nurse apol

3 Easy Steps Towards Nursing Stress

2011-04-05T20:00:00.000+08:00

Are you pressed for time in your nursing profession? Are you always on the go? Do you ever feel stressed out? Are you stressed out during the day in your nursing career? You know what I mean. You get up in the morning and have to rush out of the door to get to your nursing job. At your job, you have 100 things coming at you and a list of tasks to get done for the day. You rush home, you take care of the "stuff" at home, and do it again the next day. So how do you deal with the stress in your nursing profession? More and more nurses and nursing students are dealing with stress at some point of the day. More and more health issues are arising because of stress. How can you kill the root of stress to live a better and healthier career and life?

Here are 3 easy steps to manage stress through your nursing day right now:

1. Plan your day. Write down the tasks that you need to do for the day. Use a day planner or a palm pilot. There are many types of day planners. Choose the one that works for you and
your needs. This will help you see what really is important to get done. And what is not important in your day. This can help reduce the stress in your day by half.

2. Schedule time for yourself. Every week take time for you. Whether it is a whole day or a few hours take the time for you. Watch a movie, take a walk, get your nails done or go get a massage. Do whatever you like to do to relax.Therefore it will help you focus and get more done. You will also gain more energy.

3.If you have too much to get done. Delegate tasks out to someone else. It is okay to get help. Ask for help from friends,family, or co-workers. Or hire someone to take some of the workload off
of you. When you do everything, stress takes over. Your life will start to collapse.

These actions are a start to take a handle on stress. Pick two easy steps and start utilizing it. It is time to get back a better career and life. It will tremendously help your physical body.

Self-Evaluations: Giving Yourself a Voice in the Performance Evaluation Process

2010-03-11T23:12:00.001+08:00

As nurses, our performance is typically measured and evaluated using competency assessments and annual performance evaluations.

Competency assessments measure how well nurses can perform specific, day to day job skills, like using a LifePack defibrillator or an inserted an IV. Competency assessments are mandatory and often associated with checklists and skills fairs.
In addition some facilities also give their nurses annual performance appraisals that measure softer skills, such as organization, communication, leadership, etc. The annual appraisal is a valuable tool because it can identify high performers or future leaders, and build a culture of staff accountability.

But often, performance appraisals are treated as a necessary activity we have to "undergo". We receive feedback and ratings on our performance, we're assigned development activities, we're given goals. But you don't have to be a passive receiver. You can easily play an active role in your performance appraisal by completing a self-evaluation as part of the process. Doing a self-evaluation helps make sure that your annual performance appraisal is a fair and objective record of your contributions to patient care, and addresses all your development needs.

A good self-evaluation gives your manager a broader perspective to evaluate your performance. It's often hard for them to fairly evaluate your skills and abilities, and understand all the factors that affect your performance; they typically have responsibility for a large number of nurses, and frequently work different shifts than you do, sometimes even in a different location. By completing a self-evaluation and submitting it to your manager before your performance appraisal meeting, you allow them to view your performance through your eyes and get your "side of the story". This gives them a better understanding of your strengths and weaknesses and can sometimes highlight areas where you have a difference of opinion. You might even be able to influence your performance rating by providing detail and insight your manager doesn't have.

Playing a more active role in your appraisal process by completing a self-evaluation also empowers you to take charge of your career development. It gives you a chance to have some input on your goals so you can challenge yourself and sign-up for opportunities that can expand your knowledge/skills/experience. It's also an effective way for you to request training and development activities to can help you progress in your career or address skill gaps.

In an ideal world, your facility's performance appraisal process would include a self-evaluation step. But even if it doesn't, that shouldn't stop you. You can be proactive, get a copy of the appraisal form your manager will be using, and complete a self-evaluation on your own. Just make sure you give your manager enough time to review your self-evaluation before they have to complete their own evaluation of your work.

Your employee performance appraisal doesn't have to be a passive process that you "undergo". Play an active role in your facility's performance management process as well as in your career by thoughtfully completing and submitting an employee self-evaluation.

Halogen Software is the industry leading provider for online nursing competency assessments, development plans and performance management. To learn more about our performance management solutions for nurses, visit our website.

Abortion, Is it Ethical or Unethical?

2010-03-08T20:24:00.000+08:00

The word is a controversial one, so much that it can’t be brought up without some sort of rhetorical discussion following. Legalized after the landmark decision of Roe vs. Wade in 1973, abortion is just one option available to women who find themselves faced with an unplanned pregnancy.

The choice to go through with a pregnancy, or to terminate it, is a very personal one that can only be made by the woman herself. Adoption is another option that women must consider if they are not sure. After she has been counseled regarding abortion facts and information, and has had time to familiarize herself with the pros and cons of medical and surgical procedures, she can make the best choice based on what is right for her.

Factual information about abortion-related topics can be found from various websites including the National Abortion Federation at www.prochoice.org, featuring a series of researched guides that cover topics related to abortion facts and abortion care. The safety of different types of procedures is discussed, medical versus surgical removal of the fetus, types of complications from each, prevention of complications, and more useful information about access to abortion, the ‘day after pill’, post-abortion issues, and statistical highlights about the incidence of abortion in the United States and Canada.

For instance, consider these abortion facts; almost half of all pregnancies among American women are unintended, and about half of these unplanned pregnancies are ended by abortion. Women who have abortions come from all racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and religious backgrounds, and tend to be between the ages of fifteen and thirty-five years.

Given that unintended pregnancy is an issue that affects thousands of people each year, abortion is one of the most common procedures performed in the United States. Women seek abortion for many reasons, and it isn’t just a method of birth control like some may think. Unplanned pregnancies happen, and not every women is emotionally, physically, or financially capable of carrying a healthy baby to term and caring for it afterward.

Help for pregnant women including teaching on abortion, development of baby, physical and psychological effects, and more information can be found at local Planned Parenthood agencies and online. Need to speak to someone right away? Visit www.abortionfacts.com where visitors can access a toll free number to call to speak with a live consultant, get abortion facts and links to comprehensive information about all abortion options, and get connected to help and support services locally.

The Facts About Alcohol Addiction

2010-03-08T04:28:00.000+08:00

If you are suffering from an alcohol addiction, you are not alone. Alcoholism is a word that sometimes has negative social connotations, and just because a person drinks alcohol does not mean that they are an alcoholic. The amount of alcohol consumed varies greatly from person to person that develops alcoholism, and is also affected by genetic predisposition, and social and emotional health.

Alcohol by definition is a disease that results from a persistent use of alcohol despite negative personal, emotional, financial, and professional consequences. Heavy alcohol use accompanied by dependence and symptoms of withdrawal, and the inability to recognize that every bad thing has been related to an alcohol addiction. The sometimes uncontrollable urge to drink leads to constant preoccupation with the drug.

According to numerous online sources, the most common substance of abuse resulting in dependence in patients presenting for treatment is alcohol. Overcoming an addiction to anything can be difficult, but there is help and hope available to people who want to stop drinking and get their lives back on track. The mind is more powerful than any drug, and to discover this is to truly be on the road to recovery. Addicts have to make a conscious choice to get and stay sober, one day at a time, and learn how to control the cravings. It’s not something that can be done alone, which is why there are treatment facilities all over the country, most of which are privately owned substance abuse recovery centers.

