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How to Make Sure Your Goals Are High Impact

2018-11-10T20:48:00.001-08:00

You may be really disciplined about setting goals every year. Maybe even every quarter. But not all goals are created equal. Goal setting can fall flat when they fail to meet valuable criteria that guide you to implementation success. That's why I created a tool called IMPACTOR Goals.

So you can make every minute spent goal setting count, and to pave the way for achieving them.

IMPACTOR is an acronym that points out the key steps in setting goals that matter, so your business can have impact.

IMPACTOR goals begin with impact, which I define as where your unique business meets the world and makes it a better place for all of us. Your impact intention needs to be clear before you begin. What difference do you want to make?

Make sure your goals are measurable. It's tempting to be vague. Don't give into that. What you measure is more likely to happen. Goals should be specific, particular. Rather than saying, I want more customers, make your goal 10 more customers. Or two joint venture partners, rather than just 'more'. When you get in the planning fever, lofty goals can take a bigger place than is healthy. Goals should be challenging, yes, but make them achievable as well, so you don't freak yourself into paralysis.

Can you describe your goal to your team members, those who will be implementing it? Be clear about what your goal is, so you can articulate it.

Be time-specific. Give each goal a timeline. You may miss it slightly, and that's OK. Be willing to adjust, but not so much that the timeline has no teeth. Now that you're aware of these criteria, we're going to do a little alchemy here. At this stage in the IMPACTOR model, goals become objectives.

That means they've been vetted against the IMPACT criteria and found worthy. Finally, create your Get-To-Do list. Attach a few key results to each objective, to clarify how you'll achieve the objective. Your business is a gift to yourself and to others. You get-to-do these things!

Make your goal setting a high ROI activity by using the IMPACTOR Goals model.

They'll ensure that your goals will get you where you want to go, with high impact.

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7 Effective Ways to Drop 10 Pounds Running

2014-08-13T04:45:00.000-07:00

7 Effective Ways to Drop 10 Pounds Running

Looking for ways to drop 10 pounds without strict diets? I’ve got some of the most effective ways to drop 10 pounds running. Why running? The thing is, running is one of the best calorie burning exercising. While any workout is great workout, when it comes to losing weight, it’s difficult to beat running. Follow these seven tips on how to drop 10 pounds running and you will definitely get the body you want.

1. Increase your running mileage

To burn more calories and drop 10 pounds, consider increasing your running mileage. After all, it’s always a great idea to challenge yourself with something absolutely new, isn’t it? If you usually run short distances, try longer ones. Not only will you drop 10 pounds, but also reach a new fitness goal.

2. Perform interval training

Interval training helps boost your metabolism and burn more calories without exhausting yourself. Start running at your maximum speed for about 5-6 minutes, and then jog for 1-2 minutes. Do it 5-6 times for a perfect running workout that will help you boost your endurance, improve mental strength as well as burn plenty of calories.

3. Increase your intensity

When it comes to losing 10 pounds running, it’s important to push yourself when you run. Try to increase your intensity and over time, the body will adjust and it will be easier to run longer distances. Don’t be afraid to challenge your body. You will burn lots of unwanted calories and drop those unwanted pounds.

4. Monitor your diet

Just because you run each day doesn’t mean you can eat what you want. Healthy eating never hurts, whether you want to lose weight or not. You can run long distances, increase your intensity and burn many calories, but you won’t lose weight if you don’t stick to a healthy diet. So be sure to make healthy choices and avoid fast food at all costs.

5. Add more greens

When you are trying to drop 10 pounds running, you need to add more greens to your daily eating plan. By consuming more greens each day, you will boost your fiber intake, improve your digestive health, boost your energy levels and drop unwanted pounds. Making the salad your main meal is one of the easiest ways to consume more greens daily.

6. Enjoy your runs

Well, running can be hard and boring at times, but you need to learn to enjoy it. Don’t make running a chore, instead, think of it as a fun activity. If you have a super busy schedule, running is one of the best ways to have some ‘me time,’ focus on your health and admire the beauty of nature around you. Start enjoying your runs today and you will certainly achieve your fitness goal and drop those 10 pounds.

7. Chart your progress

It has been proven that people who weigh in frequently weigh less. You don’t have to weigh in every hour and every single day, though. Try to weigh in once a week and you will know where you’re in your goal and what else you need to do to achieve it faster. Charting your progress regularly is the key to success. Remember it.

One of the best things about running is that it can help you drop those unwanted pounds faster as well as reduce your stress levels. Sure, you should also eat healthy to reach your goal. Have you ever tried to lose weight running?

5 Tips On How To Get Rid Of Back Pain

2012-12-01T09:53:00.001-08:00

Back pain can be very bothersome at times and, if not treated properly, it can worsen over time. As a matter of fact, back pain is one of the most common reasons why people visit their healthcare provider - fortunately, it can be easily cured with healthy, balanced diet and correct posture. Here you will find 5 essential tips on how to get rid of the pain:

1. Address Bad Posture

Bad posture and the lack of back support are two of the main causes of back pain, since poor posture stresses your spine and adds pressure to your back muscles. If you adopt a correct posture, you will not only cure it, but you will also prevent it in the long run. Bad posture is not only the main culprit behind back pain, but it can also cause headaches, neck pain and joint problems.

In a nutshell, it is essential to keep every part of your body in perfect alignment with the neighboring parts. When you need to change your posture, make sure you do it smoothly and without any sudden movements, to avoid injuries.

However, it must be mentioned that bad posture does not occur only when you are sitting on your office chair - it can also appear when you brush your teeth and you lean over the sink incorrectly, or when you are cooking and you maintain poor posture in the kitchen. When it comes to curing, maintaining the correct amount of curvature in your back is of utmost importance.

2. Provide Efficient Back Support

As stated above, the lack of back support can also lead to back pain, sooner or later. This is why it is essential buy an ergonomic chair that will provide proper support throughout the day, especially if you have an office job that requires a lot of computer work. The ergonomic chair will not only provide support, but it can also be a lot more comfortable and you will not experience muscle or joint pain anymore.

3. Become More Flexible

This is undoubtedly one of the most important aspects that you need to take into consideration. Generally speaking, back pain occurs when people lack flexibility - by increasing you flexibility, you will automatically put equal pressure on your body, without stressing particular muscles or your joints. Stretches, leg extensions, head turns or arm and joint circles are only some of the exercises that improve flexibility and reduce the pain.

4. Watch Your Diet

Few people know that back pain and diet are closely related. Food is our body's fuel, and we need to provide it with high-quality nutrients in order to function properly, otherwise the muscles and joints are prone to injuries. Foods that are rich in minerals and vitamins (also known as "Power Foods") are absolutely essential for a healthy body, this is why it is recommended to increase your daily intake of fruits, vegetables and whole-wheat breads to prevent pain.

Reduce the intake of soft drinks, candy bars, cookies and basically any other sweets that will make you feel tired. Sugar is known to be a real energy waster, this is why you must avoid sugary products. Moreover, eliminate foods that are high in fat, and focus on oily fish and olive oil (which provide healthy fats along with Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids).

5. Foods For Back Pain

Tissue inflammation is one of the underlying causes of back pain. You can easily treat inflammation with the correct diet, without having to use medication. Increase your intake of whole fresh fruits, nuts, seeds, blueberries, walnuts, fresh juices, fish oil and soy proteins. These fruits are known to reduce pain and inflammation, and they are considered to be the natural back pain cure.

To summarize, it is essential to maintain good posture, to provide your back with proper support and to watch your diet. There are foods that can worsen your back pain, and there are other foods that can relieve it by reducing inflammation. Focus on the above-mentioned hints and you can cure back pain naturally and effortlessly.

