STUDY SAYS MORE ADULTS NOT SLEEPING ENOUGH MOST ADULTS SAID TO NEED SEVEN TO NINE HOURS OF SLEEP

---

About 10 percent of adults report not getting enough rest or sleep every day in the past month according to a government study. Nationwide, an estimated 50 to 70 million people suffer from chronic sleep loss and sleep disorders. Sleep loss is associated with health problems, including obesity, depression, and certain risk behaviors, including cigarette smoking, physical inactivity, and heavy drinking. The causes of sleep loss could include busy schedules or shift work; irregular sleep schedules; or lifestyle factors such as heavy family demands, late–night television watching and Internet use, or the use of caffeine and alcohol, according to a 2006 Institute of Medicine report.



This report was a new four-state study published in the (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The National Sleep Foundation reports that most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep each night to feel fully rested while school children aged 5-12 years require 9-11 hours, and adolescents aged 11-17 years require 8.5–9.5 hours each night. An additional study conducted by CDC utilizing data from the National Health Interview Study indicated that across all age groups the percentage of adults who, on average, report sleeping six hours or less has increased from 1985 to 2006.




The study, “Perceived Insufficient Rest or Sleep--Four States, 2006,” analyzed data from CDC′s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey. Among the four states, Delaware, Hawaii, New York, and Rhode Island the percentage of adults who reported not getting enough rest or sleep every day in the past 30 days ranged from 14 percent in Delaware to 8 percent in Hawaii. In addition, the study showed that only one out of three (29.6 percent) adults said they did get enough rest or sleep every day in the past month.




The MMWR report said the definitions of “enough” (sufficient) sleep and “rest,” and responses to the survey question were subjective and were not measured or equated to reports of hours of sleep per night. The report said the analysis cannot be compared directly with studies measuring hours of sleep. The survey question also did not define or distinguish between “rest” and “sleep.”

Perceived Insufficient Rest or Sleep --- Four States, 2006

SHOULD PEOPLE TAKE VITAMIN D SUPPLEMENT WHAT IS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CANCER, MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS CHRONIC DISEASE AND VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY

---

How much vitamin D do I need? Some studies suggest that a lack of vitamin D can raise the risk of cancer and heart attack. Vitamin D deficiency may be tied to diabetes and also multiple sclerosis. In 2007 the Canadian Cancer Society decided to recommend that the adult population of Canada begin taking vitamin D supplements. Greater awareness of the insidious consequences of vitamin D deficiency is needed. Some research suggests that the recommended adequate intakes for vitamin D are inadequate. Not all researchers agree with this and some suggest too much Vitamin D may weaken the immune system.



The Canadian Cancer Society decision to recommend vitamin D supplements was made because of the growing body of evidence about vitamin D documented effect on lowering cancer incidence. Because very few foods naturally contain vitamin D, sunlight supplies most of our vitamin D requirement. Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in adults of all ages who have increased skin pigmentation or who always wear sun protection or limit their outdoor activities. Some reports say that vitamin D deficiency is sometimes misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia.

Click here to read VITAMIN D AND PANCREATIC CANCER DOES VITAMIN D HELP PREVENT PANCREATIC CANCER AND A REPORT FROM HARVARD AND NORTHWESTERN




In 2007 a research study published in the online edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, said that a combination of vitamin D3 and calcium had a substantially marked effect on reducing cancer incidence. The four-year study out of Creighton University in Nebraska found that women who regularly took vitamin D3 had a 60 per cent reduction in cancer infections compared to a group taking placebos.



Doctors can do a blood test for Vitamin D called the 25-Hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D].This is a Vitamin D metabolite that can be measured in the blood to determine vitamin D status. Annual measurement of serum 25(OH)D is a reasonable approach to monitoring for vitamin D deficiency.





The Canadian Cancer Society is now recommendation for vitamin D:

Adults living in Canada should consider taking vitamin D supplementation of 1,000 international units (IU) a day during the fall and winter.

Adults at higher risk of having lower vitamin D levels should consider taking vitamin D supplementation of 1,000 IU/day all year round. This includes people who are older; with dark skin; who don't go outside often, and who wear clothing that covers most of their skin.

At this time, the Canadian Cancer Society does not have a recommendation for vitamin D supplementation for children.

Vitamin D Recommendation of Canadian Cancer Society

HOW DO VIDEO GAMES AFFECT THE BRAIN DO MEN ENJOY GAMES MORE AND HOW DO VIOLENT VIDEO GAMES AFFECT THE BRAIN

---

Do men's brains react differently to video games? Do they enjoy playing video games more than women because of brain differences? Little is known about the underlying neural processes of playing computer and video games, despite the high prevalence of video gaming especially in males. A new study about video games and the brain finds that when men play the games, a part of the brain involved in feelings of reward and addiction becomes much more activated than it does in women. Males showed greater brain activation and functional connectivity compared to females in the mesocorticolimbic system. (the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system has previously been implicated with reward) This may explain why men are more likely to report feeling addicted to video games than women are, the researchers say in an online article in The Journal of Psychiatric Research.






Video games may not be all fun. There is an ongoing discussion about how video games affect the brain. Especially if violent video games are bad for your brain and mental health. At the 2006 annual convention of radiologists( doctors who specialize in x rays, ct scans,mri,etc.), Indiana University physicians presented findings about the possible negative effect of violent video games.



Doctors wanted to see if they could detect a difference in the brains of youth who were playing violent video games. They randomly chose kids to play either a violent or "exciting" non violent game. Right after, they scanned their brains with something called functional mri. "Functional mri is a technique for determining which parts of the brain are activated by different types of physical sensation or activity, such as sight, sound or the movement of a subject’s fingers. This “brain mapping” is achieved by setting up an advanced MRI scanner in a special way so that the increased blood flow to the activated areas of the brain shows up on functional MRI scans". The scan measures the tiny metabolic changes that occur when a part of the brain is active. These changes will appear as a brightly colored area on the MR image, indicating the part of the brain that is being used to process the task.

Sure enough,they say that those who played the violent video game "demonstrated less activation in the prefrontal portions of the brain, which are involved in inhibition, concentration and self-control, and more activation in the amygdala, which is involved in emotional arousal".









