How much sodium? Decoding nutrition labels

Guidelines for Americans, designed to give Americans a sense of what their diets need based on the newest food research.
But interpreting this information as a consumer can be tricky. After all, the numbers companies must print on packaged foods are only useful if you have a point of reference.
When you're deciding what to make for dinner, experts say that having a bit of background information allows you to make more informed decisions about the information you see on food labels.
Counting calories
"The most important thing there — and that's why it's in bold — is calories," said Keith-Thomas Ayoob, an associate clinical professor of pediatrics and registered dietitian at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. "That will determine whether someone gains or loses weight. Your body doesn't really care whether the calories come from sugar or fat when it comes to controlling weight."
As it says in the fine print, food labels are based on a 2,000 calorie diet — but the number of calories you actually need can vary. The American Heart Association recommends consuming anywhere from 1,600 to 3,000 calories per day depending on your age, gender and lifestyle.
There is also some variation in how much you need of the different vitamins and minerals, based on your age. The daily values listed on food packages after each vitamin or mineral are based on the highest amount needed by any age group, Ayoob said, which ensures that anyone following the labels will be getting enough of the vitamin, if not a little extra.

Health Buzz Diabetes Rising Among Americans

Approximately 26 million American adults over age 20 have diabetes,compared to 23.6 million in 2008—a 9 percent jump, according to estimates released Wednesday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In total, more than 100 million Americans now have diabetes or prediabetes, Diabetes arises when the body has trouble producing or using the hormone insulin, which leads to the buildup of sugar in the blood. Diabetics are at increased risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, blindness, kidney disease, and amputations. At least 90 percent of those affected have type 2 diabetes, which is linked to obesity and inactivity. About 79 million Americans, meanwhile, have prediabetes, which means their blood sugar is elevated but does not meet the threshold for a diabetes diagnosis. Most people with prediabetes develop full-blown diabetes within 10 years, unless they lose 5 to 7 percent of their body weight, Bloomberg reports. "These distressing numbers show how important it is to prevent type 2 diabetes and to help those who have diabetes manage the disease," Ann Albright, director of the CDC's Division of Diabetes Translation, said in an agency statement. On a positive note, she said the findings also suggest that people with diabetes are living longer than ever before.

Being plump is good for health

The researchers said the idea that weight is harmful has been "exaggerated" and people who are little heavier may actually live longer.

The California University (CU) study that looked at about 350,000 people in the US also suggested that the obese put their health in greater danger when they obsessively try to slim down.

It recommended that people should eat a varied and balanced diet, and take "enjoyable" amounts of exercise — even if they still end up carrying a few extra pounds. The researchers also noted that society's obsession with dieting is "ineffective" and often leads to people becoming fatter as they crave food and binge, the Daily Mail reported.

Linda Bacon, a CU professor who led the study, claimed there is evidence to show that overweight people live longer than normal. Those who are obese in old age also tend to live longer than elderly people who are thin, they said. They are also more likely to survive certain health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and kidney failure, added the researchers.

Although it's known that obesity puts people at higher risk of heart disease and other illnesses, the scientists said that "being fat" is not the cause. Instead, they blame poor diet and lack of exercise — which almost always come with obesity.

The Many Benefits of Acupuncture

Growing up with a family that was dedicated to health and wellness prepared me for a life-long commitment to nutrition and fitness, but I never knew it would lead to a career. I always had a passion for natural medicine and healing, but wasn’t sure if I wanted to actually pursue a career in the field. I thought about being a nurse or exercise instructor, but decided it wasn’t for me. As I began to research different homeopathic and natural living information, I was drawn to ancient Chinese medicine.

As I was looking at different Chinese medicine schools, I found that there are a lot of options to choose from if you’re interested in holistic medicine. I was amazed at all of the different areas of study available within the field, and was instantly sure of what I wanted to do. Immediately, I was drawn to the ancient practice of acupuncture. I had little knowledge of the practice, and certainly had no idea that so many ailments were curable using acupuncture, prior to starting my acupuncturist certification program.

Acupuncture is a natural healing treatment utilizing herbs, fine needles among other tools to treat stress, migraines, infertility, back pain, among other ailments and injuries. Individuals suffering from migraines or back pain can receive acupuncture treatments instead of taking medicine that could have potentially harmful side effects on their body. Not only can acupuncture heal your body of illness, it can also prevent the nasty effects modern medicine can sometimes cause. Countless patients love acupuncture because it allowed them to wean themselves off of their medicine, and move to a more natural state where their condition is controlled without the use of drugs.