The philosophy of AA or Alcoholics Anonymous has proven to be helpful to many alcoholics in their fight against alcohol addiction, and the program is often used as an adjunct treatment with other therapies, such as in an inpatient setting. AA also encourages communication with a sponsor to help guide the addict through the recovery process, and provide support while working through the program.

Learn more about effects of alcohol as well as alcohol facts and the truth about alcohol addiction. Some online literature discusses at length what drives alcohol addiction, detailing the effects of alcohol and describes some of the research being done to correct drinking problems.

Alcohol continues to be the most greatly abused substance despite the wide-spread negative consequences. Even after public outbursts, divorce, loss of employment, revocation of driving privileges, and loss of life and limb, alcoholics continue to drink because it is so highly addicted in people who are predisposed to this disease.

If you or someone you know is giving part of their life to alcohol, encourage them to get help. It may take a series of bad events to get the point across, and for many alcoholics, this is what it takes to see their illness in a different light.

Healthy Living

2010-03-06T05:04:00.000+08:00

The definition of healthy living is different for each and every person, but there are two things that most agree on. You have to learn to eat good foods that nourish your body, and you have to have some sort of exercise in your day to day life. These things can be harder than people think when they set off on a new plan for a better life, and that is why it is sometimes smart to go ahead one step at a time until you have gotten where you want to be with your lifestyle habits and your health.

Diet modification is a great start when moving towards healthy living. This is something that you have to be careful with, however, as there is a lot of bad advice out there. If you aren’t sure which way to turn, talk with your doctor about changing your diet for healthy living, and get recommendations from them. They will probably know the name of a good nutritionist that can get you going on the right track. These people can show you what you should be eating, what to avoid, and what you can have in moderation. A nutritionist should have a college degree, so don’t be afraid to ask them about their training.

If you aren’t sure about exercise in regards to healthy living, know that any type of movement is good for you. If you are not someone who moves around a lot, you can get some great benefits from just walking around the block. After a while, you may want to add more to your routine, and that is when a gym is a great idea. You should hire a personal trainer to help you find the things that work best for you in your quest for healthy living. Remember, not all personal trainers are good. If someone seems off or you don’t like what they are doing, do yourself a favor and move on to the next one.

Other parts of healthy living might be things you have to quit doing. This might mean you have to find a way to stop smoking, and you may have to alter or lower your intake of alcohol. You may have more trouble with these than anything else that you do. What you should do is visit with your doctor again, only this time tell them you want help with quitting or cutting back. There is a lot of emphasis on healthy living these days, and most doctors will be glad to help you in your quest, even if they feel that they have to refer you to someone else. It’ll be hard to change all of these things, but once you get going, you will enjoy your results too much to turn back to life before you found healthy habits.

Adult Asthma Symptoms

2010-03-03T06:59:00.000+08:00

Are you suffering from adult asthma symptoms? Wheezing, shortness of breath, coughing and other lesser-known symptoms can certainly take their toll and have significant effects on daily life. Do you think you have asthma? It’s important to learn the signs and symptoms of an asthma attack, and to get it evaluated and under control as quickly as possible with minimal medical intervention.

Asthma symptoms can vary greatly in severity from an occasional mild episode of shortness of breath to wheezing that persists despite the use of prescribed medications. The classic symptoms of an asthma attack include rapid breathing, wheezing on exhalation, shortness of breath, coughing, and chest tightness or pain. It can be very scary for the person having the attack, because to them it feels like they’re drowning, unable to catch a deep breath because it won’t go in.

Adult asthma symptoms usually progress over a period of hours or days, and occasionally the airways become more seriously inflamed or obstructed. At this point, it’s wise to schedule a visit to the asthma specialist for lung function tests and prescribed antibiotics and corticosteroids to get the excessive mucous and inflammation under control.

A common cold can become a full blown respiratory infection in an asthmatic, which is why it’s important to recognize symptoms early and get treatment started right away. Understanding the underlying causes of allergies and allergy-related asthma is another important intervention that has been proven to reduce the number and severity of asthma attacks in a significant number of patients. Allergies are a common underlying factor, and once the allergies are addressed, the frequency of asthma attacks decreases as well.

Long-term relief medications for adult asthma sufferers are widely available, and usually consist of an inhaled corticosteroid taken twice daily and a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. Lots of information for treatment of adult asthma symptoms is available from local medical professionals including asthma and immunology specialists, so don’t hesitate to seek a professional evaluation and consultation.

Over-the-counter medications are not recommended for the long term treatment of chronic asthma, and can have dangerous consequences for someone in a life threatening situation. With proper treatment, asthmatics take brisk walks, and take up running and other vigorous aerobic activity without asthma symptoms. Do you homework and learn more about asthma symptoms, treatment and underlying causes online at a number of sites dedicated to keeping asthma under control and to you living a healthy symptom-free life.

What is a Good Food Health Vitamin Intake?

2010-02-02T22:22:00.000+08:00

It's indispensable that someone is mindful of what forms effective food health vitamin intake. The federal drug administration brings out a suggested day by day allowance for the majority of vitamins which it regards as a good food health vitamin intake. These numbers deviate according to a person’s sex, age and a lot of other elements so that the good food health vitamin intake for a girl is starting to be distinct to that of an adult male in his seventies.

The food health vitamin intake amounts of certain foods are included in the nutritional labeling. This labeling is significant for someone to believe and assists guarantee that they are taking in the proper food health vitamin intake from the foods that they consume. The nutritional data is frequently presented as a percentage of the suggested day by day allowance of each vitamin and mineral and may help evaluate the value of the foods in the quest for good food health vitamin intake.

There is also a list of details that someone may prefer to restrain in their diet as part of their good food health vitamin intake. Once again, the nutritional labeling of reliable foods may help someone to assure how dominating a certain product is in these unwanted contents. Salt and fat, for instance, can be items that someone would like to* regard limiting as part of their good food health vitamin intake even though they're not purely vitamins.

The absolute majority of people really bear on to nutrients when they apply the word vitamin and food makers are well aware that someone is dealing minerals and additional items when they're considering their good food health vitamin intake. Fiber is another factor that a lot of people are better aware of as making a substantive part of a balanced diet and is essential for good food health vitamin intake.

Whenever someone gets on a restrained diet for some reason then they need to give even more attention to their good food health vitamin intake. Apparently, a lot of foods take other nutrients to other people and this is relevant to vitamins as well and it might be harder for someone to accomplish their good food health vitamin intake if they're ineffective to consume certain foods.

Vitamin supplements may form a crucial part of a good food health vitamin intake for folks who are ineffective to get their vitamins from their regular diet. It's also valuable remembering that the good food health vitamin intake for someone changes throughout their life depending on their general health.

Taking Multivitamins – A Ticket to Daily Health

2010-01-10T14:34:00.001+08:00

An increasingly number of the world’s population is now eager and interested in looking after their health care and in keeping tune with their well-being. It is important to note that this awareness is progressively contributing to the creation of several health supplements to benefit both the adults and the young ones. Dietary and vitamin supplements have constantly proven their worth to health conscious individuals.

