Thursday, October 31, 2013

Shea Butter - Know About the Major Advantages

There are several legends associated with. It indicates the popularity of the same. Shea butter has been around for several years. And over the years, has crossed the sub Saharan Africa and has reached different parts of the affluent western world. The fatty substance which is extracted from the seeds of karite tree is identified for its special moisturizing and anti aging properties across the globe.

The unrefined shea butter or raw is in great demand for its unique characteristics. This pale yellow substance which is popularly known as "women's gold" in all over Africa has recently gained tremendous popularity. Because of its ideal moisturizing and anti-inflammatory properties, Shea Butter
is acclaimed for its effective anti-aging formula.

Sun damage and inflammation are two of the major causes of aging. This is where the importance of Vitamin E comes into picture. The anti-inflammatory effects of Vitamin E can help reverse the properties of Vitamin A. It can also be helpful for renewal of collagen and reduction of wrinkles. It includes cinnamic acid that acts as a naturally occurring sun block as well as a skin lightener.

Several clinical trials and studies have been conducted from time to time those involving various participants between 29 to 89 years of age. At the end of study, improvements have been reported. Shea butter not only helps to reduce wrinkles but also help to improve the skin texture to a great extent.

The East African Shea butter has brought about a revolution in the skin care industry. Apart from its anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties, is also well known for its deep moisturizing effects. Hence, is commonly used to fight dry skin. Due to the increasing number of the oils, the substance is useful to resists the water based and physical removal from the hair and skin.

It is believed that when combined with some moisturizing properties can prove to be useful for the dry skin. Most recent studies conducted on this particular substance shows that it helps to combat delicate, dry and aging skin. With regular application (at least twice daily, people can experience marked improvements.

In addition to the above, shea butter is also recognized for its anti-inflammatory properties that can help to treat several inflammatory conditions. Among the most traditional medicines of Nigeria, makes it place as a useful substance to help treat nasal inflammation as well. According to a study, about 33 patients who were suffering from mild to severe nasal blockage received relief with the use of. In most studies conducted, extended and prompt relief has been reported without any kind of side effects.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

ACL Surgery and ACL Repair - 7 Facts You Should Know From an Orthopedic Surgeon

The ACL or the anterior cruciate ligament, a ligament in the knee, helps provide stability to the knee during activities that involve jarring, turning, twisting and jumping.

ACL injury is a very common sports injury treated by orthopedic physicians - especially in sports like soccer or basketball or tennis, where players make quick direction changes, sometimes forcefully twisting and turning the knee.

If you are suffering from a moderate to more severe ACL injury, chances are you may be considering ACL surgery or ACL reconstruction. ACL injuries can be quite painful, often accompanied by noticeable swelling and a restricted range of motion.

Unfortunately, when the ACL tears, it does not get better on its own. ACL injuries can be very serious, and as with many medical conditions, if you have an ACL injury, you should seek out the qualified advice and treatment of a medical professional like a board certified orthopedic physician.

If your ACL tear requires ACL surgery, repair and reconstruction, it is helpful to note that surgery for an ACL tear is outpatient. The arthroscopic procedure completed by an orthopedic surgeon typically last about sixty minutes.

When an ACL is torn, it must be reconstructed. The ligament cannot be sutured back together. Orthopedic surgeons use a graft to reconstruct the ACL. Orthopedic surgeons either use an Autograft or an Allograft. An Autograft comes from the patient's own body. An allograft comes from a donor/cadaver. Your orthopedic physician will help guide you as to the best type of graft to use to reconstruct your anterior cruciate ligament.

Here are 7 more facts about ACL surgery, repair and reconstruction:

  1. The ACL is the 6th most common procedure for orthopedic surgery.
  2. There are more than 100,000 ACL surgeries every year.
  3. ACL reconstruction helps to improve stability and function of the knee.
  4. ACL reconstruction reduces the risk of chondral and meniscal injuries.
  5. ACL reconstruction does not protect the knee from degenerative joint disease.
  6. Autografts are often recommended for patients under 40 years of age.
  7. Allografts are typically used with older patients and for ACL revision surgery.

If you think you have an ACL injury, you may want to consult a board certified orthopedic surgeon for a thorough exam and more information about your treatment options.

You may be required to have an MRI Scan which is often considered the gold standard for diagnosis of an ACL tear.

More emphasis needs to be placed on preventing ACL injuries, especially among athletes, to try to decrease the number of people that experience this painful injury. There are a number of ACL injury prevention programs already in practice that can be very beneficial in helping athletes avoid injury and damage to the anterior cruciate ligament.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Yeast Infection: Is There A Cure?

You come home from a visit to your doctor with the news that you have yeast infection. First of all there is no need to panic because this is one of the most common ailments affecting women. In fact, close to 75% would have experienced vaginal yeast infection some time or the other in their lives. Caused by a type of fungus called Candida albicans, the ailment is colloquially called Candida infection.

While this type of infection may last only for a couple days where the woman may get cured with the help of simple and quick remedies, for some women the problem can be long term, lasting for several years. Some of the common symptoms of yeast infection as experienced in women include:

· Frequent vaginal discharge that is colorless and odorless

· Painful intercourse

· Irresistible itchiness in the vaginal area

· Sensation of burning in the vaginal area and painful or burning sensation during urination.

Candida yeasts, which are organisms responsible for causing this kind of infection are present in every healthy human being; but what matters is whether there is any unhealthy increase of such organisms. There are certain triggers which can result in an increase of such fungal infection. In fact the reason why men too can get infected with this infection is when they have intercourse with an affected woman.

What causes this fungus to grow?

There are several causes why men and women develop yeast infection. Since this type of fungus is normally present in the vaginal area of a woman, the increase is caused due to dropping in the optimal acidic balance of the vagina, which results in a surge in fungal growth. Acidic levels can drop because of diabetes, consumption of steroids, use of certain types of antibiotics as well as menstruation. Poor hygiene is also anther common cause for the development of this type of infection.

How can this type of infection be treated?

There are various kinds of drugs and medications used for yeast infection treatment which provide mixed results. However, many doctors and medical experts are of the opinion that this infection is best treated with the help of natural remedies. The efficacy of natural remedies is more reliable as yeast infection treatment done with the help of over-the-counter drugs can have long term side effects.

Some of the natural yeast infection treatment options that can benefit women include:

- Oil of tea tree: This is beneficial because of its pronounced anti-fungal properties. The best method of use is to spray some undiluted oil in a tampon before inserting into the vagina. Allow the tampon to remain inside for about 30 minutes. This routine can be followed twice a day for several weeks for the infection to be completely cured.

- Another effective yeast infection treatment is to try a topical application with apple cider vinegar. All you need to do is to mix about a cup of this vinegar in your bathtub which contains warm water. Then soak yourself in the tub for about half an hour. Doing this routinely for 5 days a week can have beneficial effects since vinegar is known to be rich in antifungal and antibacterial properties.

Monday, October 28, 2013

Your Back Treatment and Bed Rest

The dictionary definition of exercise is any physical activity that is planned, structured, and repetitive for the purpose of conditioning any part of the body. Certainly this is true, but the fact is that any activity of any kind whatsoever is exercise, and in regards to your health any exercise is better than no exercise. Several decades ago common wisdom was to advise a patient suffering from acute back pain to get several weeks of complete bed rest to manage the pain which is clearly the opposite of exercise. While this may make it feel better faster it adds significantly to the time needed for a complete recovery and a return to normal activities. Better advice today is to remain as mobile as possible without increasing the pain.

Common sense goes out the window on the topic of back pain primarily because the joints of the spine cannot be seen. Strained and sprained ankles are nearly as common as strained and sprained backs but don't cause nearly the same confusions and conflicting advices because the proper handling is evident to any competent observer who can pull off a sock. Think about it, if you stepped in a hole and severely twisted your ankle, and it were purple, green, and yellow and swollen to twice its normal size would you take a pain pill and walk around all day anyway? I suspect you would elevate it, ice it, and not walk at all except for essential trips to the bathroom. If it were bad enough and you suspected the possibility of a fracture an x-ray would be indicated but even if it were not broken you wouldn't suppose it was just fine and assume that more exercise would be just dandy. A few day later as the inflammation subsides and the pain lessens you would switch to heat to speed the healing process and begin walking slowly, short distances, and on even surfaces. However, it would likely be weeks before jumping off the back of a truck or kicking a soccer ball might be considered. Simply put, the proper handling of any joint pain including the joints of the spine is to resume normal activity slowly and within the limits of pain tolerance by allowing or listening to the pain and letting it be your guide.

It is important to understand that pain is not the enemy, it is no more and no less than the body's warning system that a physical or chemical stimuli has stressed your body beyond its ability to compensate. Like a shrieking smoke alarm, annoying though it may be, pain is not the problem but is the signal that there is a problem. Turning off the pain with a pill, a potion, or a lotion or lying motionless in the bed without addressing the cause of the pain is no smarter than turning off the smoke alarm without fighting the fire and can have results that are just as devastating. Another school of thought is "no pain / no gain" - extreme in the opposite direction. As is true with most things the optimum solution lies within the middle.

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Not As Effective As You Think: How Exercise Machines Inflate Your Workout Results

As anyone who has ever used an elliptical machine or treadmill can tell you, it's pretty much impossible not to look at an exercise machine's calorie counter. And why not? Not only do these counters indicate the effectiveness of various workout routines, but they also serve as a sort of morale-booster, informing users about the fruits of their labor. Who wouldn't start to feel good about themselves after burning off, say, 400 calories in 40 minutes?