Another benefit of acupuncture is stress reduction. An acupuncture session is not as painful as one may think, but is rather relaxing and has a calming effect on most patients. Most people come not only for the positive benefits they receive from the treatments, but also the mood-boosting and body-relaxing effect it has on them as well.

We live in an extremely busy world that is often crowded with chaos and trouble, and acupuncture acts as sort of an oasis for many people. Acupuncture is not some weird, old tradition, but rather, a time-tested, natural way to achieving better health and wellness.

Use of EMR in the Ophthalmic Field

Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) are computerized medical records that allow hospitals and other medical practices to organize patient data in digital files instead of paper files. EMR systems can allow for easier storage, retrieval and modification of patients’ medical records, integrating data generated by diagnostics instruments, imaging devices and administrative records. Though most hospitals in the U.S. and the world still rely on paper medical records, the move towards EMR has been steadily growing. As of 2006, 10% of U.S. hospitals employ fully integrated EMR systems.

EMRs in Ophthalmology

Many EMR vendors tend to create systems with templates designed to fit a variety of medical practices. While this makes good business sense, it also means these systems often don’t cater to the special needs of specific medical fields. This has been especially true in the case of ophthalmology, where field-specific EMRs have been slow to develop. If you take a cursory look at the amount of data that gets generated by ophthalmic treatments, it’s easy to see why. Ophthalmology documentation tends to require hundreds of more numerical values than most other medical fields. Integrating data obtained from corneal topography exams, excimer laser surgeries and other field-specific tests and procedures requires an EMR that has been designed with only the field of ophthalmology in mind.

What’s Available

Seeing the need for ophthalmology-specific EMR systems, a number of EMR vendors have developed software that’s designed with ophthalmological practices in mind. Companies like EMR Consultant, EyeFinity, and First Insight all offer EMR systems that include features like the ability to customize sensory eye exam screens and track patients’ contact lens prescriptions and display notes associated with the manufacturer. Many of these EMR systems rely on templates that can be set up and modified by the ophthalmologists themselves according to their data filing needs.

DIY Ophthalmic EMRs

Some ophthalmologists, in their spare time, have constructed their own electronic records systems using XML and Word programs. This DIY approach sprung from the perceived lack of adequate field-specific EMRs. A lot of these doctor-created EMRs can work well, but come with a number of potential problems, among them the fact that, should one wish to transfer the acquired data to a professional EMR system, the task would be immensely time consuming.

Benefits of EMRs

The good news is that ophthalmology-specific EMRs are getting better, and once you get over the learning curve, the seemingly complex systems become quite efficient. Many EMR vendors provide guides and training. Newer EMRs include user friendly interfaces that make the customizing process easier, and the time saved by using an ophthalmic EMR is well worth the commitment.

BIO-- Erick D. Smith is a blogger living in San Diego, California who writes about information in the medical field, including ophthalmic equipment and the excimer laser

Plan would charge state retirees more for health care

State lawmakers, fresh off of passing a major income tax increase, are turning toward a trio of other ideas as they try to capitalize on a newfound mood at the Capitol of dealing with long-festering budget problems.
The new push is a crackdown on the rising cost of health care for retired state workers. The program costs the state nearly $500 million a year, and more than 90 percent of the retirees and survivors pay no premiums.
The leftover plans are to raise the cigarette tax and borrow money to more quickly pay down a big backlog of bills, both of which could get new life now that the high-pressure political atmosphere surrounding the tax increase is done.
Of the three, the retiree health insurance issue is most likely to become the next rallying cry among a public weary of the cost of state government and the recent Democrat-led incursion into their wallets to pay for years of mismanagement.
The idea is to start charging the retirees who can afford to pay for their health care. And new state research shows some of the 84,100 retirees and survivors appear to possess the ability to pay — the average annual household income for a retired state worker younger than 65 was nearly $78,000.

