lightheaded.
  • Never take someone else's medication.
  • Talk to your doctor if insomnia persists.
Using A Cane
  • Make sure your cane is the correct height for you.
  • Standing with your arms at you sides, turn the cane upside down and put the handle on the floor. The tip of the cane should be at the level of your wrist.
  • Aluminum canes can be easily adjusted on the shaft.
  • For wooden canes, remove the rubber tip. Mark the cane at wrist level and deduct ½ inch. Cut the cane and replace the rubber tip.
More reading about dangers to seniors and falling accidents, click these links

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Bone up on bone health

You can prevent osteoporosis by avoiding certain risk factors

Tingnan ang buong laki ng larawan

Osteoporosis (“porous bones”) is a silent condition in which bones become less dense and more likely to fracture. It’s a major health threat for an estimated 10 million Americans with the disease and 34 million Americans with low bone mass.

Often called a pediatric disease with geriatric consequences, bone density decreases partly because hormone levels (such as estrogen and testosterone) decrease as people age. Estrogen, the main female hormone, helps prevent bone from being broken down and therefore helps to keep it dense and strong. Testosterone, the main male hormone, stimulates bone formation.

Older women are affected by the decrease in hormone levels more dramatically than older men. At menopause, the decrease in bone density speeds up dramatically as estrogen levels nosedive. During the first few years after menopause, bone density may decrease by as much as 5 percent each year. After that, it decreases by up to to 2 percent each year.

Also, on average, women usually have lower bone density than men to begin with. Thus, women are more likely than men to develop osteoporosis.

As men age, testosterone levels decrease slowly. Men produce small amounts of estrogen. Men with low testosterone or low estrogen levels are more likely to develop osteoporosis.

The bones in the wrist, hip and spine are most often affected by osteoporosis. Close to one out of five hip fracture patients ends up in a nursing home and only one out of two regain their independence.

Common risk factors for developing osteoporosis include:

• Having a small frame. Thin people tend to have less dense bones than heavier people. Part of the reason is that body weight puts stress on bone, stimulating it to form more bone. Also, thin women may have less body fat and lower estrogen levels than heavier women.

• Family history of osteoporosis. If you have close relatives with osteoporosis, you’re more likely to develop it. The risk of developing osteoporosis is even higher when a relative has had a fracture as a result of osteoporosis.

• Menopausal or post-menopausal. During and after menopause, declining estrogen slows bone construction and causes less absorption of calcium by the kidneys and intestines. Each year during menopause, about 3 percent of bone is lost from the spine and 1 percent from arms, hips, and other sites. Bone loss slows down to about 1 percent per year 4 years after menopause.

• Certain medications. Long-term use of corticosteriods to treat asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s Disease and other inflammatory conditions can contribute to lower bone mass. Anticonvulsants, thyroid medications, immunosuppressants given after organ transplant, chemotherapy, aromatase inhibitors, diuretics and blood thinners such as heparin can contribute to bone loss.

• Low-calcium diet. Those who do not consume enough calcium or who have vitamin D deficiency throughout their lifetime are more likely to develop osteoporosis. A negative balance of only 50-100 mg of calcium per day over a long period of time is sufficient to produce osteoporosis.

• Lack of exercise. Bone is formed in response to weight-bearing activity. Those who are less physically active throughout life are more likely to develop osteoporosis.

• Smoking. Cigarette smoking increases risk because it interferes with the re-formation of bone.

Bones are not static. They are always being broken down and rebuilt. This process depends on a delicate balance of nutrients. Bone loss is unavoidable but it can be slowed down with calcium intake and exercise. Perhaps even more important than the amount of calcium ingested is the amount excreted as a result of calcium drainers in our diet.

Major calcium drainers include:

• Caffeine: Caffeine is a powerful diuretic, causing the kidneys to increase calcium excretion. The more regular coffee you drink, the more calcium is excreted in your urine. The loss amounts to about five milligrams of calcium for every six ounces of coffee or two cans of cola.

• Soft drinks: Carbonated soft drinks (sometimes nicknamed “osteoporosis in a can”) can promote osteoporosis. The carbonation irritates the stomach by moving calcium — a natural antacid—from the blood into the stomach. The blood, now low on calcium, replenishes its supply from the bones to protect muscular and brain function (both of which heavily depend on calcium). In addition, phosphoric acid in some soft drinks interferes with calcium absorption.

• Excess Protein: Protein promotes urinary calcium excretion. This means that the more protein you eat, the more you will lose calcium via your urine. Protein does not appear to affect people with sufficient intake of calcium, magnesium and vitamin D.

• Sodium: Every 500 mg of sodium causes post-menopausal women to lose an extra 10 mg of calcium. Sodium sources include salt, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), MSG (monosodium glutamate) and soy sauce.

• Alcohol: Alcohol interferes with the absorption of both calcium and vitamin D, and increases parathyroid hormone levels, which in turn reduces the body’s calcium reserves.

• Stress and depression: Higher cortisol levels, often found in depressed patients, may contribute to bone loss. Cortisol is a corticosteroid. Corticosteroids destroy osteoblasts (bone-building cells).