Unfortunately, those 400 calories are likely just be an illusion. A number of recent tests have gauged the accuracy of popular exercise machines, and have unearthed some disappointing results. Many types of modern equipment, it seems, tend to artificially inflate the amount of calories a user burns off. In other words, there might be a good reason while those "400 calorie" workouts aren't trimming your waistline.

Researchers Weigh In

So how off base are all those stationary bikes, treadmills and elliptical machines? As it turns out, quite a bit. An editor of a popular fitness magazine estimates that, on average, exercise equipment overstated burned calories by a sobering 42 percent. Using the example in the opening paragraph, this would mean that your 40 minute workout only used up 232 of your body's stockpiled calories.

Health and wellness magazines aren't the only news mediums to have examined this issue. A well-known morning news program recently put a number of exercise machines under the microscope, using technology specifically designed to monitor breathing patterns. By closely tracking the breaths of test subjects, this equipment (known officially as a VO2 analyzer) can determine just how hard a subject is working, and therefore calculate the number of calories actually burned.

When the results came in, all the machines tested wound up overstating the number of calories expanded by the test subjects. Below are the results of the study, organized by machine type.

Treadmill: Overestimated calories burnt by 13 percent.

Stationary Bike: Overestimated calories burnt by 7 percent.

Stair Climber: Overestimated calories burnt by 12 percent.

Elliptical: Overestimated calories burnt by 42 percent.

Overall: Machines overestimated calories burnt by 19 percent

Possible Explanations

It probably comes as a bit of a shock that such trusted (and expensive) equipment can be so off target with its calculations. The reasons for these discrepancies depend on the piece of machinery in question. For elliptical machines, the answer simply has to do with the way people walk. Treadmill machines, for the most part, can replicate the impact walking has on the human body (hence its relatively high accuracy). In contrast, elliptical machines require users to move in a pattern that is foreign to the body, thereby significantly overstating its calorie-burning effects.

Stair steppers allow users to pick a pace that best suits them; as a result, you'll see many people taking short, quick strides instead of using the machine's full range of motion. Additionally, stair machines rely on a "gross energy expenditure" formula to calculate calorie burn off, instead of focusing on "net energy expenditure." In plain English, this means that stair machines factor in calories burned while resting to the total it presents users.

For example, suppose a stair-stepper tells you that you've burnt 300 calories over a 25 minute timeframe. While this might seem impressive, this total includes a large number of calories that would have been used anyway. Using the 12 percent figure from the aforementioned study, this means that you would've consumed at least 36 calories just by watching TV from your living room couch.

Unlike stair steppers and elliptical machines, treadmills enjoy a fairly healthy reputation for accuracy (the results of the above study notwithstanding). Still, those impressive numbers from treadmill runs can be deceptive. Many treadmills fail to take into account the weight of their users, and are often programmed to assume a weight of 155 pounds. This can easily lead to misleading and overly generous results; a 135 pound person might be told that she has expended 300 calories, when the real amount is closer to 250. Additionally, a treadmill user can largely sabotage his or her workout by overusing the machine's handrails. Resting only a slight amount of weight against handrails can decrease calorie burn off by 20 percent; if a user applies even more weight, this figure can climb to as high as 40 percent.

That brings us to stationary bicycles. According to many experts, stationary bikes are among the most accurate exercise machines in determining calorie expenditure. Still, the effectiveness of stationary bikes can be distorted, particularly if only a small amount of resistance is used during a workout session. A user's calorie burn off is also linked to his or her pedaling position; in a 15 minute time span, you'll use about 15 percent more calories standing up than while sitting.

Though these findings might put a damper on your eagerness to exercise, cheer up - these machines are still useful tools for keeping in shape, provided you refrain from taking their calorie counters at face value. To determine if you really are getting a good workout, try using the "talk test" while using your preferred exercise machine. If you find yourself gasping for air while attempting to recite song lyrics, then you're probably getting your time's worth.

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Non-Bank Funding for Healthcare Practices Now a Reality

It is no secret that healthcare practices in the United States are having trouble finding funds; this is because many lending institutions have introduced very stringent lending criteria. This has made many healthcare practices give up their search for capital to enhance and or expand their practice.

Fortunately, healthcare providers can get access to funding without going through banks or other traditional lenders. Healthcare funding sources such as Medical Funding Associates, LLC offer healthcare practices the chance to get access to quick cash by simply reviewing their filed, but unpaid claims and convert these claims into useful cash ASAP. These include claims that have been made to Medicaid, Medicare and other top insurance firms. It is important that healthcare practice executives & their advisors understand that this option of getting funding can be flexible and ongoing.

A Successful Healthcare Practice is More Than just Providing Quality Healthcare

Every successful healthcare practice does more than provide top notch health care service; they also have to rely upon strong financial management. This is why prudent healthcare providers search for reputable Healthcare finance companies that can effectively handle their funding requirements. Most Healthcare advisors would agree that it is a great idea to use a funding source that was specifically established to successfully handle this unique financial niche.

Which Healthcare Providers Can Benefit from Healthcare Financing Solutions?

Different types of healthcare establishments are eligible to receive healthcare funding such as:

• Nursing homes

• Home healthcare companies

• Group practice physicians

• Hospitals

• Mental healthcare providers

• DME providers

• Laboratories

• MRI and Radiology centers

• Physical therapy centers

• Rehabilitation (Rehab) centers etc

The funds these healthcare establishments receive can be used for the following (and more):

• Purchase medical equipment, tool, expand etc

• Have funding to add to payroll and or to accommodate a larger number of patients

• Upgrade offices and examination rooms

• Pay off vendors or lending institutions etc

How Does This Healthcare Funding Solution Work?

Healthcare providers can have access to funds when Medical Funding Associates, LLC provides accounts receivable purchase funding at competitive rates using their working capital, acquisition & accounts receivable financing programs.

NOTE: choose ONLY medical funding providers that have a great reputation and one that is known to provide accounts receivable financing for health care providers that have funding requirements that range from 100,000 to 100 million dollars - this will offer healthcare providers with an opportunity to have access to a considerable amount of funds to suit their ongoing needs.

The Healthcare funding experts of Medical Funding Associates, LLC principal funding source will be able to assess the true value of a healthcare claim with unmatched knowledge that cannot be equaled by commercial banks or any other factoring firms. Medical Funding Associates, LLC professional personnel are very familiar with the laws and limits of Insurance Companies, Medicaid, Medicare, and any other third party payer and have the techniques to leverage healthcare accounts receivable so as to provide a truly dependable, steady cash flow for you. Visit CashFlowSolutions.org today.

Friday, October 25, 2013

Liposuction Benefits for Men and Women

The liposuction procedure is generally used to sculpt and form a body by removing excess fat in specific areas. It is basically safe with some risks that usually come with any form of operation or surgery that might put a person under anesthesia. In spite of these possible risks, there are many individuals who undergo this operation because it is relatively safe and not everybody is prone to the risks that come with it.

Benefits

The most obvious benefit that comes with this cosmetic surgery is the removal of the excess fats that may plague the person. The liposuction procedure aims to regulate the occurrence of the fat in specific areas so that the individual will appear leaner and trimmer. These are part of the other benefits that come with the operation; appearing leaner and trimmer. Many individuals do to need to have additional operations in order to remove the excess skin and tissue that might get left behind when the fat is removed. Weighing less is also another plus that come with the procedure. Fat that naturally occurs in the body adds to the weight of the person. With the removal of the fat in specific trouble areas of the body, one can expect to weigh less. The more fat removed from the person, the less he or she is expected to weigh. The difference in weight may not be noticeable if the excess fat is not a lot or only one area of the body is a problematic one. Psychological benefits include, but are not limited to, self-confidence, feeling more at ease with the body and a lighter feeling all around.

Self-confidence often stems from knowing that one is physically better looking than before. Liposuction is one of the procedures that can give the patient an almost immediate satisfaction with his or her appearance even before the recovery period is over. This is because the fat is physically removed and the result is immediate. The feeling of being at ease with one's body works well for most, if not all, individuals because almost everybody wants to feel healthier and lighter. Once the results are completely achieved, the person should be able to go out and fully appreciate the way that he or she looks and feels. Another advantage to getting this kind of cosmetic procedure done is the fact that it is minimally invasive compared to others and the effect can be immense. This is especially true for those who have several sessions done on several areas of the body.

The most common areas of the body that cosmetic surgeons perform liposuction are the belly, the buttocks, the upper arms and the thighs. It is better to consult a licensed and qualified cosmetic surgeon for the procedure in order to be one the safe side when it comes to complications and risks. Licensed surgeons and doctors who can perform the operation should be affiliated with certain hospitals and clinics that are clean and have the right instruments and equipment to perform the liposuction.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Appointments for Day Spa Makeup Consultations

What type of appointments do you schedule at the day spa? Do you usually see someone for a massage, a facial, or even some laser hair removal? Aside from these types of services, clients can also benefit from learning more about makeup. Why not finish off a beautiful look with the right products to complement the facial area. Many women are using the wrong colors and applying them incorrectly. Unfortunately, this means that the best features of the face are not being played up and accentuated.

Scheduling an Appointment

Consider making an appointment for a day spa makeup consultation in conjunction with one of your other procedures. You can make one trip but get in two different types of services. Make sure to ask about which ones will allow for the consultation. For example, those women coming in for a chemical peel are not going to want to place any products, including makeup, on their faces for a certain amount of time. While the consultant might be able to provide tips and talk about colors, there will be no real way to try them out. On the other hand, after a massage, why not add to those good feelings by being made up right before walking out the door?