Kidney transplants could save health-care system millions

The number of Canadians living with kidney failure has tripled in 20 years and thousands of patients are waiting for kidney transplants, researchers say in a report that suggests if transplants were available, $150 million spent on expensive treatments would be saved.
There were nearly 38,000 Canadians living with kidney failure in 2009 -more than triple the number recorded in 1990 -with 3,000 people on a transplant waiting list, according to a study examining organ failure released yesterday by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI).
If everyone on the wait list was transplanted, about $150 million would be saved each year because of less dialysis treatment expenses, said Claire Marie Fortin, CIHI's manager of clinical registries.
"Dialysis is expensive, there's no denying it," Fortin said.
"It's also onerous on the patient. We always think of dollars and cents when it comes to health care, but there are patients involved and these are people who have to travel far to get their dialysis. A greater supply of organs would be beneficial to the system."
Hemodialysis treatments cost $60,000 a year per patient while a one-time expense for a kidney transplant is only about $23,000, plus an additional $6,000 for medication to maintain the transplant, Fortin said.

Medicare Is for Your Health Again

Sometimes I wonder if Medicare is even meant for our health concerns, or if it’s all just another way to lose money. Ask yourself this question: are you over sixty-five and feel like you’re not getting enough coverage from Medicare? Do you feel stressed and burned by health costs that seem to never go away? If answered yes, Medicare insurance is the option for you to take. Don’t feel that your future is hopeless when it comes to health coverage; there is a way to have the help, stability, and security that you desire in your life. There are different choices to choose from, but whatever type of Medicare insurance you choose, there is no doubt you will be pleased with the benefits.

Medicare insurance offers ways to bridge the gap between what is covered in Medicare and what is not. Either you can completely replace your Medicare or simply add to it. There are different insurances offered that can fit your individual needs: Medicare advantage replaces your Medicare and Medicare supplements are just that—a supplement to your Medicare.

The Medicare supplement plans are fairly inexpensive and fill in your health coverage gaps. The plans are the same in all forty-seven states where they are offered; however, their prices vary depending on you as the customer. Your age, sex, and other factors will help determine the costs. The cost of each plan also correlates to the amount of benefits offered.

Medicare advantage has different options: some have premiums and some do not. There are different plans, each with their own unique details. For instance, some provide dental coverage and others provide prescription coverage. This type of Medicare insurance is offered by different providers. Become knowledgeable about the various providers and what option is best for you and your loved ones.

These plans are federally regulated. It is important to become informed about the varying plans in order to choose the Medicare insurance that is right for you. This insurance can bring stability and security to your life—a piece of mind that comes only from ensuring that you have full health coverage. Coverage is very important for both your financial and emotional state.

Medicare insurance is bound to be an investment that you will thank yourself for every day. The actual coverage is an important and wonderful thing in and of itself; however, even just the assurance that you are covered can be enough to face your future with courage and with a piece of mind that is priceless.

Health Bill: facts and fiction, by Carol Propper

I have to admit to being stunned by the level of misinformation that is currently accompanying the Health and Social Care Bill as it is introduced into Parliament.
Yesterday, the shadow health secretary John Healey stated that ‘the changes would make the health service profit centred rather than patient centred, health secretary Andrew Lansley said ‘competition would be on quality and not cost’ and that as the health service is free at the point of delivery patients obtain the best medical outcome rather than the cheapest option. Meanwhile, Karen Jennings, head of health at Unison, stated that the only survivors will be the private health companies which are ‘circling like sharks’ and MPs say ‘the reforms have taken the NHS by surprise’.
None of these statements has much basis in either fact or evidence. The reforms being introduced in the bill are essentially a continuation of the reforms started under the previous administration, albeit at an increase in pace and scale. The Labour reforms introduced competition between hospitals for patients and patient choice of hospital and a system of regulated prices. Lansley has changed the buyers of health care from local PCTs to general practitioners, but under Labour the PCTs were supposed to act on behalf of their local GPs anyhow. Why Healey believes that increasing the pace of reform and replacing the PCTs with GP consortia should mean the NHS switches from being patient to profit centred is completely unclear.
GPs have not been seen by politicians as profit centred previously. In fact, perhaps because GPs see so many voters each week, most politicians studiously ignore the fact that GPs are private contractors and not NHS employees. In addition, the new GP consortia will probably employ a fair number of ex-PCT staff. So it seems unlikely there will be a radical shift in values on the purchaser side.

Spice And Dye Point Toward Better Treatment For Traumatic Brain Injuries

An old Indian spice and a dye whose cousin makes sports drinks blue are pointing scientists toward better treatment of traumatic brain injuries.

