May 19, 2012

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What Role does Vitamin D take in Your Skincare?

April 4, 2012 By Leave a Comment

milk What Role does Vitamin D take in Your Skincare?What Role does Vitamin D take in Your Skincare?

According to a recent article from the Chicago Skin Care experts at http://www.nimaskininstitute.com/, Vitamin D supplements can be used to keep healthy levels of this vitamin in the system as you start to rely on the sun less.  The skin cancer epidemic is on the rise and the main reason for this is exposure to dangerous UV rays. Besides taking necessary precautions such as using sunblock, everyone needs to minimize their exposure to the sun.  In doing this, it raises the risk of depleting your body of vitamin D.  However, foods that are rich in the vitamin or have it added can help to prevent that depletion.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Health

Conservative Judges Approve the Healthcare Law, Reaches Supreme Court

November 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment

dating and parenthood Conservative Judges Approve the Healthcare Law, Reaches Supreme CourtConservative Judges Approve the Healthcare Law, Reaches Supreme Court

After spending nearly a year and a half in legal skirmishes, the healthcare law proposed by President Obama has finally reached the Supreme Court. Furthermore, the constitutional stamp of approval by prominent conservative judges now backs the law. Quite surprisingly, only three of all twelve judges reviewing the law concluded that it was unconstitutional to make health insurance mandatory in the U.S. In addition, not one of the judges were of the opinion that the law entirely must be removed, a position held by Florida and other 25 Republican states against the healthcare law.

 

Health Insurance

The Republican states and the NFIB (National Federation of Independent Business) had filed suit against the law in March 2010, concerned whether the Congress, under the pretext of commerce regulation in the country, could force Americans to buy health insurance essentially. To this, the Congress responded that this “individual mandate” (as it is so called) could control insurance premiums and help divide risks more broadly. This would eventually enable the government to put a check on insurance providers who denied medical coverage to patients suffering from pre-existing conditions. This was not possible without a mandate, since some Americans did not buy insurance until they got sick, and this drove up the premium rates dramatically.

Healthcare Law

The decisions of the appellate judges have helped little in calming the passions that the healthcare law has aroused. The four liberals in the Supreme Court, all democrats, are certain to uphold the law. The decision, therefore, rests on the 5 republican appointees in the court.

Filed Under: Health Tagged With: health insurance, healthcare, healthcare law

Dermatologist in Chicago Urges for Skin Cancer Awareness

August 31, 2011 By 1 Comment

chicago dermatologist Dermatologist in Chicago Urges for Skin Cancer AwarenessDermatologist in Chicago Urges for Skin Cancer Awareness

Dr. Amin, a board certified Chicago dermatologist encourages patients to ask questions when choosing their dermatologist, not only when it is about the doctor’s educational background but also about processes, treatments and anything more that comes to mind.  Your dermatologist might be the doctor that catches your skin cancer early, or helps you in the battle to fight skin cancer, so it is important to know your dermatologist and trust them.  Dr. Amin, a dermatologist in Chicago feels that if patients are more inquisitive about everything from the selection process to questions about botox treatments, then that patient will be more confident and better informed about the healing process.

Chicago Dermatologist

Chicago Dermatologist, Dr. Amin has also urged that people learn as much as they can about the signs and symptoms of skin cancer so that they may better detect it early.

Dr. Amin, a dermatologist in Chicago has provided these easy steps to possibly detect the signs of skin cancer.

Asymmetry – asymmetric moles are where half looks different than the other.

Border irregularity – This is where the mole border appears uneven.

Changes in color – Moles that change colors or distributed unevenly.

Diameter – Larger than 6 mm in diameter moles are suspect.

Evolving – Moles that change in shape, color or size or present other symptoms such as bleeding, itching or drainage.

These simple steps in early detection are called the ABCDE’s of skin cancer.  Learn them well, teach them to your children and visit a dermatologist if you are experiencing any of the issues listed in the ABCDE’s.

 

Filed Under: Health

Bargain Botox Treatments Not Such a Bargain

August 11, 2011 By 1 Comment

more coupons Bargain Botox Treatments Not Such a BargainBargain Botox Treatments Not Such a Bargain

There are hundreds of new ads appearing daily across the US offering discount botox treatments, but are they really such a bargain?  A dermatologist in Chicago  doesn’t seem to think so if the treatment is being offered by someone that is not a trained dermatologist.  According to an article recently released, some botox treatments are discounted because those that are administering the treatments are using less than the optimal amount for a successful treatment.  Chicago dermatologist, Dr. Amin, urges people that are looking for low costs on medical treatments like Botox for wrinkles to consider the possible health risks from going to an uncertified or inexperienced practitioner.