Looking Into Products

Sometimes a day spa will encourage a woman to bring in the products that she is currently using. The consultation can take a look at the routine and see what colors are being used and how they are being applied. This can help the professional decide if some of the client's makeup is okay to keep and which items need to be replaced with something different.

A makeup consultation at the day spa may or may not be free. There are times when a purchase may be required in place of payment for an appointment. Make sure that you find out about the cost and how it works before scheduling an appointment. Often women come in and have the makeup done by a professional and realize that they need to make a change in the products that they are currently using.

Resources Available

Watching television and seeing someone put makeup on can give you some great tips and ideas. But how can you be sure that they will work just as well for you? A face-to-face makeup consultation at a day spa is custom tailored for you. Along the way, if you have questions or concerns, you have someone to ask. You can mention what areas of your face you are worried about and ask about colors that you would like to try out. You get much more useful information when you actually sit down with a consultant.

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Going on a Babymoon to Become Relaxed for Life Changes

If you are in need of a break due to the stress of the upcoming birth of a baby, then you might be in need of a special vacation for pregnant women and spouses. This type of getaway could be called a babymoon. This is a popular term today, and many women use this time to get away and learn about their husband, prepare mentally and physically for their birth, and just take some time to relax.

It is important to be prepared for birth both mentally and physically. Some women would laugh at this because they have had preemies, and when that happens, ready or not, the babies are here, and you just do what you have to do. Those times discounted, it is always good to have planned ahead so that you are ready.

Some women might not be a good candidate for a babymoon. Women on bed rest, should definitely follow the doctor's orders and rest. Women who have a history of premature births or complications should also hesitate to go too far away from home. You might take a vacation a little closer than other women.

Since every woman is different with different needs, not all women will want to go on a typical babymoon. You can go on an official one in certain places. Things are planned for you and it is all-inclusive. These are good because they are prepared for pregnant women. If you, on the other hand, decide to plan your own trip, you will definitely need to think of all of the details.

If you choose to plan your own trip, you might want to stay away from cruises out of the country and perhaps stick with a dinner cruise downtown. Leaving the country not long before your baby's birth is definitely something to take into consideration. There is a lot to do in the United States. You will just need to look at your options and think practically before making a decision.

If you are not a fan of massage or yoga type exercises, then you might not enjoy a specially designed babymoon set up for those who are pregnant. If you choose to go with your own plan, make sure to get help and advice so that you make a safe plan. You might talk to airlines and tell them how far a long you are, because you might not be allowed to fly or you might want to have special insurance if you do. You will also want to consider what you eat and issues like this if you plan your own getaway.

Top 7 Things a Cardiac Monitor Can Tell You

When you've been told that you need to wear a cardiac monitor by the doctor or you're curious about what your heart is doing, there are a lot of details held within the small device. While every device is a little different, there are many things that it can tell you and your doctor. It's important to know just how much information is being recorded or transmitted because it can assist with diagnostics for the doctor to help determine if there are any health problems that you need to be aware of.

There are 7 things that a cardiac monitor can tell you, depending upon the make and model of the device you buy.

Pulse. It's important to know what your pulse is throughout your daily activities. If the pulse gets too low or too high, it can signify a problem that a doctor needs to know about. The pulse can also help you to know if you have reached the right cardio level when you are exercising.

Resting heartbeat. A resting heartbeat can be just as important as the pulse. This is the heartbeat that you have when you are doing nothing. When you are sleeping in the middle of the night, the monitor will still be recording and can tell the doctor if your heart is beating faster than it should be, which can be a sign of something wrong.

Blood pressure. A cardiac monitor has the potential to record your blood pressure. When this is recorded, it allows the doctor to see when the pressure increases or decreases throughout the day when you are performing certain activities, eating specific foods or reaching high levels of stress. This may help the doctor to prescribe certain medications to you or assign you a special diet.

Temperature. The body temperature is becoming more important when a doctor is making a diagnosis. Recent studies have shown that the temperature in relation to the pulse can signal different changes within the body before they actually happen. As a result, a cardiac monitor will often record the temperature at the same time as the pulse.

Arrhythmia. One of the main reasons a doctor will assign the use of a cardiac monitor for 24 hours or longer is to see if there is any kind of arrhythmia. This is designed to record the ups and downs of the heartbeat and see if there is any kind of irregularities.

Strain on heart. There may be some sort of strain on the heart, in which case the cardiac monitor will be able to see this going on. Whether it's going on when there is a strenuous activity going on or with a resting heartbeat, the monitor will record the strain to help a doctor make the proper diagnosis.

Calories burned. Many people are interested in using the cardiac monitor for more than just health reasons. As a result, many monitors can also tell the amount of calories that are being burned based upon weight and the heart rate.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Family Ophthalmology and Oculoplastic Surgery Options

When most people hear about family ophthalmology, they imagine eye exams, glasses, and testing for different conditions that may affect vision. While these are all part of a traditional practice, many doctors also specialize in different surgeries, including oculoplastics. There are a variety of concerns that can be addressed, including cosmetic procedures to improve a person's appearance. In each instance, it makes sense to have a specialist that is aware of all the ins-and-outs of the eye operating.

Repairing the Eye and the Area Around It

When trauma occurs around the ocular region of the face, an expert in family ophthalmology is the person to see. He or she can look into the situation, and then figure out what happened, and how to repair the area. Common operations including things like reconstructing the eye area after an incident. Everything from the actual socket, to the lid may need to be addressed to ensure that a person maintains vision as well as an attractive look. A surgeon in family ophthalmology also handles all tumors, blockage in the tear ducts, and muscle damage.

Other times, the lid is the main focus of the operation. Some patients have a tough time seeing because the eyelid has started to droop so low that it gets in the way of the eye. When this happens, the surgery corrects a vision problem but also improves appearance. For most people, it is preferable to handle both issues in just one surgery.

Cosmetic Procedures

While a plastic surgeon often handles eyelifts, brow lifts, and even fillers like Botox or Juvederm, it makes sense that a family ophthalmology surgeon handles these same procedures. Aside from making sure that the aesthetics are taken care of, the surgeon can also make sure that the eye is protected and well taken care of. While improving vision, it is possible to get rid of some of the wrinkles and lines that tend to gather around this area of the face.

It is rare to find a family ophthalmology doctor that also handles these sorts of plastic surgery. If you are looking to change some things about your eyes, your vision, or even your appearance, it is worth taking the time to look for someone in your area that is able to handle all of these procedures. Make an appointment for an initial consultation and find out if you are a candidate for any one of these surgeries. You can rest assured that you are in good hands.

What Are the Causes of Low Blood Pressure?

Your blood pressure (BP) is the force of the blood that circulates through the walls of the arteries. Your blood pressure is actually generated by the pumping of your blood through you arteries. A person can have normal, high or low pressure. It is neither good to have high or low pressure, and if you suspect you do it is best to see your physician for a complete exam.

A person's pressure of their blood is measured in two numbers systolic/diastolic. The systolic reading is the top number and the diastolic reading is the bottom number. The normal pressure reading is around 120/80 for a healthy person, but at times due to varying factors these numbers can get too high and even too low.

There are different causes for low pressure and you should be aware of these. Low blood flow through the arteries is what constitutes it. Old age, low birth weight and disease can be some causes for your blood pressure to sink too low. Also if a patient has had prolonged nausea or vomiting they can become dehydrated and this is also a cause of low pressure readings. Also severe bleeding can lower a person's blood pressure as well. If it gets too low then it can cause the blood to not pump sufficiently to your vital organs. Then in turn a person can have heart failure and kidney failure along with other complications.

While it is true many people routinely have low pressure readings and it isn't an issue for them, it is still worth a visit to your doctor if you feel you suffer from low blood pressure. The only way to be completely certain of what your blood pressure is will be for you to have routine check-ups. High pressure has often been called the silent killer and for good reason. Many times the symptoms of these conditions go virtually unnoticed until it is a very serious issue.

I would like to recommend you to take the time today to make an appointment to visit your physician for a complete exam. Your life could depend on it. You owe it to your family and to yourself to take good care of your health. Not only will you feel and look better, it will also add years to your life. Make your appointment today and get ready to lead a long and healthy life.

Monday, October 21, 2013

Feeling Sleepy Again? The Possible Reasons Why You're Always Tired

You know the feeling - it gets to about two in the afternoon or so, and it becomes harder and harder to stay alert and focused. Your eyelids become heavy, your productivity slows to a crawl and all you can think about is catching a quick nap. Well, perhaps you can take solace in the fact that you have plenty of company; looking up the phrase "why am I so tired" on a popular search engine yields approximately 105 million hits.

So why do so many people struggle with staying awake? The reasons can vary, and can depend on a number of different factors. The following list details some of the common culprits behind your lack of energy.

Irregular Sleeping Patterns - Let's get the most obvious reason out of the way; simply put, getting insufficient sleep will make you tired the next day. What you might not realize is that getting too much sleep can also leave you feeling sleepy soon after waking up. A number of people sleep too little during the work week, only to try to compensate for this mistake by sleeping in on the weekends; many of these same people find themselves still feeling lethargic even after getting 10+ hours of sleep. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night.

Lack of Exercise - This reason might strike you as sort of a contradiction - after all, doesn't exercise make you tired? Actually, a regular exercise routine provides the body with more energy on a daily basis. Couch potatoes, in contrast, often doze off while watching TV.