An excellent daily multivitamin supplement does not only develop your general bodily functions but also improves your mental and physical condition and well being. Occasionally specification is needed in appropriately supplementing nutrients to deal with any individual needs. An example would be in heart disease patients, they would have to take in CoQ10 in preventing the said condition. Alzheimer’s disease can be effectively prevented by a regular combination of Vitamin C and E intake.

Multivitamin supplements necessarily include all the vitamins and nutrients essential for recommended daily dosage. Multivitamin supplements may also be formulated to meet the needs of individual conditions like pregnancy and specific age brackets. It is a well settled fact that multivitamins in liquid form are more efficient than the ordinary pill forms. This is due to the fact that the body can easily absorb liquid nutrients five times more than ordinary multivitamins in tablet or capsule form.

Basically, the body needs 13 essential vitamins to function properly. In regulating the crucial performance of the body, it has to have vitamins A, B, C, D, E, K, B12, and the 7 B-complex vitamins. Majority of these vitamins are obtained by our body through the food that we eat. The danger of illness or even mortality is in the deficiency of some of the essential vitamins. This is where vitamin supplementation comes in. It counteracts the illness caused by such deficiency. With this fact, it is very unlikely for someone to refuse vitamin supplementation on a daily basis. So the question now is, why is it necessary for individuals to take multivitamins when majority of our daily diet can provide us with the basic nutrients we need? It may not be compulsory, but everyone can profit from daily multivitamins.

As previously mentioned, the clear benefit of daily intake of multivitamins it to prevent vitamin/nutrient deficiency. Some personal circumstances may increase dietary needs. Pregnant women, during their first trimester, are recommended by their doctors to take multivitamins. This does not only provide the mothers with sufficient nutrition but also proper vitamins to benefit the unborn child inside their womb. Taking multivitamins everyday reduces the risk of transmitting malnutrition from a pregnant woman to her unborn baby. Other conditions such as old age, alcoholism, smoking, and exposure to excessive pollution have long-term detrimental effects to the body system which can be successfully counteracted by multivitamins.

Stress is also one risk factor which needs serious supplementation that multivitamins can provide. Especially with people who have so much to do and have a hard time in keeping up with their health needs, multivitamins are a must to keep them always on the go without any health complications in the long run. Stress formulations benefit both your mental ability and daily endurance. Aside from the mentioned benefits, daily multivitamins also minimize the risk of cancer or any cardiovascular disease.

Several people, if not all, testify to have a feeling of comfortable health in regularly taking in multivitamins. This is due to the synergistic or combined effects of the supplemental ingredients found in multivitamins. A fat-soluble antioxidant vitamin, like the Vitamin E, works to neutralize probable harmful free agents in the body. This vitamin also maintains healthy skin through protection of cell membranes, blood circulation, heart, nerves, red blood cells, and muscles. Another antioxidant is the Vitamin C which effectively fights blood cell infection and is vital in collagen formation, wound healing, and formation of bone structures, capillaries, and teeth. Vitamin is also helpful in the iron absorption from plant sources. Vitamins A, D, K and other supplemental nutrients found in multivitamins have specific functions that benefit the bodily functions.

While daily intake of multivitamins may have proven beneficial, it is not a 100% guarantee to be free of serious illness attributed to other factors. It is often a misconception that symptoms of disease may always be cured by taking multivitamins. Health experts have the better opinion of immediate medical assistance rather than resorting to multivitamins alone.

Over 40% Of The Adult Population Will Suffer From Hemorrhoids. Are You Making Any Of These 3 Mistakes That Contribute To It?

2010-01-09T03:19:00.002+08:00

Today, I wanted to alert you to something will afflict 40% of the adult population (or more) at some point of their lives. It's called hemorrhoids or piles and it's basically any form of vein inflammation around the lower rectal regions.

Blood on your toilet paper? Itching in your anus area? Pain during constipation? All of these are likely signs that you may have hemorrhoids and it's no laughing matter – because although common, they can be annoying and embarrassing.

In the more severe stages, they can fall out like a lump outside your bottom. So what are some common mistakes that people make which contribute to developing this common condition? Even if you have these already, avoiding the following 3 mistakes can start relieving the problem gradually.

Mistake #1: Eating too much processed food

This can be a toughie for some people. However, it's known that processed foods create harder stool and troubles in digestion. This creates constipation and other issues which can lead to hemorrhoids. The key here, especially when you are suffering and trying to cure hemorrhoids, is to lower your intake of processed sugars and foods.

Mistake #2: Sedentary lifestyle

A lot of long term sitting can create additional pressure on the bottom area and this invokes the perfect environment for a hemorrhoid to occur if combined with a sharp force such as constipation or pregnancy (in women). The solution is to make sure you do not sit for over 1 hour at a time, and remember to do stretches that promote healthy blood flow.

Mistake #3: Intake of processed medication and creams

This creates the same potential problem as processed foods. Even many of the fiber supplements contain processed and artificial elements that can create side-effects elsewhere… and lastly they are not even attacking the root of the problem here.

The other downside of these creams which do no benefit is that they waste one's time and the hemorrhoid can get worse over time if the root problem is not reversed.

So try to avoid these 3 mistakes and you will not be contributing to any worsening of hemorrhoids. It's very important to understand these in our modern lifestyle of sedentary office work and processed, convenient diets.

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Disease Outbreak Alert After Typhoon Ondoy

2009-09-29T01:41:00.004+08:00

The Philippines has been hit hard by the typhoon Ondoy especially the Metro Manila and its sorrounding provinces like Rizal and Laguna. The typhoon was not that strong but it poured a lot of rains all over the place, all day and night. There were floods everywhere particularly those who resides near the river bank e.g, Marikina City and low lying areas like Malabon City. The raging water was just so angry that it almost submerged all the houses of the affected areas mentioned and to make it very hard for the people to survive, the current was strong and the water was dilluted with mud.

After the flood, health related concerns must be conducted through health education to employ the health safety of every individual survivors of flood and to stop any disease outbreak that can occur. Some of these communicable diseases discussed below;

1.) Water Borne Diseases
These kind of diseases are water related or caused by drinking or using contaminated water source. Flooding is associated with an increased risk of infection, however this risk is low unless there is significant population displacement and/or water sources are compromised. Some of the diseases it may cause are amoebiasis, cholera, dysentery, leptospirosis, typhoid fever, e. coli infection and so many others. The diseases mentioned above are still rampant today in the Philippines especially when there is a contamination of water source.

2.) Vector Borne Diseases
Floods may in some way direct to an increase in vector-borne diseases through the growth in the number and range of vector habitats. Standing water caused by heavy rainfall or overflow of rivers can act as breeding sites for mosquitoes, and therefore enhance the potential for exposure of the disaster-affected population and emergency workers to infections such as dengue and malaria. Flooding may at first flush out mosquito breeding sites, but it comes back when the waters recede. The risk of outbreaks is greatly increased by complicating factors, such as changes in human behaviour (increased exposure to mosquitoes while sleeping outside, a temporary pause in disease control activities, overcrowding), or changes in the habitat which promote mosquito breeding.