Your age determines your daily calcium needs:

9-18 years: 1,300 mg

19-50 years: 1,000 mg

Over 50 years: 1,200 mg

Bone is not solely dependent on calcium, however. The best program consists of a cocktail with many minerals and nutrients — for example, magnesium, vitamin D and boron can work together to maintain a strong skeleton. Vitamin D is freely available from sunlight during the warmer months, but fish, milk and some soy beverages provide the vitamin all year round.

The latest nutritional research points to three other important team players — strontium, vitamin K and collagen. Be sure to include mineral-rich foods in your diet daily, including raw nuts, seeds, dark leafy greens, yogurt, broccoli and seaweed (a source of over 60 minerals).

With age, bone loss is inevitable. It is important to note the impact we may have in influencing the health of our bones and the onset and pace of osteoporosis, namely in our choice of minerals, nutrients, medicine, diet and physical activity.

More links to read

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Be Prepared for an EMERGENCY Room Visit

You hope an accident or illness won’t send you to the emergency room. But being prepared for such an event can help you get good, timely care when the need arises.

Unfortunately, hospital emergency rooms are severely overcrowded. In America for example in 2006, emergency rooms cared for 120 million patients, according to data from my agency, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). And—because the nation’s health care system still relies on largely paper-based medical records—chances are, if you land in the emergency room, the doctors won’t have information about your medical history.

Emergency staff won’t know what medicines you take or what medical problems you have unless you are able to tell them. Even if you are alert, you’re likely to forget important information about your health, such as medicine allergies or your blood type.

Being prepared for a trip to the emergency room—whether because of an accident or illness—increases your chances of getting safe, high-quality health care. It might even save you money, depending on your health plan’s policy for emergency room visits. Know what your health plan policy is. Some health plans require you to get authorization for emergency care if it isn’t a life-threatening emergency.

That’s why it’s important to have updated, thorough information handy. Keeping your information either on paper or in an electronic form, like on your cellphone, may help you receive better, safer care in a medical emergency.

There are several ways you can prepare this information before you ever need it. Keep essential information typed or written in your wallet. Emergency doctors recommend that people with cellphones add “ICE” entries into their cellphone address books. ICE stands for “In Case of Emergency.” Medical providers can use it to notify your emergency contacts and to obtain needed medical information if you arrive unconscious or unable to answer questions.

Here is a basic list of information that you should have available in case you ever need to go to the emergency room:
• Medical conditions or illnesses you have, such as heart disease or diabetes, and any surgeries or treatments you’ve recently received.

• Medicines you take, including prescription, over-the-counter and herbal medications, along with dosage information. Some drug interactions can be deadly, so it is essential for emergency room staff to know which medicines you take and in what amounts. If you have time, bring your medicines in a bag, or keep in your wallet an updated list of all your medicines and dosages. AHRQ’s model pill card can be created on a computer.

• Allergies or known reactions you have to medicines, foods or latex (a material in many medical supplies, including some types of gloves and adhesive tape).

• Names and contact information of your primary care doctor and any specialists, such as a cardiologist, treating you.
• Contact information of family members or close friends who may know your medical history in case you are not able to communicate it.

• Other important information to have handy includes personal identification—such as a driver’s license, insurance information and an advance directive, if you have one. Advance directives are legal documents that state your wishes about health care, including end-of-life care.

Increasingly, people are creating and maintaining electronic personal health records (PHRs). These can be very useful if they’re portable and easy to access. There are several PHR options available for you to choose from. Some of them allow you to keep a copy or summary of your health history, medicines and allergies in one safe place that you control. Check to see if the PHR you prefer allows you to keep the summary. It can be kept on a secure website, or stored on your computer or another electronic device, or on paper.

Regardless of how you keep your vital medical information, it is important to keep it updated. It is also important that your family members know where this information is in case you are unable to do so in an emergency. And when you leave the emergency room, make sure you understand the instructions given to you by the hospital when they let you go home, called discharge instructions. These can include directions for follow-up visits or changes in medication.
FROM
http://bulletin.aarp.org/yourhealth/healthyliving/articles/finding_your_way_how_to_make_an_emergency_department_visit_a_safe_one_.html?cmp=NLC-WBLTR-CTRL-91809-F2

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Myth Buster: Does Antibacterial Soap Prevent More Illness Than Regular Soap?

Myth: Antibacterial soap is healthier than regular soap.

Facts: Washing with regular soap and water “is totally as effective” as using antibacterial soap, says Stuart Levy, a Tufts University scientist who is president of the Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics and author of the The Antibiotic Paradox.

Many of us may use antibacterial hand or dish soap to prevent disease transmission. The catch is that many of the illnesses we are trying to avoid—like colds and flus—are viruses, which antibacterial agents don’t kill. And when we wash with antibacterial soap, the active chemical ingredients—triclosan for most liquids, triclocarban for bars—aren’t in contact with the bacteria we’re trying to avoid (such as E. coli or staphylococcus) in sufficient quantities and for enough time to kill the germs.

Instead, trace residue of these ingredients remains on your skin, the sink or cutting boards in amounts too tiny to kill, but large enough for the bacteria to react to and possibly begin developing a resistance to the soap. “Unless you use a huge amount of the chemicals, the organism is going to survive,” Levy says.

While the soap industry maintains that antibacterial soaps play an important role in curbing disease, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention both say that, given the current evidence, antibacterial soap offers no benefit over soap and water. And if soap and water aren’t available, alcohol-based hand sanitizers are options. Alcohol destroys bacteria, as do vinegar, lemon juice and bleach—good to remember when disinfecting household items.