Too Much Caffeine - Caffeine is well known for its ability to provide quick pick-me-ups to tired workers. Unfortunately, the aftermath of a caffeine spike can be pretty ugly. When the energy boost provided by that cup of coffee or tea wears off, many people experience an "energy crash" that renders them fatigued and sluggish for several hours. In addition, many people become overly reliant upon caffeinated drinks, to the point that they need them simply to feel "normal." It's best to limit your daily intake of caffeine to about 300 milligrams, or about three 8 ounce cups of coffee.

Taking a Pass On Breakfast - A surprisingly high number of people opt to skip breakfast on a regular breakfast, often in a misguided attempt to shed pounds. Not only will this strategy not trim your waistline (many people who don't eat breakfast wind up eating too much later in the day), it can also deplete your body's energy reserves.

The Initial Effects of Diabetes - In addition to the nearly 19 million confirmed diabetics in the United States, the CDC estimates that roughly 7 million people have diabetes, but have not yet been diagnosed. One of the early red flags of diabetes is a persistent lack of energy.

Anaemia - Anaemia may not be a household word, but it is still one of the leading causes of chronic fatigue. A person develops anaemia when their body stops producing a sufficient number of healthy red blood cells. Though this condition is often hereditary, anaemia can develop due to a lack of iron in the body. If a case of anaemia is indeed caused by an iron deficiency, a doctor may recommend a patient consume significant amounts of lean meat, shellfish and high-iron cereals.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - For some individuals, strong and unabating feelings of tiredness might be caused by chronic fatigue syndrome, a mysterious condition with no known cause or cure. Cases of chronic fatigue syndrome are often severe enough to cause patients to radically alter their lifestyles. Doctors usually treat this disease with a combination of medications and stretching/range-of-motion exercises.

Sleep Apnea - There are some unfortunate people who, despite having no chronic health problems and leading healthy lifestyles, still suffer from frequent bouts of fatigue. The answer behind these baffling energy problems might be sleep apnea, a condition that briefly stops the body's breathing while the patient sleeps. Though such disruptions are only momentary, they can cause the patient to feel exceedingly tired the following day. One of the most effective tools for treating sleep apneas are CPAP machines, which treat the patient by increasing air pressure inside the throat.

Some Effective Natural Methods To Deal With The Symptoms Of Menopause

Being a woman can come with a variety of physical changes. Perhaps the body of a female undergoes a lot more changes compared to the male. Change occurs even at the later part of a woman's life. Take the case of menopause which happens during the post-child bearing years. Menopause is the result of changing hormones, specifically estrogen and progesterone. Some go through this stage with relatively no problems at all. They hardly experience the symptoms, including the psychological ones. However, others are not as lucky. There are those who go through very difficult times when they enter the menopausal stage.

The symptoms the woman can experience can either be physical or psychological or both. These result from the body trying to rebalance itself as it weens away from the post child-bearing phase. Some of the more common physical symptoms include hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and bleeding. As for the psychological ones, they would usually experience irritability, moodiness and depression. It's worse if you have to go through both types of symptoms or if you get to experience them all. So how do you treat them? Since menopause is not a disease but a period in a female's normal lifespan, there's no such thing as a cure for the symptoms. But there are treatments that can help one get through them.

It is highly suggested by medical experts that natural treatments be explored and utilized rather than artificial ones. Herbs, food remedies and homeopathic remedies can offer the individual relief. Of course, you have to know what these are so you'll be able to adjust your diet and lifestyle accordingly. The first on the list is herbal treatment. There are three major herbal remedies you can count on to bring about relief from pain and discomfort brought about by the symptoms. These are black cohosh, wild yam, and ginseng.

Next up are food remedies. Look for food selections containing phytoestrogens. They contain plant-based estrogens called isoflavones that provide natural relief. These can be found in a variety of foods such as sesame and flax seeds, red clover tea and soy. Foods with higher phytoestrogen content help balance hormones better during and after menopause. The last all-natural remedy is homeopathy. There are three major methods: cimicifuga, lachesis, and sepia. Each one is designed to counteract the pains and discomfort brought about by hot flashes, vaginal dryness, bleeding, and mood swings as well. To know more about each method, you do some online research or talk to your doctor.

Sunday, October 20, 2013

DIY - A Tasty Anti-Inflammatory Drink You Can Make At Home - Jamu Kunyit

Over 50 million Americans have an autoimmune disorder - if you're one of them - read on for a recipe that could provide some much needed relief!

Having an autoimmune disorder, namely Ulcerative Colitis, I'm probably a bit more in tune with my body than most - my body speaks to me loud and clear. Over the past few years I've learned what food and drinks work for my mind and body, and this has saved me a lot of heart (and stomach) ache.

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, mint and ginger have healing properties that miraculously saved my Mexican vacation. Today I'll be showing you how to make a drink whose main ingredient is turmeric. Yep - a turmeric drink. Don't stop reading just yet! Along with providing a variety of health benefits, especially for people suffering from gastrointestinal issues, this drink comes with an added bonus: you'll experience what the locals in Indonesia drink - like becoming a world traveler without leaving your kitchen!

I first read about the healing powers of Jamu, or traditional Indonesian medicine, from fellow healer Chloe Park, who mentioned she fell in love with a turmeric juice beverage, Jamu Kunyit, when she was living in Bali. If you're like me, you're thinking, cool, a drink the Bali locals enjoy - tell me more! More likely, though, you're thinking, um, Turmeric juice sounds gross. Or you might even be thinking, I have no idea what turmeric is. Whichever category you fall into, let's rewind a bit and talk turmeric!

Turmeric is a fragrant yellow spice popular in Indian curries and contains the powerful compound curcumin, whose antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects benefit a whole range of conditions, including IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease). It may also provide protection against colon cancer, boost cognitive performance, and early studies suggest it may even prevent and break down Alzheimer's brain plaques.

I was awakened to healing powers of Turmeric by a friend (Hi Nora!) who was able to stop talking a prescription medication (Asacol/Mesalamine) for her Colitis condition by taking Turmeric capsules (important note: I am not recommending you stop taking any medication, please first have a conversation with your trusted health professional!). When I heard Nora's story, I was intrigued, and did a little of my own research on the topic. More information on Turmeric came via a Harvard medical school graduate, and founder of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, Dr. Andrew Weil. In his Self Healing magazine, Dr. Weil says: "Cancer, in many cases is probably related to chronic, on-going inflammation. Turmeric is a potent anti-inflammatory, especially for people with gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary (liver or gall bladder) malignancies" You can safely take 2-8 grams in a capsule form daily, which ideally contains piperine, a component of black pepper that boosts turmeric absorption.

Personally, I like to use Turmeric capsules when my body "asks for them". You may be thinking, what does he mean ask for them. Here, I'll explain. Through yoga and meditation, my intuition has greatly increased. I call intuition that gut feeling we all experience on the inside, knowing what we should do when we're in a dilemma, or when something is wrong, or right. As bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell explains in his bestselling book Blink: The Power Of Thinking Without Thinking - intuitive decision-making can result in a better outcome than relying on more lateral methods, such as lists of pros and cons. A recent study backed this up, with brain scans showing that a structure called the ventral striatum responds immediately to subconscious cues. Scientists call it 'instrumental learning' - your instinct recognizes a situation as familiar and suggests an instant response before you've had time to process rational thought. So "pain" as I feel it in a particular place in my body, at a particular level - goes away when I take turmeric. Visit your local health food store to see what turmeric suplements they carry.

Let's get back to Jamu Kunyit, shall we? As Chloe explains, Jamu Kunyit is a drink that is highly regarded in Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine. While you might not think that a flavor used in curry sounds very tasty as a cold beverage, a little lemon, honey, and tamarind help create an exotic, flavorful drink with awesome healing benefits. As for me, I've found myself with higher energy, cleaner - and easier - bowel movements, less to no pain, less inflammation - and seemingly no joint pain that use to creep up sometimes. Magical eh?

If you're still unsure about whether to try this drink, consider that turmeric is also a natural liver detoxifier and a kidney cleanser. It speeds metabolism and aids in weight management. Plus, it alleviates conditions of depression, psoriasis, damaged skin, arthritis, and more.

Alright, you've got to be interested by now, right?!

Without further ado, here's my version of the recipe:Ingredients:

5-7 inches Turmeric

5-7 pieces of Tamarind

2 lemons (or lime if you prefer)

Raw honey

Water

Blender

Mason jar(s) or another glass jar with a lid

Peel Turmeric. Your fingers may turn yellow. No worries! Dish soap get's it right out. If your cutting board or counter top gets stained, slather on the all-natural dish soap and rub it in. Let it soak in for 5 min, or longer, and then scrub with water and sponge. The turmeric stain will vanish. Wanting a more potent drink, I used all the Turmeric in the package, and at less than $1.50, it was a bargain. In all I probably used around 12 inches.

Crack and open the Tamarind. Make sure you remove the inner roots as well. We're only going to use the inner fruit

Fill a pot with water, put peeled Turmeric inside and let boil for at least 20 minutes, or until the water becomes a rich and vibrant marigold color. Note, the amount of water you use will be the amount of liquid you have to drink later on.

While the Turmeric is boiling, get a pan and pour ~1inch of water into a pan with the peeled Tamarind. Stir the fruit with a wooden utensil. Mix it in with the water so it can melt and dissolve into a jam-like texture. More water shouldn't be needed, but if it's looking a bit dry, pour additional water as needed.