3.) Risks from Handling Corpses
Opposite to common belief, most agents do not survive long in the human body after death except for HIV virus which may last up to six days of dead body thus it may not impose a risk for a disease outbreak. On the other hand, workers who routinely handle corpses may have a risk of contracting tuberculosis, bloodborne viruses (such as Hepatitis B/C and HIV), and gastrointestinal infections (such as rotavirus diarrhoea, salmonellosis, E. coli, typhoid/paratyphoid fevers, hepatitis A, shigellosis and cholera). The public and emergency workers alike should be duly informed to avoid panic and inappropriate disposal of bodies, and to take adequate precautions in handling the dead bodies.

Preventive Measures
Short Term Measures
1.) Chlorination Of Water
2.) Vaccination of some specific Diseases like Hepa A
3.) Prevention Against Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever
4.) Proper Ways and Disposal Of Corpses
5.) Heath Education

* Promote good hygienic practice.
* Ensure safe food preparation techniques.
* Ensure boiling or chlorination of water.
* Vital importance of early diagnosis and treatment for dengue (within 24 hours of onset of fever).

Long Term Measures
1.)Legislative/administrative issues

* Create Disaster-Preparedness Programmes and Early Warning Systems.
* Improve surveillance on a local, national, international and global level.
* Promote tap-water quality regulation and monitoring.
* Enforce high standards of hygiene.

2.)Technical issues

* Improve water treatment and sanitation.
* Keep infectious disease control programmes active and efficient.

Video Credit Here
Reference: World Health Organization

World of Warts; Causes and Treatments

2009-09-22T00:59:00.007+08:00

Warts are kind of infection caused mainly by viruses in the human papillomavirus(HPV) family and there are more than 100 types of HPV viruses known. Warts can breed on every parts of your body. They can raise on the inside of your mouth, on your skin, on your genitals and on your rectal area. Common types of HPV tend to cause warts on the skin (such as the hands and fingers), while other HPV types tend to cause warts on the genitals and rectal area.

Warts are highly transmittable. It can be passed on to another person thru skin contact. It is also believed that warts can transfer from using towels or other objects that were used by a person who has warts.

Genital warts on the other hand are very contagious and can be passed to a new person during oral, vaginal or anal sex. It is very disgusting and embarassing to have those warts in the genital area and can affect your social and sexual life as a person. In most women, warts can grow on the cervix (inside the vagina), and without even knowing she has them and the poor partner can have it also.

These warts are often annoying. They can bleed and can inflict pain when they're touched. They can also be uncomfortable, especially if they grow on your face. A lot of times, warts fade away on their own, though it may take several months or even years for the warts to vanish completely. But some of these warts won't go away on their own and need to manually remove them with the help of experts of course especially genital warts.

Warts can be easily treated but it is very important for us to know that removing warts on the skin (such as on the fingers, feet and knees) are removed in different ways with the warts on the genitals. You might hurt your genital area by applying certain chemicals on it. You must also don’t try to treat warts on your face without talking to your doctor first. The following are some ways to remove common warts from the skin derived from familydoctor.org:

• Applying salicylic acid. You can treat warts on places such as the hands, feet or knees by putting salicylic acid (one brand name: Compound W) on the warts. To get good results, you must apply the acid every day for many weeks. After you take a bath or shower, pat your skin dry lightly with a towel. Then put salicylic acid on your warts. The acid sinks in deeper and works better when it is applied to damp skin. Before you take a shower or a bath the next day, use an emery board or pumice stone to file away the dead surface of the warts.

• Applying cantharidin. Your doctor may use cantharidin on your warts. With this treatment, the doctor "paints" the chemical onto the wart. Most people don't feel any pain when the chemical is applied to the wart. You'll experience some pain and blistering of the wart in about 3 to 8 hours. After treatment with cantharidin, a bandage is put over the wart. The bandage can be removed after 24 hours. When mixtures of cantharidin and other chemicals are used, the bandage is removed after 2 hours. When you see your doctor again, he or she will remove the dead skin of the wart. If the wart isn't gone after one treatment, your doctor may suggest another treatment.

• Applying liquid nitrogen. Your doctor may use liquid nitrogen to freeze the wart. This treatment is called cryotherapy. Applying liquid nitrogen to the wart causes a little discomfort. To completely remove a wart, liquid nitrogen treatments may be needed every 1 to 3 weeks for a total of 2 to 4 times. If no improvement is noted, your doctor may recommend another type of treatment.

• Other treatments for warts on the skin. Your doctor can also remove warts on the skin by burning the wart, cutting out the wart or removing the wart with a laser. These treatments are stronger, but they may leave a scar. They are normally reserved for warts that have not cleared up with other treatments.

• Talk to your doctor about which treatment is best for you.

Genital warts should be removed or treated with the help of your doctor. The viral infection that causes the warts in the genital area can’t be cured most of the time but the warts can be removed. This only means that there is a high possibility that it will regrow again after it has been removed on your genital area.

Now the question is “do warts can comeback again?”

Almost all of the treatments of warts on the skin are successful and they are gone for good. The body's immune system of an individual can typically get rid of any tiny bits of wart that may be left after a wart has been treated. Genital warts on the other hand are more expected to come back for the reason stated above that there's no cure for the virus that causes them and because warts are more complicated to manage in a moist environment. If warts come back, it is important to consult with the professionals to talk about other ways to control the warts.

Dandruff, What are the cause and remedies for this?

2009-09-16T02:05:00.006+08:00

Dandruff is an ordinary chronic scalp condition that affects anyone, which is manifested by itching and flaking of the skin on your scalp. It is not transmittable and is seldom serious, but it can be uncomfortable especially when you are in public places and sometimes hard to treat.

Dandruff is so easy to identify especially for most teens and adults. They are the white oily looking flakes of dead skin that dot your hair and shoulders and an itchy, scaling scalp. YUCK! That why up to now I just maintained my hair very short, the so called “uno” for us guys.

One way that almost all of us know to control dandruff is just by constant shampooing on a daily basis with a gentle cleanser. Guess we’ve seen a lot of commercials of this on tv and the latest that I saw was MANNY PAQUIAO as a product endorser of Head and Shoulders.

Dandruff can have various causes and it is important for us to know all of this. Simply because if we know the causes, then we know how we can treat or prevent that from our head. Here are some of the causes of dandruff in your hair:

1.)Psoriasis. This skin disorder causes a buildup of dead skin cells that form thick silvery scales. Psoriasis commonly occurs on your knees, elbows and trunk, but it can also affect your scalp.

2.)Dry skin. Simple dry skin — the kind you get during winter when the air is cold and rooms are overheated — is the most common cause of itchy, flaking skin. Flakes from dry skin are generally smaller and less oily than those from other causes of dandruff.

3.)Not shampooing often enough. If you don't regularly wash your hair, oils and skin cells from your scalp can build up, causing dandruff.

4.)Irritated, oily skin (seborrheic dermatitis). This condition, a frequent cause of dandruff, is marked by red, greasy skin covered with flaky white or yellow scales. Seborrheic dermatitis affects not only your scalp but also other areas rich in oil glands, such as your eyebrows, the sides of your nose and the backs of your ears, your breastbone, your groin area, and sometimes your armpits.