TBIs, the signature wound of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, occur on football fields and roadways as well when an injured brain swells inside the closed confines of the skull, causing cell damage and symptoms ranging from headaches and confusion to seizures, slurred speech and death.

Medical College of Georgia researchers suspect that one day curcumin - the biologically active ingredient that makes the spice turmeric yellow - and the dye brilliant blue G - or their analogues - may be what doctors order to block the dangerous swelling.

"Today we don't have good therapies for TBIs, which can mean many good and often young minds are damaged or even lost," said Dr. Cargill H. Alleyne Jr., Chairman of the MCG Department of Neurosurgery. "We believe these attempts to characterize how edema and secondary injury develop after head trauma will enhance our efforts at prevention as well as identify novel therapies. This may eventually make a big difference for those injured on battlefields, football fields and highways."

"This is a dire situation for these patients," added Dr. Krishnan Dhandapani, MCG neuroscientist who vividly remembers a young TBI patient he saw his first week on the MCG faculty. The young male was riding an all-terrain vehicle helmetless when he flipped and hit his head on a rock. MCG Neurosurgeon John Vender, who had removed a portion of the patient's skull to give the brain room to swell, explained that was one of the biggest problems after trauma.

GOP lacks clear health-care plan

With the House preparing to vote this week on whether to repeal the health-care law, the chamber's new Republican majority is confronting a far more delicate task: forging its own path to expand medical coverage and curb costs.

The House's GOP leaders have made clear that they regard the repeal vote, scheduled to begin Tuesday, as the prelude to a two-prong strategy that is likely to last throughout the year, or longer.

They intend to take apart some of the sprawling law, which Democrats pushed through Congress last year, piece by piece before major aspects of it go into effect. At the same time, Republicans say, they will come up with their own plan to revise the health-care system, tailored along more conservative lines.

On the cusp of undertaking this work, the GOP has a cupboard of health-care ideas, most going back a decade or more. They include tax credits to help Americans afford insurance, limiting awards in medical malpractice lawsuits and unfettering consumers from rules that require them to buy state-regulated insurance policies. In broad strokes, the approach favors the health-care marketplace over government programs and rules.

Weight-Loss Tricks Around the World: USA Today’s Hellmich Maneuvers and China’s Weird New Roundworm Diet

Weight-Loss Tricks Around the World: USA Today’s Hellmich Maneuvers and China’s Weird New Roundworm Diet
Given Lab Notes’ almost Twitter-like space limitations, however, only a few of Hellmich’s tips could be cited, which is sufficiently unfortunate to serve as justification for a more elaborate summary of her various suggestions. A lot of them are staple weight-loss tips that are familiar entries on almost every list, such as drinking water prior to meals, using smaller plates and bowls, exercising two to four hours a week to accelerate weight loss, and so on. We’ll skip those.
But some others are less commonplace and/or more specific, and worth taking a moment to pass on to anyone who might not have already encountered them. Here, in brief:

• Set weight-loss goals you can actually meet: 1/2 to 2 pounds a week is reasonable.
• Familiar ploy: Get a pair of jeans or other pants too tight for you and use them as an incentive. Hellmich variation: Don’t hang them in the closet, but in your kitchen.
• Involve your family as your partners and support crew.
• Replace the fatty and sugary snack items in your home with snackable substitute veggies (carrot and celery sticks, cucumber slices) and fruits (grapes, apples, strawberries).
If you think our shortage of jobs is making people crazy, consider China, where unemployment currently stands at around 22 percent officially, and maybe much higher unofficially. However rapidly China’s cities can create new jobs, job-seekers from the vast rural expanse pour in to take them even faster. And, as is the case here, simple physical attractiveness is often a significant advantage in landing a position, especially for women, and especially to the benefit of the slim and slender.
• This has driven females entering the Chinese workforce to some drastic measures to slim down for job interviews, among them exotic pills, teas, and even soaps, acupuncture, staring at photographs for hour after hour as a kind of self-hypnosis, and showering whenever hunger strikes — up to 10 times a day or more.

Anthem Blue Cross CA Finally Gets Approvals!

Just received a voicemail from Anthem Blue Cross California that the plan portfolios held up by the California Dept of Insurance have finally been approved.

These plans have been pending approval since September 22, 2010.

According to the voicemail the new plans (all PPACA-compliant) will be available for sale tomorrow (1/14/11) to the public.