By this time you should be able to see the little seeds coming out. When the texture of the tamarind looks soft, turn the heat off and let it cool down

Back to the Turmeric water. The color should now look ready. Pour in a little bit of cold water to lower the temperature. Pour the Turmeric water into the blender with the Turmeric roots. We boiled it so the root could soften and have more flavor. Now it's ready to blend, for even more flavor, and richness! The color should now look like an extra, extra fiery marigold.

Go back to the Tamarind in the pan. Using a wooden utensil, or if, like me, you prefer your clean hands, separate the soft bits of the fruit, like a jam consistency from the seeds and seed peels. Note: If you don't want to get your hands dirty the original recipe called for a strainer and bowl for this step but it didn't work for me. If you figure that one out do let us know.

Pour the Tamarind that has been caught in the bowl into the blender with the Turmeric water. Buzz it around again.

Squeeze your lemons into the blender, pour your healthy anti-inflammatory elixir into the mason jar(s), add honey, close the lid and shake to mix.

Store in fridge up to 3-4 days and drink daily.

To Improve the bioavailability of the main ingredient, curcumin, experiment with mixing black pepper, virgin coconut oil, or raw egg yolk(hey - I'm just the messenger), in with the Jamu drink.

Enjoy your drink! The first time I made this drink it made me feel warm, alive, and energetic. I'd love to hear how you feel after drinking. Tell me in the comments section at the bottom.

Note: I found tamarind and turmeric root at my local Ranch 99 Asian grocery store. I've also heard Whole Foods carries them.

Oh, BTW, this drink was pretty fast to make but did result in what was probably one of my best kitchen mess disasters. (Note to Self: hold down the blender top while blending) I'll have to blog about that another time, with pictures. Also, I should note that I used my back-up blender as my friend was borrowing my Vitamix Blender. Now my back-up blender,Cuisinart, because it is made from plastic, is a yellowish hue - due to the turmeric. Ironically my friends tell me they like the color and thought I bought it this way.

Until next time, and in good health,

Joel

The Many Health Risks of Sitting Down

See if you can answer this question: what common habit has been linked to higher rates of diabetes, depression, obesity and shorter life span? Eating junk food? Smoking cigarettes? Yes, but those aren't the responses we're looking for. You'll probably be a bit shocked to read this, but the answer is sitting down. Though lying around the house might seem harmless, evidence suggests that getting off your rear end can add years to your life.

Some Good Reasons to Stay Active

It's widely known that many people have a hard time leaving the couch, preferring to spend their free time parked in front of a TV or computer. Even still, the following numbers might come as a bit of a shock.

  • In the United States, roughly 50 to 70 percent of people spend at least six hours daily sitting down
  • 20 to 35 percent of people spend 4+ hours watching TV each day
  • 65 percent of Americans spend at least 2 hours per day watching TV
  • On any given day, a person in the US spends between 4½ and 5 hours sitting
  • A survey conducted by Harris Interactive found that Americans spend 13 hours online each week

When you add it all up, that's a whole lot of sitting on your duff. But aside from wasting time better spent on physical activities, how harmful could all of this sitting actually be?

As it turns out, quite a lot. For starters, take the results of a massive, 17,000 participant survey released in 2009 by the Pennington Biomedical Research Center. The Pennington study reported that people who spent most of the day sitting were 54 percent more likely to suffer a heart attack than those who rarely sat. A skeptic might scoff at these results, arguing that the comparatively poor health of the heavy sitters was caused by other factors, such as smoking and poor diet.

The Pennington team, however, wisely took such lifestyle decisions into consideration when conducting their research. What the Pennington doctors found when accounting for these factors is truly remarkable (and simultaneously unsettling); the strong correlation between sitting and heart problems remained unaltered. Even if a subject refrained from smoking and exercised regularly, sitting for long periods of time significantly increased his or her risk of heart attack.

Your cardiovascular system isn't the only part of your body that suffers from endless hours of sitting. A slew of studies have linked prolonged sitting to type 2 diabetes, colon cancer and breast cancer. Of course, a higher risk of such notorious diseases often translates into a higher risk of premature death. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (a compilation of studies assembled the by Center for Disease Control and Prevention), Americans would live an average of two years longer if we reduced our sitting-down time to under three hours per day. By the same token, the average American could enjoy an addition years of life by capping his or her TV watching at two hours.

Exercise Isn't Enough

If you're like most office workers, your day probably consists of nearly eight hours of sitting by a computer monitor. This thoroughly sedentary activity is bookmarked by a seated commute to work via car, train or bus. When you finally do get home, you're immediately hit with a strong urge to watch TV or flip on your laptop. By the time bedtime rolls around, you've spent virtually all of your day sitting (or lying on your back, which has virtually the same impact on the body).

As stated above, those hoping to counteract the dangerous effects of sitting through exercise alone are in for a rude awakening. In addition to the report issued by the Pennington center, a 2007 study conducted by University of Missouri doctors also unearthed an unmistakable link between sitting and lower calorie burn off. The University of Missouri project compared two sets of participants; one group performed little in the way of traditional exercise, but spent a good deal of time walking, standing and generally moving around. The other set ran an impressive 35 miles per week, but were more likely to sit and lie down during their free time. When examining each group's rate of calorie expenditure, the results weren't even close; the group that seldom exercised burned off far more calories than the sitting-prone runners.

This is not to say that exercise is useless; quite the contrary, as the benefits of regular exercise could account for several articles on their own. The real lesson here is that spending hours on your backside can thoroughly undermine a seemingly active lifestyle. To avoid this problem, get off your rear and give these easy-to-follow tips a try:

Transmit Messages the Old-Fashioned Way - For most workers (this writer included), the fallback method for communicating with coworkers is email. The allure of email is that it allows for instant communication, without having to leave the comfort of your desk. Unfortunately, this also encourages workers to remain stuck in neutral in front of their computer monitors. Though it may require more time and effort, walking down the hall to your coworker's office or cubicle forces the body to get moving and stop sitting.

Walk or Stand During Lunch - Like most office drones, you probably eat lunch in the same position as you do work - firmly seated on a chair. If possible, try walking around outside during your lunch break. Even the simple act of standing in the break room represents a healthier alternative to sitting.

Try taking mini-breaks - Ideally, you should never sit for more that 40 minutes straight at your desk. While this might not be especially practical in a modern office environment, it is certainly possible to get away for a minute or two. Simply take a quick stroll around the office, or go refill your cup at the water cooler.

Stand When Possible - A little bit of standing can go a long way. While it can be tough to get work done while standing up, there are a few ways around this roadblock. For example, you can try taking phone calls while standing.

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Western Medical And Non-Surgical Approaches To Low Back Pain

"Why does my back hurt?" There are various reasons for low back discomfort, pain and tightness and so many natural health, Western Medicine approaches and other complementary and alternative strategies to fix or cure them.

Most patients with lower back discomfort are usually unathletic or just out of shape physically so poorly strengthened muscles will often lead to the spinal vertebrae becoming weaker. Stretching and strengthening your muscles of your upper, mid and lower back muscles will often relieve discomfort and tightness.

Most patients with lower back pain will often discover a pinched nerve in lower back or a herniated or bulging disc. A cross-sampling of any population will show that about 59% of patients at any given period in their lives will show a mild disc herniation and are free from pain symptoms so a bulging disc does not always cause discomfort.

Often the most superficial layer that covers the ligaments and muscles is the fascia. Fascia can be rigid like a pair of frozen leggings that is wrapped around your entire body. Simple stretching and restorative yoga often help this tight feeling that is the cause of pain and inflexibility. Avoid vigorous yoga if you are unathletic or out of shape. Start with a simple easy beginner yoga class so you can safely learn the poses.

Those who are very athletic often do not stretch enough prior to a workout session and can often injure muscles such as the quads. Having a thorough stretching or yoga practice before a tough workout is paramount to the prevention of injury.

Improper rest and interrupted sleep can also cause tightness when muscles are not allowed to repair themselves during the deeper stages of rest. Making sure you have proper rest often reduces low back discomfort.

Many people do not know the body mechanics involves in lifting properly and this often results in back pain. When you carry a large object, always make sure to bend at your knees in order to make your hamstring, quads and calves do the main task of lifting. This will take pressure off of your low back. You can even attempt to wear a safety lifting harness that wraps around your waist. Heat can often allieve the tightness so soaking in a hot bathtub, jacuzzi or steam room can be an ultra relaxing way to relieve an aching back.

Massage therapy is a popular way to relieve discomfort. If a professional massage at a fancy spa is out of your budget, you should do self massage techniques such as putting your prone body on top of tennis balls that are put inside of a sock, a massage chair or a back self-massager.

Atrophied ligaments can also destabalize your body's alignment, which often result in imbalance. Prolotherapy is an unknown technique which is essentially reconstruction of ligaments from a sugar solution that is inserted into the ligaments in order to repair them. Prolotherapy invokes an inflammation response which leads to a response to build more ligaments in order to strengthen and stabilize the joints. This process often takes as long as 5 weeks to notice the benefits and multiple sessions are usually needed.

Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery For The Rotator Cuff

If you are an athlete and have injured your shoulders one too many times, it might be time to consider shoulder surgery. The thought of having this done might scare you, but it is important to get it checked out. If you have a rotator cuff injury, then there are three ways that it can be repaired. The least invasive way is through an arthroscopic procedure. This would obviously be the preferred method over methods that are invasive, but it is not always possible.