5.)Psoriasis. This skin disorder causes an accumulation of dead skin cells that form thick silvery scales. Psoriasis commonly occurs on your knees, elbows and trunk, but it can also affect your scalp.

6.)Sensitivity to hair care products (contact dermatitis). Sometimes sensitivities to certain hair care products or hair dyes can cause a red, itchy, scaling scalp. Shampooing too often or using too many styling products also may irritate your scalp, causing dandruff.

7.)Eczema. If you have eczema on your scalp, it's possible you could develop dandruff

8.)A yeast-like fungus (malassezia). Malassezia lives on the scalps of most healthy adults without causing problems. But sometimes it grows out of control, feeding on the oils secreted by your hair follicles. This can irritate the skin on your scalp and cause more skin cells to grow. The extra skin cells die and fall off, clumping together with oil from your hair and scalp, making them appear white, flaky and visible in your hair or on your clothes.

Now we know the causes of dandruff, and its time to protect our head and scalp from it. We can even do this in the comfort of our own home. Some of it follows:

1.)Learn to manage stress. Stress affects your overall health, making you susceptible to a number of conditions and diseases. It can even help trigger dandruff or worsen existing symptoms.

2.)Shampoo often. If you tend to have an oily scalp, daily shampooing may help prevent dandruff.

3.)Cut back on styling products. Hair sprays, styling gels, mousses and hair waxes can all build up on your hair and scalp, making them oilier.

4.)Eat a healthy diet. A diet that provides enough zinc, B vitamins and certain types of fats may help prevent dandruff.

5.)Get a little sun. Sunlight may be good for dandruff. But because exposure to ultraviolet light damages your skin and increases your risk of skin cancer, don't sunbathe. Instead, just spend a little time outdoors. And be sure to wear sunscreen on your face and body.

And what comes next to this? As we can see in every tv ad that concerns health, “if symptoms persist, call the doctor”. Although we can try a lot of medication that we can buy over the counter at home for dandruff but it is very important for us to call the attention and advice of the experts first before we try any medicinal shampoo for this. Or else….

Photo Credits Here

Just Say No To High Heels

2009-09-13T04:25:00.004+08:00

As Socrates once believed, "When your feet hurt, you hurt all over." What do toe and ankle pain, mid foot pain, heel pain and knee pain, hip pain and lower back pain, mid back pain, upper back pain, and headaches all have in common?

One thing they have in common is that they are the effects of wearing high heels on a regular basis.

Your foot is made up of 26 major bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments, and 19 muscles and tendons. Your walking feet are intended to give you with balance and strength as you use them on many activities of your daily living. Below are several more fun information concerning your feet:

* Your two feet smash into the ground with average of 1,800 times on the route of on foot in a single mile.

* The ordinary person walks around 5 miles for every sunlight hours, translating to 8,000 to 10,000 steps for every time.

* When you hike, your feet bear the force of single and one-half times your body mass. When you run, this force increases to three to four times your body mass.

With so much demand on your feet merely to make through an ordinary period of the day, most of us don’t even realize how important it is to wear comfortable shoes especially the office workers. Even with super comfy running shoes on, your feet undergo incredible strain on them all through the day. Can you envision the load they handle as your full weight and more is crushing down on the bottom of your toes instead than being evenly dispersed to all 26 bones of every foot?

Wearing high heels creates defective biomechanics and extreme pressure on your ankles, knees, pelvis, and potentially all over your total spine. This is for the reason that your body, from feet to head, is single long series of gears, where the delighted functioning of every gear depends on the delighted functioning of every other gear. If the joints of your feet don’t execute correctly because of the damage of wearing high heels, expect the other areas of your body are strained to compensate and suffer additional wear and tear. In various cases, the compensatory changes that effect from wearing heels can cause the muscles behind your neck to be rigid, putting pressure on nerves that can effect in chronic headaches.

Women bear something like four times as many foot problems as men. Wearing high heels is certainly a major logic in support of this.

So here we are and let’s dig up on to certain suggestions on how to properly take care of your feet:

1. Try hard or not at all wear high heels.

2. When you leave shopping for shoes, make it in the afternoon or nightfall, as feet have a propensity to develop a little larger all through the day for the reason that of fluid accumulation. You need your shoes to be able to comfortably put up your feet while they are on their biggest.

3. Quantify your feet size every moment you purchase shoes. And be certain to determine them while standing. Don’t ignore to put on the thickest socks that you would usually wear.

4. Wear shoes on both of your feet, as single foot might be bigger than the other.

5. If you’re not already there, strive to be lean and mean in support of your body type. Being obese means added stress intended for your feet, not to point out the joints of your legs and spine. This is the added stress to your feet feel all day long.

6. Eat the whole, unprocessed foods with the aim of keeping your blood vessels and flow of blood strong, as the health of the tissues in your feet are mainly reliant on how well they receive nutrients and take waste products away. Avoid foods like hydrogenated oils and sweets because they badly affect our circulation.

Photo Credits Here

9 Simple Steps to Goodnight Sleep

2009-09-10T05:23:00.004+08:00

Sleep is vital for best physical condition. The quantity and quality of sleep we make every night will manipulate the mode we feel and our routine throughout daytime hours.

Elevated-level of performance of the nervous system requires that we obtain sufficient quality sleep. Ineffective rest results in abridged capacity to memorize, focus, plan, get on to decisions, and conduct out math calculations. Too little sleep results in lethargy and cut-rate physical routine, which could effect in a elevated rate of injuries, as well as motor-vehicle accidents.

As we snooze totally, we permit in support of efficient cell growth and restore. The discharge of growth hormones takes place throughout deep sleep. Sleeping intensely by night helps us to employ next to our greatest, emotionally and in public, with others all through the daytime.

Time and time again, persons who suffer trouble falling asleep and sleeping profoundly bend to medication. Practices have revealed to facilitate many sleep disorder can be solved through natural method. The list below are 9 steps you can acquire to ensure a helpful night’s forty winks.

1. Hold back your bedroom in support of sleep.

Your bedroom must be held in reserve, in support of sleep and lovemaking. Assignments, office work, and other stressful and stimulating activities must be held in reserve outside of the bedroom, as ought to televisions, radios, stereos, and other entertainment equipment. This will condition your body to relax and anticipate sleep when you go into the bedroom. You desire to keep whichever stress and pointless stimulation as far away from the bedroom as likely.

2. Be regular with being asleep and wake period.

Go to asleep next to the similar time every night, and move out of bed by the same schedule every morning. This will condition your body to fall into a routine of sleep and wakefulness. It is most excellent not to disrupt this routine, such as by sleeping in on weekends.

3. Stop nicotine, caffeine, sweets, and alcohol close to bedtime.

Nicotine, caffeine, honey, and alcohol often root sleeplessness. Nicotine, caffeine, and honey are stimulants with the intention of cause you to sleep lightly and to wake up ahead of you need to for the reason that of withdrawal. Common sources of caffeine are coffee, soft drinks, non-herbal teas, and certain over-the-counter and prescription medications. Alcohol prevents deep sleep and interferes with REM-stage be asleep, the stage of sleep that stimulates the learning centers of the brain. Adopting an unprocessed and total food diet will help you elude these stimulants.