3 Steps to Preventing Back Pain While You Drive

2012-12-01T09:40:00.000-08:00

It's no surprise that excessive sitting causes back and neck pain. Thankfully, the solution to excessive sitting is easy: stand! But what do you do when you drive a truck or taxi cab for a profession and you can't stand? This solution is a bit more complex. Nevertheless, there are three steps you can take to prevent and alleviate your back and neck pain while driving.

Step 1: Use an ACCESSORY lumbar support. Most cars are equipped with an inherent lumbar support, but the reality is that these inherent lumbar supports are not sufficient. Be sure to purchase an accessory support and use it each time you drive. Lumbar supports discourage slouching and induce the proper curve in your low back.

Step 2: Set up your driver's seat correctly. Try to sit with your legs and hips at 90 degrees and place your butt all the way at the back of the seat to prevent slouching. Don't continuously place your arms on the arm rest, as it causes a shoulder shrug. Finally, rest your head against the head rest at the spot directly above the bump on the back of your head. This position places your head in neutral.

Step 3: When possible, get out of your car and take a five minute walk. If you are driving across the country, take advantage of the rest stops to walk around for 10 minutes. If possible, pull over on the side of the road to stand and stretch.

Driving is a part of everyday life and a necessity to some people. Although driving is a leading cause of back pain, there are steps you can take to make it a more comfortable ride.

Home Business Income Opportunity - READ THIS FIRST To Avoid These 3 Deadly Mistakes In Your Business

2011-10-21T04:19:00.000-07:00

Home business income opportunities abound all over, especially on the internet.
It is a known fact though that over 90% of people fail to achieve the success they so desperately desire, especially in these economic times. The lifestyle of financial freedom and exotic travel eludes them and there are a few reasons why this occurs and I hope to shed some light on it here.

This list is by no means exhaustive but I hope, with this article, to set you on the right path to success as you explore these 3 deadly mistakes that could derail even the most seasoned online entrepreneurs.

Home business income opportunity killer #1: Lack of Diversity when it comes to marketing

For you to be successful with home business income opportunity, you need to be able to market your business. Of course without marketing, no one will know your home business exists online and no one will come into your virtual store.

Consequently you will not be able to achieve your financial goals as you will not.
So to get noticed, most home business owners strive to learn how to market online. However, a lot of them learn one marketing method and stick to just that. However, lessons were learnt from one of the recent 'Google slaps' as it is popularly called.

A lot of online businesses went downhill because they relied heavily on one marketing method, Google AdWords, in this case. The same danger awaits others who rely heavily on one marketing method even if it is not Google AdWords.

The remedy is to have a range of marketing methods so that if one marketing method becomes enviable you will have others in place to fall back on. If each marketing method contributes equally to your total business income then losing one of them will only put a small dent into your finances and not a big hole. 5 marketing strategies is a good number to strive for.

Home business income opportunity killer #2: Doing too much at once

The opposite of the above point is also true; taking on too many marketing strategies at the same time will kill your home business opportunity instead of growing it. This issue needs to be addressed in two ways - first, having too many marketing strategies that you are trying to implement and the other is having the right number of marketing strategies to grow your business but trying to perform these all at once and in a haphazard manner.
I like to use an analogy here - when you direct the rays of the sun through a concave mirror you focus the energy to the point that you can start a fire (remember the science experiments at school). But this is unlikely to happen without concentrating the energy first.
In the same way, to see the success you desire you need to concentrate on one or at most two strategies at a time. Otherwise you will dilute your efforts and it will take longer to see good results. Without this kind focus, you will not experience the success that you so greatly desire.

Home business income opportunity killer #3: Not keeping track of your marketing activities.

A mentor of mine used to say, anything that does not get measured will not be improved upon. This is true in all spheres of life and also in attaining success in your home business. With each and every one of your home business income opportunities you need to keep track your activities and measure the results you are getting. There are numerous tools you can use for this purpose - some of them are free and other more sophisticated ones are not so free.

Learning to track your marketing activities for example will highlight the weaknesses in your marketing campaign so you can concentrate more of your efforts on these to get them better.
Say for example you write two completely different articles, by checking them out and analysing the responses you get you will eventually be able to tell which one performs better over time and produces your desired results. You can then concentrate more of your efforts on the activities that are producing the results for you.

5 Simple Things That Could Cut Your Breast Cancer Risk

2011-10-21T04:12:00.000-07:00

1. Limit yourself to two or three alcoholic drinks a week

Alcohol, consumed even in small amounts, is believed to increase the risk of breast cancer. Most doctors recommend cutting back on wine, beer, and hard liquor.

A recent study showed the link between drinking and breast cancer was especially strong in the 70% of tumors known as hormone-sensitive.

2. Exercise at least three times a week (more often is even better)
And when you do exercise, work to keep your heart rate above its baseline level for a minimum of 20 continuous minutes. Long walks are nice too, but it's the more vigorous exercise (expect to sweat!) that really helps your heart and cuts your cancer risk.

3. Maintain your body weight, or lose weight if you're overweight

Research shows that being overweight or obese (especially if you're past menopause) increases your risk, especially if you put on the weight as an adult. And a study released in March 2008 by researchers at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston showed that obese and overweight women also had lower breast cancer survival rates and a greater chance of more aggressive disease than average-weight or underweight women.

4. Do a monthly breast self-exam

Be sure to get proper instruction from your doctor and have your technique reviewed regularly. You might catch a lump before a mammogram does, and it's a good idea to follow the changes in your body.

5. Have a mammogram once a year after 40

Catching a tumor early boosts the chance of survival significantly: The five-year survival rate can be as high as 98% for the earliest-stage localized disease, but hovers around 27% for the distant-stage, or metastatic, disease.

Surprising Headache Triggers

2011-06-21T10:47:00.000-07:00

What's to blame?

Could it be something you ate? Not enough sleep? Want to know what could be causing your headache? Our comprehensive list just might help you out.

Your weight
In a recent study, researchers found that women with mild obesity (a body mass index of 30) had a 35% greater risk of headaches than those with a lower BMI. Severe obesity (BMI of 40) upped the chances to 80%.

Your personality

Certain traits, including rigidity, reserve, and obsessivity may make you headache-prone. If that sounds like you, it could be time to sign up for relaxation training.

The big O

In one survey, 46% of headache sufferers said sex had triggered a headache. Usually, this is an overexertion headache (like joggers and weightlifters sometimes get); you may feel a dull pain that builds during foreplay or get a sudden headache around orgasm (more likely in men). In rare cases, such an intense headache could be caused by a tumor or aneurysm. For most folks, though, sex headaches are harmless.

That three-day vacay

Weekend or "let-down" headaches can happen when you take a break from your routine, says Alexander Mauskop, MD, founder and director of the New York Headache Center and co-author of What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Migraines. Ease into the change by keeping your sleep time as normal as possible—you’ll end up feeling more rested than if you stay in bed until noon.

Your bathroom paint job

It’s not just arguing over paint colors that can give you a headache; fumes from traditional paints can trigger pain. Many companies now make nearly odorless, low-VOC (volatile organic compound) formulas, like Benjamin Moore’s Natura line or Devoe’s Wonder Pure.

5 Steps to Take If Heartburn Won't Quit

2011-06-21T10:33:00.000-07:00

When acid reflux persists

Proton pump inhibitors, or PPIs, curb stomach acid production, keeping gastric juice from backing up into the esophagus and causing heartburn.

But they don’t always work—sometimes because heartburn has been misdiagnosed. Even when PPIs do work, up to 40% of people can still have breakthrough symptoms from time to time.

Fortunately, there are things you can do to prevent and minimize breakthrough symptoms.

Make sure you're taking medication correctly

If you don’t know how and when to take your meds, call your doctor for specific instructions.

“Typically, the proton pump inhibitors are given 30 to 60 minutes before breakfast,” says David A. Johnson, MD, a professor of medicine and the chief of gastroenterology at Eastern Virginia Medical School, in Norfolk, Va., and past president of the American College of Gastroenterology.