If you find out that a procedure like this might be in your future, then you will need to find a specialist that deals in this area. He or she should go through a process of examining and having imaging done. You might need an MRI, ultrasound, and/or x-rays to see the damages. Depending on how things look, it will likely determine the next step in your treatment.

Some injuries to the rotator cuff will not require a procedure. Sometimes steroids are used with anti-inflammatory medication. These can help along with analgesics. It might come to a point, however, when these no longer work. At this point, you might need to have a procedure.

If you have a torn rotator cuff, you may or may not qualify for the less invasive procedure. With a tear, you might still have problems with your rotator cuff after shoulder surgery. Some injuries can even re-tear. If you would like to have the best possible outcome and healing, you should avoid tobacco, and you are better off if you are not diabetic.

It might be difficult for you after your shoulder surgery, because you will not be able to move it for 4-6 weeks. For an athlete, this is going to be hard, but it is essential if you want the procedure to be affective. Even after the initial recovery time, you will need to have physical therapy. It will be only after this that you will have the opportunity to begin normal exercises.

If you are putting off a trip to a specialist because you are concerned he or she will call for shoulder surgery, you would be wise not to put it off any longer. If you catch your injury early, you may have to only have an arthroscopic procedure. If you wait too long, it might be too serious, and you may end up needing a more invasive procedure.

It is easy for athletes to keep going and using the injured limb. It might be especially the case if your livelihood depends on your ability to play your sport. Do not let this keep you from getting the help you need even if it means shoulder surgery.

Friday, October 18, 2013

Understanding Hospital Information Systems

At its core, the concept of Hospital Information Systems (HIS), also sometimes referred to as Hospital Management Information Systems (HMIS) is self-explanatory. It can be referred to as the hub in which all information in a healthcare setting is located and managed. It is a system, accessing which authorized staff working in the hospital has vital information at their fingertips.

Why is centralization of data necessary?
Why is it necessary to centralize and integrate information? Quite simply, to make tasks easier and streamlined. A hospital has innumerable records that pertain to every of its functions. It has to have records about admissions. It has to have patient records, a very vital component of the patient's treatment. It also has to have information about the patient's insurance. This way, it should have data of virtually every kind. An HIS stores this information on its database, and using its software, enables processing and easy retrieval of any aspect of these data.

If a patient is to be admitted to a hospital; at the time of the entry, the hospital staff will have information about all these, once the data entry is made. This is made possible by HIS. The aim of an HIS is to facilitate smooth running of the hospital's information systems.

A huge repository of records
A well-designed HIS should have every detail right. It should be backed by robust software which should ensure that there are no glitches. It should have the resilience to sort information from hundreds of thousands of values and present what a particular staff member is looking for at a point of time. An efficient HIS should be able to give all information that is being sought by just the name or the patient record. It could be about whether it is a first-time or an old patient that is being admitted. Or it could be about whether the patient is a veteran who has some healthcare privileges. In other words, a sound HIS should be able to help the hospital carry out its functions more smoothly. This is integration of patient records.

Integration with all departments
Integration of another kind is also essential for a good HIS. The HIS should have total integration with all other functions of the hospital, such as the laboratory, finance and nursing records. It should also have another very important element -integration with other departments. A patient may have undergone examinations and investigations by the orthopedic, the consultant physician and the nephrologist. The HIS should have spot-on records of all these. The purpose of centralizing all this is that any authorized hospital staff should be able to access and retrieve data at any point of time.

Backend has to be efficient
HIS is made possible only with the help of strong software that carries out the backend in a smooth and coordinated fashion. When choosing software; the hospital has to be very specific in its requirements and expectations. It can get the best out of an HIS only when its goals are clearly stated and executed.

Interesting Info About Your Bones and Five Tips to Protect Your Bones From an Orthopedic Surgeon

When a baby is born, it has nearly 300 bones, some of which are made of cartilage. Overtime some of these fuse together to create the approximately 206 bones found in the adult human body.

The bones in your body are made of a combination of materials including protein, minerals, and bone cells. The outer area of your bone is sometimes called the periosteum which includes many blood vessels and nerves.

Following the periosteum, there is the compact layer. This part of the bone is what you are used to seeing when you think of a skeleton. Compact bone is solid, durable and smooth. There are layers in the compact bone which have a sponge-like appearance called cancellous. This bone is extremely strong even though it is not as tough as the compact bone.

The inner layer of the bone is called the bone marrow. Bone marrow has a jelly-like consistency and it creates blood cells. Sometimes bones break or fracture. Broken bones range in severity from a thin break like a hairline fracture to an open fracture where the bone is visible through a person's skin or a complete fracture where bones separate into two or more pieces.

You might be surprised how many different bones are in certain areas of your body. Consider the following:

  • There are 26 in each of your feet.
  • Each hand has 27 -- 14 phalanges, 8 carpals and 5 metacarpals.
  • There are 33 in the spinal column.
  • Your face has 14 bones.

The smallest bone in your body is the stapes or stirrup bone located in the middle ear and it is about the size of a tic tac candy. The longest bone in the body is located in the thigh - called the femur. It spans from your knee to your pelvis. The largest bone in the body is actually comprised of several bones joined together - the hip AKA the pelvis. The pelvis, shaped like a bowl, provides a lot of support to the spine.

One of the more commonly broken bones in the body is the clavicle or the collarbone. It connects the arm to the body. Though it is one of the first bones in the body to start the ossification process, it does not complete ossifying until people reach young adulthood around 21 years.

Bone is a tissue that continues to develop and change over time. Young people who engage in frequent physical activity tend to have greater bone strength and density than those who do not. Bone strength and density tends to be greatest in early to mid-adulthood and as we age, we start to lose bone mass.

There are some things you can do in order to protect, maintain and strengthen your bones. Here are 5 things you can do that are good for your bones!

  1. Wear a helmet when you engage in sports activities like biking or football. Also wear other recommended protective gear when engaging in athletic activities, for example: shin guards and knee and shoulder pads.
  2. Eat plenty of foods that are high in calcium and Vitamin D. This includes foods like milk and cheese, dark green vegetables and foods fortified with calcium.
  3. Engage in weight bearing exercises and activities like tennis, dancing, walking, jogging, climbing stairs and weight training.
  4. Avoid smoking. Smoking is recognized as a risk factor for osteoporosis.
  5. Limit alcohol consumption. Drinking a lot of alcohol can affect your body's absorption of calcium.

It is very important that you take care of the bones in your body. If you break a bone or have a bone related medical issue, you should see a qualified medical professional like an orthopedic surgeon. Orthopedic medicine is a medical specialty focused specifically on the body's bones, joints, ligaments and tendons.

Thursday, October 17, 2013

How to Save The Planet - Doing Your Part

The state of the planet is a topic you will find yourself running into everywhere. We see it on commercials ranging from green energy to Coco-cola. It is discussed in political debates, in our news, on our television, and maybe even at your kitchen table. Nearly every person has an opinion about it. But regardless of what your beliefs are about the health of our planet, we can all probably agree that it is important to take care of the earth. Here is a handful of practical things that you and your family can do around your house to positively affect the health of the planet and possibly improve your health as well.

Pick your paints with care. When you are making a decision on whether to go with a bright robin's egg blue or a calming sage green, make sure you read the label on the container carefully. A great number of paints contain harmful chemicals, even if the label says, "Zero VOC." (Volatile Organic Compounds) Make sure the paint you are choosing is labeled "non-toxic." This way you can be sure that your paint is planet and human friendly.

When you are doing laundry, skip the dryer step. Certainly, dryers are extremely convenient, but they also use up a great deal of energy. If you hang your clothes to dry, you will be able to preserve energy (and also prevent shrinking.) When weather permits, you can even hang your clothes outside, which leaves your clothes smelling fresh.

Instead of purchasing mass marketed household cleaners - make your own! Household cleaners purchased at the store are convenient as well, but the long-term effects of these cleaners ought to make you count the cost. Lessening the use of chemicals found in household cleaners helps get rid of health problems such as allergies, asthma, sinusitis, and bronchitis. Here are a few of the best environmentally friendly options: Earth Friendly, Earth Choice, ECOS, Sun & Earth, OxiClean, CitraSoly, Shaklee, Melaleuca, Biokleen, and Bon Ami. Trader Joe's also has some great options. If you would like to make your own cleaners, baking soda cleans and deodorizes, lemon is effective against bacteria, and white vinegar removes grease, odors and stains.

There is really no way to definitively say what shape the planet is in currently, or what it will look like in 50 or 100 years - but it is far better to take initiative too early than too late. Choosing different paint, line drying your clothes, and making your own cleaners will not solve all of the world's problems, but it is important of us to do our small parts in order to make a big difference.

Answers To Some General Queries Related To High Blood Pressure

There has been a lot of discussion over the problem of high blood pressure. These discussions are related to its symptoms, studies on it, its natural as well as medical remedies. The biggest problem with this disease is that most of the people do not actually recognize that they have high BP. This is because most of the symptoms of it are very similar to other health problems and thus people keep on ignoring it. Those who know about it are unaware of high blood pressure treatment.

In general, it has been observed that people believe in taking medications regularly ignoring the other natural solutions of this disease. However, it is a fact that pharmaceuticals can keep the high BP constant but it causes negative impact on other parts of the body.

In order to provide complete information about the high blood pressure treatment, here are the answers of the general questions asked by people.

What are some of the natural supplements for high blood pressure?