Washing thoroughly is the most important factor when trying to stop germs. “You just want to get them off your hands,” Levy says. This article is from the original here

http://bulletin.aarp.org/yourhealth/healthyliving/articles/myth_buster_does_antibacterial_soap_prevent_more_illness_than_regular_soap_.html?cmp=NLC-WBLTR-CTRL-91809-F5

Friday, September 18, 2009

Treat mini-strokes as an emergency

Transient ischemic attack needs a new name. Its current nickname, mini-stroke, doesn’t fill the bill, either. Both suggest something small and passing, a fleeting problem you can put off until you have the time to do something about it.

What’s needed is something that conveys urgency and harm, because a transient ischemic attack (TIA) is often followed by a full-blown stroke. Getting evaluated and treated right away—within minutes of having a TIA, if possible — can lower the chances of having a stroke.

At the outset, there’s little difference between a TIA and the most common kind of stroke, an ischemic stroke. They look the same, feel the same, and are caused by the same thing — a blood clot or bit of cholesterol-filled plaque that is blocking blood flow in an artery that nourishes part of the brain.

The big thing that separates a TIA from a stroke is how long it lasts. A TIA is over quickly, often fading away within hours, if not minutes, while a stroke lasts longer than 24 hours. The blockage can cause any of the following:

• Numbness or weakness in your face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body.

• Inability to move your fingers, a hand, arm, or leg.

• Sudden confusion.

• Difficulty speaking or understanding what someone is saying.

• Trouble seeing with one or both eyes or hearing with one or both ears.

• Dizziness, trouble walking, or loss of balance or coordination.

• Rapid and severe headache.

In the case of a TIA, the blockage is small enough or fragile enough that the body’s self-repair systems can reopen the artery, which stops the symptoms. Larger or sturdier blockages lead to strokes.

If you are having, or have just had, a transient ischemic attack (mini-stroke), get to the hospital or call your doctor right away.

Preventing the worst

The American Heart Association and National Stroke Association offer these recommendations for preventing stroke after a transient ischemic attack:

• Rapid evaluation, preferably within 12 hours of the onset of symptoms.

• Access to same-day diagnostic imaging.

• Aggressive attention to blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, atrial fibrillation and other conditions.

• Control of risk factors such as smoking, obesity and physical inactivity.

• Use of aspirin, aspirin plus extended-release dipyridamole (Aggrenox), or clopidogrel (Plavix) to prevent the formation of further blood clots.

• Surgery (carotid endarterectomy) or endovascular therapy (angioplasty with or without a stent) to open a narrowed or blocked carotid artery.

Changing habits

Although it will be impossible to prevent all post-TIA strokes, we can do a lot better. But that will take work on three fronts:

• Recognition. Knowing the signs and symptoms of a TIA is the first step toward making it a truly transient problem.

• Response. If you think you or someone you are with is having a TIA or stroke, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. If it’s a stroke, getting to the hospital within 60 minutes makes you eligible to receive a clot-busting drug that can greatly reduce the damage caused by a stroke. If it’s a TIA, prompt evaluation can help prevent a stroke.

• Reorganization. So far, only a few hospitals have set up dedicated stroke centers that are able to rapidly evaluate people having TIAs and strokes. There is a movement under way to create more such centers, but it won’t happen quickly.

In the meantime, if you think you are having a TIA, or just had one, treat it like the emergency it is and get help right away. Read original article at original location here http://www.buffalonews.com/185/story/796149.html

Read more articles on mini strokes here
http://stroke.about.com/od/whatisatia/a/TIAs.htm


Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Do I have to fast before my blood tests?

Do I have to fast before my blood tests?

It's almost always necessary to fast before a blood cholesterol test. If you're scheduled for a blood cholesterol test, you'll want to make sure you're fasting properly. Both your doctor and the lab where you'll have your blood work drawn are 2 good resources to help you determine how to fast before a blood cholesterol test.
You do not have to fast unless your doctor has ordered a fasting glucose, fasting lipid panel, fasting metobolic panel, fasting cholesterol, HDL or tryglyceride.
Fasting Dos and Don'ts
Stay hydrated and drink plenty of water. Take any medication that your doctor prescribed to you except for corticosteroids, estrogen or androgens, oral contraceptives, some diuretics, anti-psychotic medications including haloperidol, some antibiotics and niacin.

Do not smoke, drink any other liquid than water or exercise during your fast. Even chewing gum is off limits. Any of these elements can adversely affect your test results.


How to Fast Before a Blood Cholesterol Test

It's almost always necessary to fast before a blood cholesterol test. If you're scheduled for a blood cholesterol test, you'll want to make sure you're fasting properly. Both your doctor and the lab where you'll have your blood work drawn are 2 good resources to help you determine how to fast before a blood cholesterol test.

How long should I fast?
If your doctor did not tell you how long to fast, you should not eat or drink anything for approximately 12 hours prior to the test. Fasting means you should not eat or drink any liquids except for water.

Fast for eight hours before a glucose tests. The test is typically conducted in the morning while your body is still in a resting place for a more accurate reading.