I will update this post with the particulars of the plans now available as soon as I receive the written confirmation in the morning.

Pituitary Gland

The pituitary gland is a pea-sized gland located at the base of the skull between the optic nerves. The pituitary gland secretes hormones. Hormones are chemicals that travel through our blood stream. The pituitary is sometimes referred to as the "master gland" as it controls hormone functions such as our temperature, thyroid activity, growth during childhood, urine production, testosterone production in males and ovulation and estrogen production in females. In effect the gland functions as our thermostat that controls all other glands that are responsible for hormone secretion. The gland is a critical part of our ability to respond to the environment most often without our knowledge.

The pituitary gland actually functions as two separate compartments an anterior portion (adenohypohysis-hormone producing) and the posterior gland (neurohypophysis). The anterior gland actually is made of separate collection of individual cells that act as functional units (it is useful to consider them as individual factories) that are dedicated to produce a specific regulatory hormone messenger or factor. These factors are secreted in response to the outside environment and the internal bodily responses to this environment. These pituitary factors then travel through a rich blood work network into the blood stream and eventually reach their specific target gland. They then stimulate the target gland to produce the appropriate type and amount of hormone so the body can respond to the environment correctly.

Similar to the cortisol factory there are additional factories:

* Growth Hormone
* Prolactin
* Gonadotropin ("sex hormones")
* Thyroid

The pituitary is responsible for the hormonal regulation of several body processes, including water retention, breast milk synthesis and release, human growth, and thyroid gland secretions.
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Treating and Preventing Gout Naturally

Gout occurs when the body doesn't eliminate enough uric acid or produces an excess amount of the substance. The excess acid crystallizes in the joints, causing severe pain and inflammation. A type of arthritis, gout can be hereditary or it can result from high levels of triglycerides in the blood, drinking too much alcohol on a regular basis, eating food rich in purines or from other medical conditions. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, gout occurs most frequently in men over the age of 40 who also have a family history of the condition. However, it may affect anyone at any time.

Symptoms of Gout
The most common symptoms of gout include pain, which typically becomes severe, in a single joint. The pain typically begins at the base of the big toe, although it can also affect other joints including the feet, fingers, ankles, wrists, knees and elbows. Other common signs and symptoms of gout include:

• Shiny, swollen, red or purple joint that feels stiff and hot to the touch.
• A fever up to 102.2 degrees Fahrenheit, with or without chills.
• Symptoms that develop quickly and remain for 5 to 10 days, with the first gout episode usually occurring at night.
• Lumps, also known as tophi, that appear just below the surface of the skin in the hands, elbows, knees, feet and/or outer ear in later gout attacks.

Preventing Gout
If you have a family history of gout or if you've had a gout attack in the past, consider taking preventative measures before symptoms appear. Of course, eating healthy and getting enough exercise should be a priority for maintaining health, but there are a few specific things you may want to avoid to prevent gout.

• Avoid foods high in cholesterol to keep your triglyceride levels as low as possible.
• Avoid drinking more than one alcoholic drink each day.
• Avoid eating foods high in purine, such as red meat, shellfish and organ meats. Uric acid is formed when purine breaks down, so these foods are especially dangerous to individuals prone to gout.
• Drink lots of water, at least four to six glasses a day, to help flush excess uric acid from the body. During a gout attack, increase the amount of water to at least eight glasses a day for the best results.
• Eat foods rich in antioxidants, such as berries, fruits and vegetables, and increase your daily intake of fiber-rich foods including whole grain breads, pastas and cereals.
• Take a daily multivitamin to ensure you're getting adequate nutrients.

Treating Gout Naturally
Always visit a qualified health care provider if you experience gout symptoms. Your doctor will most likely prescribe a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) to help relieve swelling and pain. However, there are also several gout home remedies you can use in addition that may help alleviate some of the pain and inflammation. Be sure to ask your doctor before using natural remedies, however, especially if you currently take prescription medications, as interactions could occur.