Eating has a great influence on the functioning of your body. For example potassium rich fruits and foods are good for a hypertensive patient. The normal human potassium/sodium ratio is 5:1 but the American diet has very low potassium content and thus they become victims of this disease more frequently.

Similar calcium and magnesium are other important nutrients in the body.

Some other nutritional supplements are:

Hawthrone: a herb which widens blood vessles especially the coronary arteries.

Cayenne: mitigate the risk of atherosclerosis

Valerian: having sedative activity causes beneficial effect on BP.

Vitamin C: it promotes excretion of lead which has the BP lowering effect.

CO-Q10: this nutrient is naturally present in our body and its supplements are taken to ensure adequate daily needs of the body.

Garlic: it works to reduce cholesterol as well as work in the high blood pressure treatment.

Can it occur to me?

There is no particular age for the hypertension. It can occur to any children or adult. However, people above the age group of 35 years are more prone to this health disorder. Generally, the disease affects African-American, middle aged and elderly individuals. Besides this, people who are suffering from diabetes milletus, gout, kidney disorder become more prone to high BP.

Is there any genetic connection of this disease?

A big yes to this question. The hypertension has a tendency to run in the families. Therefore, if your parents are suffering from this disorder, you are likely to become hypertensive. Thus, such individuals must keep a regular check on their BP as it may arise in you due to your genes.

Moreover, it is said that tension, stress, anger and depression are also a major contributing factor in developing this disease.

If you are really looking for high blood pressure treatment without medications, you should go for a regular brisk walk, eat a healthy diet and go for regular check up.

Can high blood pressure cause death?

If high BP stays for a prolonged period without any treatment, it can cause irreversible damage to the heart and kidneys. This can result in heart and kidney failure leading to the death.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

What To Look For When Seeking Saline Breast Implants Doctors

There are various ways that you can go about finding saline breast implants doctors. You can search for the plastic surgeons in your area and call each one to find out what type of implant they prefer. You can go to specialized doctor search websites that make it easy to find the doctor you need. These sites might include contact information, before-and-after pictures, and surgery information.

It is important to for you to be informed about the surgery in general before you really consider a procedure like this. Getting an augmentation is an invasive surgery. A saline implant is actually implanted empty, and the solution is added after. A silicone implant is placed already full. An implant can burst. If a saline implant bursts, then the fluid simply soaks into the body causing no problems.

Before considering this surgery, it is important that you are healthy. You will need to have a health exam by your doctor, and he or she will give the okay as to whether you should have a surgical procedure or not.

Saline breast implants doctors will not likely be hard to find. Even if a doctor does not have a preference for this type of implant, he or she still may leave the choice up to you, and most likely the doctor will have some experience implanting the type you want.

It is important to realize that there will be a recovery period after any type of surgery. When you choose one doctor from among the saline breast implants doctors, you should be able to sit down with him or her in order to ask all of the questions that you have about the procedure and the recovery period.

Something else to consider as you are looking at an augmentation of the breasts is your expectations. Seeing before-and-after photos will help you to get an idea of what you will look like after the procedure is done. It will also help you not have unrealistic expectations about your situation. If you have the wrong mindset, it will be detrimental to you after the surgery.

After considering all of these areas, hopefully, you will be able to make the choices you need to make concerning whether you will have the surgery and also the choice from among the various saline breast implants doctors. It might take some time and research to figure everything out, but you will be glad that you took the time to be sure that you were making the right decision and that you have chosen the right doctor.

Other Headache Triggers

Electromagnetic Stress is a term used to describe the negative effects of electromagnetic emissions from broadband, wi-fi, cordless phones, computers, phone masts, satellite dishes, fluorescent lights, mobile phones and microwaves.

The brain operates by electrical signals, the heart works with it's own electrical signals. All the above give off an electromagnetic signal - which signal is going to win?

Let me give you just one example. Ever gone into a supermarket, stood in the first aisle and felt confused, panicky or totally forgetful of why you went there in the first place? Flourescent lights give off EMFs that interfere with the brain and sometimes the sight. The constant flickering can also trigger a migraine. Your brain is confused - which signal is it tuning-in to? No wonder we get headaches when we are exposed to uber-bright lights and strip lighting!

To avoid these EMF side-effects, try to avoid standing directly under fluorescent lighting for long (or at all, if possible)! Interestingly, Asperger's sufferers cottoned on to this some time ago and there are websites where you can buy special tinted glasses that filter out the damaging light signals that trigger the panic, the blurring, the confusion, dyslexia and migraines. They are rather expensive though!

The modern spiral long-life bulbs are just as bad as fluorescent strip lights for their EMF signals. Use ordinary lightbulbs where possible. If you cannot find them in the shops, you can order them off the world-wide web but they may be described as heat lamps!

Then we have computers and the like. Aids that can help range from Amethyst (to help "mop up" some of the EMF), bands you can wear with a chip that is tuned to the frequency of the computer so only the "good guy" wins the signal battle, flower essences that match the vibrational frequency energetically, a "charged" card that operates much like the band and chip and multi-minerals that do a nutritional mop-up job. Try to avoid working in front of a computer for long periods, take regular breaks. Headphones enhance negative effects of EMF so try to avoid those, too.

Turn your w-fi off at the plug at least at night - let your brain rest properly! Don't sleep next to an electrical alarm and do not have your mobile in the room! Also consider using a chipped band to protect you from outside EMF!

If you have to work under fluorescent or long-life coil lighting, you can help yourself by using clear green or pale blue acetates over anything you may need to be reading from, (for example, notes in a meeting). They will take the glare off the page and you will think more clearly as a result.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

About Healthcare Job Listings

The rate of unemployment has increased over the years. The main cause has been the poor state of the economy that has not allowed the creation of jobs. Consequently, looking for a job is a daunting task. Unemployment is a worldwide problem. This has led to people coming up with new ways to looking for work. The Internet is a major tool that people are using to look for work. One of the fields that have a lot of competition is healthcare. Looking for healthcare jobs is not easy and applying the help of healthcare job listings will go a long way in making the process simpler.

Healthcare job listings are like classifieds that list different medical jobs that are available around the country. If you are a nurse, doctor or therapist looking for work then finding a reliable listing will assist you in finding work. These healthcare listings indicate the position that is on offer, the qualification and the experience that you need in order to be able to apply for these jobs. Most people need employment when they have just graduated from school. Finding work as soon as you graduate is becoming difficult because of the competition. This can be very discouraging because most people sacrificed to ensure that they get their degree. Getting a good job is the best reward that you can get after this sacrifice.

If you are a doctor who has just graduated, you can be able to see doctor job listings that suit your experience. Employers in the health industry list all the available positions in their institutions on these sites. This is because they know that putting these positions on a doctor job listing will attract highly qualified people from all over the country. This means that as an employer you get an opportunity to pick from a wide pool of qualified doctors with experience. These doctors also put up their resumes for employers to see when they are looking for specific skills.

As a doctor, the doctor job listing introduces to you a platform to present your skills to people who might hire you in future. These sites also have additional services like email alerts in case there is a listing that suits the qualifications that you have. This is crucial because the faster you respond to an ad about a position that is vacant the higher the chance of getting hired. If you are moving to a new city finding work can be difficult if you do not know people but with the doctors job listing, all you have to do is search for work on the site with the specific city in mind. The process of using these listings is easy. All you have to do is register online. If you are a professional then posting your resume will help in your search for the best medical jobs that are available. After registration, you can browse the site regularly to check if there is a position that suits the qualifications that you have.

Are Flu Shots Safe?

Are you concerned about the flu? There has been a lot mentioned in the news recently about flu outbreaks across the country. Since I am learning about health and wellness myself, I am looking at options of preventing the flu beyond the flu shot.

The reason I am interested in nutrition as an option for preventing the flu is that I see it as being a safer and more nutritious alternative to getting the flu shot. If I can keep my immune system strong, I have a very good chance of fighting off the flu bugs when they come around.

From articles I've read online, I see overwhelming evidence that medical experts now agree it is more important to protect yourself from the flu vaccine than the flu itself. Research studies conducted recently point to the evidence that flu shots are dangerous. There are many reasons for this verdict including these reasons:

1. Medical journals reveal that injecting vaccines can lead to serious health problems and other infections.

2. Flu vaccines contain mercury, formaldehyde, detergent, and other harmful ingredients. Mercury toxicity can cause a whole array of serious health ailments.

Is this what you want to put into YOUR body? Personally, I want to avoid any mercury exposure since I already have too much of it in my body, and once I learned about that it's even more important to me that I avoid any additional risks to my health.

Instead of turning to conventional medicine, I like the idea of boosting my immune system naturally and safely. It's helpful to know about ingredients in your kitchen that can offer effective treatments of the flu. I would like to share with you a few of my favorite home remedies.

Home Remedies for the Flu:

1. When we feel stressed we get toxicity in our body and we need to clear that out or our immune system will suffer. You can boost your immune system by replacing the good bacteria in your body with probiotics since 70% of your immune system is in your gut.

2. Drinking enough water is also so very important. It is recommended that you drink at least 8 glasses of water daily. You can take your body weight and divide it in half to get the number of ounces per day you should be drinking.

3. One of my favorite health drinks that also helps fight the flu is adding lemon juice to my water. You can mix 1 tsp of lemon juice with 1 tbsp of honey for relief from a sore throat.

What health goals are you setting for 2013?

I hope you have gained some helpful tips on how to live naturally and more safely. I'd like to invite you to consider what I just shared with you and think about which of these remedies you can implement to live a healthier life and protect yourself during this flu season.