You must fast at least 12 hours before taking a cholesterol blood test to get an accurate reading on triglycerides. The American Heart Association warns against quick cholesterol tests you find in malls and health fairs because fasting is imperative to obtaining an accurate result. http://www.ehow.com/way_5332776_long-fast-before-blood-test.html

Instructions
  1. Step 1

    Check with your doctor or the lab where you'll be having blood drawn to find out how long you're required to fast. Sometimes this time frame is 6 to 8 hours and sometimes you might have to fast overnight. In some cases, you'll have to fast for up to 12 hours.

  2. Step 2

    Schedule your blood cholesterol test as early in the morning as possible if you're required to fast for 12 hours. You can stop eating at 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. And then wake up the next morning and go right to the lab to have your blood drawn.

  3. Step 3

    Pay attention to what you're eating in the weeks prior to a blood cholesterol test, assuming you have that much advance notice that you'll be getting this test. Avoid red meat, eggs and other high-fat and high-cholesterol foods if you're getting a blood cholesterol test as part of a life insurance exam.

  4. Step 4

    Don't alter your diet too much if you're getting a routine blood cholesterol test since your doctor will want an accurate idea of what your cholesterol is based on your usual diet.

  5. Step 5

    Drink water even after your fast has begun. Most lab facilities still allow patients to drink water and don't consider what to be part of the fast, no matter how many hours you're required to fast.

  6. Step 6

    Check with your doctor or the lab to determine if coffee is allowed. In some cases, you're not required to avoid coffee when you're fasting.

  7. Step 7

    Be honest when you go for your blood cholesterol test. If you were required to fast for 12 hours, and you only fasted for 8 hours because you had a snack before bedtime, let the lab know.


Why is it important to fast before a blood test?

That depends on what your doctor is trying to test! There's ways to test your cholesterol without fasting before a blood test - but unfortunately, the results won't be as accurate. Doctors may also order a blood test to check your glucose levels instead, and again there are versions of the test which don't require fasting, while others do.

If your cholesterol has tested high in the past, your doctor will want to monitor your cholesterol levels. This is especially important if you're taking a cholesterol medication - or if your family history places you at higher risk for heart disease. Unfortunately, there's several different kinds of cholesterol - good cholesterol (HDL), bad cholesterol (LDL) and very-low-density-lipoprotein (VLDL). And some cholesterol tests will be affected dramatically by what you've eaten before the test.

The measure of your total cholesterol isn't affected as much by your recent meals, according to
Harvard Health Publications - and some versions of this test can even be performed at home! But doctors prefer to get a more detailed picture, which is why they perform tests which screen for all the components of your total cholesterol count. But even these tests don't measure your bad cholesterol directly. It's calculated by subtracting the good cholesterol and triglycerides from your total cholesterol level. Whatever's left is your bad cholesterol level!

And after a meal, your triglyceride level increases 20 to 30 percent, according to Harvard. So the extra triglycerides in your bloodstream would also get subtracted from the total cholesterol score - which would make bad cholesterol levels seem lower than they actually are. (And fasting isn't the only thing that affects the calculation. Psychological stress affects your HDL levels - and so does infection or injury!)

Blood tests are also ordered for diabetic patients, or to screen for diabetes. But in these cases, the doctor isn't testing the blood's cholesterol levels. Instead, a glucose test measures the amount of sugar in the bloodstream, to determine how the body is processing carbohydrates. The
National Institute of Health notes that there's two kinds of glucose test, and only one of them requires fasting. A random glucose test can be performed at any time of day - even after a meal. But if the doctor wants to check your blood sugar levels after fasting, then you'll have to avoid eating before the test!

More Articles Like This

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Headache triggers, what makes your headache?

It is common knowledge that headaches are mostly caused by stress, anxiety, glare, and noise. Less common triggers include sleep patterns, medications, hormones, and emotions. But did you know that diet is a factor, too? Many of the things we eat and drink are headache stimulants and we don’t even know it.

Coffee is known to alleviate headaches. But a recent study reported that people with excessive coffee consumption (or more than four cups a day) experienced non-migraine headaches 18-percent more times than those who consumed less.

Other caffeinated beverages like tea, hot chocolate, and carbonated drinks are headache triggers, too.

Alcoholic drinks contain tyramine and phenylethylamine, ingredients that prompt migraine attacks, especially in those who are prone to it. Alcohol is also associated with cluster headaches and that very familiar hangover, usually accompanied by a headache as well.

Cheese is a common headache culprit because of its tyramine content, a naturally-occurring compound in plants and animals. It is one of the most widely-recognized causes of headaches, known as “cheese syndrome” because this compound is found, in extremely high levels, in cheeses (particularly blue cheese, brie, cheddar, stilton, feta, gorgonzola, mozzarella, Muenster, parmesan, and Swiss).

Other foods with high tyramine levels can cause headaches, too. These include some kinds of beans (garbanzos, Lima, pinto), onions, olives, pickles, avocado, raisins, canned soups, and nuts.

Processed meats like hotdogs, hams, sausages, bacon, luncheon meats, pepperoni, and other meats that underwent curing contain tyramine, too. That and their sodium nitrite content make for a lethal chemical combination that triggers headaches and migraines.

It’s easy to deduce, then, that eating pizza with all those processed meats, cheeses, onions, and olives can give you a painfully mean throbbing in your head.