• Take 500 to 1000 mg of vitamin C daily. In a study published in 2009 in the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers found that individuals prone to gout attacks had a lower incidence of developing symptoms after increasing daily vitamin C intake.
• Drink 8 to 16 oz. of black cherry juice daily during an attack and/or as a preventative. Cherries have been proven to lower uric acid levels in laboratory studies. If necessary, replace the cherry juice with fresh cherries. Eating about ½ lb. each day helps reduce uric acid and relieve gout symptoms.
• Eat celery stalks or take celery seed extract to help combat gout. Like cherries, celery also reduces uric acid levels. For the best results, simply eat four celery stalks daily or take four to six celery seed extract tablets daily.
• Take freeze-dried stinging nettle capsules or drink nettle tea. The herb has potent anti-inflammatory properties that can help alleviate the pain and swelling associated with gout. Take 600 mg of the herb in capsule form or make your own tea by steeping 1 tsp. dried nettle leaves in 1 cup boiling water for 10 minutes. Strain and drink up to three cups a day, as needed.

About the Author: Caryn Windfield is an herbalist, aromatherapist, writer and founder of The Modern Herbal, a resource for information on alternative medicine topics.

Be heart smart and have a healthy heart.

What we eat can make a big difference to the health of our hearts. We can reduce our chances of developing heart disease by eating a diet that is high in fruit and vegetables, high in fibre, and low in salt and fat, particularly saturated fat. And don't forget that giving up smoking will significantly reduce the risk of heart disease. Becoming more active also helps protect our hearts by lowering blood pressure, improving cholesterol levels and controlling our weight.
If you want your heart to be healthy for the rest of your life, follow this prescription:
1. Get plenty of exercise.
2. Follow a good diet.
3. Keep your heart clean and drug-free.
People who don't follow this prescription often develop some form of heart disease.
Exercise 30 min most days of the week with a moderate-intensity activity (e.g. brisk walk) and 60-90 min daily for weight control. (Check with your healthcare practitioner before starting any exercise program).

Aim for at least 30 minutes a day or two 15-minute periods of exercise.

Maximize health benefits by making exercise a part of your daily routine.

Do warms-up and cool-down exercises to help prevent muscle injury.

Eat a wide variety of foods in moderation and follow My Pyramid for portion size.

Use the Nutrition Facts Label as an aid for healthful choices.

Limit total fat. Limit saturated fat. Avoid hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils -known as trans-fat (read the ingredients section).

Replace unhealthy fats with healthy monounsaturated fats like olive, canola and peanut oils.

Eat at least two fish meals a week. Cold water fish contain health omega-3 oils.

Drink 4-6 glasses of water a day.

Maintain a healthy weight. Don't crash diet.

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link directory

biosphere travel

Turning travel into a volunteer opportunityis an increasingly popular way to spend vacation time. For those with an interest in protecting planet biodiversity and wildlife conservation, Biosphere Expeditions offers the opportunity for adventure travel while giving a helping hand.
An award-winning, non-profit organization, Biosphere Expeditions bridges the gap between scientists at the forefront of conservation programs that are in need of funds and helpers, and enthusiastic travelers who during their vacation time and through their hands-on assistance and expedition contributions, want to support them.
Travelers can take part in anything from a weekend project to extended expeditions lasting months. Examples of possible conservation projects in 2010 include working with whales, dolphins and turtles in Azores, coral reef in Musandam, or jaguar and puma in Brazil. The average cost of a one-week expedition is about 1,780 USD with at least two-thirds of the volunteer contribution devoted to long-term funding of the conservation projects and sustainability.

By taking part in volunteer travel focused on protecting biodiversity you can be involved in making a difference around the globe. So far some of Biosphere Expedition’s most notable achievements include a declaration of a protected area which serves as a wildlife habitat in Central Asia, recommendations incorporated into the national and state jaguar action plans in Brazil, and fewer killings of lions, leopards and cheetahs in Namibia.
If you are looking for a cause to travel for these expeditions are something to consider. You will have a positive impact on local communities, wildlife, and the environment while seeing some of the most beautiful locations this planet has to offer.

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Monitoring a Patient’s Life

In almost every hospital scene in movies and television, you can always hear that “beep” noise going on next to someone’s medical bed. It’s everywhere because the patient monitor is easily one of the most essential tools you’ll see at a hospital or doctor’s office. In addition to the standard patient monitor, you may also see an electrocardiogram, or EKG/ECG for short, which records a patient’s heart activity, allowing doctors to see what problems could be going on. Along with it come many different EKG supplies, starting with something as simple as paper to be printed and analyzed later, or electrodes that are placed on the patient.