Teresa Rippe, Health Mentor

Monday, October 14, 2013

Deer Antler Spray - What Can It Do For Your Health And Wellness?

Made up of natural ingredients, deer antler spray is known to offer plenty of benefits to the users. It can really have a positive effect on your health and wellness. Deer Antler Spray is a great alternative for you if you wish to lead a healthy life. In this article, we are going to talk in detail about the benefits of using this spray. You must pay proper attention towards the below mentioned article if you wish to know anything more about this topic.

Composition of Deer Antler Velvet Spray

This spray comprises in several nutrients that improves every aspect of the body. The velvet actually covers the cartilage and bone of the antler and it has minerals and vitamins more than 400 types. Dry and powdered antlers are easily found around the world. If you want you can easily order it online as well. But you should make sure that you purchase it from a reputed company.

Health Advantages of Using the Antler Velvet Spray

There are several nutrients found in the velvet of antler. The antler's tip comprises in nutrients for medical health maintenance. The middle part contains the vitamins and minerals for headaches and osteoarthritis. The base comprises in of different nutrients for the remedy of sexual disorders including infertility.

Some of the benefits are given below

Joint health

The deer antler comprises in chondroitin and glucosamine, which are really beneficial for stimulating the production of cartilage. It even has collagen and prostaglandin for relieving and lubricating in the affected joint area.

Athletic performance

Athletic performance enhances muscle development through its huge amounts of natural and protein growth factor. The deer antler even has potassium, selenium and phosphorous for the complete wellness.

Heart health

The deer antler velvet is quite rich in nutrients including potassium and selenium, which can really help if you are facing issues like lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

In the end, we can easily conclude that deer antler spray offers plenty of benefits to you in the long run. It can offer you a wide range of benefits if you are facing any such disorder. However, it is strongly advised that you talk to your doctor beforehand so that he can help you in knowing more about the benefits and features of this spray. Once you do this, you will be able to generate some fine results on the go.

All in all, this spray could really prove to be a great alternative for you as it helps you in generating some fine results on the go. It is meant to help you stay fit and healthy. You can even boost up your sex life once you start using this spray as it enhances your sex drive a great deal. Read this article at least once if you really want to make your life simpler and healthier. This spray won't ever disappoint you as it offers innumerable benefits to you. Have a lot of fun and enjoy yourself.

How Is Moksha Yoga Different Than Other Types Of Yoga?

Hot yoga refers to any type of yoga that's performed inside a heated room of about 100 degrees. The pioneer of hot yoga is Bikram Choudhury, an Indian yoga guru who in the 1970s created a series of 26 yoga poses done in a heated room of 105 degrees in temperature and 40 percent in humidity. This is called the Bikram yoga. Another one that's emerging in popularity is Moksha yoga from Ted Grand and Jessica Robertson from Toronto. These two yoga teachers created Moksha in 2004.

So how does the young Moksha yoga compare to the much older Bikram and other types of yoga? Keep on reading to find out how.

The first and most significant difference is the number of poses. Bikram only has 26 poses while Moksha has 40. Some of the poses in Moksha seem similar to each other. But there's more variation depending on the instructor, unlike with Bikram, which has fixed poses. In Moksha, there are more options like silent practices, Vinyasa or flows and Ashtanga, among others.

As for the class atmosphere, Moksha seems more flexible and free. Even the time duration is not fixed. It can last anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes. In Bikram, the length of class is always the same at 90 minutes. Plus, it's more rigid as it requires fixed postures with no variation from the instructor. Moksha instructors are also softer and more gentle when assisting their students. Many say that Moksha is less intimidating and demanding the Bikram and other types of hot yoga.

When it comes to benefits, all types of yoga can do so much for one's health. Moksha and other forms of hot yoga strengthen and tone the muscles, improve physical and psychological wellbeing, enhance flexibility, increase mental clarity, detoxify through sweat, burn calories, and alleviate stress, muscular pain, insomnia, asthma, and arthritis. On top of all these, yoga boosts your mood and gives you a sense of happiness and fulfillment since exercise effectively releases happy hormones from the brain.

So which type of hot yoga do you prefer? Those who are strict and serious about their exercise regimen mostly prefer Bikram yoga. They prefer the fixed and never-changing routine and they are more challenged with its demanding nature. On the other hand, those who are beginners usually choose Moksha for being laidback and easy-going. They love the flexibility and the not-so-serious quality of the workout.

If you're thinking about engaging in hot yoga, it's better to give all types a try so that you can decide for yourself, which one suit you best. Try hot yoga and immerse yourself in the vast array of benefits of this form of exercise.

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Choosing the Right Spa for Your Treatments

Choosing the right spa is not always easy. Whether you are searching online or you are asking around to find out what your options are, there is a good chance you are going to hear about lots of different locations. So what sets one facility apart from another? Aren't they all generally the same? The fact of the matter is that every location is different and it is important that you find one that caters to your specific needs.

What Treatments Are You Interested In?

The options for treatment vary from one spa to the next. Some may only offer things like massages and facials while another may provide their clients with laser hair removal or acne treatments. Think about what types of things you want to have done and see which location has several of them all in one place. This saves you time and ends up much more convenient than going from location to location to have your need met. Even if you are not ready for laser hair removal now, if you have any interest in pursuing it in the future, find a spa that offers these types of services.

Is Cost a Factor?

For most men and women, cost is a factor. There is no doubt that it is going to cost money to go to the location frequently. However, don't let the cost be the only thing that matters as you shop around for a location to use. Some may offer lower rates but fail to provide quality services. Others may charge considerably more and not be anything more than an average location. If you are not sure about how one spa compares to another, be sure to get online and do a little research. Look beyond the cost of different treatments and see what you can learn about the staff, the amount of time a location has been in business and any professional groups that the facility may be associated with.

Are There Deals and Discounts?

A deal or discount may catch your eye and encourage you to try out a new place. Don't assume that the lower cost is a problem. In reality, this could be just a great way to get new clients through the door. If you are ready to try a new spa and you notice a promotion going on, give it a try. With just one appointment, you can usually tell if this is the right place for you. You can get a feel for the people, the procedures, and the treatments in general. This gives you an opportunity to try a location out without any type of commitment.

Ready to try out a new treatment or a new location? Call to schedule an initial consultation to learn more. You may be surprised to find that the perfect place for you is just around the corner.

Dangers of GMOs: How to Avoid Becoming an Experiment

GMOs or Genetically Modified Organisms have taken over our food supply (in the US) and the recent defeat of proposition 37 in California seems like a backlash. However, more and more people are now aware of GMOs and have started fighting back by educating people around them and they label GMOs themselves. The battle is not over. Feeding GMOs to the population is equivalent to a giant scientific experiment that is not authorized by us. But why are GMOs such a problem, you may ask. If you have not seen the movie Genetic Roulette, or read the book Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies About the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You're Eating by Jeffrey Smith, you may not be aware of their dangers to your health and the health of the planet. So let me give you 10 reasons why GMOs should be out of your home:

1- A GMO is an organism that has genes from another organism, which goes against any breeding found in nature. Your tomatoes may have fish genes (sic). So being Vegan will become more difficult.

2- The American Academy of Environmental Medicine called on a moratorium on GM Foods and asks doctors to prescribe GM free foods. "GM foods pose a serious health risk in the areas of toxicology, allergy and immune function, reproductive health, and metabolic, physiologic and genetic health".

3- The biotech industry has spent millions with their allies in the food industry to prevent labeling of GMOs in California. If they had nothing to hide, why would they fight so hard to keep GMOs hidden in our food.

4- From 1997 to 2007, the reported food allergies in children have increased by 18%, according to the Government's database.

5- GMOs cross pollinate and their seeds travel. Their contaminaton is ruining the lives of thousands of farmers in India and the rest of the world as they get bullied by the biotech industry, namely Monsanto.

6 - Do you trust a company like Monsanto with your food when said company is responsible for Agent Orange in Vietnam and sues farmers to destroy the competition? The same farmers later on tried to sue Monsanto, reversing the balance.

7 - Even a big Health Insurance giant like Kaiser has now gone against GMOs.

8 - GE or GMO crops have increased the use of pesticides in the US by over 318 million pounds from 1996 to 2009 (GMOs were introduced in 1995). This flies into the myth that GE crops help farmers reduce pesticide use. Roundup (a pesticide) is now in our air, water, and even rain. It is linked to sterility, birth defects, hormone problems and cancer.

9- GM crops don't help feed the world's poor, starving people. That is propaganda from the industry to help promote its products. On the contrary, GM crops are expensive, they are patented which makes seed saving, which has always been done by farmers, illegal. They do not increase yelds, improve nutrition or withstand drought. Organic farming is a lot more efficient at producing crops which are also healthy.

10- The FDA has been bought by the GMO industry. The current head of the FDA, Michael Taylor, used to work as biotech attorney for Monsanto. The result is that no GMO is being tested for safety in the US.

What can you do?

Support any legislation which either pupports to label or ban GMOs.

But the power is in your purchases. The first thing is to avoid most processed foods as they are likely to contain GMOs.

Buying whole organic produce is your best bet.

Also look up resources like The non-GMO project which has a great shopping list of non-GMO products from ethical companies.

Boycott the so-called natural companies which are themselves owned by giant corporations who have voted against Proposition 37.

Educate your neighbors, your family, your community to the dangers of GMOs and WATCH the movie Genetic Roulette. You can make a small donation to watch it on their website. It is well worth the less than $3 they ask for.