Foods high in monosodium glutamate are suggested to cause headaches. MSG is an additive and flavor enhancer most commonly found in Oriental dishes and seasonings (soy sauce) and many other packaged foods.

Citrus is a surprising headache trigger. Actually, it only is for people with enzyme deficiency. Fruits like oranges and lemons have amines that need to be neutralized and enzymes are required in doing so. People who lack them may experience headaches or migraines when consuming large amounts of citrus.

Cold foods, like ice cream, can also stimulate headaches among people who are overheated, due to exercise or warm weather. This is a simple brain freeze for some that can last for less than two minutes. But in others, it can be a full-blown headache, especially among those with migraine.

Read the complete original article here

Monday, September 14, 2009

8 Common First Aid Mistakes And Myths That Make Things Worse

What Would You Do? Your Misconceptions Could Cause Further Injury!

Emergencies do not come with warning bells. They strike at unexpected moments and your response or lack thereof could be the determinant in how things come out in the end.

How much do you think you know about first aid and proper emergency response? Most people think they know quite a lot, but most of what they have learned consists of myths that could actually do more harm than good.

Put yourself to the test and seriously ask yourself: what would you do in these situations?

1. A child pulls a pot of boiling water off the stove or sticks their hand on a hot burner

hand burnDo you put butter or mayonnaise on the burn? Hurriedly remove the child’s clothing because it is stuck to the burn? Get out the ice?

Those are the common reactions in the case of a burn, but all of them are myths.

Butter, mayo or other types of grease may cause even more damage to tender skin and pulling clothing or other materials stuck to the burn could damage the tissue or pull the skin off completely.

The correct action is to rinse gently with cool water and coat the burn with antibiotic ointment. If the burn is on a sensitive area of the body such as the face or if there are a lot of blisters, then go to the ER and do not pop the blisters.

You also want to seek medical assistance if a burn completely circles a limb or is larger than your hand.

2. Someone is having a seizure

seizure1Do you move them? Do you hold them still? Do you force open their mouth with your finger or another object, or put something between their teeth? Do you simply watch them carefully and time the seizure?

Again, most of these answers are common first aid mistakes that could lead to injury of the person seizing.

Prying the mouth open or moving them could lead to injuries, such as muscle tears. The only reason they should be moved is if they are in an unsafe place and will likely fall off something and hurt themselves.

Try to put them on their side and call 911. You may want to unbutton the top of their shirt or their belt to help them breathe and try to time the seizure activity. If the person is a known epileptic, emergency services only need to be called if it lasts for longer than five minutes.

Never hold someone having a seizure unless you are preventing them from injury!

3. You step in a hole in the yard and sprain your ankle

ankle sprainIs it ice or heat you use? Do you prop it up? Rush to the ER?

This is a very common injury that many people blow off without seeking medical attention.

In most cases that is okay, but you do need to know how to treat it and when to seek help.

The biggest problem is remembering when to use ice and when to apply heat.

For an ankle sprain you want to apply ice. Heat will actually increase the swelling and could slow down the healing process. If it is painful to put any weight down on the foot then it may be a fracture and you should see a doctor.

4. You are taking a walk through the woods and someone is bitten by a snake

Do you rip off your shirt and wrap the wound? Suck out the poison and spit it on the ground? Get out your pocket knife and carefully cut the wound open so the poison can drain?

You guessed it! These are all myths that can actually be quite dangerous and lead to more injury than is actually necessary. If you cut the wound even slightly you may slice tendons or nerves that cause more damage. Tourniquets often lead to the blood circulation being cut off and could lead to the loss of a limb.

The safest response is to immediately splint the wound or wrap it in something clean and get to the ER right away.

5. Your nose suddenly starts bleeding

nose bleedShould you lean forward and pinch your nose? Or tip your head all the way back so the blood cannot run out?

More importantly, how do you know when it is serious enough to seek medical intervention?

Nose bleeds are not always emergency situations, but they are the source of a major first aid myth. If you answered that you would lean forward and pinch the nose closed, you were actually correct.

The myth is to tip your head all the way back so the blood cannot flow out, but this could be dangerous with a heavy nose bleed that doesn’t stop quickly.

For a nose bleed, lean forward and pinch just underneath the bone. If the bleeding does not stop within five minutes seek medical attention.

6. Your three-year-old gets a hold of the Flintstones vitamins and eats the whole bottle

flintstones vitaminsDo you assume children’s vitamins are safe and they will just be really healthy for a few weeks?

Do you grab the ipecac from the bathroom and force vomiting? Do you simply run to the ER?

In the case of vitamins, it is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Children die every year from an overdose of iron and children’s vitamins are a main source of iron. For poisons in general, you want to keep the product that was swallowed and call poison control immediately. Depending on what was swallowed different actions will need to be taken, so you must remain calm enough to speak clearly and hear what you are instructed to do for the child.

It is now advised that all ipecac be thrown out completely. It is no longer considered a safe medical intervention, as some poisons can actually be made worse by vomiting. Also, a patient vomiting can seriously interfere with treatment once they are at the hospital.

7. Someone starts to choke across the dinner table

Do you jump behind them and do the Heimlich maneuver? Hand them their glass and encourage them to drink? Pat them lightly on the back?

