Healthiness Medicament

Food fight: Burger King franchisees sue chain

2009-11-13T12:13:00.001+08:00

Burger King franchisees sued the hamburger company this week over its $1 double cheeseburger promotion, saying they're losing money on the deal and the company can't set maximum menu prices.

The National Franchise Association, a group that represents more than 80 percent of Burger King's U.S. franchise owners, said the $1 promotion forces restaurant owners to sell the quarter-pound burger with at least a 10-cent loss.

While costs vary by location, the $1 double cheeseburger typically costs franchisees at least $1.10, said Dan Fitzpatrick, a Burger King franchisee from South Bend, Ind. who is a spokesman for the association. That includes about 55 cents for the cost of the meat, bun, cheese and toppings. The remainder typically covers expenses such as rent, royalties and worker wages.

"New math, or old math, the math just doesn't work," Fitzpatrick said.

After testing the $1 deal in markets across the country, the discounted burger went on sale nationwide last month even though franchise owners, who operate 90 percent of the company's 12,000 locations, twice rejected the product because of its expense.

"The current management team has disregarded rights that Burger King franchisees have always had," Pennsylvania franchise owner Steve Lewis said in a statement.

Denise Wilson, a spokeswoman for the nation's No. 2 hamburger chain, said the Miami restaurant company believes the litigation is "without merit," particularly after an earlier appeals court ruling this year showing the company had a right to require franchise owners to participate in its value menu promotions.

Restaurants, especially fast-food chains, have been slashing menu prices because of the poor economy. Executives hope the deeply discounted deals will bring in diners who are spending less when they eat out, or opting to stay home altogether.

When the $1 double cheeseburger was announced this fall, analyst said it could increase restaurant visits by as much as 20 percent. But despite that boost, a Deutsche Bank analyst said as much as half of the gain recorded from increased traffic could be lost because customers were spending less when they ordered food.

The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Southern Florida.

Burger King shares fell 18 cents, or 1 percent, to close at $17.12 Thursday.

Degos disease or Dago disease

2009-10-13T16:47:00.000+08:00

Cells in the linings of the walls of the medium and small veins and arteries under the skin swell when they become inflamed.

This causes the blood flow to be restricted.

Where this happens, spots (lesions) appear on the skin. They are small and red, slightly raised (we are building up a library of photos of Degos skin lesions on this web site: if you have any more photos, please let us know).

As they develop, the centre becomes dry and white (atrophic). Sometimes the spots itch.

Degos lesionsYou can see some typical lesions in the picture inset on the left and at the following site:
http://tray.dermatology.uiowa.edu/Degos01.htm

In some people, the disease stays at this stage and other symptoms do not develop. We know of one patient who was diagnosed in 1973 and is still well and working full-time.

Be aware that information on some sites is inaccurate . You will read statistics and numbers which might scare you - but they are often based on projections and on published case reports. There are lots of Degos patients whose cases haven’t been written up and who are alive and well.

There are also lots of confident assertions which just aren’t true! For example: “This disease affects mainly young men” - not in our experience! Or “The lesions don’t appear on the soles of the feet” - wrong again! Percentages and actual numbers can’t be right, as no-one has compared living patients until now. Take it all with a pinch of salt and add your experience to our site and to the data being collected in Dessau, Germany.

Our collective knowledge will make the difference between assertive inaccuracies on medical sites and clear truth on this Degos Disease site.

Most of us are leading full and normal lives. Some patients have a few lesions on the skin; others have hundreds. We don’t yet know if numbers are significant.

Sometimes the disease affects blood vessels in other parts of the body. Most commonly, the gut, the central nervous system or the eyes are involved.

Most case histories in the medical literature are of ‘worst case’ scenarios.

Detailed article about Degos Disease by Noah S Scheinfeld, MD, JD, FAAD. http://www.emedicine.com/derm/topic931.htm

Other names for Degos disease are:

* Malignant atrophic papulosis
* Köhlmeier - Degos disease
* Köhlmeier disease
* Degos - Köhlmeier disease
* Degos disease
* Degos syndrome
* Erythrokeratoderma en cocardes
* Thromboangiitis obliterans (courtesy: degosdisease.com)

Resources from Click Here

5 Germy Habits You Should Probably Try to Break

2009-09-29T15:51:00.000+08:00

1. Not washing your hands after using the restroom. Have you ever heard the line that "urine is sterile" so there's no need to wash up. Um, sorry, you need to wash your hands. Sterile urine aside, there's still the business of wiping, flushing, and touching door handles--all of which could lead to cross contamination that can make you sick.

2. Eating food samples at grocery stores. For the same reason you wouldn't lick a stranger's hand, it's best not to dive into the freebie bowl of chips at the supermarket. Ask yourself: "Would I open up a bag of chips and share it, communally, with 50 people on the street right now?" Probably not.

3. Coughing into your hand. Maybe it's just me, but everywhere I'm looking these days people are coughing into their hands--instead of the inside of their elbow. If you tend to do this, try to retrain yourself to cover your cough with your arm and not your hands--it's polite and it also helps protect others with weaker immune systems from catching any bug you've got.

4. Rubbing your eyes--ever. After a fairly icky eye infection years ago, a doctor told me this: Think of your eyes as sacred and untouchable, and retrain yourself not to touch them with your fingers (no rubbing or messing with your eye makeup until you've washed them first). The second you touch a dirty hand to your eye, you're introducing all kinds of harmful bacteria and viruses, which can lead to annoying and even serious infections.

5. Letting your dog lick your hands then not washing them. Guys, I'm a dog lover, but when my golden retriever licks my hands, I go wash them. Yes, it gets tedious to do this (because she's always giving me kisses), but it needs to be done. I will remind you that dogs and cats get into unsavory things (I'll just be blunt: mine likes cat poop).

Read on 5 Germy Habits You Should Probably Try to Break

Filet-O-Fish

2009-09-11T09:54:00.001+08:00

The answer to the eternal mystery of what makes up a Filet-O-Fish sandwich turns out to involve an ugly creature from the sunless depths of the Pacific, whose bounty, it seems, is not limitless.