EKG systems are primarily used during medical procedures that are being performed on a patient. Should anything happen that could be hazardous to the patient, the doctors will know by notifications that the EKG performs, as it can detect any kind of heart problems that may occur during the procedure.

There are many different kinds of EKG systems, each meant for different purposes. For example, there is a In almost every hospital scene in movies and television, you can always hear that “beep” noise going on next to someone’s medical bed. It’s everywhere because the patient monitor is easily one of the most essential tools you’ll see at a hospital or doctor’s office. In addition to the standard patient monitor, you may also see an electrocardiogram, or EKG/ECG for short, which records a patient’s heart activity, allowing doctors to see what problems could be going on. Along with it come many different EKG supplies, starting with something as simple as paper to be printed and analyzed later, or electrodes that are placed on the patient.

EKG systems are primarily used during medical procedures that are being performed on a patient. Should anything happen that could be hazardous to the patient, the doctors will know by notifications that the EKG performs, as it can detect any kind of heart problems that may occur during the procedure.

There are many different kinds of EKG systems, each meant for different purposes. For example, there is a stress system. Like an EKG, stress systems monitor the patient, and often the heart rate, but the stress system is unique in that it measures the patient’s stress levels. For example, some stress systems are hooked up to the patient awhile they use a treadmill. This can be used for a variety of purposes such as rehabilitation. By having the patient become physically active, measuring their stress levels will give you a good idea of where the patient is in terms of recovery.

Another form is the aforementioned patient monitor. These machines track the patient’s vitals, and some are even advanced enough to warn doctors when something will happen in the near future. The value of this to a patient’s life can’t have a price as this has saved countless people over the course of its existence. Many argue that a patient monitor is absolutely essential to any credible medical facility, as they can warn about pending, and sometimes fatal heart conditions before they happen.

Although each of these tends to do the same thing, they are different and used for different purposes, each of them essential and unique, creating an important need for each unit. Anyone in the medical field can tell you just how necessary these are in daily medical life, as they can give a warning early enough that could mean the difference between someone living or dying.

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About the author: Erick D. Smith is a blogger from San Diego, California who writes about health topics for AKW Medical, which sells new and refurbished medical equipment, including EKG supplies.

Statins may raise stroke risk in some: study

Although statins are commonly used to prevent heart attacks and strokes, they said the drugs could raise the risks of a second stroke in these patients, outweighing any other heart benefits from the drugs.

"Our study indicates that in settings of high recurrent intracerebral hemorrhage risk, avoiding statin therapy may be preferred," Dr. Brandon Westover of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School and colleagues wrote in the Archives of Neurology.

That was particularly true of people who had strokes in one of the brain's four lobes - frontal, parietal, temporal, or occipital - which recur more frequently than such strokes that occur deep in the brain.

U.S. Wants to Reduce Fluoride in Drinking Water

The recommended level of fluoride in U.S. drinking water supplies should be lowered to prevent dental troubles, according to a joint announcement today by officials from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The HHS is recommending that water supplies contain 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water, replacing the present recommended range of 0.7 to 1.2 milligrams.

That recommendation won't go into effect immediately. It will be published in the Federal Register, followed by a period of comment from the public and others for 30 days.

In other action today, the EPA told it will review the maximum amount of fluoride that will be allowed in drinking water, looking at the most latest research.

Splitting tablets 'may mean patients take wrong doses'

Researchers from Ghent University in Belgium told there could be "serious clinical consequences" for patients.

Tablets which have a slight margin between a dose that is therapeutic and one that is toxic are riskiest.

The study was published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing.

Researchers from Ghent University asked five volunteers to split eight different sized tablets using three different methods.

The participants used three different methods to split the pills a expert splitting device, scissors and a kitchen knife. The pills were various shapes and sizes.

You May Be Less Bald Than You Think

Not long ago, I was having dinner with a friend in his late 20s, and when the topic somehow turned to hair loss, his panic was palpable. "I don't even want to talk about it," he told, shuddering and putting a hand to his substantial curls. Currently there may be less for him and other men to worry about.

The cause of male patterned baldness, doctors have long believed, is found in the cluster of stem cells that generally exist inside each hair follicle. As long as the cells are healthy and abundant, so is hair. When they disappear, the hair goes with them. But a new research published on Jan. 4 in the Journal of Clinical Investigation suggests that things are subtler than that

Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania looked at discarded pieces of scalp from 54 men seeking hair transplants, all but one of whom were not using medication meant to slow balding. The scalp samples were divided into two groups: some already hairless and some that retained hair. The researchers found that in both groups, the samples contained the equal number of stem cells within the hair follicle and that's huge news in the baldness world.