Your response to someone choking will depend on whether they are able to talk a little bit or if they cannot make any sound. If they are coughing violently and can speak a little, then it is a partial blockage. If they can only nod their head and/or are turning blue, then it is a full blockage that does require you to jump up and start thrusting upward around their stomach.

The Heimlich maneuver will force air up through the body and help dislodge whatever is choking the person, but only in the case of a full blockage.

If some air is getting through, then encourage them to continue coughing and stay close by, but you do not need to take action unless they start to have breathing trouble or turn blue. Do not give them anything to drink, as the fluid will take up what little space is left for air to pass through. In most cases a partial blockage can be coughed out, but if it becomes a full blockage then once again the Heimlich maneuver will be necessary.

Do not perform the Heimlich on a child less than a year old.

8. Your child suddenly has an extremely high fever

child feverDo you give them Tylenol and wrap them in a warm blanket to sweat it out? Rub them down with rubbing alcohol? Put them in a tub full of cold water?

While there are traces of good advice in two of these options, none of them are the best route to take with a fever.

The biggest myth is that rubbing a child’s chest or forehead with rubbing alcohol will break a fever.

The child will actually breathe in the alcohol, and their young systems are extremely sensitive to this substance. It is not healthy for them.

While there may be some truth to the old wife’s tale of sweating out a fever, it is not a good thing to try with a child. Sudden high fevers can lead to febrile seizures, so putting them in a cool bath (not cold!) and giving them something like children’s Tylenol to break the fever (if they are old enough for medication) is a better course of action. If you cannot get the fever down or if it goes above 104 Fahrenheit, you should seek medical attention.

How many of these myths did you think were just standard first aid procedure? How many missteps might you have made if these things occurred in your home? Any of these things could happen and cause minor injuries that do not rise to the occasion of a true emergency, but you never know when something seriously tragic may happen.

The ability to think on your feet and take the safest and most effective course of action is essential, especially in situations where you may be the only person around to help someone in need.

This is from

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Hand sanitizer on the menu as Madrid restaurant fights swine flu

Hand washing is extremely important to prevent the spread of germs. Read the links at the end of the post to see how to do a good handwashing to stop the spread of germs like swine flu and colds.

MADRID — A Spanish restaurateur, fearing a drop in business due to swine flu, is seeking to pull in customers by offering a sanitized — and hopefully virus-free — environment.

Miguel Angel de la Cruz, manager of the Mesa y Placer (Table and Pleasure) eatery in Madrid, said he was forced to act ahead of a feared second wave of swine flu this autumn, which is "more dangerous to business than the economic crisis."

"We are facing a very difficult autumn. We have, therefore, had to try and anticipate the impact of the H1N1 flu which has completely paralyzed the sector in Mexico," said Mr. de la Cruz.

So, instead of a free aperitif, his customers receive disinfectant hand gel and a sanitized napkin before reading menus that are covered in plastic to reduce the risk of contamination.

The meals are prepared by chefs wearing surgical face masks, and all staff must have their body temperatures checked before starting work to ensure they do not have the flu.

Mr. de la Cruz said another Madrid restaurant in the same group, Plato y Placer, in a more touristy district of the city, has introduced the same measures. Read the complete original article herehttp://www.bworldonline.com/Weekender091109/main.php?id=health5

Hand washing: An easy way to prevent infection
Hand washing is a simple habit that can help keep you healthy. Learn the benefits of good hand hygiene, when to wash your hands and how to clean them properly. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hand-washing/HQ00407

WASH YOUR HANDS!

  • This is the most important thing that you can do to prevent colds and flu.
    • Wash your hands under running water.
    • USE SOAP!!!
    • Clean above your wrists, between your fingers and under your finger nails.
    • Use a towel to turn off the water AND to open the door, if you are in a sick person's room.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Mosquitoes like some people better than others

Research shows that genetics accounts for 85 percent of a person’s susceptibility to being bitten by mosquitoes. Mosquitoes like some people better than others

It’s a late summer afternoon and you’re out on the patio having a glass of wine with friends. As the sun begins to set, you start to think about what’s for dinner.
Surprise! It’s you.

That’s right. You’ve suddenly become irresistible to a female mosquito who wants to join the party by sipping your blood. Why are you — rather than your pals — so much more pleasing to her palate?
“There’s no definitive answer. We really don’t know,” said Joe Conlon, the Jacksonville, Fla.-based technical adviser to the American Mosquito Control Association. “There’s a tremendous amount of research going on as to why some people are more attractive to mosquitoes than others. But we’ve only begun to scratch the surface.”

While researchers can’t pinpoint why mosquitoes choose one human entree over another, they do know these blood sucking insects are influenced by what they see and smell.
Unfortunately, mosquitoes can target you from more than 100 feet away. And if they find you yummy, your kids will probably be tasty treats as well.

“A lot of it is heredity,” said Dr. Ken Haller, associate professor of pediatrics at St. Louis University. “When parents bring their kids in, I ask the parents if they get bitten by mosquitoes.”
He said research shows that genetics account for 85 percent of a person’s susceptibility to being bitten.

Among other things researchers know is that mosquitoes are attracted to the carbon dioxide that humans exhale. The more carbon dioxide you put out, the more they like you. That might explain part of the reason why adults tend to get bitten more often than children, Conlon said.
They’ve also found that mosquitoes enjoy lactic acid and cholesterol on the skin.