4. Sleep in absolute darkness.

Melatonin is a hormone to initiates our need to sleep and affects the depth of sleep we attain. Melatonin regulates our sleep-wake cycles and is shaped by a gland in the brain. The quantity of light we are showing to by a few specified second is what tells this gland whether or not to transport melatonin. Dimness secretes melatonin making while light inhibits it. Thus, the darker it is once you sleep, the improved your melatonin creation, and the healthier quality of your sleep.

5. Do exercises frequently.

Exercise as much as possible at least 30 minutes a day. Being lively promotes a greater need in support of deep sleep and decreases stress. Do not exercise close to your bedtime; though, as exercise is motivating and can create difficulties in falling asleep. It is most excellent not to exercise energetically in 3 hours of your bedtime.

6. Make in no doubt you hold a comfortable mattress.

This sounds easy, but in attendance are countless figures of individuals out there, who are sleeping on a mattress that is too solid, too soft, or not helpful as much as necessary and are wondering why they can’t fall asleep. Invest in a mattress to make you feel calm sleeping on.

7. Claim your bed area.

Don’t divide your bed with a companion who takes up your room or who moves roughly so much that you undergo struggle falling or staying asleep. This includes your partner, children, and animal companions. Children following a specific age and animals must own their own designated spaces used for sleep. If you share a bed with your partner and/or children and bargain it crowded, consider investing in a larger bed, make two beds collected, or try sleeping with separate blankets. You can as well like to consider sleeping in a separate bed.

8. Get up if you can’t sleep.

If you suffer not fallen asleep past 15 minutes, move up and work out something as well in a different space. Thinking something like your lack of ability to sleep will add to the failure to sleep, which creates a vicious cycle. When you move up to perform something as well, be guaranteed with the intention of the action you engage in is relaxing and doesn’t draw in happy light. Reading and listening to melody can be excellent activities. Watching television and surfing the internet are not.

9. Know how much sleep you need.

To verify how long you need to sleep in order to function optimally, take the period to sleep until you wake up on your own with no outside motivation such as alarms or loud noises. Through this exercise you can determine the optimal amount of sleep in support of you.

With these steps, it can help a lot in resolving your sleep pattern disturbance and when you still experience the problem, maybe its about time to consult with the experts.

Photo Credits Here

20 Foods That Trigger Migraines

2009-09-07T16:38:00.004+08:00

A bigwig wanted to know what familiar foods can trigger painful migraine attacks, and it possibly will be worth a reference on the board too for all, since migraines are so usual at present. But, trigger foods are not the be all and stop all of the stuff, since there are stress associations as well as emotional inputs, hormonal influences, and a number of medications as well.

The most common foods which can cause complexity (but occasionally what affects individual person is fine on behalf of another) include

* peanuts and peanut butter
* caffeine in all products, not simply coffee
* dairy products
* soya products as well as the bean itself
* sodium nitrate, which is used to preserve warm dogs, bacon and cured meats
* the additive benzoic acid and its associated compounds
* MSG, normal title in lieu of monosodium glutamate, a taste enhancer which is at the present in almost universal apply in almost all processed foods

* chicken livers
* ripe banana
* nuts
* sourdough breads
* cheeses which have been aged, i.E. Cheddar
* red wines, beer, champagne, vermouth
* chocolate
* anchovies
* mildew
* several beans (which includes peanut), as well as broad, lima, Italian, lentil, soy, peas
* avocados
* dried meats
* sauerkraut
* pickled herrings
* canned soups and packet soup mixes

And if the file seems depressingly long, there are other food triggers as well, but the helpful news is that the largest part of the record comes from the highly processed and manufactured food products so aren't too hard to identify, test, and eliminate from the diet.

Photo Credits Here

Dengue Fever Attacks Again

2009-09-05T02:29:00.003+08:00

Rainy season is here again. The time of year when people love to sleep, eat foods that warm us especially "bulalo" which is my favorite by the way, or hang out with friends on a cup of coffee. But on the other hand, it is also the time of year when mosquitoes reproduce very rapidly from open and non flowing waters around us. We all know the harm it could bring and one of this is DENGUE HEMORRHAGIC FEVER which is very fatal if treated on the late stage of the disease. So, it is very important for us to arm with a little knowledge about this kind of disease especially people from the tropical area.

DENGUE HEMORRHAGIC FEVER is an acute infectious disease manifested initially with fever.

Transmission

Aedes aegypti, the transmitter of the disease, is a day-biting mosquito which lays eggs in clear and stagnant water found in flower vases, cans, rain barrels, old rubber tires, etc. The adult mosquitoes rest in dark places of the house.

Signs and Symptoms

Sudden onset of high fever which may last 2 to 7 days.
Joint & muscle pain and pain behind the eyes.
Weakness
Skin rashes - maculopapular rash or red tiny spots on the skin called petechiae
Nosebleeding when fever starts to subside
Abdominal pain
Vomiting of coffee-colored matter
Dark-colored stools

Prevention and Control

Cover water drums and water pails at all times to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.
Replace water in flower vases once a week.
Clean all water containers once a week. Scrub the sides well to remove eggs of mosquitoes sticking to the sides.
Clean gutters of leaves and debris so that rain water will not collect as breeding places of mosquitoes.
Old tires used as roof support should be punctured or cut to avoid accumulation of water.
Collect and dispose all unusable tin cans, jars, bottles and other items that can collect and hold water.

Cleanliness and early detection of dengue are the best weapons to fight this kind of disease and we must remember always that prevention is always better than cure.

Source DOH
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Wine Eases Radiation Side Effects

2009-09-03T00:13:00.004+08:00

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Cancer patients undergoing radiation treatment may want to sip some red wine before treatment.

A study in women with breast cancer found that drinking red wine can help limit the toxic effects of radiation therapy.

"The possibility that particular dietary practices or interventions can reduce radiation-induced toxicity is very intriguing," Dr. Gabriella Macchia, of Catholic University, Campobasso, Italy, noted in an email to Reuters Health.

It's already known that some wine components may protect against the harmful effects of radiation. These components include polyphenols in particular, and the tannins.

In the current study, Macchia and colleagues evaluated the potential protective effects of varying levels of self-reported red wine consumption in 348 women treated with radiation therapy after breast cancer surgery.

The findings were "interesting," Macchia said.

The incidence of radiation-induced skin toxicity greater was 38.4 percent in non-drinkers, 31.8 percent in women drinking only half a glass of wine daily, 13.6 percent in those drinking one glass daily, and 35 percent in those drinking two glasses daily.

Women who drank only one glass daily had a much lower risk of suffering skin effects from radiation therapy. Specifically, their risk of significant skin toxicity was about 75 percent less than that in non-drinkers, the researchers found.

"If wine can prevent (radiation)-induced toxicity without affecting antitumor efficacy, as we observed, it also has the potential to enhance the therapeutic benefit in cancer patients without increasing their risk of serious adverse effects," Macchia said.