The same Chicago dermatologist also wants to dispel some of the myths that have been created by the media reporting deaths related to cosmetic botox treatments.  Morbidity statistics that are being reported by the media are referencing the use of botox in the treatment of juvenile cerebral palsy.  Cosmetic botox was not included in the study and there have been no reported deaths related to the cosmetic treatment.  Another rumor that a dermatologist in Chicago wants to dispel is that patients can get Botulism from injections.  The use of botox to treat wrinkles can’t give patients the disease.

Filed Under: Health

Milk Does a Body Good, But What Kind of Milk?

July 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment

milk Milk Does a Body Good, But What Kind of Milk?Milk Does a Body Good, But What Kind of Milk?

Oh, to have a nice, cold glass of whole milk. Some of us only dream of that. You may be among those who are lactose-intolerant and have switched to soy milk. If you are old enough, or grew up on a farm or dairy, you may have enjoyed milk fresh from the source. Or maybe you’ve switched over to skim milk to cut calories and fat. Now, almond and rice milk are available in many stores. Goat milk is also more readily available, for a price.

Whether you have dietary restrictions or not, you’ve probably already read labels to determine which milk is the best for you. But while you may have compared calories and fat, you may not have compared other aspects.

If you are in need of calcium, cow’s milk is the best. Depending on the fat amount, an eight-ounce glass of milk contains anywhere between 250 and 300mg of calcium. It’s also the best source of protein among the different types of milk with eight grams of protein per one cup serving.

If you can’t partake of cow’s milk, you have a lot of options. Soy, almond, coconut and rice milk are available.

The taste of soy milk has improved over the years, making it a viable choice. It is loaded with calcium and protein. It contains no saturated fat and is low in calories. It comes in regular, vanilla and chocolate. Some stores even carry soy eggnog during the holidays. Studies have also shown that soy may play a role in preventing breast cancer in women, and prostate cancer in men.

Almond milk is becoming popular. It is a tasty alternative for those who have allergies to both soy and dairy. It has lots of vitamins and minerals, and about as much fat as regular milk. The one big drawback is almond milk contains very little protein.

Filed Under: Featured News, Health Tagged With: almond milk, milk, soy milk

Three Year Old Hero Saves Mother Could Your Child Do the Same?

July 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

emergency call by todller Three Year Old Hero Saves Mother Could Your Child Do the Same?Three Year Old Hero Saves Mother Could Your Child Do the Same?

Many people don’t take the time to teach their young children how to call 911 before the age of 5, but recent studies have proven that toddlers as young as 3 can understand the basic commands and how to dial for help.  A three year old toddler in Kansas has recently been labeled as a hero after he successfully called 911 after his mother lost consciousness.  The boy was able to unlock his mother’s iPhone and dial for help and while he didn’t know the exact cause of her lack of consciousness, or even his address, but the dispatcher was able to use GPS technology to obtain an address and send paramedics to the home.

The mother has fully recovered from the incident and is very proud of her little hero.  Stories like these are showing up more and more, making it known that even young children can identify when there is a problem and call for help, even if they don’t know what is wrong.

With many more parents using smartphones to entertain children, they are becoming more adept at using devices and can easily learn how to dial emergency numbers.  Parents should enforce the difference between an emergency and a non-emergency however, ensuring that they will only call if necessary.

 

Filed Under: Featured News, Health Tagged With: 911, child calls 911, dial emergency numbers, emergency call

Mid-summer Motivation

July 14, 2011 By Leave a Comment

midsummer weight loss diet plans1 Mid summer MotivationMid-summer Motivation

You’ve been exercising and eating healthy for a month now, and you aren’t getting the results you were expecting. Going to the gym is becoming a chore. It’s not doing any good, so why bother. Becoming discouraged with your progress is not unusual, but don’t give up. Push on to with some actions that can motivate you to get over the hump.

When you’re working out, find the point where you just can’t do one more. Then do that one more. You don’t want to push to the point of injury, but doing that last difficult lunge or adding that last bicep curl will not only boost your sense of accomplishment, it can also rev up your weight loss.

Be sure to schedule your work out time just as you would any other important appointment. It’s harder to put it off if you have a daily reminder going off on your phone. This way, you won’t be so apt to just blow off your work out for something else. But don’t be so rigid that you can’t adjust your schedule if something important comes up.

Try to schedule at least five days a week for work outs. If you can’t get to the gym every one of those five days, work your core at home. You can do core-strengthening exercises without machines or weights.

Make sure you include your cardio. Building muscle is great since it takes more calories to feed muscle than fat, but cardio is a great fat-burner.

Have a health check list you go through every day. Did you get enough sleep? Did you strive to eat healthy foods? Did you get your work out in? Have you had a positive attitude? What have you done for others today? Did you get some “you” time by doing something you enjoy?

Filed Under: Health Tagged With: weight loss, weight loss diet plans

Suicide: Sorting Out the Myths of Depression

July 14, 2011 By Leave a Comment

depression and suicide Suicide: Sorting Out the Myths of DepressionSuicide: Sorting Out the Myths of Depression

Nearly 17.5 million Americans suffer from depression. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, suicide is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. for people between the ages of 18 and 65, and 11th overall. That means that someone commits suicide once every 15 minutes, or around 96 people each day.

Yet suicide is still misunderstood and continues to be a taboo subject of discussion. This allows both myth and fact to exist side by side, with society unable to easily distinguish between the two. Misinformation can lead to dismissing signs of depression which, if treated, may have prevented the suicide.

We tend to think that suicides peak during the holiday season. It goes along with the information disseminated about seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression that occurs usually in the fall or winter. However, statistics show that suicides actually peak in the spring.

We also tend to view teens as being at a higher risk for suicide. A natural conclusion considering teen’s mood swings and the amount of adjusting and peer pressure faced by many in their teen years. A group with one of the highest risks is white men over 85. They have a rate of 49.8 deaths by suicide per 100,000 compared to the general population rate of 11 per 100,000.

One truth – treatment does reduce the risk of suicide. The risk of anti-depressants increasing the risk of suicide in people under 25 is a possibility, especially in the first few weeks of treatment. Be sure to notify your treatment provider if there are signs of the depression worsening. The dosage or type of medication can be changed.

Filed Under: Featured News, Health

Successful Transplant of a Stem-Cell Created Organ

July 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

stem cell transplant organ Successful Transplant of a Stem Cell Created OrganSuccessful Transplant of a Stem-Cell Created Organ

The ethical debate over the use of stem cells has not quashed research.  A 36-year-old man inStockholm,Swedenreceived a synthetic windpipe on June 9.  The windpipe was created in a lab using the man’s own stem cells.  No human donor tissue was used.

Lab Generated Transplant

This is the first time a lab-generated transplant used only stem cells.  Previously, the transplants used tissue or a piece of donor windpipe.

The man was diagnosed with tracheal cancer in 2008.  Only about 1 percent of all cancers diagnosed are tracheal, making it a very rare form of cancer.  All conventional treatments had failed.  By the time he received the transplant, the tumor had nearly blocked his windpipe.

Scientists Crafted the Framework

His doctors suggest trying to grow the organ rather than waiting for a transplant.  Scientists crafted the framework, modeling it after the patient’s own windpipe.  It was made of flexible, spongy polymers, with rings around the tube to imitate the configuration of an actual human trachea.  It was then immersed in a mix which in contained the man’s stem cells.  This got the man’s cells to grow on the polymer, inside and outside.

According to his doctor, the man’s body has accepted the trachea.  He had a cough reflex just two days after surgery, a very good sign.

The creation took 10 to 12 days.  Compare that with the months of waiting for a donor.  Stem cell research is still controversial, especially in theUnited States.  Opponents fear it will lead to human cloning and the farming of fetuses.

Filed Under: Featured News, Health

When the Cows Come Home: Vegetarians Returning to Meat Consumption

July 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Money Money When the Cows Come Home: Vegetarians Returning to Meat ConsumptionVegetarians

CBS News conducted a study that showed the number of Americans who identify themselves as ex-vegetarians is three times as many as those who identify themselves as currently being vegetarian.  That means that about 75 percent of vegetarians eventually include meat in their diets.  Psychology professor Hal Herzog set out to find out why vegetarianism seems more of a phase in life rather than a permanent change in lifestyle.

Meat Consumption

Herzog conducted an online survey to dig into the motivations behind vegetarians going back to meat.  About 77 ex-vegetarians took the survey.  He found that the average ex-vegetarian was a 28-year-old woman who had been a vegetarian for nine years before giving it up.  The survey asked why they became vegetarians and why they went back to eating meat.

Becoming a Vegetarian

Herzog found that the most common reason for becoming a vegetarian was because of their ethical reasons.  Other reasons included health reasons and environmental concerns.

The ex-vegetarians began eating meat again for reasons that fell into five categories:  declining health, urges, hassles, a shift in thinking, and social stigmas.

About 35 percent of the participants stated that they began eating meat again due to declining health, anemia being a major problem.

Nearly 25 percent stated that they left vegetarianism due to the hassles associated with being a strict vegetarian.  Finding the appropriate foods at reasonable prices in local stores was difficult.  For others, it was the time it took to make meatless dishes, and others just got tired of it.

Only two of the respondents listed their change of thinking regarding the treatment of animals allowed the change.

 

Filed Under: Health
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