The world’s insatiable appetite for fish, with its disastrous effects on populations of favorites like red snapper, monkfish and tuna, has driven commercial fleets to deeper waters in search of creatures unlikely to star on the Food Network.

One of the most popular is the hoki, or whiptail, a bug-eyed specimen found far down in the waters around New Zealand and transformed into a major export. McDonald’s alone at one time used roughly 15 million pounds of it each year.

The hoki may be exceedingly unattractive, but when its flesh reaches the consumer it’s just fish — cut into filets and sticks or rolled into sushi — moist, slightly sweet and very tasty. Better yet, the hoki fishery was thought to be sustainable, providing New Zealand with a reliable major export for years to come.

But arguments over managing this resource are flaring not only between commercial interests and conservationists, but also among the environmental agencies most directly involved in monitoring and regulating the catch.

A lot of money is at stake, as well as questions about the effectiveness of global guidelines meant to limit the effects of industrial fishing.

Without formally acknowledging that hoki are being overfished, New Zealand has slashed the allowable catch in steps, from about 275,000 tons in 2000 and 2001 to about 100,000 tons in 2007 and 2008 — a decline of nearly two-thirds.

Read more on NYtimes.com - From Deep Pacific, Ugly and Tasty, With a Catch

A(H1N1) in Eqypt

2009-07-01T16:02:00.001+08:00

Egypt reported on Tuesday another case of influenza A/H1N1, bringing the total number of the flu in the populous country to 67, according to the Ministry of Health.

The new case is a 12-years-old girl who came from United Arab Emirates (UAE), Health Ministry spokesman Abdel Rahman Shahine said.

He said that the health condition of the new case is stable after proper treatment, adding that 38 of the country's total 67 cases have recovered.

Egypt reported its first A/H1N1 flu case on June 2, a 12-years-old Egyptian-American girl coming from the United States via the Netherlands.

Egypt, the most populous Arab country that was hit hard by the fatal bird flu in 2006, decided in late April to cull all pigs in the country to stem the highly infectious flu A/H1N1.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the disease has infected more than 70,000 worldwide and killed 311.

Pandemic or Not?

2009-06-11T11:30:00.001+08:00

On The New York Times:

The World Health Organization has backed itself into a corner on its Pandemic Influenza Phases system and the so-called swine flu. WHO knows it and is working on bureaucratic escape routes. But the real problem is what these alert systems mean for national governments that have detailed pandemic response plans — particularly the United States.

After decades of ignoring the influenza threat, the 2005 emergence of a virulent strain of H5N1 bird flu spawned global concern. The key outcome of that collective worry was a flurry of planning, at all levels of governance, from WHO in Geneva on down to municipal councils in Kansas and Japan. The plans vary, of course, but all start from roughly the same point: An announced pandemic.

There has been no pandemic announcement for H5N1 because the bird flu virus is extremely virulent, but not apparently contagious between human beings. The WHO Pandemic Influenza Phases system requires evidence of sustained transmission between human beings in two distinct parts of the planet at the same time. That standard has not been met for H5N1 bird flu: So far, so good.

But based on that same WHO threat scheme, we do now have a full-fledged pandemic of swine flu. The world should be at Pandemic Influenza Phase 6 right now.

However, the H1N1 virus has so far proven to be a wimpy virus. Its virulence seems to be well below that of routine seasonal flu, and its so-called RO (or reproductive number) is about 1.4, based on Mexican data. This statistic means each person who acquires the virus infects about 1.4 other people. That’s certainly not a terrifying level of contagion. In contrast, the dreaded 1918 influenza pandemic had an RO of around 3; on average, each infection was tripled. A constant three-fold expansion of an epidemic is a frightening prospect that utterly defies government planning. The concept of epidemic “containment” in the face of an RO of 3 is patently ridiculous.

But if the swine flu RO turns out to be 3, or even 4, do we care? Should the world be put on alert for a highly contagious — but very low severity — virus? WHO experts are mulling this problem, trying to figure out how to de-couple their system from geography, and link it more closely to severity and the level of contagion.

Nice idea, but not an easy feat, as New York City has discovered. When the first cases of swine flu emerged in mid-April among students at the St. Francis parochial school there was no immediate way to figure out either how virulent or contagious (RO) the virus was. An Australian group has studied the St. Francis school data and concluded the RO in that school was a very scary 3.45 — perhaps as high as 4.28. The H1N1 virus may be a mild organism, but if each individual case infects more than 4 others, mere statistical odds dictate that many people will suffer and die from the virus. To be blunt, if roughly four times more people can get infected with a mild flu, as compared to seasonal influenza, the virus could be 400 percent less virulent and, theoretically, kill just as many people as a tougher seasonal virus. It’s a crapshoot. But gambling is not a sound basis for policymaking.

The U.S. pandemic plan links government action to phases of viral activity. While the U.N. system has six threat levels, the Bush administration-designed approach grew out of the Hurricane Katrina experience, and, like our storm forecast system, has five categories. Each category reflects a different level of severity of the organism, based on an estimation of the percentage of people who die as a result of infection — a case fatality ratio. A Category 1 is theoretically declared for a pandemic organism with a case fatality ratio of less than 0.1 percent: Category 5, requiring urgent government action, is declared if more than 2 percent of those infected are killed by the virus.

This has proven ludicrous. In the case of bird flu, fatality rates are in the 63 percent ballpark — far above Category 5 levels. But the wimpy swine flu H1N1 doesn’t even appear to merit a Category 1 designation. The U.S. category system has no metric to discriminate human-to-human transmission rates.

This is not trivial. Federal guidance for such actions as mobilization of vaccines is based on these designations. And categories are based on death rates — numbers we still don’t have in validated form. Why does this matter? On a global scale these influenza phases and categories befuddle everything from vaccine manufacturing to negotiations on access to medicines.

We need rapid diagnostic tests to determine who has been infected. Much of our delay in understanding what category or phase to assign to swine flu has stemmed from the near impossibility of determining just how many Mexicans were infected with the H1N1 virus, a figure that now appears to have been far larger than initially guessed. Even in New York City, officials lack a toolkit that could easily discriminate genuine H1N1 infections from hay fever. We don’t know what our denominator is, so we cannot make a case fatality or morbidity ratio. (One death out of 100 New Yorkers infected would be horrific; 1 out of 100,000 would be a personal tragedy but hardly a public calamity.)

In the absence of such tools of precision, the wise course would be to merge the phase and category systems, putting the World Health Organization and national governments in harmony. For example, in the case of the H1N1 swine flu, WHO should declare that the world is now facing a Phase 6 pandemic influenza spread, caused by a Category 1 organism of low severity. An appropriate designation for the H5N1 avian flu: Phase pre-1, Category 5.

Governments should only set up action and threat assessment systems that are flexible, and useful. The Bush administration learned this in the years following 9/11, as the nation grew weary of color-alert systems for terrorist threat assessments. Nobody is well-served by repeating such mistakes in pandemic planning.

8 Ways to Eat Out for Less

2009-05-05T10:44:00.000+08:00

You can dine out on just about any budget if you're willing to use a few frugal strategies, says Rachael Ray, host of 30 Minute Meals and Tasty Travels on the Food Network. "I live in New York City, and while we have plenty of high-end, expensive restaurants, there are more than enough great and reasonably priced places. In fact, there are thousands of them," she says. '"You don't have to be rich to live a rich life, and that is very true even when you're eating out." Here are a few tips from Ray and other culinary experts on finding the best deals:

Go early. Early-bird specials make a lot of sense for retirees, who can take advantage of not working during the day and go out for breakfast or lunch. "I love to go out to breakfast. I think it's a great part of the day," says chef Spike Mendelsohn, a former contestant on Bravo's Top Chef reality show who now owns Good Stuff Eatery, a "comfort food" restaurant in Washington. And that's not just because he works at night. Breakfast items typically cost a fraction of dinner meals. Plus, many restaurants serve the same or similar entrees during both lunch and dinner, but they charge less earlier in the day.

Forgo the extras. It can be painful to pay $1.50 or more for a glass of soda or iced tea when you know you could buy an entire 2-liter bottle for the same price. Instead, drink water with your meal, and have a cold glass of lemonade at home on your front porch while watching the sun set. The same goes for wine, beer, and dessert. For the price of dessert at many restaurants, you can buy an entire half-gallon of ice cream or have a fun evening baking and frosting your own cake.

Just desserts. Instead of skimping on extras, you could dine at home and then soak up the ambience of a nice restaurant while having dessert and coffee. Or just get an appetizer before or after filling up at home. "Obviously, you will get more bang for your buck when you are shopping and preparing meals at home for yourself," says Ray. She adds that some recipes can feed a family for about $10. "Make sure that when you are shopping, you compare unit prices—not retail prices—to make sure you are getting the best deal on ingredients."

Ask for discounts. A common senior discount is 10 percent off the price of a meal (for diners above a certain age). Some restaurants may offer a free beverage with the purchase of a meal or a special senior menu with smaller portions and lower prices. "There are always great deals at family-owned places," says Mendelsohn. "You can research places on the Web and find these great deals and great tasting menus." But seldom will you find such discounts promoted on a menu. Often, asking is the only way to get a break on your bill.

Double take. If you plan to share a large entree with a friend or significant other, watch out for extra charges. Also, consider taking half of a large meal home to eat for lunch the next day. If you often order too much, look for restaurants that offer a special menu of several courses for a fixed price.

Food festivals. Many cities host food festivals that feature samples of exotic delights from top chefs at affordable prices. During Washington's restaurant week this year, for example, participating establishments offered three-course meals for just $20.09 for lunch and $35.09 for dinner. "When we were in Austin for the South by Southwest music festival, we ate at Polvo's on South First Street," says Ray. "Everything at Polvo's is reasonably priced—especially the fajitas, which are heaping in size and delicious—and in the center of the restaurant, there's a free salsa bar with tons of great pickled vegetables. My friends loved the beef fajitas, which are marinated in beer."

Talk about town. Before visiting an unfamiliar city, ask a few residents or friends who have visited where they eat—and don't be shy about mentioning your price range. Online community message boards or restaurant review websites can also give you the inside track. "Whatever city you are in, it's always great to ask the locals where they go to eat," says Chef Stephanie Izard, who won Bravo's Top Chef cooking competition in season four and plans to open a new restaurant, The Drunken Goat, in Chicago in the fall. Once you're in town, ask the concierge or other hotel employees about their favorite hot spots. "If you are having breakfast in a hotel, ask the waiter for great local restaurants," says John Kinsella, president of the American Culinary Federation.

Health officials fight STDs with social networking

2009-04-19T22:25:00.001+08:00

Association of press wrote:

Public health officials in Ohio and elsewhere are turning to online social networking sites to help control the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

Health agencies are signing on to the sites. Using information provided by clients who use their services, they can reach out to potentially infected partners online through their screen names.

The agencies notify an infected person's partners of an urgent health matter and provide a number to call.

The National Coalition of STD Directors has developed guidelines to help health departments with online notification.

Too Much Salt Are Hurting Majority of Americans

2009-03-27T08:31:00.000+08:00

Have you been eating too much salt? It was been reported that too much salt are hurting Americans. In the said report, American eat way more than the recommended amount of salt.

It was said that high level of salt causes stroke and heart disease and lowering self intake will diminish these very serious health consequences. When you eat salt, your blood pressure goes up. And high blood pressure dramatically increases your risk of heart disease and stroke. Recent studies definitively show that people who eat too much salt significantly increase their risk of stroke and heart disease.

Be motivated to eat salt no more no less. It was also recommended that 50% reduction of salt over 10 years. So there will be changes in food indutries and such. Lets be optimistic with this issue, for everyday we take salt on our diets.

Traumatic Head Injuries

2009-03-20T16:28:00.002+08:00

At first, Natasha Richardson said she felt fine after she took a spill on a Canadian ski slope. But that's not unusual for people who suffer traumatic head injuries like the one that killed the actress.

Doctors say sometimes patients with brain injuries have what's called a "lucid interval" where they act fine for an hour or more as the brain slowly, silently swells or bleeds. Later, back at her hotel, Richardson fell ill, complained of a headache, and was taken to a hospital. She died Wednesday in New York.

An autopsy Thursday showed that the 45-year-old actress hit her head, which caused bleeding between the skull and the brain's covering, resulting in what's called an epidural hematoma. It's a type of injury often caused by a skull fracture.

Because of that lucid interval, doctors always tell patients who seem OK after a brain injury to have someone keep a close eye on them, in case symptoms emerge.

Cancer Rates Soaring in Developing Countries

2009-02-03T15:54:00.000+08:00

Cancer now kills more people in developing countries each year than AIDS, tuberculosis or malaria, health experts said here on Monday.

Issued ahead of World Cancer Day on Wednesday, their report said more than 12 million new cases of cancer were diagnosed worldwide in 2008, resulting in 7.6 million deaths.

More than half of all new cases and around 60 percent of the fatalities occurred in developing countries, where poor medical infrastructure often means that cancer is a sure-fire death sentence.

"Cancer in the developing world is a hidden crisis that goes largely unreported, undiagnosed and untreated," said David Kerr, a professor of clinical pharmacology and cancer therapeutics at the University of Oxford, who contributed to the report.

"Cancer survival rates in developing countries are exceptionally poor. Lack of awareness, stigma and reliance on traditional healers mean most people do not seek medical help until their disease is advanced, and often incurable."

According to the report, issued by health foundation and consultancy Axios International, there could be 20 million new cases of cancer each year, and 13 million deaths, by 2030.

It points to several reasons why cancer -- which previously found a stronghold in rich economies -- is expanding so fast in poorer countries.

One is that people there are living longer, and the risk of cancer rises as one ages.

Another is the spread of modern lifestyles, characterised by smoking, drinking, little exercise and diets that are high in fat and sugar and poor in roughage.

But a third factor is cancers that are related to infection, such as the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is linked to cervical and colorectal tumours; liver cancer, linked to hepatitis B and C viruses; stomach cancer, caused by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, and Kaposi's sarcoma, caused by the herpes virus.

Vulnerability has been boosted by immune systems that are damaged by the AIDS virus.

In low- and middle-income countries, the three most commonly diagnosed cancers are lung, stomach and liver in men, and breast, cervix and stomach among women.

But early warning infrastructure to alert people at risk-- and doctors and drugs to treat them effectively -- can be pitifully absent.

For instance, in the developed world, 63 percent of women have access to cervical screening, but this is only 19 percent in developing countries.

"Today, significant progress has been made in the early detection of many cancers, in particular breast and cervical, yet nearly four out of five people with cancer in developing countries are not diagnosed until they have late-stage disease," Axios' chief executive officer, Joseph Saba, said in a press release.

Redon Yahoo Health

The Best Alcoholic Drinks for Dieters

2009-01-30T13:12:00.007+08:00

We all know that drinking and dieting don't mix. Alcohol is empty calories, quickly converts to sugar and lowers our inhibitions so we are inclined to eat more. However, for most of us, drinking is a part of birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, weekends, holidays, travel, fine dining, cheap dining, home dining, vacations, boat trips, sailing trips, camping trips, barbecues, happy hours, and in Europe...breakfast. OK, I think you get my drift. That being said, here's the buzz on how to not let drinking become dangerous to your diet:

Vodka Cranberry/Tonic/Straight: One of the best alcoholic beverages for losing weight is 1.5 shot of vodka (98 calories) with a low or no calorie mixer, such as Schweppes diet tonic or diet cranberry juice (Try Ocean Spray's Diet Cranberry Juice at 5 calories). Another option if you can stomach it is to drink vodka straight. Now with all of the flavored vodkas, such as Absolut Pears vodka, this is an option.

Captain Morgan & Diet Coke: A 1.5 shot of Captain Morgan (86 calories) with Diet Coke (0 calories) is a great option for bars that don't have calorie free mixers. Almost every place carries Captain Morgan and Diet Coke. And Captain Morgan (86 calories) is fewer calories than regular rum (98 calories).

Sugar Free Red Bull & Vodka: If you are someone who wants um, "wings" when you are out, the Sugar Free Red Bull (10 calories) mixed with 1.5 shot of Vodka (98 calories) is a good option.

Beer: If you are a beer drinker, try and stick to Miller or Amstel Lite (96 calories, 4.2% alcohol) versus your average 150 calorie beer. Another second place option is Bud Light (110 calories, 4.2% alcohol).

Mimosa: Now you can also enjoy a very low calorie mimosa. Take 2 oz. of Minute Maid Light orange juice (12 calories) and 3 oz. of champagne (78 calories). And voila... a 90 calorie mimosa!

Wine: For all of you out there who have ever made fun of boxed wine (not me, no, NEVER) - I have some ironic news. The butt of all the jokes is having the last laugh. Franzia "Refreshing White" white wine (90 calories, 12.5% alcohol) is the lowest calorie you can get! Maybe they should market themselves as the diet wine and rebrand. SHHHH, don't tell anyone, but it actually kinda tastes good, not to mention the obvious "low-cost" benefit. One thing to note is that this wine has about 12.5% alcohol, where the high alcohol content wines come in at about 14.0%.

Source: Shine at Yahoo

The Best (and Worst) Fast-Food French Fries

2009-01-28T12:14:00.000+08:00

Worrying about calories seems silly after you've consented to a French fry grease-fest, but sometimes you can't help it. During one such conflicted experience, I wondered if some fast-food fries were less hard on the body than others. Looking at the nutritional facts of some common French fry purveyors, I found that you can, indeed, save some serious calories if you know which fries to buy.

I looked at these seven:
-Arby's Curly Fries
-Burger King's French Fries
-Carl's Jr.'s Natural-Cut Fries
-Dairy Queen's French Fries
-Jack in the Box's Natural Cut Fries
-McDonald's French Fries
-Wendy's French Fries

Notes: The numbers below are estimated reports by each restaurant's official website at the time of this article.

Calorie-wise:

The Best
Dairy Queen wins with 2.69 calories/gram
Jack in the Box is close behind with 2.71 calories/gram

The Worst
McDonald's it is, with 3.25 calories/gram

Those stats may sound like just a few calories' difference, but that's a 21% difference, which adds up since a large serving tends to be around 190 grams.

But there are other stats to look at...

Here's the zero trans fat team:
Burger King
Carl's Jr.
Dairy Queen
McDonald's
Wendy's

This one is the trans fattiest:
Jack in the Box

How about saturated fat?

The Best
Dairy Queen (0.018g saturated fat/gram of fries)

The Worst
Arby's (0.037g saturated fat/gram of fries)

Also remember that a good deal in dollars, doesn't translate to your diet, and a "large fries" means something different to everyone:

Large Fries Serving Sizes
McDonald's: 154g
Carl's Jr.: 184g
Wendy's: 184g
Dairy Queen: 186g
Arby's: 190g
Burger King: 194g
Jack in the Box: 236g

Sources: Yahoo! Food

Aerobic, Resistance Best Exercises For Elderly

2009-01-27T11:25:00.000+08:00

Older, obese adults who do a combination of aerobic and resistance exercises have less insulin resistance -- a warning sign of type 2 diabetes -- and are better able to do simple tasks, researchers said on Monday.

The findings might be useful to help motivate elderly people, who often fear that exercise is bad for them, another expert said.

A team led by Lance Davidson of Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, and Columbia University in New York, studied 136 sedentary older adults with abdominal obesity, a build-up of fat around the waist that raises the risk of heart disease and other problems.

They were placed in one of four groups: A group that did resistance exercise three times a week, one that walked on a treadmill three times a week, one that did both types of exercise and one that did neither.

After six months, researchers found older adults who had done combined resistance and aerobic exercise had lower levels of insulin resistance, an age-related condition that often precedes diabetes, stroke and heart disease.

Participants in all of the exercise groups were better able to do simple tasks like standing up from a chair or walking in place, Davidson and colleagues wrote in the Archives of Internal Medicine. But here too, the group that did a combination of exercises fared best.

Dr. William Hall, director of the Center for Healthy Aging at Highland Hospital in Rochester, New York, said bias against older people may be keeping some seniors from exercise.

"You have to show seniors that they will feel better and do better -- that becomes an incredible motivator," he said.

Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment

2008-11-26T18:02:00.000+08:00

Drinking water can be unclean if it is not treated. It can be colored differently and can have an uncomfortable odor to it. While it is important to treat water, methods of water treatment can be expensive. One of the newer methods of treatment that doesn’t have to be especially complicated wallet and can be effective is reverse osmosis water treatment. It helps to reduce the amounts of substances that are found in water that can make its taste differently and can cause odors, thus making the water healthier after reverse osmosis water treatment.

Reverse osmosis water treatment uses a system that helps to get rid of solid particles that can form scale over time in a water system. These particles that can form scale come from various different elements, including sodium, nitrate and sulfate. With these removed through reverse osmosis water treatment it will be helpful to make the water easier to drink.

The carbon filter in reverse osmosis water treatment methods is used to reduce compounds. These compounds include those that are soluble organic, and these compounds include pesticides and chloroform. These compounds are not needed in water, so reverse osmosis water treatment is needed to take care of these.

Reverse osmosis water treatment is used to help filter water. It makes water move into a permeable membrane that features small openings. These openings are small enough so that only water molecules can get through the membrane. Larger compounds that are retrieved are then screened, and electric currents are used to get rid of the unwanted compounds and chemicals in water.

Not only does reverse osmosis water treatment work, but it is also easy to use. A particle filler is needed to help with gathering solid particles out of water, and a permeable membrane component is needed to get rid of contaminants in the water, and it is used to keep the contaminants from passing into the water. A storage tank is needed so that treated water can be stored in it, and a post-filter is needed for residues to be removed after treatment occurs. The delivery tap is the last part of a reverse osmosis water treatment plan, as it is used to get the water in the storage tank to the consumer.

It can cost a good amount of money to create a reverse osmosis water treatment system, but it can be effective. An assembly kit of a reverse osmosis water treatment system can cost a few hundred dollars, but it can also cost up to three thousand dollars based on how effective it is. The membrane will also need to be replaced on a regular basis. The membrane can cost a few hundred dollars, and the filter cartridges cost around fifty dollars each.

In short, reverse osmosis water treatment is a method of water treatment that can help to improve water in the home. However, it is important to know that it should only be used in the home, as it can be especially expensive and impractical to use it in a larger setting.

Water Treatment Chemicals

2008-11-14T09:08:00.001+08:00

There are many different kinds of bacteria that can get into water. It is important to be able to get rid of the bacteria so that the water can be safer to drink and use. With the right water treatment chemicals bacteria can be eliminated from water pipes in the home. This helps to get rid of the dangerous things that can get in the way.

Many different water treatment chemicals are available today on the market. They are all different, and they serve various different purposes. These water treatment chemicals can control the ph level of the water, they can kill off microorganisms and can oxidize water.

Chlorine is the first of the water treatment chemicals to consider. Chlorine can be used in both the home and in commercial and industrial settings, thus making it very versatile. It is even required to be used by water utility groups so that they can be safe before moving through water pipes to other peoples’ homes.

Swimming pools use chlorine to help clean the water for swimming. Many businesses like hotels and water parks use tons of chlorine over the course of a year in order to help protect the water. This is especially important to use, since the water can’t just be replaced all at once.

Hydrogen peroxide is another of the water treatment chemicals that is used often today. The hydrogen in this compound is used to help oxidize water. When the water is oxidized there will be a significantly lower amount of contaminants in the water, and most of the time they can all be eliminated. Hydrogen peroxide is known to be effective in doing this, and it is well proven to be one of the safest water treatment chemicals on the market.

Potassium permanganate is used to help remove magnesium and iron from water. This helps to make water more pleasant tasting, and it also removes odor from water. However, unlike other water treatment chemicals this one is intended to be used in water that is at a deep surface with a lower level of oxygen in it. This helps to get the water to be oxidized, and it also reduces rust stains.

Hydrogen chloride and natrium hydroxide are two water treatment chemicals that work together to help balance the ph level of water. The ph level should be balanced because if it is not the water will not be safe. Hydrogen chloride is used when the ph level is acidic, and natrium hydroxide is used when the ph level is basic. These two water treatment chemicals are important for getting the ph level in water right.

These water treatment chemicals can be especially useful, but it is important to be sure to use all water treatment chemicals safety and in the right manner. Do not use too much of them, as it can be dangerous. With the right method of treatment water treatment chemicals can be effective.

Unilever Says New Milkshake Helps Control Appetite

2008-11-13T09:03:00.001+08:00

GENEVA (Reuters) - A new weight loss drink that tastes like a milkshake significantly reduces appetite and could soon join Unilever's $400 million Slim-Fast weight-loss brand, the company's researchers said on Wednesday.

A study showed that the drink, which works by trapping gas in foods to make people feel full, worked even better than the company's Slim-Fast weight-loss drink, they said.

The researchers, who presented their findings at the 2008 European Congress on Obesity, said the company has patented the technology.

"The technology is now available for the brand to use in future formats," said David Mela, a Unilever nutritionist who worked on the study. "The food maintains the bulk, much of which is air that helps you maintain that full feeling."

Obesity is a big problem and big business. About 400 million people are classified as obese, putting them at higher risk of diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart diseases, according to the World Health Organization.

This has in part spurred companies like Unilever, Kraft Foods, General Mills, Sara Lee and others to turn to healthier products with a whole range of so-called health and wellness foods.

"If you look at western populations, a (large number) of adults are overweight," said Gert Meijer, an executive at Unilever's research and development division. "In terms of the amount of people who might be interested in this product, it could be huge."

In the Unilever study, the researchers tested their milkshake on 24 volunteers who were given either the new drink or a serving of regular Slim-Fast at breakfast.

People who had the milkshake reported that they were significantly fuller when asked at different intervals over a four-hour time period. The researchers found that a half-sized serving of the milkshake also suppressed hunger.

"We are clearly talking about hours," said Sergei Melnikov, a physical chemist who helped develop the technology. "It is an effect that lasts for an hour or two or longer."

The milkshake is designed to trap gas in the food after consumption, preventing it from dissolving in the mouth as happens with foods like whipped cream, and cutting appetite.

To do this the team engineered the fats, proteins and fibers in the food until reaching the right mix to trap the gas -- a technology that might appear in other Unilever foods, the researchers said.

"I would say this is not limited to liquids," Melnikov said. "It could be used in other food forms."

Read also on Health Benefits from Vegetables and Fruits

Fat Kids Found To Have Arteries of 45-Year-Olds

2008-11-12T09:38:00.001+08:00

NEW ORLEANS – Obese children as young as 10 had the arteries of 45-year-olds and other heart abnormalities that greatly raise their risk of heart disease, say doctors who used ultrasound tests to take a peek inside.

"As the old saying goes, you're as old as your arteries are," said Dr. Geetha Raghuveer of Children's Hospital in Kansas City, who led one of the studies. "This is a wake-up call."

The studies were reported Tuesday at an American Heart Association conference.

About a third of American children are overweight and one-fifth are obese. Many parents think that "baby fat" will melt away as kids get older. But research increasingly shows that fat kids become fat adults, with higher risks for many health problems.

"Obesity is not benign in children and adolescents," said Dr. Robert Eckel, a former heart association president and cardiologist at the University of Colorado-Denver. It is why the American Academy of Pediatrics recently recommended cholesterol-lowering drugs for some kids, he noted.

Raghuveer wanted to see if early signs of damage could be documented. She and colleagues used painless ultrasound tests to measure the thickness of the wall of a major neck artery in 70 children, ages 10 to 16. Almost all had abnormal cholesterol and many were obese.

No one knows how thick a 10-year-old's artery should be, since they're not regularly checked for signs of heart disease, so researchers used tables for 45-year-olds, who often do get such exams.

The kids' "vascular age" was about 30 years older than their actual age, she found.

A separate study tied childhood obesity to abnormal enlargement of the left atrium, one of the chambers of the heart. Enlargement is a known risk factor for heart disease, stroke and heart rhythm problems.

Julian Ayer, a researcher at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Sydney Australia, did ultrasound exams on 991 seemingly healthy children ages 5 to 15. He saw a clear link between rising weight and size of the left atrium.

A third study by Dr. Walter Abhayaratna of Australian National University in Canberra, Australia, also used ultrasound tests and found impairment in the heart's ability to relax between beats in children who were overweight or obese.

The study involved the first 150 children participating in a larger community-based study.

Earlier research he helped conduct found more rigid arteries in such children — a possible sign of plaque deposits starting to form.

"Even at this young age of 10, you can have children who have got arterial stiffness who are comparable to 30- and 40-year-olds," he said.

Dr. Michael Schloss, a New York University heart disease prevention specialist, said the evidence shows obesity is more than a cosmetic issue for children.

"If you've seen what's on the menu for most school lunches, these findings are no surprise," he said. "The time has come to seriously deal with the issue of childhood obesity and physical inactivity on a governmental and parental level."

3 Day Diet

2008-10-31T16:44:00.002+08:00

There are many occasions that make women want to lose weight quickly. Maybe there is a wedding or a class reunion that is right around the corner. We want to look our best for such occasions, especially if we haven’t seen some of the party goers for a long time. One weight loss option is the 3 day diet. This plan promises quick weight loss in only three days.

Of course, quick weight loss is very appealing to many of us, but it is not recommended by most of our doctors. Many nutritionists argue that the 3 day diet only leads to temporary weight reduction. Most of us who follow the plan will only find the weight creeping back on in just a few weeks.

However, we must consider the purpose for the 3 day diet before abandoning the eating plan entirely. If the goal is to lose about ten pounds in three days for a specific occasion, then this plan is perfect for you. If you want permanent weight loss and an eating plan that you can follow for the rest of your life, then the 3 day diet is definitely not for you.

The plan is very restrictive and it requires a lot of will power. Anyone following the 3 day diet is urged to follow the plan for only three days. This is why the plan is best for anyone who wants to slim down quickly for a special occasion and not for someone looking for a long-term diet plan. People who follow the 3 day diet are instructed to go off of the diet for at least two days before starting the regimen over again.

Just about every woman has experienced the urge to drop one or two dress sizes before a special event. Maybe it is that little black dress that is hanging in the back of the closet that you haven’t been able to zip up for a few years. The 3 day diet can be a great way to get you back into that dress in just a few days.

Maybe you just need a kick start to your long term weight loss plan. Sometimes losing a lot of weight quickly can give a dieter the motivation required to get on a good diet and exercise plan. I have found that dropping significant weight in the beginning of a weight loss plan will insure that I am motivated to continue.

Even though the 3 day diet has many critics, remember to consider the purpose for the plan. This is not a long term diet and it definitely is not a way of life. However, if you are looking to drop a few pounds quickly or if you just need the motivation to get yourself into diet mode, consider the 3 day diet as a start.

Read also on: http://www.formerfatguy.com/weblog/2006/07/3-day-diet-is-it-right-for-you.asp

Acne Information

2008-10-28T11:13:00.002+08:00

So many people struggle with skin afflictions on a regular basis. You'd think with the level of technology these days, acne would be a mere dilemma of the past. Unfortunately that age-old confidence killer is still strong and in full effect these days. The question is; how can you acquire legitimate acne information, and how can you obliterate those pesky zits forever? Well, a great place to begin your search for acne information is the World-Wide-Web. If you're not jacked in, then you're missing out. We all have access to pimple solutions galore; therefore it's time to take action.

If you watch TV late at night, then you've probably encountered acne information on some cheesy infomercial. These babies are hard to miss. We've all seen the endless adds for Proactive Solution. While this product can sound unreal, it may be just the cure you're looking for. It has proven itself again and again over many acne products. However, this product is not for everyone. One of my daughters who had acquired a bad case of acne in recent years, tried Proactive Solution, but it didn't work for her. Being a young teen, she was miserable with breakouts and needed a solution fast. Eventually we ventured out to the local dermatologist for acne information and answers. The doctor gave her a prescription for a cream and an oral medication. After using both for a couple weeks, her acne had practically vanished. This was the right solution for her, but we're all different.

If you are one of the many afflicted with acne breakouts, it's time to jump online and get the acne information you need. The key is understanding your skin type and form of acne. This way you can purchase a cleanser and medication that's right for you. Maybe it can be found on an infomercial, or maybe it can be found at the corner drug store. You don't always have to go the expensive route to get clear skin. With the deluge of acne information at your fingertips, there is no reason why you can't pinpoint that ideal acne regime that suits your individual mug. It's time to fight acne the right way. Delve into cyberspace for that much-needed acne information today, and get the clear skin you deserve. Although the timeless battle with pimples can be a gut-wrenching one, you don't have to tackle it unprepared anymore.

Allergy Cures

2008-10-22T16:01:00.003+08:00

Allergies can bring discomfort and misery to your everyday life. Many people who suffer from the affliction are seeking allergy cures to relieve the symptoms they experience. In order to properly address allergy problems, it is necessary to try and determine what causes your symptoms in the first place.

Common causes are pet dander, mold, dust and outdoor elements like pollen. Once you determine what is behind your symptoms it is easier to find possible allergy cures to try. Some have found over the counter medications to be very helpful. Others find relief after visiting a specialist. Then again, some find no relief at all.

For those who can not seem to find any relief from commonly used allergy cures, homeopathy may be a viable option. Homeopathy is an all-natural approach to medicine and health that is the subject of some argument and controversy. Some argue that homeopathy is a hoax and no allergy cures can possible be found through natural elements. Others swear that they have experienced instant relief from their symptoms through homeopathic remedies.

Some of the symptoms include congestion, headaches and colds. These symptoms often evolve into more severe conditions like bronchitis and pneumonia. For people who face the symptoms and the more severe conditions on a daily basis, finding allergy cures is crucial to their health and general well-being.

Traditional methods that the medical community often uses to address allergy symptoms include painful shots, medications that leave the patient groggy and miserable and even surgery in severe cases. These traditional methods of treating allergy symptoms are quite disheartening to many people who want to find allergy cures without using medication or taking shots. No one really wants to undergo surgery but many do to find some relief.

Homeopathy methods suggest that the allergy cures lie in the substances that cause the allergic reactions in the first place. The substances are diluted and introduced to the body in small doses. This enables the body to create the proper antibodies to ward off the abrasive substances successfully without producing an allergic reaction.

The process is quite similar to getting a vaccine. When we get a vaccination shot, we are actually injecting the virus or threatening substance into our systems. The weakened substances are introduced to our systems in small doses that can be fought off by our immune systems. Once our bodies demonstrate that they can fight the virus, we are immune. Since homeopathy follows the general logic we use behind vaccines, it probably is worth a try.

Headache Cures

2008-10-15T12:53:00.001+08:00

If you experience headaches on a regular basis, you know the prevailing thought when one occurs is how to get rid of it. Headaches come in many forms and for many reasons. When you can pinpoint the cause for your headache, you have a better chance of finding the right headache cures to beat your problem.

Migraine headaches tend to the worst type of headache. These are often accompanied by upset stomach, and sensitivity to light and sound. Migraines can last for days on end, and a lot of common headache cures won’t help. They may take the edge off the pain, but the migraine is still there. For headache cures relating to migraines, you can try over the counter migraine medications. These work well for some people, while others feel no effect. If you have tried these headache cures and they have failed, visit your doctor. You may be a good candidate for prescription migraine medication.

When your headache is not a migraine, you have to search for the source. Tension headaches are quite common, and can be felt not only in the head, but in the neck and shoulders as well. Headache cures for this type of headache range from medications to message. Staring at your computer all day can give you eyestrain. This eyestrain will then contribute to a pounding headache. You can take medications for this, or can try a more natural remedy to get rid of this type. Prevention is the best remedy available. Make sure you eye prescription is up to date, always wear your corrective lenses, and take a break from staring at your computer monitor at least every ten minutes.

For headaches of unknown origin, pain relievers often help. You can help eliminate sources of stress and bad habits like smoking or drinking. Natural headache cures often work better if you know the root of the problem. Rest is often a good one, along with cutting back on caffeine and sugar. Simple headache cures often will not help raging and reoccurring headaches that don’t have an obvious cause. This is when you might want to see a doctor to discuss your pain. There are times when severe headaches (that are not migraines) can signify a medical problem.

If you have bleeding in your brain, or any other significant medical problem, headache cures will not help you. Your doctor must uncover the root of the problem. Sometimes headache cures do not come in a bottle, they come about when underlying medical issues or living habits are repaired.

Healthy Foods

2008-10-02T10:30:00.002+08:00

Our society is in the midst of a health craze. No matter where you turn there is information about being healthier. One of the best ways to improve your health is to eat healthy foods. So often when people hear those two words they think of boring, tasteless foods that can only be purchased as a natural food co-op. But healthy foods are things that you already eat every day, some times just prepared differently.

Healthy foods and eating habits can be very pleasing to the palate and plate. The main thing to remember with healthy foods is that the closer the food is to its natural state the healthier it is for you. You can begin changing your eating habits to more healthy foods by cutting down on the number of prepared foods that you eat. Prepackaged foods are loaded with preservatives and artificial ingredients. Packaged foods are convenient, but healthy foods can be also, once you get in the habit of preparing them.

Healthy foods are very easy to prepare. It does not take any more time or money to eat healthy foods. Here is an example of a great meal that is easy to prepare, inexpensive and features healthy foods. Grill lean hamburger patties until well done. Place the patties on whole grain all natural hamburger buns. Serve the burgers with a large tossed salad and a side of steamed green beans. Follow this simple meal with an offering of fresh fruit for dessert. This meal can be on your table in less than half an hour and involves all healthy foods. Grilling or baking lean meats, fish or chicken is not time consuming. Tossing a salad of fresh greens and vegetables can be done while the meat is cooking. You round out the meals by using fresh or frozen vegetables. You can add variety to your meals by trying different healthy foods that you haven’t tasted before. The produce section of your local grocer is stocked with a wealth of healthy foods including exotic fruits and vegetables. Most produce sections have recipes and tips in how to prepare fruits and vegetables that you may not be familiar with. This is a great way to expose your children to a variety of healthy foods. Also available in the produce sections are many different fresh herbs that you can try to add different tastes to your meals.

Healthy foods can be used on a daily basis to prepare fast nutritious meals. You can also use healthy foods in more exotic recipes when you have the time. Healthy foods can also be prepared ahead of time and frozen for later use. When you prepare your own frozen foods, you know that they are not loaded with artificial additives and preservatives. Involving your children in the preparation of the healthy foods can create a time when each can share about their day. Eating healthy foods do not have to cost you time or money, and they are so much better for you.

Also read on myweightlossdietpills.com/healthy_foods.html

Asthma and Exercise

2008-09-30T10:19:00.004+08:00

Everyone should engage in some sort of aerobic activity to keep their heart and lungs healthy, and muscles toned and strong. Even people with asthma benefit from regular exercise; it helps to increase lung capacity therefore allowing the lungs to function more efficiently. Many times the fear of an asthma attack keeps asthmatics from participating in activities that they enjoy. Asthma and exercise may seem like fire and water to some, but there are ways to make these two very compatible. Many professional athletes suffer from asthma and allergies, but they have found a way to manage their symptoms effectively so that they can perform at their fullest potential. There are many good asthma and allergy medications on the market today, some available over-the-counter and some by prescription only that can greatly reduce the onset of asthma symptoms during exercise.

According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI), physical and emotional well-being can be improved through regular exercise, which can also help to manage asthma symptoms. Here are a few asthma and exercise facts that can help people get active and stay active by learning these simple interventions. Not all types of exercise will provoke asthma symptoms, and before beginning any type of exercise program, an asthma and allergy specialist or health care practitioner should be consulted. Asthma and exercise can cause symptoms such as shortness of breath, a tight feeling in the chest, or coughing, all of which can develop into a full blown asthma attack if not treated immediately. By using a short or long acting bronchodilator prior to exercising, asthma symptoms can be controlled or even prevented completely. Other medications such as decongestants and antihistamines, either oral or inhaled, are also effective in controlling asthma and exercise.

Other important asthma and exercise facts include not exercising in cold or windy weather, or when pollen counts are high. These factors can aggravate asthma and allergy symptoms, which can lead to a more severe attack. Asthma and exercise routines can be tailored to each individual’s specific needs, and some activities are better tolerated than others. For more information on asthma and exercise visit the Medem Medical Library at www.medem.com or a number of other online sources that have great suggestions on how to stay active and benefit from regular exercise while controlling asthma and allergy symptoms.

Medical Health Insurance

2008-09-19T16:01:00.003+08:00

One of the most difficult problems with owning a business is finding appropriate medical health insurance. While working for a large employer, most people are offered a medical health insurance plan that is chosen by the company. Because of the number of enrollments they provide, they receive group coverage at a discount rate. Along with this group rate, they are also able to offer medical health insurance to people that have pre-existing conditions. However, when one tries to find medical health insurance on his or her own when starting a business, it is a whole different ball game.

The first obstacle every entrepreneur has to deal with is finding affordable coverage. The medical health insurance industry offers several tiers of coverage at different price ranges. The most affordable would be hospital coverage, which would only cover expenses during a hospital stay. From there, the next tier would be a medical health insurance plan with a very large deductible. Once this large deductible sum is met, the insurance plan would pay for expenses beyond that.

If one chooses to opt for insurance plan with a lower deductible, the monthly payments can be quite expensive, but the deductible sum is generally much lower. Medical needs certainly need to be taken into consideration when choosing an appropriate medical health insurance plan, such as usual number of doctor visits per year and medical equipment needs. Also take into consideration things like starting a family, as bills for labor and delivery and post partum hospital care can be quite large. If a business is just starting out, it must be taken into consideration whether a large lump sum or more expensive monthly premiums would be more manageable.

Another obstacle that may be faced is finding coverage at all if you have a pre-existing condition such as diabetes, severe asthma or cancer. Many medical insurance companies do not offer coverage at all if this problem exists. Other insurance companies may offer twice yearly open enrollment periods to obtain medical health insurance, but they are limited, costly and are often HMOs.

A fine option for those looking for independent medical health insurance is joining a local group of businesses. This allows a group of companies to obtain health insurance as one large group, and offers the same advantage that larger companies have of lower costs and coverage for those with pre-existing conditions.

Obtaining affordable and effective medical insurance can be daunting, but it can be done with some careful research and willingness to explore all options.