However, some people do better taking two doses a day to stave off nighttime symptoms, he adds.

Don’t hit the sack on a full belly

Lying down within three to four hours of consuming a large meal, particularly a late-evening feast, could spell trouble.

"My big push is to keep the patients away from late eating, large meals, and recumbency," says Dr. Johnson. Such a triple threat may pose too large of an insult on the body, one that even PPIs—the gold standard in GERD treatment—can’t handle.

For nighttime symptoms, Dr. Johnson suggests elevating the head of the bed with blocks or using a bed wedge to elevate the upper torso.

Shed a few pounds

A 2006 study in the New England Journal of Medicinefound that overweight and obese women were two to three times as likely as thinner women to have frequent reflux symptoms.

Moderate weight gain, even in normal-weight people, may exacerbate reflux symptoms, according to the survey of more than 10,500 people.

"A reduction of even 2.5 pounds may be enough for some patients to decrease or eliminate their reflux symptoms," Dr. Johnson points out.

Try an over-the-counter drug

Drugs like Tagamet HB, Pepcid AC, Axid AR, and Zantac 75 are very effective in knocking out acid, says Joel Richter, MD, the chair of the department of medicine at Temple University, in Philadelphia.

The paradox is they’re not very effective when taken daily, because people develop a tolerance to the drug, he adds.

"What I suggest to my patients is that they take an over-the-counter H2 blocker when they have their breakthrough symptoms," he says. "That seems to give them better control."

Know your triggers

If jalapeños or onions always get you, consider skipping them. If you’re going to eat spicy food, taking an H2 blocker an hour or so before may help stop symptoms.

But if you make changes and still have heartburn, get help.

“If people are having residual symptoms several times per week, and certainly if they’re having residual symptoms to the point that it’s interfering with their ability to sleep…or function on a day-to-day basis, they should definitely talk to their physician about it,” says William D. Chey, MD, director of the gastrointestinal physiology laboratory at the University of Michigan Health System, in Ann Arbor.

Can the Sunshine Vitamin Ease Fibromyalgia Pain?

2011-06-21T10:06:00.000-07:00

Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin because when sunlight hits skin, the body produces this vitamin, essential for strong, healthy bones. (That’s the reason your mother told you to slurp down your vitamin D-fortified milk.)

However, a mountain of new evidence suggests that the vitamin may have a more versatile role than previously thought, particularly when it comes to maintaining a healthy immune system and boosting mood.

Low levels have been associated with more severe asthma, colds,seasonal affective disorder, depression, and even chronic pain or fibromyalgia.

So does that mean that taking more vitamin D (or spending a bit more time in the sun) can combat fibromyalgia? Not just yet.

Studies have found that pain patients, including those with fibromyalgia, are more likely to be vitamin D deficient than their pain-free peers. However, it’s not clear which came first; people in pain may get less sun (presumably because they may be more likely to stay inside, due to pain), which could lead to a vitamin D deficiency, rather than vice versa—a vitamin D deficiency leading to pain.

And it’s also not clear if making sure you have adequate levels of the vitamin will help relieve pain or other fibromyalgia symptoms, such as lack of energy or difficulty sleeping.

What’s known about vitamin D
Our bodies make vitamin D naturally when exposed to sunlight. It only takes 10 to 15 minutes a day outside (without sunscreen) to make an adequate amount, but according to studies, about half of adults and 70% of children don’t get enough. In a 2003 study, 93% of pain patients had low levels of vitamin D. The dietary reference intake was revised in 2010 to attempt to clear up conflicting messages about the importance of vitamin D. The current recommended dietary allowance for people up to age 70 is 600 international units (IU) per day of vitamin D. Adults older than 70 need 800 IU/day, with an upper limit of 4,000 IU/day deemed safe.

Screening for vitamin D deficiency is as easy as a blood test, and deficiency can be righted with a few minutes of sunscreen-free time in the sun, supplemental pills, or by incorporating foods like eggs, mushrooms, and salmon—all natural carriers of vitamin D—into a healthy diet.

Getting vitamin D from natural sources can stop you from getting too much of the vitamin, since the body makes only what it needs.

Although it’s hard to overdose on vitamin D, it is possible if you take megadoses of the vitamin, which can cause hypercalcemia, an above-average concentration of calcium in the blood that can lead to kidney failure and nervous system problems, and hyperphosphatemia, an increase in levels of phosphates in the blood, which can affect bone density and increase the risk of osteoporosis.

Many who lack vitamin D—especially during the dark and dreary winter months when sunlight isn’t abundant—do turn to supplements. In 2008, Americans spent $235 million on vitamin D supplements, up from $40 million in 2001.

Can vitamin D help fibro symptoms?
While more research is needed, experts believe supplementing with vitamin D may lessen pain, says Gregory A. Plotnikoff, MD, the medical director at the Penny George Institute for Health and Healing at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, in Minneapolis. “Many Americans are reporting that replenishing their vitamin D results in significantly reduced pain, increased energy, and better sense of well-being,” says Dr. Plotnikoff, who published a 2003 study of the link.

However, W. Michael Hooten, MD, an assistant professor of anesthesiology and the medical director at the Mayo Clinic Pain Rehabilitation Center, in Rochester, Minn., notes that patients in pain may be more inactive and spend less time in the sun than people who are pain free.

“They may stay indoors more, their diet may become altered, which may predispose them to develop a vitamin D deficiency,” he says.

In a study published last year and co-authored by Dr. Hooten, pain patients with a vitamin D deficiency took almost double the amount of pain medication to control their symptoms as pain patients with adequate levels of the vitamin.

In the study of 267 chronic pain patients, 66 had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Over half of the participants had such intense pain that they were using opioid painkillers daily.

“If you’re choking down 150 milligrams of morphine per day, you don’t have energy, you feel lousy, you’re staying at home all the time,” he says. “Clinicians should be suspect of chronic pain patients. What we measured justifies screening for [vitamin D deficiency].”

For now, more research is needed to determine whether exposure to more vitamin D will truly help cut fibromyalgia pain.

It is known that vitamin D can help lessen pain caused by osteomalacia, a softening or weakening of the bones caused by a severe, long-term lack of vitamin D. Researchers aren’t sure how many people suffer from osteomalacia, says Dr. Hooten, but it can be misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia or other conditions.

But even if an adequate intake of vitamin D doesn’t alleviate pain, it mayboost mood and could potentially prevent 150,000 cases of cancer annually.

According to a 2009 study, supplementing vitamin D may also protect you from the common cold. In a study of nearly 19,000 people 12 and older, colds and other respiratory tract infections were found more frequently in people with lower levels of vitamin D. People with asthma and low vitamin D are six times more likely to get a cold, and people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which includes chronic bronchitis andemphysema, were at two to three times the risk.

"Simply replenishing vitamin D,” says Dr. Plotnikoff, “can have profoundly positive effects.”

Eating Baked, Broiled Fish Protects the Heart

2011-05-29T00:22:00.000-07:00

For years, doctors have been telling their patients to eat more fish in order to boost heart health. They may want to start giving out recipes with that advice: According to a new study, how fish is cooked can make a dramatic difference in the heart benefits it provides.

The study followed the eating habits and health of about 85,000 postmenopausal women for an average of 10 years. Compared to women who rarely or never ate fish, those who ate five or more servings per week had a 30% lower risk of developing heart failure—but only if the fish was baked or broiled.

If the fish was fried, it appeared to be harmful, not healthy. Eating just one serving of fried fish per week was linked to a 48% higher risk of heart failure, even after the researchers accounted for the participants’ overall diet (including french fries and other fried foods) and medical histories.

“How you prepare fish is just as—if not more—important than the type of fish in terms of seeing benefits,” says the senior author of the study, Donald Lloyd-Jones, MD, the chair of preventive medicine at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, in Evanston, Ill. “This may not be earth-shattering news, but it is important to get people focused on a healthy diet, because that is what helps us avoid disease.”

Nearly 6 million people in the U.S. are estimated to suffer from heart failure, a chronic condition in which a weakening heart is unable to pump an adequate amount of blood and oxygen to the rest of the body. Heart failure is often a result of heart disease, high blood pressure, and other chronic conditions, and it kills 1 in 5 people within a year of diagnosis, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).

In a separate analysis, Lloyd-Jones and his colleagues also found that some types of fish appear to be healthier than others. Eating dark, oily fish such as salmon and mackerel was associated with a lower risk of heart failure, whereas eating tuna fish or white fish such as sole and cod were not.

The findings, which appear in the AHA journal Circulation: Heart Failure, “reinforce current dietary recommendations” that encourage eating fish as part of a balanced diet, says Gregg Fonarow, MD, codirector of the preventative cardiology program at UCLA, who was not involved in the study. “In light of this new study, greater emphasis on encouraging baked [or] broiled fish and dark fish—salmon, mackerel, and bluefish—should be considered.”

Dark fish may be especially beneficial for heart health due to its high content of omega-3 fatty acids, good fats that appear to reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering inflammation, blood pressure, and cell damage. (Atlantic salmon, for instance, contains roughly three to six times as much omega-3s as cod or sole.)

There may be more to it, however. Using detailed diet questionnaires, the researchers estimated the study participants’ total intake of omega-3 fatty acids (including from fish oil supplements), and found no link between omega-3s on their own and reduced rates of heart failure.

This suggests that it’s the whole fish—rather than its component parts—that provides heart protection, Lloyd-Jones says. “Pills just don’t have the same benefits,” he adds. “It’s a mistake to think that we know all the benefits of fish, and clearly not all of those benefits come from omega-3s.

Memorial Day Weekend: Finding Cheap Gas Prices to Fill Up Your Tank

2011-05-27T06:44:00.000-07:00

At least 35 million people are expected to hit the road this Memorial Day Weekend, choosing cheaper hotels and restaurants because of high gas prices. If gas prices will determine if you're going to get behind the wheel, here are some tips on how to find the cheapest way to fill up your car's tank.

Fill Up On Fridays: Using mapping firm Esri, ABC News looked at prices at more than 5,100 gas stations in four areas of the nation: Chicago, Boston, Orange County and Jacksonville. In April, when the average price of gas shot up 30 cents, ABC News found that filling up on Friday saved the most money. In three of the areas, gas prices increased most on Saturdays.

Go to Warehouse Clubs: Gas prices at warehouse clubs like Sam's, Costco and BJ's are at least 3 percent lower than the average gas station. With gas prices hovering at nearly $4 a gallon, you could save nearly $2.25 every time you fill up at a warehouse club.

Choosing the Right Location: On the way to the beach, the countryside or the big city, it might seem easiest to fill up along the highway, but that could cause you more pain at the pump. ABC News found that finding a gas station just one minute from a highway can save you 11 percent or about $7 to fuel your trip. Also, avoid filling up downtown.

With gas prices hovering near $4 a gallon, Americans are already feeling the effects of gas prices well before the summer driving season kicks off this Memorial Day weekend. Gas prices are the highest they've been since August 2008. The national average for retail gas prices is $1.07 per gallon more than last Memorial Day Weekend.

There are some signs of relief. The national average for unleaded regular gasoline was $3.81 on Thursday, 9 cents less than it was last week.

Pump prices this weekend are expected to drop even more because oil prices are down about 12 percent since the beginning of the month.

Mariners at Minnesota Twins: May 24, 2011 game thread

2011-05-24T21:19:00.000-07:00

The Mariners came a bit undone defensively in the bottom of the seventh and trail 4-2 as a result. Minnesota scored twice that frame, with a lot of help from a balk called on Doug Fister.

Fister got his sixth strikeout to start things off, then saw Rene Rivera hit a ball down the right field line. Ichiro ran in on it, but pulled up late and allowed the ball to drop in for a single.

Ichiro made a nice decoy move on an ensuing Alexi Casilla hit off the right field wall. The ball was hit off the wall on a line, but Ichiro made like he was about to catch it and fooled Casilla into slowing up and settling for a single while Rivera took third.

The balk was called after that as Fister feinted towards third, then threw to first base.

That brought the run home and sent Casilla to second representing a big insurance run. Denard Span then lined a hit to left that Carlos Peguero charged in on. Peguero then came up throwing and Chone Figgins let it go on through without cutting the ball off.

The run scored and Miguel Olivo -- backing the play up -- let it roll through his five-hole for an error that send Span to third with one out. It didn't cost Seattle any more runs as Fister got a huge second out and Aaron Laffey retired the side.

But the M's went 1-2-3 in the eighth and are now three outs away from defeat.

6:42 p.m.: Doug Fister has settled in nicely, giving up a single in the sixth but otherwise getting through the frame with the 2-2 score unchanged. Fister has allowed just two hits -- one an infield single that Denard Span legged out after a nice, diving stop of a grounder by Brendan Ryan at shortstop.

Anybody else but Span running and that's a Web Gem on ESPN.

6:07 p.m.: Miguel Olivo just tied things up with one swing of the bat in the fourth inning, depositing the two-out offering by Nick Blackburn over the wall in left center with Justin Smoak aboard. Smoak had reached on a one-out single.

So, just like that, we're tied 2-2. The Rangers are losing early to the White Sox as well, so Seattle is poised to gain some ground if it can win this one.

6:03 p.m.: Minnesota leads 2-0 after Matt Tolbert executed a suicide squeeze bunt in the bottom of the third inning. Alexi Casilla led things off with a double to right center that Carlos Peguero did a nice job running down, only to have it pop out of his glove. That's happened a few times since his great catch last week.

Casilla took third on a ground out and then Tolbert got the squeeze bunt down perfectly, leaving Miguel Olivo no choice but to throw to firs base.

5:39 p.m.: You don't see that very often. Doug Fister just struck out the side in the bottom of the second inning to keep it a 1-0 game. Got swinging strikeouts on Delmon Young and Danny Valencia, then a called one that former M's catcher Rene -- I can't believe he's still playing -- Rivera didn't like the call on.

5:34 p.m: The M's looked to have something going in the second after a leadoff double by Jack Cust. But Miguel Olivo went down swinging and then Adam Kennedy had a hard line drive to right caught on the run by Jason Kubel.

Cust was almost at third base by the time the ball was caught and had zero chance to make it back to second. He was only halfway to the bag by the time the throw arrived to double him off. Still 1-0 for the Twins.

5:27 p.m.: And the Twins take a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a leadoff triple by Denard Span, followed by a one-out single from Jason Kubel. The quirky at-bat of the inning went to Matt Tolbert, who lost the grip on his bat not once, but twice, while swinging at pitches by Doug Fister in striking out. Fortunately, no one got hurt by the flying wood.

Figgins watch: Flied out to center. Got good wood on the ball.

5:04 p.m.: Doug Fister will try to keep this six-game winning streak going against Nick Blackburn. Remember him? Blackburn is one of the guys who was rumored to be on the block three years ago when the Mariners were said to have a shot at trading Jarrod Washburn to Minnesota in August of 2008.

So, a trade of "burn" guys. Ha, ha.

The M's were said to have a chance to offload all of Washburn's salary for the rest of 2008 and all of 2009 and get a player as well. Minnesota sources denied emphatically in the media here that Blackburn was the guy. We'll never know. All we know is, the M's dealt Washburn to the Tigers 11 months later for Luke French.

Tips for Making a Leafy Green Salad

2011-05-24T20:07:00.000-07:00

A leafy green salad is a great addition to any meal, as vegetables go good with all foods, including meats and starches. The salads are generally low in calories, but high in nutrients, which means that they will fill you up without all the extra calories.

Leafy green salads are also high in fiber, which latches onto the buildup within the digestive tract and eliminates it from the body. You can enjoy these salads as a snack, or even in a meal by themselves, or as a side dish.

Leafy green salads are easy to make, and you can add just about any ingredient that you like. But there a few things to keep in mind in order to make the salad the best that it can be.

Use Fresh Produce

Produce begins to lose its freshness and its nutrients as soon as it is picked. Therefore, always eat your produce the day that you purchase it, or at least within the next day or two. Even better, grow your own vegetables if you have a garden. And if you do not have a garden, you might want to consider growing a patio garden, or even an indoor vegetable garden, as vegetables are fairly easy to grow.

Make Your Own Dressing

Next, always, always, always make your own salad dressings for your leafy green salads. The bottled stuff that you can buy contains many artificial ingredients and food additives that do not belong in the human body.

Salad dressings are very easy and quick to make. All you need is a bit of olive oil, lemon juice, and a hint of sea salt and pepper, and you are all set. You can also add vinegar, herbs and many other spices to make a rich dressing. Avocados and ground flax seed are also great for a dressing.

Just make sure that you use the dressing up that same day, or at least the next day, as fresh produce such as lemon juice and avocados go rancid very quick.

Add Nuts and Seeds

For a salad topping, you can add your favorite nuts and seeds. They not only add to the flavor of the salad, but they are also rich with proteins, and healthy fats that can help with the absorption of fat soluble vitamins.

To enhance the flavor of the nuts, you can lightly toast them. Just make sure that you allow them to cool thoroughly before adding them in with the leafy greens, as the warmth can cause the greens to wilt fast.

Seasoning Your Salad From Dull to Delicious

2011-05-24T20:05:00.000-07:00

In the U.S. most lettuce varieties can be grouped into four kinds: the butterheads, crispheads (icebergs), leaf lettuces and Romaine. You are probably most familiar with the iceberg head lettuces that are large and compact. They have little taste and few nutrients. You might do your body more good by just drinking a glass of water. Head lettuce always used to spoil before I could eat it all anyway.

The butterheads have small, round loose heads with sweet-tasting leaves of pale green. You see them in the store as Bibb or Boston. They are a step ahead of iceberg in that they have more flavor. Romaine is also very popular. It is oblong-shaped with dark green outside leaves that lighten up as you get toward the middle. Romaine is used for Caesar salads and is crunchy. It has a slightly bitter flavor. Mustard, lemon juice and black pepper are good spices to use with a Caesar salad.

Perhaps my favorites, especially since I can grow them in my garden, are leaf lettuces. As you can tell by their name, they are not as compact as the others and usually come from a single stalk in a variety of shapes. They are darker green or red, have more vitamins and flavor and can spoil faster than head lettuce, so buy them the same day you want to use them. Better yet, grow them in your garden and just pick them, along with your tomatoes and peppers, as you need them for your salads.

The term greens refers to edible plant leaves. Some of the more common ones are chicory (curly endive), collards, dandelions, mustards and turnips. They are all rich in nutrients and easy to handle. You can simmer them for ten minutes, steam them or eat them raw.

One of the ways to spice up a salad is to add a spicy green in with it. For example, arugula or mustard greens have a peppery, slightly bitter flavor and can be matched with something sweet, like raisins or blueberries in a salad. Who doesn't have dandelions in their yard? Use the leaves for your salad, but pick them before the dandelion actually flowers. If you find endive too bitter, try escarole instead. It is in the same family, but the leaves are broad and pale green and the flavor not as bitter. If using turnip greens keep in mind that younger, smaller ones are often sweeter tasting.

For any green salad, including spinach, use up some of those spices you bought for that one recipe. What was it again? Marjoram, tarragon and thyme are good choices, along with herbs such as chervil and chives. For spinach-based salads try anise, caraway seed, dill, mace, nutmeg, oregano or rosemary.

It seems to be able to handle a variety, but don't try them all at once. Basil or mint is also good in a mixed green salad. Don't forget the nuts. It adds a nice crunch of its own, and it has good cholesterol and amino acids. For the best flavor, you can't go wrong with bacon dressing on your spinach salad.

If you really want to be clever, find out what the cook is using for his barbeque sauce and try to incorporate some of the same or contrasting spices in your salad (sweet with hot or salty with sweet, for example). Remember to cut up fresh herbs finely to release more flavor.

Use a full teaspoon of fresh herbs or a quarter teaspoon of dried or ground spice for every two servings (or for every pound) until you are more familiar with its overall effect. Salads do not have to be bland and boring any more. Spice them up and don't let the grill master get all the praise!

Revenue Boosting and Cost Cutting Strategies for Smaller Medical Practices

2011-05-24T20:02:00.000-07:00

A Sermo poll conducted in 2010 found that 26% of solo physicians (single physician practices) had either closed their practice or were considering closing. For the smallest practices, cash flow concerns are such that a delay in reimbursement can jeopardize their survival.

Some solo physicians are switching to a cash-only model and/or becoming non-participating insurance providers. Many solo physicians and smaller medical practices have turned to practice management companies for assistance but these relationships don't always solve their problems.

When cash flow is an issue, consider the following strategies for bringing in additional revenue and trimming operating costs:

1. Find revenue opportunities

Most solo practices find that income is limited by the number of patients seen per day. If the physician cannot see additional patients, it may make sense to add nonphysician providers (NPPs) who can deal with routine cases. If the physician has additional capacity, then consider adding a wider range of related services, econsults, and extended hours.

2. Take a close look at staffing and productivity

With the high cost of staffing, it's important to make the best use of your staff. Start by comparing your staffing levels with your peers and find ways to increase staff productivity. Technology (e.g., EMRs, electronic billing) can be tremendously helpful.

Some practices have no support staff. This is not to say that support staff are unimportant but that certain aspects can be outsourced or automated using technology (e.g., adding an online patient portal can reduce demands on your existing staff and allow patients the convenience of paying bills, requesting appointments, making prescription refill requests and so forth, online.)

Appointment reminder calls and other routine correspondence (e.g., account balance notifications, lab test results reporting) with patients can easily be handled with greater reliability and at a much lower cost by a good automated telephone reminder service. These services usually automatically capture contact attempts and the results of each contact attempt. They can also offer multilingual messaging, custom scripts, and so forth.

Replacing your live answering service with an automated answering service is another way that technology can save money for your practice. A good automated service can provide all the services of a live answering service (e.g., message taking, new message notification, on-call physician scheduling) with superior speed, accuracy, and consistency.

3. Control your no shows

Every practice should track no shows and rescheduled appointments. Tracking is the first step to understanding the extent of the problem and the urgency of finding solutions to improve one's no show rate. Physicians should be alerted of no shows and the tracking data should be analyzed for patterns (e.g., missed appointment rates could vary by date, by time, by how many days in advance the appointment was set, type of appointment, etc.).

It's important to actively manage your no shows. Be sure to send appointment reminders. Lower no shows further by asking for confirmations. For missed appointments, a good follow-up process, one that emphasizes the importance of the appointment, should improve kept appointment rates.

4. Take advantage of federal incentives

The federal government offers several incentive payment programs, including those for ePrescribing, electronic health records systems, Value Based Purchasing (VBP) incentives, and reporting of quality measures to Medicare under the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS).

Adopting new strategies that increase cash flow and improve productivity can keep your small practice afloat and increase its value when you decide to retire or sell.
Susan Linton is an expert in healthcare technology.

Start-up For The Business Enterprise

2011-05-24T06:32:00.000-07:00

Think about yourself planning to start a business. Let’s say it’s a small one; an experimentation maybe regarding how the general public responds to it. You’ve obtained the blueprints, the creative ideas and also you’re all vitalized to begin; what else is lacking? Needless to say, you need to have investment capital.

Wouldn’t you want to have a very good deal of money to leap commence your organization? Who wouldn’t? Nevertheless the reality of it’s that, for the majority of business people, you would probably have to jump via a few hoops to show yourself notable of trust to loan companies. It is not impossible; some paperwork along with a solid business plan is required by several banking institutions for any kind of enterprise loan.

Whether it be large-scale or tiny, a business owner needs to obtain business funding to start up and function. Despite the fact that bad administration is regarded as the widespread good reason that a organization does not work out, very poor financing is a very in close proximity to second. Having funds to begin your company is 1 thing, but you have to have a back-up if things do not go as organized even though you are working.

Several elements need to be contemplated when looking at your financing possibilities: Are your requirements short-term or long-term? Do you will need the cash in the entirety or in smaller amounts over numerous months? Just what are the problems if the enterprise falls flat? Do you want to push over anyway? When these concerns have been answered, they’ll aid you prioritize all aspects of your company gradually putting you to the appropriate options.

But wait, what exactly are these options? Let’s have a closer glimpse at each of them, shall we? One: Without doubt, your close relatives and pals continue to be your very best choice. They’re less rigid about loans and are more understanding depending on condition of the company. Just keep financial dealings formal – it makes excellent training for upcoming deals. Two:

A business line of credit online can be a wonderful support, so do not count them out! Coming in all shapes and forms, they may be micro-loans of several thousand dollars to six-figure loans from main banks. They could be less difficult to acquire especially if backed by valuable assets. Three: Bank cards are good approaches for cash flow administration. When correctly monitored, they could come up with your organization a lot more liquid, and they are very useful in tight jams, but at the same time, the interest can be extremely costly, so completely pay down that charge card as soon as it is possible to. Four:

When the bank disapproves, private loan companies are the way to go. They present a viable alternative to banks, offering options like a business line of credit online, and they ask for similar records but are more willing to take higher risks if they see possible inside the business.

Undoubtedly, there’s an extensive array of choices a company aspirant can decide on from. You ought to give unique consideration to the individual features of your business. Just be sensible. Just be practical. Just be realistic. Only then can you truly realize the vision which is your business.

All you’ve got to do is find that entrepreneurial spirit inside you and take the step – the step towards the quest of business enterprise. Just remember, an individual is going to say Yes!

12 Ways to Keep Your Lungs Strong and Healthy

2011-05-21T21:43:00.000-07:00

How to prevent lung disease

If you take good care of your lungs, they can last a lifetime. “The lungs are very durable if they’re not attacked from the outside,” says Norman H. Edelman, MD, chief medical officer of the American Lung Association (ALA). With a few exceptions, your lungs don’t get into trouble unless you get them into trouble, he says.

However, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the fourth-leading cause of death in the U.S. after heart disease, cancer, and stroke. Here are 12 things you can do to keep your lungs healthy as you age.

Don’t smoke...anything

Smoking is, hands down, the worst thing you can do to your lungs on a regular basis.

There’s no safe threshold when it comes to smoking, Dr. Edelman says; the more you smoke, the greater your risk of lung cancer and COPD, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Secondhand smoke is harmful, too, and there’s mounting evidence that even thirdhand smoke—or just being in an environment where people have smoked—is dangerous.

It’s not enough to skip only cigarettes. Pipes, cigars, or marijuana can harm lungs too.

Fight for clean air

While U.S. air is cleaner than in the past, more than 154 million Americans still live in areas where air pollution is a threat to health, according to the ALA’s annual State of the Air report.

"Air pollution can not only make diseases like COPD and asthma worse, [but] it can also kill people," Dr. Edelman says. You can make a difference by supporting clean air laws and opposing efforts to cut regulation.

On the individual level, cut your electricity use, drive less, and avoid burning wood or trash.

Exercise more

Exercise in itself won’t make your lungs stronger, Dr. Edelman says, but it will help you get more out of them.

The better your cardiorespiratory fitness, the easier it is for your lungs to keep your heart and muscles supplied with oxygen. Regular exercise is particularly important if you have chronic lung disease; your lungs need all the help they can get.

If cold air triggers your asthma symptoms, use a scarf or face mask to warm the air before it hits your lungs.

Beware of outdoor air pollution

In some areas, especially in the summer, ozone and other pollutants can make working out or even spending time outdoors an unhealthy proposition.

People with a lung disease are particularly sensitive to air pollution. The U.S. government’s AIRNow web site, provides up-to-date information on air quality, as well as an explanation of Air Quality Index (AQI) numbers.

Sign up for EnviroFlash, email alerts on your local air quality.

Improve indoor air

Air pollution isn’t just an outdoor problem. There are a number of indoor sources, including fireplaces and wood-burning stoves, mold, pet dander, construction materials, and even air fresheners and some candles.

The Environmental Protection Agency recommends a three-pronged approach: Eliminate sources, improve ventilation, and use air cleaners.

Air cleaners remove particulate matter, but won’t impact gases.

Eat right

There is evidence that antioxidant-rich foods are good for your lungs. (Research suggests it has to be food, not supplements.)

A 2010 study found that people who consumed the most cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy, kale, and more) had almost half the risk of lung cancer compared to those who consumed the least.

"All those nice, leafy green vegetables that have lots of antioxidants do seem to have a protective effect," says Dr. Edelman.

Protect yourself on the job

Many jobs can put your lungs at risk, from construction work to styling hair. (Here are some of the worst jobs for your lungs.)

In fact, occupational asthma accounts for approximately 15% of cases, says Dr. Edelman. Potential culprits include dust; particles; diacetyl, a chemical that adds a buttery flavor to food; paint fumes; and diesel exhaust, among others. If your employer provides protective equipment, wear it. If not, Dr. Edelman says, contact your union representative, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or any state or local agency with the same function as OSHA.

Don’t skimp on shots

Respiratory infections can be particularly devastating if you have COPD or other lung problems. Get the flu shot in time for flu season, and if you’re 65 or older, get the pneumococcal vaccine too.

Also, take steps to avoid infection: Wash your hands frequently, avoid crowds during peak flu season, get plenty of rest, eat well, and keep your stress levels under control, too.

Stick to safe products

Many at-home activities—cleaning, hobbies, home improvement—can expose your lungs to harmful particles or gases.

Protect yourself by choosing safer products, working in a well-ventilated area, and using a dust mask. (The ALA offers tips for working with fiberglass.)

Avoid oil-based paints, which release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and choose water-based paint instead. Cleaning products can contain harmful chemicals too, like VOCs, ammonia, and bleach; read labels before you buy. (The ALA provides suggestions for safer cleaning products.)

Check for radon

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas produced by the breakdown of uranium in the ground. It typically leaks into a house through cracks in the foundation and walls. Radon is the main cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers, and the second-leading cause of the disease after smoking.

Get your home tested; if radon levels are between 2 and 4 pCi/L, consider radon reduction. There are no known safe levels of radon, so the lower, the better.

Know the warning signs

If you have a cough for more than a month, or if you have a hard time breathing with little or no physical exertion, you should see a doctor, according to the ALA.

Wheezing, coughing up blood, or coughing up phlegm for more than a month are also problematic, and if you have chest pain lasting a month or longer, get it checked out, particularly if breathing in or coughing makes it worse.

Control your condition

If you’ve got asthma or COPD, do your best to keep it under control.

Preventive medications, such as inhaled corticosteroids, can cut your risk of asthma attacks, and rescue medications, such as albuterol inhalers, can stop symptoms like coughing or wheezing. Other medications can control COPD.

Know your triggers, and avoid them, if possible. Also do your best to stave off respiratory infections, which can exacerbate both conditions.