Fishy diet comes with lower risk of stroke

Specifically, fish-lovers in Sweden were 16 percent less likely to experience a stroke over a 10-year-period, relative to women who ate fish less than one time a week.

"Fish consumption in several countries, including the U.S., is far too low, and increased fish consumption would likely result in substantial benefits in the population," told Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian of the Harvard School of Public Health, who reviewed the findings for Reuters Health.

When choosing fish to eat, it's good to opt for fish that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, found most abundantly in fatty fish like salmon, mackerel and albacore tuna. "But any fish is better than none," Mozaffarian noted.

5 Ways to Eat Healthier and Lose Weight without Going on a Diet

As the New Year dawns, many of us are planning to lose weight or eat healthier. This is the time of year when many join gyms, establish weight loss goals, swear off sugar or carbs or one particular food or food component. While it's wonderful to set goals and strive for healthier lifestyles, sometimes our desire to lose weight or become more fit requires so much restriction that we find ourselves falling short of goals, our will power drained and our self-esteemed deflated. In my own experience, the best way to approach weight loss and weight management is through the least restrictive, most balanced approach. While it may take you longer to lose the weight, more than likely you'll keep it off for much longer. Losing weight and eating healthy doesn't have to be complicated. Here are a few tips:

Avoid processed items. Stick with real food.

Much of our weight gain can be attributed to the refined sugars and flours found in over 90 percent of processed foods. Instead of giving up sugar or fat or carbohydrates, try to shop only for whole foods—foods that contain only itself as an ingredient, like fruits, vegetables, milk, yogurt, lean meats, etc.

Slow down while eating; have meals with friends and family.

Weight gain occurs both as a result of what we eat as much as a result of how we eat it. Overeating—eating past the point when you feel satisfied—is one of leading culprits of those extra pounds that sneak up on you seemingly from nowhere. You can easily avoid overeating by consuming your meals more slowly. Sharing meals with others over conversation is the best way to do just that. Slowing down your eating will help you enormously in becoming aware of when you are full, thus helping to avoid those moments when you stuff yourself from simply eating too fast.

Add color to your plate.

Ensuring that your meals are visually appealing, by incorporating as much color as possible (think green from spinach, red from tomatoes, yellow from squashes or bananas) tricks your mind into eating less. Also, it has been proven that more colorful (whole) foods have more nutrients.

Drink plenty of water.

Most people go through their day in a state of mild to moderate dehydration, which can lead to headaches, fatigue, and feelings of hunger. By drinking at least eight glasses of water every day, you'll be fuller for longer periods of time, and you'll have the energy to get more physical activity into your daily routine, thereby aiding and maintaining weight loss. Water also helps to flush out toxins and keep your bowel movements regular, which is essential in successfully losing weight.

Treat yourself to your favorite foods in moderation.

Completely depriving yourself of guilty pleasures like desserts means that one day your will power will weaken to the point that you'll binge on your forbidden treat. Make sure to reward yourself at least once a week with an item that you enjoy. Just have one small portion and savor it without feeling guilty. You'd be surprised by how little this "bad" foods contribute to weight gain if enjoyed once in a blue moon.

Losing weight this year doesn't have to mean following a very strict diet or exercising to the point of exhaustion. All you have to do is commit to eating well and eating mindfully. The weight loss will then take care of itself.

Author Bio: Hajera Blagg is a freelance writer based in Houston, TX. She often contributes content to Online Nursing Universities

Scientists Aim for Test That Could Spot Single Cancer Cell in Blood

A collaborative effort involving U.S. scientists and private companies are looking into a test that could find even one stray cancer cell among the billions of cells that circulate in the human bloodstream.

The trust is that one day such a test, given soon after a treatment is started, could indicate whether the therapy is working or not. It might even indicate beforehand which treatment would be most effective.

The test relies on circulating tumor cells (CTCs) cancer cells that have detached from the most important tumor and are traveling to other parts of the body.

In 2007, researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital, developed a "microfluidic chip," called CellSearch, which could calculate the number of stray cancer cells, but that test didn't allow scientists to trap whole cells and analyze them.