“Mosquitoes are also attracted to disgusting smells,” said Conlon. “They like Limburger cheese, dirty socks and smelly feet, but try telling a teenager that.”
In addition to smell, movement is a mosquito magnet.
“Fidgety people get bitten more,” Conlon said.

If all things are equal, the active person will probably get bitten first, agreed Haller. For example, if there are twins and one is playing volleyball and the other is resting in a hammock, the volleyball player will most likely be bitten.

So if you’re doing anything athletic and breathing heavily, you’re especially attractive to mosquitoes because of the amount of carbon dioxide and lactic acid you’re emitting. Mosquitoes also like the chemicals in perspiration and the increased humidity it creates around your body. And of course there’s the movement.

If you do get stung, Haller said, he’s found a unique treatment for those itchy swellings: antiperspirants, particularly roll-on and pushup gels rather than sticks. Plain deodorants won’t work.
“The aluminum salts in the antiperspirant help the body to reabsorb the fluid in the bug bite,” he said. “The swelling goes down and the itching goes away.” Read the complete original article here
http://www.buffalonews.com/185/story/788233.html

more about mosquitos

Mosquitoes have mouthparts which are adapted for piercing the skin of plants and animals. They typically feed on nectar and plant juices. In some species, the female needs to obtain nutrients from a "blood meal" before she can produce eggs.

There are about 3,500 species of mosquitoes found throughout the world. In some species of mosquito, the females feed on humans, and are therefore vectors for a number of infectious diseases affecting millions of people per year

Mosquitoes are crepuscular (dawn or dusk) feeders. During the heat of the day most mosquitoes rest in a cool place and wait for the evenings. They may still bite if disturbed. Mosquitoes are adept at infiltration and have been known to find their way into residences via deactivated air conditioning units.

Prior to and during blood feeding, they inject saliva into the bodies of their source(s) of blood. This saliva serves as an anticoagulant: without it, the female mosquito's proboscis would quickly become clogged with blood clots. Female mosquitoes hunt their blood host by detecting carbon dioxide (CO2) and 1-octen-3-ol from a distance.

Mosquitoes are a vector agent that carries disease-causing viruses and parasites from person to person without catching the disease themselves.

Anopheles albimanus mosquito feeding on a human arm. This mosquito is a vector of malaria and mosquito control is a very effective way of reducing the incidence of malaria.

The principal mosquito borne diseases are the viral diseases yellow fever and dengue fever, transmitted mostly by the Aedes aegypti, and malaria carried by the genus Anopheles. Though originally a public health concern, HIV is now thought to be almost impossible for mosquitoes to transmit

Mosquitoes are estimated to transmit disease to more than 700 million people annually in Africa, South America, Central America, Mexico and much of Asia with millions of resulting deaths. At least 2 million people annually die of these diseases.

Methods used to prevent the spread of disease, or to protect individuals in areas where disease is endemic include Vector control aimed at mosquito eradication, disease prevention, using prophylactic drugs and developing vaccines and prevention of mosquito bites, with insecticides, nets and repellents. Since most such diseases are carried by "elderly" females, scientists have suggested focusing on these to avoid the evolution of resistance.
read the complete original article on mosquitos here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosquito

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Gallstones: What Are They and How Are They Treated?

What are gallstones?
The gallbladder is an internal organ just under your liver. It looks like a small "bag." It stores digestive juices that are made by the liver. Sometimes these juices become solid and form stones, called gallstones.

What problems can gallstones cause?
About 60% of people with gallstones never get sick from them. They might never know they have gallstones. However, a gallstone can leave your gallbladder and go into the passageway from your gallbladder to your intestine. It can get stuck in that passageway. If the stone completely blocks the passageway, you will have severe pain in the right upper part of your belly. You may also feel pain in your upper back. The pain usually starts suddenly and lasts for as long as 3 hours. This is known as an "attack."

Complete or partial blockage can also cause your gallbladder to get irritated and inflamed. If this happens, you will usually have pain for more than 3 hours. You may also get a fever. Your skin may turn a yellowish color, known as jaundice (say "john-diss").

Who gets gallstones?
You're more likely to get gallstones if:

You are a woman
You have diabetes
Your mother had gallstones
You are pregnant or taking birth control pills
You have high blood triglycerides (a type of fat)
You are overweight

How are gallstones usually treated?
If you have gallstones but no pain, chances are good the stones won't be a problem for you. Your doctor might suggest you leave them alone.

Once you have one attack of pain, the chance of having another one is high--about 70%. Many doctors will suggest you have your gallbladder removed in surgery to prevent a future attack. You and your doctor should talk about your situation and decide what is right for you. If your gallbladder is irritated or inflamed, most doctors will want to take it out right away. The surgery is safe and effective. Without surgery, the gallbladder can get infected. It might even burst open, causing further problems.

Are there other treatments?
Yes, there are other treatments. They are usually for people who would have a high risk in surgery because they are elderly, or have heart problems or lung disease. Your doctor might be able to use sound wave therapy to break up the stones so they can move into the intestine without problem. However, only 1 of 5 people can have this treatment. People who have this treatment often form new gallstones after a few years.

Or you might take a pill called Actigall to dissolve the stones. This pill only works in a few people, and it can be very expensive. Surgery is still the best way to cure gallstones for many people. Talk with your doctor about what is right for you.

Other references just click the links below

7 Pains You Shouldn't Ignore

Experts describe the types of pain that require prompt medical attention.

Whoever coined the term "necessary evil" might have been thinking of pain. No one wants it, yet it's the body's way of getting your attention when something is wrong. You're probably sufficiently in tune with your body to know when the pain is just a bother, perhaps the result of moving furniture a day or two before or eating that third enchilada. It's when pain might signal something more serious that the internal dialogue begins:

"OK, this isn't something to fool around with."
"But I can't miss my meeting."
"And how many meetings will you miss if you land in the hospital?"
"I'll give it one more day."
Etc.

You need a guide. WebMD consulted doctors in cardiology, internal medicine, geriatrics, and psychiatry so you'll understand which pains you must not ignore -- and why. And, of course, if in doubt, get medical attention.

No. 1: Worst Headache of Your Life

Get medical attention immediately. "If you have a cold, it could be a sinus headache," says Sandra Fryhofer, MD, MACP, spokeswoman for the American College of Physicians. "But you could have a brain hemorrhage or brain tumor. With any pain, unless you're sure of what caused it, get it checked out."

Sharon Brangman, MD, FACP, spokeswoman for the American Geriatrics Society, tells WebMD that when someone says they have the worst headache of their life, "what we learned in medical training was that was a classic sign of a brain aneurysm. Go immediately to the ER."

No. 2: Pain or Discomfort in the Chest, Throat, Jaw, Shoulder, Arm, or Abdomen

Chest pain could be pneumoniaor a heart attack. But be aware that heart conditions typically appear as discomfort, not pain. "Don't wait for pain," says cardiologist Jerome Cohen, MD. "Heart patients talk about pressure. They'll clench their fist and put it over their chest or say it's like an elephant sitting on their chest."

The discomfort associated with heart disease could also be in the upper chest, throat, jaw, left shoulder or arm, or abdomen and might be accompanied by nausea. "I'm not too much worried about the 18-year-old, but if a person has unexplained, persistent discomfort and knows they're high risk, they shouldn't wait," says Cohen. "Too often people delay because they misinterpret it as [heartburn] or GI distress. Call 911 or get to an emergency room or physician's office. If it turns out to be something else, that's great."

He tells WebMD that intermittent discomfort should be taken seriously as well. "There might be a pattern, such as discomfort related to excitement, emotional upset, or exertion. For example, if you experience it when you're gardening, but it goes away when you sit down, that's angina. It's usually worse in cold or hot weather."

"A woman's discomfort signs can be more subtle," says Cohen, who is director of preventive cardiology at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. "Heart disease can masquerade as GI symptoms, such as bloating, GI distress, or discomfort in the abdomen. It's also associated with feeling tired. Risk for heart disease increases dramatically after menopause. It kills more women than men even though men are at higher risk at any age. Women and their physicians need to be on their toes."

No. 3: Pain in Lower Back or Between Shoulder Blades

"Most often it's arthritis," says Brangman, who is professor and chief of geriatrics at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, N.Y. Other possibilities include a heart attack or abdominal problems. "One danger is aortic dissection, which can appear as either a nagging or sudden pain. People who are at risk have conditions that can change the integrity of the vessel wall. These would include high blood pressure, a history of circulation problems, smoking, and diabetes."

No. 4: Severe Abdominal Pain

Still have your appendix? Don't flirt with the possibility of a rupture. Gallbladder and pancreas problems, stomach ulcers, and intestinal blockages are some other possible causes of abdominal pain that need attention.

No 5: Calf Pain

One of the lesser known dangers is deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a blood clot that can occur in the leg's deep veins. It affects 2 million Americans a year, and it can be life-threatening. "The danger is that a piece of the clot could break loose and cause pulmonary embolism [a clot in the lungs], which could be fatal," says Fryhofer. Cancer, obesity, immobility due to prolonged bed rest or long-distance travel, pregnancy, and advanced age are among the risk factors.

"Sometimes there's just swelling without pain," says Brangman. "If you have swelling and pain in your calf muscles, see a doctor immediately."

No. 6: Burning Feet or Legs

Nearly one-third of the 20 million Americans who have diabetes are undiagnosed, according to the American Diabetes Association. "In some people who don't know they have diabetes, peripheral neuropathy could be one of the first signs," says Brangman. "It's a burning or pins-and-needles sensation in the feet or legs that can indicate nerve damage."

No 7: Vague, Combined, or Medically Unexplained Pains

"Various painful, physical symptoms are common in depression," says psychiatrist Thomas Wise, MD. "Patients will have vague complaints of headaches, abdominal pain, or limb pain, sometimes in combination."

Because the pain might be chronic and not terribly debilitating, depressed people, their families, and health care professionals might dismiss the symptoms. "Furthermore, the more depressed you are, the more difficulty you have describing your feelings," says Wise, who is the psychiatry department chairman at Inova Fairfax Hospital in Fairfax, Va. "All of this can lead the clinician astray."

Other symptoms must be present before a diagnosis of depression can be made. "Get help when you've lost interest in activities, you're unable to work or think effectively, and you can't get along with people," he says. "And don't suffer silently when you're hurting."

He adds there's more to depression than deterioration of the quality of life. "It has to be treated aggressively before it causes structural changes in the brain."

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