As hours tick by, "Judgment Day" looks a dud

2011-05-21T21:06:00.000-07:00

With no sign of Judgment Day arriving on Saturday as forecast by an 89 year-old California evangelical broadcaster, followers were faced with trying to make sense of his failed pronouncement.

Harold Camping, the former civil engineer who heads the

Family Radio Network of Christian stations, had been unwavering in his message that believers would be swept to heaven on May 21.

His Oakland, California-based network broadcasts over 66 U.S. stations and through international affiliates. With the help of supporters it posted at least 2,000 billboards around the United States warning of the Judgment Day.

In New York, retired transportation agency worker Robert Fitzpatrick was inspired by Camping's message to spend over $140,000 of his savings on subway posters and outdoor advertisements warning of the May 21 Judgment Day.

As he stood in Times Square in New York surrounded by onlookers, Fitzpatrick, 60, carried a Bible and handed out leaflets as he waited for Judgment Day to begin.

By his own reading of Bible, which was slightly different than Camping's, Fitzgerald expected the great worldwide event to begin at 6 p.m. Eastern Time.

When the hour came and went, he said: "I do not understand why ...," as his speech broke off and he looked at his watch.

"I do not understand why nothing has happened."

Camping, who previously made a failed prediction Jesus Christ would return to Earth in 1994, had said doomsday would begin at 6 p.m. in the various time zones around the globe.

NEW DAY COMES

That meant it would begin in Asia and Oceania, but with midnight local time having come and gone in those areas, taking them well into May 22, and no indication of an apocalypse, Camping seemed to have gone silent.

During the day, his Family Radio played recorded church music, devotionals and life advice unrelated to Judgment Day.

The headquarters of his network was shuttered on Friday and Saturday, with a sign in the door that read "This Office is Closed. Sorry we missed you!"

Camping, whose deep sonorous voice is frequently heard on his radio network expounding the Bible, could not be reached for comment.

The shades were drawn and no one answered the door at his house in Alameda, California.

Sheila Doan, 65, who has lived next door to Camping since 1971, said he is a good neighbor and she was concerned about Camping and his wife because of the attention his pronouncement has received.

"I'm concerned for them, that somebody would possibly do something stupid, you just don't know in this world what's going to happen," she said.

Tom Evans, a spokesman for Camping, said earlier this week that at least several tens of thousands of people listen to Family Radio's message.

The network is heard in more than 30 languages through international affiliates, according to Family Radio.

In recent weeks, dozens of Camping's followers had crossed the United States in recreational vehicles emblazoned with the May 21 warning. Volunteers also handed out pamphlets as far away as the Philippines, telling people God had left clear signs the world was coming to an end.

In Camping's description of Judgment Day, the Earth would be wrenched in a great earthquake and many inhabitants would perish in the coming months, until the planet's total destruction on October 21.

On Saturday, some atheists in different parts of the country held celebrations and get-togethers to mark the failure of Camping's May 21 prediction to come true.

In Oakland, the same city where Camping's network is based, over 200 people gathered at an atheist convention where speakers joked about the Judgment Day pronouncement and a vendor sold jewelry with the words "Good without God."

Cara Lee Hickey, 32, a Christian turned atheist, said Camping's prediction got people talking.

"I've heard a lot of name-calling, but most of it is from other Christians calling him a false prophet," she said.

Iceland's most active volcano starts to erupt

2011-05-21T19:50:00.000-07:00

The Grimsvotn volcano in Iceland's most active Vatnajokull glacier started to erupt in the late hours of Saturday, an English-language magazine about Iceland said on its web page.

The volcano showed clear signs of "volcanic unrest" at around 22:00 Moscow time (18:00 GMT on Saturday), with Icelandic media quoting geologist Hjorleifur Sveinbjornsson as saying the eruption was imminent. Plumes of ash and smoke were seen rising from the crater an hour later.

Iceland Review, the country's oldest English-language magazine, said on its website that the eruption will not disrupt air travel in the way the eruption of another Icelandic volcano, Eyjafjallajokull, did last year.

"The eruptions have had almost no effect on air travel. Airplanes do of course have to avoid the surrounding area, but the circle has been very limited," the magazine said.

The eruption on the Eyjafjallajokull Glacier in Iceland, which began on April 14, paralyzed air traffic throughout central and northern Europe, leaving thousands of travelers stranded and forcing more than 20 European countries to close their airspace.

"Most of the time the eruptions are followed by floods which sometimes cause damage in roads and bridges," Iceland Review said. "The area affected is sparsely populated and there is no report of any human casualties in recent times."

The volcanic cloud reached the height of 20,000 meters by 21:00 GMT, but has dispersed in the atmosphere by now.

The Vatnajokull area is the most active volcano location in Iceland. Since records began in 1920, it has erupted nine times, the previous eruption recorded in 2004. Most of them lasted at least one week, but the 2004 eruption took only four days.

6.1 quake in South Pacific

2011-05-21T19:48:00.000-07:00

A magnitude 6.1 earthquake has struck near a group of South Pacific islands, the US Geological Survey (USGS) says.

There are no reports of damage or risk of tsunami.

A statement by the USGS says the quake struck Sunday 19km under the Kermadec Islands, a New Zealand group with no permanent population that lies 1000km east of the city of Auckland.

New Zealand has been shaken by a series of quakes and aftershocks since the city of Christchurch was devastated by a temblor on February 22 that killed 181 people.

New Zealand sits above an area where two tectonic plates collide. The country records more than 14,000 earthquakes a year - but only about 150 are felt by residents, and fewer than 10 a year do any damage.

A small US religious group had predicted that Judgement Day would begin a day earlier, on Saturday, with an earthquake in New Zealand.

How to Recognize the Symptoms of Depression

2011-05-21T06:48:00.000-07:00

Everybody feels down for a day or two. But one in 14 American adults—15 million in all—has clinical depression each year.

Depression is a complex condition characterized by profound sadness, lethargy, feelings of worthlessness, and a loss of interest in social activities. These feelings can last for two weeks or go on for decades. The difference between the blues and clinical depression is one of length and severity of symptoms.

"If you've gotten to the point where you're looking up depression on the computer, then there's a good chance it's a real depression, not the blues," says Tracey Lipsig Kite, MSW, a licensed therapist in private practice in Evanston, Ill. "If you really are to the point where you think you might need therapy, you're probably right."

Physical symptoms of depression
Depression doesn't always look or feel like a dark mood.

"Irritability is one of the most under-recognized symptoms of major depression," says Rakesh Jain, MD, director of psychopharmacology at R/D Clinical Research Center, in Lake Jackson, Tex.

Doctors also often overlook physical symptoms, says Dr. Jain. Some 67% to 69% of people who receive a diagnosis of major depression also have muscle and joint pain, headaches, and fatigue.

Sharon Charles Haznedar, an administrative director for behavioral health services at New York City's Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Centers and a psychiatric nurse practitioner, says depression is insidious because it often renders victims unable to ask for help: "I've had depressed patients tell me that they need a plan just to walk across the room."

"Depression drains a person's energy," Haznedar continues. "The idea of visiting the doctor, figuring out whether your insurance plan will cover the visit, and filling prescriptions can be daunting when you're depressed. If you're already seeing one or more doctors for other health conditions, the difficulties associated with another illness can be overwhelming.

Gender differences in depression
Women are twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with depression. However, men more often commit suicide as a result of this debilitating condition. And debilitating it is: Numbers from the National Institute of Mental Health indicate depression is the leading cause of disability in Americans between the ages of 15 and 44.

Depression begets more depression
Like an open wound or a broken bone, depression rarely heals itself.

Half of all people who have had one episode of depression and are not taking antidepressants will have another, according to The Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide. A second episode makes the risk of a third one even higher. A person who has had three episodes and is still not taking medication has a 90% risk of having a fourth.

And it's like falling downhill. Successive episodes tend to get more severe and occur more frequently. People with depression have an average of four to eight episodes in a lifetime.

"If you think you may be depressed, get an evaluation," says Walter Brown, MD, clinical professor of psychiatry at Brown University in Providence, R.I., and Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston. "If you had bad headaches or stomach problems, you'd see a doctor without hesitation. The same principle applies if you think you are depressed."

New Antidepressant Targets Body Clock

2011-05-21T06:39:00.000-07:00

Sleep problems and depressed mood often go hand in hand. Insomnia, early-morning waking, and nighttime disturbances can be symptoms as well as warning signs of depression—as can too much sleep and daytime fatigue.

For the past several decades, the treatment of depression has centered on medications that affect levels of brain chemicals involved in mood, such as serotonin. But the growing awareness of the link between sleep problems and mental health has led researchers to take aim at a new target to combat depression: the body’s internal clock.

Specifically, doctors and drug companies are investigating the role of melatonin, a hormone released by the brain in response to darkness. Melatonin levels vary naturally throughout the day in what’s known as circadian rhythm. When properly tuned, this rhythm helps us sleep and wake at the proper times. But when it gets out of whack, it can disrupt energy, alertness, and mood.

Doctors have long prescribed over-the-counter melatonin for insomnia and other sleep disorders, and even as a remedy for jet lag. Although there are skeptics, some experts now believe that drugs that mimic the effects of melatonin might simultaneously stabilize the internal clock and help relieve depression.

“We’ve been working with the same theory of depression since 1960, focused on moderating a group of chemicals that include serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine,” says psychiatrist Ian Hickie, MD, of the Brain and Mind Research Institute at the University of Sydney, in Australia. “Now, we’re considering a completely different notion of what the problem is.”

In an article published this week in the Lancet, Dr. Hickie suggests that melatonin-based drugs could prove to be safer and more effective treatments for depression than the antidepressants currently in use. In particular, he and his coauthor highlight the potential of a new drug called agomelatine, a synthetic version of melatonin that also increases concentrations of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain.

The drug, known as Valdoxan, is currently approved for the treatment of depression in Europe and Australia, and may be reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as early as next year. Both Dr. Hickie and his coauthor have received research funding and other financial support from Servier, the French pharmaceutical company that developed the drug.

In clinical trials, agomelatine has improved the symptoms of depression more effectively than placebo, and it has appeared to be as effective as widely prescribed antidepressants such as Zoloft and Prozac. Many patients taking the drug also reported improved sleep.

Melatonin is a relative of serotonin, and while agomelatine does bind to serotonin receptors, it does not actually increase serotonin levels. Dr. Hickie says this may boost mood without the side effects of many serotonin-based drugs, which can include nausea, headaches, weight gain, and a loss of sexual desire. “That’s the real beauty of it,” he says. “You don’t get the serotonin side effects.”

Not all psychiatrists are as excited about melatonin-based drugs, however. Marc Serfaty, MD, of Priory Hospital North London, in the U.K., says it’s “debatable” whether the relatively small improvements in depression symptoms seen in the agomelatine studies are “clinically relevant.”

Moreover, Dr. Serfaty’s own research—including a recent clinical trial that compared melatonin and placebo in people with depressed mood and sleep problems—suggests that the over-the-counter melatonin pills found at the local drugstore may be as effective as agomelatine.

Researchers have explored the use of melatonin in people with mood disorders in a series of small studies dating back to the late 1990s. Melatonin consistently improved the sleep quality of the study participants, but it appeared to have nonexistent, slight, or even negative effects on mood.

The research on melatonin in depression is thin and inconclusive partly because funding is difficult to come by, says Robert Sack, MD, a psychiatrist at Oregon Health and Science University, in Portland.

“I don’t think melatonin itself has been sufficiently tested as an antidepressant,” says Dr. Sack, who has consulted for Takeda Pharmaceuticals, the maker of a melatonin-based insomnia drug, ramelteon (Rozerem). “The problem is that there is no commercial incentive for drug companies. [Melatonin] is readily available and not subject to copyright.”

However, Dr. Sack adds, depression comes in many varieties, and agomelatine and similar drugs may prove especially effective in certain subgroups of depressed patients in whom circadian factors play a major role. (In patients with bipolar disorder, for instance, sleep disruption can even trigger episodes of mania.)

Dr. Hickie, too, is quick to acknowledge that agomelatine will not replace other antidepressants. “This is not the answer for all people with depression,” he says. “I still think Prozac-like drugs are marvelous for anxiety and obsessionality, while this new drug might help a different group of people.”

The Novartis Corporation, which has partnered with Servier to market agomelatine in the U.S., has already completed several clinical trials of the drug for depression. Julie Mascow, a spokesperson for Novartis in New York City, says the company will continue testing the drug and plans to file for FDA approval in 2012.

The Latest on Lyme Disease

2011-05-19T05:53:00.000-07:00

Expert tell-all

It’s tick season, which means Lyme disease is back in the news, putting hikers, gardeners, campers, and even beachgoers on high alert. Lyme is the number-one insect-borne disease in the United States—there are nearly 40,000 reported cases a year, and that number is on the rise—but there are still plenty of questions when it comes to diagnosis and treatment.

For smart answers, Health turned to world-renowned Lyme expert Brian Fallon, MD, director of the Lyme and Tick-Borne Diseases Research Center at Columbia University Medical Center. Here, he answers the absolute latest questions on the disease:

Symptoms

Q: Is it true that you can have Lyme disease even if you don’t develop a bull’s-eye rash?

A. Yes. About 60 to 80 percent of Lyme cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have the rash, but not everyone gets it. It’s also important to know that the rash doesn’t always look like a bull’s-eye—it can appear elongated and oblong rather than round, and can sometimes even be raised like a spider bite rather than flat. The key with a Lyme rash is that it has crisp, clear margins that expand over time to at least 2 inches in diameter.

Diagnosis

Q: What makes Lyme so tricky to diagnose?

A. It’s not always difficult if you know what to look for. If you develop the Lyme rash, you should be put on antibiotics right away—you don’t need a blood test, which may come back negative in the early stages anyway. (The test detects antibodies to the bacteria, and your body doesn’t develop the antibodies until at least 10 days after you’ve been infected.)

The problem

The difficulty comes when a person doesn’t remember being bitten or developing the rash. For example, if you only have symptoms like fatigue, painful joints, and headaches, some doctors may think it’s the flu or stress.

The blood test isn’t foolproof, either. You can get a false negative or false positive—and not all strains of Lyme are picked up by the test. This is an area of current research, so hopefully in the next several years we’ll see newer, better tests.

Treatment

Q: Why do some people need to be treated for only a couple of weeks, while others are treated for longer?

A. If a person is treated right away, a two- to three-week course of oral antibiotics will usually eradicate the bacteria. However, if the bacteria has spread to your central nervous system (symptoms include bad headaches, confusion, and memory loss), you usually need a four-week course of intravenous antibiotics.

Effectiveness

Q: What if you’ve been treated and are still sick?

A. If you’ve been treated with the standard course and you relapse, seek a second opinion from a Lyme specialist. You’ll likely be tested for tick co-infections (other diseases ticks can transmit, such as babesiosis and ehrlichiosis, that mimic some symptoms of Lyme). These are on the rise in the United States, though still not as common as Lyme.

Prevention

Q: What’s the best way to protect myself and my family from Lyme?

A. Aside from applying repellents with DEET on exposed skin, using permethrin on clothing, and checking for ticks whenever you’ve been outside, research suggests that people who shower within two hours after being outdoors are less likely to develop the disease.

Clear away leafy debris around the edge of your lawn, and keep a crisp margin of wood chips, mulch, or gravel between your yard and the woods. Teach kids to stay away from the perimeters: Research has shown that 82% of ticks found on lawns are within 3 yards of the edge, particularly along woodlands and ornamental plantings.