"The possible protective effect of wine, which we assessed only in women with breast cancer, should also be evaluated in male and female patients with other types of tumors (e.g., prostate carcinoma) who are undergoing radiotherapy," she concluded.

SOURCE: International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology and Physics, 2009.
More information HERE

Chewing Gum Aids recovery After Cesarian Section

2009-09-02T11:23:00.007+08:00

NEW YORK - Chewing on some sugarless gum may be a low-tech way to help new moms get their bowels moving again after a cesarean section.

In a study of women who had a C-section, Egyptian researchers found that giving the women chewing gum afterward seemed to help them recover normal bowel function and shorten their time in the hospital.

As with any abdominal surgery, intestinal function can become sluggish for a time after a C-section, leading to gas and constipation.

Gum may help because the act of chewing sets off a nervous system response and release of digestive hormones that stimulates bowel activity, according to Dr. Karim Abd-El-Maeboud and colleagues at Ain Shams University in Cairo.

What's more, the solution is safe and inexpensive, and women in the study seemed "generally pleased" with it, Abd-El-Maeboud told Reuters Health in an e-mail.

And the benefits of a shorter hospital stay should not be underestimated, the researcher noted, especially in developing countries with limited health care resources.

The study, which appears in the obstetrics journal BJOG, included 200 women who underwent a C-section under general anesthesia.

About half were randomly assigned to start chewing sugarless gum two hours after the procedure, while the rest were given standard care only — which included getting out of bed and walking around to encourage the intestines to get moving again.

Women in the gum group were told to chew one stick for 15 minutes every two hours.

Overall, the researchers found, women in the chewing-gum group were quicker to regain normal bowel activity. On average, they had their first bowel movement 21 hours after the C-section, versus 30 hours in the standard-care group.

They also went home from the hospital sooner — about 41 hours after delivery, on average — compared with 50 hours in the other group.

What remains unclear, according to the researchers, is whether chewing gum could be as useful in more-developed countries, where women usually receive regional, rather than general, anesthesia during C-section.

Regional anesthesia, which includes epidurals and spinal blocks, may interfere with the nervous system activation by which chewing is thought to boost bowel activity.

More studies, Abd-El-Maeboud said, are needed to test the effects of gum chewing in women having an epidural or spinal.

More information on MSNBC

Baby Borned With A Protruding Heart

2009-09-02T00:32:00.007+08:00

NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- The father of a baby born with his heart protruding from his chest has told CNN about the 1100 km train journey he made to save his son's life.

Chander Majhi, 24, became a father last week but he had to leave his wife behind in hospital and make a train journey from a remote region along India's border with Nepal to the capital New Delhi.

His son was born with his heart protruding from his chest, an extremely rare condition called ectopia cordis, which only affects five to eight cases in one million live births.

The parents did not know about the defect until the child was born on August 25 at a government facility in Majhi's home state of Bihar in eastern India.

"We didn't go for any (pre-natal) tests," Majhi told CNN.

Doctors at the government facility referred him and the baby to New Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

Professor of cardiothoracic surgery at AIIMS, A.K. Bisoi, told CNN the baby was admitted to the hospital with dehydration and a severe infection which he probably suffered because of the arduous train journey.

Doctors were surprised that the child had been able to survive despite so many complexities, he said.

Doctors at the state-run AIIMS are now planning a complex surgery on Thursday for the boy, referred in their records as "baby of Vibha", his mother.

His heart has been covered with a synthetic membrane and infected blood fully replaced from his body, said A.K. Bisoi, professor of cardiothoracic surgery at AIIMS.

Surgeons may now plan a total circulatory arrest procedure that will also involve creating a home for the heart in the chest, said Bisoi.

The baby, who suffers from immuno-deficiency, will be put in a state where his blood will be cooled down to 18 degrees, (64 Fahrenheit), for a half-an-hour stage of the operation, he explained.

"We could carry it out in one go if the child is able to tolerate. If not, we will do it in stages," he said.

"We are working with hope," Bisoi remarked when asked about chances of success.

And it was the same hope that drove Majhi to Delhi.

"That is why I am here. There's hope. My child is a fighter," he said.

In 2006, doctors in Florida, U.S. carried out a similar operation on Naseem Hasni who was born with his heart outside his chest.

The operation was carried out immediately after Naseem was born by caesarean section at a Florida hospital.

Doctors wrapped his heart in Gore-Tex, a waterproof, breathable fabric used in outdoor clothing and medical applications. His heart was then wrapped in a layer of his own skin, to substitute for his missing pericardium, the sac that encloses the heart.

The heart was then slowly eased inside.

View Full Article in CNN.com

Is Breast Screening For Cancer Useful?

2009-09-01T13:24:00.004+08:00

The value of self-breast exams as a cancer screening tool has been debated in the medical community, with some physicians arguing that the stress, worry and unnecessary medical procedures that often result when women identify a mysterious lump may do more harm than good. Yet, on the other hand, there are patients and professionals alike who point to stories in which cancer was caught early, or make the point that a woman who regularly examines her own body would be an ideal candidate for identifying changes in her breast tissue.

Adding to the debate over the merits of physical breast exams, a new study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute suggests that in conjunction with mammograms, clinical breast exams—those performed by a trained professional—may not yield much greater protection than mammography alone. What's more, the researchers point out, due to a relatively high incidence of false positives, for every actual case of breast cancer detected using clinical exams, many more would be inaccurately diagnosed, leading to an increased incidence of unnecessary procedures—and emotional trauma.

The study analyzed data for nearly 300,000 women between the ages of 50-69, who were screened either using mammography and a clinical breast exam, or mammography alone. While, compared with previous studies, physical exam accuracy rates had improved significantly, they still found that, for women screened using both techniques, the false-positive rates were far higher for those who had both the clinical exam and mammogram, than for women who had mammograms alone. In health care institutions that offered both clinical breast exams and mammography, for every additional cancer patient identified using the physical exam, there were an additional 55 false positives.

More research needs to be conducted into the overall value of clinical breast exams as a diagnostic tool used together with mammography, but until then, the authors emphasize the importance of discussing the possibilities of false positives with patients, ensuring that they understand the risks and benefits of different screening procedures, and enabling them to make informed choices. In an accompanying editorial, Drs. Mary B. Barton and Joann G. Elmore point out, that while we await further research, a high standard needs to be met for those clinical breast exams that are performed: "[Clinical breast exam] must be done well if it is to be done at all," they write.

The current American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommendations for breast cancer screenings call for women to examine their breasts once a month—developing a routine that will make it easier to identify any changes, have an annual exam at the doctor's office, and regular mammograms after age 40.

View Full Article in TIME.COM

Exercise Over Angioplasty?

2009-08-31T22:48:00.006+08:00

BARCELONA, Spain – Working up a sweat may be even better than angioplasty for some heart patients, experts say.

Studies have shown heart patients benefit from exercise, and some have even shown it works better than surgical procedures. At a meeting of the European Society of Cardiology on Sunday, several experts said doctors should focus more on persuading their patients to exercise rather than simply doing angioplasties.