Back in 2005, a similar study came out of Michigan State University. In that study the researchers said "“Violent video games frequently have been criticized for enhancing aggressive reactions such as aggressive cognitions, aggressive affects or aggressive behavior. On a neurobiological level we have shown the link exists.”




"Two studies examined violent video game effects on aggression-related variables. Study 1 found that real-life violent video game play was positively related to aggressive behavior and delinquency. The relation was stronger for individuals who are characteristically aggressive and for men. Academic achievement was negatively related to overall amount of time spent playing video games. In Study 2, laboratory exposure to a graphically violent video game increased aggressive thoughts and behavior. In both studies, men had a more hostile view of the world than did women".

Gender differences in the mesocorticolimbic system during computer game-play

Violent Video Games Lead to Brain Activity Characteristic of Aggression, MSU Researcher Shows

Video Games and Aggressive Thoughts, Feelings, and Behavior in
the Laboratory and in Life (a pdf)

SELF CONFIDENCE AND HOW INNER TALK OF THE MIND AFFECTS PERFORMANCE WHAT YOU THINK AND SELF CONFIDENCE AND SELF ESTEEM

---

It is true that self confidence is crucial to success. What we believe we can do, our self confidence, has a lot to do with our achievements. In Zen and the Art of Archery and the Inner Game of Tennis,we learn how the constant inner chatter that goes on in our minds interferes with our self confidence, with our inner peace and our outer performance. An article in the New York Times illustrates how this lesson about thinking and self confidence is being applied at school.



"With the sound of their new school bell, the fifth graders at Piedmont Avenue Elementary School here closed their eyes and focused on their breathing, as they tried to imagine “loving kindness” on the playground.





















“I was losing at baseball and I was about to throw a bat,” Alex Menton, 11, reported to his classmates the next day. “The mindfulness really helped.”"

In The Classroom Quieting the Mind :Teaching Mindfulness In School



"Dr. Amy Saltzman, a physician in Palo Alto, Calif., who started the Association for Mindfulness in Education three years ago, thinks of mindfulness education as “talk yoga.” Practitioners tend to use sticky-mat buzzwords like “being present” and “cultivating compassion,” while avoiding anything spiritual.



Dr. Saltzman, co-director of the mindfulness study at Stanford, said the initial findings showed increased control of attention and “less negative internal chatter — what one girl described as ‘the gossip inside my head: I’m stupid, I’m fat or I’m going to fail math,’ ” Dr. Saltzman said"

Contemplation and Education

Association for Mindfulness in Education

Medical Confessions

Har. Har. Pretty funny read...

Ever wondered if doctors are frightened of catching what you've got? What their notes really mean? Or how to get round their receptionist? We asked five doctors to spill the beans

Check it out here.

Remembering the old days... Black Eyes & Baragwanath

Being in managed health care is just... not as dangerous.

For some reason, I thought of this old gem the other day...

It was a dark, stormy night. Aren't all the nights in Bara dark and stormy. Or at least dark. When the lights go out. That's another story.

Was working in Ward 20. Having seen the 1 000 00th TB patient, I got called to case where the patient was tired to a stretcher. This can only mean two things.

One, the patient is dangerous. Two, the patient is psychotic. Both aren’t preferable. And the combo package is even worse.

This particular patient had post-ictal psychosis (for the layman out there, translation: have fit, become psychotic). On trying to get close to her, the poor lady screamed like a banshee and struggled against the restraints. At one point, she managed to slip free of the bonds that held her, requiring two (big manly) doctors to hold her down. My job? Flank and approach armed with large dose of Benzo’s. Unfortunately, she got her arm free and took a nice big swing.


THWACK.

I’ve barely been in a catfight, but before I knew it – I was knocked flat back on my ass. 1 x Well connected shot to the jaw. I left. Ego and jaw bruised, and not particularly caring anymore.

On the ward round the next day, we came across the same patient, who was now lucid and no longer psychotic. She was, however, spoting a nice black eye. Eyes turned towards me. The consultant had heard about the punch.

“Did YOU do that?!” he said.

“No,” I replied. But I wish I had.

Goes to show. Always the bloody doctors who get blamed!?

BOTOX RESTORES VOICE AFTER 13 YEARS A VIDEO ABOUT BOTULINUM TOXIN FOR MORE THAN WRINKLES BOTOX INJECTIONS IN LARYNGEAL DYSTONIA

---

You've heard of Botox for wrinkles. Indeed wrinkle smoothing and wrinkle removal are probably the most frequent application of Botox. Botox wrinkle treatments have become one of the fastest growing facial cosmetic procedures in the country. But there is a lot more to Botox than just wrinkles. As you will see in the video and read Botox has helped people to speak again who had lost their voice years ago. You can see a video here about a woman who couldn't speak for years until she was diagnosed correctly with laryngeal dysytonia and Botox administered to her. Botox (Botulinum Toxin Type A) is a nerve blocker,it is applied for wrinkles on the forehead and to reduce crow's feet wrinkles near the eyes. But Botox has other medical applications. In the case of laryngeal dystonia people can lose their voice because of spasm of the vocal cords. There have been cases of laryngeal dystonia where people have not spoken well for years



The spasm of the vocal cords is called laryngeal dystonia or spasmodic dysphonia. Laryngeal dystonia is a voice disorder caused by involuntary movements of one or more muscles of the larynx or voice box. People who have laryngeal dystonia may have occasional difficulty saying a word or two or they may experience sufficient difficulty to interfere with communication. Laryngeal dystonia causes the voice to break or to have a tight, strained or strangled quality.

How to Avoid Premature Wrinkles? Read



"Emily Hearn was in her St. Charles, Illinois church, practicing with the choir, when her voice started to crack. "All of a sudden, I couldn't sing," said Hearn, who has a rare neurological disorder that produces vocal cord spasms. "I was dropping my words. I couldn't carry a tune. It was awful.".."The disorder, which made it sound as if she were choking on her words, disrupted Hearn's life for more than a decade until she discovered that a toxin (i.e Botox) often associated with airbrushed fashion models could help restore her voice. Several months ago, a doctor stuck a long needle in her throat and released Botox into her vocal cords. The effect was dramatic. "My tremors are gone," said Hearn, 74".




Watch this video about a woman who couldn't speak for 13 years and how Botox restored her voice Click the arrow to start







A scientist Christy Ludlow, at the National Institute of Health was quoted saying,"It's been tremendous," said Christy Ludlow, a researcher at the National Institutes of Health who has studied the spasm disorder. "Botox has made a huge difference." By paralyzing the pathway between the nerve and vocal cords, the botulinum toxin can rid the voice of spasms for nearly four months at a time. The diagnosis of laryngeal dystonia is usually made based on identifying the way the symptoms developed as well as by careful examination of the individual. Most people are evaluated by a team that usually includes an otolaryngologist (a physician who specializes in ear, nose and throat disorders), a speech-language pathologist (a professional trained to diagnose and treat speech, language and voice disorders) and a neurologist (a physician who specializes in nervous system disorders). The otolaryngologist examines the vocal folds to look for other possible causes for the voice disorder. Fiberoptic nasolaryngoscopy, a method whereby a small lighted tube is passed through the nose and into the throat, is a helpful tool that allows the otolaryngologist to evaluate vocal cord movement during speech.






"The FDA has not approved the use of Botox for spasmodic dysphonia because the maker of the drug won't fund the necessary clinical trials for such a narrow use. But the body of research showing the safe, positive effects of the treatment is so large that Medicare and insurance companies now cover the cost of the procedure—up to $900 an injection".

What is spasmodic dysphonia or largyneal dystonia

Botox helps voices, spirits return

YOU AS THE NEXT EINSTEIN GAMES FOR BRAIN EXERCISE MAKING YOUR BRAIN STRONGER BY PLAYING GAMES ON THE INTERNET

TRY BRAIN SPEED TEST

---

Imagine you could play video games and become smarter and your brain stronger and fit. Exercise your brain and improve thinking and memory while at your computer. Interactive brain exercise and brain speed tests can be found on the Internet.Like a mental gym or exercise club. Imagine if you could have a mental workout analogous to a workout for your biceps and triceps at the gym.

healty medical Blog Why You Shouldn't Always Listen to Your Teacher




Scientists have created "mental gymnasiums", places where you can "workout" your brain. You can find brain gymnasiums on the Internet.











Scientists used to think of the brain as a one trick pony. The brain learned when you were a kid and then it was all down hill from there. No more. Just as they say the brain is constantly changing and rewiring itself the theory of brain function is changing and rewiring itself. It's called brain plasticity. Plasticity, or neuroplasticity, is the lifelong ability of the brain to reorganize neural pathways based on new experiences. Marvin Minsky wrote "the principal activities of brains are making changes in themselves".











Based on the concept of brain plasticity,the developers of these sites say that you can make your mind stronger and even forestall a mental decline with age by exercising the brain. We already know that people who stay involved, who do things, read and have strong social relations keep mentally more fit.

TRY THIS BRAIN SPEED TEST

Where are you now? Let's start by taking this test offered on the Posit website,one of the companies offering brain games. They call it a brain speed test.Try this:

BRAIN SPEED TEST




Dr. Michael Merzenich, a neuroscientist has written in his blog On The Brain."Your brain is plastic. I don’t mean made of plastic, but that your brain can change itself physically and functionally at any age. That’s a wonderful thing for each of us, because it means we can make positive changes in how our brains perform.Plasticity comes into play at the deepest levels of brain structure. In response to the right stimuli, neural connections can be rewired and refined, the brain’s gray matter can thicken, and new neurons can be produced. Scientists call this natural adaptive ability brain plasticity or neuroplasticity. Harnessing this ability can have dramatic – and sometimes life-changing – effects".




Posit is not alone in offering brain improving games.I previously wrote in healty medical Blog about an Internet based course designed to sharpen brain fitness

WHAT WOULD EINSTEIN THINK? THIS WEBSITE OFFERS COMPUTER BASED BRAIN FITNESS TRAINING SAYS IMPROVES THINKING


Read these for more about game playing to make the brain more fit.

Can Video Games Make Our Brains Smarter, Younger and Sharper?

Video Games Versus the Aging Brain

The Secret to Not Losing Your Marbles

Research from Germany: The Adult Brain is Almost as Malleable and Plastic as a Child's.

Happy Neuron

Five Tools for Improving Your Memory

PROSTHETIC LEGS SAID TO GIVE ADVANTAGE TO RUNNER EXAMPLE OF THE HIGH TECH WORLD OF PROSTHETIC ARMS AND LEGS

---

Prosthetic technology is the science of creating replacements for a missing body part. Prosthetic technology has reached such a sophisticated level that a runner who has prosthetic legs has been banned from Olympic games "because (with his prosthetic legs) he has a "significant advantage" over able-bodied competitors".





"Oscar Pistorius was able to run with his prosthetic blades at the same speed as the able bodied sprinters with about 25 percent less energy expenditure," a report concluded..The report said the returned energy from the prosthetic blades, known as "cheetahs", was close to three times higher than the ankle joint".





"Biomedical engineers are working to develop reliable brain-machine interfaces that will someday let amputees manipulate prosthetic limbs as naturally as they do their native ones. But hacking the nervous system is easier said than done". Recently a group has been looking at using lasers to stimulate nerves connected to prosthetic devices more effectively than electricty. This is just one example of the Star Trek like high technology that is being focused on the problems of creating useful reliable prosthetics.






The science, technology and history of prosthetic limbs and prosthetic technology is illuminated in fascinating and precise detail at the Suture for a Living blog. "Ideally, a prosthesis must be comfortable to wear, easy to put on and remove, light weight, durable, and cosmetically pleasing. A prosthesis must function well mechanically and require only reasonable maintenance. Prosthetic use largely depends on the motivation of the individual, as none of the above characteristics matter if the patient will not wear the prosthesis".

Amputation Prosthetics and War

Legless athlete banned

FOAM VARICOSE VEIN INJECTION SCLEROTHERAPY TOUTED AS MORE EFFECTIVE AND A VIDEO ABOUT ADVANTAGES OF FOAM SCLEROTHERAPY FOR VARICOSE VEINS

---

They continue to develop new and better methods to treat varicose and spider veins. The most common varicose vein procedure is sclerotherapy. Foam sclerotherapy is a variation that is designed to increase the effectiveness of the injection solution. The doctor injects a solution into the varicose vein that causes the vein walls to swell, stick together, and seal shut. This stops the flow of blood and the vein turns into scar tissue. In a few weeks, the vein should fade.













Sclerotherapy is the most common treatment for both spider veins and varicose veins. Foam varicose vein therapy is a new variation of injection sclerotherapy. Because foam has a greater surface area than liquid,the foam that is injected is able to adhere to the vein walls more effectively and cause faster shrinkage of the damaged veins. In sclerotherapy, or ‘injection therapy’,a mild chemical solution is injected into the incompetent varicose vein. The sclerosing agent irritates the walls of the vessel, causing it to collapse. The body then absorbs the vein and blood is re-routed to a healthy vein, restoring proper venous circulation in the area.







Treating varicose veins is one of the most prominent cosmetic procedures. Varicose veins are enlarged veins that can be flesh colored, dark purple or blue. They have defective valves that let blood flow back. They often look like cords and appear twisted and bulging. They are swollen and raised above the surface of the skin. Spider veins are similar to varicose veins, but they are smaller. Varicose veins are commonly found on the backs of the calves or on the inside of the leg.

Click to read about and see videos about Laser varicose vein treatment

Read about another new cosmetic procedure Noninvasive Ultrasound Fat Removal
,br>

Foam sclerotherapy is a variation of the form of delivering the sclerosing agent. The foam solution has the consistency of shaving cream, which improves treatment in two distinct ways. First,the foam displaces blood within the vein, permitting the full strength of the sclerosing agent to be in direct contact with the vein wall for an extended period of time without any dilution effects. Second, the foam is visible via ultrasound imaging and can be easily tracked and guidedto the source of the venous problem.





Watch a video about foam sclerotherapy for varicose veins Click the arrow to start










Veins have one-way valves composed of two leaflets that close together when filled with blood. The closed valve prevents blood from flowing back into the leg. If these valves become damaged and fail to function properly (become incompetent) blood can become static in the leg. If the valve is not closing properly blood falls back down and causes pressure sideways. Resulting in varicose veins.




Possible side effects of sclerotherapy include:

Temporary stinging or painful cramps where the injection was made

Temporary red raised patches of skin where the injection was made

Temporary small skin sores where the injection was made

Temporary bruises where the injection was made

Spots around the treated vein that usually disappear

Brown lines around the treated vein that usually disappear

Groups of fine red blood vessels around the treated vein that usually disappear





"The treated vein can also become inflamed or develop lumps of clotted blood. Applying heat and taking aspirin or antibiotics can relieve inflammation. Lumps of coagulated blood can be drained".

Improving or Preventing Age Related Vision Loss or Low Vision Studies Suggest Taking Lutein and AREDS Vitamin May Delay Vision Loss

Vitamins for Vision Loss

---

Age related macular degeneration (ARMD) is the leading cause of untreated vision loss in aging Western societies. Besides age, smoking is also a risk factor for macular degeneration vision loss and low vision. There are two forms of macular degeneration, wet and dry. Medicines have been approved for wet macular degeneration but not many drugs have been directed at the more prevalent dry macular degeneration. Consumption of Lutein, a molecule found in green leafy vegetables and available in vitamins has been advocated as a way to slow down vision loss from macular degeneration.















The macula of the eye is located in the center of the retina. The macula is the area that provides the clearest vision in the eye. If you look directly at something, the light from that object forms an image on the macula of the retina. The retina is the light sensitive tissue at the back of the eye, sort of like the electronic pixels in a digital camera or the film in a regular camera. The retina converts light, into electrical impulses and sends these impulses to the brain.




"Age related macular degeneration (ARMD) is the leading cause of untreated vision loss in aging Western societies, accounting for 45% of all visual disability in the United States"... "After aging, smoking remains the most significant risk factor for macular degeneration". (see LAST Study). Dr. Stuart Richer O.D.,PH.D.,of the Veterans Affairs Eye Clinic, et al, has previously reported that men taking lutein or lutein and vitamins had improved vision. According to a report in The New York Times, "Dr. Richer said the patients receiving lutein were able to see the equivalent of one line more on standard eye tests at the end of the year."



In the study,

The Veterans Lutein Antioxidant Supplementation Trial(LAST) which appears in Volume 75,Number 4, April 2004 in the journal Optometry, 90 men with macular degeneration were given either 10mg of lutein, 10mg of lutein and antioxidant vitamins and minerals or a maltodextrin placebo. The lutein was the equivalent of three or four ounces of spinach.


In 2001 scientists at Johns Hopkins released the AREDS study that said that a combination of minerals and vitamins known as AREDS might help put the brakes on macular degeneration. Some went so far as to say If all the people at risk for macular degeneration took the vitamin supplements used in the earlier study more than 300,000 of them would avoid advanced macular degeneration and any associated vision loss during the next five years, the study found.

HDL LDL GOOD VS BAD CHOLESTEROL VIDEO WHAT IS CHOLESTEROL AND RELATIONSHIP TO THE HEART

---

Do you really know what cholesterol is? It's confusing. In this video a doctor explains why cholesterol is important to the heart. What is good and bad cholesterol? Hearing all the news about whether certain cholesterol drugs really work makes you wonder what do these cholesterol drugs do? Do they lower cholesterol and do they reverse the atherosclerosis, the fatty plaque that builds up inside the arteries of the heart and elsewhere in the body? Do you know what the difference is between LDL,HDL and total cholesterol? What do trans fats have to do with bad cholesterol? Could people live without cholesterol?

Click to Read About Football Player Joe Montana and His High Blood Pressure

When people talk about the good cholesterol and the bad cholesterol they are referring to HDL and LDL. HDL and LDL are lipoproteins, structures created from cholesterol and protein that travel to and from the liver carrying cholesterol. Trans fats are fats that worsen bad cholesterol. Labels on food now carry values for how much trans fats are contained within. Read them carefully and strive to reduce trans fats in your diet to lower cholesterol.



VIDEO EXPLAINING GOOD AND BAD CHOLESTEROL IN EASY TO UNDERSTAND TERMS Click the Arrow to Start









I've mentioned LDL, that is tagged with the moniker "bad cholesterol" but HDLs are called the good cholesterol because high levels of HDL seem to decrease coronary heart disease risk.












Routinely doctors say that the HDL acts to carry away the bad cholesterol from the artery walls, however, there is also evidence that HDLs may interfere with LDL oxidation. Oxidation of LDL refers to a chemical process that happens on the LDL and is believed to be one of the steps in the process that leads to heart attack.

Click to Learn About the Most Powerful Cholesterol Fighter Drugs The Statins And Side Effects

Click here to read about problems with Zetia and Vytorin Cholesterol Drugs

EXERCISE AND THE WEEKEND ATHLETE CAUTION FOR THE HEART AGAINST SUDDEN BURSTS OF STRENUOUS EXERCISE HEART ECHOCARDIOGRAM TREADMILL GOOD IDEA

---

Researchers have pointed out that people who have not been exercising regularly, weekend athletes, should avoid sudden bursts of strenuous exercise because of the possible impact on the heart. They found infrequent strenuous exercise poses a possible serious risk of a heart attack.It keeps the heart racing for a long period extending the time when problems could occur. Exercise is good but needs to be part of a coordinated gradual program for people who do not exercise regularly. Examination and testing such as an echocardiogram and treadmill test by a doctor is probably a good idea.

Read a review of tests for the heart and evaluation of chest pain















The researchers in 2003, said it was not only those with known heart problems who should take care. Although thousands upon thousands of people run in sporting events, races, marathons and play football, basketball and soccer, sudden cardiac problems are thankfully a relatively infrequent phenomenon. Nevertheless sudden collapse of athletes ( and weekend athletes) is a persistent phenomenon and it's not hard to do a search of Google and come up with stories about sports related medical problems.

Sudden Exercise Poses Heart Risk








Exercise is generally safe. Still as the old saying goes an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Fainting, chest pain, difficulty breathing and dizziness with exercise can all be warning signs of heart problems and warrant attention. Adults as well as parents and teenagers should take them seriously and see a doctor.It's a good idea to familiarize yourself with some of the issues that marathoners and just plain exercisers can face. Issues like undetected underlying cardiac problems, such as cardiac hypertrophy or heart beat irregularities. Dehydration and it's reverse over hydration leading to hyponatremia, heat stress and heat stroke.




In 2002 a Honolulu marathoner collapsed after crossing the finish line. He was not sedentary, having completed marathons before, nevertheless it is instructive to read what doctors said. It is fundamentally difficult to find that one person among tens of thousands who will experience a problem with strenuos exercise. A doctor speaking about this was quoted "that running is a fundamentally healthy activity, the most popular form of aerobic exercise in the world, and will increase a sedentary person's chances of avoiding heart and other life-threatening problems "by an astronomical percentage."



"But any sedentary person planning to train for a marathon or any other tough physical challenge should get a complete physical examination first, including a treadmill stress test with an echocardiogram to record the heart's performance" Another medical doctor said he would recommend that anyone older than 40 undertaking marathon training get a stress test on a treadmill with an echocardiogram.

33 Year Old Collapses After Honolulu Marathon.

Common Heart Tests:




Electrocardiogram: Often abbreviated, as EKG
or ECG, the electrocardiogram is a test that shows
the electrical activity of the heartbeat.



Stress electrocardiography:Also called a
"stress ECG," this test is an electrocardiogram
done before and during or immediately after some
form of physical stress, usually exercise on a
treadmill.



Echocardiogram: An echocardiogram is an
ultrasound of the heart. The test uses sound
waves to shows the shape, texture and
movement of the heart's valves. The test also
shows the size of the heart chambers, muscle
thickness and how well they're working.



Holter monitor: A small, battery-powered
portable machine that records the heart’s rhythms,
usually for a 24-hour period. Small electrodes are
stuck to the chest and attached to a recorder that
stores the information. Patients go about their
activities wearing the monitor over the shoulder or
stashed in a pocket. The physician is able to
capture electrical heart tracings over a long period
of time.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO INCREASE LONGEVITY LIFESTYLE FACTORS TO INCREASE LONGEVITY LOSE WEIGHT HAVE GOOD BLOOD PRESSURE GET MARRIED

---

More on the theme of centenarians, longevity and how people live to be 100 and older. A study about longevity and how people do it listed what lifestyle factors seem to help people increase longevity. A strong grip, a good education, a wife, and not becoming overweight(maybe because it lowers cholesterol and blood pressure) are among the keys to a long life for middle-aged men who would like to grow old in good health.

















A report in JAMA says these were the factors associated with long life in men.

being married

not being overweight

low blood pressure

low blood sugar levels

low levels of bad cholesterol

not drinking alcohol excessively

not smoking

having a strong grip

a high level of education

Midlife Risk Factors and Healthy Survival in Men

Healthy Midlife Habits Help Men Live Longer

Zuma and his HIV Shower... the jokes #2

Dredging more out the archives - Zuma jokes. Aren't politicians meant to be good at spinning stories?

For our international readers - our State President to be got embroiled in THIS fantastic farce...

VIDEO EXPLAINING THE ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT AND THE KNEE AND A VIDEO ABOUT HOW THEY DO ARTHROSCOPIC KNEE SURGERY

---

Here you can see videos that explain the relation of the anterior cruciate ligament to the knee as well as video explaining how they do arthroscopic surgery of the knee. The knee is a complicated joint. Anterior cruciate ligament tears are becoming a more frequent injury. Within the knee are knee ligaments as well as knee menisici. The ligaments are bands that help to stabilize the knee. The anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments criss cross the knee. Additionally there are the medial and lateral collateral ligaments on the sides. A meniscus is a piece of cartilage in the knee. For the knee to operate properly the ligaments and the menisci need to be intact. Anterior cruciate ligament tears are a frequent knee injury especially in sports. "Orthopedists at leading medical centers estimate that several thousand children and young adolescents are getting A.C.L. tears each year, with the number being diagnosed soaring recently.





A video explaining an anterior cruciate ligament tear and arthroscopic surgery of knee Click the arrow to start

Click here to read more about an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear and how it is becoming more common in children and women











Another video explaining the knee and the anterior cruciate ligament Click the arrow to start

ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT TEAR KNEE INJURY THAT IS INCREASING IN CHILDREN AND WOMEN ALSO SEEM TO GET MORE ACL KNEE INJURIES

---

The knee is a complicated joint. There are knee ligaments as well as knee menisici. The ligaments are bands that help to stabilize the knee. The anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments criss cross the knee. A meniscus is a piece of cartilage in the knee. For the knee to operate properly the ligaments and the menisci need to be intact. Anterior cruciate ligament tears are a frequent knee injury especially in sports. "Orthopedists at leading medical centers estimate that several thousand children and young adolescents are getting A.C.L. tears each year, with the number being diagnosed soaring recently. Some centers that used to see only a few such cases a year are now seeing several each week".



"As many as eight times more girls than boys are suffering the acl tears, doctors report. In fact there have been reports that women who play sports are more susceptible to anterior cruciate ligament knee injuries". Twisting motions can cause a tear of the anterior cruciate ligament, scenarios such as when the foot is firmly planted in the ground and the knee is pointed in another direction.














Do a search on Google News for anterior cruciate ligament and you will be amazed at all the athletes who injure the anterior cruciate ligament. But what is the anterior cruciate ligament? Do you know? Which of the following about the anterior cruciate ligament are true?



1. The anterior cruciate ligament connects the front of the upper leg bone, the femur, to the tibia, the big bone in the lower leg.



2. The anterior cruciate ligament acts as a shock absorber between the femur and the tibia.



3. An anterior cruciate tear is often due to a twisting motion or a motion where the knee turns while the foot is firmly planted



4. The anterior cruciate helps to keep the tibia from moving too far forward.



5. An x-ray is the best test to diagnose an anterior cruciate tear.

Click here to see videos explaining the anterior cruciate ligament tear and arthroscopic knee surgery



Numbers 2 and 5 are false. The anterior cruciate and posterior cruciate ligaments crisscross (cruciate get it?) in the knee joint. They help control the amount of twisting of the knee joint, and add stability along with the ligaments on the side of the knee called the medial and collateral ligaments and the anterior cruciate helps limit forward movement by the tibia. The menisci are round pieces of cartilage between the femur and tibia which have been said to have a shock absorber function between the tibia and the femur in the knee . Twisting motions can cause a tear of the anterior cruciate, scenarios such as when the foot is firmly planted in the ground and the knee is pointed in another direction.

Big-Time Injury Strikes Little Players

Anterior cruciate injury in women link





Doctors have pondered why women seem more susceptible.Possibly anatomic differences are a contributing factor. X rays generally are not capable of discriminating a ligament tear. For that, doctors get an MRI. So numbers 2 and 5 are false.

Zuma and his HIV Shower... the jokes #1

Har Har... Amusing.

GOALS OF PLASTIC SURGERY WHAT ARE GUIDELINES OF BEAUTY AND COSMETIC SURGERY A MEDICAL ARTICLE SUGGESTS WHAT IS ANATOMY OF BEAUTIFUL FACE

---

So many people have cosmetic surgery and plastic surgery. What makes us think that someone is beautiful or handsome? What are the goals that people want to achieve with their plastic surgery? How do they know when the plastic surgery is successful? We look at a face and say that is a good looking woman or man. I was surprised to find a medical article that discusses how and what is considered beautiful or handsome. Why would this be in a medical journal? With all the plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery procedures which number in the millions I suppose doctors would need guidelines as to what beauty is. At least physical beauty. Personally I think there's more to beauty than just straight lines, colorful eyes and small noses. I think the person's character and kindness are more important to true beauty. But I digress.



According to the medical article Anatomy of A Beautiful Face & Smile, "Many factors influence the perception of beauty, including makeup, clothing, jewelry and facial expressions. However, it is the relational proportion of our physical features that is the primary factor in determining the perception, conscious or subconscious, of beauty".














"Cunningham’s findings suggest that large eyes, a small nose and chin, high cheekbones, and a large, balanced smile are considered to be the physical attributes of a beautiful female face. Likewise, the handsome male face will have these same attributes but with the modifications of a relatively small nose, bushy eyebrows, and prominent chin".

Anatomy of a Beautiful Face and Smile (a pdf document)

DOES CAPSAICIN CHEMICAL IN HOT PEPPERS HELP HILLARY CLINTON STAY HEALTHY AND EFFECT OF SPICY FOOD CHILI PEPPER CAPSAICIN ON CANCER

---

"Schedule packed mornings make it hard to get regular exercise and eat healthy foods. Some have suggested that chilli pepper capsaicin may contribute to health. Hillary Clinton likes spicy food and Clinton credits a chemical in hot peppers capsaicin, with keeping her healthy since 1992. Research has shown that it can lower blood pressure and cholesterol, even fight some cancers". Capsaicin, is an active ingredient in chilli peppers. Capsaicin is one of the alkaloids in chile that makes it hot.


Scientists have suggested there may be an ability of spicy foods to kill cancer cells. They found capsaicin, an ingredient of jalapeno peppers, triggers cancer cell death by attacking mitochondria the cells' energy-generating boiler rooms.The research raises the possibility that other cancer drugs could be developed to target mitochondria".










"During a recent “60 Minutes” interview, Senator Hillary Clinton unveiled a surprising weapon in her fight to become the Democratic presidential nominee: hot peppers.“I eat a lot of hot peppers,'’ she told CBS News anchor Katie Couric, who had asked her how she maintains her stamina on the campaign trail. “I for some reason started doing that in 1992, and I swear by it. I think it keeps my metabolism revved up and keeps me healthy."” Much of the research on capsaicin involves pain relief, and capsaicin is a common ingredient in over-the-counter pain creams. The analgesic effect of the capsaicin found in peppers may help explain why Mrs. Clinton believes it makes her feel better".

How Spicy Foods Can Kill Cancers



"Capsaicin is the major pungent ingredient in red peppers. Here, we report that it has a profound antiproliferative effect on prostate cancer cells, inducing the apoptosis (a way that cells are made to die)of both androgen receptor (AR)-positive (LNCaP) and -negative (PC-3, DU-145) prostate cancer cell lines associated with an increase of p53, p21, and Bax. Capsaicin down-regulated the expression of not only prostate-specific antigen (PSA) but also AR."

Life on the stump is a grind for candidates

Capsaicin, a Component of Red Peppers, Inhibits the Growth of Androgen-Independent, p53 Mutant Prostate Cancer Cells

BENEFITS OF MEDITERRANEAN DIET SOME FATS SEEM GOOD FOR THE HEART EATING LIKE MEDITERRANEAN PEOPLE

DIET GOOD FOR THE HEART LOW TRANS FAT SATURATED FAT HIGH OMEGA 3 OLIVE OIL LIKE MEDITERRANEAN DIET SEEMS BETTER FOR CORONARY HEART DISEASE

We know that certain types of fats and cholesterol are related to heart problems. Trans fats and saturated fats are discouraged. Trans fats lead to higher LDL, the bad cholesterol associated with coronary artery heart blockage. Doctors have noted that some people have less heart problems and coronary artery disease. People living around the shores of the Mediterranean Sea have in the past been noted to have less than expected amounts of coronary heart disease. Could it be what they eat? The latest study in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggests yes.











The Mediterranean diet does not regard all fat as bad. In fact, the focus of the Mediterranean diet is not to limit total fat consumption, but rather to make wise choices about the type of fat in the diet. The Mediterranean diet is low in saturated fat. However, it views two types of fat, omega-3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fats as healthy and places no restrictions on their consumption. The omega-3 fatty acids are found in fatty fish (e.g, salmon, trout, sardines, tuna) and in some plant sources (e.g, walnuts and other tree nuts, flaxseed, various vegetables). Monounsaturated fat is abundant in olive oil, nuts, and avocados. Eating plenty of fruit, vegetables and fish instead of meat, not to mention olive oil rather than saturated fats.

Omega 3 and Length of Life

What can you actually eat to copy the Mediterranean Diet



The study by Dr Panagiota N Mitrou (now of University of Cambridge, UK) and colleagues from the US National Cancer Institute appeared in the December 10/24, 2007 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. It confirms that among nearly 400,000 retired Americans, the closer they stuck to a Mediterranean diet, the better the outcome was. They looked at people with various levels of adherence to a Mediterranean diet.

Click Here to learn about University of Toronto natural foods diet to lower cholesterol





This was just the latest in a line of studies to determine if components of the so called Mediterranean Diet, a dietary pattern based on food patterns typical of many regions in Greece and southern Italy in the early 1960s could account for this observation.

For example, "The Lyon Diet Heart Study enrolled 605 patients who had survived a heart attack. After 4 years, the patients who were eating a Mediterranean diet containing increased levels of both alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid) and monounsaturated fats (from olive oil and nuts) had a 55% reduction in risk of death and a 50% to 70% decreased risk of recurrent cardiac events, compared with patients who were eating a control diet . The benefits were not explained by changes in lipid parameters."



Understanding the Mediterranean Diet. Again the closer people adhered to the Mediterranean diet, the lower their levels of inflammation, which recent research shows plays a major role in development of heart disease.

Lyon Diet Heart Study

INCREASING LONGEVITY CAN YOU MODIFY BEHAVIOR AND THINGS YOU DO TO LIVE LONGER INCREASE LONGEVITY MEDICAL STUDIES SAY YES

---

What increases longevity? Are there modifiable behaviors that you can do to increase longevity. Ponce De Leon sought the fountain of youth and millions of others have searched for the answer to longevity. Maybe Ponce should just have gone on a diet and watched his blood pressure. Can you live longer by doing things even when you are middle age or older? The answer is yes you can increase longevity. At least if you look at some medical studies. Researchers in a report of what determines longevity in men wanted to know about non genetic determinants of exceptional longevity. What besides your genes determines longevity? They also wanted to know could people live long and still function at a high level. They looked at factors associated with longevity of 90 or older.

















A study in Archives of Internal Medicine reported that men who exercise, are the right weight and do not smoke during retirement increase their chances of living for another 25 years. Modifiable healthy behaviors during early elderly years, including smoking abstinence, weight management, blood pressure control, and regular exercise, are associated not only with increased longevity in men but also with good health and function during older age. The chances of reaching 90 were surprisingly dependent on behavior from age 70 onwards. They examined modifiable factors associated with a life span of 90 or more years and late-life function in men.




Dr Laurel Yates and colleagues from Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Public Health and the Massachusetts Veterans Epidemiology Research and Information Center carried out the research. The study is an analysis of data collected for a larger cohort study called the Physician’s Health Study (PHS). A cohort is a group of people who share a common characteristic or experience within a defined period (e.g., are born, leave school, lose their job, are exposed to a drug or a vaccine, etc.). In this study of longevity, the researchers used the data from 2,350 men from the PHS study. Those who were included were born on or before December 31 1915, didn’t have any serious life threatening diseases and had the potential to live to or beyond 90 years during a 25-year follow-up. They were around 70 years old at the start of the study.



Men who smoked at the start of the study had only a 25% chance of living to 90 years old. Smoking or being overweight was associated with worse physical ability, while moderate, vigorous exercise was associated with better physical ability. Having a combination of different adverse effects at enrollment reduced the probability of survival even further, e.g. someone who was sedentary, with high blood pressure and diabetes had a 19% chance of surviving to 90 years old, while someone with all five risk factors had only a 4% chance of still being alive 20 years later.

Exceptional Longevity in Men

Philip Rabinowitz is Officially the World’s Fastest Centenarian

RESEARCH REPORT ASKS IF AMERICANS LOSING BATTLE AGAINST BACK PAIN DESPITE SPENDING 86 BILLION ON BACK PAIN SCIATICA SPINE PAIN TREATMENTS

---

I had written previously about what a big problem back pain is in the U.S. Over 70% of adults have back pain at some time in their lives. Back pain is the eighth leading reason for a visit to a doctor.Writing that Americans spend $26 billion dollars a year on back pain treatment. Looks like my figures about how much Americans spend on back pain and sciatica need updating. A research report about back pain and spine treatments says the U.S "spending on spine treatments totaled nearly $86 billion in 2005, a rise of 65 percent from 1997, after adjusting for inflation". Even so, the proportion of people with impaired function due to spine problems actually increased during the period, even after controlling for an aging population.

Read how back pain and sciatica is diagnosed and treated and why you should not ignore back pain




"The report in the Journal of the American Medical Association is the latest to suggest the nation is losing its battle against back pain, and that many popular treatments may be ineffective or overused. Researchers have produced conflicting data about the effectiveness of spinal fusion surgery for back pain, although one major study called Sport, for Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial, showed that spinal surgery patients did better than patients receiving more conservative care, which included medications or physical therapy.
















"The researchers estimated that in 1997, about 21 percent of the adult population suffered from back or neck problems that limited their function. By 2005, that number grew to about 26 percent, after adjusting the numbers for age and sex. It’s not clear why more people appear to be suffering from back and neck pain. It could be that rising obesity rates are taking an added toll on the spine, researchers suggested. Or it could be that excessive treatment of back problems is leading to more problems".

Back Pain Spending Surge Shows No Benefit

MUSCLE STRAIN SCIATICA A HERNIATED DISC WHAT ARE CAUSES OF BACK PAIN: IS BACK PAIN DANGEROUS

---

More than 70% of adults have back pain at some time in their lives. Back pain is the eighth leading reason for a visit to a doctor. Americans spend $26 billion dollars a year on back pain treatment. You bend over to lift a heavy piece of furniture and as you lift it you feel a sharp pain in your back. You feel pain in your back and down your leg and people tell you it's sciatica. You have been working out after a long hiatus and the next morning your back hurts. You have been doing some very heavy lifting and now you are getting back pain with numbness that runs down the back of your leg into the foot.

Presentations of Back Pain

These are all presentations of back pain. Back pain has a variety of causes from the benign but uncomfortable to the dangerous. When you come to see the doctor he or she will ask a lot of questions about the history surrounding your complaints as well as doing an exam and this will enable the doctor to form a differential diagnosis, a list of possible explanations that might explain the back pain. The doctor may ask questions like:

When did the back pain start?

What were you doing?

Any pain in the legs?

Any numbness?

What makes it better or worse?

Read about study that asks if Americans are winning war against back pain



It could actually be dangerous to not see a doctor for back pain. For example, in some cases back pain may have nothing to do with a "pulled muscle" or a "slipped disc" and could actually be caused by a tumor or other serious condition. Even though the natural history of back pain is favorable, it is important not to miss red flags for potentially very dangerous problems.One of the goals of the clinical examination is "to identify patients who require immediate surgical evaluation and those whose symptoms suggest a more serious underlying condition such as malignancy or infection".For example, there is an uncommon problem called Cauda Equina Syndrome. Cauda Equina Syndrome occurs when the nerve roots are compressed and paralyzed, cutting off sensation and movement. Nerve roots that control the function of the bladder and bowel are especially vulnerable to damage. Patients with signs of Cauda Equina Syndrome, such as bowel or bladder dysfunction, both sided sciatica or leg weakness, or numbness in a saddle distribution, require urgent surgical referral.




Among the tests that might be ordered are

an xray

ct scan

mri.

They all have their strengths and shortcomings. For example, an xray is not very good at finding a herniated disc. In a herniated disc, the disc that separates two bones of the spine, the vertebra, is herniated so that the disc can push out and put pressure on the nerves. You've probably heard of sciatica. In sciatica there is pressure on the nerves that come out at the lower vertebra L4, L5 level and run into the legs. That's why a disc in the back can cause pain or numbness into the legs.

Treatments for Back Pain

Among the treatments doctors use for back pain are

Physical therapy

Anti inflammatory medicines

Muscle relaxer medicines

Pain medicine

Osteopathic manipulation

Exercise

Surgery

Acupuncture

Rest

Evaluation and Treatment of Acute Low Back Pain



The statistics above were quoted from Healing a Bad Back Is Often an Effort in Painful Futility, an article that appeared in the New York Times. Further, they quote Dr. Richard Deyo of the University of Washington as saying, "a variety of studies have suggested that in 85 percent of cases it is impossible to say why a person's back hurts". That really seems like a very high number. What's clear is that alot of people do get relief from seeing a doctor and getting treated.

WTF Medical Aid Funding Requests #2

What is a reasonable request from your medical funder? This All Scrubbed Up series looks at funding requests - from the sublime to the ridiculous.

Just remember. A medical aid funder is allocating money to all their members for REAL medical reasons.

Part 2. No time to eat.

Middle Aged Male has a feeding tube because of oesophageal cancer (a feeding tube is a tube straight into your stomache, allowing food to be syringed in).

Request is for a feeding pump. One that provides feeds at a continuous rate throughout the day. Reason for needing a pump? Male travels from Pretoria to Johannesburg every day. Spends approximately 4 hours per day in the car. Doesn't have the time to feed himself.

Join the club mate.

PHYSICAL THERAPY AND OCCUPATIONAL INJURY MEDICINE FOR TENDON INJURY LIGAMENT SPRAINS AND STRAINS AND ULTRASOUND PHYSICAL THERAPY

---

Doctors often prescribe physical therapy for muscle sprains and occupational injuries. Occupational injury often involves ligament sprains and strains. Physical therapists use many ways,"modalities" to treat these muscle strains and also for joint and shoulder pain. Maybe you had ultrasound therapy for shoulder tendinitis and wonder how ultrasound therapy works. It uses ultra high frequency sound waves.



Common indications for ultrasound physical therapy include treatment of tendon injuries and short-term pain relief. Ultrasound has also been shown to promote healing of some acute bone fractures, venous and pressure ulcers. Higher-frequency ultrasound waves treat superficial tissues for example, the knee patellar tendon which attaches to the knee cap. Lower frequencies penetrate deeper to treat deep muscle bruising, spasms, and strains.



The heating effects of continuous ultrasound therapy are beneficial in the treatment of sports injuries, breaking down scar tissue and helping to stretch tendons. In cases where heating is not wanted in physical therapy, such as with acute inflammation or with wound care, intermittent pulsed ultrasound is used, rather than the continuous ultrasound. Pulsed ultrasound provides mechanical effects such as increased permeability of cell membranes and possibly repair of tissues. Pulsed ultrasound is thought to accelerate tissue healing at the cellular level.




Therapeutic ultrasound is different than diagnostic ultrasound, therapeutic uses higher frequencies than diagnostic. Diagnostic ultrasound is used to produce sound wave images as for example in an ultrasound exam of the heart.

Click Here to See a Video about How Ultrasound Therapy Works



Therapeutic ultrasound can cause burns if applied incorrectly. The therapist uses the ultrasound applicator, which looks like a shower head, to massage the skin with high frequencies that can reach up to five inches below the surface of skin. The therapist applies a gel on the skin before applying the ultrasound machine. The gel works as a conductive medium to allow the sound waves to travel from the applicator head into the body.