Angioplasty is the top treatment for people having a heart attack or hospitalized with worsening symptoms. It involves using a tiny balloon to flatten a blockage and propping the heart artery open with a mesh tube called a stent. Most angioplasties are done on a nonemergency basis, to relieve chest pain caused by clogged arteries cutting off the heart's blood supply.

"It's difficult to convince people to exercise instead of having an angioplasty, but it works," said Rainer Hambrecht of Klinikum Links der Weser in Bremen, Germany.

Hambrecht published a study in 2004 that found that nearly 90 percent of heart patients who rode bikes regularly were free of heart problems one year after they started their exercise regimen. Among patients who had an angioplasty instead, only 70 percent were problem-free after a year.

Hambrecht is now conducting a similar trial, which he expects to confirm his initial findings: that for some heart patients, exercise is more effective than a surgical procedure.

Other experts agreed that would likely be the case.

An angioplasty "only opens up one vessel blockage," said Dr. Christopher Cannon, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard University and spokesman for the American College of Cardiology. He was not linked to Hambrecht's research. "Exercise does a lot more than fixing one little problem."

Among other benefits, exercise lowers bad cholesterol while raising good cholesterol, helps the body process sugar better, improves the lining of the blood vessels and gets rid of waste material faster. Exercise also lowers blood pressure and prevents plaque buildup in the arteries.

Previous research has estimated one third of heart disease and stroke could be prevented if patients did two-and-a-half hours of brisk walking every week. In the U.S., that would mean 280,000 fewer heart-related deaths every year.

Joep Perk, a professor of health sciences at Sweden's Kalmar University and spokesman for the European Society of Cardiology, said two thirds of heart patients in line for an angioplasty could probably get better benefits by regularly working up a sweat.

Experts say less than 20 percent of heart patients get the recommended amount of exercise — about 30 minutes of moderate activity five times a week.

Perk said doctors who performed angioplasties on their patients without asking them to change their lifestyles were ignoring the fundamental problem. "It would be like getting rid of the most troubled rust spots on a car without doing anything to stop more rust from appearing tomorrow."

Still, doctors admitted that persuading patients to exercise instead of simply going in for an angioplasty, which can take less than a day, would be a tough sell.

"Most patients want the quick fix," Cannon said. Exercise may improve patients' hearts better than an angioplasty, but it may also take months or even longer for patients to feel the benefits. "It's a lot easier to get your artery fixed than it is to exercise every day.

Read the full article in Yahoo Health News
By MARIA CHENG
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Beer May Increase Risk of Having Cancers, Studies Said

2009-08-29T16:50:00.005+08:00

In NEW YORK - Men who drink beer or liquor on a regular basis may face a heightened risk of several different types of cancer, according to a Canadian study.

According to the research done by the researchers from McGill University in
Montreal, there is an increased risk of having cancer on the men that drink beers or alcoholic beverages on a regular basis than those men who drink occasionally or not at all. Moreover, men that also drink beers or any liquor on a daily basis have the highest risk of having the disease compared to the men identified above. Some of these cancers identified were cancers of the esophagus, stomach, colon, lungs, pancreas, liver and prostate.

There were studies also conducted and suggested that moderate drinking can be a healthy habit especially when it comes to heart diseases. Moderate drinking is defined here according to researchers as no more than a drink or two per day. But the current study suggested that even such moderate drinking levels are linked to higher risks of certain cancers, at least when the alcohol of choice is beer or liquor. The question of whether moderate drinkers should cut down, however, cannot be answered by a single study. So in terms of balancing the risks of cancers with that of the cardiovascular diseases, people should consult their attending physicians.

More information here.

E-Cigarettes Getting Popular Despite of Risks

2009-08-10T07:48:00.003+08:00

Smoking is fun and very addictive but on the other hand it is the leading cause of some deadly diseases nowadays like cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Quitting to it is very hard specially when you're at the stage of withdrawal, when you're world is turning upside down; trust me i've been there. It is important to leave this vice behind for the sake of your health and the people around you.

One product that making a great buzz today is the E-cigarettes or the Electronic cigarettes. With this, you can smoke everywhere you may like since it is odorless, cancer-free and more healthy than the usual cigarettes. If you're planning to stop smoking, then i guess this is the best way to start.The Electronic Cigarette can allow smokers to enjoy the same pleasure as that of traditional cigarettes when inhaling, imitating the whole process of smoking. Super Cigarettes create a much more healthy smoking experience and are far more fun than other products and have become known as the most perfect alternative to smoking so far. You are simply inhaling and exhaling water vapor with nicotine.

The E-Cigarette is an amazing high tech product developed to provide smokers with a clean alternative to smoking or as a device to help you quit. It contains, no carbon monoxide, no cancer-causing chemicals, and no tar. When air flows through the device, it is detected by a microprocessor. This microprocessor then activates the atomizer which injects tiny droplets of the liquid into the flowing air. This produces a vapor mist which is inhaled by the user. The addition of propylene glycol to the liquid makes the mist better resemble normal cigarette smoke. The microprocessor also activates an orange LED at the tip to simulate real smoking. It not only simulates cigarette smoke but also the temperature of common cigarette's smoke which is 50-60 °C.

Testing of Swine Flu Vaccine Began from Sanofi Pasteur

2009-08-09T09:12:00.013+08:00

Sanofi Pasteur, a French company leading in manufacturing vaccines worldwide starts its swine flu testing in U.S of about 2000 people this week. It is the 3rd company that conducted this human trial for this vaccine and wanting to know how many doses needed for the humans to protect himself from swine flu and also the safety of the vaccine. The World Health Organization also said that the distribution of the said vaccine will be out early September and as of now they're still waiting for the final results and the license that will be issued by the governing body.

On the other hand, two of the biggest pharmaceutical companies started already the testing of the vaccines in Europe, Australia and US and these are the Swiss company, Novartis AG and the Australian company CSL. Both the Novartis and the Sanofi Pasteur uses an active ingredient called Adjuvants which increases the immune response of the human body thus further increases its defense against some diseases. Health officials also included that they have little or no information on how swine flu vaccines containing Adjuvants can affect both pregnant women and children which are the most easily affected by the disease.

Source: yahoo health news, pic from art.com

How Money Affects the Nurses

2009-08-06T22:22:00.009+08:00

Here in our country, most people say that nurses are only for the money and fortune they can get when they leave the country and work abroad. Its because the salary of a nurse in other countries especially in Europe and US are way high compared here. That's why more and more competent nurses are leaving every year just to seek a greener pasture that is impossible to get when they just work here.

Last night i received a text message from a friend and love to share it here to get your opinions. Here it is:

"For the people who only believe that nurses are just for the money,

Money isn't enough to pay our presence for a dying person.

Money can't buy our dignity for washing and cleaning butts.

Money can't ease the pain we feel by being blamed from the relatives of the patient who just died.

Nobody can pay us for the pain and shame when doctors shout at us.

And we spent hundreds of thousands of pesos taking up nursing in college and yet end up in a low paying job." end.

I guess for the people who believe these, it's not for the money that we take this job. It's the passion inside us to have this job that sometimes all the sacrifices we take are incomparable to others only to take care the patient and help them recover their illnesses.

Photo c/o: